Contact: Kent Keene, Lower Midwestern States Coordinator
On February 14-16, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) Lower Midwestern States Coordinator, Kent Keene, attended the 2020 Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic hosted by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in Minneapolis, MN.
In attendance were representatives from state fish and wildlife agencies, hunting and conservation organizations, Natural Resource Conservation Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, members of the Minnesota State Legislature, and more.
CSF has a long-standing working relationship with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, regularly partnering on conservation and sportsmen’s policy initiatives at the state and federal levels.
While there, Keene attended the Precision Agriculture Workshop where natural resource professionals, agricultural industry professionals, and farmers discussed the effectiveness and profitability of incorporating a combination of precision agriculture and conservation practices. By “farming the best and conserving the rest,” farmers can successfully incorporate wildlife habitat practices on their farms while maximizing productivity and profitability on acres planted in crops.
On the showroom floor, wildlife managers, members of the hunting industry, and the sportsmen’s community gathered to discuss and celebrate wildlife conservation, upland hunting, hunting dog training, wild game recipes and cooking techniques and much more. Attendees were also treated with the annual Bird Dog Parade, showcasing many of the nation’s most popular four-legged hunting partners.
“We are very proud of our partnership with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and we appreciate the opportunity to attend and participate in the Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic events,” said Keene. “Thank you to all the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever staff for hosting this great event. We look forward to continuing our work with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to protect and advance our hunting heritage and science-based conservation policies.”
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
