New attraction will celebrate all things grouse hunting
By Casey Sill
Alongside longstanding attractions like the Concert for Conservation, public lands stage, bird dog alley and much more, the nation's largest gathering of upland hunters will include "Grouse Camp" in 2026 — a celebration of some of the country's best hunters, brands and conservation organizations dedicated to grouse species.
The new attraction is an expanded version of the "Grouse Trail," which has been featured at Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic in previous years. It will include a lounge area and a small stage, hosting an array of activities and speakers for grouse lovers. At its core, "Grouse Camp" will celebrate collaboration between conservation organizations across the country who are working hand-in-hand to protect not just grouse, but all upland birds.
Jump to Stage Schedule
The inaugural year of Grouse Camp will include a grouse stories Q&A with with Travis Frank, host of "The Flush," as well as prairie grouse hunting 101 with the "Bearded Uplander" Tim Brown. Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society's new VP of conservation Karl Malcolm will also be there to discuss all things grouse, and James Beard award winner Hank Shaw will stop by for a conversation on preparing grouse from field to feast.
The celebration will also include a happy hour hosted by the North American Grouse Partnership, an exclusive "Grouse Camp 2026" t-shirt and a grouse film fest — and much more.
2026 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic:
Grouse Camp Seminar Lineup
| Time |
Topic |
Speaker(s) |
| Friday |
12:00 |
Building a Grouse Gun |
Jerry Havel and Del Whitman, Upland Gun Co. |
| 1:00 |
How to Organize a Grouse Project |
Bill Koepke, Wisconsin Prairie Chicken Project |
| 2:00 |
Prairie Grouse Hunting 101 |
Tim Brown and Steve Oehlenschlager |
| 3:00 |
How to Get Your Hunt Dog Out of a Trap |
MN Trappers Association |
| 4:00 |
Prairie Grouse and Grasslands - Opportunities for 2026 and Beyond! |
Jim Inglis, North American Grouse Partnership |
| 5:00 |
Life Behind the Lens - After the Shot (Grouse Photography) |
Kevin Erdvig, Sam Soholt |
| Saturday |
11:00 |
Celebrating Our Grouse Organizations and the Birds |
All 6 Grouse Group Leads |
| 12:00 |
Managing Grasslands & Shrublands for Prairie Grouse |
Erin O'Leary MNL / Red Rock Fire |
| 1:00 |
Saving Grasslands & Prairie Grouse |
Ted Koch, North American Grouse Partnership |
| 2:00 |
So You Want to Hunt Grouse and Woodcock? |
Gabe Stone, Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society |
| 3:00 |
Managing Forests for Grouse and Woodcock |
Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society |
| 4:00 |
Grouse Hunting Stories Coast to Coast and Q&A |
Travis Frank and Friends |
| 5:00 |
Its Always 5 O'clock at Grouse Camp - Happy Hour & Film Fest |
Ted Koch, North American Grouse Partnership |
| Sunday |
11:00 |
Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Hunt, A Partnerships and Habitat Story |
Bob Hanson, Wisconsin DNR |
| 12:00 |
Partnership Success by MPCS and MSGS with PF |
Rob Baden, MPCS & James Meadow, MSGS |
| 1:00 |
Industrial Solar and Wisconsin's Prairie Chicken |
Cody Kamrowski, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation |
| 2:00 |
Preparing Grouse from Field to Feast |
Hank Shaw |
| 3:00 |
Film Fest |
North American Grouse Partnership |
Organizations present at Grouse Camp will include NAGP, Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS), Minnesota Sharp-tailed Grouse Society, Minnesota Prairie-Chicken Society, Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society, and Wisconsin Prairie-Chicken Project.
Grouse Camp is being sponsored by NAGP, RGS & AWS, MSGS, Minnesota Native Landscapes, and Pineridge Grouse Camp.
Casey Sill Is Senior Public Relations Specialist for Pheasants Forever.