Wood Duck Bottoms: hunting and access
Wood Duck Bottoms is 419 acres of public hunting land in Linn County, 2 miles from Center Point, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 2,454 deer in Linn 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 atlasState parks and recreation areasCounty conservation board and city landWood Duck BottomsCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 419 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Linn County |
| Deer harvest unit | Linn County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel, Pheasant and Waterfowl |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | Timber |
| DNR contact | Iowa River Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Center Point (2 mi), Palo (5 mi) and Shellsburg (5 mi) |
What is Wood Duck Bottoms like?
The DNR describes the habitat as timber.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Wood Duck Bottoms?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, pheasant and waterfowl for Wood Duck Bottoms.
What are the rules on Wood Duck Bottoms?
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 Wood Duck Bottoms?
Wood Duck Bottoms lies in Linn County. Hunters reported 2,454 deer in Linn County in 2025, against 2,208 in 2024.
| County | Wood Duck Bottoms acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linn County | 419 | 2,454 | 2,208 | 2,128 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Wood Duck Bottoms?
The DNR's directions: Center Point exit off I-380, 5 miles W on Lewis Access Rd.
Nearest towns: Center Point (2 miles), Palo (5 miles), Shellsburg (5 miles) and Robins (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-380 and IA 920.
What other public land is near Wood Duck Bottoms?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Wickiup Hill Natural Area: 661 acres, next to it
- Goose Pond Natural Area: 269 acres, next to it
- Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area: 1,984 acres, 0.6 miles away
- Linn Learning Farm: 286 acres, 2.4 miles away
- Chain-O-Lakes Wildlife Area: 1,296 acres, 3.3 miles away
- Palo Marsh Natural Area: 110 acres, 3.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Wood Duck Bottoms
Counting Wood Duck Bottoms itself, 3,868 of the 32,144 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (12%), 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 | 3,473 |
| County conservation board and city land | 392 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 2 |
| Other DNR land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Wood Duck Bottoms?
In Linn County, 2 miles from Center Point.
What can you hunt on Wood Duck Bottoms?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel, pheasant and waterfowl.
How much public land is around Wood Duck Bottoms?
3,868 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Wood Duck Bottoms included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Wickiup Hill Natural Area (next to it).
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.