Outdoor options aplenty at Shell Rock Bend

Southeast of the town of Shell Rock on the Butler-Bremer County line sits Shell Rock Bend Wildlife Area, a sneaky good place to hunt turkeys and deer and catch walleyes and smallmouth bass.

Sitting within 20 miles from Waterloo, Cedar Falls and Waverly, the 230-acre wildlife area gets a lot of visitors.

“It’s heavily used,” said Justin Clark, wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Big Marsh Unit. “There’s good access to the Shell Rock River for excellent fishing and great turkey hunting. Hunters have the opportunity here to get away from others, if they’re willing to hike.”

Shell Rock Bend is mostly timbered, with some prairie and bromegrass alfalfa hay on the west and southwest sections. Management follows one of the first forest stewardship plans written in the state, along with the area management plan outlining techniques and goals on the other habitats.

“We’ve been working on a 16-acre reforestation project near the river since 2005, to keep unwanted trees out while prepping the site for oaks, along with a few sycamores and walnuts with shrubs on the edges,” said Clark. “So far, the trees look really good.”

As part of the forest improvement effort, a contractor is set to remove the Siberian elm and black locusts.

Also in transition is a roughly three-acre prairie planting on the west side, adjacent to the river, planted with partridge pea, Indian grass and goldenrod.

South of the prairie restoration is the larger, bromegrass alfalfa hayfield. Here, the goal is to improve the grassland quality. The hillsides, currently in bromegrass, will be included in the prescribed fire planned for the timber that will hopefully return prairie to the area.

“These hillsides might have only been hayed and grazed, so there’s a chance that remnant prairie may be there,” Clark said.

Oaks were planted randomly on the higher elevation 20 years ago to recreate a savanna, and DNR has managed the planting to maximize opportunity for success. The adjacent pasture covers 17 acres and is used by pheasants for brood rearing, by turkeys for bugging and by deer for green browse.

Following the firebreak through the trees to the Western edge where the timber gives way to grassland, a few oaks in the tall grass grow naturally. DNR plans to manage these young trees to encourage their success.

The Shell Rock River adds to the outdoor recreation options with the high-quality fishery and plenty of bends in the stream to enjoy from a kayak. Within the borders of the wildlife area, sandbar camping is allowed.

The area has grown from the original 170-acre donation to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources from the Adair family in 1994. The DNR partners with a local producer who maintains the parking lot, mows the fire breaks and manages the food plots in exchange for a late cut of the hay, timed to benefit pheasants and turkeys.