On The Wing Podcast

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre sits down with Dave Nomsen, retiring vice president of government affairs for Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever. The pair goes over a lifetime of conservation work, from growing up the son of the Iowa state pheasant biologist to watching the sunrise over the National Mall in Washington D.C. with the organization’s National Youth Leadership Council. Dave’s career covers federal Farm Bill conservation policy dating back to the early 1990’s and his name has been synonymous with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) over the last three decades. You’ll want to tune in for these stories and the lessons learned for bird hunters and habitat stewards along the way.

Episode Highlights Include:

• “Davey the Crane Man” talks about the connection to Pheasants Forever created in a hunting blind in a North Dakota field and why he only lasted a few weeks in his first role with Pheasants Forever as a regional representative.

• The pair discuss why the pen is mightier than the shovel for habitat conservation. Dave also explains the promise he made to his dad to not let CRP go the way of the Soil Bank program.

• The duo wade through the alphabet soup of conservation acronyms that put habitat on the ground and the important role Farm Bill conservation policy continues to have for America’s wildlife legacy.

• Bob also quizzes Nomsen on the variety of people he’s worked with in D.C. under four U.S. president’s and his science-based approach to politics.

• Nomsen also talks about how he likes working with elected officials, but more importantly, how he loves working with the organization’s chapter leaders and members.

• In the end, Dave leaves Bob with a few final thoughts about conservation opportunities in the next Farm Bill, the Transportation Bill, and climate policy.

• And there is a final call to action: get engaged and it will make a difference for hunting opportunities and quality habitat.

In this special Pollinator Week edition, host Bob St. Pierre and Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Director of Habitat Education Programs, Drew Larson, chat with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s AnnMarie Krmpotich and Sergio Pierluissi. The group discusses the state of pollinators and monarchs in the U.S. and the many opportunities on both public lands and private lands to improve the habitat for the birds, the bees, butterflies, and human beings.

Episode Highlights Include:

· The conversation starts with an entertaining detour as AnnMarie explains her background and career path studying avian influenza and black-footed ferrets. She even unveils here nickname . . . the duck-swabber!

· The conversation continues with an overview of the decade’s long partnership between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever that’s always taken a holistic approach for all wildlife through the lens of habitat.

· The group goes around the horn talking about the types of habitat projects that stop them in their tracks (or makes them pull over their vehicle and knock on a landowner’s door), and the joy of listening to diversity’s buzz through nature.

· The foursome discusses how the pollinator partnership is an all hands-on-deck endeavor and the many ways to get involved from the classroom to a large landscape-level habitat initiative. In the end, everyone has a pathway to make a difference for pollinators.

· The conversation finishes with a soliloquy about how the The Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold can change a person’s life

Dr. Bill Clark, a renowned predator researcher, biologist, and retired professor from Iowa State University, joins host Bob St.Pierre and PF’s Jared Wiklund to talk about predators. The guys have a wide-ranging discussion about all the animals that eat pheasants, from coyotes to feral cats and humans to raptors, with the goal of determining what predator is “Public Enemy #1” to pheasants. The answer is going to surprise you, but the solution should be obvious. Here’s a hint . . . it’s quality habitat!

Episode Highlights Include:

· Dr. Clark talks about the age-old debate about influencing pheasant populations from the top down (predators) versus the bottom up (habitat).

· The trio talk about the perceived impact coyotes have on pheasant populations and what’s fact and what’s fiction about their impact.

· You’ll also be shocked to learn of the impact weasels have on young pheasant chicks during summer brood time.

· Dr. Clark talks about the times during a pheasant’s life cycle when the population is most influenced by predators.

· DYK: There are only two predators of skunks? Great horned owls and “stupid dogs!”

· Pheasants do not live forever. In fact, only 15 to 20% of the females survive to nest one time in their life.

· And time and time again, the answer to creating more pheasants and mitigating the impact of predators is habitat.

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre visits with Covey Rise magazine Editor Matt Soberg about bird hunting, bird dogs, shotguns, and the upland lifestyle. The guys also unveil a new Covey Rise promotion that generates a donation back to Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s habitat mission with each subscription sold.

Episode Highlights Include:

· Soberg admits to being an attorney by education and explains how he ended up as an outdoors writer.

· Matt also recounts starting the Minnesota Sporting Journal and reminisces about his time commuting between Minnesota and Pennsylvania as editor of the Ruffed Grouse Society’s publication.

· The duo expresses their love for the under-appreciated timberdoodle both in the field and on the plate.

· Bob and Matt also talk about buying teardrop-style trailers during the COVID era in preparation for a socially distant autumn hunting season.

If you subscribe to Covey Rise through this link https://coveyrisemagazine.com/cpfqf20/

using keycode CPFQF1, Covey Rise will donate 50% of the subscription total to Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever.

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre and Quail Forever’s Director of Field Operations Tim Caughran visit with Michael Hook, quail biologist for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The trio discuss the great work being done in the state to improve quail habitat and wild bird populations, along with the many ways Quail Forever and its volunteers are making an impact. In the end, they make a deal to eat oysters and ice fish, listen in and enjoy the conversation.

Episode Highlights Include:

· The joys of riding in a truck and finding quality shows to listen to, including Northwoods outdoor radio shows based miles away to learn about ice fishing.

· We learn the Boykin Spaniel is the state dog of South Carolina, and the history of their role in quail hunting in the South.

· The group discusses the partnership model working in South Carolina between multiple agencies, making all the pieces come together to restore quail habitat across the state.

· Michael shares his love/hate relationship with sweet gum trees (mostly hate).

· The guys discuss the great work done by the Quail Forever chapters in the state, and the unique partnership the Low Country QF Chapter has created with the U.S. Forest Service.

· The trio also talk about new hunters who are jacked up about bobwhites and the many ways they’ve been introduced to hunting via family, friends, and of course, bird dogs in the South.

· Finally, the group discusses how to improve habitat in South Carolina, which not only benefits quail, but other ground nesting birds. The first target on the list – recreational mowing – is defined as well.

If you’re interested in learning more about the work Quail Forever is doing in the Southeast, listen to our previous episode, Quail Forever on the Rise in the Southeast at https://quailforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Quail-Forever/Podcast-Quail-Forever-on-the-Rise-in-the-Southeast.aspx.

In this episode recorded prior to COVID-19, host Bob St. Pierre visited with Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever President and CEO, Howard Vincent. The two discuss how Howard moved from volunteer accountant to the organization’s director of finance, and eventually became the second CEO of Pheasants Forever. During the episode, the pair discuss the many “touchpoints” throughout Howard’s career and his joy of leading a team of people passionate about the organization’s wildlife habitat mission.

Episode Highlights Include:

· Bob and Howard start talking about their baseball backgrounds. From there, baseball symbolism, metaphors, and analogies abound. Bob even likens Howard’s leadership style to Johnny Bench.

· Insights into Howard’s vision for the organization and how its’ habitat mission is always more important than the brand behind it.

· We learn the importance of handshake deal for Howard, from a bar in Kansas to the creation of the Sage Grouse Initiative.

· Bob and Howard also discuss the lessons learned from introducing wildlife to the Farm Bill in the 90’s that has led to new legislative language just last year in the Transportation Bill.

· We learn the origin story of Quail Forever and the effort to engage a new community of volunteers in local habitat restoration and engagement.

· Howard also talks about the agriculture community’s sustainability movement and how water quality is the key to the future for all of humankind.

· Finally, the duo discusses the future of the organization and the need to foster a conservation ethic in future generations.

· Along the way, Howard tells stories about some of the amazing people he’s met through his career and even cuts open a few veins giving a look inside his heart.

From COVID-19 to digital tools for at-home upland scouting, this special episode of On The Wing podcast is our first listener-generated session that focuses questions collected from our online audience. Host Bob St.Pierre has grouped them into categories and poses them to Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s President & CEO Howard Vincent and V.P. of Government Affairs Dave Nomsen.

Episode highlights include:

· Biology: Nomsen, a wildlife biologist, talks about last winter’s impact on the birds and the early spring’s conditions for nesting pheasants and quail. Nomsen also discusses similarities and differences between pheasants and quail in nesting, re-nesting, and dietary needs.

· The Organization: Vincent challenges upland bird hunters to take the hunter-mentor pledge to help introduce new people to the joys of upland bird hunting, while Nomsen asks conservationists to contact elected officials when the organization issues an action alert. And of course, the crew discuss the ramifications of COVID-19 on the organization.

· Habitat: Mother Nature hasn’t stopped and neither has the organization’s drive to accomplish our wildlife habitat mission. From prescribed burning to land acquisitions, the trio talk about what the organization has been doing to create more habitat even during the pandemic.

· Legislative Issues: Nomsen has been working conservation policy for the organization through every Farm Bill since 1992 and throughout this episode he talks about the importance of federal conservation programs to pheasants and quail, as well as public land hunters.

· How You Can Help: Bob introduces the upcoming Give to the Uplands Day slated to happen on May 5th and the variety of ways supporters can help contribute to the organization’s wildlife habitat mission.

· Hunting: The largest category of questions covers pheasants, quail, Huns, and prairie grouse tips and advice for where to find them and how to identify them in the air. The crew talk public land and private land, as well as how to use digital tools for pre-trip scouting. Howard also talks about the coming 2020 bird hunting season with a pandemic backdrop.

· Dogs: In the most controversial segment of the episode, the guys debate flushers versus pointers, then talk about some of the great pups they’ve hunted behind over the years.

In this very special episode, host Bob St.Pierre talks with three folks critical to helping create the brand new Cupido Wildlife Management Area as a public property. The players include Brian Winter from the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, Rob Baden from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Eran Sandquist from Pheasants Forever. The name “Cupido” references the greater prairie chicken’s Latin name – Tympanuchus cupido – as this 955-acre property adds on to a sprawling 5,450-acre complex protecting some of the best remaining critical habitat for the bird in Minnesota’s northwest corner.

Episode highlights include:

· This parcel was identified on the original Minnesota DNR project map in the 1970s as an important tract to protect as critical habitat. Baden talks about how the DNR and partners have tried four different times over the years to secure the property for the public.

· Brian Winter gives a fascinating overview of Minnesota’s prairie chicken history, the bird’s biology, their spring booming ritual, and an explanation for how critical this land acquisition is to the prairie chicken population in Minnesota.

· The land sits in the bed of ancient Lake Agassiz, includes 300 acres of native prairie, and is home to some of the state’s largest remaining populations of greater prairie chickens.

· Sandquist discusses how the landowner approached Pheasants Forever about a land transaction after years of unsuccessful farming and how a partnership formed to bring a grant application in front of Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Council for Legacy Amendment funding.

· St.Pierre then explains how this $2 million acre acquisition crossed the finish line with a roster of partners contributing through Pheasants Forever’s Build a Wildlife Area campaign while at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic last February in Minneapolis.

As spring aspirations turn to autumn days in the field behind new hunting partners, the danger, warns pro dog trainer Josh Miller, is that folks rush through important steps properly introducing young pups to birds, guns, and e-Collars. In this episode, host Bob St.Pierre and Josh Miller focus on properly introducing young bird dog pups to the e-Collar as a training tool that ultimately helps you ensure their safety when their running free in the field, forest, or your neighborhood. This episode is brought to our listeners in conjunction with the 2020 Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign and sponsored by SportDOG BRAND.

Episode highlights include:

· The guys start with an introduction of Josh’s background as a bird dog trainer for both flushing and pointing breeds, his love of field trialing, and his early success as a shed hunting champion.

· Miller also talks about his business, River Stone Kennels, which focuses on breeding British Labrador retrievers. He compares some of the attributes of American Labs to their British relatives as well.

· Josh explains how a dog owner must first ensure the pup understands the expectations being asked using a leash or check cord before introducing the e-Collar.

· The guys also talk about the different features associated with e-Collars from beepers to GPS, and which styles of collars are the best fits for waterfowl, ruffed grouse, pheasant and quail hunters.

Spring is usually the peak season for adding a puppy to the family. COVID-19 also has a lot of folks working from home right now which has people thinking about an easier path to potty training. The combination has led people in the Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever community to reach out to our host Bob St.Pierre with questions about adding a second bird dog puppy this spring. To help navigate the decisions in that thought process, Bob catches up with pro dog trainer Tom Dokken. This episode is brought to our listeners in conjunction with the 2020 Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign and sponsored by SportDOG brand.

Episode highlights include:

· The guys talk about how the age of your veteran bird dog should play into your thought process for adding a second puppy to your pack.

· Bob and Tom discuss the best way to pick a puppy out of a litter that will fit your family and hunting style.

· Dokken talks through the process of introducing a puppy to an adult dog, as well as what to look for in avoiding a dangerous confrontation.

· The guys also discuss the fact versus fiction associated with an old dog teaching a young dog how to hunt.

· And the guys dream about the magical scenario of working a pointing dog with a flushing breed in the field.