SoundGear renews sponsorship with the habitat organization through 2028. Purchase SoundGear products, contribute to the sounds of America's grasslands St. Paul, Minn. - September 8, 2026 - Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to announce SoundGear(TM) as a renewing national sponsor and the organization's official hearing protection partner. The relationship provides SoundGear with a wide array of opportunities to educate upland hunters about the company's innovative hearing protection products, while making a financial commitment to wildlife habitat conservation. "The tones of the uplands are what help transform everyday hunts into lifelong memories; utilizing SoundGear products can protect the hearing of hunters for the long-term while supporting the grassland vistas of pheasant and quail country," said Chris Kalis, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever vice president of corporate partnerships. "We look forward to continuing a longstanding partnership with SoundGear and providing top-of-the-line hearing protection and enhancement products for our members and supporters." From an uplander's perspective, SoundGear products digitally enhance environmental sounds like wing beats or dogs running through the grass while simultaneously protecting the hearing of hunters and shooters from harmful, high-decibel noises. Likewise, SoundGear's unique technology provides situational awareness and directionality, allowing users to identify the faintest sounds outdoors. Their innovative line of products provides practical solutions for hunting, racing, competitive shooting, motorsports, law enforcement, construction, industry, concerts, farming, and much more. "Strong partnerships with industry leaders like Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever allow us to make a greater impact than we could alone," said Michael Scholl, Chief Business Officer at Starkey. "Together, we're helping educate hunters on the importance of hearing protection while supporting conservation efforts that preserve the sights and sounds of America's uplands. We're proud to continue this relationship and serve a community that values both outdoor traditions and long-term hearing health." SoundGear's flagship products found at various Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever events throughout the nation include: * SoundGear Phantom: The world's first - and still most popular - custom, rechargeable, and Bluetooth(R) compatible hearing aid and protection device. * SoundGear Shield: Small, light and ready to take everywhere, SoundGear Shield delivers dynamic digital hearing protection anytime you need it. In addition to marketing in the Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland Conservation, Quail Forever Journal and the organization's online channels, SoundGear has sponsored the 2026 Shotgun Review and will be featured in several films over the coming year. The company will also be recognized as a sponsor of National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2027 in Omaha, Nebraska, on March 5-7. About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make up the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 500,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of its uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent - the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 580,000 habitat projects benefiting 31 million acres. Media Contact Mikayla Peper 715-294-0688

NWTF, Pheasants Forever help expand public hunting access in the Dakotas. A partnership between the North and South Dakota state chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation and Pheasants Forever is helping open more private land to public hunting across the Dakotas. Through the partnership, the South Dakota NWTF State Chapter contributed $5,000 and the North Dakota NWTF State Chapter contributed $8,000 this year to Pheasants Forever's Public Access to Habitat program, commonly known as PATH. Pheasants Forever debuted its PATH program in South Dakota in 2023 and expanded to include North Dakota in 2025. Other states with PATH programs include Michigan, Nebraska and Oklahoma. The combined investment opened 10,515 acres of new public access within the Dakotas. Anyone wanting to hunt on these publicly accessible parcels can do so during any legal, active hunting season in the state. Hunters can find maps of huntable areas on each respective state game agency's website. In addition to the acres enrolled in 2026, the South Dakota NWTF State Chapter has allocated another $10,000 for the program in 2027. Based on the cost of agreements completed through the previous year's project, the funding could potentially help make as many as 8,000 new acres available to hunters in South Dakota. "It's always such a great opportunity to work with other organizations like Pheasants Forever on any project, but when we can leverage dollars to create more public access, it becomes even more fulfilling for the NWTF mission and our membership," said Dr. Don Massa, South Dakota NWTF State Chapter president. Photo Credit: Tina Shepherd PATH provides one-time incentive payments to landowners who agree to open qualifying private property to public hunting. Acres enrolled in the program must meet certain habitat criteria to be eligible. The idea is to provide not just additional access acres, but additional access to acres that have a quality habitat component or that will be restored to a beneficial habitat through the program. The payments supplement those offered through the North Dakota Private Land Open to Sportsmen (PLOTS) program and South Dakota's Walk-In Access (WIA) program, making public-access agreements more appealing to participating landowners. The partnerships have already demonstrated how a relatively small conservation investment can create significant public benefits. Through the previous South Dakota PATH project, NWTF contributions helped open 5,984 acres of new public access. The North Dakota contributions helped open 4,531 acres. The new investment builds on that success while advancing one of the NWTF's central hunting heritage priorities: ensuring hunters have places to pursue wild game. Although much of South Dakota's wildlife habitat is privately owned, programs such as PATH and Walk-In Areas allow landowners to voluntarily share that habitat with the public. In some cases, an enrolled property can also provide a route to otherwise landlocked public lands managed by agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management or the South Dakota Office of School and Public Lands. The benefits extend beyond the hunters who use the property. Access payments can encourage landowners to retain grasslands and other wildlife habitat, maintain land enrolled in conservation programs and use management practices that benefit wild turkeys, upland game birds and other game and non-game species. By combining NWTF dollars, Pheasants Forever funding and voluntary landowner agreements through the state game agencies, the partnership will turn conservation support into something hunters can experience directly: more gates opened, more habitat accessible and more room to continue hunting traditions in the Dakotas. Filed Under:

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever welcome James Roberts as new Chief Development Officer. Appointment to help advance national conservation efforts, philanthropic growth Saint Paul, Minn. - August 20, 2026 - Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever (PF & QF), the nation's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to upland habitat conservation, are pleased to announce the addition of James Roberts as Chief Development Officer. In this executive leadership role, Roberts will be responsible for leading PF & QF's growth strategies, fundraising efforts, and development initiatives on a national scale. Reporting directly to President & CEO Marilyn Vetter, the Chief Development Officer will provide strategic direction and oversight of the organization's fundraising and business development operations, including chapter and volunteer services; philanthropic fundraising and planned giving; membership and annual giving programs; and grant and foundation development. "James Roberts brings a proven track record of building relationships, nurturing mission-driven organizations, and inspiring philanthropic investment at the highest levels," said Marilyn Vetter. "As Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever continue to expand our conservation impact across the country, his experienced leadership will be instrumental in strengthening the partnerships, volunteer network, and financial resources needed to deliver our mission for the uplands." As Chief Development Officer, Roberts will work closely with PF & QF leadership, volunteers, donors, corporations, foundations, and chapters nationwide to advance the organization's long-term vision and support its growing portfolio of strategic priorities including habitat, access, advocacy, and engagement. "Stepping into the role of Chief Development Officer is both an honor and a responsibility," said James Roberts. "Together with dedicated volunteers, supporters, partners and teammates, we will carry forward a mission that matters deeply: conserving our vital upland habitats so future generations can enjoy the same wild places that inspire us today." Roberts will begin his new position with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever after more than a decade of inspiring philanthropic successes at partner organization Ducks Unlimited. In his most recent role as Managing Director of Development for the wetlands conservation non-profit, Roberts led a highly successful team of major gift officers to achieve ambitious fundraising goals through major initiatives, feature-film projects, campaign committees, and foundation support. Throughout his fundraising career, Roberts has been recognized with numerous awards. Most notably among them, a two-time Ducks Unlimited National Director of Development of the Year. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Communication and Information Sciences. Roberts will be relocating to PF & QF headquarters with his wife Alison, and two sons, Griffin (11) and Murphy (9). About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make up the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 550,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of its uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 740 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent - the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 580,000 habitat projects benefiting 32 million acres.