Montana Grouse Part One: Dusky, Spruce and Ruffed Grouse September in Montana… Summer fades and grouse season comes into full view. Ruffed grouse in the creek bottoms. Duskies on the high ridges. Spruce grouse buried deep in the timber. But it’s not just about the birds. It’s about the people you walk with — friends old and new, the quiet of the forest and the miles in between. These are the days we wait for — the ones that stick. Out here, it’s not about limits… it’s about the adventure. The dogs lead the way. You breathe in the mountain air, hear the flush, and trust your swing. And for this group of traveling hunters, this is where it all kicks off. This is forest grouse season in Montana. Call it a “grouse tour” if you want, but more than anything it’s an experience of epic upland proportions. Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/Zx1mftkopsU?si=4KD-pbZRwKODy1_A Presented by onX Hunt #pheasantsforever #quailforever #thehabitatorganization #onxhunt

Public Access to Habitat (PATH) Program Expands to North Dakota Pheasants Forever is proud to announce the Public Access to Habitat (PATH) Program has expanded to North Dakota. PATH represents the organization’s primary mechanism to increase public hunting access on private lands – a key strategy identified in Pheasants Forever’s National Strategic Plan. Pilot programs initiated in South Dakota and Nebraska have been extremely successful, securing public hunting access to over 100,000 acres of high-quality habitat on private lands. The PATH program now moves to North Dakota, where it will be used to restore and maintain grassland habitat and expand public hunting opportunities in one of the nation’s top upland destinations. Visit the link below to learn more about the PATH program! https://bit.ly/47fadBW #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Got Western Wanderlust? This week’s episode of “On the Wing Podcast covers PF & QF’s habitat work across eleven states in the Western U.S. and the 26 different species of upland birds living there. Listen at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/4mtKr1d “On the Wing Podcast” is proudly fueled by Purina Pro Plan #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

In 1982, a small group of conservationists set out to help address dwindling pheasant numbers in Minnesota. They learned that through habitat improvements, our favorite game birds and other wildlife could thrive, while supporting rural economies, public land access, water quality and much more. Today, 43 years later, The Habitat Organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 585,000 projects nationwide, benefiting over 31 million acres and permanently protecting 242,000 acres - more than 378 square miles of public spaces for bird dogs to roam! None of this would have been possible without you — our members, supporters and partners in conservation. As we celebrate the anniversary of Pheasants Forever, we’d like to thank each of you for 43 wonderful years of wildlife habitat conservation. We can’t wait to see what the next four decades hold. #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Have you hit the range this offseason? Is shooting a normal part of your preparation for the upcoming season? A little sweat equity can pay dividends in the fall. #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

The fall issue of Quail Forever Journal is coming. Become a QF member by August 6th to receive the issue in your mailbox. If you aren't a member already you can join here: https://quailforever.org/join Inside, we learn to speak in code. We follow a legendary outdoor writer into the hidden canyons of the Pacific Northwest, a chef who revives the taste of ancestral prairies, and an artist who resurrects quail from blocks of wood as a plea against their vanishing. We carry old guns into new seasons, honoring the memory of those who came before. We tell the story of coveys hidden in forgotten corners and of a bird dog who survived the unthinkable. These stories link us to tradition, to memory, and to the wild beauty of what remains. It’s fall. Can you feel it? It feels like coming home. ~ Ryan Sparks, Quail Forever Journal Editor Cover photo by John Hafner

PF & QF President & CEO Marilyn Vetter also had the opportunity to thank Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's owner Johnny Morris for his longtime commitment to wildlife habitat conservation today at the Iowa Speedway. #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

PF & QF CEO Marilyn Vetter with Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing. Richard also happens to be the newest PF & QF Life Member. Thanks for supporting our habitat mission Richard! #pheasantsforever #quailforever #thehabitatorganization

Pheasant Fact Friday! After their June hatch, pheasant chicks begin growing flight feathers, and are capable of short flights at two weeks old. By early July, they have replaced their yellow down with brown feathers — The cocks and hens being the same size and color at this point. In August (at around six weeks old), chicks begin a post-juvenile molt which will eventually give them their adult plumage. The molt will be completed when chicks are 17 to 18 weeks old in late October. #pheasantsforever #pheasantfactfriday #thehabitatorganization

Former Wyoming Game Fish and Parks Director Brian Nesvik to Lead Us Fish and Wildlife Service Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever would like to congratulate former Wyoming Game, Fish and Parks director Brian Nesvik on becoming the new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Nesvik was confirmed by the U.S. Senate this afternoon. He was nominated for the position by President Trump on February 12 and will now play a crucial role in the conservation and management of our nation’s wildlife and natural resources. To read more about Brian and his critical role visit the link below. https://pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Former-Wyoming-Game-Fish-and-Parks-Director-Brian-Nesvik-to-Lead-US-Fish-and-Wildlife-Service.aspx #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Great news for conservation and working grasslands! Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to support the bipartisan CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act. This bill was introduced yesterday by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D.-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), who are members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The bill expands upon legislation introduced in the previous Congress to strengthen the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). “The Conservation Reserve Program is one of our nation’s most effective tools for improving wildlife habitat, water quality, and soil health on private lands, and is a vital part of the farm safety net,” said Andrew Schmidt, Director of Government Affairs for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “The CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act will make this critical program work better for farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and wildlife. PF & QF are grateful to Majority Leader Thune, Ranking Member Klobuchar, Senator Moran and Senator Smith for their continued leadership in strengthening CRP and ensuring it remains a cornerstone of private lands conservation.” Click the link below to learn more about this legislation. https://bit.ly/4fhWht1 #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Pheasant Country Weather: July Pheasant fans think of July as brood-rearing time. True enough. But plenty of hens are also hatching their first clutch … and any second-attempt nesters’ eggs may start hatching toward the end of the month. Message? July weather is critical to pheasant production. Let’s look at precipitation, temperature and hail reports across pheasant country. The Takeaway: July trended wet across pheasant country; in some geographies, significantly so. Wet can be good for habitat, to a point; but too much wet can hurt pheasant production. With August roadside surveys coming up in some states, we’ll get some scientific data to replace the guesswork and join the anecdotes from a wet July. Click each image to read the full weather report and be sure to let us know what you are seeing in your area! #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization