Phelan Returns to Idaho as Pheasants Forever’s Coordinating Biologist in Nampa

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever has named Randy Phelan as the organization’s Coordinating Biologist in Nampa, Idaho. A position created by a partnership between Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), Phelan will design, coordinate, and implement wildlife habitat conservation programs and projects on select private and public lands. Phelan has been with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever since 2011, serving as a Farm Bill Biologist in Le Mars, Iowa.

Phelan will work with farmers and landowners in promoting the wildlife habitat and financial benefits of federal and state conservation programs, as well as assist landowners after programs have been implemented. He will also coordinate existing programs and partnerships, including Idaho’s Habitat Improvement Program and the Idaho Watershed Initiative, for the benefit of wildlife through upland habitat conservation.

Phelan has a long, distinguished career in conservation, including from 1991 to 2000 as a District Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Emmett, Idaho. “I am excited to be back in Idaho as the Coordinating Biologist for Pheasants Forever and our partners working with agricultural producers, landowners to improve their operations while enhancing wildlife habitat.”

“Idaho Fish and Game is pleased to extend our relationship with Pheasants Forever with the addition of this new coordinating biologist position in the Southwest Region. We are looking forward to applying Randy’s extensive experience to improving habitat on private and public lands while working alongside landowners to minimize wildlife private land conflicts,” says Jerry Deal, Wildlife Habitat Manager with IDFG Southwest Region.

A native of northwest Iowa, Phelan received a B.S. in Wildlife Management from Colorado State University. He retired from the NRCS in 2009 following a 32-year career working in Iowa, Idaho and Montana. From November of 2011 until this spring, Phelan assisted landowners in a four-county area in northwest Iowa, working to promote and implement conservation programs and establish upland habitat. He can be reached at (208) 465-8465/ email.

Pheasants Forever

Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the last 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail. There are five major factors leading to the losses of quail habitat; intensified farming and forestry practices, succession of grassland ecosystems to forests, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife, and urban sprawl.