B.A.S.S. Nation invades South Dakota

Part of the gang was, from left to right, Chad Ekroth, Skip Sjobeck, B.A.S.S. Nation tournament manager Jon Stewart, Leon Wildeman, Ryan Dickinson and Brett Stewart.

In 1992, Fortune magazine declared - rightfully so - that Gregory, S.D., is the "Ground-Zero of pheasantdom," and this monument was erected.The Ekroth's farm and hunting gounds are just west of Gregory in Dallas, S.D. The entire area is overrun with these Chinese birds.

South Fork hunting lodge (also in Dallas) agreed to host the gang of B.A.S.S. Nation guests for a day on their grounds. The group of 8 hunters limited (24 birds total) before noon. The guides still insisted that we had a slow day. This is South Fork's casual bar/lounge area where hunters kick their boots up after a day of hiking through corn and milo stalks.

The gang in front of South Fork's main hall.

This is the great room inside South Fork's main building. It's rife with taxidermy that would make any hunter salivate. The main lodge can sleep up to 80 individuals.

This pheasant had it coming anyway.

South Fork hunting lodge - whackin' birds and keeping guests happy since 1994.

When moving from field to field at South Fork, you're driven in a 4X4 school bus. The fact that it's a short bus is a sheer coincidence, and is in no way an indicator of this group's mental abilities (though it proved to be alarmingly appropriate).

Though they're all Chinese ring-necked pheasants, no two birds are the same.

Pete's Taxidermy is a must-see for any hunter venturing to southern South Dakota. This bruiser "lives" there with hundreds of other incredible animals.

Skip Sjobeck made a friend while at Pete's.

Any turkey hunter worth his box calls would pull the trigger on these rare birds.

Chris Wayne Powers found a friend roaming about the Ekroth's fields.

The gang found plenty to crow about as brother, B.A.S.S. Nation members and pheasant guides Chad and G.W. Ekroth escorted them around the farm. Chad Ekroth is co-founder of Pro Patterns, which teaches anglers to fish the pro way via DVDs. that take the viewer on an unedited practice day with the Elite Series pros.

Lots of time on the clay range was needed.

Brett and Jon Stewart hitch a ride to the next field.

G.W. Ekroth proved to be quite a hand at working his dogs and ensuring they covered every inch of each field.

Skip Sjobeck with a nice specimen from the Ekroth farm.

G.W. and his compadres unload to take on another field.

Hunters scatter to cover another strip of pheasant-infested cover.

Brett Stewart, Jon's son, shows off his first pheasant.

The gang was all smiles at the end of each day.