Waterfowl Production Area · Meeker County, Minnesota

Hanson Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 313 acres, Hanson Lake Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Meeker County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Litchfield Wetland Management District as part of the Meeker 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 →
313GIS acres
313deeded acres
Meeker Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Hanson 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
All WPAs in Meeker County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Hanson 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 Hanson Lake WPA

Navigate

Destination: Hanson Lake Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
45.13087, -94.61600
DMS
45°07′51.1″N 94°36′57.6″W

Nearest towns

  • Litchfield, MN4.2 mi W of town
  • Willmar, MN21 mi E of town
  • St. Cloud, MN37 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul70 mi

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

Shooting hours at Hanson Lake WPA

Today at Hanson 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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:09 AM6:39 AM7:58 PM13h 19m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM7:32 PM12h 36m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM7:01 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:02 AM7:32 AM6:35 PM11h 03m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM5:08 PM10h 12m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM4:50 PM9h 35m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM4:39 PM9h 03m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:19 AM7:49 AM4:37 PM8h 47m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:26 AM7:56 AM4:45 PM8h 49m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:23 AM7:53 AM5:00 PM9h 07m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:09 AM7:39 AM5:23 PM9h 44m

Computed for 45.131, -94.616 (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
Grass Lake WPA461.9 mi WMeeker County
Harvey WPA4302.1 mi NMeeker County
Acton WPA802.5 mi WMeeker County
Stone Lake WPA1473.6 mi EMeeker County
Litchfield WPA4636.1 mi SEMeeker County
Greenleaf WPA807.3 mi SMeeker County
Miller Lake WPA2247.5 mi NWMeeker County
Casey Lake WPA3047.6 mi SEMeeker County

Closest refuges & districts

Litchfield WMD

Meeker County, MN · 5.9 mi SE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

38.6K huntable acres

Sherburne NWR

Sherburne County, MN · 50 mi NE

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

28K huntable acres

Crane Meadows NWR

Morrison County, MN · 58 mi N

1 open2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇

2.2K huntable acres

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