Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, joined by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, today announced Sioux Falls as the 2018 host city of the nation’s largest upland hunting and conservation event.
National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic will be held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center on February 16, 17 & 18 in 2018 with
Federal Premium® Ammunition serving as the presenting sponsor. The event will also celebrate the conservation organization’s 35
th anniversary and South Dakota’s 100
th pheasant hunting season which will take place in the autumn of 2018.
“South Dakota is the world’s undisputed pheasant capital, so it’s fitting that our signature event be held in the state during their ‘Pheasantennial’ year. Likewise, we believe National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic can serve as a platform to elevate the habitat discussion across South Dakota to ensure it remains the world’s pheasant capital,” stated Howard Vincent, president and CEO of Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever.
National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2018 will be the organization’s largest event ever held in South Dakota, providing significant impact for the Sioux Falls economy. In fact, Denise DeJulio, Executive Director of Convention Sales for Visit KC, estimated the event had a $5.6 million impact for the Kansas City area during the February 2016 event. Additionally, the convention will serve as a venue to bring together the state’s conservation stakeholders, policymakers, upland hunters and the general public to discuss future investments for wildlife habitat conservation efforts.
“National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic is an event that draws big crowds. We’ll be welcoming lots of visitors to our state for Pheasant Fest in 2018 and South Dakotans won’t have to travel far to take advantage of the opportunities at the annual event,” Gov. Dennis Daugaard said. “Thank you to Pheasants Forever for deciding to host Pheasant Fest right here in South Dakota.”
South Dakota represents a growing stronghold for Pheasants Forever supporters nationwide. Since the inception of "The Habitat Organization" in 1982, a combined total of 34 chapters of Pheasants Forever have contributed $5.4 million for wildlife habitat conservation efforts throughout the state. These dollars equate to over 26,164 projects impacting nearly 450,000 acres of wildlife habitat improvements.
For vendors interested in exhibiting at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2018, contact Gerry Cliff, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s corporate sales representative, at (763) 350-7362 or
email. For media inquiries, please contact Jared Wiklund, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever's public relations manager, at (651) 209-4953 or
email.
About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division,
Quail Forever, is the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 145,000 members and 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent; the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent $634 million on 502,000 habitat projects benefiting 14.1 million acres nationwide.
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
651-209-4953
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org