Brett Kleinschmit

I (Brett Kleinschmit) am from Northeast Nebraska near the small town of St. Helena, just over the river from Yankton, SD. I began going hunting and fishing with my dad when I was just 4 years old. Always being adventurous, I spent most of my childhood playing near the Missouri River, the creek (Antelope Creek) near our home, and in the small woodlots on my uncle’s property with my brothers and cousins. We were always exploring, building forts, fishing, and hunting with our Red Ryder BB guns until we graduated to larger calibers and archery equipment. This is where my love for the outdoors began.

As I got older and hunted and fished more, I asked more and more questions like how I grow bigger deer or increase the turkey and pheasant populations. I also wondered what went on under that water and if there was a better way to manage it to grow more and bigger fish.

All these questions and burning desires to learn more of the how and whys is why I decided to pursue a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences after I graduated from Crofton High School, in Crofton, NE, in 2007. I chose South Dakota State University as the institution to pursue my degree. During my time there, I had many great experiences volunteering to help master students and taking advantage of any field trip that presented itself. During my time at SDSU, I worked on two White-tailed deer projects where we captured and radio-collared deer for a study looking at summer and winter range movements. I also helped with radio collaring Big Horn Sheep in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In the summer of 2010, I took a volunteer trip to Costa Rica and worked with Green Sea Turtles and Loggerhead turtles in their nesting ground on the Caribbean coast. 

I also put in 3 years with the United States Army Corps of Engineers working as a Biological Technician during my summer breaks.  I did a lot of habitat sampling on the Missouri River for the Least Tern and Piping Plover. We also monitored these bird populations. During this time, I worked alongside trappers with the USDA. We focused on trapping owls that were preying on the Terns and Plovers and my crew partner and I were in charge of Mink that were infamous for stealing the eggs of these Threatened and Endangered shore birds. I also spent a little time helping Nebraska Game and Parks with some Pallid Sturgeon tagging and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks sampling backwaters on the Missouri. 

I graduated with my Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and Minors in Animal Science, Biology, and Business in May of 2012. Before graduation, I had decided I was going to start my own business managing and developing fish and wildlife populations and habitats, and providing land management services to farmers, ranchers, and other landowners. Living in a rural area and having many family and friends who are farmers, I saw a need for many land management practices that could help with profitability and sustainability. This business has since grown more than I had ever dreamed. 

In 2017 I got my real estate license, to further expand my business and better serve existing and future clients to help achieve their goals and dreams. From 2017 to 2024 I worked under another brokerage, before deciding to obtain my broker's license, so I could further grow my business. Owning and managing the habitat business has allowed me to best serve my clients in buying and selling land as well. I can identify the small niches a property may have to set it apart or help make that sale to a buyer who otherwise would look right past it. The same thing can be said for the buyer's side. I can make them feel comfortable and confident making a purchase, explaining what can be changed on the landscape to build their dream property. 

My number one priority is my wife, Laura, and three kids, Kalli, Rylee, and Henry. We spend our free time together hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, boating, kayaking, playing games, watching movies and just spending quality time together as much as we can. My wife and I have started teaching our kids the value of hard work at a very young age, by bringing them with us to work at times. We are instilling in them the value of hard work and the rewards that come with that hard work. 

I too, just like you, have a passion for land that runs deep. My dream of land ownership and development has led me down this career path, and makes me want to strive to do the best for all of my clients and customers.