B. K. Leach Memorial Conservation Area

Driving Directions

Area consists of 3 tracts. The main tract is 3 miles south of Elsberry on Highway 79, then 3 miles east on Route M.

Highlights

This area borders the Mississippi River and contains wetlands, forest, and cropland. Facilities/features: waterfowl blinds, several fishable sloughs, and ponds.

About This Area

B.K. Leach Memorial Conservation Area is in northeastern Lincoln County. The original tracts of this 4,307-acre area were acquired in 1985 using Design for Conservation Sales Tax revenue and a private land donation from Ms. Mary Leach in memory of her late father. Following the flood of 1993, 500 acres of land impacted by the river levee failure were acquired from willing sellers. In 2001, 2,900 acres of Wetland Reserve Program lands were acquired through a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant involving the Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, American Land Conservancy, Mary E. Leach Trust, Waterfowl USA, and Forrest Keeling Nursery. The area contains a wide variety of wetland habitats, ranging from early successional marshes to deep backwater sloughs. The wetlands are managed to provide food for migrating waterfowl, while also providing habitat for resident marsh birds, and other wetland dependent wildlife.

General Information

St. Louis

Lincoln

636-441-4554

Owned by MDC

Activities
Activity
(Activity Explanations)		 Comments
(Population Definition)
Bird Watching  Excellent for Waterbirds. Peak times are February and March for waterfowl; April through September for marshbirds, shorebirds, and neotropical migrants. For a list of area birds, visit http://www.mobirds.org/CACHE/mdcchecklists1.asp?locID=554.  
Fishing - Other Good population. Bowfin, Carp 
Hunting-Deer Good population. Archery only. See area regulations. Restricted to designated areas only from Oct 15th to the end of duck season. The 4 pt rule applies.  
Hunting-Other Good population. Teal hunting allowed on a walk in basis. Daily hunting card required. Pick up card in parking lots. 
Hunting-Other Fair population. Rail and snipe hunting. See area regulations. 
Hunting-Quail Fair population. See area regulations. 
Hunting-Rabbit Fair population. See area regulations.  
Hunting-Waterfowl Good population. Reservation system and morning drawing used to allocate hunting opportunity during duck season. 
Trapping with Special Use Permit  With special use permit 

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Conservation Department Facilities
Facility Item Name Count Comments
Hunting Blind - Waterfowlaccessible 5  One of the five blinds is ADA accessible.  
Parking Lot  12   

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Features
Feature Item Name Count Size Comments
Fishing Lake or Pond Bates Slough 1 10.00 acres  
Fishing Lake or Pond Burns Slough 1 7.00 acres  
Stream - Permanent Mississippi River 1 2.00 miles  

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Land Cover Types
Land Type Acres Comments
Lakes/Ponds 40.00  
Crop Land 500.00  
Forest and Woodland 600.00  
Wetland 2302.00  
Old Field 430.00  
Grassland (non-prairie) 435.00  
Total Area Acres:4307.36 

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Designated Trails
Trail Name Trail Type Length
No Designated Trails

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Shooting Range General Information

This area has no shooting ranges.

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