Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Appoint Jeff Yost to Colorado State Coordinator

Veteran biologist set to lead staff and partnership efforts for statewide upland successes

Denver, Colo. – April 9, 2021 – Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and its partners are pleased to announce the hiring of Jeff Yost as the very first Colorado state coordinator. Yost will partner with the Colorado-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and local chapters to coordinate and lead wildlife conservation efforts throughout the state focused on pheasants, quail, and sage grouse, in addition to increased public access.

“I am extremely excited to welcome Jeff into the Pheasants Forever family. He brings a tremendous track record in natural resources management to our team for delivering landscape-level conservation efforts across most of the state and is positioned to be a wonderful mentor for his new team members,” stated Al Eiden, west region director for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.

In his new role, Yost responsibilities will include overseeing Pheasants Forever’s biologist partnership, expanding Pheasants Forever’s role in working with conservation partners throughout Colorado, and overseeing habitat conservation programs such as Colorado’s Corners for Conservation. Likewise, he will also assist in helping implement conservation programs for lesser prairie chickens, sagebrush restoration, and public access.

Yost brings more than 25 years of conservation experience to his new position, having worked in nearly every ecosystem throughout the state. Yost graduated from Colorado State University in 1993 with a major in wildlife and a minor in range management. He began his conservation-focused career as a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) technician, focusing on upland research and the Pheasant Habitat Improvement Program (PHIP) in northeastern Colorado. In 1997, Yost transferred to a new position as a terrestrial biologist in southeast Colorado, spending eight years working on everything from pheasants, bobwhite and scaled quail, and lesser prairie-chickens to waterfowl, big game, and non-game species. His most recent biologist position with CPW was located in the region of Steamboat Springs, focused heavily on management efforts for bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose, and pronghorn.

“When I retired from CPW, I never planned to stop working in conservation, but rather adjust to new challenges and new opportunities,” said Jeff Yost. I am ecstatic to be selected as the Colorado state coordinator and feel as if my entire career has been preparing me to seize this moment with Pheasants Forever, contributing to wildlife habitat conservation across the eastern plains and the western slope of Colorado. How cool is that!”

Having developed a deep appreciation for the conservation opportunities and challenges in Colorado throughout his career, Yost is excited to engage landowners and conservation partners throughout region. For more information about Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in The Centennial State, contact Jeff Yost at jayost@pheasantsforever.org.

About Pheasants Forever

Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division, Quail Forever, is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 125,000 members and 750 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent over $975 million on 560,000 habitat projects benefiting 20 million acres nationwide. In fact, more than 210,000 of those acres are now permanently protected as public lands.

Media Contact

Jared Wiklund
Jwiklund@Pheasantsforever.Org
(651) 209-4953

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Volunteers Launch First-Ever Chapter on Western Slope of Colorado

Committee members are developing future plans for habitat, access, and R3 initiatives

Montrose, Colo. – April 19, 2021 – Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in Colorado is pleased to announce the first-ever chapter launch on the state’s Western Slope. Officially chartered as the Western Colorado Chapter of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever #978, local volunteers have begun planning outdoor education opportunities, learn-to-hunt events, and future habitat conservation projects to promote the region’s hunting heritage, protect public lands, and conserve critical wildlife resources.

“The mission of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever aligns closely with the outdoor passions shared by our motivated committee,” stated Ranae Williams, newly elected president for the Western Colorado Chapter of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “Although western Colorado lacks vast acres of CRP, we feel the local chapter model could have wide sweeping, positive impacts for habitat conservation efforts of iconic upland birds and other wildlife. We have big dreams for this chapter and feel that the sky is the limit for what we can accomplish with the right support and enthusiastic volunteers.”

Since 1988, chapter volunteers of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in Colorado have made impressive strides to conserve wildlife habitat and promote youth education. As a whole, volunteers have spent $15.9 million to complete 8,931 habitat projects to improve 126,317 acres for pheasants, quail, and other western wildlife species. It is this grassroots, local conservation model that will be embraced by Western Colorado Chapter of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever as they contribute to further habitat improvement projects, state initiatives, and hunting/outdoor education events in their region.

Initial steps for the chapter’s launch include partnering with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to promote the group’s Hunters Education instructors, in addition to establishing annual youth and women’s events with local hunt club affiliations. Connecting to the organization’s core mission, volunteers are prepared to begin implementing quality habitat projects for quail, chukar, grouse, and pollinators throughout the region.

“Pheasants Forever in Colorado is thrilled to have a chapter on the Western Slope that can help support our existing Working Lands for Wildlife biologist who has been on the ground for two years,” said Bob Hix, regional representative for Colorado. “The mission of Pheasants Forever transcends the bird on our logo to include diverse species and stakeholders; all of which our new chapter hopes to engage with. Additionally, their fondness for education and outreach will help this dedicated group deliver each pillar of the organization’s mission.”

The chapter will host monthly meetings on the last Sunday of each month at 9am. Hunters and conservationists interested in joining the chapter as volunteers are encouraged to attend. For more information about the chapter or to become involved, please contact chapter president, Ranae Williams, at ranae.williams@csuglobal.edu.

For more information about Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in Colorado, to join a chapter or inquire about starting a chapter, contact Bob Hix at (303) 743-8957 / Email.

About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division, Quail Forever, is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 130,000 members and 780 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent over $950 million on 560,000 habitat projects benefiting 20 million acres nationwide. In fact, more than 212,000 of those acres are now permanently protected as public lands.

Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
Jwiklund@Pheasantsforever.Org
(651) 209-4953

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Unveil Ambitious National Campaign to Conserve 9 Million Acres

Wet Meadow Restoration: Greater Sage Grouse in NW Colorado

Early September the PF Seed Program, helped sponsor a project to restore riparian and wet meadow habitat near the town of Craig in northwestern Colorado. Pheasants Forever Working Lands for Wildlife Biologists from Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah all participated in the event organized by the USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, NRCS/PF-Working Lands for Wildlife, Bio-Logic, Wildland Restoration Volunteers (WRV), and Visintainer Sheep Co, where the project took place.

Wet meadows, or mesic areas, contain crucial brood-rearing habitat for the Greater Sage Grouse and host numerous benefits to other wildlife and livestock. In these sagebrush rangelands of northwestern Colorado elk and mule deer along with neo-tropical migratory birds use these wet meadows at some point throughout the year. Over time the meadows have been damaged by erosion and lower water tables altered by drought, intense rain events, and a changing climate.

Using simple but innovative techniques derived from restoration guru Bill Zeedyk the group was able to start restoring the meadow with rock, or “Zeedyk” structures. The goal with these structures is to raise the water table, slow erosion, and support a diversity of plants and insects. These wet meadows are crucial to the Greater Sage Grouse as within the first few weeks of being hatched chicks need high protein insects to survive into adolescence and these mesic areas provide this excellent habitat. The wet meadows also allow plants to stay green, and grow later in the season, providing excellent forage for elk, deer, and livestock. Since soil disturbance is an integral facet of the rock structure implementation the PF Seed Program was able to provide a native pollinator forb seed mix in and around these structures to promote greater insect pollinator activity, providing excellent early brood rearing habitat for Greater Sage Grouse. The South Denver Metro Pheasants Forever Chapter of Colorado donated the seed and PF Chapters in CO help contribute to our private land’s biologist program ensuring that projects like these continue to grow.

Dozens of volunteers were mentored and led by Bob Timberman of USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, Shawn Conner of Bio-Logic, Brian Holmes of CO Parks & Wildlife, William Vieth of Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, and Rebecca Burton a Working Lands for Wildlife Biologist with Pheasants Forever/NRCS. Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, a Colorado based non-profit who organizes volunteers to work on conservation projects in Colorado and southern Wyoming, was an integral component of the project as they organized and provided the manpower to make quite an impact. The Covid-19 pandemic brought additional challenges implementing the project, but by limiting the group size to 25 volunteers per day, maintaining social distancing of 6+ feet whenever possible, and wearing masks while working in close proximities allowed to make it a reality.

Throughout the 4-day event almost 50 structures were built, new partnerships developed, and numerous encounters with the Greater Sage Grouse to the point where a few were able to harvest this iconic bird on surrounding public lands. Special thanks goes out to all the partners involved while Pheasants Forever looks forward to other opportunities of wet meadow restoration in the West.

Sites were selected down a major drainage on the property where piles of rocks from a local quarry were staged for the event.

Shawn Conner of Bio-Logic, (far right), explains the proper method for building the rock structures.

Left to Right: Annelyse Matzinger and Rebecca Burton of Pheasants Forever mask up as they put finishing touches on a rock rundown structure.

Left to Right: Brian Holmes of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Bob Timberman of USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program led this effort by selecting project sites, landowner relations, and inclusion of partners.

Left to Right: Jason LeVan, Michael Peyton, Larry Glassburn (WRV volunteer), Rebecca Burton, Annaelyse Matzinger, and Charlie Holtz of Pheasants Forever were grateful to assist on this unique opportunity.

Multiple forb species growing throughout the wet meadow whereby adding a diverse native pollinator seed mix in and amongst the rock structures will help ensure forb integration after project disturbance has ceased.

Western yarrow pokes through rocks where after applying the native forb seed mix this fall will promote greater diversity of pollinator species that bloom throughout the growing season, providing insect rich habitat for Wester Sage Grouse.

Left to Right: Pheasants Forever Biologists Jason LeVan of Lander, WY – Michael Peyton of Tremonton, UT, – Rebecca Burton of Craig, CO, – Charlie Holtz and Annelyse Matzinger of Vernal, Utah take a breather after building a “Zuni bowl”.

Left to Right-Pheasants Forever Biologists Michael Peyton, Jason LeVan, and Charlie Holtz mid-day before all three were able to harvest Greater Sage Grouse, which was a first for Jason and Charlie.

Corners for Conservation (C4C)

Are you new to the state? Need information about where to hunt upland game in Colorado? Want to know about Pheasant’s Forever’s contribution to conservation and hunting access?

Great! The best program (in my mind) for the combination of information to answer those questions is found in the descriptions of the Corners 4 Conservation (C4C). C4C is a partnership between Pheasant’s Forever, farmers, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Natural Resources Conservation service, High Plains Land Conservancy, and Muley Fanatics to create habitat for birds, bees, bucks, & butterflies that helps farmers make their land more profitable and gives the public open access for hunting! What a win for everyone, especially the wildlife.

SO, if you need hunting access, want to see PF at work through their wildlife biologists, or want to see conservation at it’s best, get yourself a booklet showing where the walk-in acres are. Those can be found free at your local sporting goods stores. Or better yet, follow these links for more information at the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website. See you in the field.

https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/RulesRegs/Brochure/LateCropland.pdf#search=corners%20for%20conservation https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Commission/2017/March/Item_20-PowerPoint-Corners_Conservation-MArch2017-PWCMtg.pdf#search=corners%20for%20conservation

Young Hunters Take Aim at Ballyneal Shooting Event

Max Levy, The Holyoke Enterprise

Grace Roberts of Holyoke participates in an activity during the Phillips County Pheasants Forever youth hunt March 16. — Dale Berg

Sponsored by Phillips County Pheasants Forever and Ballyneal Golf Club, a group of seven youths trekked out to the Ballyneal hunting grounds last Saturday, March 16, for a day of supervised hunting fun.

Besides having all previously attended hunter safety courses, Phillips County Pheasants Forever youth chairman Tom Olson said the 12- through 16-year-olds brought various levels of experience to the hunt.

All attendees were still able to participate in two rounds of shooting, where chukars, a type of gamebird, were planted and then flushed out by a dog for them to target.

Olson said youth hunts put on by Pheasants Forever give kids an introductory understanding of the sport, including the role of hunters in conservation and habitat preservation.

“Our first mission is habitat, and the second is youth development,” he said. “It’s all about introducing kids to this type of hunting with a real emphasis on safety.”

Olson also acknowledged the value of Ballyneal offering the grounds for the club’s use.

“They couldn’t have been more gracious or helpful in hosting for us,” he said.

In addition to the seven young hunters, nine parents and volunteers attended, as well as Pheasants Forever farm bill biologist Chrissy Rhodes.

The day started out with breakfast and a presentation by Rhodes on habitat, followed by a trip to the shooting range where participants shot clay targets in preparation for the hunt.

Click here to read more!

Western Team Welcomes New Member: Nik Wright, Kit Carson County, CO

Nik Wright, Kit Carson County Nik was born and raised in Lubbock, TX and received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Washington in Wildlife Science. Growing up, he loved spending time outdoors and spent many days chasing quail, redfish, and any other game he could find. His experiences hunting and fishing as a child illuminated his passion for conservation and drove him to pursue a career as a wildlife biologist. For his senior thesis, Nik collaborated with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on a project involving the potential reintroduction of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse to the Methow Valley in Okanogan County, WA. Prior to joining Pheasants Forever, he was a deer behavioral analyst for the Predator Ecology Lab at the University of Washington where he studied how the recolonization of northwestern gray wolves is directly and indirectly affecting mule and white-tailed deer behavior. Nik became intimately familiar with the work of Pheasants Forever while assisting and working with landowners in Douglas County, WA on Greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse conservation, and is excited to be a part of that positive impact. By working with landowners to develop and implement site-specific wildlife management plans, he hopes to contribute to Pheasants Forever’s mission of conservation to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities he had as a child.

Farewell to a Legend: Colorado’s Jerry Miller Turns in his Seed Mixes

Krysten Strong | Farm Bill Biologist, Pheasants Forever/USDA NRCS/ Wray, CO

This spring, after 8 years serving as the Northeastern Colorado Farm Bill Biologist, Jerry Miller hung up his biologist hat and retired to the simple life.

In 2010, Jerry was hired on as Eastern Colorado’s first Farm Bill Biologist with Pheasants Forever. A former forester, Jerry is a native of Northeastern Colorado, who’s family are well known farmers and outdoorsmen in Logan County.

During his 8-year tenure with Pheasants Forever, Jerry changed both the conservation and physical landscape in Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, and Logan Counties of Northeastern Colorado. Even before his time with Pheasants Forever, Jerry had made it his mission to provide on the ground habitat while protecting the local water and soil resources through tree plantings along Northeast Colorado’s rural waterways. Jerry continued this mission through Pheasants Forever and Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Pheasant Habitat Improvement Program (PHIP).

As new programs became available locally, Jerry was quick in taking action. As a fellow biologist, you knew you had to step up quick because there was no question that, left to his devices, Jerry would have no trouble in filling any and all available acres.

In his latter years with Pheasants Forever, Jerry took the state and national pollinator initiative to heart, planting thousands of acres of pollinator and monarch habitat through EQIP.

In addition to his on-the-ground habitat implementation, his outreach efforts enabled him to make a more permanent impact on habitat. Each year, Jerry would take part in a number of youth programs, set up a habitat display at every local event he could squeeze in, provided landowner workshops, and assisted in providing conservation training to producers, biologists, and future generations of conservationists.

Jerry’s presence will be missed by the Colorado PF Team, as well as many others. We wish him all the best in his retirement, as no one could deserve it more. After all, there aren’t many people who can say that their legacy has made such an impact on local habitat that it can be viewed from Google Earth!

Beer-Can Pheasant

Beer-Can Pheasant
Try this simple recipe courtesy “Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail” author Hank Shaw, and we swear you will never skin another bird.

Beer can chicken is one of the best ways I know to roast a chicken, especially in summertime, when you can do this recipe on the grill. But, while you can jam a regular beer can into a pheasant, the birds are generally too small. But a Red Bull can will fit. Fill it halfway with beer.

Ingredients:

2 empty Red Bull cans
Enough beer to fill half the cans (use any beer you want)
2 whole pheasants
1/4 cup olive oil to coat birds
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Instructions:

Take the pheasants out and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Bring the beer out, too, as you don’t want cold beer in the can.
Prepare your grill for indirect heat. If you are using charcoal, put the coals on one side of the grill, leaving another side free of coals. If you are using a gas grill, fire up only half of the burners.
Rub the pheasants all over with olive oil. Mix the salt, pepper, and thyme in a bowl and sprinkle it over the pheasant.
Fill the Red Bull can halfway with beer; it doesn’t matter what kind. Drink the rest of the beer. Put the can inside the pheasants’ cavity and place the pheasants on the cool side of the grill. The legs and the can will act like a tripod to keep the pheasant upright.
Cover the grill and come back in 40 minutes. After that time, check the pheasants and add more coals if needed. Stick a thermometer into the thickest part of the pheasant’s thigh — you want it to read 160 degrees. If it’s not there, close the grill lid and come back in 15 minutes. Keep checking this way until the pheasant is done. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, poke the spot between the leg and breast with a knife and look for the juices to run clear, not pink.
Carefully move the pheasants to a pan. Let them rest for 10 minutes. Carefully lift it off the can and carve up into serving pieces.

Consider brining your pheasants first, especially if it was a wild bird. Mix 1/4 cup of kosher salt with 4 cups of water and add some seasonings: I like bay leaves, rosemary and cracked black pepper. Submerge the pheasant in this brine for 4 to 8 hours, then drain and let sit in the fridge uncovered the next day — this helps you get a crispy skin. After that, you can do this like a regular beer can chicken.

This great recipe, and many others for your upland birds, can be found in small game cookbook “Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail” by hunter, angler, gardener, cook Hank Shaw.

The book is available through Pheasants Forever / Quail Forever at special chapter pricing. It makes for a great sponsor gift or addition to any cooking package at your next fund raising event.

More info at www.honest-food.net

Hunter Meet and Greet

DENVER – The South Metro Chapter of Pheasants Forever #816 (SMPF) is excited to announce their first ever “Hunter Meet and Greet” on opening weekend of the 2018 Pheasant Hunting Season. SMPF will be staged at specific locations for the weekend opener to help hunters find new places to hunt on public lands and assist those who become frustrated by afternoon, give advice on new strategies and provide information on the great habitat and education outreach programs that Pheasants Forever are involved in. South Metro Pheasants Forever will have their education/outreach trailer and canopy set-up for easy visibility. Stop on by and warm up, meet folks that enjoy the outdoors like you and maybe even find a new hunting buddy. Our partner, Cabela’s in Lone Tree, has donated two $25 gift cards for door prizes. The drawing will be held on Monday, November 12 and the winner will be contacted by email.

SMPF will be at the following locations:

November 10 at 5–8:30 a.m. in Sterling, Colorado at the Reata Travel Shop located on US 6 (take I-76 to Exit 125, turn right 1 block).
November 10 at 10:00 a.m–12:30 p.m. in Haxtun, Colorado at the Haxtun Sooper’s located on US 6 and S. Colorado Ave.
November 11 at 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Holyoke, Colorado located at the Phillips County Event Center located on US 385 one block north of the railroad tracks

SMPF will also be at Pheasants Forever Eastern Colorado Banquets:

November 09 Sterling Northeastern Junior College Ballroom

https://www.northeastcoloradopf.com/new-events/

November 10 Holyoke Phillips County Event Center

http://www.phillipscountypf.org/Banquet_Information.php

South Metro Pheasants Forever will provide PF and Colorado Parks and Wildlife brochures and also remind hunters to get their HIP numbers before entering the field.

www.cpw.state.co.us

www.colohip.com

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Pheasants Forever Mission:

Pheasants Forever is dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs.