COLUMBIA, Mo. -(Ammoland.com)- Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members and upland supporters in Missouri will convene on Saturday, February 10th-11th at the Courtyard by Marriott in Columbia for the organization’s 2017 State Habitat Convention.
Open to the public, the event will feature an address by Howard Vincent, president and CEO of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, as well as a panel discussion with experts from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), and special guests Mark and Sally Stevens, NRA/USAS Level III Advanced Certified Shotgun Coaches.
“This annual event brings together passionate conservationists, provides an opportunity to grow and strengthen our local chapters, and helps the state of Missouri deliver more habitat projects for pheasants, quail, pollinators, and other wildlife,” stated John Wallace, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s regional representative in Missouri. “Additionally, we’re excited to have some highly regarded speakers at the event including Howard Vincent, agency biologists, and some of the nation’s best shooting sports coaches.”
2017 State Habitat Convention Highlights:
- Welcome & Opening Comments: Elsa Gallagher, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever State Coordinator & John Wallace, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Regional Representative.
- Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s National Priorities: Howard Vincent, President and CEO of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever – Howard will give us an in-depth look into the Farm Bill and its future, and other legislative priorities for “The Habitat Organization” with a new administration in Washington, D.C.
- Quail Forever Partner Updates: J.R. Flores, NRCS State Conservationist; Bill White, MDC Private Land Services Division Chief.
- Quail Forever on the Rise: Tim Caughran, Director of Field Operations for Quail Forever – Overview of current national happenings and growth of Quail Forever; New positions. New Partners. New Chapters.
- R3: Recruit, Reactivate, Retain: Cheryl Riley, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Vice President of Education and Outreach – Hunters are the backbone of our conservation efforts and their numbers are not growing. Riley will discuss how chapters and partners can work together to incorporate the R3 movement and recruit the next generation of hunters to assure that our future and the Habitat Organization stay strong.
- Powerful Beyond Measure: Mark & Sally Stevens, NRA/USAS Level III Advanced Certified Coaches – As a coach and shooter, you have untold power to impact someone’s life. They’ll share their philosophy for ultimate coaching through photos, true stories, and the beginning steps to unlock your own powerful potential.
- Breakout Sessions: After lunch there will be concurrent afternoon speaker sessions on various topics between 1 p.m.-3:40 p.m. including monarchs and pollinators, engaging partners, upland habitat projects, and much more.
- Hospitality Room: Following the breakout session there will be a hospitality room that will be serving free beverages and snacks for those in attendance to socialize and network with speakers and chapter volunteers.
- Volunteer Appreciation Reception: Starting at 5:30 p.m. there will be a social hour and raffles.
Sunday morning there will be a shotgunning clinic with Mark and Sally Stevens, NRA/USAS Level III Advanced Certified Shotgun Coaches.
Take the time to join them for a morning of shooting instruction, which will give you the tools to make a difference. The clinic will provide the opportunity to empower you to become a leader in the shooting sports.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s 2017 Missouri Habitat Convention is open to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members as well as the general public.
For tickets and more information, click here.
About Quail 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 149,000 members and 720 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent; the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent $708 million on 517,000 habitat projects benefiting over 15.8 million acres nationwide.