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Auction Date: 10/01/26       Auction Time: 3:00 PM CT

Auction Held At: Farm Bureau Financial Services, 421 1st Ave N, Estherville, IA 51334 

Entire Farm Description:

This 39.93± acre recreational tract sits near Gruver in Emmet County, in the heart of northwest Iowa's lake country. The property combines lake frontage, hardwood timber, wetland-influenced ground, and upland habitat, positioned directly against protected wildlife land, a mix that is not commonly found together in this part of the state. The tract has remained in the same family for more than 70 years, giving it a long and stable ownership history.

The property borders two significant water features that shape its recreational character. A 60± acre slough lies along one edge, and the tract also sits adjacent to West Swan Lake, a 900± acre lake known regionally for its wetland and waterfowl value. Together, these water bodies add a substantial wetland component to the immediate landscape and draw migrating ducks and geese to the area throughout the season.

West Swan Lake itself has undergone a significant transformation. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources completed a multi-year restoration of the lake in late 2025, work that included drawing the lake down, removing rough fish such as carp, revegetating the shoreline and shallows, and restocking the lake with yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, and bluegill. A DNR fish survey conducted in October 2025 documented healthy populations of these species, along with improved water clarity and increased waterfowl use following the restoration. For a buyer interested in fishing or waterfowl hunting, this is a meaningful data point. The lake is being actively managed and monitored, and the early results point toward continued improvement rather than a project still in progress.

The hardwood timber and mix of upland cover and wetland edge also make this a strong setting for deer. Timbered ground bordering water and wetland habitat typically offers good bedding cover, natural travel corridors along the timber and slough edges, and food sources nearby in the surrounding agricultural ground, the kind of habitat mix that concentrates deer activity on a property this size.

The eastern boundary of the property abuts the West Swan Lake State Game Management Area, giving the tract a direct connection to publicly managed habitat. The West Swan Lake Waterfowl Production Area is also located just east and south of the property. This combination of privately owned lakefront ground with hardwood timber sitting directly against state and federal wildlife land is an uncommon configuration for this part of Iowa. The neighboring public land adds a substantial buffer of managed habitat around the property and expands the recreational ground available to a landowner in the immediate vicinity, without adding to the buyer's tax burden or management responsibility.

The combination of habitat types on this tract, hardwood timber, wetland edge, upland cover, and lake frontage, gives it strong cover and year-round food and water access for wildlife. Properties with this much habitat diversity concentrated on under 40 acres, and with this much adjoining public ground, do not come up often in Emmet County.

This is a property suited to a buyer looking for a compact, high-value recreational holding rather than a large-acreage operation. Whether the primary interest is deer hunting in the timber and cover, waterfowl hunting on and around West Swan Lake, fishing in a lake that has just come through a major fisheries renovation, or simply owning a piece of ground with deep family history and a strong wildlife setting, this tract offers a distinctive combination of features in a well-established part of northwest Iowa's lakes region.

CRP Acres/Payment: No CRP

Taxes:  $170.00

Survey Needed?:  No survey needed

Brief Legal:  39.93± acres with legal description: Parcel B Pt Govt Lts 3 & 4 and Parcel A Pt Govt Lt 4 S36 T99N R33W Emmet Co IA

PIDs:  0636300009, 0636300012

Lat/Lon:  43.34765, -94.6963

Zip Code: 51334

Seller’s Attorney:

Barry Thompson

4 E 2nd St, Kingsley, IA 51028

712-378-3611

barrythompson@wiatel.net