From the Field - Southern Arizona Gamble's chicks are on the ground after a recent rain storm. How many chicks can you count? Video: Double Aero Guides

The Fire Keepers: Native American Cultural Burning and the Shaping of American Quail Country Prescribed burning is a modern conservation tool – but its roots stretch back thousands of years to Indigenous cultural burning practices. In examining human artifacts in North America, historians and scholars suggest the use of fire for land management, called “cultural burning,” dates further back than recorded history. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4465Mas "The Fire Keepers" by Food for Hunters originally appeared in the spring issue of Quail Forever Journal. #quailforever #thehabitatorganization

In the coming days and weeks pheasant chicks will be hitting the ground across the pheasant range. The hen provides overhead cover and heat to help dry wet chicks. This close brooding continues for 2 to 3 weeks as chicks gradually develop capacity to thermoregulate. Pheasant chicks begin feeding once cover dries for the day, loaf afterwards in nearby shade, then forage again in the afternoon before roosting. We would love to hear what you all are seeing on the ground in your area. Tag us in your photos and videos from the field! 📸 : Steve Oehlenschlager #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Learn more about Levi’s work with Journey to Conservation Careers here: https://pheasantsforever.org/Habitat/Conservation-Education/Journey-to-Conservation-Careers.aspx

Learn more about Levi’s work with Journey to Conservation Careers here: https://www.pheasantsforever.org/Participate/Conservation-Leadership/Journey-to-Conservation-Careers.aspx

Saturdays are for the dogs! Whether you've got serious training planned or you are cutting the dogs loose to burn off some energy, have a good time out there this weekend. Keep em cool, keep em watered, and get after it! #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

Saturdays are for the dogs! Whether you've got serious training planned or you are cutting the dogs loose to burn off some energy, have a good time out there this weekend. Keep em cool, keep em watered, and get after it! #quailforever #thehabitatorganization

Pheasant Fact Friday! Alfalfa mowing usually occurs during the hen’s last week on the nest. Landowners should delay cutting between seven and ten days, so the hen can hatch her chicks. The alfalfa’s nutritional value will be lower, but there will be more chicks, greater chick summer survival and more hens and chicks who make it through the next winter. Consider mowing seven to ten days before peak nutritional value. The hen will probably flush before the mower strikes. Also, do not mow around the nest, leaving an island of cover. Fox, skunks, coons and sea gulls quickly learn that islands hide delicious pheasant eggs – and a hen. #pheasantsforever #pheasantfactfriday

Quail Fact Friday! In the sky islands of the Southwest, monsoonal rains are everything for Mearns’ quail. These summer storms trigger a lush “green-up” in the Madrean evergreen oak savannas – bringing a flush of forbs, grasses, and insects that provide critical food and cover after nesting season. But here’s the catch: One good summer isn’t enough. It takes multiple years of consistent monsoon moisture to support strong populations of Mearns’ quail. #quailforever #quailfactfriday

LAST CALL! Landowners interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup have until the end of business on Friday, June 6th (TOMORROW!) to apply. CRP is America’s crown jewel of voluntary conservation programs for creating wildlife habitat, improving soil health, protecting water resources, safeguarding rural economies, and delivering financial certainty to producers. While time is running out, starting the process is literally one click away. Check out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s CRP resource center at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/conservation-reserve-program Or Contact a PF & QF biologist at https://pheasantsforever.org/Habitat/findBiologist.aspx to talk through your options. #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization

LAST CALL! Landowners interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup have until the end of business on Friday, June 6th (TOMORROW!) to apply. CRP is America’s crown jewel of voluntary conservation programs for creating wildlife habitat, improving soil health, protecting water resources, safeguarding rural economies, and delivering financial certainty to producers. While time is running out, starting the process is literally one click away. Check out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s CRP resource center at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/conservation-reserve-program Or Contact a PF & QF biologist at https://quailforever.org/Habitat/findBiologist.aspx to talk through your options. #quailforever #thehabitatorganization

Kansas Study Aims to Guide Quail Management in the Sunflower State A study in Kansas is examining what factors have allowed bobwhite quail to thrive on Kansas’ agricultural landscapes. The study was initiated by Jeff Prendergast, Upland Gamebird Program Coordinator with Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks and Dr. James Martin with Martin GAME Lab. We visited one of the study sites with Mayson Metcalf, a Working Lands for Wildlife Bobwhite/Grassland Birds Outcomes Assessment Tech for Quail Forever, to witness the work firsthand. The quail are live trapped and fitted with radio collars. Metcalf then conducts surveys where he uses a receiver and antenna to locate collared quail and make notes about what areas of the property they are most frequently using. It is also noted the type of cover type they are using, such as shrubs and grass cover. The radio collaring is accompanied by point county surveys. These surveys involve visiting the sites to listen for and record the number of bobwhite whistles during peak times of vocalization. Dr. James Martin of the University of Georgia says, “When creating bobwhite habitat, there’s a need to consider production agriculture. This becomes infinitely more complex when a large portion of the landscape is needed to produce food or forage. This project aims to figure out the thresholds of habitat needed, how that habitat is distributed, and how the intensity of agriculture mediates the relationships between habitat and bobwhite.” To learn more about what Quail Forever is doing for bobwhites in Kansas, contact a Quail Forever Biologist. https://bit.ly/4mBV42G Read the full story: https://bit.ly/3Ze18ok #quailforever #thehabitatorganization

South Dakota Pheasant Harvest Highest in 13 Years! South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) today announced the 2024 pheasant season harvest numbers. Over 1.3 million roosters were harvested across the 2024 season, which is the highest harvest in 13 years. An additional 380,000 pheasants were also harvested by hunters within a defined private shooting preserve. “Habitat and access have been a top priority for the department, and that has played a key role in both abundant bird numbers and ample locations for hunters to target them," said Kevin Robling, GFP Secretary. "We are extremely pleased with the success of the 2024 season and plan to build on this success for 2025." Click the link below for the full story. https://bit.ly/4kPkVCD #pheasantsforever #thehabitatorganization