When he was eight years old, Jim Shaeffer’s dad put him on a tractor for the first time. Jim has been farming for wildlife ever since. Both his dad and granddad had a love of the land, and that love and passion was passed down to Jim. Those two men not only taught Jim how to hunt and fish, but they also taught him how to use natural resources wisely, how to increase the health and productivity of the land, and how wildlife could thrive alongside production agriculture.

A conservationist at heart, Jim has taken non-productive ground and re-established over 4,000 acres of native prairie for dozens of people throughout the United States. He currently manages 480 acres of some of the best deer, pheasant, turkey, dove, and waterfowl habitat in southeastern South Dakota.

Although Jim had many professional successes, his passion for farming and conservation led to him in 2018 becoming a Realtor® selling land. After 27 years as the CEO of a computer security software sales company, Jim is thrilled his days now consist of walking landscapes to evaluate property potential and sharing his knowledge of national, state, and local conservation-funded programs that can help landowners pay for land purchases and habitat improvements. He enjoys seeing the farming and conservation legacies that clients have created and hearing about their plans for the future. Many clients have become Jim’s friends and they continue to reach out to him for advice.

“Thanks to the mentoring provided by my family, I have a love of working the land and the skills necessary to establish habitat and improve the land’s productivity for wildlife. As a broker for American Legacy Land Company, I help other people enjoy the rewards of land ownership and stewardship. I’m here to help them get the most out of their land.”

Jim and his wife, Vonda, have seven children and thirteen grandchildren and are active members of The Gate Church.

Jim has held state-level positions with the Quality Deer Management Association and the National Wild Turkey Federation. Jim and Vonda are involved with Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Whitetails Unlimited, The Mule Deer Foundation, Safari International, and the National Rifle Association and National Deer Association.