Grant Center Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Grant Center Wildlife Area is 544 acres of public hunting land in Monona and Woodbury counties, 3 miles from Rodney, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 452 deer in Monona 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 landIHAP landGrant Center Wildlife AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 544 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Monona County and Woodbury County |
| Deer harvest unit | Monona County, Woodbury County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer and Turkey |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Upland |
| DNR contact | Missouri River Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Rodney (3 mi), Smithland (4 mi) and Hornick (4 mi) |
What is Grant Center Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Grant Center Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer and turkey for Grant Center Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Grant Center Wildlife Area?
It lies in the DNR's new Zone B, where resident general licenses are antlered-buck only (at least one forked antler) and party hunting is not allowed (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 Grant Center Wildlife Area?
Grant Center Wildlife Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 452 deer in Monona County in 2025, against 347 in 2024.
| County | Grant Center Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monona County | 346 | 452 | 347 | 560 |
| Woodbury County | 198 | 406 | 418 | 519 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Grant Center Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 3.25 miles E of Hornick on Hwy 141, 0.75 mile S on Hancock Ave, 0.75 mile E on 335th St.
Nearest towns: Rodney (3 miles), Smithland (4 miles), Hornick (4 miles) and Oto (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 141 and IA 31. 2 IHAP tracts within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Grant Center Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Table Marsh Wildlife Area: 722 acres, 1.2 miles away
- Southwood Conservation Area: 587 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Loess Hills Wildlife Area: 3,116 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Oak Ridge Conservation Area: 2,092 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Whiting Woods: 79 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Owego Wetland Complex: 1,298 acres, 6.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Grant Center Wildlife Area
Counting Grant Center Wildlife Area itself, 2,246 of the 35,781 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.3%), 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 | 2,119 |
| County conservation board and city land | 126 |
| Other DNR land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Grant Center Wildlife Area?
In Monona and Woodbury counties, 3 miles from Rodney.
What can you hunt on Grant Center Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer and turkey.
How much public land is around Grant Center Wildlife Area?
2,246 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Grant Center Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Table Marsh Wildlife Area (1.2 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.