Pheasants Forever Banquet hosts sold out crowd

CRESCO - The 28th Turkey River Chapter Pheasants Forever Banquet hosted another sold-out event as all 310 tickets were purchased 10 days prior to the event. The banquet was held on Saturday, March 25, at the Expo Center.

The Turkey River Chapter Officers of Jeff Korsmo, president; Matt Miner, vice-president; Neil Shaffer, secretary; and Mark Kissinger, treasurer; and the banquet committee orchestrated an event of the year with many hours of planning, securing donors and offering a great night, which started with a 5 p.m. social hour and ended nearly six hours later.

Master of Ceremonies Matt O’Conner, Pheasants Forever Habitat Team Coordinator, was kept busy throughout the evening.  Jason Hovey was the first Early Bird Drawing winner and chose a compound bow. This raffle was followed shortly after by the High-Low Raffle. Chris Olson won and received a Stihl chainsaw. The Pay-What-You-Draw Raffle was won by Ben Kuennen, who won a side-by-side shotgun.

The prime rib dinner started at 6:30 p.m. and continued until all were served. Introductions were also given during this time, with recognition given to Chapter officers.

Youth were encouraged to sign up for the Youth Free Drawing for a 20-gauge shotgun. A long line of young men and women formed as they signed up for the shotgun. The Youth Free Drawing is sponsored by Francis and Patty Lybbert, in memory of son, Scott Lybbert.

An introduction to the 2016-2017 Pheasants Forever Print of the Year, “First Light,” by Keith Burnett was brought forward to those in attendance. At this time, Platinum and Gold Sponsors were recognized and presented sponsor plaques as well.

Korsmo took center stage and thanked the Turkey River Chapter and the Howard County Soil & Water Conservation, who he said, “are instrumental in getting summer interns.” Korsmo shared the Chapter and the county Soil and Water Conservation, as well as the hard-working interns, who were responsible for 5,000 acres in 2016, 3,000 acres going in, in 2017, and 4,000 acres to go in for critical wildlife habitat.

The Turkey River Pheasants Forever $500 Scholarship Awards for 2017 were presented to this year’s recipients. Recipients are Kyler Bauer, Madison Fitzgerald and Joseph Gansen.

The 2017 Landowner Conservation Excellence Award was awarded to Dennis and Elizabeth Christensen. The award, given to a landowner, recognizes efforts put forth to provide pheasant habitat. It was noted the Christensen family provides over 500 acres through strip farming, food plots and the pheasant recovery program.

Raffle drawings were held next. The Square Board Raffle winner was drawn and won by Lynn Scheidel. Winning prize was an ice house and equipment. Reverse Bingo winner was Steve Lentz. Steve won a Stoeger Condor Over-Under 12-gauge shotgun. The Bar Gun Raffle was won by Grant Tuchek. The Scott Lybbert Memorial youth drawing was held next and the winner was nine-year old, Dane Curtin, Cresco.

Banquet Chairperson, Matt Miner shared that each year the Miner Family Farm & CRPC donates two guns. The first was won by Traeton Hagen and the second was won by Axel Wemark, age five.

The Pick of the Night was won by Dan Bush, Waterloo, who won a Mossberg Over- Under shotgun.

“I’ve been coming up for the last three years,” shared Bush. “I come to spend time with my son and support the Turkey River Chapter.”

Auctioneer Lyle Eastman was joined by brother and ring man, Ryan Eastman, who worked the floor to secure bids. The live Art Auction raised an estimated $8,500. High bid went for a Northern Minnesota Fishing Trip to Lake Kabetogama. The live auction was followed by door prizes and closing remarks.

Next year’s 29th Turkey River Chapter Pheasants Forever Banquet will be held on March 26, 2018. You may want to mark this one on your calendar and get your tickets early because if it goes like this year, tickets will sell out before the banquet.