Little Sioux Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Little Sioux Wildlife Area is 1,081 acres of public hunting land in Clay County, next to Gillett Grove, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 461 deer in Clay 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 landLittle Sioux Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,081 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Clay County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clay County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Pheasant, Waterfowl, Rabbit and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | River Access, Timber, Upland |
| Nontoxic shot | Required (DNR) |
| DNR contact | Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Gillett Grove (next to it), Dickens (4 mi) and Greenville (5 mi) |
What is Little Sioux Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as river access, timber, upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove for Little Sioux Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
The DNR's layer marks this area as nontoxic shot only.
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 Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
Little Sioux Wildlife Area lies in Clay County. Hunters reported 461 deer in Clay County in 2025, against 427 in 2024.
| County | Little Sioux Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 1,081 | 461 | 427 | 462 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 7 miles S of Spencer on Hwy 71.
Nearest towns: Gillett Grove (next to it), Dickens (4 miles), Greenville (5 miles) and Webb (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 18 and US 71.
What other public land is near Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge: 159 acres, next to it
- Fen Valley Wildlife Area: 824 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Hawk Valley Wildlife Area: 1,560 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Dickens Pit: 40 acres, 3.3 miles away
- High Bridge Wildlife Area: 129 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Kindlespire Little Sioux Access: 385 acres, 5.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Little Sioux Wildlife Area
Counting Little Sioux Wildlife Area itself, 3,098 of the 40,183 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.7%), 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 | 3,091 |
| Other DNR land | 6 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
In Clay County, next to Gillett Grove.
What can you hunt on Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove. Nontoxic shot is required.
How much public land is around Little Sioux Wildlife Area?
3,098 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Little Sioux Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge (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.