Rainwater Basin WMD
Phelps County, NE · 20 mi E
✓1 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
24.9K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Phelps County, Nebraska
Cottonwood Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Cottonwood Waterfowl Production Area is a 628-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Phelps County, Nebraska. It is managed by the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District as part of the Phelps 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.
628GIS acres
638deeded acres
Phelps Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood WPA
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Destination: Cottonwood Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
40.55020, -99.58691- DMS
40°33′00.7″N 99°35′12.9″W
Nearest towns
- Holdrege, NE14 mi NW of town
- Kearney, NE29 mi W of town
- Grand Island, NE70 mi W of town
Closest airports
- GRI Central Nebraska Regional73 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Cottonwood WPA
Today at Cottonwood 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 | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:12 PM | 13h 08m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:49 PM | 12h 32m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:22 PM | 11h 49m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:00 PM | 11h 12m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:36 PM | 10h 29m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:22 PM | 9h 58m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:13 PM | 9h 31m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:12 PM | 9h 18m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:20 PM | 9h 19m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:34 PM | 9h 34m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:54 PM | 10h 06m |
Computed for 40.550, -99.587 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linder WPA | 156 | 2.7 mi E | Phelps County |
| Victor Lakes WPA | 234 | 4.7 mi NW | Gosper County |
| Peterson WPA | 1,156 | 6.1 mi SW | Gosper County |
| Elley WPA | 60 | 6.8 mi SW | Gosper County |
| Atlanta WPA | 1,147 | 13 mi SE | Phelps County |
| Johnson WPA | 582 | 14 mi E | Phelps County |
| Jones WPA | 166 | 14 mi SE | Phelps County |
| Funk WPA | 1,994 | 19 mi E | Phelps County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Phelps County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.