Pheasants are flying in South Dakota as the hunting season begins. And corncob pheasants will fly out of the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre when visitors create their own corncob pheasant dart at Family Fun Saturday on Oct. 20 from 10-11:30 a.m. CDT.
All supplies are provided, and children should be accompanied by an adult. Admission to the museum gallery is free during program hours.
“It’s amazing how much fun a corncob, pheasant tail feather and a few stickers for a pheasant head can be,” said Jay Smith, museum director. “That we are doing corncob pheasants on the opening day of pheasant season is a wonderful coincidence.”
The male ring-necked pheasant is a beautiful bird with a shiny green head with short "horns" of feathers, a red face and a white ring around his neck. The female is less flashy with mottled brown and black plumage. The pheasant is not native to the United States. Introduced from China in 1908, pheasants are a transplanted species that has thrived on the South Dakota landscape.
In 1943, the ring-necked pheasant was named South Dakota's state bird. The pheasant has been economically important to the state of South Dakota. In 1919, the first official pheasant hunt took place in Spink County. Pheasant hunting in the state continues to bring in millions of dollars in revenue each year.
The museum is open from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CDT Monday through Saturday, and 1-4:30 p.m. on Sundays and most holidays. Call 605-773-3458 for more information about exhibits, special events and upcoming activities.
About the South Dakota State Historical Society
The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call 605-773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.
