Pheasants Plus

10/17/2024

I shared this on my personal page, but many of our customers only followed our business page... thought our loyal customers would want to know.

Keith Austin, age 85, of Warba, MN, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at his home. A visitation will be held Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 1000 AM at Bethel Lutheran Church, Warba, MN with a memorial service to follow at 1100 AM. Interment will

10/29/2022

It's been a beautiful fall and it sure has gone by fast!
Everyone here is healthy and happy. Keith and Nancy are doing well and say hello to everyone.
Katelyn got a new Weimaraner puppy named Briggs, maybe he'll find a pheasant or 2 in the future.
Hannah started high school this year and has kept herself busy barrel racing and entertaining herself working with her new miniature donkeys.
I'm still at the sheriff's department after 17 years. Still travelling to Mayo clinic every 3 months trying to evacuate these nasty little cancer cells.
Overall we're doing well.
Miss you all and hope you're shooting straight and dropping birds...

06/01/2021

Many of our past customers watched this beauty grow up. Her first day home from the hospital, we came straight to the clubhouse to open the sporting clays range. She came to the business before she ever came home... Friday night she graduated from high school. She will pursuing a welding degree from Central Lakes College in Brainerd this fall.
Congratulations Katelyn Rae!!

05/11/2021

Sunset over the North Field. A lot of pheasant shot in this field over the years

12/16/2020

Time for an update. Sure did miss all of you this fall. While we know the decision to close in 2019 was the right one, it still doesn't make it any easier when the sweet smell of fall comes around and the frost makes the fields shine.

Keith and Nancy are both doing well. Covid precautions has kept Keith at home for the most part. I make sure I visit often and teach him a lesson on the cribbage board... okay, maybe it's really 50/50. It's just nice to spend time together.

Liz did a great job working up fields and getting all the hay cut and hauled. Sure looks strange not having strips to hunt in.

The kids tell me they miss cleaning birds for everyone and really miss seeing all the hunting dogs and their favorite customers. Yes, they have favorite customers.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you stay safe in these crazy times.

Miss you all...

08/11/2020

Took a little drive tonight. Headed back to the Southwest field that so many of you have hunted in years past. Brought back many beautiful memories. We're getting ready to cut the hay off it. Should feed the cows for a few cold nights.
We are all doing well. Keith spends alot of time keeping Nancy in line... it's a full time job some days! 😁
The Covid has cancelled all of the girls 4h showing and fairs so it has been pretty quiet around here.
I saw a hen pheasant with 7 babies last week. They looked to be 7-8 weeks old. So a few have survived!
Katelyn acquired a job at the Grand Rapids Trap Club this spring and has thoroughly enjoyed pulling trap, s***t, and 5 stand. It's in her blood!
I just took her graduation pictures... How did I get that old??

I think of our customers often, and i love to hear from you on my personal page or by text or call for those of you that had my personal cell. I'll include a few pictures of the girls, for those of you who started watching them grow up in the playpen at Pheasants Plus.
God Bless and Happy shooting!!

12/11/2019

Just a little update... I sure did miss all of our customers this fall. After being open for 26 years, our first fall being closed sure was different. I spent a lot of time with the girls at livestock shows, travelling to Nebraska picking up a new show heifer, watching Hannah enjoy riding her new horse, and simply enjoying a little time enjoying the fall.
I've just returned from my recent update at Mayo clinic. Not a lot to report. The Melanoma scars are healing well. Dermatology will see me in 3 months for the next checkup again. Oncology will see me for the next PET scan and brain MRI in 3 months as well. Chemo is going well. I am happy to report I have not lost my hair so it appears I probably will not!
The closing of Pheasants Plus has removed a huge stressor from my life and while i miss our customers terribly, I could no longer do the business justice while working full time, running to Rochester, and being a mom to my amazing girls.
May the holidays be merry to you all, and know we miss you...

06/11/2019

I told our customers I would leave our Pheasants Plus page open and post updates about what was going on occasionally. So many of you are so much more than customers, you have become our friends...
Since our last hunt was set December 23rd, it had been a bit of a roller coaster ride.
My dad has had a great winter and now spring health wise.
I had another tumor removed the end of 2018. My next PET scan and Brain MRI showed activity back in the brain and they had concern that my ocular nerves were being compromised by the pituitary. I started chemo (which I will take daily- every 12 hours for the next YEAR!) It's a hard pill to swallow (haha) but I like living, so I do what I'm told.
Because a side effect of the chemo is skin cancer, I had to return to Mayo for a full skin check with pictures and keep a very close eye on my body. No going out in the sun, driving my car, or sitting near a window without sunscreen (I use 50-100 spf). At the appt, the dermatologist found a suspicious spot on my left scapula, did a biopsy in office and 6 days later I got the diagnosis of a Malignant Melanoma. Another cancer completely unrelated to the current cancer I am fighting.
I returned to Mayo last week, had that cut out along with 3 lymph nodes, only to find out I have another Melanoma that has appeared on the right shoulder that I now have to have surgically removed next week. It's a lot to process. This week I have another PET scan and Brain MRI to see if anything has spread.

In the mean time, my traveling partner, my mom Nancy, the baker of all bars and wonderful cookies at Pheasants Plus, had a heart attack 2 weeks ago. She had triple bypass surgery last Wednesday and I'm glad to report she is doing well and will be coming back to Grand Rapids today for rehab at The Lodge. She needs to heal, my dad is probably sick of my cooking.

I have wondered often if closing the business was the right choice to make. Many people have questioned me as well. After the last couple of weeks, I can safely say... Yes. Our health always took a backseat and it is now in the driver's seat. Reckless driving as it may be, it's in control.

Thank you all for understanding our reason for closing and being our friends.

Amy

12/08/2018

A beautiful day starts out at -1 and ends up with a pile of birds!!

11/24/2018

The Phelps hunt was very successful today!! What a great day of hunting with friends!!