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A pair of trumpeter swans rest in the open water of a cattail marsh. The swans are white with black bills. One of the swans has its next extended as it sits more alert, watching the photographer. The swan in the foreground is more relaxed, with its neck bent and its head facing downward.

Windom

Wetland Management District
There is no charge to visit.
Pass details
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Detailed hours
49663 County Road Number 17
Windom, MN 56101-3026

Plan Your Visit

National wildlife refuges and wetland management districts offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. The approximately 80 waterfowl production areas and 6 refuge tracts spread across Windom Wetland Management District are diverse and exciting, ranging from great hunting locations to bird watching sites and nature trails.

Driving Directions: Windom Wetland Management District headquarters and Wings on the Prairie Discovery Center are located on County Road 17, one and a half miles east of the Highway 60 and County Road 17 intersection (McDonalds Intersection) in Windom, Minnesota. The office and visitor center are on the east side of Wolf Lake.

Visitor Tips: For best wildlife observations, focus your visits as close to dawn or dusk as you can. Visitors should come prepared for weather conditions and bring everything needed for the day, including sunscreen, water, insect repellant, and proper footwear, as most areas are unimproved natural landscapes without facilities.

Interactive Map
Hours
Opens: 7:30 AM
Closes: 4:00 PM
Detailed hours
Safety Policies
Federal Wildlife Officers: 1-844-397-8477
For emergencies: 911
Rules and Policies
Passes
Onsite:

There is no charge to visit.

Lifetime Passes

Windom Wetland Management District does not sell lifetime passes. Please purchase these online.

Activities

A woman waterfowl hunting by a wetland at sunset
Hunting
woman reels in small fish while man watches intently
Fishing
A woman points while a child next to her looks through binoculars
Wildlife watching
A sign with a flying trumpeter swan reads "Wolf Lake Nature Trail" with an arrow pointing towards a mown path. The sun is just rising above the horizon, casting hues of yellow, pink, and purple over a wetland in the base of a valley.
Hiking
A woman facing us in a broad-brimmed hat aims a camera's long lens at something unseen in the greenery.
Photography
A service intern wearing waders empties a crab trap in the tidal creek of a marsh at low tide. A muddy creek bed, marsh grasses, and a cloudy sky can be seen in the background.
Trapping
Two volunteers birding on sandpiper trail at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge.
Birding
Pear shaped mushrooms growing out of a lichen covered tree laying on the ground
Wild edible foraging

Get Involved

Whether you want to further conservation, learn more about nature or share your love of the outdoors, you’ve come to the right place. National wildlife refuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community by doing what you love through volunteering, youth groups, and partnerships.

Get Involved

Services

Windom WMD seeks cooperative grazers annually to help meet management needs. Check the website in early summer for potential haying opportunities as well. The district also has an active easement and fee title acquisition program for landowners interested in enrolling in grassland or wetland easements or selling their property for future conservation.

ServicesGrassland EasementsWetland EasementsApply for a Special Use Permit on National Wildlife RefugesCooperative Agriculture OpportunitiesBuy A Duck Stamp

About

Established in 1990, the Windom Wetland Management District manages approximately 17,000 acres of waterfowl production areas and remnant native prairie tracts across 13 counties in southern Minnesota. It serves as a breeding ground for migratory birds and preserves habitat for threatened and endangered species. The district also oversees thousands of acres of private easements and administers the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program to improve wildlife habitat on private lands.

About UsLaw EnforcementRules & PoliciesAbout Waterfowl Production AreasMigratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act
The sun is peeking up behind the skyline. The camera is focused on some big bluestem grasses in the foreground with a valley in the background. There is a wetland in the bottom of the valley.
Windom Wetland Management District
49663 County Road Number 17
Windom, MN 56101-3026
(507) 831-2220
WindomWMD@fws.gov

Reporting Wildlife Crimes

For immediate criminal activity or emergency on U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service land, please contact your local authority or dial 911. 

To report hunting or other wildlife-related criminal activity on U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service land, call the USFWS Turn-In-Poachers (TIP) hotline: 1-844-FWS-TIPS (1-844-397-8477)

Injured Wildlife

Our staff do not rehabilitate injured or orphan wildlife. Do not attempt to rehabilitate wildlife on your own; special permits and knowledge are required. Our staff are unable to assist with the capture and transfer of injured animals. 

Raptor Center - University of Minnesota: (612) 624-4745

Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota: (651) 486-9453

If you have found a deceased eagle in southwest Minnesota, please contact our office to arrange pickup or drop off. It is illegal to possess any part of an eagle, including feathers.