Just northwest of Dundee, Iowa, lies a patchwork of hardwoods, red cedar groves and open prairie that has provided wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation for generations. For nearly four decades, the Morris Wildlife Area has been managed by the Delaware County Conservation Board under a lease agreement. Now, with the property up for sale, a coalition of conservation partners — including the National Wild Turkey Federation, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Pheasants Forever and Whitetails Unlimited — is working to raise the funds needed to permanently conserve this 80-acre gem for wildlife and public recreation.
For those involved, this effort isn’t just about buying land, but it’s about safeguarding the area’s conservation legacy and ensuring that wild turkeys, other wildlife and hunting traditions continue to thrive on this parcel for generations to come.
Wild turkeys thrive in diverse landscapes, and the Morris Wildlife Area delivers exactly that. The land holds 52 acres of mixed hardwood and red cedar forest, 15 acres of winter grass cover, 9 acres of native prairie and 4 acres of wildlife food plots. It’s a mosaic of habitat that provides nesting cover, brood habitat and critical year-round food sources.
Over the years, Delaware County Conservation staff and volunteers have planted 2,500 trees and shrubs, seeded switchgrass and maintained bluebird boxes and trails. In addition to wild turkeys, the area also hosts a variety of other wildlife, such as white-tailed deer, pheasants and native songbirds. This wildlife area serves as a gateway to the outdoors, allowing hunters, hikers, birders and more to experience Iowa’s natural beauty.
Now, with the current property owner looking to sell, obtaining the land is critical for the future of this cherished wildlife area. Losing public access to such a high-quality hunting area would be a major setback for local sportsmen and women.
With a purchase price of $500,000, the Delaware County Conservation Board knew it would take collaboration from organizations that care about Iowa’s outdoors to make the deal happen. The team has applied for funding through the Iowa DNR’s Habitat Stamp Grant and is receiving support from multiple partners, including a commitment from the Iowa NWTF State Chapter Hunting Heritage Super Fund. Every contribution, no matter the size, moves the project one step closer to success.
For the NWTF, this project speaks to the heart of the organization’s mission and represents what’s possible when partners work together. Every dollar contributed to each state’s Super Fund helps ensure that wild turkeys have the healthy habitats they need and that hunters have a place to carry on traditions passed down through generations.
“The state of Iowa is one of the most ecologically modified landscapes with the least amount of public land in the country, so even though our impact measured project by project may seem small, every acre conserved is meaningful and every additional acre of public access gained or retained is equally important,” said John Burk, NWTF district biologist for Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. “Our cumulative impact is unquestionably significant. Over the past 30-plus years, the NWTF has been a partner in similar acquisition projects that now total over 22,000 acres.”
And while the Morris Wildlife Area may be a small piece of ground in northeastern Iowa, its impact stretches beyond county lines. It’s part of a much larger story evident across our nation — one where hunters take the lead in conserving the lands and wildlife we treasure.
