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DECATUR COUNTY - A GREAT VACATION FROM THE CITY!

If you're planning a vacation or just traveling through southern Iowa, don't forget your shotgun, fishing pole or golf clubs. Decatur County is one of the most beautiful counties in the state of Iowa and also one of Iowa's best kept secrets. There are still many pockets of natural prairie grasses edging the hardwood timbers that drape the gently rolling hills. Laced between the hills are the many small creeks and rivers that have produced the fertile bottoms of corn and beans. The combination of prairie grasses, timber, rivers and grain have produced an abundance of natural wildlife (deer, turkey, pheasants, quail, rabbits and squirrels). Decatur County has three public fishing areas; over 5,000 acres of public hunting and several private-hunting preserves open to the public. If you're hunting on private land, always get permission from the landowner; after all, he's the one feeding the wild game. If you want to insure a return trip, offer the farmer some of the game or better yet, buy him a wagonload of shelled corn to feed his cattle. A wagonload of shelled corn will fatten the cattle, feed the pheasants, and please the grain farmer.

Spend some time golfing at one of the two private country clubs in the county, both will accept green fees from non-area golfers. For the shoppers, we have several excellent stores antique and craft shops in the small towns of Decatur County. Check out some of the following.

HUNTING AND FISHING

DEKALB WILDLIFE AREA - 1995 AC., DNR. upland and timber hunting, squirrel, deer, pheasant, quail, turkey.

K-BAR-C HUNTING PRESERVE - 1040 AC., 641-442-2231 or 805-570-9194 pheasant, quail, deer & wild turkey. Pond fishing hybrid bluegill, catfish, bass. Year around cabin rental.

KOBVILLE PARK - 40 AC., picnicking, hunting.

LITTLE RIVER RECREATIONAL AREA - 2200 AC., Total AC. Including lake, upland camping, (nine R. V., 15 tent sites), electricity, drinking water, pit toilets, picnicking, hiking & ski trails, swimming beach, 787 AC., lake (bass, bluegill, crappie, muskie, walleye, catfish, sauger), fishing, boat ramp and rental, winter sports, hunting, quail, pheasants, waterfowl. Facilities for handicapped. 515-446-7307

NINE EAGLES ST. PARK 1,119 AC., 515-442-2855. Modern campsites (46 electric campsites, 54 non-electric), hiking and bridle trails, swimming, lake fishing, 67 AC. lake.

SAND CREEK WILDLIFE AREA - 2580 AC., DNR. upland, timber, hunting, deer, turkey, quail, pheasant, squirrel, rabbit.

SHEWMAKER PARK - 8 AC., camping, electricity, pit toilets, picnicking, stream fishing.

SLIP BLUFF PARK - 190 AC., hardwood timber, camping, electricity, drinking water, pit toilets, picnicking, hiking trails, 16 AC., pond & stream fishing, bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, boating, winter sports, horseshoe courts. 641-446-7307


HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS

TRAILSIDE HISTORICAL PARK - 3 AC., Picnicking, site of the cemetery of Morman Pioneers who settled Garden Grove (first town in the county). Historic site, overlooking river.

J.J. McCLUNG HOUSE - Garden Grove 515-443-2161, built in 1908, this 3-story home features original stenciling and gas lights, antiques. Listed in the National Register of Historical Places.

LIBERTY HALL HISTORIC CENTER - Lamoni 515-784-6133, built in 1881, this 18-room structure was the home of Joseph Smith III, first president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and founder of Graceland College in Lamoni

N0N DECATUR COUNTY HUNTING AND FISHING RELATED LINKS

IOWA STATE DNR
 

If you have a Decatur County Web Site and would like to be included on my home page please send me e-mail with your address and general information.

SEND E-MAIL TO ARNOLD THOMPSON

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