Waterfowl Production Area · Fillmore County, Nebraska

Wilkins Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 581 acres, Wilkins 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.

Navigate here Satellite map Rainwater Basin WMD rules →
581GIS acres
577deeded acres
Fillmore Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Wilkins 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 Fillmore County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Wilkins 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 Wilkins WPA

Navigate

Destination: Wilkins Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
40.60594, -97.68635
DMS
40°36′21.4″N 97°41′10.9″W

Nearest towns

  • Grand Island, NE41 mi SE of town
  • Lincoln, NE54 mi W of town
  • Kearney, NE73 mi E 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 Wilkins WPA

Today at Wilkins 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, 20266:26 AM6:56 AM8:05 PM13h 08m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM7:41 PM12h 32m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM7:14 PM11h 49m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:10 AM7:40 AM6:52 PM11h 12m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM5:28 PM10h 29m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:46 AM7:16 AM5:14 PM9h 58m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:04 AM7:34 AM5:05 PM9h 31m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM5:04 PM9h 18m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:24 AM7:54 AM5:13 PM9h 19m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:22 AM7:52 AM5:26 PM9h 34m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:11 AM7:41 AM5:46 PM10h 05m

Computed for 40.606, -97.686 (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
Brauning WPA2412.4 mi WFillmore County
Morphy WPA902.5 mi WFillmore County
Rauscher WPA2524.2 mi WFillmore County
Griess WPA214.9 mi WFillmore County
Rolland WPA1297.1 mi WClay County
Real WPA2317.6 mi NEFillmore County
Lange WPA1609.0 mi WClay County
County Line WPA1659.6 mi NEFillmore County

Closest refuges & districts

Rainwater Basin WMD

Phelps County, NE · 81 mi W

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

24.9K huntable acres

Kirwin NWR

Phillips County, KS · 102 mi SW

3 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

5.8K huntable acres

Desoto NWR

Washington County, NE · 107 mi NE

4 special2 closed
🦌🦃🐦🎣

6.8K huntable acres

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