GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — Pioneer PBS’s Prairie Sportsman will feature a spring turkey hunt and the decline of red-headed woodpeckers and their oak savanna habitat on its upcoming episode. “Turkeys and Woodpeckers” will air on Sunday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. on Pioneer PBS.
“Sub-gauges in the Spring” features spring turkey hunting in Minnesota and the increasing use of smaller shotguns, or sub-gauges. Prairie Sportsman Host Bret Amundson follows David Eckhardt on a hunting adventure using his family's vintage 410 shotgun, complete with customized shells for effectiveness and safety. Following the hunt, Eckhard takes advantage of another great spring pastime: morel mushroom foraging.
The “Savanna Redheads” segment centers on red-headed woodpeckers and their oak savanna habitat, which are both in serious decline. Unlike other woodpeckers, red-headed woodpeckers do not peck insects out of wood but capture them in flight, and they hunt rodents. To forage for food and to carve out nests in dying trees, the birds need the mixed habitat that oak savannas provide. To learn more, Prairie Sportsman takes a trip to the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel. The reserve is home to a large population of red-headed woodpeckers that University of Minnesota researcher Elena West is studying. She aims to inform land managers and the public about what this species needs to survive.
Finally, Nicole Zempel highlights the popular and easily identifiable chicken of the woods mushroom. It is characterized by its bright yellow color, porous surface and tangerine, green and orange shading on top. The mushroom gets its name from its chicken-like taste and texture. Chicken of the woods can be found from early spring to late fall, typically growing on decomposing logs or dying trees.
People in Pioneer PBS’s viewing area can livestream this episode at www.pioneer.org/live on Sunday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. “Turkeys and Woodpeckers” will be repeated on Monday, April 3 at 12:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. The program will also be available to stream at www.pioneer.org/prairiesportsman and on Prairie Sportsman’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@PrairieSportsman.
About Prairie Sportsman
Produced by Pioneer PBS, Prairie Sportsman is an Emmy-awarded series that celebrates love of the outdoors by featuring stories on hunting, fishing and recreation, while promoting environmental stewardship. Prairie Sportsman’s team is Dylan Curfman, producer, videographer and editor; Bret Amundson, host and editor; Cindy Dorn, writer and producer; and Dan Amundson, videographer and editor. The 2023 season is made possible by funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, Shalom Hill Farm, Live Wide Open, Western Minnesota Prairie Waters and members of Pioneer PBS.
About Pioneer PBS
Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station, dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit: www.pioneer.org.
