Important Bird Area.
This is a huge 1700 acre public hunting area that's 3/4 woodland and 1/4 crop fields and grassland. The Upper Iowa River and Coon Creek (a trout stream) either border or cut through the area.
In eastern Winneshiek Co., rather tricky to reach and not in the atlas. SOUTH PARKING AREA: Off Hwy. 9 at the south edge of Freeport, take Old Stage Rd. into and through town. Outside of town Old Stage bends east. From that point proceed east about 3.5 miles, through many twists and turns, to 138th Ave. Turn north on 138th and proceed 2.5 miles, gradually winding eastward again, to Coon Creek Rd. A parking area is a little under a mile north on Coon Creek, on the right side at the first bend leftward. NORTH PARKING AREA: From above, continue on Coon Creek Rd. about 1.5 miles, eventually bending back west and then south, to 143rd Ave. Turn north on 143rd and shortly come to River Rd., across the river. Turn right (which at this point is northward again) on River Rd. and proceed two miles, eventually heading east, to a sharp bend northward again. From this point continue one half mile to an access road on the right, which will quickly go southeast, and follow this to the parking area at
Rugged terrain that's tough to access except by farm service roads on the area. Woodlands are being managed for ruffed grouse. Oak timbers, red cedar thickets and floodplain forests can all be found here.
This is a public hunting area.