Phil Melugin is the founder of Pheasant Run Ranch, an active wildlife ranch in north central Kansas. A hunting enthusiast and entrepreneur, Phil Melugin enjoys learning more about the sport of hunting—information he uses at his ranch. Each year, hunting enthusiasts from all over the country attend the National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, held in mid-February. Below, Phil Melugin answers questions about this exciting event.
Q: Where is Pheasant Fest held?
Phil Melugin: Each year, it is in a different location. This past year, the event was held in Kansas, one of the nation’s leaders in pheasant hunting.
Q: Did Pheasant Run Ranch have a booth at the event?
Phil Melugin: Yes, we were one of the exhibitors. It was a great opportunity to meet other hunting enthusiasts and get the word out about our property.
Q: What type of workshops does Pheasant Fest offer for hunters?
Phil Melugin: There are tips on hunting itself, as well as cooking game, dog training, conservation, and more.
Q: I have heard that there are also workshops on habitat improvement. What do these workshops cover?
Phil Melugin: At the Kansas festival, there was an entire room with computers set up to show land owners what they can do to improve their own property.
Q: And this was customized to each individual’s own property, right?
Phil Melugin: Yes. Conservation experts pulled up each attendee’s property on the screen and provided advice on improvements specific to that property.
Q: What cooking advice is provided at the Fest?
Phil Melugin: Pheasant Fest offers professional chefs, skilled at cooking game. They show some professional techniques to make attendees better at preparing game after returning home from a hunt.
Q: How many people usually attend Pheasant Fest?
Phil Melugin: The event draws more than 20,000 each year. Pheasants Forever usually signs up about 1,000 members.
Q: What is Pheasants Forever?
Phil Melugin: Pheasants Forever is a habitat organization that works hard to educate the public about conservation.
Q: Quail Forever also has a strong presence at the event…
Phil Melugin: Yes, it does. Quail Forever has the same basic mission toward conservation and education, with an emphasis on quail.
Q: How do I get information on attending next year’s event?
Phil Melugin: The 2013 event will be held in Minneapolis. Information is available at http://www.pheasantfest.org.
Phil Melugin founded Pheasant Run Ranch to provide a pleasant habitat for wildlife in order to promote better hunting opportunities for guests. For more information on hunting at Phil Melugin ’s ranch, visit .