Waterfowl Production Area · Clay County, Nebraska

Eckhardt Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 175 acres, Eckhardt Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Clay County, Nebraska. It is managed by the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District as part of the Clay County Waterfowl Production Area of Ne 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 Rainwater Basin WMD rules →
175GIS acres
174deeded acres
Clay Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Eckhardt 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 Clay County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Eckhardt WPA

What you can typically do

  • Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Nebraska 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 Eckhardt WPA

Navigate

Destination: Eckhardt Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
40.46297, -97.90505
DMS
40°27′46.7″N 97°54′18.2″W

Nearest towns

  • Grand Island, NE40 mi SE of town
  • Kearney, NE64 mi E of town
  • Lincoln, NE68 mi W of town

Closest airports

  • GRI Central Nebraska Regional41 mi

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

Shooting hours at Eckhardt WPA

Today at Eckhardt 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, 20266:27 AM6:57 AM8:06 PM13h 08m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM7:42 PM12h 32m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM7:15 PM11h 49m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:11 AM7:41 AM6:53 PM11h 12m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM5:30 PM10h 30m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM5:15 PM9h 58m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:05 AM7:35 AM5:06 PM9h 31m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM5:05 PM9h 18m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:24 AM7:54 AM5:14 PM9h 20m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:22 AM7:52 AM5:27 PM9h 35m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:11 AM7:41 AM5:47 PM10h 06m

Computed for 40.463, -97.905 (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
Green Acres WPA642.0 mi WClay County
Hansen WPA6422.9 mi EClay County
Smith WPA5684.1 mi SWClay County
Moger WPA1964.7 mi WClay County
Schuck WPA805.0 mi WClay County
Meadowlark WPA795.0 mi WClay County
Harms WPA605.8 mi WClay County
Krause WPA5335.8 mi EFillmore County

Closest refuges & districts

Rainwater Basin WMD

Phelps County, NE · 69 mi W

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

24.9K huntable acres

Kirwin NWR

Phillips County, KS · 86 mi SW

3 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

5.8K huntable acres

Desoto NWR

Washington County, NE · 123 mi NE

4 special2 closed
🦌🦃🐦🎣

6.8K huntable acres

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