But a couple of the hunting parties out and about in the Fort Dodge area over the weekend were unique. They consisted of local hunters plus firefighters and police officers from Chicago who were invited as part of an annual event to thank them for their service.

“We had a wonderful day, I’ll tell you that,” Tom Ryan, a retired Chicago firefighter, said Saturday evening. “I’ve never seen so many birds in my life.”

The annual outing is organized by Jim Kersten, of Fort Dodge, and his former college roommate, Doug Aller, of Chicago. Aller, a financial advisor, manages investments for the union representing Chicago firefighters. He is also a hunter and outdoorsman.

Merging his connection with the Chicago firefighters and his love of hunting, he has been involved in events in the Chicago metro area such as No Child Left Indoors, Fish With a First Responder and First Responder Outdoor Days.

Four years ago, he and Kersten came up with the idea of treating the Chicago firefighters to a pheasant hunting outing in Iowa.

This year’s outing included four current or retired Chicago firefighters and one Chicago police officer. They were joined by Webster County Chief Deputy Derek Christie and Badger volunteer firefighter Luke Hugghins, plus other local members of Pheasants Forever.

Ryan said he was invited to the hunt by one of the current union members.

“I gladly accepted,” he said.

“It was quite a treat,” he added.

He said he shot three pheasants with his late father’s gun, a 70-year-old Belgium Browning 12-gauge double barreled shotgun.

“I know he’s looking down with a big thumbs up,” Ryan said.

Jerry Beck, a local leader of Pheasants Forever, said Saturday’s hunt took place at two locations: one by Harcourt in Webster County and one near Eagle Grove in Wright County. All the hunting took place on private property that is in the federal Conservation Reserve Program.

Beck said the group near Harcourt bagged 25 birds by noon.

Sunday’s hunt was to take place in Webster County, west of the ag industrial park called Iowa’s Crossroads of Global Innovation.

The hunting took place on land owned by C. Richard and Joan Stark, Bruce and Deb Becker, the Norm Lundquist family, and Gary Cathcart.

“I would like to thank all the landowners who allowed us to hunt,” Kersten said. “I would also like to thank all first responders for their service.”

In addition to Beck, Pheasants Forever members Rick Taylor, Matt Carlson, Norm Lundquist, Matt Garner, Nate Jones and Rick Jones helped organize the hunt.

Saturday evening the hunters dined on two pork loins donated by Pheasants Forever member Troy Anderson.