President’s Corner 11/28/2017

Chapter Meetings:

-Our first meeting of the season was 16 Nov at Steak Out in Sonoita.  Speakers included Nick Besenick and myself talking hunting/survival electronics, Dr Alberto Macias who provided an update on our Mearns Quail diet study being done by State University of Sonora and an update from AGFD on the Quail Festival.

-The second meeting will be 14 Dec as the 3rd Thursday would be too close to Christmas.  Sarah Gandaria who is a QF national employee working for AZ G&F will present a proposal on Tombstone Ranch Property acquisition which is under consideration by QF national, a hunting ethics discussion led by Ron Walp and AZ G&F update.

-The 18 Jan meeting will include Josh Smith from US Fish and Wildlife Service who will discuss the Masked Bobwhite recovery project at Buenos Aires NWR in Southern AZ.

-A reminder that chapter meeting are open to all, don’t hesitate to bring friends.

-If you have ideas or volunteers for other speakers please let me know.

-Brittany Oleson the AZ G&F Wildlife Officer out of the Sonoita are is putting together an event the opening weekend of Mearns 1-4PM 9 Dec at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Sonoita in partnership with the chapter.  The chapter has paid to rent the hall.  A flyer for the event is attached.  Please come and bring friends.

-Desert quail hunting success has been a little better this year than last with some areas being fairly good.  My personal The habitat looks good and the Tucson area is doing good on rainfall it did not all come at the right time.

-The homeowners and AZGFD are still working agreements that will prevent the FS from closing the access.  Access is open at this time.

-Our banquet is planned 3 Feb at the Sonoita Fairgrounds.  We will have our first banquet planning committee meeting Dec 6.  Please let me know if you can volunteer or can help with donations for the banquet.

-Highway cleanup.  Ron Walp will lead a highway cleanup on 6 Dec.  We will meet at Hog Canyon road at 9:00.  Afterward we will go to Wagon Wheel in Patagonia for breakfast.

-US F&W is looking for volunteers with dogs to “haze” released Masked Bobwhite Quail at Buenos Aires NWR.  To date, there has been poor to no survival of pen raised birds released in the wild.  The purpose of this effort is to haze released birds to instill fear of predators and increase their survival rate.  Please contact Bill Radke at bill_radke@fws.gov and Rebecca Chester at rebecca_chester@fws.gov if you are able to help.  Dates help is needed include Nov 11, 12, 15 & 16 plus Dec 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13 &14.  The NWR has some housing if you desire to stay overnight.

-We are always looking for more board members – we will elect a new slate next spring and have openings now.

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