Known to many sportsmen and women as one of the greatest wildlife artists of his generation, the late James Meger was a regular contributor to Pheasants Forever banquets throughout the nation. Meger relayed through many of his paintings a love of rural Americana, especially the farmsteads and wildlife – pheasants in particular – that dot the landscape of southwest Minnesota. His wildlife art accomplishments, including being named a Pheasants Forever Print of the Year artist a record six times, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for wildlife habitat conservation efforts in the Midwest and beyond.
Honoring the life and career of the late James Meger, the Lyon County Chapter of Pheasants Forever in Minnesota has acquired a new public property – the James Meger Memorial Wildlife Management Area (WMA) – that will officially be dedicated to James’ memory and open for public hunting in the fall of 2017.
About the James Meger Memorial WMA
Through Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment – which provides funding for projects fostering clean water, lands and air – Lyon County Chapter of Pheasants Forever and Pheasants Forever, Inc. have closed on a 155-acre land acquisition approximately 10 miles north of Meger’s hometown in Minnesota.
During the spring and summer of 2016, a number of restoration and enhancement projects will commence on the James Meger Memorial WMA to benefit upland game, waterfowl, deer, small game, watchable wildlife and water quality. These projects are expected to be completed by fall of 2016 for use by the many resident and migrating species in the area. Conversion of marginal cropland acres on the property to grasslands will provide nesting cover for upland game, and a wide variety of native flower species to sustain local populations of pollinators such as honeybees and monarch butterflies. The existing tree cover will be improved to benefit local deer and turkey populations, and to provide winter cover for a variety of songbirds and other wildlife species.
Contribute to the Legacy of James Meger
The Lyon County Chapter of Pheasants Forever in Minnesota is spearheading fundraising efforts in order to complete the necessary wildlife habitat improvements on the James Meger Memorial WMA. Individual donations will help make this public hunting area a place to honor the legacy of Meger, provide a home to the wildlife he celebrated, and create a public hunting area which will inspire generations to come.
For more information about the James Meger Memorial Wildlife Management Area or to make a donation to support restoration efforts, visit the
Lyon County Pheasants Forever website.
Written by Jared Wiklund, Pheasants Forever's public relations specialist