Waterfowl Production Area · Stearns County, Minnesota

Erpelding Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Erpelding Waterfowl Production Area is a 277-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Stearns County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Litchfield Wetland Management District as part of the Stearns 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.

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277GIS acres
277deeded acres
Stearns Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Erpelding 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 Stearns County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Erpelding 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 Erpelding WPA

Navigate

Destination: Erpelding Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
45.35926, -94.38359
DMS
45°21′33.3″N 94°23′00.9″W

Nearest towns

  • Litchfield, MN17 mi NE of town
  • St. Cloud, MN18 mi SW of town
  • Willmar, MN36 mi NE of town

Closest airports

  • MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul66 mi

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

Shooting hours at Erpelding WPA

Today at Erpelding 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, 20266:07 AM6:37 AM7:57 PM13h 20m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM7:31 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:43 AM7:13 AM7:00 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:01 AM7:31 AM6:34 PM11h 02m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM5:06 PM10h 11m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM4:49 PM9h 34m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM4:37 PM9h 01m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:19 AM7:49 AM4:35 PM8h 45m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:26 AM7:56 AM4:43 PM8h 47m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:23 AM7:53 AM4:58 PM9h 05m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:09 AM7:39 AM5:22 PM9h 43m

Computed for 45.359, -94.384 (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
Murray Lake WPA894.8 mi EStearns County
Clear Lake WPA1975.0 mi SWMeeker County
Mud Lake WPA817.0 mi WStearns County
Tyrone Flats WPA1,2819.3 mi SWMeeker County
Rice Lake WPA18410 mi WStearns County
Collegeville WPA12211 mi NStearns County
Big Fish Lake WPA8111 mi NStearns County
Eden Valley WPA39412 mi WStearns County

Closest refuges & districts

Litchfield WMD

Meeker County, MN · 21 mi S

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

38.6K huntable acres

Sherburne NWR

Sherburne County, MN · 33 mi E

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

28K huntable acres

Crane Meadows NWR

Morrison County, MN · 40 mi N

1 open2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇

2.2K huntable acres

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