MAGAZINE
FALL: THE GREAT OUTDOORS
www.porchprairiemag.com
Volume 2 • 3
It doesn’t take long.
T
he first time you mount a shotgun in the Georgia woods, or the Texas brush, or a cut corn in Nebraska or South Dakota, you wonder how you went so long without it. That sudden rush of adrenaline when a rooster cackles from seemingly under your feet, the pull of the trigger, watching the bird fold and fall, and a trusty retriever bringing it to your hand. Or maybe your first invite is in Georgia, chasing Bobwhite through the whistling pines of the early Spring. Sure, you’ve shot sporting clays with your pals before, but none of that prepares you for the moment when your guide eases you up on his flank, a pair of German Shorthairs are locked up, and as the English Cocker jumps into the brush, a covey of quail leap from their refuge. They scatter, they dart, they dive, all while you do your darnedest to get some lead thrown in their general direction. Maybe you’ll be successful, maybe those two shots from the double-barrel both miss their mark, but regardless, you’re hooked. The fire will keep burning inside, and as you ride back to camp staring at the land and looking back on a great day afield. You, like all the others who came before you and will come after you, will go back to the office eagerly anticipating the next time. These thoughts are not unique to you, and the doubts about being able to return aren’t either. Many thousands of men and women have dedicated their lives to pheasant and quail hunting and all that comes with it. For them, the flush of the bird is actually just the end result. It’s the culmination of the hard work that goes in year round to prepare the fields, to protect the birds themselves, and to establish an annual succession plan to ensure the next group, or family, or generation gets the same opportunity to enjoy this lifestyle as well. This group of passionate wingshooters, well they are known as Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, an organization of 130,000 Members across 750 local chapters, backed by 175 biologists, all dedicated to making sure 26 - FALL 2021 | PORCH + PRAIRIE Magazine
the traditions of upland hunting forever remain intact. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever was founded on the premise that there needed to be an advocacy not just for the birds themselves, but for the habitat in which they live. That habitat was being lost at a rapid pace, and with it, the birds were disappearing too, so in 1982, a group of hunters saw the opportunity to change the course of nature and ensure that their work would preserve the land AND the lifestyle for the next generation down the line. Often dubbed “The Habitat Organization,” they’ve worked tirelessly to spread the word and preserve mass amounts of acreage and protect that acreage from urbanization, land repurposing, mineral exploration, and human population intrusion. The best part of it all? They’ve succeeded. The numbers of protected acres keep growing, the number of evangelists and members keep growing, and for anyone who sets out in pursuit of these birds, you can physically see their fruits of their hard work. It is visible with every cackle, every whistle, and every flush, so as you drive away from the field back to the lodge with an ear-to-ear smile on your face, you have Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to thank. As we think back on the Spring quail season and look forward to the Fall pheasant and quail seasons, we felt it important to learn more, much more, about this great organization and where it goes from here. We spoke with Bob St. Pierre, who as the Chief Marketing Officer, is responsible for virtually every facet of the organization its effective communication, messaging, and highlights of the group that need to see the light of day. Transmitting the message of their great work is no small feat, as every bit of news needs to get to every local chapter and the 130,000 members who make them up. As we talk with Bob, you realize quickly he is passionate about his work. He speaks with intent and purpose, because its clear he knows the value of his words and his work can be the catalyst for someone to get involved, to contribute, and to help preserve this critical piece of the American way of life.
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P+P: Bob, every upland hunter is familiar with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, but I don’t quite think everyone knows just quite how large of a membership it is—how do you continue to attract new members to the organization? BSP: To be perfectly honest, our membership should be larger than it is today at 130,000 members. If you consider there are roughly 1.5 million pheasant hunters and another 500,000 quail hunters in the U.S., then we only have 6.5% of the country’s upland hunters as members who have made a commitment to conservation. There are lots of ways to get involved – attend a chapter banquet, volunteer to start a chapter in an area without a group, become a member through our social media or website offers, respond to a direct mailing, but do something to get involved in upland habitat conservation. The birds need your help and our organization needs your help. P+P: Through your chapter model, you are hosting about 750 events to fundraise during a good year, which signals a great level of engagement and the ability to mobilize for a great number of projects--- what is it about a PF/QF event that brings together so many and thus contributes so many dollars to your efforts? BSP: Unique among national conservation organizations is that Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters retail 100 percent decision-making control over the funds raised by local volunteers. This allows local chapter volunteers to develop habitat projects, participate in land acquisitions, or host mentor hunting events in their own communities. This unique locally-empowering model generates a strong bond between the organization and local communities when they see the fruits of their fundraising produce results in their own communities and state. P+P: The organization is knocking on the door of your 40th anniversary and throughout your history, you have been the link between the hunters, the land they hunt, and the birds they chase. How has the mission molded or changed over the past 40 years? BSP: We’ve been an organization that considers innovation a core component of our identity. That creative thought-process has allowed us to connect the dots between our habitat mission and the Farm Bill very early on in our history, but it’s also served as well in explaining the connections between pheasants, quail, prairie grouse, pollinators, monarch butterflies, water quality, soil health, and carbon sequestrations. At our core is upland habitat and we pivot connections around that core mission. We’re also nimble enough to adapt to a changing agricultural landscape to work with USDA, farmers, and corporations to produce results on the ground that are good for the birds and bottom lines. P+P: So with those changes, were they on the heels of any particular events socially or economically that signaled a shift? For example, 2020 saw more people engaging in outdoor activities and as a result, they became more aware of conservation organizations aimed to preserve those lands or in some cases, landmarks. BSP: The first major event that altered our trajectory was the creation of the Conservation Reserve Program in 1985, only three years after our creation. CRP’s creation demonstrated the power of the pen’s influence on our habitat mission. From that point forward, we’ve been intimately involved in advocating for conservation policy in every federal Farm Bill, which ultimately impacts tens of millions
of acres for wildlife habitat opportunities. P+P: So here we are in 2021, and your current initiative is on year 3 of a 5 year plan, called “Call of the Uplands”—tell us about the initiative. BSP: All across North America, wildlife habitat is rapidly disappearing. Since 2009, the Great Plains have lost more than 53 million acres of grasslands – an area the size of Kansas – to development, and only 5 percent of the US’s original prairie landscapes remain. Likewise, longleaf pine woodlands now only represent less than 3% of the southeastern US that they once occupied, which has created a plunge in bobwhite quail numbers. The upland places and upland birds we love are in peril. Call of the Uplands is our organization’s first-ever comprehensive, national campaign. It’s a $500 million effort to cultivate the next generation of conservationists and to enhance 9 million acres of upland habitat. P+P: This is a $500 million dollar effort you have undertaken and its goal is to unite over 1.5 million Americans—it’s a daunting task for any organization--- how did you mobilize the effort internally and put the plan into action? BSP: By raising our collective voice to new levels. When I was a youngster, the rainforests of South America were given a voice during Saturday morning cartoons. People who never put eyes on a rainforest feared their demise. Our Call of the Uplands campaign is sounding the alarm for the uplands. Unlike the rainforests, these are the places – prairies, savannas, sage lands, grasslands – in our own backyards, and they are disappearing before our eyes in one generation. P+P: The three strategies of the habitat conservation project (permanent protection, restoring/enhancing habitat, and partnering with landowners) requires a lot of interdisciplinary coordination. Some of this is regulatory in nature, some is relationship building, and some of it is good ol’ fashioned sweat equity. Tell me a little about how all of those pillars intertwine. BSP: Our three-pronged approach to habitat is very deliberate to address three needs. First, our land acquisition and easement tools target acres of habitat that are critical for permanent protection. These projects are often done in collaboration with our federal (US Fish & Wildlife Service) and state agency (DNRs) partners to acquire land that meets joint habitat goals. Second, our restoration efforts focus on the fundamental need to manage land as habitat to produce the best quality habitat for wildlife. This includes prescribed burning, grazing, haying, managing woody encroachment, invasive grass management, and other efforts to make every acre the best acre of habitat possible. Finally, the third effort represents the largest total acres of opportunity, and that’s working with private landowners to improve their land as wildlife habitat in harmony with their agricultural or other business goals. We have dozens of programs to address this component, but our largest and most effective is our Farm Bill Biologist program. Our Farm Bill Biologist program funds 300 employees in collaboration with the USDA and state agencies to work with landowners who want to find conservation options for their own property. P+P: Education and Advocacy are at the core of the program— how do you approach Capitol Hill in the interest of Pheasant and Quail conservation efforts, and then take those efforts to the public to expand your educational reach? PORCH + PRAIRIE magazine | FALL 2021 - 29
BSP: The beauty of our upland habitat mission is that it’s parallel to the web of life analogy. Our goal to create upland habitat for pheasants and quail is at the core of our country’s need to protect pollinator habitat for honey bees and monarch butterflies. Our upland habitat efforts can restore the viability of soils that have been damaged by salinity, erosion, flooding or drought. The point is that our habitat mission is connected to our country’s economic, food security, AND environmental goals. We just need to elevate our story to the right people in DC. P+P: The geographical reach of the organization is noteworthy— are there any challenges with regionalization of your efforts? Say for example, a group in Nebraska may have different needs than a group in South Texas? BSP: The geographic reach of our mission can be a challenge in deploying our resources; however, it’s most often an asset. The depth and breadth of our membership allows our organization to be relevant in the halls of Congress with any U.S. Senator or Representative. The fact that we have 7,000 Pheasants Forever 30 - FALL 2021 | PORCH + PRAIRIE Magazine
members in Michigan who love pheasants is a great asset to our 3,000 Quail Forever in Texas, because it allows us to be a relevant force for the uplands in every state. P+P: How does the upland hunter, or even just the conservationist, get involved with QF/PF? Is it purely membership driven, or can they offer their services in support of the effort as well? BSP: There are three straightforward ways to get involved with Pheasants Forever and/or Quail Forever. First, becoming a member on our website is the easiest and most crucial way for anyone to help. The more people we have as members, the more relevant we are in DC and in corporate boardrooms where we’re drumming up financial support. Second, get involved with your local chapter of Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever. More than ever before, we need people to care enough to volunteer time. And lastly, consider making a commitment to our Call of the Uplands campaign. If the uplands and bird hunting are part of your identity and your vision for the future, then we need you to get involved at www.CallOfTheUplands.org P+P
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