Governor's Hunt Guest List

One of the well kept secrets of pheasant season in South Dakota has always been the governor's hunt.

But for the first time in recent memory, we are finally getting to see who is on the guest list. Governor Daugaard released it to KELOLAND News and it includes everyone from politicians to professional athletes to former presidents.

The guest list for this year's governor's hunt is 10 pages long. Most of the 1,100 invitees are business leaders or politicians from South Dakota. But there are a few names that stand out, like former President George W Bush, who couldn't make it. Neither could former Minnesota Viking quarterback Brett Favre.

But avid hunter and former Minnesota Twin great Kent Hrbek attended according to the governor's office and so did media mogul Ted Turner.

The governor's office says there's a reason to invite big name celebrities.

"One of the goals of the governor's hunt is to bring in our business prospects who are looking at growing or expanding here in South Dakota, expose them not only to our business climate, but also to some of the fun things you can do here and let them have a memorable weekend, so having a pheasant hunt and meet with people like Kent Hrbek or Ted Turner or some of the others is one way we can help make the weekend memorable for our guests," Policy and Communication Director Tony Venhuisen said.

This year the governor invited 428 of those business prospects. But he won't release those names.

Frank Farrar, Mike Rounds, Walter Dale Miller, Harvey Wollman along with Senator John Thune and Congresswoman Kristi Noem.

To view the Governor's list click on the link below.