Howard Vincent retiring from PF

I was an ardent supporter of PF but after years of financial support and minimal activity in my "neck of the woods", I am no longer active in this organization. I believe that assisting landowners with routine chores provides a much larger return than advocating a top heavy administrative organization and not seeing any return.
A fruit basket at Christmas, mending a fence line, inoculating cattle etc... establishes friendships and goes a long way to foster good relations with land owners. This strategy may not work for everyone, but for me it has been a game changer.
 
Golden Hour said:
Like a flush, powerful and fast. Every single dollar generated from the sale of this item goes to habitat. We started the program this spring and there is a $50 per acre for tree belts or grassy habitat.
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Such a great idea to make a significant difference locally. It's a little unreal that PF would shoot down that idea.
I like the little fart one at the end. Do they all do that?
 
I have a friend who complains the local county PF doesn't do anything locally (on the southern side of the county where we live). He want them to purchase ground here and make it public....well, it is mostly all productive rolling ground here, they can purchase tracts in the NW part of the county, where it is unfit to row-crop, at a fraction of the price of the local dirt. With the limited funds they have, they try to make the biggest impact they can. Everyone needs to realize land acquisitions take the pooling the resources of several PF chapters, DU, county conservancy groups and others to make these happen. It just doesn't always make sence for acquistions in areas of high priced ground....in those areas it requires a land gift or priced at a substantially discounted price. We do locally have PF supplying food plot seed that can be seen on private ground throughout our neck of the woods. Additionally, they have assisted us years ago get started with tree plantings and seeding native grasses. Incidentally, the friend who complains, his family owns land and farms, but have no bird habitat, not even food plots. Creating habitat often comes with a cost, but gives an unequaled satisfaction.

I guess for many, it all boils down to what they expect PF to do for them...I see it more like; how can we help PF help the birds. More giving, less taking.
 
Below is an email I receicved regarding Howard's retirement and tenure at PF. Many here likely also received this. Just thought I would share it.

St. Paul, Minn. – March 31, 2022 – Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s president & CEO since 2000, has announced plans to retire following National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2023 next February. The organization’s national board of directors has enlisted the services of Cohen Taylor to lead the nationwide application and interview process.

Vincent joined the organization as a volunteer in 1984, only two years after the organization’s creation in 1982. He was hired as a full-time employee in 1987 as the organization’s first director of finance. In 2000, Vincent succeeded Jeff Finden to become the second person to lead the non-profit conservation organization during its 40-year history.

“I’m extremely proud of the team we have in place to deliver this organization’s habitat mission,” Vincent said. “We produced more acres of habitat and generated more dollars for conservation in 2021 than any other year in our history, and we’re going to break those records in 2022. That’s a credit to every one of our employees, our national board of directors, this organization’s dedicated volunteers, and our many partners. It’s now time to prepare for the next chapter. ”

During Vincent’s tenure, Pheasants Forever has grown into one of the most respected wildlife conservation organizations in the country dedicated to habitat development, education, and advocacy. The organization, which includes both Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, has more than 400 employees and 400,000 members, supporters, and partners. In its history, “The Habitat Organization” has been responsible for delivering more than 22 million acres of habitat.

“In addition to being the primary face of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, Howard has built an amazing team and established collaborative, meaningful partnerships with other like-minded organizations and individuals in conservation,” said Matt Kucharski, chair of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s national board of directors. “He will be leaving the organization in a tremendous place, and we appreciate his collaboration during the transition.”

Vincent will continue to lead PF & QF into 2023 as the organization rallies to complete its first-ever comprehensive campaign, Call of the Uplands. In 2021, the organization announced Call of the Uplands to generate $500 million to protect and restore 9 million acres of strategic upland habitat nationwide, permanently protect 75,000 acres, and introduce 1.5 million new people to conservation and outdoor recreation. The Call of the Uplands campaign will culminate in conjunction with Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2023 in Minneapolis next February, which will also be the organization’s first-ever national convention.

Executive search firm Cohen Taylor has been retained by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever to lead the application and interview process for Vincent’s successor. Inquiries about the position should be directed to Katie Erickson at Cohen Taylor via email at katie@cohentaylor.com.

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 400,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our 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 567,500 habitat projects benefiting 22 million acres.

Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651) 209-4953
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org
 
hunter94 said:
DU does more than all the rest, Delta, QU, WTF, etc.
PF is local and spotty. for a non profit, their officer pay scale is damn generous!
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Considering that Quail Unlimited has been defunct for 20 years, yeah, DU does more than them.
 
Personally, I wish Vincent, PF and QF well. I was secretary for a QU chapter in southwest Ohio and saw what I considered greed in the hierarchy of that organization and their attempt to perpetuate that when they tried to consolidate QU and PF. Vincent was the one who said no. We left QU and became a PF/QF chapter and have never looked back. I was secretary for 12 years and have a pretty good grip on how PF operates, and it is overwhelmingly positive PF/QF is highly innovative and gives very good support to the local chapter to try to put all of the money the chapter raises back in local projects. Just like everything and everyone in this world, some do better than others, but I was glad to be a part of getting away from QU and going with PF.
mschnip said:
Considering that Quail Unlimited has been defunct for 20 years, yeah, DU does more than them.
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mschnip said:
Considering that Quail Unlimited has been defunct for 20 years, yeah, DU does more than them.
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And I am referring to the original QU, not the life support QU that folded in 2013.
 
remy3424 said:
Well, unlike some it seems that do, pretty much nothing (by their own admissions), I am not in that camp. Indirectly: I do support PF with a few hundred dollars at our local chapter banquet (these are the funds they can use as they determine), I keep my membership renewed in advance a few years, I purchased 2 additional memberships for landowners where I can pheasant hunt on their land (the memberships pay the CEO, hire lobbyists, hire biologists, fund raise, etc). I don't count any stamps, license fees or taxes paid on hunting related equipment as voluntary support...you wouldn't be paying it, if you had a choice I am guessing.

Directly: We have filter/buffer strips on waterways on 3 of our farms, additional 142 acres enrolled in CRP until 2030 and have an additional close to 10 acres taken out of production with a variety of trees/shrubs and food plots planted in it. These areas a FULL of birds! This past year, if you were to hunt with me, and if you didn't see a hundred in a morning, it would be unusual. I do love pheasants, creating habitat for them and hunting them. I spend countless hours of my free time in the summers improving our habitat (planting trees/shrubs & removing others, spraying thistles, planting fiood plots, etc).

I am blessed to have land to do this on. If I didn't have this opportunity, I would put more money and time into PF to accomplish this elsewhere. I have a hard time wrapping my head around how folks who really enjoy pheasants can take issue with PF as some do here. Usually it is just hearsay or some nonsense that they heard and they are repeating mindlessly. Get involved with your local chapter, volunteer, be on the board...they will welcome you! You will get to be involved in the decisions of which projects and causes they spend their money and time on....once you have done such, then bitch away, until then, you have no idea what you are even ragging about. A shameless supporter of all things pheasant related here.

Back to the PF CEO, as B-B alluded to, it is a very demanding position that will require they pay a generous salary to get someone with a vast knowledge of everything business related, but also including the dirty work of lobbying & fund raising. They likely will have (should have) connections in government and know how to push/promote adgendas to those in high positions that can influence decisions such as farm bills and other enviromental legislation. With many CEOs the lobbying and knowledge/connections with that, is likely not a priority, they just need to be knowledgeable of the specific business climate, be profitable (increase revenues & lower expenses) and grow said business...this would be a much more difficult position than most CEO positions I believe.
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this would be great, as would honest politicians, i simply hope for the best and support as i can. right now the people of Ukraine are my focus.
 
www.mitchellrepublic.com

Pheasants Forever's Minnesota origin story comes full circle

Forty years ago the Minnesota founders of Pheasants Forever — from the metropolitan area and from Kandiyohi County — met on the shores of Eagle Lake north of Willmar and agreed to the local control model that the organization continues today. The surviving founders of that meeting returned to Eagle…
www.mitchellrepublic.com www.mitchellrepublic.com

An article on PF history.
 
remy3424 said:
So you ladies think they will find a bargin priced replacement to run the show? What are you thinking CEOs for organizations of that size/type make? Will it make a difference if they start someone at $100k less...or $100K more??? Why is that the big concern? What group does anything remotely close to what PF does for pheasants? Shouldn't you judge them on what the organization has done and is doing? Guess not it seems.
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You really have drank the kool-aid
 
KsHusker said:
You really have drank the kool-aid
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In a big way, got cherry stains all over his mouth. PF does some good things but at corprate level their crap smells just as bad sa other big business, profit or non profit. They rather be in bed with USDA, NRCS, etc than fight to make changes that would be good for there members.
 
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From my 30+ years of pheasant hunting I’d say CRP had the most beneficial impact on the sport; stands to reason you’d partner with the government agencies that oversee and administer the various habitat programs, such as CRP. I really don’t know what else PF could do other than create habitat directly, which I believe it does some of as well. I have no real fantasy about what a $30 annual
membership is gonna do for me, but I do it most years. My insight regarding the whole affair is that land is very expensive, so idling it is a challenge, and to create any incentive for habitat is very difficult…so anything that PF gets done is a victory. If you’ve got great ideas write them a letter….really. I think the reality of habitat programs is that they’ll continue to be relatively small, like riparian buffers, or wetland related, or tree belts, etc; big block CRP not so much. Maybe PF could educate its members on helping landowners identify marginal land that could be better used for environmental/habitat purposes…or at least discuss it and encourage it. The stakes are so high for farmers currently that they’re not able to idle productive land…no epiphany, I realize.
 
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hyresmack said:
In a big way, got cherry stains all over his mouth. PF does some good things but at corprate level their crap smells just as bad sa other big business, profit or non profit. They rather be in bed with USDA, NRCS, etc than fight to make changes that would be good for there members.
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So, I've got a few comments and questions for hyresmack and KsHusker.

Comments:
1. I don't have the resources to buy tens of thousands of acres in pheasant country to improve pheasant hunting.
2. I don't have a degree in wildlife biology to know what best for pheasants to thrive.
3. I don't travel in political circles.
3. I am connected to my state's wildlife commission and very familiar with what they are doing partnering with QF to help improve my state's quail population which has drastically decline in my lifetime. Some progress has been achieved because of those partners and many others including corporations with land holdings.
So, combining state, QF, private funds and volunteers - progress has been made and the decline slowed.
4. I joined PF in the mid 90s and have been a member ever since.
5. I've been carrying a shotgun chasing upland birds for 60 years.

A lot of that is totally irrelevant.

Questions:

1. What's a better place to put my meager resources (money and time) to play to improve pheasant hunting?
2. Who should lead the necessary coordination and communication with elected officials at the local, state and federal level? (I'm NOT volunteering for that job!) It's a critical role if any real progress is to be made.
3. What is your recommendation for improving pheasant hunting and who should lead that effort?
4. Who should be the voice for all pheasant hunters?

Thanks in advance.

I will continue to drink the orange Kool-Aid until a better option is available
 
I bot a 1/4 22 years ago, put it in a permanent conservation easement, do my best to keep it as viable habitat (not easy being 400 miles away, and work hard and spend lots of $ annually to get food plots planted by local farmer buddies). It’s not easy or cheap, but I find it worthwhile, but I’m tapped out. Most of the birds I shoot come off private land that local farmers have in CRP because they are from hunting families. They work with their local FSA/NRCS offices; much of the opportunities are likely cooked up with the backroom help of PF…hope so!
Separately, I see how pay to
hunt operations encourage landowners to provide habitat; yup, it’s about $…they idle land that would otherwise make them $…reality. They have to make the #’s work. It’s grassroots habitat formation…the CRP $ is icing on the cake, and may just make the deal work.
 
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benelli-banger said:
I bot a 1/4 22 years ago, put it in a permanent conservation easement, do my best to keep it as viable habitat (not easy being 400 miles away, and work hard and spend lots of $ annually to get food plots planted by local farmer buddies). It’s not easy or cheap, but I find it worthwhile, but I’m tapped out. Most of the birds I shoot come off private land that local farmers have in CRP because they are from hunting families. They work with their local FSA/NRCS offices; much of the opportunities are likely cooked up with the backroom help of PF…hope so!
Separately, I see how pay to
hunt operations encourage landowners to provide habitat; yup, it’s about $…they idle land that would otherwise make them $…reality. They have to make the #’s work. It’s grassroots habitat formation…the CRP $ is icing on the cake, and may just make the deal work.
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And pf biologists work in many of the nrcs offices.
 
dakotasj said:
Who should be the voice for all pheasant hunters?
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Pheasant hunters should be that voice. I joined PF many years ago for a couple years but after I realized how corrupt it was a the executive level (like many companies or other non-profits), I stopped my membership. Same with the NRA. The real problem occurred after I ended my membership. They have never stopped asking me to re-join. They're like a used car salesman.

The biggest investment we make into pheasant hunting, IMO, comes when we buy a hunting license. Here in MN, the sale of angling and hunting licenses generate the majority of revenue for outdoor funding. So really, all you have to do is buy a hunting license. Heck, even if you don't intend to hunt, simply buying a license would be beneficial.

Additionally, there are some minor things that the state of MN has done here to add more habitat. Mandatory buffer strips along waterways and ditches were implemented under the previous governor (who was a democrat). The agriculture industry obviously pushed back on it because it prevented them from planting row crops right up to the banks of the waterway. After several years though, I can literally see the change its made. There's grass growing there now! It not only adds miles and miles of potential habitat, it improves water quality.
 
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