Habitat & Conservation  |  01/11/2021

Hayden Outdoors Agents Getting It Done for Upland Habitat


5b3422c4-15eb-4d52-ade6-6114cd066b47


Hayden Outdoors agents are funding Great Plains pheasant habitat to the tune of more than $130,000 … so far

By Tom Carpenter

Many Pheasants Forever members are familiar with the name of National Sponsor Hayden Outdoors. What you may not know is what the 140-plus real estate agents of Hayden Outdoors are doing for upland bird habitat. Every time a transaction closes, they donate $50 to impactful upland habitat programs in Kansas and Colorado. 

And how it adds up. When I called Dan Brunk, director of Hayden Outdoors Real Estate, for this story, I quoted the $91,950 that Hayden Outdoors had been contributed to that point. “Oh, we just sent another check today for $40,000,” he told me matter of factly. 

Gulp. That’s $131,950 to date.

Hayden Outdoors real estate agents nationwide voluntarily contribute $50 of their own personal commission for every transaction they close, and there is an additional Hayden Outdoors LLC matching gift of $50.The funds are then matched by Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and a myriad of other partners at a minimum 3:1 ratio.

“Our brokers are land-minded, ‘outdoorsy’ type people,” says Brunk. “Habitat creation, restoration and conservation is just a part of who they are. It’s very natural and easy for them to want to contribute to what Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are doing for habitat on the ground.” 

The finances are targeted to pay for diverse seed mixtures and a landowner stipend in exchange for establishing upland gamebird and wildlife habitat on 2,168 acres of unirrigated corners in circle-pivot fields so far, over the past two years. This number includes 67 Corners for Wildlife projects in Kansas totaling 589 acres, and 207 Corners for Conservation projects in Colorado totaling 1,579 acres. Some of these acres are then open to public hunting; all benefit upland wildlife.

“The main reason we are involved with Pheasants Forever is because PF puts REAL habitat on the ground,” says Dax Hayden, managing partner at Hayden Outdoors, which operates in 20 states. “We have seen firsthand the benefit of a good relationship between farming and recreational habitat. The Corners for Wildlife program is outstanding because in drier areas, it provides pheasant nesting cover in areas that are difficult to farm next to productive irrigated land.” 
 
“These acres also provide cover and habitat for many other species, including ever important pollinators,” adds Hayden. “Our commitment at Hayden Outdoors is to continue to leave lands better than we found them!”

“This commitment and passion from our brokers is making a real difference for making more pheasant habitat … and providing public access to it … on the Great Plains,” concludes Brunk.

Commitment. Passion. Generosity. 

Pheasants, pollinators, songbirds, wildlife of all descriptions … and Pheasants Forever Members … owe a big Thank you to the agents of Hayden Outdoors for what they are doing for upland habitat on the Great Plains.

Tom Carpenter is editor at Pheasants Forever.