Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area is 340 acres of public hunting land in Marion County, 3 miles from Pleasantville, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 1,652 deer in Marion 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 landPleasant Prairie Wildlife AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 340 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Marion County |
| Deer harvest unit | Marion County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Pheasant, Rabbit and Quail |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 7/8 Upland, 1/8 Timber |
| DNR contact | Red Rock Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Pleasantville (3 mi), Sandyville (5 mi) and Melcher-Dallas (7 mi) |
What is Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 7/8 upland, 1/8 timber.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant, rabbit and quail for Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Pleasant Prairie 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 Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area?
Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area lies in Marion County. Hunters reported 1,652 deer in Marion County in 2025, against 1,764 in 2024.
| County | Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 340 | 1,652 | 1,764 | 1,828 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: S out of Pleasantville on Hwy 5, 1.3 miles S on S45, W on Lisbon St.
Nearest towns: Pleasantville (3 miles), Sandyville (5 miles), Melcher-Dallas (7 miles) and Milo (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 5, IA 92 and IA 181.
What other public land is near Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Red Rock - Marion: 14,456 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Red Rock - USACOE: 34,439 acres, 4.3 miles away
- Red Rock - Warren: 1,914 acres, 5.3 miles away
- Woodland Mounds State Preserve: 336 acres, 6.4 miles away
- Bank Swallow Bend: 570 acres, 8.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area
Counting Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area itself, 340 of the 28,500 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.2%), 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 | 340 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area?
In Marion County, 3 miles from Pleasantville.
What can you hunt on Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant, rabbit and quail.
How much public land is around Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area?
340 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Pleasant Prairie Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Red Rock - Marion (3.4 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.