About Pheasants Forever Mower County - 670
Local Minnesota PF Chapter #670
We are Mower County Habitat & Pheasants Forever Chapter #670, a nonprofit conservation organization, staffed entirely by volunteers and dedicated to the preservation, conservation and enhancement of habitat for all wildlife in North America.
Our Chapter was conceived in 2000 and has been very active in our community ever since. We started with a meeting between Pheasants Forever and a local contingent of interested parties at the Cedar Valley Conservation Club in Austin. Don Johnson recommended David Hagen head up the organization as the first president and he agreed to do so only if Arlen Schamber would agree to be treasurer. We enlisted the help of a core group of sponsors in those first years and we would like to thank them for their loyal support since our inception. Hagen remained as president for the first seven years of the organization and oversaw healthy growth during that time. Our first three chapter banquets were held at the Austin Country Club, but due to tremendous popularity of our program, we soon outgrew that facility and moved the banquet location to the Austin Holiday Inn where it has been hosted ever since.
While belonging to a larger national organization that has a voice on federal and state conservation policies, our chapter has been tasked with finding projects for their funds. Minnesota takes full advantage of this model using funds raised for projects locally as well as other areas in the state of Minnesota. Unlike most other habitat organizations, all the money we raise stays right here in Mower County, and PF helps us leverage those funds with grants, matching funds, and other programs. We can take 1 dollar and turn it into 10 dollars!
Our Chapter #670 has been able to reinvest funds approaching $3,000,000 in habitat and habitat programs right here in Mower County. We have been integrally involved in over 600 acres of NEW public hunting land being dedicated in Mower County. We are proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the past 22 years, and we continue to look for new ways to improve the effectiveness of habitat improvement, land management practices, public awareness, and education for the benefit of pheasant and other wildlife populations.
Our philanthropic endeavors include youth scholarships programs we have hosted for years with Austin High School and Riverland Community College students.
We have sponsored a youth hunt every year for the last eleven years. This event treats 35+ area youth to a day of firearm safety training, trap shooting, pheasant hunting, and raffle prizes to encourage participation in our sport and plant the seeds of conservation preservation and conservation in the next generation.
We have also raised over $30,000 over the last 7 years and donated it to the Hormel Cancer Research Center as a result of our Hunt For A Cure fundraiser.
We have donated thousands of dollars to area high school trap teams and other organizations, like the 4-H Shooting Team, to ensure support for these programs in an effort encourage future generations of outdoor men and women.
In 2019 we are proud to be associated with the hosting of the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener. This event shined a bright and positive light on our community and our organization. We welcomed state dignitaries and media from our state and around the country to enjoy the bountiful increase of the pheasant population that we have worked so very hard to grow over these last two decades.
We have hosted a DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Pheasant hunt since 2019 and have grown that event to 60 DAV hunters through statewide participation of many peoples' efforts and a secure sponsor base.
Mower County Habitat and Pheasants Forever Chapter #670 has dedicated its efforts to being good and faithful stewards of the rich inheritance our natural surroundings have been given us. We will continue to strive to “Promote a Legacy of Habitat Conservation and Preservation for Future Generations.”
Our Chapter Mission
Mission Statement for Mower County Chapter: We continue to look for new ways to improve the effectiveness of habitat improvement, land management practices, public awareness, and education for the benefit of pheasant and other wildlife populations.
Background on Mower County Chapter: Our Chapter, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been very active since our first banquet in 2001. Unlike most other habitat organizations, all the money we raise stays right here in Mower County, and PF helps us leverage those funds with grants, matching funds, and other programs. Most of the time, this means we can take one dollar and turn it into five. Because of this, our Chapter has already reinvested nearly $2,800,000 in 22 projects, impacting over 600 acres right here in Mower County.
Protect, restore, and enhance wildlife habitat by establishing and maintaining local projects.
- Create, improve, and preserve upland bird habitat
- Foster youth hunting and outdoor activities.
- Develop, distribute and foster conservation education.
- Introduce and advance prudent management of conservation policies.
Background on Mower County Chapter: Our Chapter, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been very active since our first banquet in 2001. Unlike most other habitat organizations, all the money we raise stays right here in Mower County, and PF helps us leverage those funds with grants, matching funds, and other programs. Most of the time, this means we can take one dollar and turn it into five. Because of this, our Chapter has already reinvested nearly $700,000 in 21 projects, impacting 815 acres right here in Mower County.
Mower County Habitat & Pheasants Forever is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education.
About Mower County Habitat & Pheasants Forever
Background on Mower County Chapter: Our Chapter, staffed entirely with volunteers, has been very active since our first banquet in 2001. Unlike most other habitat organizations, all the money we raise stays right here in Mower County, and PF helps us leverage those funds with grants, matching funds, and other programs. Most of the time, this means we can take one dollar and turn it into five. Because of this, our Chapter has already reinvested nearly $700,000 in 21 projects, impacting 815 acres right here in Mower County.
Current Projects with Mower County Chapter: We are diligently working on some new land acquisition projects, and hope to report success at our 10th Annual Fundraising Banquet on February 27, 2010. We prepared acquisition proposals that were submitted with other Pheasants Forever proposals to the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Council – all proposals were approved.
Our Local Habitat Projects
Past Accomplishments of Mower County Chapter:
- We received the 2006 Minnesota State Conservation Excellence Award for putting $500,000 into habitat and habitat programs in MowerCounty. We are very close to achieving the next $750,000 level.
- In 2005, we purchased and restored an 85 acre parcel just west of Austin (now known as the Lost Lake Waterfowl Production Area), and donated the entire parcel to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2008. It is now open for public hunting.
- In 2004, we purchased and restored a 165 acre parcel southeast of Austin (now known as Schottler Wildlife Management Area), and transferred the parcel to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. It is now open for public hunting.
- We hosted Youth Pheasant Hunts in October 2009, October 2008, and September 2006, and held Youth Trap Shoot events for 5 years, all at no cost to the participants. We worked with Soil & Water to purchase equipment and to assist with 700 acres of CRP buffer strip sign-ups. We allocate of 10% of our Chapter’s funds to private landowner habitat projects.
Our Mower County Chapter continues to look for new ways to improve the effectiveness of habitat, land management practices, public awareness, and education, for the benefit of pheasants and other wildlife populations.
Unlike most other habitat organizations, all the money we raise stays right here in Mower County, and PF helps us leverage those funds with grants, matching funds, and other programs.
Because of this, our Chapter has already reinvested nearly $2,800,000 in 22 projects, impacting over 600 acres right here in Mower County.
The 85 acre parcel where we are all standing was purchased by our chapter, restored by our chapter, and donated to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
We are very excited that we could provide this new habitat area for the Mower County area.
Past Accomplishments of Mower County Chapter:
- We received the 2006 Minnesota State Conservation Excellence Award for putting $500,000 into habitat and habitat programs in Mower County. We are very close to achieving the next $750,000 level.
- In 2004, we purchased and restored a 165 acre parcel southeast of Austin (now known as Schottler Wildlife Management Area), and transferred the parcel to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. It is now open for public hunting.
- We hosted Youth Pheasant Hunts in October 2009, October 2008, and September 2006, and held Youth Trap Shoot events for 5 years, all at no cost to the participants. We worked with Soil & Water to purchase equipment and to assist with 700 acres of CRP buffer strip sign-ups. We allocate of 10% of our Chapter’s funds to private landowner habitat projects.
- In 2019 we purchased and dedicated a parcel just north of Austin that is 143 Acres known as the "Murphy's Lake - Worlein Tract. This land will be transferred to the Minnesota DNR and will be open for hunting and enjoyment in 2020.
Who Is Pheasants Forever?
A national organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of habitat for upland game and wildlife throughout the nation.
- Over 145,000 grassroots members and volunteers who have developed more than 10 million acres of pheasant and other wildlife habitat since inception.
- 600 chapters completing over 35,000 projects annually.
What Can You Do To Help?
Please explore our website and discover more about the Mower County Habitat & Pheasants Forever. You'll find detailed information on all our activities and upcoming events. Let us know what you think; we appreciate your feedback. If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact us. We welcome people interested in the Pheasants Forever mission to attend our monthly meetings, listed on our events page.
- Become a Pheasants Forever member or sponsor
- Volunteer your time or resources to our chapter
