Silver Lake - Palo Alto: hunting and access
Silver Lake - Palo Alto is 848 acres of public hunting land in Palo Alto County, 2 miles from Ayrshire, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 279 deer in Palo Alto 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 areasOther DNR landCounty conservation board and city landSilver Lake - Palo AltoCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 848 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Palo Alto County |
| Deer harvest unit | Palo Alto County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Waterfowl and Rabbit |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Lake, Upland, Timber |
| Nontoxic shot | Required (DNR) |
| DNR contact | Prairie Lakes Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Ayrshire (2 mi), Ruthven (6 mi) and Gillett Grove (6 mi) |
What is Silver Lake - Palo Alto like?
The DNR describes the habitat as lake, upland, timber.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, waterfowl and rabbit for Silver Lake - Palo Alto.
What are the rules on Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
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 Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
Silver Lake - Palo Alto lies in Palo Alto County. Hunters reported 279 deer in Palo Alto County in 2025, against 244 in 2024.
| County | Silver Lake - Palo Alto acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto County | 848 | 279 | 244 | 370 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
The DNR's directions: 2 miles W of Ayrshire on 420th St.
Nearest towns: Ayrshire (2 miles), Ruthven (6 miles), Gillett Grove (6 miles) and Curlew (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 314.
What other public land is near Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Larson Prairie: 33 acres, next to it
- Fen Valley Wildlife Area: 824 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Elk Lake Wetland Complex: 532 acres, 2.2 miles away
- Elk Lake Wetland Complex WPA: 189 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Virgin Lake: 402 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Glacial Ridge Wildlife Area: 72 acres, 4.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Silver Lake - Palo Alto
Counting Silver Lake - Palo Alto itself, 1,431 of the 29,771 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.8%), 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 | 1,408 |
| County conservation board and city land | 17 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 3 |
| Other DNR land | 3 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
In Palo Alto County, 2 miles from Ayrshire.
What can you hunt on Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, waterfowl and rabbit. Nontoxic shot is required.
How much public land is around Silver Lake - Palo Alto?
1,431 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Silver Lake - Palo Alto included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Larson Prairie (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.