Pheasant Fest reports one of its biggest events yet
Feb. 19, 2018
The grand total: 28,868 people.
Attendance at the National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic Feb. 16-18 in Sioux Falls was one of the largest in the event’s 15-year history.
“Upland conservation and the traditions of pheasant hunting have deep roots in South Dakota, and the passion of its residents was evident throughout a spectacular weekend,” said Howard Vincent, president and CEO of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever.
“The city of Sioux Falls and the state of South Dakota hosted what will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the top National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic conventions since the show’s debut in 2003. Thank you to all of our partners, sponsors and community leaders; we look forward to a return visit to ‘The Pheasant Capital’ and the continued support of habitat conservation efforts in the state of South Dakota.”
The event saw record attendance in Minneapolis in 2017 with 30,462 people.
With 1,500 people on hand Saturday night in Sioux Falls for the largest Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever banquet in the conservation organization’s history, Gov. Dennis Daugaard issued his support for an expansion of the nation’s Conservation Reserve Program to 40 million acres to help rebuild upland wildlife habitat in the Midwest, including 1.5 million acres in South Dakota. This followed a video message from Sen. John Thune, who reissued his call for the CRP cap to be at least 30 million acres.
“This show of habitat support from leaders in ‘The Pheasant Capital’ of South Dakota is especially timely as federal lawmakers begin serious construction of the 2018 Farm Bill, of which the CRP is part,” Pheasants Forever said in a statement.
The event goes to the Chicago area next year. Sioux Falls is hoping to host it again in a few years.
