Tubaugh Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Tubaugh Wildlife Area is 533 acres of public hunting land in Appanoose County, 4 miles from Unionville, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 2,066 deer in Appanoose 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 landTubaugh Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 533 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Appanoose County |
| Deer harvest unit | Appanoose County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Rabbit and Quail |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 3/4 Timber, 1/4 Crop |
| DNR contact | Rathbun Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Unionville (4 mi), Moravia (6 mi) and Blakesburg (6 mi) |
What is Tubaugh Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 3/4 timber, 1/4 crop.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Tubaugh Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit and quail for Tubaugh Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Tubaugh 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 Tubaugh Wildlife Area?
Tubaugh Wildlife Area lies in Appanoose County. Hunters reported 2,066 deer in Appanoose County in 2025, against 2,073 in 2024.
| County | Tubaugh Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appanoose County | 533 | 2,066 | 2,073 | 2,136 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Tubaugh Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 8 miles E of Moravia.
Nearest towns: Unionville (4 miles), Moravia (6 miles), Blakesburg (6 miles) and Udell (7 miles).
What other public land is near Tubaugh Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Stephens State Forest - Unionville Unit: 2,498 acres, next to it
- Soap Creek Wildlife Area - Appanoose: 251 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Soap Creek Wildlife Area - Davis: 782 acres, 3.7 miles away
- Cottonwood Pits Wildlife Area: 55 acres, 7.3 miles away
- Rathbun Lake: 16,468 acres, 7.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Tubaugh Wildlife Area
Counting Tubaugh Wildlife Area itself, 1,260 of the 25,923 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.9%), 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 | 1,258 |
| Other DNR land | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Tubaugh Wildlife Area?
In Appanoose County, 4 miles from Unionville.
What can you hunt on Tubaugh Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit and quail.
How much public land is around Tubaugh Wildlife Area?
1,260 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Tubaugh Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Stephens State Forest - Unionville Unit (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.