Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Perform “Concert for Conservation” Featuring Trampled by Turtles

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, in partnership with Pepper Entertainment, have announced the first-ever Concert for Conservation, featuring Trampled by Turtles LIVE at Washington Pavilion on Thursday, February 29 in Sioux Falls. Sponsored by Leinenkugel’s and kicking off weekend festivities ahead of National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, all concert proceeds will benefit the upland conservation mission of The Habitat Organization. 

Trampled by Turtles is a Minnesota-based American bluegrass-influenced folk band. Dave Simonett, the band’s lead vocalist and guitar player, has become an avid bird hunter, bird dog owner, conservation advocate, as well as a member of both Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever over the last few years. In fact, the band has participated in multiple “Trampled by Pheasants” and “Trampled by Quail” membership campaigns resulting in more than a thousand new PF & QF members. 

Simonett offered his thoughts about the concert collaboration, “I love being able to bring together two of my favorite parts of life: music and the outdoors. The Concert for Conservation happening right alongside National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic does just that. We can’t wait to play a show that points people towards Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s undying mission of habitat creation and conservation.”

“A few years back at the end of the tailgate following a hunt, Dave and I started dreaming about a ‘Concert for Conservation’ to help expand our wildlife habitat and public access efforts to a broader audience,” explains Bob St.Pierre, PF & QF’s chief marketing & communications officer.  “This is the culmination of those tailgate dreams becoming reality. We’re thrilled to have Trampled by Turtles headlining our first-ever Concert for Conservation in Sioux Falls – the energy in the room will be like the rush of a flushing rooster or covey of quail on opening day!”  

Simonett initially formed the group as a side project in 2003 after losing most of his music gear, thanks to a group of enterprising car thieves who'd ransacked his vehicle while playing a show with his previous band. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, he began piecing together a new band, this time taking inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn't rely on amplification. He filled his lineup with other newcomers to the genre, including fiddler Ryan Young, bassist Tim Saxhaug, mandolinist Erik Berry, and banjo player Dave Carroll. The group has carved out a fast, frenetic sound that is owed as much to rock & roll as bluegrass.