Blue Wing Marsh: hunting and access
Blue Wing Marsh is 580 acres of public hunting land in Palo Alto County, 2 miles from Ruthven, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 279 deer in Palo Alto 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 atlasNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasOther DNR landCounty conservation board and city landIHAP landBlue Wing MarshCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 580 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Palo Alto County |
| Deer harvest unit | Palo Alto County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Pheasant, Waterfowl, Rabbit and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 1/3 Marsh, 2/3 Upland |
| Nontoxic shot | Required (DNR) |
| DNR contact | Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Ruthven (2 mi), Dickens (7 mi) and Graettinger (7 mi) |
What is Blue Wing Marsh like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 1/3 marsh, 2/3 upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Blue Wing Marsh?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove for Blue Wing Marsh.
What are the rules on Blue Wing Marsh?
The DNR's layer marks this area as nontoxic shot only.
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 Blue Wing Marsh?
Blue Wing Marsh lies in Palo Alto County. Hunters reported 279 deer in Palo Alto County in 2025, against 244 in 2024.
| County | Blue Wing Marsh acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto County | 580 | 279 | 244 | 370 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Blue Wing Marsh?
The DNR's directions: 2 miles N of Ruthven on 350th Ave, 0.5 mile E on 340th St, 0.5 mile N on 355th Ave.
Nearest towns: Ruthven (2 miles), Dickens (7 miles), Graettinger (7 miles) and Ayrshire (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 18, IA 314 and IA 4. 1 IHAP tract within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Blue Wing Marsh?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Blue Wing Marsh WPA: 445 acres, next to it
- Dewey's Pasture Complex: 5,025 acres, next to it
- Huston Prairie: 62 acres, next to it
- Dewey's Pasture Complex WPA: 516 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Barringer Slough Wildlife Area: 1,282 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Barringer Slough WPA: 336 acres, 1.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Blue Wing Marsh
Counting Blue Wing Marsh itself, 6,896 of the 34,746 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (19.8%), 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 | 6,785 |
| County conservation board and city land | 64 |
| Other DNR land | 33 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 14 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Blue Wing Marsh?
In Palo Alto County, 2 miles from Ruthven.
What can you hunt on Blue Wing Marsh?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove. Nontoxic shot is required.
How much public land is around Blue Wing Marsh?
6,896 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Blue Wing Marsh included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Blue Wing Marsh WPA (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.