Mitchell Co. Pioneer Pheasants Forever

06/19/2026

05/09/2026

Attention plant enthusiasts! This Saturday from 9 AM to 12 PM our friends Mitchell County Outdoor have their annual Plant Sale! Bring your family, friends, and a love for nature and score some gorgeous native plants while supporting a wonderful cause! Every plant sold helps us grow our programs! See you there—let’s make the world a little greener together!

04/28/2026

Why should I burn?

Prescribed fire is a great tool for prairie health and the whole upland habitat community, but to be effective, it requires a robust plan with a specific management goal. The timing of your prairie burn should be determined by your management goal.

For example, if your goal is to reduce encroachment by cool-season grasses such as Kentucky Bluegrass and Smooth Brome, waiting until later spring will be more effective. Burning those invasive grasses too early will actually give them a boost instead of knocking them back. Managing for woody encroachment has its own effective timeframe as well.

Reach out to your local Farm Bill Biologist for support in deciding what management tools and timing will be most effective to reach your goal. They can also connect you with possible cost-share programs, such as NRCS’s EQIP and CSP, to support your management efforts.

Post credit: Stephanie Nelson, Western Iowa Precision Ag & Conservation Specialist

04/02/2026

NOW HIRING: JOIN THE MITCHELL COUNTY CONSERVATION TEAM!

Do you love the outdoors? Mitchell County Conservation is looking for motivated, hardworking individuals to help maintain our beautiful county parks, trails, and wildlife areas this season!

We are currently filling two seasonal roles:

1. SEASONAL MOWER
• Pay: $14.00 - $15.00/hour
• Schedule: 20-40 hours/week (No weekends! Flexible scheduling.)
• The Job: Mowing and maintaining campgrounds, prairies, and bike trails.

2. SEASONAL CONSERVATION AIDE 🌲
• Pay: $14.00 - $15.00/hour
• Schedule: 40 hours/week (Tuesday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
• The Job: A variety of outdoor work including trail maintenance, habitat establishment, painting, and assisting with park operations.

Requirements:
✅ Must have a valid Iowa Driver’s License.
✅ Must be 18+ for Mower / 16+ for Aide.
✅ Ability to work outdoors and perform physical tasks.

Ready to apply?
Click the link below to view the full job descriptions and application instructions. Applications are open until positions are filled!

🔗 https://mitchellcountyconservation.com/public-notice/

Mitchell County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

03/31/2026

It's the time of year where controlled burns are happening!

🚨🔥 if you plan on doing a controlled burn, please make sure the Mitchell and/or Howard County sheriff's office's are informed! This can save a lot of volunteer's time and resources.

🚨you must be sure that the area you plan on burning is manageable by the equipment/personnel that you have.

🚨STAY on site until the fire has fully extinguished.

If we are paged out to an unreported controlled burn, our policy is to put it out.

Please be safe and use common sense when carrying out these burns! Thank you in advance for your help with this!

03/24/2026

Thinking about taking your kids hunting for the first time—or maybe trying hunting yourself?
Hunter Safety Education classes are a great place to start!
Hunter education is a required program that introduces students valuable, lifelong skills useful for many outdoor activities. Classes are typically offered each year from March 1 through November 15.
The course covers:
• Basic survival and first aid
• Water safety
• Wildlife identification
• Basics of wildlife management
• Hunting laws
• Firearm and archery safety
Anyone 11 years old or older may enroll. Students who complete the course at age 11 will receive a certificate that becomes valid on their 12th birthday.
For more information on classes, visit the DNR website:
https://www.iowadnr.gov/.../hunter-education-safety...
To look for a class near you, visit the Go Outdoors Iowa site at:
https://license.gooutdoorsiowa.com/Event/EventsHome.aspx
Currently, there is a class scheduled at the Mitchell County Conservation Building on April 3rd; spots are filling up!
Happy hunting!

03/19/2026

03/15/2026

After three one-year extensions, Congress took a major step towards passing a five-year bipartisan farm bill last week when the House Agriculture Committee voted to advance the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. Read more on our blog about what’s in the legislation and where we go from here.

Read more: https://www.pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Policy-Update-House-Ag-Committee-Advances-2026-Farm-Bill-Proposal.aspx

03/01/2026

As we dream about warmer days and fields full of wildflowers, you might be wondering about the best way to support wildflowers and pollinators on your farm?

Two of our Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practices are specifically aimed at this purpose: Pollinator (CP42) and Prairie Strips (CP43). These CRP practices focus on converting small amounts of your farm into high-forb-diversity areas to support as many pollinators as possible.

Prairie Strips (CP43) can range from 30' to 120' feet wide and cannot be greater than 25% of the total field acreage. Additionally, prairie strips should have two flowering wildflower species in each blooming period (spring, summer, fall) and at least 10 species of wildflowers in the planting.

Pollinator (CP42) can account for up to 10% of a farm's acres, ranging from 0.5 to 10 acres. Additionally, CP42s must have three flowering wildflower species in each bloom period and a minimum of 10 flowering wildflowers. The stand should include one legume species or a clump-forming sedge and be less than 50% grass.

If establishing pollinator habitat on your farm interests you, contact your local Farm Bill Biologist to make a plan for you.
https://www.pheasantsforever.org/Habitat/findBiologist.aspx

02/15/2026

SAVE THE DATE! 🦌🦃

Mark your calendars for the biggest outdoor event in North Iowa!! The Deer and Turkey Outdoor Show is returning on Saturday, March 14th!

Whether you are a seasoned hunter, a fan of the outdoors, or looking for a fun day out with the family, we have something for everyone at the Milton R. Owen Nature Center.

What’s happening on March 14th?
🏹 Archery Competition (9am-3pm)
🦴 Youth Shed Hunts (10am & 1pm)
🐕 Blood-Tracking & Recovery Demos (1:30pm)
🎨 Taxidermy Demos (11:00)
🦌Official Scoring
📸 Trail Camera Photo Gallery
🎟️ Huge Raffles, Games, and Prizes!
🍔 On-site Food Truck

Want to be part of the show?
Bring your wildlife mounts for display and get one FREE raffle ticket! 🎁

📍 WHERE: Milton R. Owen Nature Center | 1879-3 HWY #9, Osage, IA
🕒 WHEN: March 14th | 9:00am – 4:00pm

👇 GET ALL THE DETAILS HERE:
Check out the full schedule on our website:
https://mitchellcountyconservation.com/event/deer-and-turkey-outdoor-show-3/
..or visit our Facebook Events page to RSVP and get live updates! & Turkey Outdoor Show

Please LIKE and SHARE** this post to help us spread the word! Let’s make this the best show yet. See you there!