Lake Shawtee: hunting and access
Lake Shawtee is 1,165 acres of public hunting land in Fremont County, 3 miles from Randolph, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 379 deer in Fremont 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 atlasCounty conservation board and city landLake ShawteeCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,165 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Fremont County |
| Deer harvest unit | Fremont County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Pheasant, Rabbit, Quail and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Upland |
| DNR contact | Nishnabotna Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Randolph (3 mi), Imogene (3 mi) and Anderson (4 mi) |
What is Lake Shawtee like?
The DNR describes the habitat as upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Lake Shawtee?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant, rabbit, quail and dove for Lake Shawtee.
What are the rules on Lake Shawtee?
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 Lake Shawtee?
Lake Shawtee lies in Fremont County. Hunters reported 379 deer in Fremont County in 2025, against 432 in 2024.
| County | Lake Shawtee acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont County | 1,165 | 379 | 432 | 414 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Lake Shawtee?
The DNR's directions: 3 miles E of Randolph on Hwy 184, 1.5 miles S.
Nearest towns: Randolph (3 miles), Imogene (3 miles), Anderson (4 miles) and Farragut (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 2 and US 59.
What other public land is near Lake Shawtee?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Botna Bottoms Wildlife Area: 441 acres, 4.9 miles away
- Riverton Wildlife Area - Fremont: 4,069 acres, 5.9 miles away
- Pierce Creek Recreation Area: 66 acres, 6.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Lake Shawtee
Counting Lake Shawtee itself, 1,166 of the 39,104 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (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 | 1,165 |
| Other DNR land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lake Shawtee?
In Fremont County, 3 miles from Randolph.
What can you hunt on Lake Shawtee?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant, rabbit, quail and dove.
How much public land is around Lake Shawtee?
1,166 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lake Shawtee included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Botna Bottoms Wildlife Area (4.9 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.