Five Island Lake: hunting and access
Five Island Lake is 643 acres of public hunting land in Palo Alto County, next to Emmetsburg, 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 atlasOther DNR landCounty conservation board and city landFive Island LakeCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 643 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Palo Alto County |
| Deer harvest unit | Palo Alto County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Pheasant and Waterfowl |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Lake, Marsh |
| Nontoxic shot | Required (DNR) |
| DNR contact | Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Emmetsburg (next to it), Cylinder (6 mi) and Graettinger (7 mi) |
What is Five Island Lake like?
The DNR describes the habitat as lake, marsh.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Five Island Lake?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant and waterfowl for Five Island Lake.
What are the rules on Five Island Lake?
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 Five Island Lake?
Five Island Lake lies in Palo Alto County. Hunters reported 279 deer in Palo Alto County in 2025, against 244 in 2024.
| County | Five Island Lake acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto County | 643 | 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 Five Island Lake?
The DNR's directions: N side of Emmetsburg, W side of N48.
Nearest towns: Emmetsburg (next to it), Cylinder (6 miles), Graettinger (7 miles) and Ayrshire (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 4 and US 18.
What other public land is near Five Island Lake?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- West Fork Wildlife Area - Palo Alto: 1,892 acres, 0.7 miles away
- Basswood Recreation Area: 80 acres, 1 mile away
- Prairie Gold Wildlife Area: 243 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Bluestem Meadow Wildlife Area: 79 acres, 2.1 miles away
- Watson Heritage Area: 363 acres, 2.4 miles away
- Whitetail Flats Wildlife Area - Palo Alto: 237 acres, 4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Five Island Lake
Counting Five Island Lake itself, 2,528 of the 38,354 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.6%), 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 | 2,025 |
| Other DNR land | 406 |
| County conservation board and city land | 97 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Five Island Lake?
In Palo Alto County, next to Emmetsburg.
What can you hunt on Five Island Lake?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant and waterfowl. Nontoxic shot is required.
How much public land is around Five Island Lake?
2,528 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Five Island Lake included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is West Fork Wildlife Area - Palo Alto (0.7 miles).
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.