Services

Facility Services

Located right along the Missouri River, Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge provides a number of great opportunities to explore, discover, and learn about the plants, wildlife, and habitat of the Missouri River floodplain. The auto tour route and extensive trail network are open year-round, and visitors can enjoy activities such as hiking, bird watching, and nature photography. The namesake chute runs alongside the auto tour and multiple parking lots provides access for visitors to observe this Missouri River side channel or to try their luck fishing for common river fish species such as catfish and sauger.

In the spring, look for morel mushrooms in the open areas of the refuge. These prized edibles can flourish in the Missouri River bottomland habitat. 

The refuge also offers hunting opportunities for turkey, white-tailed deer, and waterfowl. To learn more about these opportunities or other activities on the refuge contact refuge staff at 712-388-4800.

Management and Conservation

Refuges use a wide range of land management tools based on the best science available. Some refuges use prescribed fires to mimic natural fires that would have cleared old vegetation from the land, helping native plants regenerate and local wildlife thrive. Other refuges contain Wilderness areas where land is managed more passively. The management tools used are aimed at ensuring a balanced conservation approach where both wildlife and people will benefit. At this field station our conservation toolbox includes:

Wetland Restoration:

The refuge is actively conserving and restoring wetlands for the benefit of wildlife. Wetland management is an important conservation tool that helps the refuge provide a sanctuary and resting place for migratory birds. Staff utilize water control structures and pumps to allow for wetlands to be seasonally flooded. Draw downs and occasional disturbances (like disking or cultipacking) encourage seed germination of important wetland plants which provide nourishment for waterfowl and also benefit a variety of wildlife throughout the season.

Tallgrass Prairie Restoration:

Tallgrass prairie used to cover millions of acres in the Midwest. Today, as little as 1% of the prairie remains. Since the creation of the refuge, thousands of acres of agricultural fields at Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge have been returned to native grasslands. Prescribed burning is one of the tools used to maintain the restored tracts of prairie.

River Restoration:

River restoration projects, in cooperation with other agencies, provide habitat for fish and wildlife along the Missouri River. The restored chute, along with the Missouri River backwaters area, provides important Missouri River floodplain features that have largely been lost due to the heavily channelized and altered condition of the lower Missouri River.