Barkley State Forest: hunting and access
Barkley State Forest is 322 acres of public hunting land in Boone County, 2 miles from Fraser, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 1,162 deer in Boone County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's public hunting area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: Iowa DNR harvest reporting, 2021 to 2025.
Public hunting areas on the DNR atlasFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther DNR landBarkley State ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 322 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Boone County |
| Deer harvest unit | Boone County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer and Turkey |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Forest |
| DNR contact | Saylorville Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Fraser (2 mi), Pilot Mound (4 mi) and Boone (7 mi) |
What is Barkley State Forest like?
The DNR describes the habitat as forest.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Barkley State Forest?
The DNR's atlas lists deer and turkey for Barkley State Forest.
What are the rules on Barkley State Forest?
Iowa's general hunting rules apply, and some DNR land is a posted wildlife refuge closed during set seasons; Iowa DNR wildlife management areas has area maps.
How many deer are taken around Barkley State Forest?
Barkley State Forest lies in Boone County. Hunters reported 1,162 deer in Boone County in 2025, against 1,351 in 2024.
| County | Barkley State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | 322 | 1,162 | 1,351 | 1,294 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Barkley State Forest?
The DNR's directions: 3.5 miles N of Boone on Nature Rd, 1 mile E on 155th St, NW on Mission Lane.
Nearest towns: Fraser (2 miles), Pilot Mound (4 miles), Boone (7 miles) and Ogden (8 miles).
What other public land is near Barkley State Forest?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Saylorville Wildlife Area - ACOE: 10,773 acres, next to it
- Holst State Forest: 310 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Pilot Mound State Forest: 34 acres, 3 miles away
- Rhoades Acres: 164 acres, 3.3 miles away
- Carlson Recreation Area: 188 acres, 5.8 miles away
- Jay Carlson Area: 159 acres, 6.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Barkley State Forest
Counting Barkley State Forest itself, 1,345 of the 25,557 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Public hunting areas on the DNR atlas | 1,181 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 140 |
| Other DNR land | 24 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Barkley State Forest?
In Boone County, 2 miles from Fraser.
What can you hunt on Barkley State Forest?
The DNR's atlas lists deer and turkey.
How much public land is around Barkley State Forest?
1,345 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Barkley State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Saylorville Wildlife Area - ACOE (next to it).
Get a Iowa hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Iowa are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Iowa included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: Iowa DNR public hunting areas (Hunting Atlas layer).
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
- Deer harvest: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
FilledTag is not part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.