Huron, South Dakota - World's Largest Pheasant

Omigosh you guys are missing the Legend of the Giant Pheasant! While the bird itself is intriguing, the story just kinda puts it over the edge. The Legend of the World's Largest Pheasant (abridged version): Once there was a giant ring-neck pheasant whom all the hunters wanted to claim as a trophy. One day a young boy happened upon the Giant Pheasant and, because of its magnificent beauty, spared the bird's life. In exchange, the pheasant promised to remain always at that spot, until every person in the world has seen the World's Largest Pheasant and his [smaller] offspring. [Jocelyn Sloan, 07/24/2005]

The World's Largest Pheasant stands atop the old Huron Liquor Store east of town in Highway 14. The Pheasant is 20 feet tall and 40 feet long. The paint job on the pheasant is outstanding and the back of the bird is arguably more picturesque than the front. Though you can't see this in the picture there is an access hole cut into the bird just beside its right leg. I didn't attempt to climb inside, but I did shoot some video thanks to my mega-zoom lens.

In addition to the Pheasant, Huron also has the following other roadside attractions: giant fiberglass buffalo in front of the car dealer on hwy-14 and a genuine, albeit old, twin seat jet fighter on the ground in front of the VFW hall complete with an Air Force paint job. [Greg Brown, 10/07/2001]

[RA: Built in 1962, constucted from steel and fiberglass. Huron is also known as the "Home of Cheryl Ladd & Hubert Humphrey." Ladd was a carhop at the Barn, a family restaurant with a "Famous Buffet."]

The World's Largest Pheasant is located along Hwy 14 on the east edge of town. This 30 foot fiberglass behemoth stands atop what used to be the Pheasant Liquor store. This giant pheasant has long been proclaimed to be the world's largest of its kind and symbolized Huron's claim as the "Pheasant Capital Of The World". This bird is older than me (I was born in Huron in 1954). Weathered yet majestic, it rises above the James River valley near Memorial Park. [Uther Draken, 03/12/2000]