Waterfowl Production Area · Hamilton County, Nebraska

Troester Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Troester Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 417 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 →
417GIS acres
420deeded acres
Hamilton Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Troester 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 Troester 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 Troester WPA

Navigate

Destination: Troester Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
40.79622, -97.92353
DMS
40°47′46.4″N 97°55′24.7″W

Nearest towns

  • Grand Island, NE24 mi SE of town
  • Kearney, NE61 mi E of town
  • Lincoln, NE64 mi W of town

Closest airports

  • GRI Central Nebraska Regional23 mi

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

Shooting hours at Troester WPA

Today at Troester 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 28m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:48 AM7:18 AM5:15 PM9h 57m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM5:05 PM9h 29m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:18 AM7:48 AM5:04 PM9h 16m
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 40.796, -97.924 (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
Nelson WPA1622.6 mi SHamilton County
Springer WPA62911 mi WHamilton County
Hultine North WPA52412 mi SClay County
Hultine South WPA47812 mi SClay County
Heron WPA37115 mi NEYork County
Rolland WPA12915 mi SClay County
Morphy WPA9016 mi SEFillmore County
Lange WPA16016 mi SClay County

Closest refuges & districts

Rainwater Basin WMD

Phelps County, NE · 70 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 · 111 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.