Pheasant Fest returns next weekend to Midwest location
The Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic returns to the central Midwest this year, with the 2019 show running Feb. 22 to 24 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
The event will include seminars and displays ranging from habitat management to dog care to wild game cooking to shed antler hunting to hunter recruitment.
The annual show is a product of conservation organizations Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.
The keynote address will be given at the Feb. 24 evening banquet by Steven Rinella, author and host of the "MeatEater" television show and podcast.
The event will open with a bird dog parade at 11 a.m. Feb. 22. Last year in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, more than 100 dogs representing 35 sporting dog breeds participated.
The show will feature dozens of seminars and educational presentations, including on stages dedicated to bird dogs, habitat, pollinators and wild game cooking.
It will also have a youth village.
The northeastern Illinois site of this year's show was selected in part to appeal to residents of southern Wisconsin, said Jared Wicklund, PF public relations manager.
It's about a 90 minute drive from Milwaukee to the Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 N Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg.
Wisconsin has been and continues to be a strong state for Pheasants Forever. About 8,000 PF members are distributed in 31 PF chapters in the Badger State.
The organization's chapters have completed 22,663 projects in Wisconsin to improve wildlife habitat on 175,308 acres, including 6,873 acres of land acquisitions now open to public hunting, according to PF statistics.
Pheasants Forever also employs six Farm Bill biologists in Wisconsin to assist landowners with voluntary conservation program enrollments.
The general show hours are noon to 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 9 a.m. to 6 pm. Feb. 23 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 24.
Visit www.pheasantsforever.org for tickets or more information.
Awards issued by The Wildlife Society: Three state residents were honored last week for their significant contributions to conservation by the Wisconsin chapter of The Wildlife Society.
Mike Foy of Madison was presented with the Wisconsin Award, the group's highest honor, for his "exceptional contributions to the conservation of Wisconsin's wildlife resources."
Foy is a retired DNR wildlife biologist who is attempting to get the state to do a trial of "Payments For Positives," a program that would provide financial compensation to hunters, landowners and businesses for the harvest of CWD-positive deer.
Scott Walter of Viola, who works as large carnivore ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources, was presented with the Don Rusch Award for "distinguished contributions to Wisconsin conservation as a working wildlife professional."
And Tim Eisele of Madison, a freelance writer and photographer, was honored with a Special Service Award “in recognition of his words and deeds as a lifelong champion for wildlife stewardship and management in Wisconsin and beyond.”
The awards were presented Wednesday evening during the group's annual winter meeting in Rothschild, Wisconsin.
Founded in 1972, the chapter is a scientific and educational organization composed of over 200 wildlife professionals, students and retirees who are interested in the conservation of Wisconsin’s wildlife resources.
To learn more, visit www.wildlife.org/wisconsin.