Fox Hills Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Fox Hills Wildlife Area is 1,453 acres of public hunting land in Wapello County, 2 miles from Agency, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 1,310 deer in Wapello 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 areasCounty conservation board and city landFox Hills Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,453 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Wapello County |
| Deer harvest unit | Wapello County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Squirrel |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Timber |
| DNR contact | Sugema Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Agency (2 mi), Eldon (4 mi) and Ottumwa (5 mi) |
What is Fox Hills Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as timber.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Fox Hills Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey and squirrel for Fox Hills Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Fox Hills 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 Fox Hills Wildlife Area?
Fox Hills Wildlife Area lies in Wapello County. Hunters reported 1,310 deer in Wapello County in 2025, against 1,306 in 2024.
| County | Fox Hills Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello County | 1,453 | 1,310 | 1,306 | 1,253 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Fox Hills Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 1 mile SE of Agency on Alpine Rd, 1 mile S on 70th Ave.
Nearest towns: Agency (2 miles), Eldon (4 miles), Ottumwa (5 miles) and Batavia (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 34, US 63, IA 16 and US 149.
What other public land is near Fox Hills Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Garrison Rock Resource Management Unit: 296 acres, next to it
- Blanchard Hills Wildlife Area: 47 acres, next to it
- Cardinal Wildlife Area: 41 acres, 2.7 miles away
- Eldon Wildlife Area: 1,292 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Pioneer Ridge Nature Area: 679 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Bluewing Marsh - Wapello: 53 acres, 5.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Fox Hills Wildlife Area
Counting Fox Hills Wildlife Area itself, 2,015 of the 36,477 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.5%), 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 | 1,818 |
| County conservation board and city land | 144 |
| Other DNR land | 29 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 24 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Fox Hills Wildlife Area?
In Wapello County, 2 miles from Agency.
What can you hunt on Fox Hills Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey and squirrel.
How much public land is around Fox Hills Wildlife Area?
2,015 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Fox Hills Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Garrison Rock Resource Management Unit (next to it).
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.