Union County, Iowa: deer harvest and public hunting land
Union County covers 426 square miles around Creston. Hunters reported 1,051 deer here in the 2025 season, 438 of them antlered bucks, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 2% from 2024, and the fewest in the 5 years shown. 2.6% of Union County is public land open to the public, the largest share public hunting areas on the DNR atlas (5,464 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: the DNR's harvest reporting results, 2021 to 2025. Land: PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
Public hunting areas on the DNR atlasOther DNR landState parks and recreation areasCounty conservation board and city landIHAP landUnion CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 272,475 acres (426 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 1,051 (438 antlered bucks, 78 button bucks, 527 does and doe fawns) |
| Deer zone (2026) | Zone A |
| Public land | 2.6% (7,020 acres) |
| Hunting areas | 8 (5,463 acres inside Union County) |
| IHAP land | 5 sites, 943 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Creston, Afton, Arispe, Tingley, Orient and Murray |
How many deer are harvested in Union County?
Hunters reported 1,051 deer in Union County in 2025: 438 antlered bucks, 78 button bucks, 527 does and doe fawns and 8 bucks that had shed their antlers.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Doe fawns | Shed-antler bucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,051 | 438 | 78 | 491 | 36 | 8 |
| 2024 | 1,074 | 430 | 84 | 521 | 32 | 7 |
| 2023 | 1,250 | 509 | 93 | 606 | 34 | 8 |
| 2022 | 1,386 | 516 | 108 | 717 | 35 | 10 |
| 2021 | 1,271 | 501 | 112 | 627 | 26 | 5 |
Source: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons), Union County. Every county's numbers add up to the DNR's statewide row for each season shown.
How much public land is in Union County?
7,020 of Union County's 272,475 acres are public land open to the public (2.6%). The biggest share is public hunting areas on the DNR atlas: 5,464 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Union County |
|---|---|---|
| Public hunting areas on the DNR atlas | 5,464 | 2% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 997 | 0.4% |
| County conservation board and city land | 442 | 0.2% |
| Other DNR land | 117 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 7,020 | 2.6% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. Hunting rules differ by manager: DNR wildlife management areas and state forests are open to hunting unless posted as a refuge; Corps of Engineers lake land is open in many places under each project's own rules; national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; county conservation boards set the rules on their own land; state parks are closed to most hunting.
Public hunting areas in Union County
Public hunting areas in Union County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Three Mile Wildlife Area: 2,677 acres
- Twelve Mile Lake - Union: 1,485 acres
- Three Mile Lake County Park: 453 acres
- Mitchell Marsh: 301 acres
- Talmage Hill Wildlife Area: 209 acres
- Summit Lake - City of Creston: 161 acres
- Groesbeck County Wildlife Area: 108 acres
- Green Valley State Recreation Area: 69 acres
IHAP land in Union County
The DNR's IHAP layer shows 5 tracts in Union County, 943 acres of private land leased for walk-in hunting. Nearly every tract is walk-in only, September 1 to May 31, by the DNR's notes. DNR: IHAP.
How do you get to Union County?
Highways through it: US 34 (about 27 miles inside), US 169 (about 25 miles inside) and IA 25 (about 7 miles inside). Towns inside: Creston, Afton, Arispe, Lorimor, Shannon City and Cromwell. Nearby: Tingley (3 miles), Orient (3 miles), Murray (3 miles) and Ellston (4 miles).
Which counties border Union County?
Union County touches 7 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | IHAP land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | 679 | 2025 | 0.6% | |
| Adams County | 518 | 2025 | 0.8% | 2 |
| Clarke County | 1,531 | 2025 | 1.4% | 4 |
| Taylor County | 1,329 | 2025 | 0.5% | 1 |
| Decatur County | 1,508 | 2025 | 2.5% | 2 |
| Madison County | 2,470 | 2025 | 1.4% | 1 |
| Ringgold County | 1,353 | 2025 | 2.5% | 5 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Union County in 2025?
Hunters reported 1,051 deer: 438 antlered bucks, 78 button bucks and 527 does and doe fawns (DNR). In 2024: 1,074.
Is there public hunting land in Union County?
Yes. 7,020 acres, 2.6% of the county, are public land open to the public by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries, the largest share public hunting areas on the DNR atlas (5,464 acres). The DNR's atlas shows 8 public hunting areas here.
Does Union County have IHAP land?
Yes. 5 tracts, 943 acres, on the DNR's IHAP layer.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. public hunting areas: Iowa DNR public hunting areas (Hunting Atlas layer). IHAP land: Iowa DNR Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP) tracts.
- Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Iowa hunting Adair County Adams County Clarke County Taylor County Decatur County Madison County Ringgold County