March 29, 2024

New hunting atlas available online

DES MOINES – Hunters have a new tool that may improve their in the field experience even before opening day.

The Iowa hunting atlas is an interactive map that shows 600,000 acres of public hunting land that is owned by the state, county or federal governments. The atlas is available online at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting. 

A click on an area will show basic information like zone and open season, and links to maps, if available.

The atlas view from above allows hunters to zoom in on an area, see how to get there, the lay of the land and where one parcel of public hunting land is in relation to others. Information will be updated as public hunting lands are acquired.

Monica Thelen, who spearheaded the project for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said the atlas is currently usable on computers and tablets and they are working toward a version of the map for mobile phones.

“This is current information at their fingertips, available 24 hours a day that hunters can access to plan their hunts,” Thelen said. “The best way to use the atlas is to spend time getting familiar with it. Spring turkey hunting begins in April so there is an opportunity here for hunters to find a new place to hunt public land using the atlas.”