Hunting-access program provides $50 million in federal funds to expand recreation opportunities on private lands

Saint Paul, Minn. – July 8, 2010 – Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever today praised a decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release $50 million in funding for the “Open Fields” Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program, a new effort to encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch and forest lands to provide public access to their lands for wildlife-dependent activities such as hunting and fishing.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement this afternoon at a national press conference, at which other speakers included Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever National President and CEO, and representatives from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Open Fields was authorized by Congress for the first time in the 2008 Farm Bill following support from a TRCP-sponsored coalition that included Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. Open Fields provides states $50 million in federal monies to create or enhance voluntary hunter-access programs on private lands and encourages landowners who enroll their properties to employ best-management practices for wildlife. Landowners can receive a financial incentive in exchange for opening lands to the public for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation. The Open Fields funding can now be used to enhance the 26 existing state public access programs, and establish programs in states where such programs are currently absent. There will be an application process for states to apply for funding.

“American sportsmen are deeply invested in the Open Fields program,” said Vincent, who praised the program on both its wildlife habitat and hunter access merits. “We appreciate the federal government’s willingness to expand public access to hunting and other recreational activities by assuring its implementation. Sportsmen now speak together in urging our nation’s decision makers to continue this record of support by retaining and funding Farm Bill conservation programs in 2012.”

“Open Fields is the first federal landowner incentive program of its kind to enhance access for hunting and fishing – and has been a flagship issue for the TRCP since our group’s inception,” said TRCP President and CEO Whit Fosburgh, who spoke at the event. “Today’s announcement by the federal government is an unqualified victory for fish and wildlife conservation and our hunting and fishing traditions.”

“This administration is committed to preserving and enhancing the great conservation legacy of our nation’s hunters and anglers to benefit current and future generations,” said Vilsack. ”This program will not only help achieve conservation goals, but also increase opportunities for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation by providing greater access to privately held lands for wildlife-dependent recreation.”

The conservation title of the Farm Bill is the nation’s single-largest source of federal funding for private-lands conservation programs, and previous iterations of the bill have allocated billions of dollars toward landowner activities that sustain critical habitat and bolster fish and wildlife populations important to sportsmen.

Read frequently asked questions about Open Fields.

Pheasants Forever is dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs.

As anyone who spends much time in the outdoors and enjoys wildlife can tell you, habitat is the key to having healthy populations.

When I talk about habitat, it isn’t something complicated and doesn’t need to be huge tracts.

Upland birds, deer, turkey and even songbirds all need some sort of cover (habitat) a place to roost, raise their young, to feed and loaf.

These places can be grassland such as CRP, pastures, ungrazed wooded draws or shelterbelts all of which serve a purpose, helping wildlife to grow and survive.

Unfortunately, with the corn, bean and land rent high, habitat for upland birds, turkey, deer and other wildlife has taken the back seat and has disappeared at an alarming rate.

CRP Fields, abandoned farmsteads, shelterbelts and sloughs, all of which once provided some cover are no longer there as they’ve been planted, removed or drained.

In some areas, the closest thing to habitat or nesting areas would be alfalfa which makes great nesting areas for pheasant and turkey as well as place for does to hide there young fawns.

Unfortunately, most of these critters haven’t moved out of the filed before the first cutting when a lot of hens, chicks and fawns come in contact with the cutter.

We’re lucky there are individuals and wildlife organizations doing their best to develop habitat by putting in nesting cover and food plots, giving wildlife a place to retreat when other areas are no longer available.

Pheasants Forever, Quail Unlimited and other conservation groups have programs where they provide seed, rental of planting equipment and some funding, helping cooperators to plant grasses, legumes and food plots.

Many state run agencies also have programs helping to establish and retain habitat as well as helping with tree plantings and shelterbelt renovation.

It doesn’t take a lot to create an area (habitat) for wildlife as even the smallest project can help,

Last week, Team member Bill Christensen and I put in two food plots, adjacent to existing shelterbelts and nesting cover.

The location that food plots/nesting cover are established is a very important part of the entire equation, as it should be adjacent winter cover, allowing wildlife access to these areas without having to travel far to reach them

The closer your planting is to cover, shelterbelts or wooded draws, the better!

In order to make sure that we got the most out of our food plot, we wanted to work with an experienced company that had worked with wildlife land development and management.

That’s where Midwest Food Plots, a Des Moines, IA. company  www.midwestfoodplots.com came in.

They would help us develop a plan, making sure that everything would be done correctly, ensuring the food plots would be productive.

Our first step was to take several soil samples at each site and have them analyzed by our local Central Valley Ag, www.cvacoop.com as this let us know exactly what the plots needed as far as fertilization.

We’d disked both plots several times, loosening up the soil while leaving enough crop residue on the surface to protect the field from soil erosion.

After several conversations with the folks at Midwest Food Plots, we decided that it would be a good idea to plant a variety mixture, giving a variety of wildlife species food that would be available throughout the year.

When Midwest Food Plots pulled in, they’d brought along a PLOTMASTER planter that could be used behind a four-wheeler.

This compact unit planted the seed, rolled and packed the ground in one pass, making the planting quick and easy.

On Plot # 1, which also included a winter wheat planting we planted Punishing Perennials, a combination of Chicory and Small Burnett.

This fall we’ll follow up that planting with Power Hour Sunflower, a blend of Turnips, Radishes and Sunflower.

On Plot # 2, which is bordered on both sides by corn fields,  we used a John Deere planter to put in forage soybeans in the center of the plot, which will be knocked down in August when we’ll broadcast Killer Canola Blend, the same mixture we’d planted in Plot # 1.

Around the edge of the soybeans, we put in more of the Punishing Perennials and Serious Sainfoin, a blend of Red Clover, Ladino Clover and Sainfoin.

With the blends and the time they’ll be planted, wildlife in the area should have a good food source available throughout the entire year.

We then  fertilized both plots and then had a nice rain fall in the area a couple of days later, which should be everything needed to get them off to a good start.

In order to track the progress on each plot at each site, we’ll install benchmarks allowing us to set up our cameras and film from the same location on each visit.

We also put in a RAKS mineral station for the deer, which helps the bucks and does get the minerals they need to not only develop better racks, but also help the does raise healthier yearlings.

Game cameras on each site were the finishing touches as these would give us a 24-hour way of tracking what wildlife are using the site.

With timely rains and baring any natural disasters, we should have two excellent wildlife areas, which will help numerous wildlife species to make it through the year.

Wildlife plantings needn’t be huge as the corner of pivots, along field borders and other areas that aren’t planted can become excellent habitat.

Wildlife needs all the help they can get to survive, especially following a winter like last year and the acre or two we put in just might be enough to help produce another hatch of pheasants or help a deer make it through the year.

Gary Howey, Hartington, NE. is the producer/host of the award winning outdoorsmen Adventures television series that airs throughout the Midwest and can be seen on-line at www.MyOutdoorTV.com

To enhance the 316-acre lake, DU engineered and is installing a water-control structure and electric pump which will allow the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to better manage water levels and improve lake conditions.

“With the warm weather and removal of weight limits on the roads, our contractor, Duininck Brothers Inc., of Willmar, was able to begin work, and we should be able to complete the project ahead of schedule,” said Matt Olson, DU construction manager. “We’ll be working with Runestone Electric in May to run power to the site for the pump, so we should have it running later this summer.”

Additional funding for the Jennie Lake project came from a federal grant from the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, the Chippewa River Watershed Improvement Project, Viking Sportsmen and the Pioneer Heritage Conservation Trust.

“Public support for the improvement of Jennie Lake has been strong,” said Kevin Kotts, Minnesota DNR area wildlife manager in Glenwood. “We are thankful for the public concern, support and funding for this important wetland project, and we look forward to actively managing the lake.”

Jennie Lake has a long history of waterfowl use during spring and fall migrations. The lake is especially important to diving ducks as they move through the state.

“Diving ducks rely on aquatic plants, seeds, tubers and invertebrates such as freshwater shrimp to replenish nutrient and energy reserves during migration,” said Jon Schneider, DU’s conservation program manager in MN. “These resources are particularly important in spring when female ducks must maintain and improve their body condition prior to laying eggs when they reach the breeding grounds.”

Jennie Lake is also designated for wildlife management purposes by the Minnesota DNR’s Section of Wildlife. Wildlife lake designation gives the state the ability to temporarily lower water levels and restrict motor use on the lake. Temporary water level draw-downs simulate natural drought conditions that promote winterkill of invasive fish and allow sediment to consolidate, aquatic plants to germinate and grow and aquatic invertebrates to flourish.

The 2009 Outdoor Heritage Fund grant to DU is helping to fund enhancement of eight shallow lakes, engineering of three new shallow lake projects for future implementation, and conservation easements on shorelines of several shallow lakes. Work on four additional shallow lake projects is currently under way, including Ash Lake in Grant County, Cory Lake in Lac qui Parle County, Curtis Lake in Yellow Medicine County and Round Lake in Murray County. A sixth shallow lake enhancement project, Rice Lake in Faribault County, is also under contract and will begin soon. Later this summer, DU will request bids for two additional shallow enhancement projects – Smith Lake in Wright County and Lake Christina in Douglas County. These eight and other large DU shallow lake enhancement projects create and sustain Minnesota jobs that benefit local economies as well as improve wildlife habitat.

Ducks Unlimited and the DNR’s Section of Wildlife cooperatively work to enhance shallow lake habitats throughout Minnesota. This partnership will help fulfill the goals of both the DNR’s Duck Recovery Plan and DU’s Living Lakes Initiative, and will address the wetland habitat objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

Lincoln, Neb. – April 27, 2010 – Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever announce Jerry McDonald of Lincoln, Nebraska, as the organization’s new Regional

Representative for eastern Nebraska. McDonald’s 25-plus years of marketing experience will help strengthen “The Habitat Organization’s” Cornhusker conservation mission.

McDonald will work to start new Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters in eastern Nebraska and assist existing chapters with raising and expending funds on wildlife habitat and conservation education.
He will also work with local, state, and federal natural resource agencies on wildlife habitat initiatives. In addition to serving as a point person for local

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters, McDonald will assist in Pheasants Forever’s “Reload Nebraska” campaign, created last year to raise $20 million to establish and improve 1.1 million acres of wildlife habitat on private and public land in the state.

“The most important ingredient conservation requires is people with a burning passion for wildlife and the outdoors, and Jerry McDonald has that,” said Pete Berthelsen, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Senior Field Coordinator and an Elba, Nebraska, resident. “That passion will help engage more people in our mission
in an area where there is a great deal of potential for habitat projects.”

McDonald grew up hunting and fishing with his dad around Geneva, Nebraska, and continues to hunt every chance he gets. Recently, his Brittany passed away and he’s begun the search for another hunting dog to take its place.

“Hunting pheasants and quail without a bird dog isn’t nearly as rewarding for me,” McDonald said, “I love the work, the point, the shot and the retrieve. Of course, may favorite activity wouldn’t be possible without quality and quantity of habitat. I’m as excited about getting to down to work for Pheasants Forever as I
am about my next pup.”

McDonald earned a B.S. at the University of Nebraska in Omaha. He joins Pheasants Forever after three years with Alegent Health at Home where he operated as a marketing representative. McDonald can be reached at (402) 440-9613 and JMcDonald@pheasantsforever.org.

Nebraska is home to 60 Pheasants Forever chapters, 4 Quail Forever chapters and more than 9,700 members of “The Habitat Organization.” Since 1987, local chapters have spent over $26.7 million on habitat and youth education and impacted 2.8 million acres of habitat in the state. In 2010, chapters will celebrate working on
their 3 millionth acre of habitat in the state, the first state within the organization to reach that mark. For more info on Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in Nebraska, visit www.NebraskaPF.com.

MARSHALL, Minn., March 31, 2010 – Ducks Unlimited began enhancement of another shallow lake project funded in part by the Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. The early warm weather melted snow and allowed crews get started on the Curtis Lake project near Marshall.

“To complete construction of this shallow lake project by summer, our contractor needed to mobilize the required heavy equipment, steel structure materials and rock riprap before the spring roadway load restrictions were posted,” said Brad Karel, DU construction manager.

Karel and contractor Chad Monson Excavating of Willmar began working in early March on Curtis Lake to install a sheet pile water control structure designed by DU.

“After a brief shutdown for the spring runoff, we will be able to resume work as soon as site conditions dry and improve,” Karel said.

Another large water control structure and a fish barrier will go in when construction resumes. This and other large and complex DU shallow lake enhancement projects create and sustain Minnesota jobs that benefit local economies.

The new water control structures will allow the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources field staff to actively manage water levels in Curtis Lake. Temporary water level draw downs simulate natural periodic drought conditions that will rejuvenate the basin’s aquatic ecology and optimize wildlife habitat in the lake, as well as improve hunting opportunities. Once the lake is enhanced, it will be especially important for migrating and brood-rearing waterfowl.

Curtis Lake is a 440-acre shallow lake with an average depth of four and a half feet. During their assessment in 2006, the DNR found that aquatic plants only occurred in 10 percent of the basin. This condition was due to stagnant high water levels, poor water quality and turbid conditions. Typically, a healthy shallow lake at four feet deep would have aquatic plants occurring in 100 percent of the basin because the water is clear and sunlight can reach the lake floor. The DNR legally designated Curtis Lake for wildlife management purposes in 2006. More recently the DNR was able to finalize easements with landowners around the outlet of Curtis Lake that enabled enhancement activities to move forward and will ensure management activities persist into the future.

“This project was made possible with assistance from local landowners such as the Busack and Bode families, public support for Lake Designation and financial support from the Cottonwood Sportsmen’s Club,” said Bill Schuna, DNR’s assistant area wildlife manager in Marshall.

Schuna acknowledges the strong partnership with DU and the support of private landowners, the public and local conservation organizations.

“DU played a vital role in this project by providing wetland engineering design expertise that will give us the ability to temporarily drawdown Curtis Lake. A drawdown and fish barrier will improve critical habitat for waterfowl and prevent invasive fish such as carp from re-entering the lake. These efforts will ultimately improve water quality and clarity,” Schuna said.

Primary funding for this project was provided by Outdoor Heritage Funds and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. The Cottonwood Sportsmen’s Club also provided local cost-share to the DNR for this project.

DU and the DNR’s Section of Wildlife work together to enhance shallow lake habitats throughout Minnesota. This partnership will help fulfill the shallow lake goals of both the DNR’s Duck Recovery Plan and DU’s Living Lakes Initiative, and will address the wetland habitat objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

DU has five other shallow lake enhancement projects under contract that are funded by a 2009 Outdoor Heritage Fund grant, including Jennie Lake in Douglas County, Ash Lake in Grant County, Cory Lake in Lac qui Parle County, Round Lake in Murray County and Rice Lake in Faribault County. Construction plans for Smith Lake in Wright County and Lake Christina in Douglas County will go out for bid later this year. Each project has been developed in partnership with the DNR’s Section of Wildlife.

Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

A couple weeks back we touched on one of the first steps in building food plots. Once you’ve chosen a location, or locations, the next step is deciding what to plant. Recommended options often depend on intended purpose and existing conditions.

The first installment of this series (Web Tips 2/22/2010 Plotting Your Plots) discussed the basic differences between two types of food plots. In addition to shape, size and location, feeding plots and hunting plots also have different nutritional objectives. Hunting plots are designed primarily to attract deer in the fall and winter. As a result, they are typically planted with annuals that grow quickly and have a relatively narrow period of attraction and peak nutrition. Feeding plots, on the other hand, are designed either for year-round nutrition, or to fill in the gaps not met by hunting plots. More often they’re planted with perennials, or plants with a longer period of palatability.

Once you’ve selected from one of the above groups, you can begin to narrow down your choices further based on site conditions. Certain seed blends (see note below on blends) do better under certain conditions. Some grow better in moist soils, others on predominantly dry sites. Some are more tolerant to broad fluctuations in soil moisture. Similarly, some species like sunlight while others prefer shade. Slope and aspect should also be factored in.

Some species require more up-front work. Crops like corn and soy beans require a lot of care and maintenance, and are better suited to locations you can access with large equipment. Other less demanding species, especially fall hunting blends can go in more remote places you can only access by ATV. Save your no-till blends for the “walk-in only” spots.

Once you decide on the general class of seed blend that’s best suited to your site, it’s time to consult the manufacturer’s recommendations. Most reputable wildlife seed companies have detailed descriptions of and recommended applications for their blends. Two important points here. One: it’s best to use a seed that has been specifically designed for wildlife. You may be able to save a few bucks buying livestock blends at the local co-op. But they’re designed for livestock, not deer, and are less palatable to deer. Two: with little exception it’s usually better to use a blend rather than a single species. Conditions such as temperature and moisture can vary considerably from one month to the next and from year to year. With a mix, at leas some species will survive regardless of conditions.

By Bob Humphrey

Link: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/events/dynamicevent/2/1178/yamaha_outdoors_tip_of_the_week.aspx

It was almost daylight and the tukeys were still in the trees. Every few seconds one would gobble and this would set off the others.

Occasionally, I’d do a soft yelp and get the booming answers from the big toms.

I was so close I could hear them flying down from the tree limbs and they continued the gobbling and yelping.

But the sounds were fading as the whole bunch walked away.

More often than not, that’s how it is in today’s turkey woods. There are so many turkeys that it is a rare occasion when toms go to roost without hens.

And, come dawn, the toms go where the hens go and if you are not on that track, you will not bag a tom.

That’s why preseason scouting is so important.

We used to scout just to determine where the toms were roosting and then depend upon our calling to bring them in.

Now, however, you have to determine where those turkeys will go when they fly down and you must be set up on that track to even have a chance.

It is a fact that many of today’s turkey hunters no longer get up early to be in the woods at dawn.

Instead, many hunters prefer to take their chances later in the day when many of the hens go to the nest and leave the toms. When that happens, the soft yelps of a hen call will bring a tom running.

Another change is aggressive calling. In any group of hens and toms, there is a “boss” hen.

If you can get the boss hen riled up, she’ll come looking for you thinking it is another upstart hen.

She’ll have kicking your butt in mind and she will be in a hurry to do it. The tom or toms will just follow along and walk right in.

Turkey hunting has also become very popular. Each spring the woods are full of hunters.

It doesn’t take surviving toms very long to learn some valuable lessons that just might save their hides later.

One of those lessons is, “Never approach a decoy.”

In fact, I rarely use a decoy when hunting on public lands. I’ve had too many toms either hang up a hundred yards out or scurry off at the sight of a decoy.

High turkey numbers and high hunter numbers are causing some changes in the turkey woods. Knowing that will help you bag that trophy tom.