On The Wing Podcast

In this episode, hosts Marissa Jensen and Rachel Bush of PF & QF are taking over the podcast for a special Mother’s Day edition. They are joined by two special guests to celebrate the ups, downs, and in-betweens of raising a family outdoors. This episode’s guests include Susan Felege, PF & QF Board of Directors and Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of North Dakota, and Kata Miller, North Carolina Women on the Wing Quail Forever Chapter president. The episode is all about these mothers doing their best to raise their children with a love and appreciation for hunting and conservation. Episode Highlights: • Kata and Susan share the ways they get their families outdoors. • We all know that getting our kids outside can be challenging at times, but the rewards are worth it. Our guests share some of the challenges they’ve faced as well as those ah-ha moments. • Even when you think your kids aren’t listening or learning from you, they surprise you with their astute observations of nature when you’re least expecting it . . . and sometimes kids say the funniest things! • Secrets and snacks, our guests share what works best for them through the good times and the bad.

If given a choice, would land managers be better off adding pheasant nesting habitat in a few larger chunks or dispersed as a bunch of little tracts across the landscape to mitigate the impact of predators on pheasant populations? Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Dr. Scott Taylor, the National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan Coordinator, to talk about scientific research assessing small and large tracts of nesting habitat for pheasant reproduction. Episode Highlights: • Dr. Taylor discusses the importance of looking at pheasant habitat from “a neighborhood” point of view. • The guys also break down the importance of nesting cover, brood-rearing habitat, winter cover, and food plots as landowners approach maximizing their land for pheasant populations. Read Dr. Scott Taylor’s new essay, “Play Small Ball or Swing for the Fences?” on pheasant nesting cover and how tract size plays into reproduction success. https://pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Play-Small-Ball-or-Swing-for-the-Fences.aspx

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Tom Reed, Greg McReynolds, and Reid Bryant, the three principles behind the new Mouthful of Feathers book. Each participant previews their contributions to the upcoming book of short stories focused on bird hunting and bird dogs with a heavy dose of literary prose absent of how-to essays. Episode Highlights: • Byrant, host of the Orvis Hunting and Shooting podcast, recounts assembling a group of outdoors writers at a northern Minnesota grouse hunting lodge in 2017 that included Reed, McReynolds, and St.Pierre all meeting for the first time. • McReynolds, who works at Trout Unlimited with Reed, talks about the intersection between Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and Trout Unlimited as the habitat created through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) benefiting upland game birds and cold-water fish species. The new Mouthful of Feathers book will be available in a print edition this summer and includes stories from Quail Forever Editor Chad Love and PF & QF’s Conservation Leadership Program Manager Marissa Jensen.

Bobwhite quail have long been known as a “fire bird,” because of their positive population response to habitat improved through fire management. In this episode, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by three PF & QF employees for a conversation covering the science and art of using prescribed fire as a wildlife habitat management tool for bobwhite quail. The trio includes Missouri State Coordinator Andrew White, Missouri Prescribed Fire Coordinating Wildlife Biologist Wes Buchheit, and Missouri Habitat Specialist Crew Leader Dylan Jacobs. Episode Highlights: • White describes the importance of early successional habitat for bobwhite quail and explains how fire is utilized to maintain the integrity of grasslands as an ecosystem. • In a fascinating sequence, Jacobs equates prescribed fire to an artform, his drip torch to a paint brush, and a natural landscape to a canvas. • Buchheit explains how QF’s efforts to embrace fire through government policy, partnerships, and public education are turning the tide for the state’s quail populations. • Each participant also puts in words of support for their favorite bird dog breed during this month’s Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign. They also debate whether or not the Simpson’s dog, “Santa’s Little Helper,” is a vizsla.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by John Laux, PF & QF’s habitat protection program manager, and Eric Sytsma, PF & QF’s habitat protection development officer, for a conversation about creating public lands through the organization’s Build a Wildlife Area program. Since its first land acquisition in 1986, PF & QF have created more than 220,000 acres of permanently protected and publicly accessible upland wildlife habitat. The Build a Wildlife Area program is one of the organization’s signature tools helping grow that acre total even larger. Episode Highlights: • Laux explains the variety of ways PF & QF work with federal and state agencies to permanently protect critical habitat and create public access. Agencies interested in discussing a land acquisition with PF & QF should connect with Laux at [email protected]. • Sytsma adds to the discussion with his knowledge around the role chapters, donors, and corporate partners play in helping fund permanent protection. Donors interested in learning more about land gifts should connect with Sytsma at [email protected]. • All told, the organization averages a 14-to-1 match for leveraging donor contribution toward a land acquisition. In fact, acquisitions in the state of Minnesota even reach a match averaging 40-to-1. BIRD DOGS FOR HABITAT and BUILD A WILDLIFE AREA Bird Dogs for Habitat is an online popularity contest with a purpose. From April 1st through 30th we’re challenging people to cast a vote and make a donation on behalf of their favorite bird dog breed. Every dollar donated equals one vote and every donation will help create more permanently protected and publicly accessible places for our bird dogs to roam via our Build a Wildlife Area program. Head to www.birddogsforhabitat.org to vote! And thanks to our partners at Orvis, Purina Pro Plan, SportDOG BRAND, Ruff Land Kennels, and North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Mike Wieben, head dog trainer at Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennel, for a conversation with PF & QF’s Logan Hinners, the proud new owner of a young Labrador retriever puppy named “Trek.” Over the course of the episode, Wieben coaches Logan on properly introducing Trek to birds, gunfire, water, and electronic dog training tools. Episode Highlights: • Logan describes his hopes for Trek to become a “5-tool” bird dog who will accompany him in the uplands, in the duck blind, and in search of shed antlers. • Wieben explains the importance of separating obedience training from bird & gun introduction to build a puppy’s prey-drive and foster a pup’s connection to fun associated with birds. • Wieben also discusses the various SportDOG BRAND® e-collars available for training and hunting. BIRD DOGS FOR HABITAT Bird Dogs for Habitat is an online popularity contest with a purpose. From April 1st through 30th we’re challenging people to cast a vote and make a donation on behalf of their favorite bird dog breed. Every dollar donated equals one vote and every donation will help create more permanently protected and publicly accessible places for our bird dogs to roam via our Build a Wildlife Area program. And on top of this, every week our generous sponsors are supplying fantastic prizes that are eligible to anyone who voted. This week, SportDOG has provided a SportTrainer 1275 as a prize for one lucky donor. Head to www.birddogsforhabitat.org to vote! And thanks to our partners at Orvis, Purina Pro Plan, SportDOG BRAND, Ruff Land Kennels, and North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Marilyn Vetter for her inaugural podcast interview as the organization’s new president and chief executive officer. The conversation starts off fast and fun with Vetter explaining how she was tapped for jury duty her first week on the job at PF & QF, then moves into a wide range of topics from bird dogs to volunteerism to her SWOT analysis of the organization and her vision for The Habitat Organization’s future. Episode Highlights: • Vetter talks about developing a passion for the uplands while growing up on the family cattle farm in North Dakota, then becoming a bird hunter with her high school sweetheart and now husband, Clyde. • She also explains the role bird dogs have played in her personal life and volunteer ethos. • This must-listen episode lends important insight into our new leader’s perspective on how our habitat mission won’t change. The vision of how we accomplish those habitat goals, however, must constantly evolve to be successful. Learn more about Marilyn Vetter in the press release announcing her as the organization’s 3rd CEO in our 40-year history. https://pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Pheasants-Forever-and-Quail-Forever-National-Board-of-Directors-Select-Marilyn-Vetter-as-New-Preside.aspx

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Chief Development Officer David Bue to celebrate the successful conclusion of the Call of the Uplands campaign coinciding with the retirement of longtime PF & QF President & CEO Howard Vincent. Episode Highlights: • Vincent revisits the important moments of his four decades with Pheasants Forever; including the story of Quail Forever’s creation and the personal promise behind the Sage Grouse Initiative. • Bue and Vincent talk about the campaign’s 11 million acres of habitat improvements and the 2 million acres of access created, as well as how Call of the Uplands has changed the trajectory of the organization’s future. • Vincent also explains the impetus for the new fighting roosters tattoo on his right arm and unveils plans for a covey of flushing quail on his left arm as an illustration of his lifelong commitment to upland habitat. Learn more about the Call of the Uplands accomplishments by visiting our campaign summary. https://pheasantsforever.org/celebrate

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by four Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever biologists who are also experts in the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). PF & QF’s Rachel Bush, Brittney Viers, Andy Houser, and Nate Fore talk about why bird hunters should care about CRP and discuss the unique opportunity for CRP enrollment open to landowners through April 7th. Episode Highlights: • Bush, a biologist from North Dakota, explains the importance of CRP for upland birds, hunters, water quality, and soil health. • While CRP has always been synonymous with pheasant habitat, Viers, a biologist from Tennessee, explains the value CRP brings to the mid-south and southeastern U.S. for landowners interested in creating bobwhite quail habitat. • Houser, a biologist from Nebraska, explains how the private lands enrolled into CRP are the foundation to walk-in access programs across the country. Interested in learning more about CRP and conservation options for your property, contact a Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever biologist near you by visiting www.PheasantsForever.org/CRP or www.QuailForever.org/CRP

On January 20th, we posted a blog titled, “Like Pheasants? Thank a Coyote,” on the Pheasants Forever Facebook page. That article generated a whopping 430 shares and 369 comments ranging from unhinged vitriol to unapologetic praise. The response on Instagram was similarly passionate. In this episode, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Dr. Tim Lyons and Dr. Nicole Davros, both biologists with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Aaron Kuehl, PF & QF’s habitat programs national director who also received his master’s degree in animal ecology from Iowa State University where he studied predator movement and activity. The group discuss the science behind the blog’s premise and answer the more popular questions on the social feeds generated by the post. Episode Highlights: • In what may be a surprising reaction, Kuehl thanks the social media commentors for their passion about pheasants and for their pushback on the science. • The biologists discuss the role coyotes play as predators of adult pheasants and pheasant nests. They also explain the complex relationship between coyotes, fox, and pheasants. • Lyons explains “compensatory reproduction,” and how coyotes will actually produce more litters when their populations are suppressed.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by MeatEater’s Ryan “Cal” Callaghan, Sharing the Land’s Doug Duren, and PF & QF biologist Matt Morlock on the final day at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic. The group recaps their upland bird hunting seasons, recent wildlife habitat trends, and takeaways from this year’s record-breaking event. Episode Highlights: • Callaghan relives a serendipitous pronghorn and pheasant hunt in Montana last season. • Duren talks about his excitement around a new project on his forested property to improve the land as ruffed grouse habitat. • Callaghan explains his affinity for the young PF & QF biologist team working with landowners to improve the landscape for wildlife.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by European bird hunter Miguel Canaverde and Project Upland filmmaker Kevin Erdvig for a conversation about the new film “Lapland Grouse” debuting at Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Film Fest later this week in Minneapolis. The new film is about Portuguese native Canaverde’s relocation to Sweden where he’s fallen in love with the country’s upland bird hunting opportunities, especially for capercaillies, a Eurasian forest grouse species. Episode Highlights: • The film “Lapland Grouse” will be a part of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s second-ever Film Fest kicking off National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2023 in Minneapolis on Thursday, February 16th. • Canaverde and his Bracco Italiano bird dog will be featured in the upcoming spring issue of Project Upland’s magazine. • And, special thanks to the musical group Trampled by Turtles for allowing Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to use their song “On the Highway” as our new podcast intro music. Learn more about National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic at www.PheasantFest.org

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by representatives from Ruffed Grouse & American Woodcock Society, North American Grouse Partnership, Minnesota Sharp-tailed Grouse Society, Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, and Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society to preview the brand new GROUSE TRAIL addition to National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic taking place in Minneapolis on February 17-19, 2023. Episode Highlights: • Sam Tillman of the Ruffed Grouse & American Woodcock Society and Jodie Provost of the North American Grouse Partnership both preview their respective talks on the Public Lands Stage. Provost also describes the new show floor attraction of a grouse viewing blind with video of each grouse’s spring dancing ritual. • All five grouse groups provide overviews of their organization’s conservation efforts and talk about the special membership offers and incentives they’ll be rolling out at the event. • Provost announces a Grouse Trail Happy Hour occurring at 4pm on Saturday, February 18th that’s being sponsored thanks to onX and will also generate donations for PF & QF’s Build a Wildlife Area program for public land creation. Learn more about National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic at www.PheasantFest.org

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by PF & QF’s Habitat Education Program Manager Anna Swerczek and The Flush TV’s Travis Frank for a conversation previewing the family-friendly attractions at this year’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic coming up in Minneapolis on February 17-19th. Episode Highlights: • With winter tightening its grip across much of the country, St.Pierre starts the conversation with a recap of his recent trip to sun-splashed Arizona where he was hunting scaled, Gambel’s, and Mearns’ quail. • Swerczek provides an overview of the Youth Village and Pollinator Pathway sections of the event, while Travis Frank previews his talk on the Path to the Uplands Stage. • St.Pierre also leaves an Easter egg in the conversation about retiring President & CEO Howard’s Vincent’s plan to unveil a pheasant and quail tattoo during this year’s event after losing a wager with the PF & QF employee team. Learn more about National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic at www.PheasantFest.org

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by PF & QF’s Public Relations Manager Jared Wiklund for a fun and wide-ranging conversation with Keng Yang. The guys start by recapping the trio’s snowy pheasant hunt to close out the Minnesota season, then talk about Yang’s journey from anti-hunter to hardcore, every-single-free-day pheasant hunter. Episode Highlights: • St.Pierre explains how the group navigated snow drifts up to their nipples to find pheasant hunting success in the Minnesota cattails on the closing days of the state’s pheasant hunting season. • Yang talks about how the addition of a German wirehaired pointer changed his perspective from anti-hunter to a person who loves hunting, and is adamant about giving back to wildlife habitat conservation as a volunteer for Pheasants Forever and a variety of other conservation groups. Keng Yang will be speaking on the Public Lands Stage at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2023 in Minneapolis on February 17-19.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by three Pheasants Forever biologists to discuss the impact this year’s severe winter weather has been having on pheasant populations across the country’s northern tier of states. Those three biologists include Private Lands Conservation Program Manager Rachel Bush from Bismarck, North Dakota; Minnesota State Coordinator Tanner Bruse from Marshall, Minnesota, and South Dakota and North Dakota State Coordinator Matt Morlock from Huron, South Dakota. Episode Highlights: • Bush explains the philosophy of “putting the kitchen next to the bedroom” when designing quality pheasant habitat to best survive severe winters. • Bruse breaks down the good and bad of seeing pheasants in open agricultural fields during the winter. Are they stressed and vulnerable or taking advantage of accessible food? Or both? • Morlock delivers a few zingers as he talks about cattails (nature’s hot dogs), hot lunch (corn kernels in steaming cow pies), and the OG’s of surviving winter (sharp-tail grouse).

As we near National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic and the celebration of our 40th anniversary, we’re turning the spotlight on Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapter volunteers, the true lifeblood of our organization’s habitat mission. In this episode, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Will Clayton, the organization’s senior regional representative to introduce “The Year of the Volunteer” concept. To bring life to the celebration of volunteers, we’ve got four dynamic chapter officers lined up to talk about their motivations for volunteering. Those chapter volunteers include Austin Roby in Ohio, Cayla Bendel from North Dakota, Clay Denny out of Missouri, and Mike Coyle of Kentucky. Episode Highlights: • Each individual volunteer talks about their motivations for getting involved with a local Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever chapter and how those expectations resulted in friendships, on-the-ground habitat results, fun times, and cherished memories. • Coyle highlights the importance of the organization’s unique, locally empowering model in which chapters retain 100% local control of the funds they generate through their efforts. • St.Pierre closes it out with an interesting anecdote about being contacted for use of the PF or QF logos in tattoos and casket engravings as evidence of how important the organization becomes to people’s identities. Check out more Year of the Volunteer Content - https://pheasantsforever.org/forever-one - https://pheasantsforever.org/forever-two

At this year’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic coming up in Minneapolis this February, we’re presenting a special hands-on course called BIRD DOG TRAUMA TRAINING. It’s the brainchild of our very own David Gutierrez, PF & QF’s senior regional representative for the southwestern U.S. and a former Green Beret turned habitat conservation warrior. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Gutierrez for this episode, along with one of the Bird Dog Trauma Training session’s experts, Tom Sager, who is also a fellow serviceman with the unique role of training U.S. military special operations teams to take care of their canine partners. Bird Dog Trauma Training Seminar Where: At National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2023 inside the Minneapolis Convention Center When: Thursday, February 16th, Friday, February 17th, and Saturday, February 18th 8am to 3pm daily Who: Sessions are limited to 20 participants each day What: Each session includes training with Tom Sager, Dr. Seth Bynum, and Jerry Snetsinger, aka “The Trap Doctor.” Registration is $500 per participant and includes a PF or QF Dog Life Membership and a custom field trauma kit Learn more at www.PheasantsForever.org/K9Trauma or contact David Gutierrez for more details at [email protected]

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Gun Dog Supply’s Steve Snell to talk bird hunting, dogs, and bird dog gear. Steve is a passionate bird dog man and likely among the country’s top traveling wingshooters racking up truck miles in search of covey flushes from his home in Mississippi to his quail hunting properties in Texas to public lands destinations in Montana and beyond. Episode Highlights: • The guys reminisce about a quail hunting trip together on which Bob bagged his first-ever blue quail after making the 17-hour drive from Minnesota to West Texas to hunt over his own bird dogs. Snell also explains his love for hunting “cheating” blue quail (also known as scaled quail and cottontops) over big running English pointers. • Snell explains the Gun Dog Supply origin story and shares the business’ top-selling bird dog gear items, while also offering some sage advice for what to list on a bird dog’s ID collar. • Just back from a quail hunting trip to Texas, Snell provides a recap of his hunt and an overview for the rest of the Texas quail season.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by three of the country’s foremost quail biologists to talk about past, present, and future efforts to count bobwhite quail and how that population data is used to create high quality quail habitat, more birds, and better hunting opportunities. Those quail biologists include Quail Forever’s Working Lands for Bobwhite Quail Framework Coordinator Dr. Jessica McGuire, Georgia DNR’s Quail Coordinator Dallas Ingram, and University of Georgia Associate Professor Dr. James Martin. Episode Highlights: • Ingram and Martin explain how bird dogs are used to help count fall bobwhite coveys, while taking fun jabs at each other’s favorite bird dog breeds in the process. • McGuire also discusses how landowners who are interested in fostering higher quail populations on their property can get involved with counting quail as a means of better understanding what factors need to be improved on a particular piece of land. • Martin also talks about how his grad students at the University of Georgia are using new technology to make significant strides in our understanding of quail population dynamics.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Nate Akey, PF & QF’s first-ever employee to hold the title of “Social Media Strategist” for a discussion about his new job and his relatively newfound passion for mountain quail. Episode Highlights: • Holding a master’s degree in aquatic biology, Nate tells his compelling story about how a love for photographing his bird dog changed the trajectory of his career. • Nate also talks about his move from Michigan to Oregon and what he’s learned about mountain quail habitat, hunting, and cooking along the journey. • The guys finish up with a lightning round conversation about strengths, weaknesses, and audiences currently following Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

This is the fifth and final episode from Rooster Road Trip XIII. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever’s Vice President of Marketing Andrew Vavra, Graphic Design Manager Logan Hinners, and Video Production Specialist Aaron Black-Schmidt to recap this year’s trip to Montana. The group tackles a wide array of crowd-sourced questions sent our way through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We laughed and we cried (literally) during this super fun conversation putting a bow on this year’s Rooster Road Trip. Episode Highlights: • Vavra kicks off the conversation with controversy by asking everyone to name THE SINGLE BEST BIRD DOG BREED for the uplands . . . chaos ensues. • Can a bird dog smell the difference between a rooster and a hen? You may be surprised by the group’s answer. • And there were lots of questions about preferences in gear, guns, and states to hunt. We tackled them all, including our favorite memories from this year’s Rooster Road Trip. Check out all of our Rooster Road Trip videos, podcasts and photo galleries at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org. While there, enter to win a Browning Citori 725 shotgun and join/renew/extend your Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever membership featuring an attractive new field knife made by Browning. And special thanks to our Rooster Road Trip 2022 sponsors: • Browning • SoundGear • Ruff Land Kennels • Federal Ammunition • Garmin • Apple Auto

This is the fourth episode from Rooster Road Trip XIII. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever’s Director of Marketing Andrew Vavra, Senior Regional Representative Renee Tomala, Corporate Partnerships & Product Development Coordinator Erica Hill, and Montana Regional Representative Chad Harvey to recap the trip’s final day in Montana. A mixed bag of pheasants, sharpies, and Huns were all in the air, but was the group finally able to complete the full Montana mixed bag during one walk? Episode Highlights: • With temperatures touching 80 degrees just three days earlier, the group is greeted by the first snowstorm of the season making for challenging conditions for hunters and bird dogs alike. • St.Pierre blames a missed rooster over a point on wearing too many layers of clothes and Vavra compares him to Ralphie from “The Christmas Story.” Check out the companion video accompanying this podcast episode at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org. While there, enter to win a Browning Citori 725 shotgun and join/renew/extend your Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever membership featuring an attractive new field knife made by Browning. And special thanks to our Rooster Road Trip 2022 sponsors: • Browning • SoundGear • Ruff Land Kennels • Federal Ammunition • Garmin • Apple Auto

This is the third episode from Rooster Road Trip XIII. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever’s Director of Marketing Andrew Vavra, Senior Regional Representative Renee Tomala, and Graphic Design Manager Logan Hinners to recap the third and fourth days of the group’s Montana hunt. Day 3 was spent battling strong winds on the picturesque Wolf Creek Block Management Area, while rain-soaked roosters highlighted Day 4’s hunt across the stunning Coffee Creek Block Management Area. Episode Highlights: • Vavra recounts the hilarious story of finding an impressive, but stinky, pair of pronghorn sheds. How bad did they smell? So bad that Tomala wouldn’t approach a dog on point that was downwind from Vavra. • Tomala takes us through a rooster-filled sequence during a rainstorm at Coffee Creek where her shooting skills and her bird dog Quill’s pointing prowess were both put on display. Check out the companion video accompanying this podcast episode at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org. While there, enter to win a Browning Citori 725 shotgun and join/renew/extend your Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever membership featuring an attractive new field knife made by Browning. And special thanks to our Rooster Road Trip 2022 sponsors: • Browning • SoundGear • Ruff Land Kennels • Federal Ammunition • Garmin • Apple Auto

This is the second episode from Rooster Road Trip XIII. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever’s Director of Marketing Andrew Vavra, Corporate Partnerships & Product Development Coordinator Erica Hill, and Montana Regional Representative Chad Harvey to recap the group’s hunt at the Teton River Wildlife Area. The Teton project was created through PF & QF’s Build a Wildlife Area program and is a wonderful illustration for Vavra’s selection of the “mixed bag” theme for this year’s Rooster Road Trip as the area provides critical habitat to a wide array of wildlife species, ranging from pheasants and Huns to moose and grizzly bears. Episode Highlights: • The crew discuss gathering for the morning’s hunt started with bear spray distribution and overall safety precautions to take on a bird hunt in grizzly bear country. • Hill also shares the thrilling story of her Lab, Oak, making his first water retrieve on a rooster dropping into the Teton River during the day’s hunt. Check out the companion video accompanying this podcast episode at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org. While there, enter to win a Browning Citori 725 shotgun and join/renew/extend your Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever membership featuring an attractive new field knife made by Browning. And special thanks to our Rooster Road Trip 2022 sponsors: • Browning • SoundGear • Ruff Land Kennels • Federal Ammunition • Garmin • Apple Auto

This is the first episode from Rooster Road Trip XIII. True to the Rooster Road Trip’s ethos, this year’s event takes place all on publicly-accessible lands in search of an upland mixed bag of pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, and Hungarian partridge in Montana. To kick off this year’s trip, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever’s Director of Marketing Andrew Vavra, Montana State Coordinator Hunter VanDonsel, and the organization’s new Social Media Strategist Nate Akey for a conversation about the intersection between upland birds, pronghorns, water quality, and public access in Montana. Episode Highlights: • VanDonsel explains Montana’s “Hydration for Migration” initiative to help address inadequate water for livestock, which also produces critical grassland habitat for pronghorns, sharp-tailed grouse, and a wide array of other upland wildlife species. Thanks to participating landowners, this approach has resulted in 29,681 acres of grasslands enrolled in long-term protection agreements with thousands of these acres also enrolled in Montana’s Block Management program providing public access to hunters. • The crew recount the first day’s hunt producing fast and furious sharp-tailed grouse action; including, St.Pierre’s own two-mile sharpie retrieve. Check out the companion video accompanying this podcast episode at www.RoosterRoadTrip.org. While there, enter to win a Browning Citori 725 shotgun and join/renew/extend your Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever membership featuring an attractive new field knife made by Browning. And special thanks to our Rooster Road Trip 2022 sponsors: • Browning • SoundGear • Ruff Land Kennels • Federal Ammunition • Garmin • Apple Auto

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by three Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever employees to chat about last weekend’s upland bird hunting openers in Nebraska and Texas, while also previewing the November 12th opener in Kansas. Episode Highlights: • PF & QF Nebraska State Coordinator Kelsi Wehrman kicks off the conversation with a recap of her opening weekend in which she completed the state’s “Upland Slam” by bagging a bobwhite quail and a ring-necked pheasant to go with a sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie chicken taken earlier this autumn. Wehrman also talks about the need to pre-scout for quality habitat this season as the on-going drought has had a dramatic impact on some of the state’s traditional upland destinations. • Texas Regional Representative Dustin McNabb echoes Wehrman’s thoughts about the impact of the drought on habitat conditions and upland bird numbers. He also offers an entertaining story of a unique bobwhite quail and sandhill crane mixed bag and closes with a reminder that Texas is home to some big rattlesnakes . . . so come prepared. • Michael Coleman, PF & QF’s conservation coordinator in Kansas’ Red Hills, rounds out the episode with a preview of the Kansas pheasant and quail season set to open on Saturday, November 12th. Coleman joins Wehrman and McNabb with concerns about the on-going drought but offers a few tips where bird numbers may be stronger based upon better habitat conditions. There are many PF & QF chapter banquets being held around the country in conjunction with upland hunting seasons. Find a calendar of all PF & QF chapter banquets and events at www.PheasantsForeverEvents.org

Host Bob St.Pierre is fresh off the Minnesota pheasant hunting opener with a recap of his weekend at KFAN’s “The Captain” Billy Hildebrand’s family cabin in Sauk Centre where the group focused on federal Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs). In this quick-hitter episode, St.Pierre throws out a few tips to help other bird hunters find early season success. Episode Highlights: • Echoing Renee Tomala’s recap of the North Dakota opener during last episode of the podcast, St.Pierre’s hunting group also found lots of young roosters in the field during the Minnesota opener. • With the corn harvest ramping up, St.Pierre predicts this coming weekend will be a banner opportunity for bird hunters across the upper Midwest. • And, of course, Bob has a story about following the dog when the line of hunters wanted to walk a different direction . . . did Bob listen to his own advice?

We’ve finally reached the best time of the year – opening day! Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Renee Tomala, PF’s regional representative for North Dakota; Matt Morlock, PF’s state coordinator for South Dakota & North Dakota; and Eric Sytsma, PF & QF’s regional representative for Iowa; to provide opening weekend forecasts from three big pheasant hunting destinations. The conversation also includes tips for opening weekend success and highlights PF’s banquet calendar of events being held in conjunction with opening weekend celebrations. Episode Highlights: • North Dakota’s season opened last weekend, so Tomala provides the first in-field report for 2022. Spoiler Alert: she talks about how hunting this year’s lush habitat SLOWLY is a key ingredient to success. • Morlock reports on this weekend’s upcoming “traditional” pheasant hunting opener for South Dakota and why this year looks to be the best in a decade for the nation’s “Pheasant Capital.” • Sytsma rounds out the conversation highlighting the upland hunting prospects for Iowa that includes pheasants, quail, and Huns. Find a calendar of all PF & QF chapter banquets and events at www.PheasantsForeverEvents.org

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Logan Hinners, PF & QF’s lead graphic designer, for a conversation with Joel Pilcher about taking a leap of faith to chase his childhood dream of becoming a wildlife artist. The guys also talk about Hinners’ vision for the rooster and bobwhite quail that Pilcher created using charcoal, and became the images embodying PF & QF’s monumental Call of the Uplands campaign to improve 9 million acres of wildlife habitat. Episode Highlights: • In a fascinating portion of the conversation, Pilcher talks about the major differences in his process and mental focus as he works on fine art projects versus digital graphic design artwork. • Pilcher’s stunning crowing rooster and whistling bobwhite artwork are now available on t-shirts through our partners in conservation at Orvis. And thanks to Orvis’ generosity, all proceeds from these shirt sales will go directly to PF & QF’s Call of the Uplands campaign.

When Douglas Spale, a Black man adopted into a mixed-race family from Nebraska, heard a request for more diverse role models in the upland hunting world during episode #86 of this very podcast, he answered the call. That’s the premise of the recently released Pheasants Forever film “Ripples,” produced by Erik Petersen, father of an adopted Black son who made that original request for more diverse role models in the uplands. Host Bob St.Pierre chats with Spale and Petersen about their personal stories leading up to the film and how their families are now forever connected through a shared love of the uplands, bird dogs, and hunting. Episode Highlights: • Spale’s black Labrador retrievers are featured prominently in the film, so it’s a startling surprise for Bob to learn Spale is picking up an English Setter puppy next month. • Petersen and Spale talk about the portions of their story not seen on camera, the feelings of trepidation making the film, and the feedback they’ve each received since “Ripples” was released to the public on September 1, 2022. Thanks to Thorogood Boots for sponsoring Ripples.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Marissa Jensen, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s education & outreach program manager and Women on the Wing initiative leader, for a conversation with Maia Larson, PF & QF’s first-ever fire and public lands program manager. In this newly created role, Larson will deliver strategic focus to the organization’s prescribed fire programs to improve habitat, while also providing direction to the organization’s habitat improvement efforts on private lands across the country. Episode Highlights: • Larson talks about the drip torch tattoo covering her right forearm, and why prescribed fire is so important to wildlife habitat that it has become a part of her identity. • Jensen provides an overview of the organization’s Women on the Wing initiative and points listeners to https://pheasantsforever.org/wotw for the latest news and calendar of events. • Larson also talks about living next to a public Wildlife Management Area in Arkansas and the value public lands mean to her personally. Thanks to Irish Setter Boots for sponsoring this episode of On the Wing podcast.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Quail Forever Journal Editor Chad Love to break down his Upland Bird Hunting SUPER issue article titled “7 Traits of the Successful Public Land Quail Hunter.” While a “listical” article in format, the conversation brings forth valuable quail hunting nuggets. Episode Highlights: • Love coins the term “upland familiarity bias” and explains how that tendency is handicapping traveling bird hunters from finding quail in new terrains. • The pair of Gen Xers lament their slowing metabolisms and the need to run, bike, and cross-country ski as a means of staying in bird hunting-shape during the off season. They also daydream about a pharmaceutical company being able to synthesize the adrenaline rush of a quail covey rise into an injectable narcotic. • Love also explains his phrase “baby-bear porridge weather,” and its application to quail hunting pressure. This is a companion to episode #179 with Pheasants Forever Journal Editor Tom Carpenter breaking down public land tips for pheasant hunters.

Host Bob St.Pierre returns to Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels where pro dog trainer Mike Wieben has been training St.Pierre’s three-year-old German shorthaired pointer, Gitche, to be a better retriever. The guys talk about Gitche’s progress as a retriever and focus on St.Pierre’s role in maintaining Gitche’s training after her return home and throughout the hunting season ahead. Listen back to episode 165 for the first portion of this conversation about Bob’s hopes for Gitche and Wieben’s training plans. Episode Highlights: Wieben talks through the three areas he’s been working on to improve Gitche’s performance; 1) strengthening her retrieve, 2) steadying her point, and 3) teaching her “place,” so she can go for a cast & blast canoe trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness this September. Wieben also explains how water retrieving helped Gitche focus her retrieving skills even though St.Pierre doesn’t intend for her to do much waterfowl hunting. The guys also talk about how technological innovations like eCollars, GPS, and even drones have improved dog training and bird hunting. Special thanks to SportDOG® Brand for sponsoring this episode of On the Wing podcast.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Jordan Martincich, PF & QF’s director of development, for a conversation with Jim Millensifer, a long-time PF & QF volunteer and donor who is also president of the Kansas Governor’s Ringneck Classic. The guys chat about the organization’s 9-million-acre Call of the Uplands campaign and how the Kansas Ringneck Classic has contributed acres, access, and dollars to the campaign. Long-time hunting buddies, Martincich and Millensifer also debate the prowess between pretty dogs (Setters) and ugly dogs (wirehairs). Episode Highlights: • Martincich and Millensifer explain the origins of the Kansas Ringneck Classic, how it’s become a cherished event for the community of Colby, Kansas, and how it’s become a critical fundraiser for PF & QF’s habitat mission. • Millensifer also talks about his passion for hunting upland birds from his native Colorado to his current home in western Kansas, and to destinations as far south as Arizona up to the northern ruffed grouse woods of Minnesota. In the process, he explains what scares him to death about the future of the uplands. This week at Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, we’re celebrating our Build a Wildlife Area efforts to create more public habitat for you and your bird dog to enjoy. Donate $50 or more to our Build a Wildlife Area program this week and our podcasting partner OnX will reward you with an Elite Membership worth $99.99. Thank you OnX!

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever Journal Editor Tom Carpenter to break down Carp’s Upland Bird Hunting SUPER issue article titled “7 Traits of the Successful Public Land Pheasant Hunter.” To kick off the conversation, Carp offers his theory that the way a person approaches a hunt – spirit, attitude, mindset, effort, energy, heart, outlook – are qualities as important to bagging birds as being a smart upland hunting tactician. Episode Highlights: • The guys talk about people’s ability to generate excuses not to hunt early season, mid-season, and late season, while breaking down all the positive reasons to chase longtails all season long. • The duo discusses the most productive days to take off from work for the birds to have settled down after the weekend and to best escape pressure from other hunters. • Carp explains why he uses the onX Hunt app all year long before falling asleep in bed each night. Use the code PHEASANTS or QUAIL during checkout at onXhunt.com for 20% off your onXmaps subscription.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined in KFAN’s Twin Cities studios for a conversation with Birds, Booze, and Buds podcaster Tyler Webster and his buddy Bruce Potter as they kick off a bird hunting adventure that will take them to Alaska in search of ptarmigan for the country’s earliest upland opener. The duo then plans to drive south to Oregon in pursuit of mountain quail and valley quail before swinging east toward Montana where they’ll hunt dusky, ruffed, sage, and sharp-tailed grouse. Episode Highlights: • The guys talk about Webster’s donation of an Arizona Mearns’ quail hunt to the organization’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic banquet fundraising in 2022 and he commits a follow-up adventure for the organization’s 2023 event. • A North Dakota native, Webster also provides a first-hand report about the state’s habitat conditions and the upland bird broods he’s observed so far this summer. • Bob asks the guys to share the single experience they are most-excited about occurring during their upcoming adventure, along with the single element that causes them trepidation.

This spring, longtime Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever President & CEO Howard Vincent announced his retirement following the conclusion of National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2023 coming up this February. That announcement kicked off the search for only the third person to ever lead “The Habitat Organization” during its’ 40-year history. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined for this episode by PF & QF’s Board Chair Matt Kucharski for a conversation about the process to find, interview, and hire that next PF & QF president and chief executive officer. Episode Highlights: • Kucharski explains the role of the organization’s national board of directors and reports on the overall health of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever during the pandemic. • Bob also asks Matt to explain a statement he’s frequently made over the last few months: “The board is not hiring Howard’s replacement - we’re hiring Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s next president & CEO.” Learn more about PF & QF’s President & CEO Job Posting through Cohen Taylor, an executive search firm retained for this effort.

Noppadol Paothong is a nature photographer with the Missouri Department of Conservation and an associate fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers, which is an elite group of the world’s top wildlife, nature, and culture photographers. For two decades, Paothong has been documenting America’s grassland grouse species and their fragile habitat. He’s published two large-format national award-winning books, Save the Last Dance about America’s grassland grouse and Sage Grouse, Icon of the West. He also has a large photo spread coming up in PF & QF’s Upland Bird Hunting Super issue next month. Host Bob St.Pierre connected with Paothong while he was on a family vacation in Minnesota. Episode Highlights: • Paothong explains how photographing three Missouri prairie chickens dancing on a lek 20 years ago changed the trajectory of his life. • The guys also talk about Jim Brandenburg’s photography and how his work inspires Paothong’s philosophy of really knowing the wildlife he photographs to the point of wanting to “capture their souls, capture their spirits.” Find Noppadol’s stunning photography on Instagram at @npprairiegrouse

Earlier this month, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever began our 17th year partnering with Ron Schara Productions to bring our love for upland bird hunting and our habitat mission to television. In this episode, Host Bob St.Pierre swings over to the offices of Ron Schara Productions to visit with two of The Flush’s hosts, Travis Frank and Bill Schreck. This, however, isn’t your ordinary television series preview show. On the contrary, the fellas talk about some of their favorite bird hunting and bird dog stories . . . and laughter ensues. Episode Highlights: • In the spirit of the NFL Draft, the guys name the single best bird dogs they’ve ever hunted behind. • Bob tells the story of how he taught his first shorthair, Trammell, to actually say, “I love you.” • And the guys talk about being trolled in social media by commenters who say things like “those aren’t wild birds,” “you’re a terrible wingshooter,” and “your bird dog is awful.”

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by the trio of PF & QF Western biologists Al Eiden, Kellie Dobrescue, and Connor White to talk about the organization’s expanding habitat work focused on sage brush habitat in the Western United States. Episode Highlights: • Dobrescue talks about her role in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management to improve sage brush habitat through tree removal. Those efforts are creating better habitat for a wide array of wildlife from sage grouse to elk, as well as helping protect water quantity. • White also discusses his job working as the project coordinator for Idaho’s Bruneau Owhyee Sage Grouse Habitat Project. That work is focused on removing invasive juniper trees across a wide landscape of Southwest Idaho for the benefit of sage grouse, mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and water resources. • Eiden wraps up the conversation with a powerful statement about the 20 different upland bird species in the West and how PF & QF is improving upland habitat in a wide array of settings, including grasslands, deserts, sage steppe, alpine forests, and agricultural lands.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by PF & QF’s Emily Spolyar and Marissa Jensen for a conversation with Jamie Carmody who became both an artist and a hunter over the last two years. Carmody, who lives in Australia, explains how she grew up as a vegan and was motivated to become a hunter to source sustainable meats for her young family. Episode Highlights: • Carmody talks about feeling “caged up” as a youngster growing up indoors and how getting outdoors to experience nature has led her to a feeling of freedom as an adult. She also talks about finding “beauty in death” through her artwork as a way of better representing our true connection nature. • Carmody explains her creative process for drawing bird dogs with a stunning description about envisioning landscapes and dog’s love for their owner through a reflection in the pup’s eyes. Check out Jamie Carmody’s artwork at www.jamiewildart.com or by following her on Instagram @jamie_wildart

Once upon a time, Northwest Ohio’s Wood County produced the highest density of pheasants on record. That was 1940. There is a lot less wildlife habitat and a lot more people in Ohio today. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Kent Adams, PF & QF’s director of conservation delivery in the Northeastern U.S., Cody Grasser, PF & QF’s state coordinator for Ohio, and James Harris, PF & QF’s regional representative in Ohio, for a discussion about the innovate private and public land programs producing new habitat success stories in Ohio. While those success stories may never darken the sky with pheasants and quail, the habitat efforts are producing more birds, cleaner water, and greater public access in the state. Episode Highlights: • Bob talks about the passion volunteers have for the organization with stories of people tattooing PF or QF logos on their bodies and requesting usage of the logos in conjunction with funerals. • It may come as a surprise that there are 27 chapters of Pheasants Forever and 3 chapters of Quail Forever in Ohio. Combined, there are 5,000 members in the state putting Ohio ahead of bird-rich states like Kansas and North Dakota. • The guys also talk about the collaborative efforts producing a new 415-acre expansion to the state’s Big Island Wildlife Area.

At Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, our mission is focused on creating high-quality habitat for upland gamebirds. As you undoubtedly know by now, that very same upland habitat needed for pheasant and quail chicks – a diverse mix of grasses and forbs - is also critical habitat for pollinators. In this week’s episode, we celebrate Pollinator Week 2022 with PF & QF’s Anna Swerczek and Jake Swafford, along with Public Land Tee’s Sam & Josh Soholt. Episode Highlights: • Swerzcek, PF & QF’s habitat education program manager and Pollinator Week quarterback, unveils the compelling PF & QF membership offer celebrating this year’s Pollinator Week that includes three pollinator plants, a special pollinator-themed t-shirt & sticker from Public Land Tees, a subscription to the PF or QF Journal, and a PF & QF pollinator habitat sign. Only 300 of these special packages are available at www.PheasantsForever.org/PollinatorWeek or www.QuailForever.org/PollinatorWeek • Jake Swafford, a PF & QF coordinating wildlife biologist in Missouri, talks about each specific pollinator plant included in the membership kits and how they each plant provides unique habitat benefits for birds and the bees throughout the spring, summer, and autumn bloom periods. • The Soholt brothers explain their rationale for donating the t-shirts to PF & QF’s Pollinator Week efforts and how they conceptualized the shirt’s fun design.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Ted Koch, the executive director of the North American Grouse Partnership and a former U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service endangered species biologist, along with Ron Leathers, PF & QF’s chief conservation officer, for a discussion about lesser prairie chickens and their likely listing as an endangered species. As a former endangered species biologist, Koch brings a depth of knowledge about the mechanics of an endangered species listing, as well as the conservation initiatives already underway to work with landowners around voluntary habitat programs for the birds. Episode Highlights: • Koch explains what ideal grassland habitat looks like for the lesser prairie chicken using a volleyball that’s 80% covered in grass visualization, while Leathers talks about how using cattle on a grasslands landscape can help keep that volleyball 20% exposed and free from being overgrown by grass that’s too tall or encroached upon by trees. • Koch also addresses the “shoot, shovel, and shut up” mentality often associated with an endangered species listing and how voluntary conservation programs, especially CRP, can be a major opportunity for landowners in the lesser prairie chicken’s footprint. • Leathers also delivers a powerful message about how we often hear that quail are an “edge” species, but the fact they’re considered an edge species is because the edge is all we leave them. Wide open grassland habitat created for lessers will also be terrific habitat for bobwhite quail.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by PF & QF biologists Al Eiden, Haley Lockard, and Andy Edwards for a conversation focused on the $1.4 billion federal legislation known as Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA). If passed, RAWA would create dedicated state-based funding for wildlife habitat projects across the country targeting more than 12,000 “at risk” species, including bobwhite quail, sage grouse, lesser prairie chickens, bumble bees, and monarch butterflies. And for only the second time in our podcast’s history, watch the conversation on our YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/YX3DUwiiwJc Episode Highlights: • Quail Forever Program Manager Andy Edwards kicks off the conversation focusing on how the legislation would empower state agencies across the Southeastern United States to better manage early successional habitat for bobwhite quail. • PF & QF Senior Farm Bill Biologist Haley Lockard adds her perspective to RAWA’s ability to fund grassland habitat management for quail and lesser prairie chickens in the Great Plains. • PF & QF’s Western Regional Director Al Eiden also explains how Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would kickstart a 25,000-acre scaled quail project in Arizona, while also helping fund sage grouse habitat work across the West and mountain quail habitat efforts in the Pacific Northwest.

Fresh off his keynote address to PF & QF’s 208 new employees at the organization’s in-person new employee orientation, Sam Lawry joins Host Bob St.Pierre to talk about his “conservation warrior” message and to recap his 40-year career in wildlife conservation, which included a six year stint as PF & QF’s western regional director. The guys are joined by Sam’s two closest PF & QF friends in Tom Fuller, director of field services, and Chris McLeland, vice president of conservation delivery, for this episode filled with a little hyperbole and a lot of laughter. Episode Highlights: • Sam also talks about his debut book, Stories of the Past, An Arizona Game Ranger Remembering the Outlaws, and how its publication resulted in Sam’s appearance on a MeatEater podcast with Steven Rinella. • The guys also call BS on Sam’s claim to have written the book during the evenings of the organization’s out-of-town meetings when the rest of the crew was “at the watering hole.” Learn more about Sam Lawry and his book by following him on Instagram @Sam.Lawry

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Mike Neiduski, who reached his dream job at the beginning of 2022 when he was hired to be a PF & QF development officer. Neiduski’s journey to that position started more than a decade ago with his first bird dog and an introduction to conservation through the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA). Episode Highlights: • The guys talk about Neiduski’s career stops at Maryville University in Missouri, Concordia University in Wisconsin, and Elon University in North Carolina before making a career shift to the Ruffed Grouse Society. • Neiduski talks about his recently passed German wirehaired pointer, Plexi, and how her memory will live on through a Quail Forever Dog Life Membership as part of the Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign. Special thanks to NAVHDA for sponsoring PF & QF’s annual Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign. This campaign is a friendly competition that challenges you to cast a vote and donate or become a member on behalf of your favorite bird dog breed. Every dollar donated equals a vote, and every week during the month of May our generous sponsors will be giving away fantastic prizes to those who participate. Vote today at www.BirdDogsforHabitat.org – THANKS!

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Jonathon Tremblay from Walton’s Inc. to talk about smoking pheasants, quail, and grouse. Tremblay discusses the advantages of charcoal, wood, and pellet grills, and the benefits of prepping game bird meat with brines, marinades, and flavor injectors. He also answers the question, “skin on or skin off for the smoker?” Episode Highlights: • The guys talk about using an expensive whiskey or bourbon during the brining process. • Tremblay talks about a variety of wood options for smoking birds before explaining why pecan is the sweet spot of flavor and affordability. Thanks to Walton’s Inc. for sponsoring this episode of On the Wing podcast and for being a national sponsor of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. Photo by Lukas Leaf

Host Bob St.Pierre’s two-year-old German shorthaired pointer, Gitche, needs a little finishing work this off-season. Consequently, Bob is dropping her off at Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels for “summer camp” with professional dog trainer Mike Wieben. The guys take Gitche out for a couple of runs on birds, then talk through Gitche’s performance and the training plan ahead. Episode Highlights: • Bob talks about his feelings of trepidation and intimidation that come naturally with dropping a beloved pup off with a professional trainer. • Bob details three specific areas he’d like help improving Gitche’s performance; 1) strengthening her retrieve, 2) steadying her point, and 3) teaching her “place,” so she can go for a cast & blast canoe trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness this September. Special thanks to SportDOG® Brand for sponsoring this episode of On the Wing podcast and for being a partner in PF & QF’s annual Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign. This campaign is a friendly competition that challenges you to cast a vote and donate or become a member on behalf of your favorite bird dog breed. Every dollar donated equals a vote, and every week during the month of May our generous sponsors will be giving away fantastic prizes to those who participate. Vote today at www.BirdDogsforHabitat.org – THANKS!