Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have announced that the organization’s premiere event, National Pheasant Fest, will be returning to Des Moines, Iowa, in 2010. National Pheasant Fest 2010 will be held at the Iowa Events Center on February 26, 27 & 28, 2010. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever President & CEO Howard Vincent made the announcement from National Pheasant Fest 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin.
“We’re excited to bring National Pheasant Fest back to Iowa for a number of reasons,” said Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever President and CEO, “Most importantly, by bringing our signature event to the state, we will leave a conservation legacy on the Iowa landscape,” Vincent said, “Iowa is a state that needs Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever more than ever.” Weather and habitat are the two factors that most impact Iowa’s upland game populations. Two harsh winters with spring flooding in between, coupled with the recent expiration of over 280,000 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres have helped to decrease Iowa pheasant and quail populations.
“Pheasant and quail hunting in Iowa is not only a time-honored tradition, but upland hunting has a $220 million impact on the state’s economy,” Vincent added, “We look forward to working with new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, and U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chair of the Senate Ag Committee and everyone involved with National Pheasant Fest 2010 to enhance wildlife habitat efforts in Iowa.”
“Additionally, Iowa has always been a great supporter of Pheasants Forever,” Vincent added, “With over 100 local Pheasants Forever chapters – the most of any state – over 20,000 Pheasants Forever members and over 100,000 pheasant hunters in the state annually, there is tremendous support for Pheasants Forever’s mission. Having National Pheasant Fest in Des Moines has the potential to draw over 30,000 attendees, and the more people we can connect to our organization, the easier it will be to accomplish our conservation goals in Iowa.” National Pheasant Fest first came to the state of Iowa and the Iowa Events Center for National Pheasant Fest 2007, Pheasants Forever’s third such event. Despite a heavy snowstorm on the final day of the event, Fest-goers still set a then-record for attendance at the event, with 24,510 passing through the gates.
“After the success of the 2007 Pheasant Fest in Des Moines, it was a must to work with the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau to bring the event back to the many pheasant enthusiasts throughout the state,” said Global Spectrum’s Matt Homan, General Manager at the Iowa Events Center. “We are appreciative of Mr. Vincent and Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever for providing all of Iowa the opportunity to showcase what tremendous support Iowans give to events of this nature.”
“We’re proud to welcome National Pheasant Fest back home to Greater Des Moines in 2010,” said Greg Edwards, President & CEO of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Once again our community will totally embrace this great event. We know with the thousands of outdoor enthusiasts in Iowa alone, we will have record attendance in 2010.”
National Pheasant Fest has become the nation’s largest event for upland hunters, landowners, sport dog owners and wildlife habitat conservationists. The unique family event offers a wide variety of exhibits, seminars, dog training events and youth attractions. National Pheasant Fest 2010 will combine a national consumer show, habitat seminar series, and family event complete with puppies, tractors, shotguns, and art.
Since 1985, Iowa’s 103 Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters have raised and spent $33,439,806 on the organization’s wildlife habitat mission. Chapters have planted 500,495 acres of nesting cover, 219,845 acres of food plots, 10,380,955 shrubs and trees for winter cover, and improved 56,062 CRP acres. Additionally, Iowa PF has restored 17,494 acres of wetlands and contributed to 602 land acquisitions that permanently protect 73,694 acres of public wildlife habitat. Find out more at www.IowaPF.org.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
