American Prairie has acquired 2,082 acres of “high-value wetland” and grassland habitat in Phillips County, MT—an area renowned as one of the most important waterfowl breeding regions in North America.
Located south of Dodson, and locally known as “Pintail Flatt,” this property comprises 1,762 deeded acres and 320 leased Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acres. The acquisition strengthens a growing corridor of conserved habitat, as it is adjacent to American Prairie’s existing Wild Horse unit and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Korsbeck Waterfowl Production Area.
This latest acquisition brings American Prairie’s total habitat base to 605,739 acres, which comprises 168,832 deeded acres and 436,907 leased public acres.
“Phillips County sits within the famed prairie pothole region, an area that is often called North America’s duck factory,” said Garrett Budds, chief conservation officer at American Prairie. “This region’s extraordinary ecological value has been well documented as the Montana Hi-Line boasts some of the highest wetland densities on the prairies. Pintail Flatt lies at the heart of this landscape and is a key breeding ground for several species of waterfowl.”
Wetlands make up 142 acres of Pintail Flatt—approximately 8% of the property.
The property is protected by an existing conservation easement managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), ensuring long-term safeguards for wetlands and bird habitat while maintaining public access for hunting and recreation. American Prairie will continue working closely with FWP to steward the property.
Beyond waterfowl, Pintail Flatt supports high-quality habitat for mule deer, white-tailed deer, and pronghorn, along with thriving prairie dog colonies. The area was previously designated by the BLM as a “Prairie Dog Towns Area of Critical Environmental Concern.”
The property is currently leased to a local rancher for cattle grazing, and that partnership will continue. American Prairie leases land across 10 of its 12 management units to 25 ranchers running more than 8,000 head of cattle. — Daily Montanan
Republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
