Meet just 6 of the many attractions for quail hunters at 2018 National Pheasant Fest & QUAIL CLASSIC
By Tom Carpenter
For a quail hunter, it’s easy to feel a little left out. After all, even the show’s logo features a big old rooster flushing a couple quail ahead of him … and the words Quail Classic come in smaller than Pheasant Fest.
But quail are no afterthought at 2018 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, coming up February 16 - 18 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Here are 6 top attractions -- whether you’re a fulltime quail chaser, an opportunist who loves a little quail action while chasing roosters, or like me you’re just starting to feel the magic about quail hunting and diving in headlong.
1 Bird Dog Bonanza
Quail hunters will get something out of almost every session at the
Bird Dog Bonanza Seminar Stage. In fact, only one daily session is about only pheasant dogs. Every other presentation is just about bird dogs – and that means quail dogs.
Learn at entertaining and informative seminars all three show days at this popular stage, and meet the best bird dog trainers and handlers in the field today. Headliners include Tom Dokken, Josh Miller, and Rick and Ronnie Smith, along with Dr. Joe Spoo of
gundogdoc.com. Ninety-one-year-old legend Delmar Smith is will also appear.
2 Landowner Help Desk
It’s not a roosters-only world at the
Landowner Help Desk. Biologists are on hand to help you put together a FREE Wildlife Management Plan for your property. If quail are your focus, biologists stand ready to work with you right there.
3 Habitat Stage
Plenty will be happening at the
Habitat Stage (sponsored by Polaris and SCAG Power Equipment) to keep the quail devotee happy. One of the most focused presentations on quail will be from Bill White of the Missouri Department of Conservation at 6:00 p.m. Friday, 10:00 a.m. Saturday or 2:00 p.m. Sunday.
Missouri’s Quail Focus Area Successes will outline management principles that can used on both large and small scales across the quail range.
4 Shotgun Dreaming
On the show floor, stop by and visit the booths of top shotgun manufacturers, each of whom bring firearms for the quail hunter to the scene. Caesar Guerini, CZ Arms, Benelli, Remington and Weatherby are a few examples of the brands exhibiting. Find them on your show floor wanderings and swing some great shotguns!
5 Rudy’s Youth Village
Sanford Health is sponsoring Rudy’s
Youth Village this year -- a great place to entertain kids and inspire some more outdoors love in them. National Youth Leadership Council staff for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever conduct the activities, to include laser shooting, a fishing simulator, outdoor photography for kids, wild game cooking for families, hands-on craft projects and activities, and much more.
Personally, I think Quail Forever needs to come up with a sidekick for Rudy the Rooster. Any ideas out there?
6 Getting Things Done, Getting Around
Stop by and give a visit to Quail Forever National Sponsors
SCAG Power Equipment (Booths 1713,1715,1717, 1814,1814 and 1816) and
Polaris (2601, 2700, 2701, 2800) to see what’s new in habitat management tools, as well as transportation for the field.
Click here for more information on 2018 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic.