07/02/18 President’s Corner

Overview:

-We received some rain in June which is better than normal.  Some monsoon activity has been seen in far SE Arizona.

-Fire conditions in AZ are very high which has kept areas of the Northern AZ National Forests closed, Coronado National Forest in Southern AZ remains open with stage 2 fire restrictions (nor fires or shooting).

-It is time to get/keep your dogs and yourself in condition for fall hunting.

-Dove season opens in 60 days, a great opportunity to get the shotgun out and get some retrieves for your dogs.

-U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff and Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge [BANWR] staff invited SAQF to attend their meeting. We explained how our members were helping in trying to acclimate the masked bobwhite quail from being pen raised to surviving in the wild. John Goodwin [retired AZGFD] explained the recovery process in the 70s and 80s  was successful; BANWR is trying to come up with short and long range plans to get this iconic bird back to reproducing in the wild again.

-The new board for the chapter took office 1 July

–Dave Struyk, originally from Iowa and later Minnesota, is our new vice president.  He is a Navy veteran, retired, lives full time in Green Valley and claims he is an “Active Adult” living in Quail Creek. He denies being in the “Witness Protection Program” and says he was actively involved in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest with several hunting and sportsmen’s organizations including: Pheasants Forever, Quail Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited and others. He too is an avid hunter and sometimes fisherman and looks forward to  becoming in his own words: “best friends with all of our dog owning members.”

–Steve Geerligs is our new treasurer and banquet chair.  Steve is originally from Michigan where he grew up deer and upland bird hunting as well as fishing with his Grandfather.  He studied Chemistry, Mathematics and Engineering at Hope College and the University of Michigan and chose a career in Automotive Product Engineering.  He went to work in Detroit, MI and California in the Automotive and Aerospace Industries in various roles of Engineering Design, Analysis, Quality and Management.  He is currently working for a Consumer Products OEM in Tucson and lives in Oro Valley along with his wife Diane and daughter, Sophia.  He has hunted upland birds and waterfowl since he was a young lad but is new to the whole world of Desert Quail Hunting.  He looks forward to learning more about this intriguing species and how to better support their habitat through meeting other fellow hunters and volunteering with Quail Forever.

–Jim Littlejohn is our new habitat chairman.  Jim is from Indiana where he owned a]small farm.  He is retired, lives full time in Oro Valley and has previously been an officer in Arizona Back Country Hunters and Anglers and the Arizona Predator Club.  He is a lifelong hunter and runs two German Shorthair Pointers.

–Brian Tackett is our new chapter secretary.  He recently retired from the Navy, lives full time in Sierra Vista and has started work with the U.S. Post Office. He has previously been a member of the Ventura, CA Quail Forever Chapter, he is also a current member with Arizona Back Country Hunters and Anglers.  He is a lifelong outdoorsman and runs a German Shorthair and English Pointer.

–Tony (Spike) Valentino is our new Youth Chairman.  Tony is from the Northeast and is a retired Marine Aviator.  He lives full time in Oro Valley and works for Raytheon.  He has been an avid hunter most of his life.  When Spike and I hunted together, my favorite dog Bailey often worked closer to Spike as he knew Spike was a better shot than I.  He wants to ensure today’s youth get the same opportunity to get outdoors that he did.

–Howard (Howie) Swenson is a new at large chapter officer.  An at large officer is someone that has a special interest in giving back to our youth and habitat.  Howie is semi retired concrete contractor, lives in Tucson, loves Arizona and is from Wisconsin.  He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam war as a crew chief.  He developed and chaired a sportsman’s fundraiser in Wisconsin that continues to bring in over $25,000 a year.  Howie has Pope & Young Bull and a Boone & Crocket Coues (thanks to Kurt Bahti) on the wall.  He runs an English Pointer & French Britt.  Some may remember his grandson from last year who won the English Pointer pup at our banquet.

–Steve Hopkins is rejoining the board as an at large officer after a two year break.  Steve has worked tirelessly for the chapter since its inception.  He has been instrumental in obtaining donations and equipment for the banquet and has done the majority of the food preparation and setup for our youth hunts.  He is the quiet guy that makes everything happen.  Steve lives in Southern AZ but is on the road quite a bit as a full time outfitter.

–Tom Sullivan has left the position of Habitat Chairman.  Tom was singlehandedly instrumental in kickstarting the chapter habitat program completing the Ramsey Well Project and researching and starting our support of the borderlands projects.

–Nick Besenick has left the position of Youth Chairman.  Nick is one of the original chapter members.  His work has produced several successful youth hunts and youth demos over the last few years.  Nick will continue to help Spike in his new role as they transition.  Nick has 6 new pups that are going to keep him busy training.

–Dave Brown and Linda Phister remain on the board but in new roles as social media chairman and at large officer respectively.

–Ron Walp and myself remain in our current roles.

-US Forest Service has completed the permits to allow Borderlands Restorations to start work on loose rock structures about 30 miles SE of Sonoita.  Work has started and will run about 5 weeks.  AZ G&F is also considering funds for this project and future funding will likely be worked in coordination with them.

-Minor repairs were made to our guzzler at Ramsey Well.  It was full of water with numerous quail tracks nearby.

-A meeting was attended with Alter Valley Conservation Alliance, US F&W, AZ G&F and Pima County in early Jun to consider projects.

-We also attended a separate meeting with AZ G&F and Pima County Park and Rec to consider new projects and come up with a systematic plan to perform preventive maintenance on well projects.

-We spent a day last week working a reclaimed cotton field on King 98 Ranch removing Russian Thistle with Pima County Parks and Rec.  This project was started 2 years ago by the county and is showing good progress reestablishing natural vegetation.

-We received a request from a landowner to help with reseeding an area north of Wilcox.  He is currently projected to get help from NRCS for seeding 30 acres and is looking for help to increase the acreage.  After discussing with AZ F&G and QF National, we will defer to see how well the initial seeding works before assessing our involvement.

-Sarah Gandaria the QF biologist assigned to AZ G&F has moving to Tucson from Phoenix in June where she be able to help us more with our projects in Southern AZ.

-A Tucson based Boy Scout Troop is also interested in helping us with a habitat project, we are looking to work this in conjunction with Sky Islands Alliance.

-Our tentative plan is to do a monthly chapter meeting Nov through Mar for the 18/19 hunting season and keep them on the third Thursday of the month.

-We will likely do the Nov meeting in Vail and Mar meeting in Green Valley with the three middle meeting during the heavy snowbird season in Sonoita.

-Nick Besenick and Jim Littlejohn are still assessing venues.  Vail Steakhouse will likely get used for the Oct meeting, fairgrounds in Sonoita Nov – Feb and TBD for Green Valley.

–Please send me your thoughts on our meetings to help us provide what members want.

Banquet:  We have locked in 2 Feb for next years banquet with the fairgrounds and the caterer.  If you or someone you know can help with items or money to donate its not too early to start working it.  We have several mechanisms in place now to support habitat and youth.  Maybe you and someone you know might be willing to underwrite one of the youth shotguns we give away.  If you have ideas or have something in work let Steve Geerligs (sgeerligs1@yahoo.com) our new banquet chair or myself know.

Hunting Dogs Available:  http://www.kninebirddog.com/available-dogs.html has some started dogs available if anyone is looking.  They are in Coolidge AZ, I have no personal knowledge of these dogs.

Chuck Robbins:  Chuck passed away in Montana this June.  For the past several winters Chuck made the trip down to Mearnsland from his home in Montana and was an active chapter member.  An advocate for public lands and all things “Western” Chuck will be missed by all those that knew him.  Rest in Peace Chuck.

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