HISTORY:

Since its creation in 1986, CCPF members have worked tirelessly to give the gifts associated with the mission of Pheasants Forever, a national non-profit organization that calls for the protection and enhancement of pheasant and other wildlife populations through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness and education efforts

“We just love to see the wildlife out there,” said Scott Scheele of Norwood Young America, who is one of CCPF's founding members and was the chapter's first president. “We just want to save the wildlife habitat in Carver County.”

CCPF began when a group of local sportsmen - including Scheele, Larry Mueller, Tom Lehtinen, Daryl “Mugsy” Panning, Bert Tellers, Brian Biermann, Ron Knutson, Jeff Schmidt, Curty Stuewe, Rich Tuchtenhagen, Bill Kroells and Chuck Buckentin - decided it was time to bring an organization such as Pheasants Forever to Carver County.

Under the leadership of those 12 men, the chapter held its first meeting in September 1986 and received its charter in October 1986. By the time CCPF held its first banquet in January 1987, membership had grown to 40 people - although the banquet itself was attended by 350+ people, including Minnesota Vikings legend Bill Brown.

The chapter didn't waste time in delivering on the mission of Pheasants Forever. CCPF's conservation activities included planting trees and providing winter and safe nesting cover, organizing feeder programs, completing wetland restoration, providing money for land purchases (to conserve existing habitat) and more (the chapter continues to perform these activities today).

It didn't take long for CCPF to become one of the most active Pheasants Forever chapters in the nation. In 1988, CCPF was recognized as the seventh highest spending chapter in the nation for habitat spending. It was no small feat, considering there are more than 600 chapters and 100,000+ members in Pheasants Forever throughout the United States and Canada.

The first sponsor of CCPF was the Hamburg Hunting and Fishing Club, which donated $2,000. Today, CCPF boasts 500+ members throughout Carver County.