On The Wing Podcast

Marilyn Vetter and Nancy Anisfield, members of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s National Board of Directors and longtime hunters, talk about their first-hand experiences during the growth of women in bird hunting over the last thirty years. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Marissa Jensen, the organization’s leader of the Women on the Wing initiative, as the group explore a wide-range of topics stretching from gender-biases to hunting pheasants in Hawaii and women’s field pants to beloved bird dogs. Episode highlights: • Bob starts off the episode explaining how important his mom was in passing on the St.Pierre family’s hunting heritage. • Marilyn and Nancy, both devoted members of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, talk about the role bird dogs play in their love of hunting. • Nancy talks about the importance of choosing the right words to give an authentic voice to women, while Marilyn explains how important the illustration of female role models is to the future of hunting and conservation. • Marilyn hilariously details how she finds her favorite bird hunting gear in the women’s golf and hiking clothing aisles. • Nancy takes us on a dream upland hunting trip to the big island of Hawaii and follows up that story with an adventure to Alaska’s tundra in search of ptarmigan. • In the most memorable sequence of the episode, Marilyn explains how she wishes her dad – who died when Marilyn was a teenager – would have seen her grow up to become a bird hunter.

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre takes a back seat as co-host Marissa Jensen drives the conversation with Danielle Prewett. The podcast centers around the upcoming Women on the Wing virtual event coming up on August 20th. You’ll want to listen to hear Danielle’s tips for easily preparing pheasant meat, but you’ll also want to listen to the stories of her first hunts, first birds, beloved bird dogs, and wine pairings for other wild upland game meats. Episode highlights: • The conversation starts where all good hunting conversations should begin, talking about how Danielle got her start hunting and the memories along the way from pheasant hunting on the family farm in South Dakota, doves in Texas, and really getting in to the swing of it while living in North Dakota. • Like Marissa, Danielle shares that it was the wild and tasty meat that first drew her into the uplands with a shotgun in her hands. Danielle adds, “Once you get into wild game, grocery store meat is just so boring.” • The trio then discusses how social media can tell the story of hunting and introduce the lifestyle to new people from locavores to women wanting to get into the field. • Of course, no podcast episode could pass for Bob without a good bird dog conversation and the group doesn’t miss the chance to talk about the lessons learned in the field behind a dog. • The conversation ends with tips and tricks for preparing pheasant meat and gives a strong preview to the virtual cooking event on August 20th (everyone is invited to attend this virtual event!).

Our host Bob St. Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever Education & Outreach Program Manager Marissa Jensen for a conversation with Jorge Ramirez about quail hunting in California and Arizona. Jorge is a passionate quail hunter who operates the website www.UplandJitsu.com which is focused on hunting Western quail on public land without a bird dog. Episode Highlights Include: • Jorge talks about becoming an upland bird hunter as an adult and his passion for California valley quail, Gambel’s quail, Mearns’ quail, and mountain quail. • Part of Jorge’s story is that he’s never owned a bird dog. As a result, he uses some different strategies to set himself up for hunting success without a canine to find, flush, or retrieve birds. To that end, Jorge explains how he tracks quail, utilizes a quail call, and employs binoculars to hunt Western quail. • A Quail Forever member since 2010, Jorge talks about why he got involved in conservation and later became a hunting mentor. • The trio also talk about the organization’s efforts to be more inclusive to diverse ethnicities and Jorge offers his thoughts on how to recruit more people of Hispanic heritage to bird hunting. • Marissa also previews the upcoming virtual Women, Wine, and Wild Game event featuring MeatEater’s Danielle Prewett that is coming up on August 20th.

In this episode host Bob St. Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever public relations manager Jared Wiklund to chat with Travis Frank, host of The Flush on Outdoor Channel. The trio discuss highlights from past seasons of The Flush, the anticipation of the 2020 season, and the adventures afield telling stories about the people who cherish the uplands. Episode Highlights Include: • Travis tells the guys about the adventure of flying through hurricane-strength winds to hunt ruffed grouse on islands in Lake Michigan and boating in below zero weather to hunt in North Dakota. • Jared and Travis talk about the hunt of a lifetime in Iowa last year which will be featured this season on The Flush. The pair talk about the importance of the Iowa’s Habitat and Access Program (IHAP) and the tremendous pheasant rebound it has produced over the last couple of years. • Travis speaks to the balance needed in each episode about getting a bird in the hand while also telling a compelling human-interest story. To that end, Travis talks about the season premier featuring his wife’s first bird hunting adventure . . . “The best date of my life was a day in the field with my wife.” • A true highlight of the episode could also be a highlight of your own life in the uplands with a television show to prove it. To that end, the trio discuss the unique opportunity to bid on the hunt of a lifetime to be part of a future episode of The Flush that’s featured in the organization’s first ever online upland auction right now. You and a friend could hunt alongside four Pheasants Forever biologists and Travis in South Dakota this December that will be aired as part of the 2021 season of The Flush. Visit www.PheasantsForever.org for details and to make your bid. Auction ends July 28 at 7 p.m. CST. • The podcast ends with thoughts on the future of hunting and importance to show patience afield as new hunters join us outdoors. This trio is also extremely optimistic about the 2020 season and excited to tell the stories that unfold within it.

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre sits down with Dave Nomsen, retiring vice president of government affairs for Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever. The pair goes over a lifetime of conservation work, from growing up the son of the Iowa state pheasant biologist to watching the sunrise over the National Mall in Washington D.C. with the organization’s National Youth Leadership Council. Dave’s career covers federal Farm Bill conservation policy dating back to the early 1990’s and his name has been synonymous with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) over the last three decades. You’ll want to tune in for these stories and the lessons learned for bird hunters and habitat stewards along the way. Episode Highlights Include: • “Davey the Crane Man” talks about the connection to Pheasants Forever created in a hunting blind in a North Dakota field and why he only lasted a few weeks in his first role with Pheasants Forever as a regional representative. • The pair discuss why the pen is mightier than the shovel for habitat conservation. Dave also explains the promise he made to his dad to not let CRP go the way of the Soil Bank program. • The duo wade through the alphabet soup of conservation acronyms that put habitat on the ground and the important role Farm Bill conservation policy continues to have for America’s wildlife legacy. • Bob also quizzes Nomsen on the variety of people he’s worked with in D.C. under four U.S. president’s and his science-based approach to politics. • Nomsen also talks about how he likes working with elected officials, but more importantly, how he loves working with the organization’s chapter leaders and members. • In the end, Dave leaves Bob with a few final thoughts about conservation opportunities in the next Farm Bill, the Transportation Bill, and climate policy. • And there is a final call to action: get engaged and it will make a difference for hunting opportunities and quality habitat.

In this special Pollinator Week edition, host Bob St. Pierre and Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Director of Habitat Education Programs, Drew Larson, chat with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s AnnMarie Krmpotich and Sergio Pierluissi. The group discusses the state of pollinators and monarchs in the U.S. and the many opportunities on both public lands and private lands to improve the habitat for the birds, the bees, butterflies, and human beings. Episode Highlights Include: · The conversation starts with an entertaining detour as AnnMarie explains her background and career path studying avian influenza and black-footed ferrets. She even unveils here nickname . . . the duck-swabber! · The conversation continues with an overview of the decade’s long partnership between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever that’s always taken a holistic approach for all wildlife through the lens of habitat. · The group goes around the horn talking about the types of habitat projects that stop them in their tracks (or makes them pull over their vehicle and knock on a landowner’s door), and the joy of listening to diversity’s buzz through nature. · The foursome discusses how the pollinator partnership is an all hands-on-deck endeavor and the many ways to get involved from the classroom to a large landscape-level habitat initiative. In the end, everyone has a pathway to make a difference for pollinators. · The conversation finishes with a soliloquy about how the The Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold can change a person’s life

Dr. Bill Clark, a renowned predator researcher, biologist, and retired professor from Iowa State University, joins host Bob St.Pierre and PF’s Jared Wiklund to talk about predators. The guys have a wide-ranging discussion about all the animals that eat pheasants, from coyotes to feral cats and humans to raptors, with the goal of determining what predator is “Public Enemy #1” to pheasants. The answer is going to surprise you, but the solution should be obvious. Here’s a hint . . . it’s quality habitat! Episode Highlights Include: · Dr. Clark talks about the age-old debate about influencing pheasant populations from the top down (predators) versus the bottom up (habitat). · The trio talk about the perceived impact coyotes have on pheasant populations and what’s fact and what’s fiction about their impact. · You’ll also be shocked to learn of the impact weasels have on young pheasant chicks during summer brood time. · Dr. Clark talks about the times during a pheasant’s life cycle when the population is most influenced by predators. · DYK: There are only two predators of skunks? Great horned owls and “stupid dogs!” · Pheasants do not live forever. In fact, only 15 to 20% of the females survive to nest one time in their life. · And time and time again, the answer to creating more pheasants and mitigating the impact of predators is habitat.

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre visits with Covey Rise magazine Editor Matt Soberg about bird hunting, bird dogs, shotguns, and the upland lifestyle. The guys also unveil a new Covey Rise promotion that generates a donation back to Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s habitat mission with each subscription sold. Episode Highlights Include: · Soberg admits to being an attorney by education and explains how he ended up as an outdoors writer. · Matt also recounts starting the Minnesota Sporting Journal and reminisces about his time commuting between Minnesota and Pennsylvania as editor of the Ruffed Grouse Society’s publication. · The duo expresses their love for the under-appreciated timberdoodle both in the field and on the plate. · Bob and Matt also talk about buying teardrop-style trailers during the COVID era in preparation for a socially distant autumn hunting season. If you subscribe to Covey Rise through this link https://coveyrisemagazine.com/cpfqf20/ using keycode CPFQF1, Covey Rise will donate 50% of the subscription total to Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever.

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre and Quail Forever’s Director of Field Operations Tim Caughran visit with Michael Hook, quail biologist for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The trio discuss the great work being done in the state to improve quail habitat and wild bird populations, along with the many ways Quail Forever and its volunteers are making an impact. In the end, they make a deal to eat oysters and ice fish, listen in and enjoy the conversation. Episode Highlights Include: · The joys of riding in a truck and finding quality shows to listen to, including Northwoods outdoor radio shows based miles away to learn about ice fishing. · We learn the Boykin Spaniel is the state dog of South Carolina, and the history of their role in quail hunting in the South. · The group discusses the partnership model working in South Carolina between multiple agencies, making all the pieces come together to restore quail habitat across the state. · Michael shares his love/hate relationship with sweet gum trees (mostly hate). · The guys discuss the great work done by the Quail Forever chapters in the state, and the unique partnership the Low Country QF Chapter has created with the U.S. Forest Service. · The trio also talk about new hunters who are jacked up about bobwhites and the many ways they’ve been introduced to hunting via family, friends, and of course, bird dogs in the South. · Finally, the group discusses how to improve habitat in South Carolina, which not only benefits quail, but other ground nesting birds. The first target on the list – recreational mowing – is defined as well. If you’re interested in learning more about the work Quail Forever is doing in the Southeast, listen to our previous episode, Quail Forever on the Rise in the Southeast at https://quailforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Quail-Forever/Podcast-Quail-Forever-on-the-Rise-in-the-Southeast.aspx.

In this episode recorded prior to COVID-19, host Bob St. Pierre visited with Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever President and CEO, Howard Vincent. The two discuss how Howard moved from volunteer accountant to the organization’s director of finance, and eventually became the second CEO of Pheasants Forever. During the episode, the pair discuss the many “touchpoints” throughout Howard’s career and his joy of leading a team of people passionate about the organization’s wildlife habitat mission. Episode Highlights Include: · Bob and Howard start talking about their baseball backgrounds. From there, baseball symbolism, metaphors, and analogies abound. Bob even likens Howard’s leadership style to Johnny Bench. · Insights into Howard’s vision for the organization and how its’ habitat mission is always more important than the brand behind it. · We learn the importance of handshake deal for Howard, from a bar in Kansas to the creation of the Sage Grouse Initiative. · Bob and Howard also discuss the lessons learned from introducing wildlife to the Farm Bill in the 90’s that has led to new legislative language just last year in the Transportation Bill. · We learn the origin story of Quail Forever and the effort to engage a new community of volunteers in local habitat restoration and engagement. · Howard also talks about the agriculture community’s sustainability movement and how water quality is the key to the future for all of humankind. · Finally, the duo discusses the future of the organization and the need to foster a conservation ethic in future generations. · Along the way, Howard tells stories about some of the amazing people he’s met through his career and even cuts open a few veins giving a look inside his heart.

From COVID-19 to digital tools for at-home upland scouting, this special episode of On The Wing podcast is our first listener-generated session that focuses questions collected from our online audience. Host Bob St.Pierre has grouped them into categories and poses them to Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s President & CEO Howard Vincent and V.P. of Government Affairs Dave Nomsen. Episode highlights include: · Biology: Nomsen, a wildlife biologist, talks about last winter’s impact on the birds and the early spring’s conditions for nesting pheasants and quail. Nomsen also discusses similarities and differences between pheasants and quail in nesting, re-nesting, and dietary needs. · The Organization: Vincent challenges upland bird hunters to take the hunter-mentor pledge to help introduce new people to the joys of upland bird hunting, while Nomsen asks conservationists to contact elected officials when the organization issues an action alert. And of course, the crew discuss the ramifications of COVID-19 on the organization. · Habitat: Mother Nature hasn’t stopped and neither has the organization’s drive to accomplish our wildlife habitat mission. From prescribed burning to land acquisitions, the trio talk about what the organization has been doing to create more habitat even during the pandemic. · Legislative Issues: Nomsen has been working conservation policy for the organization through every Farm Bill since 1992 and throughout this episode he talks about the importance of federal conservation programs to pheasants and quail, as well as public land hunters. · How You Can Help: Bob introduces the upcoming Give to the Uplands Day slated to happen on May 5th and the variety of ways supporters can help contribute to the organization’s wildlife habitat mission. · Hunting: The largest category of questions covers pheasants, quail, Huns, and prairie grouse tips and advice for where to find them and how to identify them in the air. The crew talk public land and private land, as well as how to use digital tools for pre-trip scouting. Howard also talks about the coming 2020 bird hunting season with a pandemic backdrop. · Dogs: In the most controversial segment of the episode, the guys debate flushers versus pointers, then talk about some of the great pups they’ve hunted behind over the years.

In this very special episode, host Bob St.Pierre talks with three folks critical to helping create the brand new Cupido Wildlife Management Area as a public property. The players include Brian Winter from the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, Rob Baden from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Eran Sandquist from Pheasants Forever. The name “Cupido” references the greater prairie chicken’s Latin name – Tympanuchus cupido – as this 955-acre property adds on to a sprawling 5,450-acre complex protecting some of the best remaining critical habitat for the bird in Minnesota’s northwest corner. Episode highlights include: · This parcel was identified on the original Minnesota DNR project map in the 1970s as an important tract to protect as critical habitat. Baden talks about how the DNR and partners have tried four different times over the years to secure the property for the public. · Brian Winter gives a fascinating overview of Minnesota’s prairie chicken history, the bird’s biology, their spring booming ritual, and an explanation for how critical this land acquisition is to the prairie chicken population in Minnesota. · The land sits in the bed of ancient Lake Agassiz, includes 300 acres of native prairie, and is home to some of the state’s largest remaining populations of greater prairie chickens. · Sandquist discusses how the landowner approached Pheasants Forever about a land transaction after years of unsuccessful farming and how a partnership formed to bring a grant application in front of Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Council for Legacy Amendment funding. · St.Pierre then explains how this $2 million acre acquisition crossed the finish line with a roster of partners contributing through Pheasants Forever’s Build a Wildlife Area campaign while at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic last February in Minneapolis.

As spring aspirations turn to autumn days in the field behind new hunting partners, the danger, warns pro dog trainer Josh Miller, is that folks rush through important steps properly introducing young pups to birds, guns, and e-Collars. In this episode, host Bob St.Pierre and Josh Miller focus on properly introducing young bird dog pups to the e-Collar as a training tool that ultimately helps you ensure their safety when their running free in the field, forest, or your neighborhood. This episode is brought to our listeners in conjunction with the 2020 Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign and sponsored by SportDOG BRAND. Episode highlights include: · The guys start with an introduction of Josh’s background as a bird dog trainer for both flushing and pointing breeds, his love of field trialing, and his early success as a shed hunting champion. · Miller also talks about his business, River Stone Kennels, which focuses on breeding British Labrador retrievers. He compares some of the attributes of American Labs to their British relatives as well. · Josh explains how a dog owner must first ensure the pup understands the expectations being asked using a leash or check cord before introducing the e-Collar. · The guys also talk about the different features associated with e-Collars from beepers to GPS, and which styles of collars are the best fits for waterfowl, ruffed grouse, pheasant and quail hunters.

Spring is usually the peak season for adding a puppy to the family. COVID-19 also has a lot of folks working from home right now which has people thinking about an easier path to potty training. The combination has led people in the Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever community to reach out to our host Bob St.Pierre with questions about adding a second bird dog puppy this spring. To help navigate the decisions in that thought process, Bob catches up with pro dog trainer Tom Dokken. This episode is brought to our listeners in conjunction with the 2020 Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign and sponsored by SportDOG brand. Episode highlights include: · The guys talk about how the age of your veteran bird dog should play into your thought process for adding a second puppy to your pack. · Bob and Tom discuss the best way to pick a puppy out of a litter that will fit your family and hunting style. · Dokken talks through the process of introducing a puppy to an adult dog, as well as what to look for in avoiding a dangerous confrontation. · The guys also discuss the fact versus fiction associated with an old dog teaching a young dog how to hunt. · And the guys dream about the magical scenario of working a pointing dog with a flushing breed in the field.

In the spirit of kicking off Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s annual Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Tony Peterson, host of Sporting Dog Talk podcast. Peterson is also the host of Hunt for Real podcast and frequent contributor to MeatEater, Outdoor News, Outdoor Life, Gun Dog, and Petersen’s Hunting. Known as one of the country’s foremost public lands whitetail bowhunters, Peterson talks about his equal love for public land bird hunting and his fascination with bird dogs. Episode highlights include: · Peterson compares and contrasts bow hunting whitetails to bird hunting, especially the role of scouting in both. · The pair talk about how some spots elicit the “Spidey sense” more than others. · Peterson discusses interviewing hundreds of dog trainers over the years and how the really good dog folks think differently compared to the average bird dog owner. · The conversation also expands into how bird dogs need and want a job, and how those jobs go beyond searching for feathers all the way to sniffing drugs, diseases, and endangered species. · Peterson also explains his vision for connecting the outdoor adventure with the hunting audience through a mutual love of dogs. Dogs are the natural bridge to bring two different audiences together around shared goals for wildlife, habitat and public lands. · St.Pierre also gives an update on his new German shorthair puppy, Gitche Gumee, and her comical introduction to birds.

While at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic last weekend, host Bob St.Pierre snuck away from the show floor to talk about the uplands with Ruffed Grouse Society’s President & CEO Ben Jones. Joining the conversation were Jim Inglis, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s director of government affairs and Andy Edwards, Quail Forever’s regional representative, who also happen to have spent their college years with Jones. This is an incredibly fun episode that starts with college memories then dives into grouse and woodcock habitat management. Episode highlights include: · Jim Inglis talks about Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s letter to USDA Secretary Perdue requesting a CRP extension which occurred at the start of National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic · Andy Edwards talks about how a radio-collared turkey, mistaken as a dead radio-collared bear, led to meeting Jim Inglis, then ultimately resulted in Andy meeting Ben Jones playing a mandolin in the back of a bus. Chris Farley was not involved. · The Public Lands Pavilion at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic and the partnership with Ruffed Grouse Society and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. · The difference between ruffed grouse drumming counts and pheasant/quail roadside counts. · The groups explore the biology of the woodcock migration and how Lake Superior influences the bird’s travels around the Great Lakes. · Jones provides an update on the impact of the West Nile Virus on ruffed grouse. · The crew discusses the regional nomenclature for the bird and where grouse, partridge and pats are the most common name.

Quail Forever is part of a collaborative called Missourians for Monarch which is focused on creating pollinator habitat for a wide range of wildlife species. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Kelly Srigley-Werner, U.S. Fish & Wildlife private land coordinator in Missouri; Donnamarie Duffin, Missourians for Monarchs coordinator, and Kim Cole, Quail Forever education & outreach program coordinator to talk about the habitat connections and conservation efforts linking bobwhite quail and monarch butterflies. Episode highlights include: · The monarch butterfly’s fascinating life cycle spanning a multi-generational migration from Canada across the United States to Mexico. · The importance of Missouri as the geographic center of the monarch’s migration. · The 45-member Missourians for Monarchs partnership work to improve almost 400,000 acres for monarchs, and in turn quail, in just five years. · How drones are being developed to count the critically important milkweed stem-by-stem to ensure healthy monarch populatons. · And speed-dating for conservation . . .

The precipitous decline of America’s bobwhite quail populations has been well-documented over the years. However, the state of Missouri has a few shining examples of reversing that quail decline with landowner enthusiasm for conservation aided by the expertise of local biologists. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Chris McLeland, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s southern regional director along with Lee Metcalf and Tim Kavan, private lands conservationists with the Missouri Department of Conservation and Quail Forever chapter volunteers, to explain what’s bringing back bobwhites in Missouri. Episode highlights include: · An explanation of the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) and how Missouri fits into the national plan for quail management. · How adding more forbs and more shrubs to northern Missouri private lands projects has produced three times more quail. · The benefits of edge-feathering and the disadvantages of brush piles for bobwhite

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Land Tawney, President & CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers to talk about BHA’s origin story and the partnership around the new Public Lands Pavilion at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2020 in Minneapolis this February. Episode highlights include: · The son of a family with deep roots in conservation, Tawney recounts his dad’s role in the early days of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and his own career steps toward his leadership role with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. · Tawney also talks about how Backcountry Hunters & Anglers was started over an Oregon campfire in 2004 and the three areas of focus for the organization’s mission · The duo gives an overview of the new Public Lands Pavilion and Public Lands Stage making its debut at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic in Minneapolis this February with BHA, Ruffed Grouse Society, and Minnesota DNR as sponsors. · St.Pierre also talks about how Pheasants Forever’s Build a Wildlife Area concept was created and how Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Ruffed Grouse Society, Minnesota DNR and a handful of other partners are going to help create a new public wildlife management area during the three days of National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever President & CEO Howard Vincent for a conversation with Randy Newberg, a renowned public lands advocate, television host, and hunter. Newberg is slated to keynote this year’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic banquet on Saturday, February 15th in Minneapolis. Episode highlights include: · Vincent and Newberg share startling similarities as two guys who grew up in northern Minnesota and became public accountants. Incongruently, at least in Bob’s mind, they also developed into terrific public speakers and two of the most respected people in conservation. · Newberg talks about his outdoors roots hunting partridge in Minnesota, desert quail in Arizona, and pheasants in Montana. · Newberg also recounts how he got into the outdoor television world to save his failing health and how his son was the catalyst for the initial show concept.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Dr. Kate Kaufman, veterinarian with Blue Pearl Pet Hospital; Jeff Zajac, regional wildlife manager for the Minnesota DNR; and Jared Wiklund, PF & QF public relations manager for a conversation about native grasses featuring large awns. The group discusses both the biological side of grass awns and the potential health ramifications for bird dogs. Show highlights include: -Zajac talks about the species of grasses featuring large awns, their ecological role, and their historic use in CRP mixes. -Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever eliminated species of grass featuring large awns from the organization’s seed mixes, where applicable, to help mitigate risk to bird dogs. -Most of these grass species, particularly Canada wild rye, occurs naturally on the landscape, so Dr. Kaufman provides important tailgate tips for preventing awn problems in your bird dog. -Dr. Kaufman also talks about other important field injuries and diseases, and best practices for keeping your pup safe and healthy all year.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever chapter volunteers Scott Rall, Scott Roemhildt, and Kenny Reed for a conversation about how their volunteer efforts brought them together as close friends and traveling hunting buddies. Show highlights include: · Scott Rall was a Field & Stream Hero of Conservation finalist, known as “The Protector of the Prairie.” · Rall was also part of Pheasants Forever’s very first land acquisition, Pheasant Run One in Minnesota’s Noble’s County, now a public Wildlife Management Area. · The group talks about their motivations for volunteering, interests in wildlife habitat, and passion for permanent land acquisitions to create new public lands for hunters. · There’s also an interesting debate between the group, who all own land they manage as pheasant habitat for hunting, about what’s more of a trophy: a public lands rooster or a rooster they “created” on habitat they nurtured

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Andrew Vavra, PF’s director of marketing; Logan Hinners, PF’s graphic design manager and trip photographer; and Jake Schiller, PF’s video production specialist for a recap of the final day of this year’s Late Season Longtails themed online event. Show highlights include: · Pheasants Forever’s distinction as a Public Land Creator accounting for more than 200,000 acres of new permanent public lands. · Tips and tricks for filming an upland bird hunt. · Commemorating a bird dog’s 100th rooster retrieve. · Waterfowl Production Areas are great for pheasants and quail too! · Highlights of the 2019 Rooster Road Trip.

We start this episode with major news for the uplands – the USDA will hold a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General Signup beginning on December 9th for the first time since 2016. This news brings more than 8 million acres of habitat opportunity! Following the CRP update, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Andrew Vavra, PF’s director of marketing; Laura McIver, Quail Forever’s regional representative for Oklahoma, and Chad Love, editor of the Quail Forever Journal for a spirited conversation about our Rooster Road Trip turned Quail Quest. Recapping the day’s hunt leads to a wide-ranging conversation comparing pheasants to quail. We cover habitat, hunting, bird dogs, cooking, and every other debate between the two birds.

Nebraska never disappoints! Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Andrew Vavra, PF’s director of marketing; Marissa Jensen, PF’s education & outreach program manager; and Jerrod Burke, a member of the Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever National Board of Directors, a native Nebraskan, and a three-time Rooster Road Trip participant to recap the crew’s first day in Nebraska. The conversation starts with a focus on Marissa’s role as the organization’s quarterback for the new Women on the Wing initiative and the overwhelming social media feedback to her Rooster Road Trip blog about her vision for the position. We then turned to Jerrod as he explains his opinion about the importance of Rooster Road Trip from one National Board member’s point of view. And once again, Andrew closed the episode out with a fun round of questions from our Instagram followers.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Andrew Vavra, PF’s director of marketing; Laura McIver, Quail Forever’s regional representative for Oklahoma; and Logan Hinners, PF & QF’s graphic design manager & photographer to recap the second day of the 2019 Rooster Road Trip. In addition to a play-by-play from the crew’s second day in Kansas, Laura tells her story about becoming a bird hunter as an adult, and Logan delivers tips for making every uplander’s birds, dogs, and landscape photography more dramatic and tasteful. We wrap the show with a lightning round of fun questions from Pheasants Forever’s Instagram audience.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Andrew Vavra, PF’s director of marketing; Marissa Jensen, PF’s education & outreach program manager; and Chad Love, editor of Quail Forever Journal to recap the first day of the 2019 Rooster Road Trip. Since Chad Love frequently hunts the Cimarron National Grassland for scaled and bobwhite quail, he was our de facto guide for the first day of this year’s Rooster Road Trip . . . and he felt the pressure. With some good-natured ribbing at Chad’s expense, the crew recounts the morning search for quail and the afternoon pheasant bonanza that included Marissa Jensen’s first Kansas rooster. And did you know a group of porcupines is called a “prickle?” We’ll explain how that fits in too.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Andrew Vavra, PF’s director of marketing; Marissa Jensen, PF’s education & outreach manager; and Chad Love, editor of Quail Forever Journal on the eve of the organization’s 10th annual Rooster Road Trip. Although the hunters, bird dogs, and states hunted have changed over the years, the mission of this road trip remains the same. Our goal is to show the connection between Pheasants Forever membership, quality habitat and public land birds. This year’s trip will start on Monday, December 2nd in the Cimarron National Grasslands of southwest Kansas, one of twenty National Grasslands in the country and the largest tract of public land in the state of Kansas.

There are 8.3 million acres of saline soils in South Dakota which aren’t productive for agriculture but provide a massive habitat opportunity for the Pheasant Capital. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Matt Morlock, Pheasants Forever’s South Dakota State Coordinator, Ben Lardy, Pheasants Forever’s Soil Health Specialist, and Jim Ristau, South Dakota Corn’s Director of Sustainability for a conversation about how planting grass on these salty soils can create habitat for wildlife and improve a farmer’s financial operation.

Host Bob St. Pierre is in St. Louis at Purina’s national headquarters to talk with Jack Scott, Purina's VP of Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing, and Karl Gunzer, Purina's Director of Sporting Dog Groups, about the company's $1 million-dollar contribution to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s conservation mission. While Purina has been the Official Dog Food partner of “The Habitat Organization” since the late 1980’s, this new commitment takes the relationship directly into the organization's habitat mission with two specific focal points targeting environmental sustainability. The first is a new Soil Health and Habitat program that Jack explains is focused in the Prairie Pothole region and the heart of Pheasant Country. The second focal point described by Gunzer, is the successful Build a Wildlife Area campaign, where quality habitat and public lands are critical to Purina's vision for a healthy environment. The episode concludes with a discussion about Purina’s new Calming Care probiotic supplement for dogs with anxiety issues.

Based on Editor Tom Carpenter’s excellent article in the Fall edition of the Pheasants Forever Journal, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Carpenter and Jared Wiklund, Pheasants Forever’s PR manager, to count down the top eleven public land pheasant hunting tips. This fun episode also includes discussions about the effectiveness of pheasant calls for locating roosters, using waders in the uplands, and the magic of pheasant hunting on the season’s first snow day.

Recording from The Terry Redlin Art Center in Watertown, South Dakota, Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by the Redlin Art Center’s Executive Director Julie Ranum for a conversation about Redlin’s legacy as a wildlife artist and his substantial impact on wildlife habitat. They also discuss the unveiling of “Country Road,” a recently acquired Redlin original that will be the featured exhibit during the state’s 2019 pheasant hunting season. Pheasants Forever biologists Matt Morlock and Erica Yost also join the conversation to forecast the pheasant hunting season and provide a few tips for non-resident hunters traveling to “The Pheasant Capital.” To round out the episode, PF volunteer Jake Hanson talks about the motivations for helping Pheasants Forever start a brand-new Watertown chapter.

Ron Boehme, host of The Hunting Dog Podcast, stops by the Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever headquarters to chat with Bob St.Pierre, host of On the Wing, and Jared Wiklund, the organization’s manager of public relations, about bird dogs and getting more bird hunters involved in conservation organizations. In classic form, Ron cracks a beer within the first minute of the episode and the laughter is followed by terrific hunting and dog stories.

Following a couple of days bird hunting the 116,000 acres of the Fort Pierre National Grasslands, host Bob St.Pierre is joined by three of his prairie grouse hunting partners for a conversation about the beauty of the public grasslands and being able to watch your bird dog work big ground. The group includes Matt Kucharski, vice chair of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s National Board of Directors along with Marilyn Vetter, chair of the National Board’s Strategic Planning Committee and her husband Clyde Vetter, a professional bird dog trainer. There’s also a little Lab vs. shorthair bird dog rivalry banter to go with glowing reviews for the hunter-friendly community of Pierre, South Dakota.

Host Bob St. Pierre is joined by Marissa Jensen, Julia Schrenkler, and Eric Sterner, who all fell in love with bird hunting as adults. The group talks about how dogs, wild food, and outdoor adventure pulled them into hunting. They also dive into how they overcame the struggles of taking an animal’s life for the first time, learning gun safety, and understanding hunting regulation laws as adult-onset hunters. The conversation runs a diverse gauntlet of topics from a hunter’s role in habitat funding, to finding the right upland gear, to the introspective nature of hunting alone. The group also finds common ground in saving feathers to tie trout flies.

Prior to a Pint Night collaboration in the heart of the Northwoods, our host Bob St. Pierre is joined by Nick Larson of Project Upland, Jason Meekhof of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, and Jon Steigerwaldt of the Ruffed Grouse Society to forecast the Great Lakes ruffed grouse hunting season kicking off in mid-September. This group of avid bird hunters talk about young forest habitat, forested public lands, grouse recipes, and grouse hunting tips. The conversation also includes a fun discussion about the wide array of nicknames for the American woodcock; including mud bat, worm burglar, and timberdoodle.

Bob is joined by Pheasants Forever Journal Editor Tom Carpenter and wildlife biologist Sabin Adams to forecast the sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chicken, and sage grouse hunting seasons kicking off as early as September 1st in Montana and Nebraska. The trio of enthusiastic prairie rats talk about the habitat needs for America’s native prairie grouse and how hunting these birds differs from pheasants and quail. The conversation is filled with tips on where to find these birds in vast open grasslands, gear and gun recommendations, and even some cooking tips for the birds’ dark meat.

Bob visits with Ryan Bronson and Jon Zinnel, members of Federal Ammunition’s conservation team, to talk about the company’s distinction as Pheasants Forever’s longest-tenured corporate partner. The trio reminisces about the history of the relationship, the origin story of the on-the-box royalty program benefiting Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s habitat mission, and the product names that finished as runners-up to the winning Prairie Storm load. To round out the episode, the group breaks news on 16 and 28-gauge loads on the horizon and explains details of a new Federal ammunition rebate program launching on September 1st incentivizing bird hunters to become members of Pheasants Forever.

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever have always worked to be collaborative with farmers to find the sweet spot for habitat as farmers try to make a living in harmony with the land. Through this unique episode, Bob hosts a conversation with Zach Johnson, a guy known as MN Millennial Farmer on YouTube with 300,000 followers and the host of Minnesota Public Radio’s Field Work Podcast; Jan “The Embodiment” Payne, who is a farmer, longtime Pheasants Forever chapter volunteer and avid traveling bird hunter; and Tanner Bruse, Pheasants Forever’s Ag & Conservation Program Manager. The wide-ranging conversation covers soil health, water quality, wildlife habitat, and hunting traditions on the family farm. The group also provides guidance on how NOT to be a “citiot” when you go bird hunting this season.

If you’ve always dreamed of hunting upland birds in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, then this episode is your ticket to valhalla. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Al Eiden, Matt Hardinge and Chad Harvey, a trio of “The Habitat Organization’s” leaders in the western United States, for a conversation about epic western mixed bags, DIY public land bird hunts, and the nine different upland birds within a five-hour drive of Nevada’s neon lights. The group also talks about some impressive Pheasants Forever projects opening thousands of prime habitat acres to public land upland bird hunters.

In this episode, our host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer for a quick conversation about his 160-acre farm in Kentucky and how his habitat work on the farm earned him the distinction as Kentucky’s 2017 Landowner Conservationist of the Year. A Quail Forever member, Coach Zimmer also talked about growing up as a pheasant hunter in Illinois and getting hooked on quail hunting during his time in Texas where he quail hunted the King Ranch with Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones. Coach Zimmer also talks about the process he’s going through to learn how to shoot a shotgun left-handed after suffering a detached retina injury in 2016.

Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Chris McLeland, the organization’s southern US regional director, a wildlife biologist, a cattle rancher and reigning “Most Valuable Employee” with “The Habitat Organization.” Frequent podcast contributors Tom Carpenter and Tim Caughran also participate in a conversation focused on the benefits of cattle to creating early successional grassland habitat for quail, prairie grouse, pheasants, and bird hunters. The group also explains the importance of befriending the mail carrier in your favorite wingshooting zip code.

Consider this your guide for planning a DIY public lands bird hunt with some thoughtful tips, tricks and hacks from a pair of budget-conscious bird hunting biologists Sabin Adams and Will Clayton. Bob St.Pierre drives the conversation with Jared Wiklund, Pheasants Forever’s PR Manager riding shotgun, for a conversation that covers gas, lodging, licenses and beer money. The group also talks about reading the hunting prospects of public wildlife areas from the road and answers the odd trivia question, “do pheasants eat acorns?”

Ep. 36 Upland Bird Hunting SUPER Issue Previewed by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever

On this episode, Bob St. Pierre leads a fascinating conversation about the USDA’s Working Lands for Wildlife program and how sage habitat conservation is improving ranchers’ lives and bird populations. In fact, the 7 million acres of sage grouse habitat improved through the group’s efforts over the last decade can now be seen from space. The roundtable includes NRCS’s Western Regional Coordinator Tim Griffiths, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Director of Finance and biologist Ron Leathers, and Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Sage Grouse Initiative Field Coordinator Michael Brown.

On this episode Bob St. Pierre is joined by Quail Forever Director of Field Ops. Tim Caughran, and biologists Jessica McGuire and Ryan Diener for a discussion about the organization’s habitat work in the southeast’s pine savannas and grasslands. McGuire leads a fun conversation about the connection between gopher tortoises and bobwhite quail. Then Diener explains the explosion of interest around quail in Arkansas. The group finishes with a discussion about the massive habitat and public hunting opportunities on U.S. Forest Service lands and National Park Service lands in quail country.

Bob is joined by Matt Hardinge, The Habitat Organization’s western U.S. regional rep for a conversation with Jeff Knetter and Sal Palazzolo, biologists with the Idaho Department of Game & Fish. The group discusses the habitat needs and hunting opportunities for nine upland birds in the state of Idaho – pheasants, California quail, ruffed grouse, blue grouse, spruce grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, sage grouse, Hungarian partridge, and chukars add up to a jaw-dropping upland opportunity. So, when your bird dog goes on point in Idaho, you better be prepared for nine different possible flushes.

On this episode, we continue our spring pollinator habitat discussion with biologist Drew Larsen who leads the organization’s pollinator habitat programs for chapters and schools. Along with Drew, Bob is joined by Tom Carpenter, Editor of the Pheasants Forever Journal, and Anthony Hauck for a discussion about the short-game and long-game for working with schools on pollinator habitat projects, the fact one-in-three bites of food require pollination, and Pearl Jam - yes, THAT Pearl Jam.

In this very special episode, Bob and Andrew Vavra, PF’s Director of Marketing, are joined by Dave Simonett, lead singer of the band Trampled by Turtles and “The Captain” Billy Hildebrand, host of KFAN Outdoors radio. During this fun conversation, the group relives Simonett’s first pheasant hunting adventure as an adult-onset hunter. The guys also talk about bird hunting as the bond cementing friendships, the importance of public lands, and hunting’s PR problems.

On this episode, Bob St. Pierre and Pheasants Forever’s Director of Marketing, Andrew Vavra, visit with veterinarian and owner of White Bear Animal Hospital, Dr. Stuart Dalton. Located down the street from the Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever headquarters, Dr. Dalton has become the primary vet for many of the organization’s bird dog owners, so this isn’t a stuffy antiseptic doctor visit. On the contrary, the trio starts with a funny story about Rainy, a young food-motivated German wirehaired pointer and continues with a conversation about Andrew’s coprophagia Lab (that’s vet-speak for “turd burglar”). In between, Dr. Dalton drops a wealth of knowledge for the hunting dog owner ranging from tick diseases, toxins, ACL injuries, and arthritis.