Winford Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Winford Wildlife Area is 637 acres of public hunting land in Mahaska County, 5 miles from Leighton, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 959 deer in Mahaska 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 atlasCounty conservation board and city landWinford Wildlife AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 637 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Mahaska County |
| Deer harvest unit | Mahaska County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Pheasant and Waterfowl |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Skunk River Bottomland |
| DNR contact | Sugema Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Leighton (5 mi), Oskaloosa (5 mi) and Beacon (6 mi) |
What is Winford Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as skunk river bottomland.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Winford Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant and waterfowl for Winford Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Winford 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 Winford Wildlife Area?
Winford Wildlife Area lies in Mahaska County. Hunters reported 959 deer in Mahaska County in 2025, against 961 in 2024.
| County | Winford Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahaska County | 637 | 959 | 961 | 934 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Winford Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 5 miles N of Oskaloosa on Hwy 63, 1.75 miles W on 185th St, S on Jena Ln.
Nearest towns: Leighton (5 miles), Oskaloosa (5 miles), Beacon (6 miles) and New Sharon (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 163, US 63 and IA 92.
What other public land is near Winford Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Russell Wildlife Area: 214 acres, 2 miles away
- Vos Addition To Russell Wildlife Area: 202 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Hull Wildlife Area: 568 acres, 6.2 miles away
- Willie J. Suchy Wildlife Area: 224 acres, 7.2 miles away
- Union Mills Access: 28 acres, 7.5 miles away
- North Skunk River Wildlife Area: 100 acres, 7.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Winford Wildlife Area
Counting Winford Wildlife Area itself, 1,013 of the 28,456 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.6%), 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 | 1,002 |
| County conservation board and city land | 10 |
| Other DNR land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Winford Wildlife Area?
In Mahaska County, 5 miles from Leighton.
What can you hunt on Winford Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, pheasant and waterfowl.
How much public land is around Winford Wildlife Area?
1,013 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Winford Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Russell Wildlife Area (2 miles).
Get a Iowa hunt plan when they open
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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.