Waterfowl Production Area · Polk County, Minnesota

Maple Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Maple Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a 357-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Polk County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District as part of the Polk County Waterfowl Production Area of Mn 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 Detroit Lakes WMD rules →
357GIS acres
358deeded acres
Polk Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Maple 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 Polk County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Maple 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 Maple Lake WPA

Navigate

Destination: Maple Lake Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
47.65265, -96.20309
DMS
47°39′09.5″N 96°12′11.1″W

Nearest towns

  • Thief River Falls, MN32 mi S of town
  • Grand Forks, ND43 mi SE of town
  • Detroit Lakes, MN60 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • GFK Grand Forks Intl50 mi

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

Shooting hours at Maple Lake WPA

Today at Maple 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, 20266:12 AM6:42 AM8:08 PM13h 26m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM7:39 PM12h 39m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:51 AM7:21 AM7:06 PM11h 45m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:11 AM7:41 AM6:38 PM10h 57m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM5:09 PM10h 02m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM4:50 PM9h 21m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:21 AM7:51 AM4:36 PM8h 45m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:36 AM8:06 AM4:33 PM8h 27m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:43 AM8:13 AM4:42 PM8h 29m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:38 AM8:08 AM4:58 PM8h 49m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:22 AM7:52 AM5:23 PM9h 31m

Computed for 47.653, -96.203 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

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

Nearby Waterfowl Production Areas

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Moren WPA1910.9 mi NEPolk County
The Nature Conservancy WPA881.6 mi NPolk County
Farrell WPA392.5 mi NEPolk County
Cable Lake WPA1192.5 mi NEPolk County
Jacobson WPA2443.4 mi SEPolk County
Woodside WPA3154.4 mi SEPolk County
Rydell WPA534.8 mi EPolk County
Underdahl WPA806.1 mi SEPolk County

Closest refuges & districts

Rydell NWR

Polk County, MN · 4.5 mi E

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

1.8K huntable acres

Glacial Ridge NWR

Polk County, MN · 5.7 mi NW

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗

17.4K huntable acres

Hamden Slough NWR

Becker County, MN · 48 mi S

3 special
🦌🦆

3.4K huntable acres

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