Annual celebration will return to Omaha, Nebraska, in 2027

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s 2026 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, presented by Federal Ammunition, concluded today at the Minneapolis Convention Center. A crowd of 28,852 supporters flocked to the annual gathering. The event celebrated the habitat, access, advocacy and education initiatives fueling North America’s leading upland habitat conservation group.

“The upland community - including all of our members, partners and supporters - always shows up for the nation’s largest gathering of bird hunters, dog owners, and habitat conservationists to celebrate habitat, public lands and the wildlife we hold dear,” said Marilyn Vetter, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s president and CEO. “We sincerely can’t thank the upland community enough.” 

National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic combines a national consumer show, wildlife habitat seminar series and family event complete with puppies, tractors, shotguns and wildlife art. In 2026, the event saw the return of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Concert for Conservation. Oklahoma-based Turnpike Troubadours, and Trampled by Turtles frontman Dave Simonett, played to a sold out crowd at the State Theatre on Thursday night — raising over $100,000 for the organization’s mission.

As always, the show floor at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic featured nearly 400 of the nation’s top outdoor vendors, as well as numerous show stages covering a wide variety of outdoor topics.

Saturday night was capped off with the PF & QF National Banquet, where keynote speaker Dennis Anderson spoke to a crowd of over 1,200 hunters and conservationists. The award-winning journalist and outdoor editor of the Minnesota Star-Tribune celebrated the history of Pheasants Forever — which was founded in 1982 after Anderson wrote a column addressing the concerns of habitat loss across the pheasant range. 

“I’m proud of the organization,” Anderson said. “I’m proud, not because I played a part in starting it, but because it’s such a good organization. All you have to do is walk (on the show floor) tomorrow to see this is a group of people who’ve joined together for a common cause that is good, that is efficient and that has a possibility of achieving its goal.”  

National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic also delivered tangible habitat benefits for pheasants, quail and other wildlife. The Landowner Habitat Help Room provided technical assistance to more than 100 landowners, delivering conservation guidance on approximately 10,470 acres across over 15 states. Accompanied by a trained Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever biologist, landowners were educated on how to improve their acres for wildlife and even what local, state and federal conservation programs they qualified for.

The show garnered over 10,000 total associate/affiliate memberships. There were also 165 elite memberships added to the nation’s leading upland habitat conservation group. 

Next year, National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic returns to Omaha, Nebraska. This will be the organization’s fifth trip to Omaha, and the first since 2022. Please join us next year, as chapters, members, exhibitors, speakers and attendees celebrate the accomplishments and mission of The Habitat Organization on March 5-7, 2027, at the CHI Health Center.