Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area is 1,981 acres of public hunting land in Allamakee County, 10 miles from New Albin, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 3,498 deer in Allamakee 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 landWaterloo Creek Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,981 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Allamakee County |
| Deer harvest unit | Allamakee County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Grouse and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 2/3 Forest, 1/3 Upland |
| DNR contact | Upper Iowa Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | New Albin (10 mi), Waukon (11 mi) and Lansing (14 mi) |
What is Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 2/3 forest, 1/3 upland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, grouse and dove for Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Waterloo Creek 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 Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area?
Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area lies in Allamakee County. Hunters reported 3,498 deer in Allamakee County in 2025, against 3,602 in 2024.
| County | Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allamakee County | 1,981 | 3,498 | 3,602 | 3,327 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 0.5 mile SE of Dorchester on Hwy 76.
Nearest towns: New Albin (10 miles), Waukon (11 miles), Lansing (14 miles) and Decorah (16 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 76.
What other public land is near Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- English Bench Wildlife Area: 29 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Tahigwa Wildlife Area: 264 acres, 2.2 miles away
- Upper Iowa River - Iverson Bottoms: 672 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Clear Creek Fish and Wildlife Area: 954 acres, 2.9 miles away
- French Creek Wildlife Area: 1,675 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Pine Creek Wildlife Area - Winneshiek, Allamakee: 694 acres, 4.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area
Counting Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area itself, 2,490 of the 43,559 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.7%), 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 | 2,486 |
| Other DNR land | 3 |
| County conservation board and city land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area?
In Allamakee County, 10 miles from New Albin.
What can you hunt on Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, grouse and dove.
How much public land is around Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area?
2,490 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Waterloo Creek Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is English Bench Wildlife Area (1.6 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.