FIELD REPORT📢 out of Arizona, with Quail Forever Journal Editor Ryan Sparks and PF & QF President and CEO Marilyn Vetter, recapping a recent quail hunt. How are quail numbers looking in your area as we near closer to the end of hunting season?

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to be named a 2024 Best and Brightest Company to Work For in the Nation, according to the National Association for Business Resources (NABR). Only about one out of every ten companies in the country are selected to be on this list, highlighting their success in employee engagement. “The Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever team is honored to receive this award alongside so many wonderful companies and organizations,” said Sarah Mills, PF & QF’s vice president of human resources. “One of our team members said it best in the feedback from our engagement survey: ‘I truly enjoy the people we get to work with each day and the opportunity to make a positive impact on our habitat mission.’ I don’t think I could say it any better – this is a special place to work.” The winning companies were assessed by an independent research firm, which reviewed several key measures relative to other nationally recognized winners. Examples of assessed categories include employee enrichment, recruitment and selection, and communication and shared vision. Learn more about this award and what it means for PF & QF at the link: https://bit.ly/4j8tk46 And if you'd like to start your career in conservation with PF & QF search our job openings today here: pheasantsforever.org/careers

Breaking News: Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever sign Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Learn more about what this means at the link below. https://bit.ly/3DVLWnQ Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) are proud to announce a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The MOU solidifies decades of partnership collaboration to mutually conserve quality wildlife habitat through 2029 via habitat management of grasslands and uplands, conservation program promotion, personnel training, and providing technical assistance to landowners. PF & QF will collaborate with USDA agencies, including the Forest Service (FS), Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “For many years, our partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been essential to working towards our mission goals,” said Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s President and CEO Marilyn Vetter. “I’m thrilled we will continue to collaborate on key initiatives for conservation programs across the nation – the importance of working together to deliver these programs on private and public lands can’t be overstated.” As part of the MOU, the agencies will work together with PF & QF to increase working lands under conservation and habitat management. This includes implementing projects for pheasant, quail and other wildlife habitat conservation, providing technical assistance from biologists, delivering information and educational materials to landowners, collaborating on habitat and wildlife research, and developing habitat restoration and enhancement techniques. Both PF & QF and USDA will collaborate to recruit, educate, train and retain wildlife professionals who are imperative to successful conservation work across the country. U.S. Department of Agriculture

"By this time of year, most outdoor enthusiasts might be tempted to hang up their pheasant vests for the year. But savvy hunters and anglers know that South Dakota transforms into a dual-sport paradise in the winter months. With its world-class pheasant hunting and ice fishing opportunities, the final weeks of December and the whole month of January offer a unique chance for outdoor enthusiasts to combine these activities into one unforgettable trip." “It’s a combination of opportunity and challenge,” says Chris Hull, a lifelong South Dakotan who grew up hunting and fishing in the Glacial Lakes region of northeast South Dakota and now makes his home in Pierre where he works as a communications specialist for the state Game, Fish and Parks Department. “Not only is South Dakota the premiere pheasant hunting destination in the country, but it’s also a top-five ice fishing destination. If you like to hunt and fish, the real question is why wouldn’t you take advantage of the opportunity?” Read the full article "THE PERFECT WINTER COMBO: PHEASANT HUNTING AND ICE FISHING" at the link below. https://bit.ly/4gSpyu3 Posting on behalf of our partners in conservation Travel South Dakota Author Bio: South Dakota native Andrew Johnson lives for pheasant hunting, capturing the thrill of the chase through his gun, camera and words. Connect with him on X, Instagram, and YouTube: @DakotaPheasantHunt