Old School Blair Bridge

[Ducksergeantorg]

I live in Washington State and grew up in Omaha. Back in late 60's until around 1985 I hunted ducks and geese North of the Blair Bridge on the Iowa side. The hunting area was fantastic at times. It's an oxbow about 2 miles North of the bridge. I noticed online that it's now a Wildlife Refuge. We called it "The Hole" and seems like we were the only ones that got up in there. Just wondering if anyone knows what the heck happened? If the ducks were not around. We would walk around and shoot pheasant and quail. I think the area was called "California Bend"? Used to see thousands of geese coming off DeSoto Bend. Shot my first duck there in '72. Old Ringneck duck. In the early 80's it started filling with silt at the mouth had to pull the duck boat in. Man things sure do change.

 

[Mike N.]

California Bend I believe is a wildlife management area administered by the Iowa DNR, still open to public use. I've never hunted it but have picked a morel or two off the place! BTW, I think I was too young to ever personally drive across the old bridge but remember it being a little scary as a passenger! I can still hear that sound of the tires going across it!

 

[Ducksergeantorg]

Oh wow, yeah I remember too. It was like grate's you could see through down to the river, and yes the tires made a howling sound. So, there's a new bridge? One of the was for railroad only. Use to launch underneath the bridge. Go up river.