PF Access Award
Pierre/Ft. Pierre Chapter (Pierre/Ft. Pierre, SD)
The Pierre/Ft. Pierre Chapter has been a catalyst within South Dakota’s Build a Wildlife Area efforts, leading the way for the completion of multiple new land acquisitions and hundreds of acres of permanently protected habitat and public access. Chapter volunteers have been unwavering in their dedication to habitat protection — their chapter contributions in the last year have surpassed $190,000. Volunteers have taken the lead in identifying partner organizations, individual donors and regional businesses who have raised more than $700,000. These efforts have led to the permanent protection of 587+ acres of habitat open to public access in Stanley County, home to pheasants, prairie grouse, mule deer, antelope and many other species
The Pierre/Ft. Pierre chapter’s passion and enthusiasm has also rallied other chapters across South Dakota, building up a collaborative effort amongst the organization statewide. This dedication has set the Pierre/Ft. Pierre chapter apart as a leader amongst all chapters in the pheasant capital.
PF Habitat Award
Phillips County Chapter (Holyoke, CO)
Phillips County Pheasants Forever in Holyoke, Colo. was started in 1990 and was the third chapter in the state. There was a dire need for pheasant habitat in eastern Colorado in the late 1980’s, and through a partnership with USDA/NRCS & FSA for living winter snow fences (tree belts) and the Colorado Division of Wildlife (now CO Parks and Wildlife), the chapter started a major winter habitat program. Volunteers planted hundreds of miles of trees and shrubs, and protected pivot corners with fantastic nesting and winter cover, most of which are still thriving today. The chapter has helped landowners in Phillips and Sedgewick Counties plant more than 1 million trees and shrubs to establish winter habitat.
The chapter has always been a leader in nesting habitat, pollinator acres, and public access. They have helped pioneer the Corners for Conservation program in Colorado and have the most C4C acres in the state. The chapter has also helped create more than 700 pivot corners to permanently protect more than 2,000 acres — all of which are open to public access.
PF Advocacy Award
Capital City Chapter (Capital City, MI)
The core group of volunteers who previously made the Ingham County chapter so successful in years past are now making a big difference with the Capital City Chapter. Combined, the chapter has contributed $226,500 to the Legislative Action Fund (LAF)—the most in organizational history. Capital City conducts a national sweepstakes twice a year, with the sole purpose of raising funds for priority Pheasants Forever state and national programs. In their very first year, Capital City fundraised more than $40,000, with $30,000 supporting the LAF.
Capital City volunteers see the big picture of national policy for habitat programs—pooling their funds with other chapters results in more national and state policies for habitat, benefitting Michigan and the entire upland bird range of the United States.
PF Education & Outreach Award
Blue Mountain Chapter (Walla Walla, WA)
First chartered in 1988, the Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever Chapter #0258 of eastern Washington is one of the most active education and outreach chapters in the country. This small-town chapter, based in Walla Walla, Wash., maintains a solid core team of leaders that coordinate a variety of conservation and education programs that are strongly supported by the surrounding communities.
2022 was a big year for the chapter with stellar youth participation and overwhelming success of the Women on the Wing (WotW) initiative in its inaugural year. Chapter volunteers hosted 23 education and outreach events for youth, adults and families interested in connecting with the outdoors and learning more about Pheasants Forever. Events included learn-to-shoot, learn-to-hunt, hands on habitat field days, informational clinics and other general community events. In total, these efforts connected with over 450 participants in the calendar year and resulted in 40 new chapter members.
PF Membership Award
East Medicine Chapter (Western MN)
East Medicine Pheasants Forever embodies the critical membership pillar of our grassroots, volunteer organization. In western Minnesota, one of the most historically established PF regions of the country, the group generated a region-high 311 memberships in 2022, executing a remarkable 42 percent increase from 2021. With an uncompromising approach, the group led a pivotal membership campaign utilizing online pre-registration to endorse memberships for youth learn to hunt events, firearm safety days and an annual banquet. Both new and established internal leadership has taken the time to master online pre-registration tools and tactics, leading to maximum membership yield and retention
More Pheasants Forever members equal more acres of habitat, more birds, and more public lands to hunt. This core group of volunteers, many of which are Life Members themselves, continue to develop their “membership makes birds” mentality and find ways to inspire local membership and accomplish mission in western Minnesota.