PODCAST · sports
On The Wing Podcast
by On The Wing Podcast by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
Welcome to the On the Wing Podcast with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.On the Wing is your destination for conversations about upland bird hunting, wildlife habitat, public lands, bird dogs, wild game cooking and epic adventures in search of pheasants, quail and grouse. These are the stories of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s 145,000 members, volunteers, team of professional wildlife biologists and experts in the field. Our shows are recorded in person and often on the road from the end of tailgates, backs of horse trailers and after a day in the field chasing birds.
Episodes
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EP. 387: Pheasant Hunting Equalizers
The right weather conditions, quality habitat and hunting tactics can turn tough pheasants into more shooting opportunities. Pheasant hunting is never supposed to be easy. That challenge is what keeps hunters coming back. But the right tactics can tip the odds in your favor. Pheasants Forever...
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EP. 386: QF’s 2026 Quail Hunting Forecast
Where should you chase quail in 2026? Quail Forever Journal editor Ryan Sparks joins On the Wing to break down QF’s 2026 Quail Hunting Forecast species by species, revealing where habitat, rainfall, and bird numbers are lining up for a productive season. The conversation starts with bobwhite…
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EP. 385: Broken Bow’s Colton Patterson on Illustrating Wendell Berry Story
Colton Patterson built Broken Bow around the music, artwork, traditions, and values he inherited from his grandfather. At just 19, his work has grown into a social media following with more than one million people, along with collaborations with artists like the Turnpike Troubadours. That same...
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EP. 384: PF’s 2026 Pheasant Hunting Forecast: Best States to Hunt this Season
Pheasants have a knack for surviving whatever the prairie throws at them, and this year's forecast offers plenty of reasons to lace up the boots. From Montana and the Dakotas to Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota, the outlook varies by region, but the bigger story is encouraging: quality…
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EP. 383: How Public Land Changes Hunting One Parcel at a Time
Public land doesn’t have to start with thousands of acres. Sometimes it starts with one property, one partnership, and one group of volunteers willing to keep building. PF & QF’s Casey Sill joins On the Wing to talk about “Brick by Brick,” a new film documenting the impact Pheasants Forever and...
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EP. 382: Country Music Artist Drake White on Hunting, Music, and Healing
Country music singer Drake White joins On the Wing for a candid conversation about music, hunting, bird dogs, and the long road back from a devastating stroke. White grew up hunting and fishing in Alabama, where quail, deer, rivers, dogs, and the outdoors shaped how he understood the world and...
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EP. 381: “Gamey” - A Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Short Essay
The word “gamey” gets thrown around whenever wild game tastes different from what we know. But what does the word “gamey” actually mean? Quail Forever Journal editor Ryan Sparks takes a hard look at the word and makes the case that it does more harm than good. Wild game carries the imprint of…
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EP. 380: “Judy” — A Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Short Story
A bird dog endures shipwrecks, captivity, starvation and war to become a legendary symbol of courage. Judy of Sussex was no ordinary bird dog. Born in Shanghai in 1936, the liver-and-white pointer became the mascot of a British gunboat before serving alongside its crew through some of the darkest...
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EP. 379: Quail Across America: A Florida Couple’s Six-Species Adventure
Wild quail, rugged country, and a six-species pursuit turned one couple’s hunts into lifelong adventures. Jamie and Jesse Durham never set out to become dedicated quail hunters. Their journey started with a question on a first date and grew into a goal to hunt all six species of quail in the…
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EP. 378: Inside a Bird Dog’s Mind: Canine Senses, Training, and Behavior
What actually happens inside a bird dog’s brain when it locks onto a pheasant, quail, or grouse? Dr. Annie Valuska, a Purina pet behaviorist with more than 20 years of experience in animal behavior research, helps unpack the science behind the dogs we depend on in the field. The conversation...
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EP. 377: “Ballad of the Bird Dog” Goes Official with Musician Reese Glover
For anyone who has ever watched a bird dog lock onto a point or shared quiet miles across public land, this conversation hits close to home. Singer-songwriter Reese Glover returns to talk about the official release of “Ballad of the Bird Dog,” a song introduced to the bird hunting community…
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EP. 376: Wine, Wild Game, and California Quail at Passalacqua Winery
Discover how great wild game meals become unforgettable when paired with exceptional wine and upland traditions. A turkey hunt in California's vineyard country turns into a conversation about upland hunting, wild game cooking, and why great meals begin long before they reach the table. Quail...
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EP. 375: Conservation Scorecard: State Advocacy for Habitat, Hunting, and Public Lands
The biggest victories for upland birds often happen long before hunting season ever opens. Wild pheasants, quail, public land access, and quality bird hunting all depend on decisions made long before opening day. State legislatures shape wildlife habitat, conservation funding, prescribed fire,...
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EP. 374: Wyoming’s Hidden Upland Opportunities Beyond Sage Grouse
Discover the overlooked birds, wild landscapes, and upland habitat work shaping Wyoming. Wyoming may be famous for sage grouse, mule deer, and elk, but the state offers far more upland hunting opportunities than most hunters realize. From dusky grouse in the high country to Hungarian partridge,...
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EP. 373: Johnny Morris on Conservation, Quail, and Inspiring the Next Generation
A conservation legend and a remarkable young bird caller reveal why America's uplands are worth protecting. Conservation begins with curiosity, and few conversations capture that better than this one. Twelve-year-old bird calling phenom Samuel Henderson shares how his passion for birds and his...
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EP. 372: Previewing New Season of The Flush on Outdoor Channel
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…
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EP. 371: The Story Behind Jared Benson’s New Song “Old Bird Dog”
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…
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EP. 370: Pollinators, Quail, and Wild Foods from the Desert
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…
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EP. 369: Biology of Nesting Season for Pheasants, Quail, and Prairie Grouse
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...
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EP. 368: The Role of Bird Dogs in the Future of Hunting and Conservation
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...
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EP. 367: Arizona Quail Initiative is Shaping Future of Habitat, Access, Hunting
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…
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EP. 366: Working on a New Farm Bill and CRP Improvements in D.C.
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.…
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EP. 365: Trading Habitat Help for Hunting Access
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…
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EP. 364: Keeping Your Bird Dog Sharp with a Busy Family Life
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...
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EP. 363: Hands-On Habitat: Restoring Texas High Plains for Upland Wildlife
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...
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EP. 362: Best Hunting Spot Names and the Stories Submitted by Listeners
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…
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EP. 361: Habitat University, Creating Upland Habitat from the Ground Up
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...
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EP. 360: Quail vs. Turkey Habitat Secrets Every Landowner Should Know
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...
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EP. 359: Science-Driven Habitat Strategy for Better Pheasant and Quail Populations
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...
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EP. 358: Hunting Spot Names That Stick
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…
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EP. 357: Chasing Mountain and Valley Quail Across the West
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...
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EP. 356: The Life of a Bird Hunting Guide: Dogs, Grouse, and Scaled Quail
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...
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EP. 355: Introducing the E-Collar Properly for Young Bird Dogs
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…
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EP. 354: Hard Truths & Practical Tips for the Traveling Wingshooter
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...
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EP. 353: Cookies for Conservation and the Future of Public Land Hunting
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…
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EP. 352: Iowa’s Upland Comeback: Pheasants, Quail, and Habitat Truths
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...
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EP. 351: Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2026 Preview
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...
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EP. 350: Quail Forever Joins SEWE to Celebrate Quail Culture in Charleston
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...
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EP. 349: Rooster Road Trip Recap is Bird Hunting Reality Check
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…
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EP. 348: Rooster Road Trip Finishes with Hot Quail Action
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...
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EP. 347: Rooster Road Trip Connects Hunting, Habitat, and Public Access
Rooster Road Trip continues with a stop at one of our Build a Wildlife Area projects where we opened up a land-locked parcel to create more than 1,000 acres of public access. Kansas doesn’t always get the credit it deserves for quail, but when habitat is high-quality and access is open, it can...
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EP. 346: Rooster Road Trip Rolls Through Kansas WIHA
Some days test your legs, dogs, patience, and purpose, but they also teach the deepest lessons. Rooster Road Trip rolls through Kansas with a hard-earned reminder: not every day in bird country goes as planned. In this episode, the crew dives into the realities of public land pheasant and quail...
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EP. 345: Action-Packed Public Lands Quail Hunt
Wild bobwhite quail, public lands, and bird dogs collide in Kansas as our 16th installment of Rooster Road Trip takes flight. You’ll hear how the Rooster Road Trip ethos focused on hunting public land for five days with whatever conditions Mother Nature delivers has stayed consistent over the...
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EP. 344: Grouse Camp Comes Alive: Inside Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic’s Upland Gathering
A first-of-its-kind “Grouse Camp” brings the prairies, forests, bird dogs, and upland community together under one roof. National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic has long been the premier gathering for the upland community, but 2026 raises the bar. In this episode, we preview the debut of Grouse...
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EP. 343: Breaking Down 2026’s Projected Conservation Battles at the State Level
Statehouse conservation battles are shaping your future experiences in the uplands. This episode provides a valuable state-by-state rundown of what’s coming in 2026 and how bird hunters can influence policy through advocacy efforts at the state level. From dedicated conservation funding to the...
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EP. 342: A Holiday Recipe Featuring Quail in Red Wine and Mushroom Sauce
A rich, winter-ready wild game dish that hunters can master with simple stock and sauce techniques. In this holiday feasting edition of On the Wing podcast, we dig into an upland-inspired meal built for cold evenings after long days in the field. Quail Forever Journal Editor Ryan Sparks returns…
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EP. 341: Pretzel-Crusted Pheasant Cutlets with QF Editor Ryan Sparks
A fall feast of pheasant, apples, and Passalacqua Winery’s white wine created for hunters who love wild game. In this snackable holiday edition of On the Wing podcast, Quail Forever Journal Editor Ryan Sparks breaks down his pretzel-crusted pheasant cutlets with apple cream sauce, a cold-weather...
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EP. 340: Building New Bird Hunters Through Volunteer Leadership
In this episode, we dive deep into the heart of Illinois upland hunting with chapter volunteer leader and bird dog devotee Freddy Reyes. Aaron Williams, PF & QF’s regional representative for northern Illinois, also provides a boots-on-the-ground upland report for early-season pheasant and quail...
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EP. 339: Dennis Anderson on the Creation of Pheasants Forever and the Future of Upland Conservation
A single newspaper column sparked one of America’s greatest upland conservation movements, here’s how it happened. Before there were banquets, chapters, or habitat acres on the ground, there was a typewriter and an idea. In this episode of On the Wing Podcast, PF & QF’s Bob St. Pierre and Jared...
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EP. 338: Chasing Prairie Ghosts: The Flatlanders’ Upland Bird Adventure Across the West
Three hunters, six dogs, and three western states—one unforgettable pursuit for prairie chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, sage grouse, and ptarmigan. This episode of On the Wing Podcast follows three Pheasants Forever volunteers, Kenny Reed, Colton Nefsker, and Justin Nie, as they return from an…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the On the Wing Podcast with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.On the Wing is your destination for conversations about upland bird hunting, wildlife habitat, public lands, bird dogs, wild game cooking and epic adventures in search of pheasants, quail and grouse. These are the stories of Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s 145,000 members, volunteers, team of professional wildlife biologists and experts in the field. Our shows are recorded in person and often on the road from the end of tailgates, backs of horse trailers and after a day in the field chasing birds.
HOSTED BY
On The Wing Podcast by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does On The Wing Podcast have?
On The Wing Podcast currently has 386 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is On The Wing Podcast about?
Welcome to the On the Wing Podcast with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.On the Wing is your destination for conversations about upland bird hunting, wildlife habitat, public lands, bird dogs, wild game cooking and epic adventures in search of pheasants, quail and grouse. These are the stories...
How often does On The Wing Podcast release new episodes?
On The Wing Podcast publishes regularly with 386 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to On The Wing Podcast?
You can listen to On The Wing Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts On The Wing Podcast?
On The Wing Podcast is created and hosted by On The Wing Podcast by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.
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