Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit: hunting and access
Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit is 5,973 acres of public hunting land in Monona and Harrison counties, next to Pisgah, managed by the DNR's forestry 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 landState parks and recreation areasCounty conservation board and city landIHAP landLoess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon UnitCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,973 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Monona County and Harrison County |
| Deer harvest unit | Monona County, Harrison County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel and Pheasant |
| Managed by | the DNR's forestry bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Forest |
| DNR contact | Area Forester |
| Nearest towns | Pisgah (next to it), Little Sioux (3 mi) and Moorhead (3 mi) |
What is Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit like?
The DNR describes the habitat as forest.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel and pheasant for Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit.
What are the rules on Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
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 Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 452 deer in Monona County in 2025, against 347 in 2024.
| County | Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monona County | 5,020 | 452 | 347 | 560 |
| Harrison County | 953 | 532 | 500 | 738 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
The DNR's directions: N of Pisgah.
Nearest towns: Pisgah (next to it), Little Sioux (3 miles), Moorhead (3 miles) and River Sioux (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 183 and I-29. 1 IHAP tract within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Loess Hills State Forest - Little Sioux Unit: 3,768 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Loess Hills State Forest - Pisgah Unit: 2,600 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Savery Pond: 25 acres, 3 miles away
- Gleason-Hubel Wildlife Area: 163 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Three Rivers Wildlife Area: 316 acres, 4.4 miles away
- Deer Island Wildlife Area: 802 acres, 4.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit
Counting Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit itself, 10,192 of the 56,033 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (18.2%), 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 | 9,775 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 338 |
| Other DNR land | 75 |
| County conservation board and city land | 4 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
In Monona and Harrison counties, next to Pisgah.
What can you hunt on Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel and pheasant.
How much public land is around Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit?
10,192 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Loess Hills State Forest - Preparation Canyon Unit included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Loess Hills State Forest - Little Sioux Unit (0.5 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.