Waterfowl Production Area · Kandiyohi County, Minnesota

Carlson Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 90 acres, Carlson Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Litchfield Wetland Management District as part of the Kandiyohi County Waterfowl Production Area group of WPAs. Waterfowl Production Areas are purchased largely with Federal Duck Stamp dollars and are generally open to hunting, trapping and fishing under state regulations, with some federal restrictions.

Navigate here Satellite map Litchfield WMD rules →
90GIS acres
90deeded acres
Kandiyohi Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Carlson WPA satellite map

Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — public land. Everything outside is typically private; always look for boundary signs.

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Waterfowl Production Area (public)County lineRefuge / station Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
All WPAs in Kandiyohi County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Carlson WPA

What you can typically do

  • Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Minnesota regulations
  • Walk in from roads or designated parking areas — vehicles generally stay off the tract
  • Fish and trap where state rules and district regulations allow
  • Wildlife watching, photography and hiking

Common restrictions

  • No camping, fires or overnight use on most WPAs
  • Motorized vehicles only on designated roads/parking
  • Temporary blinds and stands usually must be removed daily
  • Non-toxic shot required for waterfowl — many districts require it for all shotgun hunting
  • Some tracts have closed areas or special regulations — check signs

How to get to Carlson WPA

Navigate

Destination: Carlson Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
45.14348, -94.86448
DMS
45°08′36.5″N 94°51′52.1″W

Nearest towns

  • Willmar, MN8.7 mi E of town
  • Litchfield, MN16 mi W of town
  • St. Cloud, MN45 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul82 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

Shooting hours at Carlson WPA

Today at Carlson WPA

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM7:59 PM13h 19m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:26 AM6:56 AM7:33 PM12h 36m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM7:02 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:03 AM7:33 AM6:36 PM11h 03m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:26 AM6:56 AM5:09 PM10h 12m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:46 AM7:16 AM4:51 PM9h 35m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:07 AM7:37 AM4:40 PM9h 03m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:21 AM7:51 AM4:38 PM8h 47m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:28 AM7:58 AM4:46 PM8h 49m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:24 AM7:54 AM5:01 PM9h 07m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:10 AM7:40 AM5:24 PM9h 44m

Computed for 45.143, -94.864 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Nearby Waterfowl Production Areas

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Uncle Matt's Lake WPA2651.5 mi NEKandiyohi County
Summit Lake WPA992.2 mi EKandiyohi County
Ella Lake WPA4213.5 mi SEKandiyohi County
Burr Oak Lake WPA3434.4 mi NWKandiyohi County
Sperry Lake WPA164.5 mi NEKandiyohi County
Swanson WPA964.6 mi NWKandiyohi County
Lake Elizabeth WPA575.6 mi SEKandiyohi County
Sweep WPA866.2 mi NWKandiyohi County

Closest refuges & districts

Litchfield WMD

Meeker County, MN · 17 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

38.6K huntable acres

Morris WMD

Stevens County, MN · 60 mi NW

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

56.6K huntable acres

Sherburne NWR

Sherburne County, MN · 60 mi NE

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

28K huntable acres

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Kandiyohi County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.