Packed House Supports Pheasants Forever

The Cheyenne County Fairgrounds was packed with hunting supporters Friday night as the Pheasants Forever chapter held its annual banquet.

Supporters were greeted with options to buy tickets for various raffles and chances to win outdoor artwork, hunting apparel and accessories, and firearms. Firearms transactions were done by Dave Phelps, DMK Consulting of Sidney. Dave Dickey was the auctioneer and Outlaw Catering provided the barbecue meal.

Proceeds from the night are used to support local habitat and hunting programs.

The number of supporters far exceeded expectations Friday, with volunteers scrambling to add seats and tables as people were encouraged to take a seat before the call for dinner.

An estimated 600 people came out to support the High Plains Chapter No. 278 of Pheasants Forever. High Plains Chapter Marketing The High Plains Chapter is involved in projects with young people including youth hunts and habitat projects.

The night included four youth lifetime permits given away. Two were given away in 2018. The High Plains Pheasants Forever also recognized military veterans in attendance.

The event also included recognition of the board

Since 1990, the High Plains Chapter has completed more than 2,624 habitat projects and enhanced 43,803 acres in the local area. The chapter provides food plot seed annually for habitat projects to local producers, partners with the South Platte Natural Resource District in Sidney to provide grass drills for rent, has hosted six hunting events for U.S. Veterans to show support for combat troops involved in foreign wars, and has hosted its fifth Youth Pollinator Project with more than 70 Leyton third and fourth graders.

In addition, the High Plains chapter promotes habitat projects and efforts to restore and preserve public lands, and supports purchasing and restoration of local land throughout the Cheyenne County community.

Pheasants Forever was co-founded in 1982 by Dennis Anderson and Jeff Finden, both then on staff at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch. Pheasants Forever's first publication, "Rooster Tales," was published in 1983. It is the forerunner of the Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland Conservation. The first Pheasants Forever banquet was held in April 1983 with about 800 people attending. In 2007, Pheasants Forever drew the largest crowd ever with more than 24,000 people attending its three-day National Pheasant Fest in Des Moines, Iowa.

Pheasants Forever has grown to more than 110,000 members with more than 600 chapters in the U.S. and Canada.