Fen Valley Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Fen Valley Wildlife Area is 824 acres of public hunting land in Clay County, next to Gillett Grove, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 461 deer in Clay 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 landFen Valley Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 824 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Clay County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clay County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Pheasant, Rabbit and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Upland |
| Nontoxic shot | Required (DNR) |
| DNR contact | Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Gillett Grove (next to it), Webb (4 mi) and Ayrshire (6 mi) |
What is Fen Valley Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant, rabbit and dove for Fen Valley Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
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 Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
Fen Valley Wildlife Area lies in Clay County. Hunters reported 461 deer in Clay County in 2025, against 427 in 2024.
| County | Fen Valley Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 824 | 461 | 427 | 462 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 1 mile E of Gillett Grove on M54.
Nearest towns: Gillett Grove (next to it), Webb (4 miles), Ayrshire (6 miles) and Ruthven (6 miles).
What other public land is near Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Little Sioux Wildlife Area: 1,081 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Elk Lake Wetland Complex WPA: 189 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Elk Lake Wetland Complex: 532 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Silver Lake - Palo Alto: 848 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge: 159 acres, 2.8 miles away
- Virgin Lake: 402 acres, 3.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Fen Valley Wildlife Area
Counting Fen Valley Wildlife Area itself, 2,981 of the 43,268 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.9%), 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 | 2,954 |
| County conservation board and city land | 16 |
| Other DNR land | 6 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 5 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
In Clay County, next to Gillett Grove.
What can you hunt on Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant, rabbit and dove. Nontoxic shot is required.
How much public land is around Fen Valley Wildlife Area?
2,981 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Fen Valley Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Little Sioux Wildlife Area (0.5 miles).
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.