Huron Flats Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Huron Flats Wildlife Area is 418 acres of public hunting land in Des Moines County, 4 miles from Oakville, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 1,561 deer in Des Moines 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 areasFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther DNR landCounty conservation board and city landHuron Flats Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 418 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Des Moines County |
| Deer harvest unit | Des Moines County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Squirrel, Pheasant, Waterfowl, Rabbit and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 2/3 Grassland, 1/3 Wetland |
| DNR contact | Odessa Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Oakville (4 mi), Kingston (6 mi) and Mediapolis (10 mi) |
What is Huron Flats Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 2/3 grassland, 1/3 wetland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Huron Flats Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, squirrel, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove for Huron Flats Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Huron Flats 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 Huron Flats Wildlife Area?
Huron Flats Wildlife Area lies in Des Moines County. Hunters reported 1,561 deer in Des Moines County in 2025, against 1,483 in 2024.
| County | Huron Flats Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines County | 418 | 1,561 | 1,483 | 1,455 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Huron Flats Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 2 miles S of Oakville on DMC99, 3 miles E on 250th St.
Nearest towns: Oakville (4 miles), Kingston (6 miles), Mediapolis (10 miles) and Sperry (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 99.
What other public land is near Huron Flats Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Mississippi River Islands: 6,615 acres, next to it
- Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge - Horseshoe Bend Division: 2,603 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Odessa Wildlife Area: 109 acres, 6.5 miles away
- Odessa Wildlife Area - USACOE: 4,069 acres, 6.7 miles away
- Wapello Bottoms Wildlife Area: 2,814 acres, 8.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Huron Flats Wildlife Area
Counting Huron Flats Wildlife Area itself, 5,418 of the 25,049 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (21.6%), 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 | 3,386 |
| Other DNR land | 1,806 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 220 |
| County conservation board and city land | 6 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Huron Flats Wildlife Area?
In Des Moines County, 4 miles from Oakville.
What can you hunt on Huron Flats Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, squirrel, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove.
How much public land is around Huron Flats Wildlife Area?
5,418 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Huron Flats Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Mississippi River Islands (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.