Rainwater Basin WMD
Phelps County, NE · 76 mi W
✓1 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
24.9K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Fillmore County, Nebraska
Rauscher Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Covering about 252 acres, Rauscher Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Fillmore County, Nebraska. It is managed by the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District as part of the Fillmore 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.
252GIS acres
251deeded acres
Fillmore Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Rauscher 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
Hunting on Rauscher 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 Rauscher WPA
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Destination: Rauscher Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
40.58600, -97.76237- DMS
40°35′09.6″N 97°45′44.5″W
Nearest towns
- Grand Island, NE38 mi SE of town
- Lincoln, NE58 mi W of town
- Kearney, NE70 mi E of town
Closest airports
- GRI Central Nebraska Regional39 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Rauscher WPA
Today at Rauscher 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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:05 PM | 13h 08m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 PM | 12h 32m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:15 PM | 11h 49m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:52 PM | 11h 12m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:29 PM | 10h 29m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:14 PM | 9h 58m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:05 PM | 9h 31m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 18m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:13 PM | 9h 19m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:26 PM | 9h 34m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:46 PM | 10h 05m |
Computed for 40.586, -97.762 (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
| WPA | Acres | Distance | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griess WPA | 21 | 0.7 mi W | Fillmore County |
| Brauning WPA | 241 | 1.9 mi NE | Fillmore County |
| Morphy WPA | 90 | 2.3 mi NE | Fillmore County |
| Rolland WPA | 129 | 3.0 mi W | Clay County |
| Wilkins WPA | 581 | 4.2 mi E | Fillmore County |
| Lange WPA | 160 | 4.8 mi W | Clay County |
| Krause WPA | 533 | 8.2 mi S | Fillmore County |
| Mallard Haven WPA | 1,246 | 9.6 mi S | Fillmore County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Fillmore County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.