Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area is 313 acres of public hunting land in Winneshiek County, 4 miles from Burr Oak, managed by the DNR's wildlife bureau. Hunters reported 2,519 deer in Winneshiek County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's public hunting area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: Iowa DNR harvest reporting, 2021 to 2025.
Public hunting areas on the DNR atlasOther DNR landColdwater Creek Wildlife AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 313 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Winneshiek County |
| Deer harvest unit | Winneshiek County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Turkey, Squirrel and Grouse |
| Managed by | the DNR's wildlife bureau |
| Habitat (DNR) | 3/4 Timber, 1/4 Upland, Coldwater Creek |
| DNR contact | Upper Iowa Wildlife Unit |
| Nearest towns | Burr Oak (4 mi), Cresco (9 mi) and Ridgeway (10 mi) |
What is Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area like?
The DNR describes the habitat as 3/4 timber, 1/4 upland, coldwater creek.
From the DNR's Hunting Atlas layer.
What can you hunt on Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel and grouse for Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area.
What are the rules on Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
Iowa's general hunting rules apply, and some DNR land is a posted wildlife refuge closed during set seasons; Iowa DNR wildlife management areas has area maps.
How many deer are taken around Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area lies in Winneshiek County. Hunters reported 2,519 deer in Winneshiek County in 2025, against 2,550 in 2024.
| County | Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winneshiek County | 313 | 2,519 | 2,550 | 2,469 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
The DNR's directions: 0.5 mile N of Bluffton on Bluffton Hill Rd, 2.1 miles NW on Bluffton Rd, 1 mile W on Coldwater Rd.
Nearest towns: Burr Oak (4 miles), Cresco (9 miles), Ridgeway (10 miles) and Decorah (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: IA 139 and US 52.
What other public land is near Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
Public hunting areas within 10 miles:
- Upper Iowa River - Chimney Rocks: 435 acres, next to it
- Upper Iowa River - McCabe: 78 acres, next to it
- Upper Iowa River - Plymouth Rock: 65 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Upper Iowa River - Mikesh: 30 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Bluffton Fir Stand: 181 acres, 2 miles away
- Bluffton Fir Stand State Preserve: 93 acres, 2.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area
Counting Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area itself, 1,168 of the 24,144 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Public hunting areas on the DNR atlas | 1,159 |
| Other DNR land | 8 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
In Winneshiek County, 4 miles from Burr Oak.
What can you hunt on Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
The DNR's atlas lists deer, turkey, squirrel and grouse.
How much public land is around Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area?
1,168 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Coldwater Creek Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries. The closest other public hunting area is Upper Iowa River - Chimney Rocks (next to it).
Get a Iowa hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Iowa included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: Iowa DNR public hunting areas (Hunting Atlas layer).
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's public hunting area boundaries.
- Deer harvest: Iowa DNR harvest reporting (2021 to 2025 seasons).
FilledTag is not part of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.