The 2015 National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic returns to Des Moines this weekend, February 20-22, at the Iowa Events Center.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is a proud sponsor of the event, put on by Pheasants Forever, a leading conservation organization and DNR partner in conservation efforts in Iowa. The event promises to have something for the whole family. Here are six things not to miss at this year’s event:
Bird Dog Parade: This annual event, unique to Pheasant Fest, began eight years ago, when Iowa hosted the Pheasant Fest for the first time. Approximately 35 different bird dog breeds and their owners will gather to parade through the Iowa Event Center lobby and welcome you to the 2015 National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic on Friday. The parade will start around 12:15 p.m. and should last around 30 minutes.
Rudy’s Youth Village: This space is packed with continuous activities, entertainment, drawings, games and presentations. DNR recreational safety officers and staff will be assisting various stations at the event including an air rifle range, 3D archery range, snowmobile simulator, tree stand safety demonstrations, presentation on improving your shotgun shooting skills and more.
Habitat Help Room: Landowners won’t want to miss ways to improve acres for wildlife. To take advantage of this free help from trained biologists, bring a legal description of your property (township, range and section) or be able to pinpoint your land on a map. You can find out if your land qualifies for local, state and federal conservation programs and leave with a free wildlife management plan for your land.
DNR Booth: Find out what the DNR is doing for pheasants and pheasant hunters in Iowa. Check out the mobile version of Iowa’s Hunting Atlas and find more than 680,000 acres of public hunting in the palm of your hand. Bring your questions. DNR biologists, foresters, conservation officers and outdoor educators will be on hand to help with answers.
Stage Presentations: Whether you want to know more about wild game cooking or dog training, upland hunting or habitat improvement, there is a stage at Pheasant Fest hosting presentations on the topic.
Puppies: If you can’t make it to the Bird Dog Parade on Friday, there will be plenty of opportunities to see bird dogs of all kinds, including plenty of puppies, at Bird Dog Alley.
Pheasant Fest hours are Friday 1 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Daily admission for adults to the show is $10 per person, ages 6 to 16 is $5, and children 5 and under are free. Daily admission tickets are only available for purchase at the door of the event. For a complete schedule of events at Pheasant Fest visit www.pheasantfest.org.