Waterfowl Production Area · Wright County, Minnesota

French Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

French Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a 171-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Wright County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Litchfield Wetland Management District as part of the Wright 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.

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171GIS acres
172deeded acres
Wright Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

French 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 Wright County:KMLGPX

Hunting on French 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 French Lake WPA

Navigate

Destination: French Lake Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
45.17554, -94.14264
DMS
45°10′31.9″N 94°08′33.5″W

Nearest towns

  • Litchfield, MN19 mi E of town
  • St. Cloud, MN27 mi S of town
  • Willmar, MN44 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul49 mi

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

Shooting hours at French Lake WPA

Today at French 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, 20266:07 AM6:37 AM7:56 PM13h 19m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM7:30 PM12h 36m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM6:59 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:00 AM7:30 AM6:33 PM11h 03m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM5:06 PM10h 12m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:43 AM7:13 AM4:48 PM9h 35m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:04 AM7:34 AM4:37 PM9h 02m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:18 AM7:48 AM4:35 PM8h 47m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:25 AM7:55 AM4:43 PM8h 48m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:21 AM7:51 AM4:58 PM9h 06m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:07 AM7:37 AM5:21 PM9h 44m

Computed for 45.176, -94.143 (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
Albion WPA1413.1 mi NEWright County
Goose Lake WPA3553.9 mi NWWright County
Temperance WPA1364.7 mi SWWright County
Annandale WPA1614.9 mi NWright County
Robinson WPA1035.8 mi SEWright County
Cokato WPA2188.0 mi SWWright County
Marysville WPA3088.7 mi SEWright County
Victor WPA1499.2 mi SWright County

Closest refuges & districts

Litchfield WMD

Meeker County, MN · 20 mi W

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

38.6K huntable acres

Sherburne NWR

Sherburne County, MN · 30 mi NE

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

28K huntable acres

Minnesota Valley NWR

Hennepin County, MN · 50 mi SE

12 special5 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

12.6K huntable acres

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