Hunting in Iowa: Top Spots for Hunting in the Hawkeye State

Hawks are renowned for their keen eyesight, swift flight, and sharp talons. This combination of features makes hawks truly formidable hunters. It is fitting then that one of the most popular activities is hunting in the Hawkeye State.

With over 450,000 acres of hunting land available for the public, there are plenty of accessible areas to hunt regardless of where in Iowa you are located. Deer Hunt Iowa optimistically agrees that, “You can literally find a big buck anywhere in Iowa.”

Whether pheasant hunting for beginners or feral pig hunting for the experienced, Iowa offers hunting opportunities for all ages.

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Here are some of the top spots to hunt in the Hawkeye State:

1. Red Rock Public Hunting Area
Foremosthunting.com cites Red Rock as the “best public area to bag a trophy buck in Iowa.” It is roughly 30,000 acres of mostly marshland.

2. Shimek State Forest
Shimek, located in Southeast Iowa, is known for its superb deer and turkey hunting. Shimek consists of 8,000 acres of dense woods.

3. Hawkeye Wildlife Area
This area is best known for its deer and pheasant hunting. Hawkeye’s 13,000 acres contains timber, marsh, bottoms, and upland cover.

4. Brushy Creek Recreation Area
Come to Brushy Creek if you seek to hunt deer and turkey. It is 6,500 acres of upland cover, dense woods, and river bottoms. Camping is also available at this site.

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5. Loess Hills State Forest
This State Forest hunting area consists of 10,000 acres of dense woods. It is a great place to hunt huge deer.

6. Chichaqua Bottoms
Chichaqua is mostly known for its pheasant hunting. It consists of 6,500 acres of flat bottomland and upland cover.

7. Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
These 8,000 acres of dense wood are best suited for hunting pheasants. Lead shells are not permitted here.

8. Iowa River Corridor
This area has a little bit of everything. Its 50,000 acres of upland, bottoms, and timber cover hide plentiful pheasants, deer, waterfowl, turkey, small game, and bobwhite quail.

9. Rathbun Wildlife Area
These 15,792 acres of mostly timber cover are ideal for those who wish to focus on hunting deer.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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