Eli Slusher Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Eli Slusher Wildlife Area is 516 acres of public hunting land in Fremont County, 3 miles from Hamburg, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 379 deer in Fremont 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 landState parks and recreation areasIHAP landEli Slusher Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 516 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Fremont County |
| Deer harvest unit | Fremont County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Squirrel |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Loess Hills forest & prairie |
| DNR contact | Nishnabotna Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Hamburg (3 mi), Riverton (6 mi) and Sidney (6 mi) |
What is Eli Slusher Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as loess hills forest & prairie.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey and squirrel for Eli Slusher Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
The DNR's note: DNR.
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 Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
Eli Slusher Wildlife Area lies in Fremont County. Hunters reported 379 deer in Fremont County in 2025, against 432 in 2024.
| County | Eli Slusher Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont County | 516 | 379 | 432 | 414 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 3.5 miles S on Bluff Rd (L44) from Hwy 2 intersection.
Nearest towns: Hamburg (3 miles), Riverton (6 miles), Sidney (6 miles) and Percival (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-29, US 275, IA 2 and IA 333. 1 IHAP tract within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Draper Bottoms Wildlife Area: 517 acres, 0.9 miles away
- M U Payne Wildlife Area: 1,292 acres, 2.7 miles away
- Riverton Wildlife Area - Fremont: 4,069 acres, 3.7 miles away
- O.s. Wing Wildlife Area: 138 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Lower Hamburg Bend: 325 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Cooper Creek Wildlife Area: 260 acres, 4.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Eli Slusher Wildlife Area
Counting Eli Slusher Wildlife Area itself, 3,143 of the 28,485 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (11%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks and recreation areas | 1,881 |
| Public hunting areas on the DNR atlas | 1,248 |
| Other DNR land | 14 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
In Fremont County, 3 miles from Hamburg.
What can you hunt on Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey and squirrel.
How much public land is around Eli Slusher Wildlife Area?
3,143 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Eli Slusher Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Draper Bottoms Wildlife Area (0.9 miles).
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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.