Chapter president discovers passion for conservation as an adult
This year, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever will once again recognize a national “Volunteer of the Year.”
The award celebrates the very best the organization has to offer — the members and volunteers who optimize the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever mission, who seek to protect and grow our wildlife habitat, and who help ensure our heritage continues for generations to come.
We have chosen six finalists (three Pheasants Forever and three Quail Forever) for the award. The winner will be announced at the upcoming National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, which runs March 7-9 in Kansas City, Missouri.
“Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are dynamic conservation organizations, fueled by the dedication of volunteers,” said Tom Fuller, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s vice president of chapter and volunteer services. “The Volunteer of the Year award seeks to honor individuals who have made a profound impact on our mission. Our volunteer network is a vibrant community of passion and talent. This annual award is a celebration of the remarkable accomplishments of these volunteers, and is intended to inspire others to join the movement for upland conservation.”
Over the course of the next three weeks we’ll get to know each finalist, and celebrate their accomplishments in the world of habitat conservation. The first volunteer we’ll highlight this year is Emily Schroeder.
Let's start by just telling us a little more about yourself. Your history with bird hunting and conservation, how long you’ve been a member of Pheasants Forever, etc.
My history with hunting and conservation began in 2018 when I decided to take a hunter education class through North Dakota Game and Fish. I wasn’t the traditional attendee as I was an adult and interested in the class to learn more about how to be safe around guns — not actually intending to shoot one. I didn’t grow up around guns or hunting so all was new territory to me. My husband grew up deer rifle hunting on his grandpa and grandma’s farmland in Eastern North Dakota and I had tagged along a couple of times. We were now living on the western side of the state, and I was a fresh graduate of the Hunter Ed program with a whole new perspective on conservation.
Few short months later, my husband and I had each drawn spring turkey tags and we ventured out to some public land we had been scouting. We both filled our tags that season and I was hooked not only on the beautiful sunrises, but the concept of providing meat for our family and the time spent together in the field.
What initially spurred you to get involved with your local chapter?
My unexpected journey with Pheasants Forever started in May of 2019 when I saw an ad about a Pheasants Forever Women’s Wing Shooting Clinic being held that Summer. I had never heard of “wing shooting” and had to google what it meant. I had just purchased a shotgun for turkey season but hadn’t shot it for anything else. I figured I would try to learn more about my gun and how to harvest birds through this class. When I say this class was instrumental in defining my path as an outdoors woman, it is an understatement. This class allowed me to be vulnerable about my lack of skill and knowledge, ask tons of questions and become comfortable with every aspect of my gun. I also loved the camaraderie that came out of it with the nightly grill outs after the class and then the invitation to attend meetings and join the Capital City LadyBirds.
I attended the first meeting after the clinic and was welcomed with the familiar faces that quickly became great friends. I became the secretary in Fall 2019 and then vice president in 2021. In 2022, I became the interim President and in 2023 I was voted in as President, the position I am honored to serve in today. I’ve had the pleasure of attending two Pheasant Fests (2020 and 2023) and numerous banquets and volunteer opportunities in the past six years.
Talk about the work you and your chapter have been doing over the course of the last year.
Our chapter has seen a great increase in participation in monthly meetings, events and overall energy over the last year. We hosted our sixth annual Women’s Wing Shooting Clinic, getting 12 new women shooters ready for the field. We then extended an invite to have them out in the field for a dove hunt this past fall.
We have tried new things to help draw others that are interested in learning more about the outdoors in general in hopes that they connect with the mission as well. This includes events from how to paint our favorite bird dog, to state park family hikes, to women’s intro to handguns class and much more. I’m really proud of how open everyone has been open to trying new things.
We are in the process of planning our second Brews for Birds event, where we put our own spin on a banquet. This includes a causal event at a local brewery with a wild game chef performing a cooking demonstration, along with a few fundraising games.
There are over 150,000 Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members, and just six finalists for Volunteer of the Year. What does it mean to be nominated for this award?
Each time I think about the nomination I get all the feels. I’m humbled and honored to even be considered. It really energizes me to see all the work we’ve put into growing our chapter, creating lifelong supporting friendships and getting women into the outdoors. I’ve been reflecting on how much each member plays a crucial part in building this welcoming, passionate group of women. I’m proud to be among these leaders and represent our chapter proudly. It’s because of this organization and chapter that I am the outdoors woman that I am today.