Highlighting the speakers and events happening at the Public Lands Pavilion during this year's 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 below. https://www.pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Public-Lands-Pavilion-en.aspx The Public Lands Pavilion is presented by YETI and Travel South Dakota

Quail Fact Friday!💡 With the smallest range in the United States, the Mearns’ quail is found in southern Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico. They live in mountain areas populated with oak and juniper trees, as well as grasslands. Often referred to as Montezuma quail, they have a unique coloration of feathers which aids in their means of camouflage. Other colloquial names from Mearn’s quail include harlequin quail, clown quail, and fool quail. #quailforever #quail #mearnsquail #montezumaquail #quailfactfriday

This year, for the first time, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever will recognize a national “Volunteer of the Year.” The award celebrates the very best the organization has to offer — the members and volunteers who optimize the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever mission, who seek to protect and grow our wildlife habitat, and who help ensure our heritage continues for generations to come. We have chosen eight finalists (Four Pheasants Forever and four Quail Forever) for the award. The winner will be announced at the upcoming National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, which runs March 1-3 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Over the course of the next four weeks we’ll get to know each finalist, and celebrate their accomplishments in the world of habitat conservation. The first volunteer we’ll highlight is Kiley Oliphant from the Marion County Chapter of Quail Forever in Kansas. Learn more about Kiley and why she's a finalist for this years Volunteer or the Year award, at the link below.

This past hunting season was maybe the best of my life. On several trips to northern Minnesota, ruffed grouse were thriving. Near my current home in southern Minnesota, I found pheasants on nearly every piece of public ground I hunted. A trip to South Dakota yielded a bounty of sharp-tailed grouse and a jaw-dropping number of pheasants. Best of all, where I grew up in southeastern Nebraska, bobwhite quail numbers were as good as they have been in my lifetime. Because of the abundance of quail, I tried to spend as much time as possible in Nebraska this season. Half the time I hunted by myself, following my pointer, Tippet, across a landscape interwoven with fencelines and brushy creeks. The other half I hunted with my dad as he rotated through his three pointers KC, Dolly, and Gus. Read the full blog "A Good Year" by Quail Forever Journal Editor Ryan Sparks at the link below. https://quailforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Quail-Forever/A-Good-Year.aspx

Bird Dog Field Care class returns to 2024 National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic. Learn more about the course and register at the link below. https://pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Bird-Dog-Field-Care-Class-Returns-to-Pheasant-Fest-2024.aspx The Bird Dog Field Care class will take place once again in Sioux Falls. At the helm this year is Dr. Joe Spoo, a South Dakota based 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 Purina Pro Plan

Start your career with The Habitat Organization today! We are currently hiring for roles across the nation. Find these roles at the link below and apply today! https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=e9cf9c51-b70e-4607-b723-b8bf76c3161b&ccId=19000101_000001&lang=en_US

Quail Fact Friday!💡 Did you know there are wild bobwhite quail in Cuba? In 1850, ornithologist John Gould described the “Cuban bobwhite” as a distinct species, Colinus cubanensis. He considered their smaller bills and unique plumage as sufficiently different from other bobwhite populations to consider them a separate species. This taxonomic decision also implied that Cuban bobwhites colonized the island thousands if not millions of years ago. However, recent genetic studies suggest bobwhites were brought to Cuba during the Spanish colonization of Cuba and Mexico in the early 16th century. Their genetic makeup gets even blurrier considering Florida bobwhites were introduced to Cuba at the end of the 19th century. Either way, if you ever find yourself in Cuba, don’t be surprised if you hear the distinctive calls of bobwhite quail echoing across the countryside. #quailforever #quail #bobwhitequail #quailfactfriday