Pheasant meat tastes like chicken, said Cassandra Schneider, vice president of Iowa State's Pheasants Forever chapter.
Iowa State University Pheasants Forever, a collegiate chapter, is focused on preserving wildlife habitat throughout Story County. The chapter also participates in club hunts, with pheasants, ducks, doves, deer and quail being some of the primary targets.
Since her dad was a part of the organization, Schneider grew up around Pheasants Forever. She credits her dad with fostering her love of the outdoors and hunting as she recalls attending the annual Pheasants Forever banquet with her dad.
Schneider’s mom was the first to mention to her that Iowa State has a Pheasants Forever chapter. When Schneider came to Iowa State, she joined and easily fit in.
“I checked it out, joined in and I loved it," Schneider said. "It’s a great group of people that are involved in it."
The Iowa State University Pheasants Forever chapter recently adopted Hickory Grove Park in Story County. The chapter will go out to the park about once a month and clean up the area.
The chapter also recently hosted Chris Riddle, from 6R Upland Kennels, who taught the Pheasants Forever students how to train hunting dogs.
“We’re looking to get involved with other groups and clubs: fishing club, shooting club, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, forestry club,” said Tyler Fischer, president of Iowa State’s Pheasants Forever chapter.
Fischer also said the chapter is interested in educating the public on wildlife habitat.
“We’re looking to do some different pollinator projects on seed dispersal,” Fischer said.
Schneider said the pollinator project is in the works. The goal is to educate kids on different types of plants in the wild and let them spread seeds to help brush grow for pheasants.
Iowa State University Pheasants Forever also hosts wildlife biologists as speakers because the chapter has a lot of animal ecology and biology students.
The chapter plans on buying and releasing pheasants for a club hunt in early December.
After hunting, the pheasants are cleaned and cooked for eating.
“A lot of people who hunt them do eat them," Schneider said. "They taste a lot like chicken."
Legally, on a single day of shooting, three pheasants per person is allowed for a licensed hunter.
Schneider acknowledged that hunting isn’t popular among everyone.
“If they knew exactly what it’s like or the big reasoning behind it besides just sport they might not be as, I guess, against it. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, and I respect that,” Schneider said.
Schneider claimed that one of the big reasons behind hunting is overpopulation.
Hunting can be necessary when it comes to roosters. Male roosters are capable of mating with many females, which means having as many males as females is not necessary.
In the wintertime, if there is an overpopulation of male roosters, they will kick the females out of their habitat. Because of this, keeping male roosters at a manageable level is one benefit to hunting them, Schneider said.