metropolitan goose hunting area · Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Des Moines metropolitan goose area
Iowa, United States
The map opens on this unit. Turn on Hunting units in Layers to see its boundary with public land, your pins and the forecast.
About Des Moines metropolitan goose area
Des Moines metropolitan goose area is a metropolitan goose hunting area in Iowa, United States, set by Iowa Department of Natural Resources. It covers about 3,143 km² (1,213 mi²). Towns inside it include Des Moines, Ankeny, West Des Moines, Urbandale, Waukee and Johnston.
HuntGrid draws its boundary from Iowa Department of Natural Resources's data for the 2026 season. The agency uses this unit system for Canada goose and Cackling goose.
- Unit code
- Des Moines
- Area
- 3,143 km²
- Area (miles)
- 1,213 mi²
- Boundaries
- 2026
Public and protected land mapped inside it
HuntGrid's public land layers map about 242 km² of public or protected land inside it, 8% of the unit. Some protected land is privately owned (a conservation group's, for one). By manager, as the source names it:
| Manager | km² | Share |
|---|---|---|
| DNR - Wildlife | 89 | 3% |
| Rock Island | 86 | 3% |
| Polk County Conservation Board | 29 | under 1% |
| Des Moines, City of | 22 | under 1% |
| DNR - Parks | 8.1 | under 1% |
| ACE, Polk County Conservation Board | 6.2 | under 1% |
| West Des Moines, City of | 4.8 | under 1% |
| Urbandale, City of | 3.8 | under 1% |
| Other or unnamed managers | 28 | under 1% |
Boundaries are approximate and aren't legal descriptions. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there: check your local regulations and posted signs.
Public land: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1
Seasons and regulations
Season dates, bag limits and licences for Des Moines metropolitan goose area are in Iowa Department of Natural Resources's official regulations. HuntGrid shows a season in the app only once a person has checked it against them.
Units around it
Other hunting units that cover part of it
- Bobcat counties, limit 1 (bobcat season county group)
- Bobcat counties, limit 3 (bobcat season county group)
- Fall Turkey Zone 4
- Nonresident Spring Turkey Zone 4
- Nonresident Zone 4 (nonresident deer zone)
- Nonresident Zone 5 (nonresident deer zone)
- Fall Turkey Zone 7
- Nonresident Spring Turkey Zone 7
- Nonresident Zone 7 (nonresident deer zone)
- Zone A (resident deer zone)
- Central Zone (duck and goose zone)
What HuntGrid shows for Des Moines metropolitan goose area
- Its boundary on the map; tap inside it for the unit's card with the agency's regulations link.
- Public land and the other hunting units in the same view, each with its source.
- Season dates once a person has checked them, and legal shooting hours where the rule is checked.
- Hourly wind with a scent cone for every stand, and official weather alerts.
- Offline maps: download the area and use the map, your pins and the forecast with no signal.
Questions
How big is Des Moines metropolitan goose area (metropolitan goose hunting area)?
About 3,143 km² (1,213 mi²), as HuntGrid maps Iowa Department of Natural Resources's boundary.
How much public or protected land is in Des Moines metropolitan goose area?
HuntGrid's public land layers map about 242 km² of public or protected land, 8% of the unit; the largest share is managed by DNR - Wildlife. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there.
Where are the season dates for Des Moines metropolitan goose area?
In Iowa Department of Natural Resources's official regulations: https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-do/hunting-trapping/types-hunting-trapping/migratory-game-bird-hunting
More on huntgrid.net
Sources
Unit boundary: Iowa Department of Natural Resources (area definitions); U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line. Licence: Areas defined in 571 IAC 91.3(9) and the Iowa DNR Waterfowl Hunting Map Book (Nov. 2023); county boundaries and roads public domain (U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line). Boundaries for the 2026 season.
HuntGrid isn't affiliated with Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The official regulations and maps have the final word.