10/27/2026
Rooster Rush Testimonial from the Field!
𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝!
𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭:
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐧.
When hunters talk about South Dakota, they usually talk about birds—the flush of ringnecks against a wide prairie sky, the crisp autumn chill, and the thrill of a good day in the fields. A couple of years ago, I was drawn to Aberdeen after a conversation with Casey Weismantel, Executive Director for the Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Casey gave me fantastic hunting advice, but what stayed with me was his explanation of how the community works together. He shared how local businesses—from restaurants to hotels—pool resources to lease private land from farmers, creating walk-in hunting access for pheasant hunters, called the Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition. This program provides nesting habitat and huntable acres by providing public access to private lands which produce the roosters! It was proof of a town invested in making outsiders feel at home.
In fact, I learned just how deep that hospitality goes during my very first trip. When I came out to scout a couple of years ago ahead of opening day, Casey went miles above and beyond the call of duty. Not only did he invite me to park my camper trailer at his house for the week between my scouting trip and the season opener, but he even had me back up right next to his driveway and plug it in so I wouldn't have to empty my refrigerator and freezer during my quick trip back to Colorado between the two trips to Aberdeen.
Local residents have a name for this mindset: Rooster Rush hospitality—a community-wide commitment to going above and beyond to make visitors feel welcome.
Fast forward to last week, when I returned to Aberdeen for another hunt, and that spirit of Rooster Rush hospitality was tested in a completely different way.
My trip began on a high note downtown. I checked into an Airbnb located on the second story of a storefront—a stunning, mid-century modern apartment owned by Troy, who runs the local newspaper. The space was crafted with care: the kitchen table, headboards, and side tables were custom-built out of local elm wood. The craftsmanship was breathtaking, matched only by Troy’s excellent communication and accommodating nature.
The true test of my trip came fifteen minutes outside of town on a rural road. A sharp hiss marked a flat tire, and a quick check in the trunk of my rental car revealed every traveler’s nightmare: no spare tire and no jack.
Stuck on the roadside, I began working through customer support with Hertz. That’s when the community took over once again.
A neighbor across the road named Nancy saw me stranded, came outside, and kept me company while I navigated customer service. When it became clear the tow truck wouldn’t arrive for a couple of hours, Nancy kindly offered to drive me to the airport so I could swap out the rental vehicle.
The Hertz counter at the airport was unstaffed, but before frustration could set in, Brandon, the tow truck driver, tracked me down there. He picked me up and brought me to Les Schwab Tire Center, where he dropped off the disabled rental car. By then, it was around 8:00 p.m. To top off his generosity, Brandon then drove me back to my downtown Airbnb at no extra charge.
The next morning, Troy, the owner of the Airbnb, personally drove me back to Les Schwab. The team at Les Schwab had the tire fixed—completely free of charge.
Throughout the years and across every ordeal, not a single person has ever asked for anything in return. There are no hidden fees, no obligations, and no transactional attitudes—just genuine kindness from Casey, Nancy, Brandon, Troy, and the crew at Les Schwab. Every person I met closed our interactions the same way: "Thank you for coming to Aberdeen. We hope you come back."
It is easy to see why Aberdeen boasts such a loyal tourism base. People come for the premier pheasant hunting or family trips to Wylie Park, but they return because of the community itself. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, Aberdeen stands out as a place where strangers are treated like neighbors, and Rooster Rush hospitality is simply the local standard.
By Terry Ruch from Colorado
Aberdeen Area Convention & Visitors Bureau HuntFishSD.com - South Dakota Hunting & Fishing Travel South Dakota Glacial Lakes & Prairies Tourism Association of Northeast South Dakota Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition Aberdeen Magazine The Aberdeen Insider Aberdeen Regional Airport
