Minnesota Valley WMD
Le Sueur County, MN · 5.5 mi S
!2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
8.7K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Le Sueur County, Minnesota
Rice Lake Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Rice Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 53 acres located in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Minnesota Valley Wetland Management District as part of the Le Sueur 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.
53GIS acres
53deeded acres
Le Sueur Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Rice Lake 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
Hunting on Rice Lake 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 Rice Lake WPA
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Destination: Rice Lake Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
44.44034, -93.53847- DMS
44°26′25.2″N 93°32′18.5″W
Nearest towns
- Mankato, MN30 mi NE of town
- Minneapolis, MN40 mi S of town
- St. Paul, MN42 mi SW of town
Closest airports
- MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul34 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Rice Lake WPA
Today at Rice Lake 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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:53 PM | 13h 18m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:57 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:31 PM | 11h 04m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 5:05 PM | 10h 15m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:48 PM | 9h 39m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:37 PM | 9h 07m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:35 PM | 8h 52m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:43 PM | 8h 54m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:58 PM | 9h 11m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:21 PM | 9h 48m |
Computed for 44.440, -93.538 (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
| WPA | Acres | Distance | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erin Prairie WPA | 173 | 4.0 mi E | Rice County |
| Delehanty WPA | 162 | 5.4 mi S | Le Sueur County |
| Hurley WPA | 153 | 9.6 mi SE | Rice County |
| Fickling WPA | 88 | 11 mi W | Le Sueur County |
| Wolf Creek WPA | 164 | 11 mi SE | Rice County |
| Preuss WPA | 115 | 14 mi S | Le Sueur County |
| Soberg WPA | 40 | 17 mi NE | Scott County |
| Soberg WPA | 74 | 17 mi NE | Dakota County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Le Sueur County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.