Yoopers Form Region's First Pheasants Forever Chapter
U.P. Bird Hunters chapter aims to improve wildlife habitat in Delta and Menominee Counties
Source: www.michigan.gov
Published: Feb. 28, 2008
RAPID RIVER, MI. - Upland hunting enthusiasts from Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.) have formed the region's first Pheasants Forever chapter, the U.P. Bird Hunters Chapter of PF. The chapter will work to improve wildlife habitat conditions in Delta and Menominee Counties. The U.P. Bird Hunters Chapter of PF has elected Walter Noa of Rapid River as its president. Noa became familiar with PF while on pheasant hunts near Spencer, Iowa.
"We'd hunt on nothing but habitat projects completed by the local Clay County Chapter of Pheasants Forever," Noa said, "I was so impressed to see the locally-raised dollars working there that I knew we had to try it here."
PF is the only national conservation organization that empowers local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally-raised conservation funds are spent. This local control allows chapters to see the fruits of their chapter efforts in their own communities. Delta and Menominee Counties are home to small pockets of pheasants.
"We believe we'll be able to help those birds, but we'll also be helping deer, turkey, and song birds and other wildlife by bettering habitat conditions," Noa said.
In addition to improving wildlife habitat, the chapter is also planning events geared around the strong interest in sporting dogs. "Everyone in the chapter is into dogs," Noa said, "We've put together a sporting dog committee, and will be holding dog training days for people to come and learn helpful training tips."
The U.P. Bird Hunters chapter has also elected Michael Glass of Rapid River as treasurer, John Vigi of Rapid River as habitat chair and Jim Wojtko of Rapid River as youth/education chair. The chapter will hold its next meeting on Thursday, March 6th, at Black Duck Sporting Clays in Rapid River. Clay shooting will be held at 6 PM, followed by the meeting at 7 PM. The public and media are invited to attend. For more information about the U.P. Bird Hunters chapter of Pheasants Forever, contact Walter Noa at (906)474-6580 or via email at wnoa@uplogon.com.
Also joining the new U.P. Bird Hunters chapter as inaugural members are Bob and Joann St.Pierre of Escanaba, Michigan. They are the parents of Bob St.Pierre, Pheasants Forever's National Director of Marketing & Public Relations. There is also a Pheasants Forever chapter start meeting slated for the Sault Ste. Marie - Sugar Island area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The meeting will be held Thursday, April 17 at the Sugar Island Community Center. Meeting time is 7 PM. For more information about Pheasants Forever in Michigan, to start or join an existing chapter, contact Mike Parker, PF Regional Wildlife Biologist, at (517)668-1033 or via email at mparker@pheasantsforever.org.
Michigan's 37 PF chapters and one Quail Forever (QF – PF's quail division) chapter consist of over 8,200 PF/QF members. Those chapters have spent over $5.7 million to improve Michigan wildlife habitat, completing 54,366 habitat projects benefitting 376,276 acres for wildlife.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 120,000 members in 750 local chapters across the continent. Anthony Hauck (651)209-4972
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