On The Wing Podcast

In March of 1982, Dennis Anderson, then the outdoors editor for the Saint Paul Pioneer Press & Dispatch, wrote an article that served as the catalyst launching Pheasants Forever. On April 15, 1983, the very first banquet in Pheasants Forever’s history took place in Saint Paul, Minnesota. To celebrate that anniversary, Dennis was joined by Bob St. Pierre and Pheasants Forever’s PR Manager, Jared Wiklund, and Director of PR, Anthony Hauck as he reminisces about the circumstances leading to the creation of Pheasants Forever from the perspective of someone who served as the organization’s first chairman of the board, president and first publication editor. Dennis also tells the story of how the organization’s unique locally-empowering model came to him as an idea in the shower and offers a few thoughts about the future of the organization.

Just in time for your spring habitat planning, Bob is joined by Jared Wiklund and Matt O’Connor, a long-time PF biologist, to talk about the importance of pollinator habitat for pheasants and quail. O’Connor also provides step-by-step guidance for preparing, planting, and maintaining your own pollinator habitat project with the payoff coming in the form of lots more birds . . . and a beautiful place for wedding and homecoming photos. Jared even makes a play to invite himself to your pollinator project for a hunt to celebrate his 10th wedding anniversary this October.

In this episode, Bob visits with Keith Crowley, author of the new book Pheasant Dogs. The duo is joined by Pheasants Forever’s Rachel Hoveland and Jared Wiklund, whose dogs are both featured in the book, for a conversation that covers the laughter and tears of loving a bird dog. There is also a fun conversation about owners looking like their bird dogs, improving your own bird dog photography skills, and finally the organization’s 2019 Bird Dogs for Habitat campaign is unveiled.

Bob is joined by Logan Hinners, Pheasants Forever’s Graphic Design Manager and resident shed hunting fanatic, for a fun conversation with Tom Dokken, expert dog trainer and President of the North American Shed Hunting Dog Association. During this episode, Dokken breaks down the steps for training your bird dog pup to find antler sheds with both their nose and their eyes. He also tackles common concerns about training a bird dog to hunt sheds, like inadvertently teaching your pup to chase deer. There’s even a story about the friendship between “The Crush’s” Lee & Tiffany Lakosky and Tom & Tina Dokken around a bird dog.

While attending the Southeastern Wildlife Expo in Charleston, South Carolina, Bob chats with Tim Caughran, Quail Forever’s Director of Field Operations, and Kenny Barker, QF’s Southeastern Regional Rep, about the organization’s rapid growth across the quail range. The trio also discuss bobwhite quail as the indicator species of healthy ecosystems, DIY public lands quail hunting, and Charleston’s incredible food scene; including an oyster eating throw-down at a Ducks Unlimited banquet.

Bob talks with Browning’s Brian Hobert and Russ Jones to unveil the new line of upland bird hunting clothing for men AND women. The trio breaks down the three-year journey gathering input from members and crafting the new innovative and more technical clothing items for the hardcore upland bird hunter. There’s also a fun story comparing Brian’s first bobwhite quail with the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team’s “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Russians in 1980. You’ll have to listen to laugh.

From pheasants and quail to pollinators and Pudelpointers, our signature national event has a wide array of attractions to encourage everyone to take a trip to Schaumburg this February 22nd through 24th. During this episode, Bob is joined by the PR duo of Anthony Hauck and Jared Wiklund for a preview of the organization’s signature event with Chris Kalis, the man behind the event’s curtain. We also hear from Anna Van Nostrand, the keynote speaker of our first-ever Women on the Wing Luncheon. Where’s Schaumburg? We’ll answer that question too!

In this episode Bob St. Pierre and Jared Wiklund talk with biologist Matt O’Connor about how to design food plots for bringing birds through a tough winter. O’Connor, who has been a biologist with Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever for almost 30 years, explains how to pick the best location for a food plot on your property, how to prepare your site, what equipment to use, and what to plant in your food plot.

Have you ever dreamed of taking a spring break hunting trip to quail country? Dr. Bill Palmer of Tall Timbers Research Station gives a few pointers on DIY public land quail hunts and describes the magic of a covey rise. The guys also discuss the creation of Quail Forever, the Mr. Mom bobwhite quail advantage, and the critical importance of prescribed fire to bobwhite quail habitat management.

If the Labrador retriever is the quintessential duck dog and the English setter is the ideal grouse dog, then what’s America’s pheasant dog? Recorded in August, Bob St. Pierre and Anthony Hauck talked with Karl Gunzer, Purina’s Sporting Dog Group Director, to answer this bird dog riddle. The trio also chats about Karl’s conservation career working with most of the conservation groups, his dog training acumen and some important nutrition guidance for the bird dog owner and traveling wingshooter.

Bob St. Pierre and PF/QF’s public relations manager, Jared Wiklund, catch up with Johnathan O’Dell, gamebird biologist for the Arizona Game & Fish Department, to talk about Arizona’s three species of quail (Gambel’s, scaled, and Mearns’). The trio discuss the habitat needs and optimum weather conditions for each species, along with tips for targeting them for the first-time desert quail hunter. The discussion even includes O’Dell’s journey to accomplish “The Tree Squirrel Slam” . . . and yes, that’s a real thing.

After a successful morning pheasant hunt on lands enrolled in Iowa’s Habitat & Access Program (IHAP), Bob and Jared talk with Terry Haindfield and Tom Fuller about Iowa’s habitat conditions, bird populations, and hunting prospects. Haindfield provides a unique perspective as a biologist with the Iowa DNR as well as a longtime Pheasants Forever chapter volunteer. Fuller adds additional perspective as a lifelong Iowa resident and as Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Field Services Director leading the organization’s field team who services the 750 chapters across the country.

This week’s episode of On The Wing features Bob St. Pierre and Pheasants Forever’s Editor, Tom “Carp” Carpenter catching up with the host of The Flush, Travis Frank. Presented by Pheasants Forever and Federal Ammunition, The Flush seeks out North America's top upland bird hunting destinations and brings the wild action to viewers across the country. Topics include musky fishing vs. pheasant hunting, the reason Travis doesn’t own a dog, the stress and struggles of filming while hunting wild birds, favorite memories from the field, and more.

On this episode of On the Wing, Bob catches up with Patrick Flanagan of Border to Border Outfitters during Flanagan’s last few days guiding ruffed grouse hunters in northern Minnesota. From Minnesota, Flanagan moves to Kansas to chase roosters before heading to Arizona in December for quail. The guys chat about the differences in hunting ruffed grouse versus pheasants versus quail. Also, if you’re a current member of Quail Forever, you’ll soon see Patrick on the cover of the Quail Forever Journal’s winter edition as our “Man in the Moon” hunter.

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever government affairs duo Jim Inglis and Bethany Erb join us and recap our journey to create upland habitat in the 2018 Farm Bill. The group also debates the prevalence of acronyms in the conservation world, the symptoms of Potomac Fever, and how our policy work in D.C. is also creating public access for bird hunters.