As the calendar hits mid-April, upland birds are starting to nest across a large swath of North America. To safeguard this critical timeframe, many states have applied quiet periods, commonly referred to as the “nesting season ban,” which restricts the training of dogs on public lands to protect breeding wildlife and offspring. Do you self-impose your own nesting season ban on PRIVATE LANDS to protect your bird population? As an example, Minnesota Statute 97B.005 states: “A person may not train hunting dogs afield on public lands administered by the [DNR] commissioner from April 16 to July 14 except as specifically authorized by permit or rule.” From an ethical standpoint, hunters and bird dog owners should be doing everything in our power to help wildlife thrive on the landscape, including leaving our favorite quarry undisturbed during the most critical time of the year. Pressuring upland gamebirds with bird dogs during the nesting and brood-rearing season is simply biting the hand that feeds you. So, does the nesting season ban require going cold turkey on dog training? Absolutely not. There are lots of alternatives from training clubs (NAVHDA for example) and game farms to open training grounds in your local community that are designed for year-round hunting dog use. The map in this post provided by USDA, indicates primary nesting periods for each state, and does not show dates for quiet periods in each state. Upland hunters should contact their local conservation officer for more information about quite periods and dog training on lands administered by your state DNR agency from early spring through midsummer. Link in our story to see full blog. #pheasantsforever #quailforever #birddog #uplandbirds

GIVEAWAY!! Our friend @olcal406 at Meateater inviting everyone to come join in on the fun of the Meateater Live Spring Tour for a night of conversation around hunting, public lands, and conservation. Here’s where it gets exciting. We are giving away two tickets to one lucky winner, for them and a friend to attend a Spring Tour show of their choice! All you have to do is like this post, tag 2 friends in the comments, and be following @pheasants_forever, @quail_forever, and @meateater. The winner will be drawn at random and announced on Friday April 19th. Good Luck, and we hope to see everyone at one of the Meateater Live shows near you! #pheasantsforever #quailforever #meateater

Pheasant Fact Friday!💡 April often brings cold rain or wet snow. While a summer rain may bring cooling refreshment to the pheasant, a cold April shower could easily cause the bird to loose too much body heat and die. That is, if it were not for their waterproof clothing, feathers. any new feathers on an adult, are not naturally waterproof. The bird must do the waterproofing by using an oil gland on the top-base of their tail. It’s called preening. The oil gland (called uropygial or preen gland) secretes a substance containing much fat, fatty acids, and wax. The bird, while preening (straightening and cleaning) his feathers, will pinch the gland nipple with its bill and/or rub its head feathers on the nipple. The waxy substance is then rubbed on all the body feathers. The wax not only waterproofs feathers, it also helps the bill maintain its surface structure and gloss. #pheasantsforever #pheasants #pheasant #pheasantfactfriday

Today, a coalition of conservation organizations is celebrating the launch of MapforGrasslands.Org as illustration of the need for the North American Grasslands Conservation Act. The first-of-its-kind website documents the loss of grasslands in North America, the subsequent impact on iconic wildlife species, and the need for grasslands-specific legislation – the North American Grasslands Conservation Act (Grasslands Act) – to address upland habitat loss. The new website demonstrates the significant loss of America’s prairies, savannas, glades and sagebrush over a thirty-year period (1992-present). Fifteen individual species are also highlighted within the project, showcasing population declines in some of America’s iconic wildlife — including the northern bobwhite quail, monarch butterfly, and bobolink. Produced by Cornell Lab of Ornithology in collaboration with the coalition, the project is a valuable tool for legislators, hunters, and conservationists to better understand the habitat and species loss in their own backyards while empowering individuals to act. To see the full interactive map, learn more about the Grasslands Act, and how to get involved, head to the link in our bio. #ActForGrasslands #grasslandsact #conservation #habitat

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever applaud Explore Act passed by U.S. House of Representatives. Yesterday, the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experience (EXPLORE) Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. With bipartisan support, H.R. 6492 will improve access and infrastructure for outdoor recreation on federal public lands and waters. The act was first introduced on November 29, 2023 by U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, also Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, and Committee Ranking Member Raul Grijalva (AZ). Infrastructure and access to public lands will be improved by this legislation. The legislation would include boosting broadband connectivity, increasing parking availability and access points for people with disabilities, providing free passes to veterans and developing programming to encourage youth to participate in outdoor activities. Additionally, a digital version of the “America the Beautiful” pass will be created, making it easier for outdoor enthusiasts to obtain passes for federal land access and pay fees online. Learn more about the implications of the EXPLORE Act at the link in our bio. #pheasantsforever #quailforever #exploreact #publicland

On The Wing Podcast Ep. 259: Birds, Dogs, and New SportDOG FieldSentinel with Clay Thompson, is live. Listen now at the link in our bio, or wherever you get your podcasts. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Clay Thompson, @sportdogbrand pro staff dog trainer, for a conversation about his Oklahoma quail roots and his current South Dakota waterfowl and pheasant passions. The guys also discuss the new SportDOG Brand FieldSentinel, which Thompson equates to a dog’s “check engine light,” as it monitors a pup’s heart rate and the intensity & duration of exertion. Episode Highlights: • Thompson explains how skipping a day of college to go on a duck hunt with a well-trained bird dog changed his life for the better. • Thompson tells the story of how an impromptu South Dakota sharp-tailed grouse hunt on a hot day put his Labrador retriever into a scary situation, which was the genesis story for the new SportDOG Brand FieldSentinel. #pheasantsforever #quailforever #sportdogbrand #birddog #dogtraining

The perfect companion for all your offseason adventures. For a limited time when you join or renew your Pheasants Forever membership you will receive an exclusive PF Day Trip Cooler Bag. Join today at the link in our bio. #pheasantsforever #clayshooting #pheasants #shotgun

We asked AI what today’s solar eclipse will look like to a Pheasants Forever member, and this is what we got. Idk, but it seems pretty accurate. #eclipse #solareclipse2024 #pheasantsforever #pheasants #pheasants.