On The Wing Podcast

Fall bird hunting starts long before the first rooster flushes or the first covey rises. It begins with maps spread across the table, bird reports rolling in, and conversations about the places, people, and traditions that make every hunting season unforgettable. Travis Frank, host of The Flush on Outdoor Channel, shares what's ahead for the newest season while swapping stories about upcoming adve...

Few things define the upland hunting experience like a good bird dog, a trusted shotgun, and memories built one hunt at a time. On this episode of On The Wing Podcast, PF & QF’s Bob St. Pierre and Casey Sill sit down with Iowa musician and avid bird hunter Jared Benson to talk about the inspiration behind his new song, Old Bird Dog . What starts as a conversation about music quickly turns into...

As Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever celebrate Grasslands Week and Pollinator Week, this conversation explores the critical relationship between healthy habitat, thriving pollinator populations, and strong upland bird numbers. From pheasant chicks and bobwhite quail to Gambel's quail and prairie grouse, the insects supported by flowering plants provide the protein young birds need to survive and...

It’s “Hatch Week” at Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, so it’s cause for celebration. In fact, peak hatch is happening now and understanding it can make you a better upland hunter. What actually happens during pheasant hatch, quail nesting season, and prairie grouse breeding? This conversation breaks down the biology behind the birds many upland hunters pursue each fall, and explains why nestin...

The connection between a bird dog and a hunter may be one of conservation’s most powerful forces. For many upland hunters, the journey begins with their first bird dog. For others, that dog is what keeps them connected to hunting, habitat conservation, and life outdoors. John Zeman has spent decades training bird dogs, competing in field trials, mentoring new handlers, and helping hunters develop...

Monsoon rains, desert grasslands, and wild coveys collide in Arizona’s ambitious quail restoration effort. Arizona’s quail country is bigger, rougher, and more alive than most hunters realize. In this conversation, the crew behind Quail Forever’s Arizona Quail Initiative breaks down how large-scale habitat restoration is shaping the future of Gambel’s quail, scaled quail, and Mearns’ quail. From r...

Washington, D.C. can feel a long way from pheasant country, quail habitat, and working farms, but the decisions made there shape the future of upland hunting across America. In this conversation, the crew from Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever breaks down what happened during a recent D.C. fly-in alongside members of The Habitat Organization’s new Upland Caucus. Public relations specialist Mikay...

Better habitat means better hunting. That’s not a surprising statement. What may surprise folks is how much sweat equity it takes to turn average habitat into elite upland habitat. In this episode, learn how an everyday landowner is building wildlife-rich ground with a little help from friends and family. Private landowner Tim Kraskey breaks down the real-world habitat management strategies that d...

Balancing bird dog training with young kids, busy schedules, and everyday life is a challenge most upland hunters eventually face. The reality is your dog doesn’t stop needing structure just because your time gets tighter. The good news is you don’t need hours in the field to maintain a high-performing hunting dog. Veteran bird dog owner and SportDOG Brand’s Clay Thompson breaks down how to keep a...

Deep in the Texas High Plains, a committed group of conservationists is proving what’s possible when habitat work meets community grit. On a sprawling 9,000-acre property at Palo Duro, volunteers, biologists, and land managers are tackling real-world challenges like invasive species, wildfire mitigation, and declining upland bird habitat through hands-on conservation projects. This conversation di...

Great hunting spots aren’t just found; they’re named through hard-earned moments in the field. This collection of listener-submitted stories dives into the heart of upland bird hunting culture, where bird dogs, wild flushes, and unforgettable days turn ordinary places into permanent fixtures on the map. This “snackable” episode also announces the winner of the Frost River Woodsman Pack from the co...

This conversation breaks down Habitat University, a skills-based platform designed to close the gap between theory and real-world application. Whether you’re planting a pollinator plot, improving nesting cover, establishing a food plot, or managing CRP acres, the focus is on actionable knowledge that leads to better results on the landscape. You’ll hear how modern conservation faces a growing chal...

What if higher quality quail habitat could unlock better turkey hunting on your land? Spring turkey hunting gets the spotlight, but the real story starts long before opening day. It lives in the habitat. This conversation brings together two wildlife biologists to break down the relationship between wild turkeys and bobwhite quail, cutting through myths and getting to what actually drives bird num...

What if better habitat decisions could directly translate into higher populations of pheasants and quail, as well as better hunting opportunities? Behind every great day chasing upland birds is high quality habitat that actually produces birds. This conversation pulls back the curtain on how science is shaping the future of upland bird hunting across the country. During this conversation, PF &...

Every hunter has a spot with a name that holds memories, birds, and meaning. Spend enough seasons chasing upland birds and the map starts to change. What begins as public land or a patch of cover turns into something personal. A place earns a name through miles walked, bird dogs worked, and coveys flushed at just the right moment. This conversation dives into the stories behind those names and the...

One hunter’s relentless quest to chase upland birds across America’s wildest terrain. This conversation dives deep into the reality behind the “upland slam” — not just the birds, but the dogs, the habitat, and the wild game meal at the end of a hunt. Listeners will pick up practical insights on upland bird hunting strategy, from breaking down unfamiliar terrain to identifying productive habitat li...

Learn what it really takes to guide upland hunts across the ruffed grouse woods and through the desert quail country. Behind the Instagram photos of bird dogs on point is a far grittier reality. Brian Vander Maazen pulls back the curtain on life as a full-time bird hunting guide, from the aspen covers of Wisconsin to the desert edges of scaled quail country. This conversation gets into the daily g...

This episode delivers a clear, responsible path for turning the e-collar into a trusted communication tool for your bird dog. Bringing home a new bird dog is one of the best parts of the hunting lifestyle. Along with the excitement comes an important question for many first-time handlers. When and how should an electronic training collar enter the picture? Veteran bird dog owner and SportDOG Brand...

This episode reprises a panel conversation at this year’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic moderated by PF & QF’s Andrew Vavra and included veteran bird hunters Katie Willis, Tyler Webster, and Bob St. Pierre. Planning your next upland bird hunting adventure goes far beyond packing your gear—it’s about setting clear expectations, maintaining a flexible mindset, and preparing for all...

A 13-year-old bird dog trainer is funding public access one cookie at a time. At National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, most conversations revolve around bird dogs, habitat, and the next great upland hunt. This one goes further. Brooke Bartels, a young dog handler deeply involved in North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA), is turning homemade cookies into real dollars for wi...

Iowa’s upland birds are rebounding, but habitat still determines their future. The 100th pheasant season in Iowa delivered the kind of optimism hunters haven’t felt in two decades. Roadside counts climbed. Rooster harvest is projected to be the strongest in 20 years. Northern bobwhite numbers in the southern tier surged, with quail harvest potentially doubling from recent seasons. Even Hungarian p...

National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic returns to the Minneapolis Convention Center with a packed weekend of upland celebrations. Turnpike Troubadours headline the Concert for Conservation, with Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles opening the show on Thursday night. For bird hunters, hearing “The Bird Hunters” played live before a weekend dedicated to upland hunting, bird dogs, and grassl...

Each February, Charleston, South Carolina becomes the center of Southern sporting culture, and this conversation explains why the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) has earned that reputation. From quail hunting traditions to world-class sporting art and bird dogs on every corner, SEWE is where upland culture, quail habitat conservation, and delicious food collide. This year, SEWE takes place...

When roosters vanish and quail cooperate, the road trip still teaches hard-earned upland lessons. Sixteen years into Rooster Road Trip, Kansas delivered a reminder every upland hunter eventually learns. You can do your homework, study maps, trust your instincts, and still come up empty on roosters. This recap pulls back the curtain on our late-season bird hunt where plans shifted, expectations wer...

Kansas has a reputation in upland circles, and for good reason. Wide-open spaces, rolling grasslands, and the promise of bobwhite coveys and cackling roosters tucked into classic bird country. On this year’s Rooster Road Trip, that promise got tested repeatedly. Mika Rezac, PF & QF’s regional representative from Kansas, joins the crew with her pack of outstanding Labs and English setter. In fa...