Did you know dormant pollinator plots host hundreds of overwintering insects. Species such as the goldenrod gall fly overwinter in goldenrod stems, native bees lay eggs in hollow and pithy stems and some caterpillars, like the species of conservation concern, Regal Fritillary, lives under leaves during the cold winter months. It’s important to take these into consideration when doing management on you plots. First, do not mow your plot in the fall. Even though it may look “unsightly” compared to its spring and summer colors. Second, if you are burning your plots, make sure to not burn the entire plot in one year. Leave nesting habitat for the pollinator species. In addition, overwintering birds such as the Chickadee or downy woodpeckers feed on overwintering larva like the goldenrod gall fly and it is an important source of food for these native songbirds. In the spring when the insects hatch, they are important food for our native grassland birds. #pollinators #leavetheleaves #RxFIRE #habitatmanagement #moconservation #pheasantsforever #quailforever #uplandhabitat #pollinatorhabitat #habitat

During a visit to Iowa last week, secretary of interior Deb Haaland announced the recipients of a number conservation-oriented grants. Among the successful bids was a partnership including Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, focused on restoring grasslands in Iowa and Missouri. Partners in the endeavor include the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, Missouri Prairie Foundation and Drake University/Jay N. Darling Institute for Rural Sustainability. The group will focus on conserving, restoring and reconnecting Missouri and Iowa’s native grasslands through collaborative habitat management on both public and private lands — such as prescribed fire, invasive species control and grazing. Read more at the link:

Wingshooter Rig Walkthrough presented by onX Hunt, Pheasants Forever, and Quail Forever. This Wingshooter Rig Walkthrough features PF & QF’s very own Nate Akey, giving us the rundown on his upland rig and its features that assist the traveling wingshooter. Stay tuned for more wingshooter rigs, to find ways you can build out an upland rig that best suits you and your dogs. Don’t forget to check out OnX’s in-dash capabilities at onxhunt.com #onxhunt #pheasantsforever #quailforever #uplandhunting #overland

This holiday season, we're thankful for beloved bird dogs and precious upland landscapes, but more than anything, we're thankful for our incredible supporters, members, volunteers, and employees who answer the call each and every day. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Habitat Organization. #pheasantsforever #quailforever

YETI + QF = A Lifetime Membership AND a Browning Shotgun? The math checks out. Take the next step and become a Life Member now through December 20th and you’ll receive a limited-edition QF Life Member YETI Loadout GOBOX 30 and you’ll be automatically entered to win a Browning 12 gauge Citori Feather shotgun. Head to the link below to become a Life Member Today! https://quailforever.org/lifemember

Some of our team members gathered in Washington D.C. yesterday to celebrate 15 years of America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative as a national model of restoration success! Forestry and conservation leaders from across the United States, including representatives from federal, state, and private agencies and landowners, gathered to recognize years of longleaf pine restoration accomplishments. Follow the link to learn more about this coalition's commitment to restore and manage longleaf pine ecosystems on public and private lands across the Southeast!

"Our rules for pointers evolved largely around one species: the bobwhite quail...Bobwhites made the rules, and the rules made the dogs, and the dogs made the trainers, and by now the game is bigger than any of them." - Datus C. Proper 📸: Ryan Sparks