The 13th annual Mower County Pheasants Forever banquet was an emotional and significant celebration at the Austin Holiday Inn on Saturday.

About 250 people listened while Susan Olson, club president, announced she will step down from her position, as it is a conflict of interest with her recent appointment by Gov. Mark Dayton to the Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. Those who have attended past events know how much outdoor habitat means to Olson.

“When I announced a couple years ago, my voice completely cracked, and I had tears in my eyes,” Olson said. “The cool thing was, you looked around the room, and you saw the same thing.”

Saturday was Olson’s eighth banquet as president, and she has been a chapter member for 10 years. Of course, there were more tears, as Olson received a plaque and standing ovation for her years of service.

But it was not all tears for Olson, who proudly announced Mower Pheasants Forever is set to purchase 160 additional acres of land north of Austin near the Meadow Greens golf course. Olson said the local chapter is already responsible for 57 percent of the public hunting land in Mower. Furthermore, the land acquisition will help the environment. Tile lines in the ground that drain toward the Cedar River will be removed, which may help reduce downstream flooding.

Since 2001, Mower Pheasants Forever has acquired more than $1 million in new outdoor habitat.

Still, Mower County lacks hunting land compared to most Minnesota counties, Olson admitted, and added that’s why people don’t see pheasants like they used to.

“People want to know why there are no pheasants around here?” Olson said. “There is nowhere for them to live.”

Olson urged supporters to keep pressing toward $2 million. The total amount raised at Saturday’s banquet may be available in about a week, she added.