Monday, November 23, 2020

HIRING Pheasants Forever Account Rep



Scheels Is hiring a Pheasants Forever Account Rep 

Overview:

The Pheasants Forever Account Representative will be the lead collaborator between the Pheasants Forever organization and SCHEELS. This associate will work within the SCHEELS E-Commerce team and help promote the presence of hunting and outdoor categories within our stores and Scheels.com. They will also partner with local chapters, regional representatives and the national Pheasants Forever organization in support of various banquets and events across the country.

 

What it takes to be a Scheels Expert:

Customer Service

  • Genuinely and consistently treat co-workers, customers and business partners like they are the most important person including eye contact, a smile and a genuine “Thank you”

Culture

  • Approach daily tasks, projects and follow-up communication with energy and sense of urgency
  • Cultivate a deep desire to become a knowledge expert in their role with the ability to apply their knowledge and experience with great impact.
  • Show respect and appreciation for others and Scheels
  • Arrive to work and meetings 10 minutes early

Servant Leadership

  • Genuine interest and action in helping others before yourself, regardless of recognition or reward

Teach-ability

  • Consistent eagerness to listen, learn, apply knowledge and accept critical feedback
  • Ability to adapt to a changing work environment
  • Ability to apply concepts of basic math, grammar, punctuation and spelling

Dress Code

  • Meets Scheels dress and grooming expectations in support of professional, clean and welcoming environment for customers, co-workers and business partners

Efficiency

  • Demonstrate pride and ownership of their work while meeting expected deadlines

 

The Essentials:

  • Manage relationship with Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever Teams
  • Work with National Organization to manage banquet site offerings
  • Work with National Organization & SCHEELS buying team to manage storefront offerings
  • Support regional Representatives and their work with local chapters
  • Support Local chapters in placing and servicing orders for banquets and events
  • Create training materials for placing orders via banquet site
  • Customer Service support
  • Answer phone calls, chats and emails from customers shopping the PF/QF storefront
  • Product Knowledge in relevant shops/categories
  • Participating in banquets and events when requested
    • Network with chapters and regional representatives
    • Present on behalf of SCHEELS
    • Present at National Organization events on use of banquet site
    • Manage category structure for PF/QF banquet site
  • Adding SKU's/products and managing customer impression and product data
  • Work with Pricing/Promotions team to ensure readiness for increased promo traffic
  • Work with Line Leader’s and Merchandising Leads for vision/direction for site experience in each category
  • Working with Analysts, SEO Strategist & content team to improve category/attribute architecture and naming when applicable
  • Kickoff Call, Setup with Drop Ship & Maintenance
  • Dropship assistance with adding new products and managing attributes
  • Knowledge of the non-profit conservation industry and upland bird hunting preferred

 

Expert Experience:

  • Ideal candidate will have a minimum of an Associate’s Degree in Marketing, Merchandising, or related field
  • 2-3 years of Marketing and/or Merchandising experience is beneficial, but not required
  • Retail experience is beneficial, but not required

 

Activity:

Must be able to sit, stand, bend at the waist, climb, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, walk, push/pull, lift, talk, and hear with or without reasonable accommodation

 

Sedentary work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Roles are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

 

Scheels cares about the health and safety of our Associates. Associates are expected to follow all safety procedures and perform their job duties in a fashion that minimizes the risk of injury

 

Schedule:

Must be flexible to work between 8a.m. and 5p.m., Monday through Friday, with some weekends as needed averaging 40 hours per week 

 

Check out the full job posting

Monday, October 12, 2020

Pheasant Hunting South Dakota's Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge | The Flush: Season 10, Episode 8 Video

Travis Frank joins a crew of upland bird hunting diehards to flush pheasants during the special late season hunt on South Dakota's Sand Lake Wildlife Refuge. Public land, wild birds.

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

South Dakota Extends Pheasant Hunting Season to January 31, 2021

For the first time in the history of South Dakota pheasant hunting, pheasant hunters will be able to begin hunting pheasants at 10 a.m. CT (9 a.m. MT) for the entire pheasant season, including the resident-only season, which begins this year on Saturday, October 10.


Hunters will also have the opportunity to hunt ringnecks for a couple of extra weeks as the Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission extended the season to January 31, 2021. 


These extensions will provide additional opportunity for hunters and bring South Dakota in line with pheasant hunting states like Nebraska and Kansas that surround the pheasant hunting capital.


“It’s very exciting to offer these expanded opportunities to those who want to experience the greatest pheasant hunting in the nation,” said Kelly Hepler, Secretary of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.


"Behind Governor Noem’s Second Century Initiative, this is one more way we are working to secure South Dakota’s great outdoor heritage and the next 100 years of pheasant hunting in our state.” 


The commission ultimately decided to retain the daily bag limit of three pheasants for the statewide season, but did vote to adopt an unrestricted harvest opportunity for those hunting on a private shooting preserve from Sept. 1 through the end of the statewide pheasant season. The commission amended the original proposal and voted to approve the modification allowing preserve hunters the opportunity if they obtained a statewide nonresident small game license plus a habitat stamp and, for residents, a combination license and the habitat stamp.


To view the proposals in their entirety, visit gfp.sd.gov/commission/information. Audio from the meeting is available through South Dakota Public Broadcasting and will soon be available on the GFP website as part of the meeting archive.

Monday, September 14, 2020

North Dakota 2020 Pheasant Count is UP 38% from last year

 


North Dakota’s roadside surveys conducted in late July and August indicate pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and gray partridge numbers are up from last year.

State Game and Fish Department upland game biologist RJ Gross said results of the annual upland late summer counts brought some good news. “We had good residual cover to start the year, and good weather for nesting and brood-rearing,” he said. “There were some areas that experienced abnormally dry periods throughout the summer, but nesting appeared to be successful.”

Total pheasants observed per 100 miles are up 38% from last year, but 14% below the 10-year average. Broods per 100 miles are up 30% from last year and 16% below the 10-year average. Average brood size is up 10% from 2019 and 5% below the 10-year average. The final summary is based on 275 survey runs made along 100 brood routes across North Dakota.

“While these numbers are encouraging, it’s important to remember that bird numbers in the last five years have been lower than what upland game hunters have been used to for many years, due to changing habitat conditions and the drought of 2017,” Gross said. “For context, these numbers put us about half-way back to where we were prior to the 2017 drought. Local populations are building back up, but they are not at the point yet of spreading out into new territories. Hunters will need to find localized hotspots of pheasants.”

Observers in the northwest counted 12 broods and 91 pheasants per 100 miles, up from five broods and 39 pheasants in 2019. Average brood size was six.

Results from the southeast showed five broods and 41 pheasants per 100 miles, down from six broods and 51 pheasants in 2019. Average brood size was five.

Statistics from southwestern North Dakota indicated eight broods and 70 pheasants per 100 miles, up from six broods and 41 pheasants in 2019. Average brood size was six chicks.

The northeast district, generally containing secondary pheasant habitat with lower pheasant numbers compared to the rest of the state, showed three broods and 22 pheasants per 100 miles, compared to three broods and 15 pheasants last year. Average brood size was six.

Sharptails observed per 100 miles are up 54% statewide, and partridge are up 45%.

Brood survey results show statewide increases in number of grouse and broods observed per 100 miles. Observers recorded two sharptail broods and 21 sharptails per 100 miles. Average brood size was six.

Although partridge numbers have shown a slight increase, Gross said most of the partridge harvest is incidental while hunters pursue grouse or pheasants. Partridge densities in general, he said, are too low to target. Observers recorded one partridge brood and 10 partridge per 100 miles. Average brood size was 10.

The pheasant season opens Oct. 10 and continues through Jan. 3, 2021. The two-day youth pheasant hunting weekend, when legally licensed residents and nonresidents ages 15 and younger can hunt statewide, is set for Oct. 3-4.

The grouse and partridge seasons opened Sept. 12 and continues through Jan. 3, 2021.

 

See the full ND Game and Fish post

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Minnesota 2020 Pheasant Index UP 42% Over 2019 | 37% Above 10 Year Average


























The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ annual roadside pheasant survey showed a 42 percent increase in the state pheasant index from 2019 and a 37 percent increase over the 10-year average, including an eyebrow-raising 146 percent increase over last year in southwestern Minnesota.

“The weather this spring and summer was favorable for pheasants and enabled more hens to raise chicks, which drove the increase,” said Tim Lyons, DNR upland game research scientist. “We didn’t get hit by spring snow storms or heavy rainfalls like in 2019 and that really is what let hens nest earlier and be successful.”

Though the spring was cooler than average, rainfall was at or below average across much of the state.

“Successful nests earlier in the breeding season also means that chicks will be in better shape going into the fall and winter, which can improve their odds of survival,” Lyons said. The peak pheasant hatch was approximately four days earlier than average this year.
Weather and habitat are the main influences on Minnesota’s pheasant population trends. Weather causes annual fluctuations in pheasant numbers, while habitat drives long-term population trends.

This year’s statewide pheasant index was 53.5 birds per 100 miles of roads driven. All regions of the pheasant range reported an increase in pheasant counts, with the southwest reporting the greatest increase—there, observers counted 90.5 birds per 100 miles, a 146 percent increase compared to 2019.

Hunters can expect great opportunities to see birds in the southwest and very good hunting prospects in the west-central, central, and south-central regions, which all reported more than 50 birds per 100 miles.

Read the full MN DNR article

Iowa 2020 pheasant survey results show popular game bird numbers up significantly
















 
Iowa’s recently completed annual pheasant survey is great news for hunters – statewide, Iowa averaged 20.2 birds per 30-mile route, up significantly from 2019, with six of the nine survey regions averaging more than 20 pheasants per route, the most since 2007.
“Pheasant hunters should expect significantly better pheasant numbers in 2020,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “Pheasant hunting this fall could be some of the best the state has seen in a decade.”
Bogenschutz credits the 2020 winter with its mild temperatures and little snowfall that led to higher hen survival and coupled with a dry spring to more successful nesting and an increase in the population. The southeast region led the way with a 163 percent increase, followed by the northeast region with a 115 percent increase and east central region with a 55 percent increase.
While those numbers are very good, the statewide numbers would have likely been better if not for the drought conditions impacting much of the state.
“In the western and central regions where we counted fewer birds, we struggled to get good survey conditions so the results are not likely representative of actual numbers,” Bogenschutz said. “Pheasant populations in these regions appear higher than last year, according to casual staff reports, even though the survey says the population is essentially unchanged.
“Given this year’s statewide index of 20 birds per route Iowa, pheasant hunters should harvest approximately 250,000 to 350,000 roosters this fall,” he said.
Iowa’s quail population was essentially unchanged from 2019 with the highest quail numbers coming from southwest Iowa. While the counts were unchanged, it is still double the number of quail counted from a decade ago. Hunters can expect to harvest more than 20,000 quail this year.
Iowa’s partridge population was up slightly over last year with higher counts coming from northcentral Iowa. Iowa’s rabbit population was nearly identical to 2019 with better populations across southern and east central Iowa. “Cottontail hunters can expect excellent hunting across most of the state this fall,” Bogenschutz said.
  • Iowa’s pheasant season is Oct. 31-Jan. 10, 2021
  • Iowa's quail season is Oct. 31-Jan. 31, 2021
  • Iowa’s partridge season is Oct. 10-Jan. 31, 2021

Iowa DNR: 2020 Higher pheasant numbers could mean best hunting in a decade


By
 Perry Beeman











Iowa biologists found more pheasants during their annual survey this year compared to last year, and predicted hunters may have their best season in a decade.
The annual roadside survey by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources found a average of 20 pheasants per 30-mile route, up from 17 last year.
Six of the nine survey regions found more than 20 pheasants per route, the most since 2007, DNR reported.
“Pheasant hunters should expect significantly better pheasant numbers in 2020,” Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist said in a news release. “Pheasant hunting this fall could be some of the best the state has seen in a decade.”
Bogenschutz said a mild winter helped, as did low snowfall totals. A dry spring helped nesting.
The southeast region led the way with a 163% increase in the survey count, and the northeast section was next with a gain of 115%. The east-central region gained 55%.
Due to the drought, the western and central zones had lower numbers, DNR reported.
Bogenschutz estimated hunters will bag 250,000 to 300,000 birds, a strong number in recent years but far below the historic highs of more than 1 million.

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Montana Roosters Full Episode Pheasant Hunting Video

 

The dogs of Soggy Acres travel to Montana for a unique and picturesque upland experience. Join the crew as they chase pheasants and Hungarian Partridge with Labrador Retrievers and Spaniels.

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Hunters go for Nebraska Upland Slam starting Sept. 1 2020

LINCOLN, Neb. – Hunters again are challenged to go afield with family and friends and harvest four upland bird species this fall to complete the Nebraska Upland Slam.
The challenge of the Upland Slam, a partnership among the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Pheasants Forever, Inc., and Quail Forever, is to harvest a ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken and northern bobwhite quail in Nebraska this season.
Successful hunters then go online to upload a photo of each harvested bird and provide details about their hunt. Those who complete the Slam will receive an official certificate and pin and be entered into a drawing to win one of several prizes, including a Browning Maxus 12-gauge shotgun.
Nebraska is the mixed bag capital of the Great Plains and a great place to hunt a variety of birds in different habitats. “The Nebraska Upland Slam has generated a lot of excitement and has encouraged hunters to try something new, hunt a new area of the state, or just spend more time afield,” said John Laux, Game and Parks’ upland habitat and access program manager.
All participants who submit at least one harvest to the Nebraska Upland Slam will be automatically entered into monthly drawings for prizes sponsored by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. Prizes include the shotgun, gun-cleaning kits, metal artwork, tumblers, and memberships to the two conservation groups.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

South Dakota Pheasant Hunting in the Snow | Passion for the Hunt Video


 Late season pheasant hunt in the cold and snow. Great dog work, hunting near Kimball, SD with Wings of Thunder. Joined by members of the California Deer Association on an auctioned trip to support hunter recruitment and conservation.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

A Bird Dog's First Pheasant Hunt | The Flush: Season 9, Episode #5

 

Scott Fransen introduces his new bird dog to South Dakota's roosters. This hunt runs deeper than the love of flushing birds, when his daughters tag along for the passing of the bird dog torch on Hank's first hunt.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Pheasant Hunting with American Brittany's Video


An inspiring pheasant hunting film over American Brittany's in the heart of Washington farm country. Pheasant hunting is an american passion for many upland hunters and Stan has been at it his whole adult life. From catching pigeons in grain silos to riding horseback behind his bird dogs he epitomizes a passion for bird hunting.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

WI Pheasant Hunting Public Land Video

 

Pheasant hunting public land in southern Wisconsin. While it's no where near some states with wild bird populations, there is enough to give the upland hunter some sport. You have to work for them a bit harder in late season but you can have some luck. The Wisconsin DNR releases cock pheasants to give opportunity in our area. Get some good boots and get out in the field. My 4 year old Vizsla, Kaizer, always loves chasing some roosters on the weekends and so do I. We also bagged a bonus woodcock on the closing weekend for them. I hope you enjoy the footage and I'll try to keep it UnderFortyYards.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Late Season Pheasant Hunting - It's Not for the Weak - South Dakota 2019 Video


Miles of walking in deep crunchy snow, calm winds, cold temps, condensed wild cagey roosters, long shots, beautiful scenery, and tons of wildlife are all part of late season pheasant hunting in South Dakota.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

South Dakota looks at extending 2020 pheasant season

Jody Heemstra













South Dakota wildlife officials are looking at extending the pheasant hunting season. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has proposed some changes to the length of the hunting season. 

Under the proposal, the pheasant season would start two hours earlier at 10 a.m. on the third Saturday of October. 

The season would also last longer, running to Jan. 31 instead of its current end date of the first Sunday of January. 

The Wildlife Division director for Game, Fish and Parks tells KELO-TV that an extended season would give more opportunity to hunters. If approved, the changes would take effect for the upcoming 2020 season.

Read the original article

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

North Dakota 2020 pheasant crowing counts up 15% from last year






















North Dakota’s spring pheasant population index is up 15% from the same time last year, according to the state Game and Fish Department’s 2020 spring crowing count survey.


R.J. Gross, upland game management biologist, said the number of roosters heard crowing this spring was up statewide, with increases ranging from 1% to 18% in the primary regions holding pheasants.

“We entered spring with a larger breeding population compared to last year,” Gross said. “Hens should be in good physical shape for nesting season and cover should be plentiful from the residual moisture left from last fall.”

However, Gross said there is concern with drought conditions in the western part of the state, and whether insects will be available to chicks for brood rearing.

“I am hopeful for above-average chick survival due to the lush cover and predicted warm temperatures, but we can use some rain,” Gross said. “But we don’t want any severe weather events.” 

While the spring number is an indicator, Gross said it does not predict what the fall population will look like. Brood surveys, which begin in late July and are completed by September, provide a much better estimate of summer pheasant production and what hunters might expect for a fall pheasant population.

Pheasant crowing counts are conducted each spring throughout North Dakota. Observers drive specified 20-mile routes, stop at predetermined intervals, and count the number of pheasant roosters heard crowing over a 2-minute period during the stop.
The number of pheasant crows heard is compared to the previous year’s data, providing a trend summary.

Read the full ND Game and Fish article

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Iowa’s 2020 pheasant nesting outlook positive after mild winter




Iowa’s recent mild winter and dryer than normal April and May could lead to positive results for pheasant hunters this fall. Hen survival increases during mild winters, and more hens mean more nests and more nests typically means more pheasants in the fall.

Statewide snowfall from December through March was seven inches below the 1961-90 average and Iowa’s lowest snowfall total since 2012. Snowfall was below normal in all regions of the state. Winter hen survival was likely above normal for most regions for both pheasant and bobwhite quail.

Statewide the spring months were drier and colder than the 1961-90 average. The spring came early with little snow cover in March. April and May nesting season was cooler than normal and rainfall was one inch below the 1961-90 average. This is Iowa’s lowest nesting season rainfall since 1994. 

Reports of early and large pheasant broods have been reported, suggesting a good hatch is underway. 

The nesting forecast is based on a model that compares 30 years of weather data with the corresponding pheasant counts in August. This prediction is a best guess based on weather data, and it can be wrong. The DNR's August roadside survey is the best gauge of what upland populations will be this fall.  The DNR will post its August roadside numbers online at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey around Sept. 15.