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Making a positive impact on the local habitat and community

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapter volunteers are the backbone of our organizations. They represent our boots on the ground, the pointy end of the spear, and provide the energy and passion that make our grassroots model and overall mission of upland habitat conservation thrive. That’s why we’re humbled and proud to share “The Next Generation of Forever.”

Leading up to National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic in Minneapolis Feb. 17th-19th, we’ll be celebrating select up-and-coming young volunteers from throughout the country who truly represent the future of our organizations. They have not only taken the ceremonial torch, but reignited the flame and are sprinting forward with it. So please join us in honoring and acknowledging…

The Next Generation of Forever
. . .

Maverick Fisher

Illinois: County Line Chapter of Quail Forever

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Maverick Fisher is the president of the County Line Quail Forever chapter covering Clay and Wayne counties in southern Illinois - which was first chartered in 2020.

By trade, Fisher is a teacher, his specialty being welding and fabrication. He works with students of all ages to master the craft of MIG, stick and TIG welding at Olney Community College. Fisher truly cares about the mission of Quail Forever and sees the importance of creating and protecting habitat for all wildlife, not just southern Illinois quail. He’s been a hunter most of his life, and you can see his progression in his hunting photos. In old pictures you can tell he was invested mostly in the harvest of birds. He still cares about flushing a wild pheasant or a small covey, but in his more recent photos you can see how much pride he takes in the landscape and preserving these species, rather than just hunting them.

Fisher has worked diligently with local biologists to learn more about management practices – and like the true educator he is, he then disseminates that info to other hunters in his area. Right now, Fisher is co-authoring a journal submission with other members of County Line Quail Forever to highlight the chapter’s innovative habitat work and the interesting ways they’ve created new equipment. It bears repeating, this individual is passionate about the work his chapter is doing in southern Illinois and he’ll continue to be a great advocate for Quail Forever for years to come.

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Nate Keck

South Dakota: Black Hills Chapter of Pheasants Forever

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When it came time for Nate Keck and his wife to pick a location to put down some deeper roots and grow their family, it was important to them to be somewhere with a great outdoor culture — and ideally near good upland hunting. As fate would have it, they landed in South Dakota, the pheasant capital of the world, and now have two young boys along with two shorthairs to keep them busy. Keck volunteers as the vice president of the Black Hills Chapter of Pheasants Forever and spends much of his vacation time either hunting or attending various Pheasants Forever events.

The work Keck does, whether it is organizing fundraisers, talking with various donors, or completing habitat work, has become even more important to him now that he has children. More than anything, he strives to get youth hunters involved in the upland world in any way he can, ensuring future generations are there to carry on the traditions that mean so much to him.

“I want my kids to know that unless people speak up and actively work to improve or save the habitat we have today, the wildlife and wild places we enjoy now may no longer exist,” Keck said. “I want my kids to build meaningful friendships with other like-minded hunters, conservationists, and landowners, so they can create lifelong memories with these people. I want my kids to understand the joy of watching a dog work in the field and having a wild pheasant flush at their feet."

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Paul Daniels

Iowa: Clay County Chapter of Pheasants Forever

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Paul Daniels is the current president of chapter #42, Clay County, Iowa, and has been a member for over a decade. Daniels has led the organization of the chapter’s spring and fall burning for many years, which includes working closely with the landowners and the local FSA office to meet the requirements for CRP programs. With his help, the chapter burned 1,700 acres last year and has 1,500 acres on the books for 2023.

In 2017 Daniels had the idea to start a Women’s Hunt, which became an immediate success and continues to grow every year. He also helps organize and lead the chapter's annual youth hunt and fundraising banquet. Daniels was instrumental in starting and maintaining the chapter’s social media footprint as well, including the Clay County Pheasants Forever Facebook page.

Daniels and his wife Candice have two children, Monroe and Harrison. He works for Northwest Bank as a business banking manager, VP. Daniels is very community oriented and has served on many committees in the Spencer area. He’s a member of Grace United Methodist Church, very active in the Great Lakes Fishing Club, and coaches his son's baseball team. Clay County Pheasants Forever has been around since 1985 and like many of the leaders and local members, Daniels is constantly improving the chapter for the better. and we thank him for his years of dedication and hard work.

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Zachary Varner

Michigan: Bay/Midland Chapter of Pheasants Forever

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Zach Varner became involved with Pheasants Forever in the mid-2000’s after graduating from college. His dad, Paul, has been involved with the Bay/Midland chapter since its inception in 1997. When Varner graduated, they both found Pheasants Forever was a way to spend more time together doing something they were both passionate about. Varner has held many roles including president and banquet chairman — and he’s the current secretary. Their chapter has made great contributions to the Pheasants Forever mission, including planting switchgrass, trees and other habitat, working on grants for new equipment, and helping with the annual fundraising banquet.

Varner is also passionate about habitat and pheasant preservation. He attributes his awesome experiences afield to the work of those in this organization who came before him. Some of his fondest memories are pheasant hunting with family and friends on the lands where his chapter established habitat over the years.

Zach has learned many valuable lessons from being part of Pheasants Forever, but most importantly, “If we don’t continue to conserve and establish habitat today, and get the next generation involved in these types of activities, we will quickly lose the gains we’ve made.”

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Jason Bell

Indiana: Region Ringnecks Chapter of Pheasants Forever

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Jason Bell is one of the founding members of the Region Ringnecks Chapter of Pheasants Forever based out of Lake and Porter Counties in northwest Indiana. Bell has been an integral part of the chapter since its inception in 2020 and is always willing to dedicate his time and effort to Pheasants Forever’s mission. His desire to give back to upland birds led him to Pheasants Forever, and he now hopes to pass that passion and stewardship on to the next generation of outdoorsmen and women.

A shining example of volunteerism turned into mission is Bell’s work as an instructor for chapter-led Hunter Education courses in his local region. These classes have resulted in 40 youth and 20 adults receiving their orange cards. Many of these individuals also participated in the chapter’s youth and ladies hunt, which Bell helped guide with his three dogs - Ozzie, Cole and Sam. Bell has always been passionate about getting youth involved in outdoor traditions, even more so now that he and his longtime partner Jaime have welcomed their first child, Jase Riley Bell. Between a full work schedule, an infant and three dogs, there are plenty of things competing for his time. However, Bell is present at almost every meeting and has taken on a lot of tasks that help the chapter run more efficiently. He’s also demonstrated a knack for thinking outside the box, engaging local partners to assist in mission delivery at a larger scale.

Bell has discovered a new network of friends since joining the chapter and loves the family-like atmosphere at chapter meetings and events. He challenges anyone who pursues an outdoor lifestyle to give back to what you love, by joining an organization like Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. In his opinion, if you love these birds and upland traditions, it’s your duty to give back to ensure they have a future. The entire organization thanks Bell for all the time, talent and treasure he has given to Pheasants Forever as an outstanding volunteer.

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Ryan Rothstein

Minnesota: Stearns County Chapter of Pheasants Forever

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Ryan Rothstein has been working for the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) as a wildlife habitat specialist for the past four years. He became a member of the Stearns County Pheasants Forever Chapter shortly after joining the Stearns County SWCD, and his passion for wildlife has resulted in several new habitat initiatives.

Rothstein helped kickstart the Stearns County SWCD pollinator habitat program. In partnership with the Stearns County Chapter of Pheasants Forever and the Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund, the program provides landowners an opportunity to enroll areas of existing grass or lands that are not eligible for federal programs (two acre minimum). By restoring the land with native plants and increasing the diversity of pollinator plant communities, his work provides a place that many species like honeybees, butterflies and upland birds depend on.

Rothstein also assists landowners interested in programs like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM). His knowledge of programs and what it takes to get wildlife established is greatly appreciated by landowners. Rothstein is also certified to write Woodland Stewardship Plans and can provide technical assistance to interested landowners in developing a plan to fit their conservation woodland goals. His knowledge of habitat needs for wildlife and his ability to cater to each landowner’s unique situation and conservation goals is greatly appreciated.

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Are you interested in making a positive impact on your local habitat and community? Want to connect with likeminded individuals? Find a chapter today and discover how easy and fulfilling it is to get involved. No chapters in your area? Reach out to the Regional Representative in your area and we’ll work with you to find an opportunity to start your own chapter or find an alternative way to make a difference for upland habitat, wildlife, and public access.

This is part three in a continuing series. You can read the other parts here:

Next Generation of Forever: Part One

Next Generation of Forever: Part Two