Iowa
The holy grail of trophy whitetail archery hunting, strict draw quotas, and world-class genetics.
Native Species in Iowa
Official Regulatory Authority
Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IADNR)
Trophy White-Tailed Deer
Iowa is legendary worldwide as a premier trophy whitetail state. Strictly regulated non-resident draw tags, weapon-specific seasons (shotgun, muzzleloader, archery), and unlimited nutrition from corn, soybeans, and alfalfa produce world-class typical and non-typical antler giants.
Ring-Necked Pheasant
A cherished Iowa wingshooting tradition. Roosters thrive in grain stubble, cattail sloughs, and native prairie grass buffers across the northern, central, and western regions of the state.
Eastern Wild Turkey
Inhabits the oak-hickory timber ridges, river bluffs, and timbered draws of eastern, southern, and northeast Iowa. Mature gobblers exceed 22 to 26 lbs, feeding on fallen acorns and field crops.
Red & Gray Fox
Native canids that thrive along agricultural fence lines, grassy waterway borders, and woodlot edges. Highly agile hunters of mice, voles, and cottontails.
Coyote
Widespread across all 99 Iowa counties, hunting pastures, crop stubble, and timber draws. Adaptable and intelligent, coyotes maintain natural balance among small mammal populations.
Eastern Cottontail
Highly abundant across Iowa's agricultural landscape, inhabiting overgrown waterways, brushy fence rows, and farmsteads.
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Common in timber woodlots, farm shelterbelts, and river bottom hardwoods. Large, reddish-gold tree squirrels that feed heavily on walnuts, hickory nuts, and corn.
Bobcat
Secretive native predator that has experienced a dramatic population expansion in southern and eastern Iowa, hunting rocky bluff country and dense brush.