No matter what your upland habitat interests, the Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic Habitat Stage is packed with insights and information
By Kaitlyn Yoder
Photos by Tim Winkler, Missouri Habitat Specialist
Make your way to the Habitat Stage at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2026.
This year we will be highlighting some great topics including native prairie, grassland habitat restoration, prescribed fire, and a variety of exciting habitat management tools.
Jump to Stage Schedule
The Native Habitat Project's founder Kyle Lybarger is returning to the stage this year to talk about creating large prairies from small remnants. Don’t miss it.
We are also welcoming representatives from NoFence — Alex Bell and Emma Baker — to talk about how virtual fencing can help manage herds and birds. This session is being paired with a talk from our very own Minnesota grassland coordinator, Brady Blasher, to round out our grazing topics.
Interested in prescribed fire? Come to the stage to hear about the history of the use of prescribed fire from Jonathan Eerkes, Pheasants Forever’s Prescribed Fire Program Manager. You can also discover more about Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s efforts to make prescribed fire more accessible to private landowners, from several of our staff prescribed fire coordinators.
The Habitat Stage is pleased to welcome Tim Fredricks from Bayer, as well as Catherine Beall and Laura Newberg from Pheasants Forever, to roll out an herbicide application demonstration course and tell you about Pheasants Forever's exciting new education platform, Habitat University.
Since 1982, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters have contributed to countless habitat projects in their local communities. Join Pheasants Forever's Jared Wiklund and Washington County Chapter President Gerritt Bangma as they detail the steps to tackling Hands-On Habitat projects that make a difference for wildlife in your area.
Finally, the Habitat Stage is privileged to host the announcement for the 2026 John Deere Farmer of the Year Awards. Join us Friday at 4:00 p.m. to recognize conservation excellence from across the country.
See the full stage schedule below, and we’ll see you there!
Kaitlyn Yoder is Habitat Improvement Program Manager for PF & QF, and quarterback of this year’s Habitat Stage at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic.
Seminar Schedule
2026 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic:
Habitat Stage Seminar Lineup
| Time |
Topic |
Speaker(s) |
| Friday |
1:00 |
Herds and Birds: How Virtual Fencing Works for Both |
Alex Bell (NoFence) |
| 1:30 |
Creating Large Grasslands From Small Remnants |
Kyle Lybarger, The Native Habitat Project |
| 2:00 |
Hands-On Habitat: City Limits, No Boundaries |
Jared Wiklund and Gerritt Bangma, Washington County PF |
| 2:30 |
Habitat University and Habitat Herbicides |
Tim Fredricks, Catherine Beall and Laura Newberg |
| 3:30 |
Prescribed Fire: From the Past to the Present |
Jonathan Eerkes (PF & QF) |
| 4:00 |
2026 Farmer of the Year Presentations |
Jake Swafford (PF & QF) |
| Saturday |
10:30 |
Back to Our Roots: The Case for Planting Native & Things To Consider |
Olivia Lappin and Mike Retterer (PF & QF) |
| 11:00 |
Hands-On Habitat: City Limits, No Boundaries |
Jared Wiklund and Gerritt Bangma, Washington County PF |
| 11:30 |
Prescribed Fire: From the Past to the Present |
Jonathan Eerkes (PF & QF) |
| 12:30 |
Creating Large Grasslands from Small Remnants |
Kyle Lybarger, The Native Habitat Project |
| 1:30 |
Habitat University and Habitat Herbicides |
Tim Fredricks, Catherine Beall and Laura Newberg |
| 2:30 |
Habitat Help: A Look into Available Conservation Programs |
Zachary Glaunert (PF) |
| 3:00 |
Cow Power Hour: Long term Grassland Management with Livestock |
Brady Blasher (PF) |
| 3:30 |
Supporting Development of Prescribed Fire on Private Lands |
Cody Grewing, Kendall Hettick and Jason Andersen (PF) |
| 4:00 |
Herds and Birds: How Virtual Fencing Works for Both |
Emma Baker, NoFence |
| Sunday |
| 10:00 |
Cow Power Hour: Long term Grassland Management with Livestock |
Brady Blasher (PF) |
| 10:30 |
Grow Your Advantage: The Art of Effective Food Plots |
Olivia Lappin and Mike Retterer (PF & QF) |
| 11:00 |
What is Habitat University? |
Catherine Beall and Laura Newberg (PF & QF) |
| 12:00 |
A Savanna Restoration in the Driftless |
Doug Duren, Sharing the Land |
| 12:30 |
Supporting Development of Prescribed Fire on Private Lands |
Cody Grewing, Kendall Hettick and Jason Andersen (PF) |
| 1:00 |
Habitat Help: A Look into Available Conservation Programs |
Zachary Glaunert (PF) |
