Eastern Monarch butterfly numbers at overwintering sites in Mexico are down 22 percent from a year ago. The numbers come from an annual survey led by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This continues a trend of long-term decline in monarchs that’s persisted for decades, due mostly to habitat loss. It’s more important than ever to bolster monarch habitat, and one of the best ways to reinforce this vital cover is by planting milkweed and other pollinator mixtures. This habitat also benefits upland birds. Spring is just as important for pheasants and quail as it is for pollinators, and diverse pollinator habitat provides them with not only good nesting cover, but also excellent brood rearing cover. Chicks feed primarily on small, soft-bodied insects, and having a diverse wildflower bloom helps attract many of these bugs. Head to the link to learn more, and find ways you can help both the butterflies and the birds!

A huge thanks to Henry Repeating Arms for their continued support of “The Habitat Organization!”

Have you seen our latest membership drive? We've partnered with Scheels Outdoors, and as part of our Spring Member Drive, you’ll receive a $25 SCHEELS Gift Card by joining, renewing, or extending your membership. 🔗 Link below! Join or renew with Quail Forever as an Affiliate or Covey Club Member and have confidence your contributions are making a difference on the ground for wildlife and our upland hunting heritage. https://www.quailforever.org/spring

On The Wing Podcast EP. 207: Celebrating Howard Vincent & Call of the Uplands Campaign, is Live! Link below to listen now. Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Chief Development Officer David Bue to celebrate the successful conclusion of the Call of the Uplands campaign coinciding with the retirement of longtime PF & QF President & CEO Howard Vincent. Episode Highlights: - Vincent revisits the important moments of his four decades with Pheasants Forever; including the story of Quail Forever’s creation and the personal promise behind the Sage Grouse Initiative. - Bue and Vincent talk about the campaign’s 11 million acres of habitat improvements and the 2 million acres of access created, as well as how Call of the Uplands has changed the trajectory of the organization’s future. - Vincent also explains the impetus for the new fighting roosters tattoo on his right arm and unveils plans for a covey of flushing quail on his left arm as an illustration of his lifelong commitment to upland habitat.

Cultivating Habitat Champions Through Shooting Sports: How the Support of Shooting Sports Teams is Making a Positive Impact on the Upland Community. Link Below! Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever and partners like Scheels Outdoors, support local shooting sports teams, youth "Learn to Shoot" events, and larger shooting sports organizations in order to expand our impact while also bolstering our country’s hunting heritage. Don't forget, enjoy the Spring Shooting Sports Sale in the PF and QF Stores now through Sunday and load up before you go out and bust some clays this spring. Link below. Shop Here: https://bit.ly/3lxBSsq

Together We Answered the Call! Six years ago, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever unveiled our most ambitious, strategic, science-based and visionary initiative ever: The Call of the Uplands® Campaign. This was our promise to conserve the uplands – one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world – before it was too late. Today we are proud to celebrate the completion of this record-breaking endeavor. Learn more and watch the full film at the link: https://quailforever.org/celebrate Thank you to everyone! The volunteers, members, partners, donors, and employees who make Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever such a powerful force today truly ‘Answered the Call’ to protect upland landscapes. This is a new beginning for more important upland habitat work to come because as our name asserts, our goal is forever. Highlighting mission triumphs as part of Call of the Uplands includes the organizational pillars of habitat, access, education, and advocacy – each play a pivotal role for advancing Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s conservation goals. Campaign mission accomplishments include the following: - More than $565 MILLION committed to the Uplands - Total Acres of Habitat Restored, Enhanced and Protected: Over 11,000,000 - Total Acres of Access (Walk-in Programs, Fee Title, Easements): Over 2,000,000 - Total Education & Outreach Events: Over 16,000 events, reaching over 1,000,000 participants

Happy #NationalPuppyDay! Drop pictures of your pups in the comments to celebrate! 📸: Nate Akey