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Zone 9

Last Updated: Oct 29, 2024
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Quick Tips

  • Turkeys have incredible eyesight - camouflage and natural surroundings will be important
  • Artificial blinds can be an excellent way to increase your cover
  • Decoys can be an excellent way to add realism to your calling setup

On The Ground

This massive zone makes up much of the northeast corner of the state and holds a good population of turkeys. The large majority of this area is composed of private land and the terrain types will vary between croplands, creek and river bottoms, and mature timber stands. Like most other zones in the state, this area is primarily composed of private lands but there are a surprising amount of good public access options for hunters willing to put in the time to research these.

Access

As with the other zones in the state, private lands dominate the landscape but this zone does have some great public access options that hunters should be considering. Traditional state lands are spread throughout the area and hunters will also have access to a great collection of Wildlife Management areas throughout the zone that can provide some exceptional hunting opportunities. While private lands offer the best chances for success, hunters willing to dedicate effort and time to exploring public lands can still find a punched tag at the end of their hunt. Oftentimes, the best private lands are generally leased by outfitters. Looking into outfitters can be a great way to drastically increase your odds of success.

  • Roughly 10,558 square miles

  • 2% public land

Some of the bigger portions of land you might consider for public access:

  • Spirit Lake - The area surrounding the town of Spirit Lake has an incredible collection of publically accessible properties. This includes state owned lands, wildlife management areas, and Iowa Habitat And Access Program lands. This would be an excellent area to base a hunt from.

  • Ingham-High Wetland Complex - This 3,100 acre WMA is found in the central portion of the zone and is just southeast of the town of Estherville. Hunters will find a healthy mixture of sloughs, lakes, ponds, grasslands, and oak savannas.

  • Dewey’s Pasture Wildlife Complex - This 8,000 acres WMA is located on the north centrl=al portion of the zone and sits just east of the town of Spencer. Hunters will find a healthy mixture of sloughs, lakes, ponds, grasslands, and oak savannas throughout the area making for an exciting hunt.

  • Waterman Prairie Complex - This 1,800 acre complex is located in the central portion of the zone and sits between the towns of Sutherland and Peterson. This WMA is situated along the Waterman Creek and Little Sioux watersheds and features great riparian zones, hardwood stands, and rolling prairie fields.

Many large towns are available within this unit that can provide access to modern lodging, groceries, gear, and other amenities depending on the area you are planning to hunt. Lodging can typically be found in the form of motels, hotels, and rental properties. Public campgrounds and RV parks cover the unit with many of these being available in and around the areas with the best public access options.

Some of the larger towns and cities located in this zone:

  • Webster City - Southeast

  • Fort Dodge - Southeast

  • Sioux City - Southwest corner

  • Spirit Lake - North central

  • Humboldt - Southeast

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