Clayton County, Iowa Deer Movement Today
Clayton County sits in Iowa's Driftless country along the Mississippi, where steep timbered bluffs and creek bottoms break up the crop fields. It led Iowa in deer harvest last season. Check how deer are moving today before you pick a stand.
Good — A solid day to hunt. Pick the strongest window below and match it to your wind.
Today, Sunday, October 25, 2026 · Scored for the county seat ZIP. Your own spot can differ, so run your ZIP below.
Check today's deer movement score for Elkader (52043) →Legal hunting hours today
7:00 AM – 6:38 PM (Elkader, 52043)
Iowa ordinary deer seasons: 30 minutes before sunrise through 30 minutes after sunset in all seasons, calculated using the location's local sun times (571—106.3). This includes youth and severely disabled hunts. Deer shooting permits under 571—106.16 have a separate no-hour-restriction exception; artificial light remains prohibited. These calculated hours are not an agency-issued chart or authorization for that permit exception.
Today's sit windows
7:05 AM – 9:20 AM
Good · 79/100
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Fair · 45/100
4:18 PM – 6:33 PM
Good · 75/100
Hunting Clayton County
Terrain: part of the Paleozoic Plateau (Driftless Area) of northeast Iowa, so expect deep hollows, ridges and timber mixed with ag fields.
Rut timing: our 2026 estimate puts the Iowa rut start at Nov 7; shotgun season waits until Dec 5.
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Planning more than today?
This page shows today's free 0–100 deer movement score for Clayton County. When you're deciding which days to take off, Pro lays out the next 5 days for your spot, so you can line up your sits ahead of time instead of checking one day at a time.
Start with your own ZIP in the free forecast. You'll see what Pro adds from there.
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