Waterman Prairie Complex: hunting and access
Waterman Prairie Complex is 2,102 acres of public hunting land in O'Brien and Cherokee counties, 3 miles from Sutherland, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 163 deer in O'Brien 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 landCounty conservation board and city landIHAP landWaterman Prairie ComplexCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,102 acres in 7 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | O'Brien County and Cherokee County |
| Deer harvest unit | O'Brien County, Cherokee County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Pheasant and Dove |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Prairie, Timber, Stream |
| DNR contact | Great Lakes Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Sutherland (3 mi), Peterson (4 mi) and Larrabee (4 mi) |
What is Waterman Prairie Complex like?
The DNR describes the habitat as prairie, timber, stream.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Waterman Prairie Complex?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant and dove for Waterman Prairie Complex.
What are the rules on Waterman Prairie Complex?
It lies in the DNR's new Zone B, where resident general licenses are antlered-buck only (at least one forked antler) and party hunting is not allowed (DNR).
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 Waterman Prairie Complex?
Waterman Prairie Complex lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 163 deer in O'Brien County in 2025, against 168 in 2024.
| County | Waterman Prairie Complex acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O'Brien County | 1,923 | 163 | 168 | 223 |
| Cherokee County | 180 | 247 | 240 | 400 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Waterman Prairie Complex?
The DNR's directions: 3.5 miles SE of Sutherland on Hwy 10, 2 miles N on Wilson.
Nearest towns: Sutherland (3 miles), Peterson (4 miles), Larrabee (4 miles) and Calumet (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 10 and US 59.
What other public land is near Waterman Prairie Complex?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Waterman Wildlife Addition: 131 acres, next to it
- Hannibal Waterman Wildlife Area: 159 acres, next to it
- Waterman Prairie Complex WPA: 101 acres, next to it
- Thompson Wildlife Area: 119 acres, 1.4 miles away
- Williams Wetland: 119 acres, 2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Waterman Prairie Complex
Counting Waterman Prairie Complex itself, 3,030 of the 52,423 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.8%), 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 | 2,848 |
| County conservation board and city land | 165 |
| Other DNR land | 17 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Waterman Prairie Complex?
In O'Brien and Cherokee counties, 3 miles from Sutherland.
What can you hunt on Waterman Prairie Complex?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, pheasant and dove.
How much public land is around Waterman Prairie Complex?
3,030 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Waterman Prairie Complex included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Waterman Wildlife Addition (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.