Just a quick newsletter to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, healthy and prosperous, New Year, and  visions  of ECHO VALLEY pheasants dancing in your head!

Our season has, for the most part, come to an end, and with it we have many fond memories, have renewed old friendships, and have made new friends.  We feel fortunate to have hosted so many gracious and fun loving groups.  Many of you have indicated a desire to return next year, which warms our hearts. 

Highlights For 2003

·        Record numbers of birds and more substantial cover

·        Tremendous and fun loving groups

·         Very few “Hen Hunter” awards were handed out

·        High percentage of return clientele, with bigger hunting parties

·        Our first season of having women join us.  Delightful!

·        The addition of our “Hunting Golf Course” – Rave reviews.

·        New airport in Wessington Springs, sporting a 3600’ runway, and having one of our groups utilize it.  Thanks Joe!

·        Addition of Mike to our guiding team with “Sage and Drake”

·        Web site updated, with a new home page, thanks to Shanley

·        Shanley’s solo flight in the culinary department, allowing us to attend board meetings, in Colorado Springs

·        Jack, Ron’s dog, is eating again and is eager to hunt

·        Mike’ and his Dad, Lowell taking over the reins, when our son needed emergency surgery, after being kicked by a hose. Thanks to both of them,.   Also, thankfully, after, two surgeries, and two weeks in the hospital, Stacey went home on Thanksgiving Day.

·        Ducks Unlimited banquet – Kaiden, our 6 year old grand son, was a big winner, taking home his second duck call, and winning a Marlin .22, thanks to Randy , and a California hunter.   For me, aside from having several lucky participants in our group, being part of raising some badly needed funds to support a local girl who needs a new heart, was awesome.  Thank you, Dr. Joe, for your part in helping her cause.

·        Having Dakota Arms hunt with us, and getting set up with them for some exposure at the hunting shows they attend.  

Pheasant Mount Drawing

We drew for the pheasant mount this morning so the happy recipient could have it in time for Christmas… and the winner is Joe Stroemel, from Colorado .  He and his group were one of our last groups to come in, and had purchased our donated hunt at a new Pheasants Forever chapter auction and banquet in their local area.  Congratulations Joe!!  When we talked with him this morning, he was going to visit with the rest of his group to choose the charity he would be having the balance of the proceeds donated to.  

Expansion Plans

We have  negotiated a partnership with another landowner, for exclusive hunting rights to his property, adding an additional 4500 acres to our existing 2500 acres of hunting ground.,   Ron is also working with area farmers to  consider some of the practices he has access to, through his association with Prairie Land Management..  Not only will this give us more acres to cover, but also some pretty exciting lay outs.  Most of you have had a taste of the type of design I am referring to on our “Hunting Golf Course:”!  

We are in the initial stages of drawing up a design for a second building which will serve as a dining facility, and will have capacity for a second group.  This will enable us to have 2 exclusive groups at a time, and give us the ability to hire a full time employee, plus keep our guides and their dogs busy.   

We find our selves saying fair well and good luck to Trent, our guide of 4 years..  We are very excited for him, as he has been offered a Pro Staff Position with Roger Ragland’s Big Game hunting series. We will keep you posted when “our celebrity” will be on the air!  

Ron & Lynn Ogren

ECHO VALLEY RANCH

ronogren@sbtc.net