Red Cedar Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Red Cedar Wildlife Area is 786 acres of public hunting land in Muscatine County, 2 miles from Nichols, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 1,393 deer in Muscatine 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 landLand trusts and other open landRed Cedar Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 786 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Muscatine County |
| Deer harvest unit | Muscatine County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Waterfowl and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 4/5 Timber, 1/5 Upland/Marsh |
| DNR contact | Odessa Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Nichols (2 mi), Conesville (6 mi) and Lone Tree (8 mi) |
What is Red Cedar Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 4/5 timber, 1/5 upland/marsh.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Red Cedar Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, waterfowl and dove for Red Cedar Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Red Cedar 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 Red Cedar Wildlife Area?
Red Cedar Wildlife Area lies in Muscatine County. Hunters reported 1,393 deer in Muscatine County in 2025, against 1,379 in 2024.
| County | Red Cedar Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscatine County | 786 | 1,393 | 1,379 | 1,313 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Red Cedar Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 1.25 miles E of Nichols on Hwy 22, 1.25 miles S on Elder Ave, 0.5 mile E on 195th St.
Nearest towns: Nichols (2 miles), Conesville (6 miles), Lone Tree (8 miles) and West Liberty (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 70 and IA 22.
What other public land is near Red Cedar Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Cedar Bottoms Wildlife Area: 1,644 acres, 2.1 miles away
- Pike Run Wildlife Area: 175 acres, 2.8 miles away
- Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area: 718 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Richardson Wildlife Area: 82 acres, 5.7 miles away
- Cone Marsh Wildlife Area: 728 acres, 6.5 miles away
- Shield Prairie WMA: 85 acres, 6.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Red Cedar Wildlife Area
Counting Red Cedar Wildlife Area itself, 1,264 of the 28,066 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.5%), 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 | 1,224 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 39 |
| Other DNR land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Red Cedar Wildlife Area?
In Muscatine County, 2 miles from Nichols.
What can you hunt on Red Cedar Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, waterfowl and dove.
How much public land is around Red Cedar Wildlife Area?
1,264 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Red Cedar Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Cedar Bottoms Wildlife Area (2.1 miles).
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.