Here’s an interesting article about the people and the traditions of the Dakotas.

From Transplanted Dakotans Share Common Background:

“They [Dakotans] treasure friendships, and they on to them,” said Carol Schmidt, organizer of the Dakota Picnic that occurs in Washington State every year.

The group just had its 25th annual picnic.

Each year about fifty people get together in Washington to meet others that have ties to the Dakotas. The organization started with people from North Dakota, but now includes folks from both of the Dakotas. They group appears to be full of friendships. The article linked above highlights a few of the people and their stories from past lives in the Dakotas.

Some moved away to Washington to get away from the snowy winters. The temps don’t get quite as low in in the coastal state, but there are always good memories from life back in the prairie including memories of hunting pheasants.

Tradition is something that ties to the pheasant hunting heritage in the Dakotas. Families and friends are formed around memories and for generations of people those memories revolve around hunting. You can probably think back to times spent with family out in the field hunting pheasants. Maybe you have an annual trip with your best friends that takes you to South Dakota each year for a pheasant hunt.

As Carol Schmidt says above, it’s about the people when it comes to the Dakotas. The pheasants attract hunters to the state, but it’s the people you meet while hunting that make you want to come back each year for more hunts.

Those that grow up in the Dakotas can’t seem to get away from the good people even if they move away to places like Washington. They’re setting up annual picnics to get together and be around others from the Dakotas.

It’s a sure bet this happens elsewhere and many of the events probably involve stories about pheasant hunting. It’s a timeless tradition for family and friends and it’s unique to the Dakotas.