Sioux Falls, SD —- South Dakota’s Second Century Habitat Fund (SCHF) has collaborated with Toyota dealerships of South Dakota and Alumacraft Boats to raise financial support for habitat conservation efforts in South Dakota. They offered a raffle prize consisting of a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro and an Alumacraft Classic 165 boat, loaded with outdoor gear provided by, Gerber, Scheels, Berkley, WileyX, Ugly Stick, Maven Optics, Seaguar Fishing Line, and Grizzly coolers which was promoted through social media ads and email campaigns starting October 2022. The campaign was conducted in partnership with the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks, resulting in an impressive amount of over $380,000 raised for habitat conservation.

According to Brian Bashore, SCHF Executive Director, the Toyota Tundra and Alumacraft boat combination was the most significant prize offered in the three years they have been running the raffle. The success of the past raffles demonstrates the widespread support South Dakota receives from people across the country, ensuring the preservation of conservation efforts and the continuation of pheasant hunting as a top priority for all to enjoy. None of this is possible without the support of our partners, especially Toyota and AlumaCraft. They truly made this happen.

The winner of the raffle was Ross Gaulke from Mitchell, South Dakota. Bashore personally informed Ross of his victory just before the announcement was made to a crowd of over 500 guests at the Fund’s inaugural Gala on June 3rd in Sioux Falls, SD. Bashore expressed his satisfaction with the selection, stating that Ross is a deserving winner. Ross and his wife recently acquired 60 acres of land and have been actively working on enhancing wildlife habitat by planting over 2,000 trees and converting the rest of the land into native grasses. Ross was one of 5,500 people to purchase tickets, and he was selected as the winner through the SD Game, Fish, and Parks’ big game license lottery system.

The funds raised from this raffle will be used to support habitat programs throughout South Dakota, aiming to foster high-quality habitats for wildlife to thrive and ensuring the continuation of the state’s renowned pheasant hunting tradition for future generations.

About Second Century Habitat Fund, South Dakota

The Second Century Habitat Fund is a nonprofit 501 c3 corporation that works to educate landowners on the importance of grassland to improve pheasant habitat in South Dakota. The Fund is governed by a Board of Directors representing landowners, business owners, pheasant preserve operators, and community leaders across South Dakota.