The Coteau Ranch is located near DU’s office in Bismarck, North Dakota. This 2,500-acre property contains the very best duck breeding habitat in the Missouri Coteau landscape, but it also has areas that exemplify how not to use this fragile land – for crop production. In these places, we are putting the pieces back together. Restoring native prairie, re-gaining nesting habitat. setting an example for land stewardship.

The Coteau Ranch will be a place for education, research, and inspiration. A place to showcase the best habitat and the best of our conservation work - a place for the ducks.

We first became interested in buying this property because it adjoined a quarter section of land previously gifted to us by Safford and Betty Peacock. Both properties also bordered the large Davis Ranch owned by The Nature Conservancy.

However, Governor John Hoeven denied our request to purchase the properties, and the deal was all but dead.

That’s when our friends stepped in.

In two remarkable acts of generosity, the owner of one of the tracts decided to donate his property and another donor purchased and later donated the other land we wanted.

This conservation showcase will also be a place to conduct research and to demonstrate “best management practices” for restoration and grassland management. Soon, we will have an interpretive trail and open the ranch to public hunting.

We plan to hold it long-term to accomplish these goals. Paul Bultsma will manage the property, so feel free to email him or give him a call (701-355-3500) if you are interested in more details and directions to the place.

It’s quite a gem!

Ducks Unlimited permits public access on specified lands owned by the organization. Most properties are part of a Revolving Land Strategy and held for a short term. Accessibility to these properties is subject to change. Once DU sells a property, access to the land will be at the discretion of the new landowner. DU does not reserve special hunting or other privileges for anyone.