Habitat Program
It’s all about habitat
Our private ranch-style atmosphere is well suited for the discerning sportsman. We have more than 12,000 acres of habitat including native grassland, corn and sorghum fields, shelter belts, creek beds, and slough bottoms to ensure ample cover for all upland game. The best part is all of this is accessible just by stepping out of the lodge! We are family owned and operated and have been involved in agriculture for more than 40 years. This gives us the edge it takes to manage our land for the production of upland game as well as harvesting grain. We truly enjoy the opportunity to share our abundant resources with you.
Knowledge and expertise
Michael Bollweg, is a SDSU graduate with degrees in Agronomy and Ag. Business and co-owner of Tumbleweed Lodge with his mother Judi. Judi, along with her late husband Don had owned and operated an Agronomy distribution center for more than 40 years, having the knowledge and expertise to maintain and develop wildlife habitat that sustains abundant upland bird populations year after year. Despite average annual rainfall of 18″, our no-till farming practices and deep wells provided abundant habitat and water sources for all upland game. This compliment of adequate moisture and growing conditions supports the four primary keys of our habitat development program necessary for sustaining a consistent, solid upland bird population: spring nesting cover, food source, water source, and late-season winter cover.
Essential wildlife enhancements
To support our strong foundation of habitat enhancement, we continue to plant a number of shelter belts and riparian strips consisting of eastern red cedar, Russian olive, Russian almond, plum, choke cherry, and amur maple. Shelter belts are essential in the survival of upland birds during the potential inclement winter weather that can occur in the upper Midwest. Annual plantings of corn, grain and forage sorghums, and cover crops such as radish, vetch, and forage peas, can be seen interspersed with hundreds of acres of native grasses such as switch grass, western wheat, and Reeds canary. Don’t miss out on one of the best years of habitat and bird numbers since last embraced during the legendary years of the 50’s!
“Tumbleweed Lodge has the reputation as one of the premiere pheasant destinations in S.D. From its first class accommodations to its extensive habitat-management program and high bird numbers, Tumbleweed rates with hunters looking for quality gunning. I truly was impressed by every aspect of Tumbleweed, and you can bet that I’ll be recommending your lodge to anyone looking for a first-class South Dakota pheasant hunt.”