New On the Wing Podcast: Counting Pheasants and Exploring Season Changes with Minnesota DNR Host Bob St.Pierre visits with Dave Trauba, leader of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife, about the logistics behind the state agency’s annual August roadside counts and how data from that survey is used within the agency. Trauba also talks about the state’s “Pheasant Action Plan” and shares the agency’s interest in soliciting hunter input around extending the season into January and changing the 9am daily start time. Listen today at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/41ge2mx “On the Wing Podcast” is proudly fueled by Pro Plan Sporting Dogs #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Shotgun Showcase 2025 - 8 New Shotguns for the Uplands For the upland hunter, summer is the perfect time to dust off your shooting arm and start the search for a new shotgun. But Heading straight into hunting season with an untested firearm is a sure way to handicap yourself. The shotgun market can be overwhelming and inundated with confusing information and contradictory marketing terms. Luckily we’ve done the majority of the hard testing work for you and are excited to share our feedback on eight shotguns that have something to offer for anyone heading into the upcoming upland seasons. Watch a video breakdown and read the reviews on each of the 8 shotguns here: https://bit.ly/4kZ2E5t Shotgun Showcase is sponsored by Guns.com & SoundGear #pheasantsforever

Who’s ready to cut them loose? Hunting season is on the horizon. Around here we are getting excited about where our fall adventures will take us, and we know you are too. For many, the season kicks off chasing birds across the west. Stay tuned over the next month as we have a lot of cool stuff coming to stoke the fire and help you shake those off-season blues. 📸 : Aaron Black-Schmidt #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Pheasant Fact Friday! Birds, like dogs and cows, can’t sweat — they must pant to remove excess body heat. For birds this process is called "gular flutter." Even with this cooling technique, adult pheasants can succumb to extreme summer temperatures. This is particularly true for hens — because of their poor physical condition, summer heat can kill more hens than winter's cold. Pheasant chicks have a heat production rate 2.4 times higher than their parents, but their smaller size also gives them a a certain advantage in cooling. Geometry class taught us that a small ball has more surface area to volume than a big ball. With the greater surface area, the small chick can lose heat faster than the large adult. The chick may produce twice as much heat, but it can also lose it twice as fast. #pheasantsforever #pheasantfactfriday #thehabitatorganization

Hunting season is right around the corner and now is the time to gear up with new Pheasants Forever merch! Shop headwear, everyday apparel, upland gear and dog accessories at the link below! https://bit.ly/3Uve2LC #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

On this week's episode of “On the Wing Podcast” Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Quail Forever Journal Editor Ryan Sparks for a conversation with Jason Passalacqua, owner of Passalacqua Winery, and Jessica Boone, Passalacqua’s winemaker. This episode celebrates a new collaboration between Quail Forever and Passalacqua introducing a Quail Forever Pinot Noir and a Quail Forever Fiano. A portion of the sale from each of these wines will go to QF’s wildlife habitat conservation mission. Listen to this episode at the link below or wherever you get your podcasts! https://bit.ly/4f2GE8o “On the Wing Podcast” is proudly fueled by Pro Plan Sporting Dogs #pheasantsforever #quailforever #onthewingpodcast

Sporting Dog Shorts Fueled by Pro Plan Sporting Dogs - How to Avoid Retrieving Pitfalls While Cultivating Drive and Success Who doesn't like a dog that loves to retrieve? Whether we are tossing bumpers in the backyard, launching dummies in the field, or sending our dogs for a downed bird, owning a dog that relentlessly retrieves is something I suspect all bird hunters desire. And, while owning an enthusiastic retriever is a lot of fun, I think it's also a practical necessity. A dog with a high retrieve drive allows us to teach the dog complex skills such as remote handling and steadiness; and that drive will also enable a dog to work out any retrieve of downed game that occurs in the field. Visit the link below to read Cato Outdoors approach to cultivating retrieving desire in your pup. https://bit.ly/4lZXQ0M #pheasantsforever #proplansportingdogs

Field of dreams. Mention a buddy in the comments you'd like to hunt this country with come hunting season. #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Today is the last day to enter our 2025 Forever Forward Raffle and we are in the final hours! Get your entries in before it is to late. If you purchase 3 entries you'll receive a the sticker pack of your choice. If you purchase 10 entries you'll receive the sticker pack and hat of your choice just for entering the raffle. Thanks for supporting our mission of upland habitat conservation. Enter now! https://bit.ly/3TXc7z9

Pheasant Fact Friday! The cock pheasant never plays a large role in spring reproduction, and he is even less active in July and August. Roosters have generally lost weight each month since the previous February, but in July they can begin preparing for next winter. Hens, however, have to wait until September to begin their preparation. Hens are in poor physical condition after the energy demands of nesting and brood rearing, but summer does not allow her to rest. She must raise her chicks and begin molting her feathers during summer months. These tasks will cost her 15% of her body weight, or a 25% loss since egg laying began in April. Depending on the number of re-nesting attempts and the total number of eggs laid, the hen could easily lose 30% of her weight by late August. #pheasantsforever #pheasantfactfriday #thehabitatorganization

Pheasants Forever

Nobles County volunteers achieve incredible milestone with 50th public land project! The same Minnesota county where the Pheasants Forever public lands journey began almost 40 years ago is now home to its 50th successful acquisition project. These dedicated supporters have created nearly 4,000 acres of public access! Volunteers and supporters gathered recently to celebrate the dedication of Pheasant Run 50, a 42-acre addition to the Ransom Ridge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) complex. The parcel expands on the existing 413-acre public area and is about eight miles southwest of Worthington in Nobles County. Most of the property was formerly in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Pheasant Run One, also in Nobles County, was the first Pheasants Forever public lands project in the nation. It was dedicated in 1986. Nobles County Pheasants Forever has been responsible for acquiring 3,752 of the approximately 5,400 acres of land open to public hunting in the county in less than 40 years. Read the full story about this incredible milestone here: https://bit.ly/4591YpA #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization