Waterfowl Production Area · Hamilton County, Nebraska

Nelson Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Nelson Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 162 acres located in Hamilton County, Nebraska. It is managed by the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District as part of the Hamilton 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 →
162GIS acres
160deeded acres
Hamilton Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Nelson 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 Hamilton County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Nelson 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 Nelson WPA

Navigate

Destination: Nelson Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
40.75994, -97.93533
DMS
40°45′35.8″N 97°56′07.2″W

Nearest towns

  • Grand Island, NE24 mi SE of town
  • Kearney, NE60 mi E of town
  • Lincoln, NE65 mi W of town

Closest airports

  • GRI Central Nebraska Regional24 mi

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

Shooting hours at Nelson WPA

Today at Nelson 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 09m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM7:43 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, 20266:31 AM7:01 AM5:29 PM10h 29m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:48 AM7:18 AM5:15 PM9h 57m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM5:05 PM9h 30m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:18 AM7:48 AM5:05 PM9h 17m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:25 AM7:55 AM5:13 PM9h 18m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:23 AM7:53 AM5:26 PM9h 33m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:12 AM7:42 AM5:47 PM10h 05m

Computed for 40.760, -97.935 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Nearby Waterfowl Production Areas

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Troester WPA4172.6 mi NHamilton County
Hultine North WPA5249.1 mi SClay County
Hultine South WPA4789.9 mi SClay County
Springer WPA62912 mi NWHamilton County
Rolland WPA12913 mi SEClay County
Lange WPA16014 mi SClay County
Verona WPA16015 mi SClay County
Griess WPA2115 mi SEFillmore 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 · 100 mi SW

3 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

5.8K huntable acres

Desoto NWR

Washington County, NE · 113 mi NE

4 special2 closed
🦌🦃🐦🎣

6.8K huntable acres

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