Midwest Seminar & Pheasant Hunting Event

Midwest Dentistry Seminars: March 18-20 and September 16-18th, 2011

Midwest Legal Seminars: March 11-13th and September 30-October 2, 2011.

Guests will arrive at their leisure on Friday night.  Seminar topics will begin after breakfast and last until lunch.  After a delicious lunch, the remainder of the afternoon will be spent pheasant hunting in beautiful South Dakota.

Sunday morning's pheasant hunt will commence immediately after breakfast and, following return to the lodge and lunch, the Seminar will meet briefly to wrap up.  Guest speakers will remain throughout the afternoon for further disussions, or guests may depart for their afternoon flights.

Per-person rates for the 2010 Midwest Dentistry Seminar

Double Occupancy - $1340.00,   Single Occupancy - $1540.00 

There are 14 suites to accomodate single- or double-occupancy.  Reservations are strictly available first-come, first-served.

"The Midwest Dentistry Seminar in South Dakota was a great time for fellowship among friends and colleagues. It would be hard to beat in terms of a "CE trip."  Guides were great, birds were plentiful, food and accommodations were above expectations. This trip was full of superlatives." ~ Shaun Mayatte DDS, September 2010

For South Dakota Pheasant Hunting, we suggest the following:

Shooting glasses are recommended. They protect your eyes from brush, accidents and, depending on the color, can enable you to detect the bird faster.  

Bring ear plugs or muffs. You may not want or wear them during hunting, but most people do some target shooting in the morning or evening.  

Bring a quality shears or scissors if you intend to clean birds yourself. Bring plastic bags and an ice chest if you're transporting the birds. 

South Dakota Pheasant Hunting:

Be prepared to dress in layers. It may be windy, wet, warmer or colder. You may be pushing or blocking. Consult the weather forecast for Mitchell, South Dakota, before your departure from home.

• Protective eyewear
• Brush pants
• Orange cap and vest
• Shell vest or shell belt
• Long underwear
• Well broken-in boots or waterproof boots
• Wool or leather shooting gloves
• Warm, long-sleeved shirt
• Rain gear
• Camera/Film/Batteries/Chargers/Etc.
• Heavy coat if in cooler months
• Ammunition: #5 heavy loads are an excellent choice

Other:

• Ice chest and duct tape for transport of frozen game (head or wing must remain attached to pheasants and waterfowl while being transported)
• Locked gun case for airline flights (shotshells must be packed separately and in their original container)
• Gun sleeves for daily transport
• Chapstick, prescriptions, shaving kit, etc.
• Casual clothes and house shoes

The South Dakota Pheasant Hunting Tradition

The diverse landscape of South Dakota is characterized by an assortment of habitats and an abundant array of natural resources. For many outdoor enthusiasts, no other wildlife species in the state is as recognized or valued as the ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). Though pheasants are not a native species to North America, they have become naturalized to the mosaic of grassland and agricultural land habitat found throughout South Dakota.

From the first successful releases of pheasants in 1908 to the current estimated population of around 10 million birds, South Dakotans pheasant hunting has become a rich and deeply rooted tradition. The opening weekend in October is an event anticipated not only by pheasant hunters, but also family and friends who are reunited during this social gathering.

With a high rate of annual mortality, pheasants are a short-lived bird with a capability of high reproductive rates. The quantity, quality, and distribution of season-specific habitats and weather conditions are the primary factors that influence pheasant populations. As a result, private landowners and wildlife managers focus on the development and management of suitable habitat to meet the needs of pheasants throughout their annual life cycle.

Since their introduction and expansion in areas of interspersed cropland, grassland and other habitats, pheasant populations have been notably high on four occasions: the early 1930's following the Great Depression and drought period when much farmland was idle; the mid-1940's during and just after World War II when again much habitat was unintentionally created on idled cropland; the early 1960's at the peak of the Soil Bank Program; and currently as a result of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres and favorable weather conditions.

Today, there are far more pheasant in South Dakota than people! In 2008, an estimated 76,000 residents and 100,000 non-residents, from all 50 states, harvested approximately 1.9 million pheasants in South Dakota.  Pheasant hunting in South Dakota tops the list for upland bird hunters, and has become an annual event for many.

Related Links - South Dakota Pheasant Hunting

South Dakota Pheasant Hunting License fees

South Dakota Pheasant Hunting License Sales (Online)

South Dakota Hunting Handbook PDF (2009 ed.)

Field Care of Trophy Waterfowl & Birds 

Getting There - South Dakota Pheasant Hunting

Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines are service Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Rental vehicles are available at the airport. Ground travel time to the lodge is about 1 hour. 

Suggested airports those piloting their own private planes include Sioux Falls, Madison and Mitchell, South Dakota.

Other Local Attractions - South Dakota Pheasant Hunting

Cabela's Mitchell, South Dakota Retail Store is located just off I-90. In addition to offering quality outdoor merchandise, the 80,000 sq. ft. showroom has educational and entertainment attractions, featuring a décor of museum-quality animal displays, huge aquariums and trophy animals interacting in realistic re-creations of their natural habitats. 

The World's only Corn Palace is Mitchell's Premier tourist attraction. Some 500,000 tourists come from around the nation each year to see the uniquely designed corn murals. The city's first Corn Palace was build in 1897 as a way to prove to the world that South Dakota had a healthy agricultural climate. The needle of the corn compass points to Mitchell, a prairie town that is corn crazy and proud of it. Mitchell's high school sports teams are the Kernels. Its local radio station's call letters are KORN.

Mitchell's Corn Palace is built out of reinforced concrete, not corn. Every spring, however, its exterior is completely covered with thousands of bushels of native South Dakota corn, grain and grasses that are arranged into large murals. Corn Palace Week marks the end of the harvest - and the beginning of the planning for next year's Palace theme.  The Corn Palace has one more title - the World's Largest Bird Feeder. After Corn Palace Week is over and winter sets it, local pigeons and squirrels make a feast of the tasty murals.

Contact us about this exciting 2010 Midwest Dentistry Seminat to include South Dakota Pheasant Hunting!

Packages are all-inclusive after arriving to the lodge.  In addition to Continuing Education, the Midwest Denistry Seminar package includes:

• Friendly, experienced guides
• Bird Dogs (pointers or flushers)
• Your dogs welcomed; Kennel Use
• 3 chef-prepared meals daily
• Trout fishing and fishing license
• Daily Maid Services
• Wireless Internet Access
• Bird processing and Freezing

Not included in the 2010 Midwest Denistry Seminar Package:

• Airfare
• Ammunition
• License
• Airport Transfer or car rental
• Optional Travel Protection Plan (Trip Insurance)