The rush of a bird taking flight. The crackle of a fire in a cozy lodge setting. Glasses clinking on a richly hued bar with a whiskey wall backdrop. Long miles afield punctuated with world-class cuisine in a finely appointed dining room. The day’s successes are celebrated and the misses forgotten. That is just a taste of the precious moments to look forward to at Olsen’s Pheasant Phun in South Dakota. Come explore this multi-generation way of life based on hunting, fellowship and the making of memories.
What started as a decades-long family tradition became a cherished way of life for Dave Olsen, owner of Pheasant Phun. The Olsens, as a family, began hunting pheasants in South Dakota as a way to bring family, friends and clients together in a fun and iconic activity. What began as a way to entertain clients for the elder Olsens turned into a thriving business for Dave Olsen more than 18 years ago. When faced with an injury that required a shift in career, Dave decided to turn a family tradition into a business model with a mission of “fellowship, service, fun and the outdoors.” This model has maintained a 5-Star review for more that 18 years and a significant percentage of repeat clients annually. Today, it is a luxury destination where clients become friends and gather year-after-year to share time afield and stories of years’ past.
I had an opportunity to enjoy the Pheasant Phun experience in fall 2017. I was there on an all-women’s pheasant hunt. From the moment I walked in the door of the expansive lodge, I knew I was in for a great weekend.
Golden Pheasants
One thing I love about travel is exploring different types of accommodations. Things like bed comfort, lighting, sufficient blankets, good pillows and thermostat control can make or break a travel experience. Then there are the little touches that stick with you and keep you talking about them for years.
Pheasant Phun had all of the creature comforts of comfy beds, cozy comforters, varying pillow thicknesses and in-room thermostat controls. They also had gold pheasants inlaid in the gorgeous walk-in tile showers. That was in 2017. (I still am in love with the shower from my lodge room.)
Food and Phun
Food. I love to eat. My idea of a fabulous hunt does not involve MREs and sleeping on the ground. (See above for my fascination with the shower décor). At Pheasant Phun, they embraced and met my love of food and dining experiences. With hearty breakfasts and nourishing mid-day meals, I felt well-fueled for the day’s hunting afield.
Upon returning from a late afternoon hunt, we exchanged blaze orange vests and field boots for comfy hoodies and slippers. A natural migration to the bar ensued. Laughter mingled with amazing smells of impending dinner wafted down the arching corridor. Drinks in hand, the trek to dinner took place.
With impeccable place settings and comfortable family-style seating, tales of tails rose and fell in the comfortable dining room. Perfectly prepared steaks, succulent sides and home-made desserts graced the table over the course of the stay. Each night’s fare seemed more delicious than the last.
In addition to world class hunting, fabulous hospitality, fancy shower inlays and amazing food, the lodge is full of fun side entertainments – pool table, shuffle-board and over-stuffed chairs that can swallow you whole on a chilly fall evening (ask me how I know) are just a few of the amenities. For many, a hunt involves so much more than a critter on the wall or meat on the grill. It’s the stories, self-introspection and camaraderie both on- and off-the-field that complete the picture of “why” we embark on these adventures. Olsen’s Pheasant Phun both recognizes and fulfills these needs.
Circling back to creature comforts, Pheasant Phun takes the hassle out of travel with airport pick up and drop off. If flying commercial, set your destination to Aberdeen, South Dakota, and simply allow yourself to enjoy the door to door service experience as the Pheasant Phun team shuttles you and your gear back to the lodge. If flying private, Huron is your go to and the team will be there to convey you to the adventure ahead!
The Pheasant Phun Difference
My visit marked the beginning of my hunting adventures. Pheasant Phun set the bar quite high. I was there with a group of 15 women and we were the only group in camp. That allowed the experience to be completely curated to our group, tempo, social mores and enjoyment. While I took it for granted on that first hunting foray, I learned later that this is one of the pillars of the customer service experience model for Pheasant Phun.
Pheasant Phun strives to tailor their hunt group policy to keep one group in camp at a time, thus allowing each hunting party to have the experience they seek. For our group, it was a collection of women from around the country sharing stories, days afield, drinks and dreams in a cozy lodge we had completely to ourselves.
While in camp, our every need was either anticipated or promptly met by one of the amazing team at Pheasant Phun. Dave Olsen’s fiancée, Amy, is ever present throughout the day to day workings of the lodge – from orchestrating scheduling, cooking and cleaning to being an absolutely amazing friend in camp – Amy is a common thread in all-things Pheasant Phun.
Dave can be found in the field, the kennel, the kitchen or behind the bar mixing classic cocktails. His dry humor and quick smile were a highlight of the experience. He also is full of shooting tips for how to better connect on the long-tailed beauties we travelled out to chase.
Anne, Dave’s mother, is a classic example of the perfect synthesis of frontier woman and comfort food cook. Her desserts graced the table each night. I enjoyed her apple pie with homemade whipped cream from St. Brendan’s Irish Cream. Seriously, this was a to-die- for combination. Dave’s father was a mainstay at the lodge for many years before he passed, as well. While I didn’t have the opportunity to meet him, the stories of his connection with guests in years’ past were both heart-warming and hilarious.
Dave said it would be remiss not to mention his group of guides, friends and dogs, that have helped him to build this incredible business, and remain an integral part of its success today. He said, “We have been blessed with many people who have helped us get to where we are today — friends who have offered help I could never afford, along with guides with more knowledge and experience than I, who continue to help me become a better handler.”
And the dogs? From Chester, the old-man, centerfield pointing lab to Drake, Boomtown Boomer, Otis on point, Quigly, Wiser, Jasper, Karl (a rescue dog that found his mission in life) to the baby of the pack, Philsen Wilson – these dogs work to please afield.
Finally, Dave praises the hard-working ladies, including his fiancé, Amy, who heads up the dream team, the “magic makers behind the scenes.” Dave said, “Not only do they cook up an endless supply of fantastic food multiple times a day, they also make the lodge a home-away from-home for our guests. From super cleaning to surprise birthday cakes, along with friendly smiles, good humor and everything in-between, they are a quintessential part of the Olsen’s team.”
Pheasant Phare
Pheasant is still a staple in the fare coming out of the sprawling lodge kitchen. While a variety of dishes are prepared with this tasty king of game birds, a lodge favorite is the Pheasant nuggets. I made them for my boys upon returning home and they whole heartedly agreed.
Pheasant Nuggets Recipe
Cut pheasant breasts into nugget size.
Dip the nuggets in heavy whipping cream.
Coat in a dry batter (Shore Lunch original and Cajun) the amount of Cajun depends on how spicy you want it.
Fry in peanut oil until golden brown.
Devour with your favorite dipping sauces or just on their own.
Pheasant Phun pairs the beautiful experience of pheasant hunting in a boutique camp setting tailored just for you – the hunter. Come visit South Dakota and make sure to carve out time for a hunt at Pheasant Phun – it will be an experience you’ll not soon forget.
Dave says hunt dates still available for the 2024/2025 season.
Andrea Bogard’s love for the range began at 12 with competitive handgun and expanded to encompass sporting clays a few years later. She became an NSCA instructor at 18 years old and spent the next 18 years getting married and raising two sons, ages 17 and 9 currently. Andrea started hunting six years ago and learned to shoot a rifle and a bow. She is now 41, a full-time writer, homeschool mom and business owner and has hunted three countries, three continents and 19 states. Her sons and lab (Mr. Moose) are the focus of her world. View all posts by Andrea Bogard
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