Heendah Hills Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Heendah Hills Wildlife Area is 823 acres of public hunting land in Plymouth County, 6 miles from Sioux City, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 294 deer in Plymouth 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 landHeendah Hills Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 823 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Deer harvest unit | Plymouth County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey and Squirrel |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Timber |
| DNR contact | Missouri River Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Sioux City (6 mi), Hinton (9 mi) and Westfield (13 mi) |
What is Heendah Hills Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as timber.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Heendah Hills Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey and squirrel for Heendah Hills Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Heendah Hills 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 Heendah Hills Wildlife Area?
Heendah Hills Wildlife Area lies in Plymouth County. Hunters reported 294 deer in Plymouth County in 2025, against 253 in 2024.
| County | Heendah Hills Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth County | 823 | 294 | 253 | 327 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Heendah Hills Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: N of Sioux City on Hwy 12, E on Talbot Rd.
Nearest towns: Sioux City (6 miles), Hinton (9 miles), Westfield (13 miles) and Sergeant Bluff (13 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 12 and I-29.
What other public land is near Heendah Hills Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Stone State Recreation Area: 225 acres, next to it
- Birkley's Bend: 243 acres, 5.5 miles away
- Five Ridge Prairie State Preserve: 982 acres, 5.9 miles away
- Hillview Recreation Area: 412 acres, 7.9 miles away
- Deer Creek Wildlife Area - Plymouth: 1,031 acres, 8.6 miles away
- Ec Lippke Wetland: 316 acres, 9.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Heendah Hills Wildlife Area
Counting Heendah Hills Wildlife Area itself, 2,684 of the 29,133 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks and recreation areas | 1,437 |
| Public hunting areas on the DNR atlas | 1,048 |
| County conservation board and city land | 103 |
| Other DNR land | 96 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Heendah Hills Wildlife Area?
In Plymouth County, 6 miles from Sioux City.
What can you hunt on Heendah Hills Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey and squirrel.
How much public land is around Heendah Hills Wildlife Area?
2,684 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Heendah 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 Stone State Recreation Area (next to it).
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.