Bird Dog Paradise
Whether you’re an upland hunter, canine lover, dog trainer, or simply admire the skills of a well-trained four-legged companion, the Pheasants Forever show is for you. The show kicked off with an energetic Bird Dog Parade held outside the main entry doors. There, attendees were treated to a line of hunting canines and their human handlers, with 120 pups representing over 40 different breeds.
Related: Hunting Dog Heaven at Pheasant Fest 2024
The crowd remained engaged, cheering for the bird dogs as they passed the podium. Of course, the growing crowd was waiting to hear from South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, also a local hunting celebrity and Vizsla owner.
Local Politicians Headline the Event
Before cutting the ribbon to launch the show, Noem delivered a rousing speech on the importance of hunting, firearms ownership, and American freedom both in her state and the country as a whole, after which she signed South Dakota’s Habitat License Plate bill into law.
Senator John Thune, Senate minority whip and a favorite to replace Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, walked through the doors on the second day of the show. Thune, a Murdo, South Dakota, native who now calls Sioux Falls home, is an active upland hunter. He gathered plenty of attention as he strolled the show’s packed aisles engaging with attendees along with Noem. State Representative Jessica Bahmuller, herself a seasoned hunter, was on hand to help tout the event as well.
Pheasants Forever 'Dream Big' Mission on Display
Pheasants Forever President and CEO Marilyn Vetter also helped fire up the crowd. Her leadership brings together the business end of the nonprofit organization with a clear focus on the needs and wants of the everyday hunter.
“Everybody has a chance to see our grand vision, to take part in our mission, and everybody needs to see themselves in it. Yes, we have a fantastic, incredible team, the largest number of wildlife biologists in the country outside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but they can’t do it alone,” Vetter said. “We all have to own a personal responsibility to the outdoors, conservation, habitat, education, and outreach.”
What’s more, Vetter is clear about her, and the organization’s, emphasis on future generations, as the show openly embraces both new and the youngest visitors alike. All told, it became quite clear that South Dakota’s political leaders along with the teams of both Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are dedicated to preserving our cherished sporting traditions.
Focus on Conservation & Habitat Preservation
While the vibe may be largely fun and games (especially for the youngsters), the show’s emphasis ultimately falls on its mission of conservation, public land access, habitat preservation, and pollinator programs. Pheasants Forever and partner organization Quail Forever make up one of the largest such nonprofit grassroots hunting organizations in the outdoor world, with over 140,000 members and 750 local chapters. The moniker of “The Habitat Organization” is spot-on, given their monetary and tireless hands-on work in that valuable space of habitat and wildlife preservation.
One shining example of that drive is South Dakota’s Public Access to Habitat (PATH) program, a community-based initiative that enrolls lands in long-term conservation. Not only are the landowners compensated, but the public wins with accessible lands, quality habitat, and healthy wildlife populations. That work helps bolster local economies with a direct economic impact on the rural communities through outdoor recreation spending. Further, the success that Sioux Falls is already seeing, with over 10,000 acres already enrolled, is proving an effective model for community-based conservation that can expand to other areas.
Why Get Involved?
It’s all about having a voice and influence. As sportsmen and women, we can vote at the polls, but we also do our talking with donations, memberships, volunteerism, and boots-on-the-ground work in the outdoors. Groups like Pheasant Forever, Quail Forever, and many other related NGOs (including NWTF, Ducks Unlimited, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, to name a few) help members have a say in how funds raised and Pittman-Robertson dollars are spent.
For those unfamiliar, Pittman-Robertson funds are generated by a longstanding excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and hunting gear, with millions of dollars available each year for wildlife restoration grants, hunter education, and sporting programs. Pheasants Forever, along with every other nonprofit NGO, is always welcoming new members, with easy enrollments online. Membership in PF, or the group most closely aligned with your individual outdoor pursuits, helps keep your finger on the pulse of our hunting and sporting future.
South Dakota Hospitality
The Denny Sanford Premier Center in ever-growing Sioux Falls proved a ready home for the event, which filled the majority of the center’s massive footprint. Most every major city or pheasant hunting region was present and marketing itself by doing swag giveaways and free raffle entries for everything from shotguns to guided hunting trips.
Multiple South Dakota hunting communities were appealing to prospective tourists and traveling hunters, including Aberdeen, Redfield, Experience South Dakota, and the joint Rooster Rush marketing effort, among others. The economic impact of hunters and the greater upland community on these locales is undeniable. We’d gladly attend another Sioux-Falls based event based on hospitality alone.
Upland Guns & Gear for Days
Pheasant Fest has the latest in firearms, ammunition, and all types of upland gear – even waterfowl gear. The reasonably-priced admission includes countless seminars, shopping opportunities, dogs for days, an impressive interactive youth village, and of course, the opportunity to get your hands on guns and gear before buying. What’s more, much of the gear is deeply discounted and available for cash and carry.
Our main focus, though, was checking out the latest and greatest in firearms and ammunition for our Guns.com crowd. Here’s a quick look at a few of the stars we found, though we’ll cover much more in coming pieces.
Browning and Winchester: Amid full racks of Browning and Winchester scatterguns were several of the respective sister companies’ latest 2024 launches. The left-handed Winchester SX4 instantly appeals to lefties seeking a do-all hunting gun, while Browning’s revered A5 line of humpback shotguns finally receives a downsized 20-gauge version with slimmer lines and a fast-handling feel.
Weatherby: Largely unknown to many show attendees, Weatherby was displaying a new waterfowl-focused shotgun at Pheasant Fest: the Sorix. This Italian-built inertia gun has appealing ambidextrous features, with a charging handle that quickly swaps from right to left operation and a reversible safety. The 12- and 20-gauge repeaters are available in three snappy Cerakote and hand-painted stock options.
Mossberg: The company known for producing great value in reliable sporting shotguns had a full contingent on display. But the newest shotguns caught the eye of show-goers, including the fully camouflaged family of O/U Eventide doubles, as well as the expansive 940 JM Pro lineup, with the Snow Goose appealing to many with its extended magazine tube.
Federal: The show’s presenting sponsor, Federal, sported a large display of hunting shotshell lines, proving its dominant position in the upland space. New for 2024 are an Ultra Steel Double Stack, Prairie Storm Bismuth Blend, and Hi Bird Bismuth, though many also turned their attention to the company’s growing offerings of shotshells with fiber wads for a true, leave-no-trace experience.
Hevi-Shot: Like its partner Federal, Hevi-Shot continues to lead the shotshell market in specialty shots like tungsten and bismuth. Hevi Steel Upland is offered in loads ideal for uplanders, while the growing tungsten offerings in Hevi Metal and XII continue to appeal to gobbler chasers, waterfowlers, and uplanders alike.
Conclusion
Though this was my first Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, it certainly won’t be the last. The warm welcome, visitor engagement, and relaxed nature of like-minded folks are a testament to the show and organization’s leadership and mission. The 2025 Fest will be held March 7-9 in Kansas City, Missouri, and will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Quail Forever.
