Tickets are going fast for the Bird Dog Field Care class at 2024 National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic. Learn more about the course and register at the link in our bio. The Bird Dog Field Care class will take place once again in Sioux Falls. At the helm this year is Dr. Joe Spoo (@gundogdoc), a South Dakota based board certified veterinarian who specializes in working dogs. This year’s course will be broken down into two basic parts. During the lecture portion, Dr. Spoo will cover what gun dog owners should carry in their first aid kits in the field. He will also cover numerous health issues, injuries and conditions encountered by working dogs — including how to recognize, treat and prevent conditions ranging from heat stroke to migrating foreign bodies and everything in between. In addition he’ll cover post-hunt issues like stress diarrhea, anorexia and soreness. The next portion of the class will be hands-on, as Dr. Spoo will demonstrate how to properly conduct a tailgate exam at the end of a hunt, showcasing tips and tricks to identify sources of a lameness in a worn out dog. Next, he’ll run participants through bandaging and splinting a limb, bandaging an ear wound, how to properly examine, flush and apply medication to the eye — with each participant getting a chance to practice these methods. Participants will also learn how to safely remove their dogs from leg hold and conibear traps, as well as snares. The Bird Dog Field Care class is presented by @proplansportingdogs #pheasantsforever #quailforever #birddog #dogcare #doghealth

In celebration of Black History Month, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever seeks to highlight Black individuals who, against historical odds, became champions for the habitat and wild places we cherish. Their contributions have shaped the landscapes we hunt for the better. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are devoted to making the uplands accessible to all people. In that process we aim to expand, educate, and engage the entirety of the upland conservation community. Pictured above in order: CHARLES YOUNG (1864-1922): In 1903, Young became the superintendent of Sequoia and General Grant national parks (who boast healthy populations of valley quail). During his tenure as superintendent, Young focused on enforcing park regulations, preventing illegal logging, grazing, and poaching, and fostering an appreciation for the parks’ ecological significance. SOLOMAN BROWN (1829-1906): His keen observations and love for nature paved the way for a groundbreaking career in conservation. He would eventually become the first Black employee of the Smithsonian Institute where he focused on natural history collections, and played a pivotal role in cataloging and preserving specimens. GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER (1864-1943): Born into slavery in Diamond Grove, Missouri, George Washington Carver rose to become one of the most prominent Black scientists of the 20th century. Renowned for his contributions to agriculture, George Washington Carver was not only a botanist and inventor but also a staunch advocate for sustainable farming practices. Learn more about these three men and their contributions to habitat and wild places at the link in our bio. #pheasantsforever #quailforever #conservation #blackhistorymonth

Pheasant Fact Friday!💡 A pheasant’s typical winter day goes like this. If available, the pheasant will spend its nights in grassy cover or wetlands (called roosting cover). An hour or so before sunrise he will leave the grass and head for shrub cover for protection from aerial predators (loafing cover). Here he will be joined by other roosters before venturing out to feed. About 30 minutes before sunrise, he and friends move out to feed in harvested grain fields or, better yet, unharvested food plots (feeding cover). Pheasants prefer to feed in areas within 300 yards of the loafing cover but will venture longer distances to find food. Unfortunately, longer trips to feeding areas require more energy to be wasted finding the food. The pheasant will make numerous trips between the shrub and food cover all day. He will use the solar-collector properties of good loafing cover to bask in the sun, avoid predators, and moderate his energy needs. His last feeding trip may last up to an hour after sunset, as he prepares for the long 16-hour night. Depending on how late it is, he will either visit the loafing cover once more or go directly to bed in the roosting cover. #pheasantsforever #pheasants #pheasantfactfriday

Back with another Pheasant Minute Lark and Carp give a nod back to the past pheasant season’s last days, and explore a not-so-secluded hideaway and call it a season on a high note, with daylight left. Were you able to hit the field on the last day of the season this year? #pheasantsforever #pheasants #pheasanthunting #pheasantminute

High school and college students interested in a career in conservation, this program is for you! Link in bio. Journey to Conservation Careers is a national program aimed at high school and college students who have an interest in a career in conservation. We know students are busier than ever, which is why Journey to Conservation Careers is a self-paced program, focusing on upland habitat, ecology, and biology, which allows students to tailor the experience to their lifestyle. Additionally, students have the unique opportunity to build hands-on experience during the third module of this program, which includes a chance to job shadow a local resource professional. Students will learn skills to help build their resumes, while providing networking opportunities to help get their foot in the conservation door all the while earning college credits. The Journey to Conservation Careers program was developed in partnership with @usfws and @bellevueuniversity #pheasantsforever #quailforever #conservation #wildlifeconservation

On The Wing Podcast Ep. 249: Conservation Policy with New Government Affairs VP Ariel Wiegard is live. Available now at the link in our bio or wherever you get your podcasts. Host Bob St.Pierre has a “get to know you” chat with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s new Vice President of Government Affairs Ariel Wiegard. Following career stops with TRCP, Syngenta, and American Soybean Association, Wiegard joined PF & QF’s leadership team in late 2023. During the conversation, she talks about her hunting roots, her bird dogs, and how her career path in agriculture and conservation has culminated in her dream job at PF & QF. Episode Highlights: - Wiegard shares the terrific story behind her veteran German shorthair’s name, Argos. In Homer’s Odyssey, Argos is the only one who recognizes Odysseus after his ten-year journey. - Wiegard provides legislative updates on the Farm Bill, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP), and North American Grasslands Conservation Act. She also shares her vision for growth in the organization’s efforts to influence conservation policy at the state level. #pheasantsforever #quailforever #wildlifeconservation

The Hunter Mentor Pledge aims to create responsible new hunter-conservationist or reactivate those that have fallen away from hunting, and we believe the best way to do so is through one-on-one mentoring. Head to the 🔗 link in our bio to take the pledge and be entered to win a guided upland hunt for two along with other prizes! Below is pledge submission with a first-hand account from the 23-24 upland season. “Dustin reached out to me early into upland season and expressed he had not upland hunted in 8-10 years. He is an army veteran and also very generous to our local chapter through his gun/suppresor dealership. I invited him to our chapter veterans hunt we had a great time hunting in knee to chest deep snow. After that we both focused on deer and met back up to chase late season roosters in the snow. On the last day we managed to scratch out two mature roosters despite the cold and wind. He has a couple golden doodles that he had never considered hunting but after this season both of them made some amazing hunts and retrieves.” - Chapter Member Jesse Hermanson The Hunter Mentor Pledge is proudly presented by @alpsoutdoorz #pheasantsforever #pheasants #pheasanthunting

Highlighting the speakers and events happening at the Public Lands Pavilion during this year’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic. The Public Lands Pavilion features an exciting lineup of dynamic speakers and an exhibitor area celebrating the country’s 800 million acres of prairies, forests, mountains and public lands open to all Americans for hunting, hiking and exploring. Learn more about all the events happening at the Public Lands Pavilion and get tickets to the largest upland event of the year at the link in our bio. The Public Lands Pavilion is presented by @yeti and @travelsouthdakota #pheasantsforever #quailforever #2024pheasantfest #publiclands