On the Wing Podcast, Episode 175: Bird Hunting Stories with The Flush Earlier this month, Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever began our 17th year partnering with Ron Schara Productions to bring our love for upland bird hunting and our habitat mission to television. In this episode, Host Bob St.Pierre swings over to the offices of Ron Schara Productions to visit with two of The Flush’s hosts, Travis Frank and Bill Schreck. This, however, isn’t your ordinary television series preview show. On the contrary, the fellas talk about some of their favorite bird hunting and bird dog stories . . . and laughter ensues. https://bit.ly/3PoBPJe

We're proud to announce the appointment of Chief Conservation Officer, Ron Leathers, to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Advisory Group! Leathers was appointed by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland for a three-year term extending through March 2025, marking the continuation of more than two decades of QF & PF representation:

HABITAT HOW-TO: SOLARIZATION FOR SITE PREPARATION Looking to get rid of weeds in your next pollinator or food plot project? The single most important concept every habitat project manager must know is that site preparation is critical to project success. Here's a primer on using the power of the sun to control weeds and pests in your next plot project. https://bit.ly/3B4RMzR

GATEWAY DOGS: FOUR WOMEN WHOSE PATHS TO THE UPLANDS BEGAN WITH A DOG Across the country, the population of women upland hunters is growing, and rapidly. Here are four unique stories about women who became owners, then handlers, and finally, hunters, all because of a bird dog: https://bit.ly/3aPMuxn

NICOLE ITZKOWITZ HIRED AS FIRST-EVER QF FARM BILL BIOLOGIST IN FLORIDA Quail Forever is proud to announce Nicole Itzkowitz has been hired as the first ever Farm Bill biologist in Florida. In her new position, Itzkowitz will provide technical assistance to landowners who’re interested in managing their property for quail and other wildlife, in addition to facilitating enrollment in Farm Bill programs in the Sunshine State. “I’m thrilled to be able to continue growing as a bobwhite conservationist and as a resource for anyone interested in wildlife,” she said. “Being the first Farm Bill biologist in Florida is a really exciting opportunity, with an open-ended jumping off point. I’m also looking forward to creating new partnerships that Quail Forever may not have had access to before. I believe there’s a wealth of opportunities for conservation and collaboration here in central Florida, and I’m looking forward to finding them in the coming years. “Nicole is no stranger to bobwhite in the southeast,” said Jess McQuire, Quail Forever’s working lands for wildlife bobwhite program coordinator. “Her experience makes her a perfect fit for this location and we’re happy to have her on the team in Florida.”

Moving from a versatile breed to pure pointers - have you ever taken the dive? At the end of the day, it comes down to picking the right breed and breeding for a hunter's objectives. Here's how our friend and partner, Ben Brettingen, made the decision after some lengthy debate: https://bit.ly/3o7IeMQ #quailforever #birddog #CalloftheUplands #uplandhunting #quailhunting

PODCAST EP. 174: EXPANDING PF & QF’S UPLAND HABITAT MISSION IN THE WEST Host Bob St.Pierre is joined by the trio of QF & PF Western biologists Al Eiden, Kellie, Dobrescue, and Connor White to talk about the organization’s expanding habitat work focused on sagebrush habitat in the Western United States. Episode Highlights: Dobrescue talks about her role in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management to improve sagebrush habitat through tree removal. Those efforts are creating better habitat for a wide array of wildlife from sage grouse to elk, as well as helping protect water quantity. White also discusses his job working as the project coordinator for Idaho’s Bruneau Owhyee Sage Grouse Habitat Project. That work is focused on removing invasive juniper trees across a wide landscape of Southwest Idaho for the benefit of sage grouse, mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and water resources. Eiden wraps up the conversation with a powerful statement about the 20 different upland bird species in the West and how QF & PF is improving upland habitat in a wide array of settings, including grasslands, deserts, sage steppe, alpine forests, and agricultural lands. https://bit.ly/3z6blGt

As we wade into knee-deep summer and temperatures begin to routinely hit high marks, heat-related illness should be front of mind for all dog owners. Thankfully, Georgia-based veterinarian Dr. Jennell Appel visited with us recently to share her tips and tricks for beating the heat during your July/August training regiments: https://bit.ly/3O12N8h