Hi All,

I've been asked to help find a place suitable to take 10-20 hunters for pheasant. Can anyone recommend somewhere? Either a state (the closer to Chicago the better) or an outfitter/camp?

Thanks

Mark

Try the SD tourism website. Or this place, the A and D Zoss pheasant farm. I have used them for over 12 years and they are great.

http://www.travelsd.com/vsd/index.asp

I've had 3 great hunts at the Paul Nelson Farm. Their "mind-boggling bird numbers" have been written up in the Wall Street Journal. Not to scare you, but VP Dick Cheney has been going there annually for about 14 years.
The accommodations are outstanding, the food and wine superb, and the hunting is remarkable. The SD state wildlife management dept uses this spot as an indication of the state's annual hatch because the number of pheasants there is so high.
One benefit of the spot is that there is an SD regulation that if a spot releases some birds, you can expand your game limits materially. They release a few birds, but the overwhelming majority of the birds are wild. This allows the hunters there to shoot 15 daily instead of just 3. If you're a good shot, 3 birds in a day isn't much shooting if you're making the long trek to SD. Being in a position to shoot more surely makes the hunt a lot more fun.
Paul Nelson Farm is popular spot with Senators and Congressmen from around the country, including many of America's corporate leaders. You'll meet some great people when there, as their repeat business is so very high.
It's a special spot and it will make you look good to have suggested it to your friends.
Below are some comments from their previous guests:


'Paul, you have the best hunting in America.'
Senator Phil Gramm
Texas


'Once again, thanks for maintaining a little bit of heaven for us to enjoy while we are still here on earth!'
Jack Babbitt
Tulsa, OK

'Thank you for a great time - you offer truly the most memorable hunting experience a person could ask for. Your attention to every detail is noticed and appreciated by all members of our hunting party. A standing ovation for Paul Nelson Farm!'
Brad Quinn
Eden Prairie, MN

'I guess my best description of your operation is you run a class act. Everything from lodging and food to guides and dogs were exceptional. You and your staff were very efficient and, more importantly, very cordial and friendly.'
Bill Schmoe
Jackson, WY

'This is a class operation from beginning to end, and your entire staff was phenomenal. It was most impressive that every minute detail of our trip was covered, with absolutely nothing to want and need. I couldn't think of something even if I had to.'
Bruce Rotton, D.O.
Medical South
Springfield, MO

'THE FOOD IS OUTSTANDING! My staff and I travel all over the country, all over the world, for that matter, and there isn't better food that I've encountered anywhere during those trips. Paul ranks right up there with the best.'
Pete Chamberlain
CEO and President
B.R. Chamberlain & Sons, Inc.
Ocoee, FL

'You can be in the field all day long, and when you come back to the lodge IT'S LIKE WALKING INTO YOUR HOUSE. I took a group of eight clients three times now, and each time the clients say, "Man, the hunting was great, but what we enjoyed most was being treated just like family after the hunt."'
Sam Morrow
Jackson, MI

'I wanted to tell you how very much we enjoyed our tenth trip to Paul Nelson Farm. It was every bit as good as the first one, and I guess that's why we've returned year after year. You and your folks do a great job.'
Harry F. Dunn, Jr.
Media, PA

'I wanted to thank you for a wonderful time. This meeting format was a first for me, and I hope it becomes an annual event. I believe the surroundings and the camaraderie formed by spending time hunting together made our meeting much more effective and certainly helped us to be more productive.'
Garry Flowers
Fluor Corporation
Greenville, SC

'Thank you for your hospitality at the Governor's Hunt. The lodge was extraordinary, and it was worth the trip just to see it. I'm a first-time hunter, so I know I'm spoiled.'
Robert O'Connell
Sioux Falls, SD



'You should be very proud of what you, your family, and your associates have accomplished at Paul Nelson Farm. Everything was superb--the facilities, the dogs, the birds, the weather, but most importantly, the people.'
Michael S. Bell
Houston, TX

'I have hunted in South America, Europe, and North America with accomodations ranging from sleeping bags to luxury hotels in London. Yours is by far the finest shooting establishment I have encountered in my 30 years of hunting.'
James W. Cogdell
Matthews, NC