North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area: hunting and access
North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area is 1,950 acres of public hunting land in Clayton County, 3 miles from Clayton, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 4,248 deer in Clayton 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 landState parks and recreation areasNorth Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,950 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Clayton County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clayton County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Grouse and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Timber |
| DNR contact | Maquoketa Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Clayton (3 mi), McGregor (4 mi) and Marquette (5 mi) |
What is North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as timber.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, grouse and dove for North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on North Cedar/Sny Magill 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 North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area?
North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area lies in Clayton County. Hunters reported 4,248 deer in Clayton County in 2025, against 4,324 in 2024.
| County | North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton County | 1,950 | 4,248 | 4,324 | 4,023 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 6 miles S of McGregor on X56, 3 miles NW on Keystone Rd.
Nearest towns: Clayton (3 miles), McGregor (4 miles), Marquette (5 miles) and Garnavillo (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 52, US 18, IA 13, IA 76 and IA 128.
What other public land is near North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Upper Mississippi River Fish & Wildlife Refuge: 53,843 acres, 0.8 miles away
- Bloody Run Wildlife Area: 1,112 acres, 3.3 miles away
- Buck Creek Park: 97 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge - Howard Creek Unit: 214 acres, 5.3 miles away
- Yellow River State Forest - Lost 40 Unit: 161 acres, 6.8 miles away
- Yellow River State Forest - Yellow River Unit: 1,054 acres, 8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area
Counting North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area itself, 5,323 of the 44,040 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (12.1%), 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 | 4,678 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 422 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 130 |
| Other DNR land | 91 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area?
In Clayton County, 3 miles from Clayton.
What can you hunt on North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, grouse and dove.
How much public land is around North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area?
5,323 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, North Cedar/Sny Magill Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Upper Mississippi River Fish & Wildlife Refuge (0.8 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.