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 Iowa is consistently mentioned at or near the top of the list of the best states to hunt pheasants and central Iowa is traditionally considered one of the best areas to hunt the popular game bird. In the mid to late 1990s, the annual pheasant harvest ranged between 1.25 million and 1.45 million, putting Iowa at the top of the list. Recent estimates have hovered around the 1 million-bird mark.
Iowa is quickly becoming known for its white-tailed deer and turkey hunting. Some of the largest turkeys taken annually come from Iowa. Southern Iowa has probably the best mix of both deer and turkey. It's hard to drive Interstate 35 south of Des Moines in early mornings without seeing flocks of turkeys along field edges. Iowa is home to a tremendous deer population and has more entries on the top 100 trophy bucks harvested list than any state in the union. North Central Iowa, with its landscap dotted with small marshes, offers excellent waterfowl hunting. Ducks and geese use Iowa as a stop over as they migrate to their wintering home along the gulf coast and in Mexico. Because most of Iowa's land is held privately, permission must be secured from the landowner before hunting private property. Landowners in Iowa are not required to post no hunting signs.
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Central Iowa offers many opportunities for the water sports enthusiast. Canoeing and tubing the Des Moines, Iowa and Winnebago rivers is a popular summer activity. These rivers also offer excellent fishing opportunities for walleye, channel catfish and northern pike. Fishing, boating and camping are all popular activities at Clear Lake, Brushy Creek Lake, Lake Red Rock and Lake Rathbun in Central Iowa.
