August Newsletter

July 29, 2019 / SAQF

Most of Southern Arizona received good winter/spring rain which should result in better desert quail chick survival. So far our monsoon rains have not been very good which does not bode well for a good mearns hatch and survival.

Chapter Members enjoying some Dove Hunting

Dove season is only a month away. I know it is hot, but get your dog and yourself out to stay in shape.
Habitat:Jim Littlejohn and Sarah Gandaria have been working hard meeting with ranchers and others to find the best habitat projects for our limited dollars and sweat equity. Sarah hosted and Jim and I attended the Habitat Partnership Committee (HPC) at the U of A this summer to work HPC grant opportunities.

Masked Bobwhite Chicks and Northern Bobwhite Surrogate Father

Buenos Aires NWR:

Masked Bobwhite chicks are being released along with wild captured surrogate Northern Bobwhite parents. There are at least 75 birds in 4 or 5 coveys that were released last summer surviving in the wild. The Masked Bobwhite male mating call was heard in the wild for the first time in decades. Expect volunteer opportunities at the refuge to be announced soon.

2020 Dinner and Auction

Our 2020 Banquet is scheduled for Sat 1 Feb at the fairgrounds in Sonoita. Tickets will go on sale in October. It is never too early to start looking for donations that can go into our raffles or auctions.

Youth Member Hanna Bartine with a Turkey She harvested with her Shotgun she won at the 2019 S.A.Q.F. Dinner

Getting Folks Outdoors:

We are starting early planning for our Family Day/Youth Hunt in Feb 2020. We have received two grants that will help us put on a great event. We want to get youth, women and novices introduced to the outdoors including shooting sports and hunting.

Chapter Meetings:

Our regular meetings will again start in November. We had planned to hold the December meeting to Vail but the restaurant we considered has closed.
Our speaker plan is coming together so we should have several informative and entertaining speakers for our meetings. If you have a specific request or recommendation let us know. Expect to see our speaker plan in next months newsletter.

AZ Sportsman for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC):

Chapter President Zack May is sporting a new License Plate !

SAQF has joined AZSFWC. You can sign up for their enews at http://azsfwc.org. This allows us to better coordinate with other wildlife groups.
Please consider purchasing a AZSFWC license plate to support wildlife when you renew your current AZ plate through ServiceArizona. The fee for this license supports the conservation grants provided by AZSFWC.

Chapter Website and Facebook:

If you see an error or recommendation for improvement please let us know. We are always looking for pictures, stories or articles to add.
German Wirehaired Pointer Pup:Matt Bratz has a single 8 week old male pup left. If you have an interest contact Matt at 928-853-9381.