Pilot Knob WMA: hunting and access
Pilot Knob WMA is 711 acres of public hunting land in Winnebago and Worth counties, 3 miles from Forest City, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 338 deer in Winnebago 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 landPilot Knob WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 711 acres in 7 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Winnebago County and Worth County |
| Deer harvest unit | Winnebago County, Worth County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Pheasant and Waterfowl |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 1/3 Marsh, 2/3 Upland |
| Nontoxic shot | Required (DNR) |
| DNR contact | Clear Lake Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Forest City (3 mi), Fertile (3 mi) and Leland (4 mi) |
What is Pilot Knob WMA like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 1/3 marsh, 2/3 upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Pilot Knob WMA?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant and waterfowl for Pilot Knob WMA.
What are the rules on Pilot Knob WMA?
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 Pilot Knob WMA?
Pilot Knob WMA lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 338 deer in Winnebago County in 2025, against 287 in 2024.
| County | Pilot Knob WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County | 671 | 338 | 287 | 296 |
| Worth County | 40 | 468 | 471 | 447 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Pilot Knob WMA?
The DNR's directions: 3 miles E of Forest City on Hwy 9, 1 mile N on 200th Ave.
Nearest towns: Forest City (3 miles), Fertile (3 miles), Leland (4 miles) and Joice (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 9 and US 69. 4 IHAP tracts within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Pilot Knob WMA?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Pilot Knob WPA: 196 acres, next to it
- Lenze McCoy Wildlife Area: 190 acres, next to it
- Walker Prairie: 29 acres, next to it
- Pilot Knob Recreation Area: 158 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Prairie Pothole Wildlife Area: 143 acres, 1.4 miles away
- Brunsvold-Haugen Timber: 20 acres, 1.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Pilot Knob WMA
Counting Pilot Knob WMA itself, 3,046 of the 49,199 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.2%), 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 | 2,562 |
| Other DNR land | 242 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 138 |
| County conservation board and city land | 103 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Pilot Knob WMA?
In Winnebago and Worth counties, 3 miles from Forest City.
What can you hunt on Pilot Knob WMA?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant and waterfowl. Nontoxic shot is required.
How much public land is around Pilot Knob WMA?
3,046 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Pilot Knob WMA included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Pilot Knob WPA (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.