Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever Seed Program

09/01/2026

Some good information about the different terms we use to define plants from our friends at Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in Pennsylvania.

08/30/2026

"Some days we may ask ourselves if what we do is making a difference with all that is going on. Then you take a morning walk and see it first hand. And while it may be a small random plot or a large habitat project; it tells you yes, it matters."

📷Mike Retterer, Seed Program Manager

08/28/2026

Two years ago, during a Hands-On Habitat project completed by the Sakakawea Pheasants Forever chapter at Lake Audubon National Refuge in North Dakota, the chapter connected with Kelly Madsen, a Realty Specialist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. He had just purchased a farmstead about a mile east of the refuge and wanted to put some of the land into native grass for nesting and food plots for deer and pheasant. The chapter was happy to help.

The area was seeding with the ND PF CRP CP42 Pollinator with Grass Mix and our Winter Shield food plot mix. The grass he established this year already has had at least 5 nesting hens and the food plot has been attracting both deer and pheasants. Additionally, because of the work on his land, a neighbor contacted the chapter this spring and put in another two acres of grass and a five-acre food plot on some marginal farmland. They are small projects, but they are making a difference!🌱

A big thank you to the chapter and landowner for sharing their project success with us!

08/28/2026

When the chrysalis is where you least expect it! 🦋
A monarch caterpillar doesn’t always choose a milkweed plant when it’s time to pupate. In fact, this one in Iowa decided a biologist’s garage door keypad was the perfect place to hang its chrysalis!

Before forming a chrysalis, monarch caterpillars typically leave their host plant and search for a sheltered, secure spot where they can attach themselves with silk. That might be under a leaf, on a stem, beneath an eave, or, apparently, on a keypad. 😄

Nature has a way of finding the most unexpected places to grow!

📷Dave Reuter, Midwest Conservation Specialist

08/26/2026

Whether they are with us in the field or in our laps, these pups hold a special place in our heart. Happy National Dog Day!🐾

08/24/2026

08/24/2026

The Butler County Conservation Board in Iowa seeded this last fall in Heery Woods State Park, managed by BCCB. They wanted to create a more pollinator friendly trail and give users of the trail more education experience. They seeded with the Iowa CP42/EQIP/CSP Ada Hayden Monarch Pollinator 10/40 Mix. This is a scene fit for a post card!🤩

08/21/2026

Some great information about identifying Sericea lespedeza, an invasive legume found across the US, and two native lespedezas that look similar to sericea.

08/20/2026

🌼Species Spotlight: Indian Blanket aka Firewheel

Indian Blanket is a bright, native wildflower known for its bold red and yellow daisy-like blooms that light up prairies, roadsides, and restoration plantings from late spring into fall. This tough wildflower grows in full sun and sandy or dry, well-drained soils, making it a reliable choice for challenging sites. It has excellent drought tolerance once established. It’s also a strong pollinator plant. It’s a reliable source of nectar and pollen attracting hummingbirds, native bees, butterflies, moths, and other beneficial insects throughout its long bloom period, while its seed heads feed small songbirds, chipmunks, and other small mammals. Bighorn sheep and deer will browse on it.

Indian Blanket adds both color and ecological value, bringing energy to habitat plantings while supporting pollinator and other wildlife populations through the growing season.

08/17/2026

Some great info from Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever in Missouri. Find your local Wildlife Biologist at: https://pheasantsforever.org/get-involved/find-a-biologist/