St. Mary's Island - USACOE: hunting and access
St. Mary's Island - USACOE is 2,381 acres of public hunting land in Mills County, 4 miles from Pacific Junction, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 381 deer in Mills 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 atlasFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther DNR landCounty conservation board and city landSt. Mary's Island - USACOECounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,381 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Mills County |
| Deer harvest unit | Mills County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Pheasant, Waterfowl, Rabbit and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Upland |
| DNR contact | Nishnabotna Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Pacific Junction (4 mi), Glenwood (5 mi) and Mineola (8 mi) |
What is St. Mary's Island - USACOE like?
The DNR describes the habitat as upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove for St. Mary's Island - USACOE.
What are the rules on St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
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 St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
St. Mary's Island - USACOE lies in Mills County. Hunters reported 381 deer in Mills County in 2025, against 302 in 2024.
| County | St. Mary's Island - USACOE acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mills County | 2,381 | 381 | 302 | 353 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
The DNR's directions: 3 miles W of Glenwood on Hwy 34, 2 miles N on L31, 1.5 miles W on Gaston Ave.
Nearest towns: Pacific Junction (4 miles), Glenwood (5 miles), Mineola (8 miles) and Council Bluffs (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-29, US 34, US 275 and IA 385.
What other public land is near St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- St. Mary's Island: 163 acres, next to it
- Folsom Lake: 97 acres, next to it
- Mile Hill Lake: 35 acres, 2.9 miles away
- P.j. I-29 Wildlife Area: 26 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Green Hill Wildlife Area: 516 acres, 4.2 miles away
- Keg Creek I-29 Wildlife Area: 107 acres, 5.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of St. Mary's Island - USACOE
Counting St. Mary's Island - USACOE itself, 3,025 of the 39,109 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.7%), 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 | 2,645 |
| County conservation board and city land | 317 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 60 |
| Other DNR land | 3 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
In Mills County, 4 miles from Pacific Junction.
What can you hunt on St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant, waterfowl, rabbit and dove.
How much public land is around St. Mary's Island - USACOE?
3,025 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, St. Mary's Island - USACOE included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is St. Mary's Island (next to it).
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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.