American Prairie Acquires ‘Critical’ Wetland Habitat In Phillips County

American Prairie has acquired 2,082 acres of “high-value wetland” and grassland habitat in Phillips County, Montana – 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 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 percent of the property. That figure is striking when compared to Montana’s statewide wetland average of just 2.6 percent, underscoring the outsized ecological importance of this parcel.

“Wetlands play an enormous ecological role, serving as habitat for a diverse array of wildlife, sequestering carbon and filtering water,” said Andy Boyce-Pero, research ecologist at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. “In the Great Plains, water is a crucial resource, and the protection of this habitat will have significant benefits for the broader ecosystem.”

The property is protected by an existing Conservation Easement managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 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, reflecting a shared commitment to conserving wildlife habitat and keeping Montana landscapes accessible to all.

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 works closely with dozens of livestock producers, leasing land across 10 of its 12 management units to 25 ranchers running more than 8,000 head of cattle. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s 167,070 private acres are open to the public, and American Prairie remains one of the largest participants in Montana FWP’s Block Management Program, with more than 80,000 acres enrolled for public hunting access.

As conservation efforts expand, so do recreational opportunities. In 2025, American Prairie recorded its eighth consecutive year of increased visitation, welcoming more than 6,600 overnight guests to its huts and campgrounds and more than 5,000 visitors to its National Discovery Center in Lewistown.

With the addition of Pintail Flatt, American Prairie continues building a connected landscape where wildlife can thrive, working lands endure, and Montanans, along with visitors from across the country, can experience one of North America’s most iconic prairie ecosystems.