Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area is 588 acres of public hunting land in Des Moines County, next to Oak Hills, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 1,561 deer in Des Moines 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 atlasOther DNR landCounty conservation board and city landBlackhawk Bottoms Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 588 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Des Moines County |
| Deer harvest unit | Des Moines County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Squirrel, Waterfowl and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 3/5 Timber, 1/5 Marsh, 1/5 Upland |
| DNR contact | Odessa Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Oak Hills (next to it), Wever (5 mi) and Burlington (5 mi) |
What is Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 3/5 timber, 1/5 marsh, 1/5 upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, squirrel, waterfowl and dove for Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
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 Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area lies in Des Moines County. Hunters reported 1,561 deer in Des Moines County in 2025, against 1,483 in 2024.
| County | Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines County | 588 | 1,561 | 1,483 | 1,455 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 4 miles S of Burlington on Hwy 61, 0.75 mile NE on X62, 0.25 mile SE on Spring Lake Rd.
Nearest towns: Oak Hills (next to it), Wever (5 miles), Burlington (5 miles) and West Burlington (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 61 and IA 16.
What other public land is near Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Sullivan Slough Miss. River Access: 22 acres, next to it
- Hunt Woods: 60 acres, 2.4 miles away
- Burk's Lost Creek Run WMA: 53 acres, 5.7 miles away
- Welter Recreation Area: 84 acres, 5.9 miles away
- Augusta Wildlife Area: 115 acres, 7 miles away
- Leopold Recreation Area: 220 acres, 7.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area
Counting Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area itself, 1,812 of the 26,036 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Other DNR land | 787 |
| Public hunting areas on the DNR atlas | 670 |
| County conservation board and city land | 355 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
In Des Moines County, next to Oak Hills.
What can you hunt on Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, squirrel, waterfowl and dove.
How much public land is around Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area?
1,812 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Blackhawk Bottoms Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Sullivan Slough Miss. River Access (next to it).
Get a Iowa hunt plan when they open
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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.