Cherokee County Conservation Board

08/18/2026

Don't get discouraged by the blocked path, take the new one! We're letting the old trail grow over so it can stop eroding.

08/12/2026

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08/11/2026

Bad news, we're short-staffed and can't schedule open shoots with our machines. Good news is that you could help us out! We need a Seasonal Park Technician. https://www.cherokeecountyparks.com/employment.html

08/10/2026

Join us at Steele Prairie on Thursday evening!

❗REMINDER❗

This Thursday, August 13th at 6:00PM, Plants of the Little Sioux: A Walking Tour with Tom Rosburg!

Learn from Drake University Professor Dr. Thomas Rosburg as he guides a walking tour of Steele Prairie State Preserve with Cherokee County Conservation Board Director and Naturalist Laura Jones. As this event will be outdoors, attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for weather. Looks like the rain should hopefully hold off for the afternoon!

T.H. Steele Prairie consists of 200 acres of native tallgrass prairie in two tracts, both of which are located northwest of Larrabee, Iowa. This undeveloped land is owned by the IDNR, which purchased the site with assistance from The Nature Conservancy in 1986. The land is managed by the Cherokee County Conservation Board. Hunting is permitted. Vegetation ranges from upland mesic prairie to wet prairie communities. Steele Prairie is classified as a biological and geological state preserve due to the diversity of tallgrass prairie plants and wildlife present, as well as the undisturbed nature of its rolling terrain, shaped by glaciers 20,000 to 30,000 years ago. Iowa’s tallgrass prairie is considered by many as one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. Others feel that due to its current fragmented nature, the tallgrass prairie is truly extinct. A visit to Steele Prairie is a step into history!

A professor of ecology and botany at Drake University, Thomas Rosburg has served as president of the Iowa Academy of Science and as a member of the board of directors for the Iowa Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Winner of the Sierra Club Environmental Educator Award, the Prairie Advocate Award, the Governor’s Iowa Environmental Excellence Award, and many other distinctions, he is also the photographer for many University of Iowa Press publications, including Trees in Your Pocket (2012) and Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie (2010). He has published over 360 images in a wide range of books, magazines, calendars, and brochures, including National Geographic, Sierra, The Iowan, and the American Journal of Botany.

WHERE: Steele Prairie State Preserve, Cherokee, IA 51012
(42°52'36.9"N 95°34'51.4"W)

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08/06/2026

Our 3-D archery course at Licklider Shooting Complex opened a week ago! Maps are available onsite as well as on our website. Beware, the terrain is difficult, so put your mountain goat shoes on! https://www.cherokeecountyparks.com/shooting-complex.html

08/04/2026

Don't forget to sign up for this upcoming class! https://license.gooutdoorsiowa.com/Event/ViewEvent.aspx?id=3919&searchText=&type=0&startDate=07%2F16%2F2026&endDate=03%2F16%2F2027&zipcode=&distancefrom=&fbclid=IwdGRjcATfVA1jbGNrBN9T_2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHpHMgQv4T8XSCwdTrgc_A1t15u_Fw8_GyjvqS19rthuLtrL5IGkv1QEkll-r_aem_07I21u0XDs9BxL5lznlumg

07/29/2026

We had a great group of interns from The Nature Conservancy rerouting an eroded trail at Martins Access today! It's not finished, but the bones are good. The trail will be more of a zig-zag pattern instead of straight down the hill.

07/23/2026

Join us on August 2nd from 2-5pm for an Open House at Licklider Shooting Complex! Snacks and refreshments provided at the trap field building. Staff will be available to answer questions and show you around each shooting area! No general shooting during this time.

07/17/2026

🦌 Attention Deer Hunters!

The Iowa DNR has updated deer hunting regulations by dividing the state into two management zones to help the deer population recover.

Zone B includes these northwest Iowa counties:
• Lyon
• Sioux
• O'Brien
• Plymouth
• Woodbury
• Ida
• Crawford
• Shelby

To explain the changes before deer season, the Iowa DNR is hosting four informational meetings:

📍 Aug. 3 – Yellow Smoke Park (near Denison) – 6:00 p.m.
📍 Aug. 4 – Dennis L. Sohl Center (Hinton) – 6:00 p.m.
📍 Aug. 5 – Sandy Hollow Clubhouse (Sioux Center) – 6:00 p.m.
📍 Aug. 6 – Prairie Heritage Center (near Peterson) – 6:00 p.m.

While Cherokee County remains in Zone A, these changes could affect you if you hunt in another county—especially in Zone B. If you plan to hunt this fall, consider attending one of these meetings to learn how the new regulations may impact your season.