Retail shops across South Dakota are preparing for resident and non-resident hunters to hit the fields on October 17, the opening day of the 2020 pheasant hunting season. With an emphasis on outdoor activities this year, retailers welcome visitors to engage in good, clean, open-air fun!
“Communities around the state are ready for hunters, with many shops and stores working together to create special events,” said South Dakota Retailers Association Exec. Dir. Nathan Sanderson. “Hunting season is a great opportunity to showcase our world-renowned hospitality and wide-open spaces while supporting our communities and local businesses.”
Casey Weismantel with the Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau highlights optimistic outlooks from area businesses. Positive reports from the field have local shops hopeful for strong hunting traffic on Main Street and in the open spaces around Aberdeen.
Like many towns across South Dakota, Aberdeen rolls out the blaze orange carpet for visiting hunters and travelers.
“We give out visitor bags filled with valuable hunting information on the area along with coupons and incentives from local businesses in Aberdeen,” said Weismantel. “We treat you like family. We know the value of what hunters bring to the community. We work hard to establish a long-standing tradition of hunting in Aberdeen.”
While nearly all South Dakota businesses welcome the increase in foot-traffic, many retailers actively serve the hunting and shooting community. Pheasant lodges, hunting outfitters, and hundreds of stores that sell guns, ammunition, licenses, hunting gear, and food look forward to our state’s fall hunting tradition. Each year they open their doors and even their homes to visitors nationwide.
Michael Bollweg of Tumbleweed Lodge in Harrold highlighted how his lodge guests view South Dakota. “Without question, their most significant appreciation is for the vast uninterrupted landscapes,” he said.
Bollweg continued by saying, “Our guests continually remind us how special a place we live in and raise our families in while managing our abundant natural resources.”
Local mom and pop businesses understand the significant impact hunters have in South Dakota. In 2019, resident and non-resident hunters spent $202.4 million statewide.
“We love meeting and talking with the new people that come in, whether it is their first time in the state or just their first time in the store,” said Mike Fairchild, General Manager of Trav’s Outfitter in Watertown. “Of course, we love seeing returning folks when they walk through the door – this year, next year, and the one after that – we know they’ll keep coming back to hunt.”