11/09/2017 President’s Corner

Here is an update to let folks know what is going on with the chapter in Southern AZ.  Sorry this is a little later than normal but I have been up in SD the last week chasing Ringnecks with fellow chapter members Tony Valentino and Jim Littlejohn.

We are working to keep our webpage and Facebook current.  If you see an issue let Dave Brown or I know.

Chapter Meetings:

-Our first meeting of the season is planned 16 Nov at Steakout in Sonoita.  Social starts at 6:30 with formal meeting start at 7:00.  Speakers include Nick Besenick and myself talking hunting/survival electronics, Dr Alberto Macias who will provide an update on our Mearns Quail diet study being done by State University of Sonora and an update from AGFD.

-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 and AZ G&F.

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

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

Montezuma Quail Festival:

-Brittany Oleson the AZ G&F Wildlife Officer out of the Sonoita are is putting together an event the opening weekend of Mearns on afternoon of 9 Dec at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Sonoita in partnership with the chapter.   This is a work in progress and potential booths include:

Southern AZ Quail Forever booth

o   Montezuma quail forage composition study information

o   Advertisement for their chapter (membership, projects, banquet, youth hunt, etc.)

AZGFD booth

o   Species of quail in AZ information

o   Department quail research, management, habitat work (masked bobwhite, Border 2 Habitat Project)

o   Potential funding opportunities for habitat work

o   Quail related hunting laws/regs/etc.

o   Maps with quail hunting spots? (Hunt Maps to come out and sell GMU maps?)

o   Information about game bird permits and trials permits

o   Wing bags and demo barrel

o   Aging and sexing posters for Montezuma quail (Kirby will try to bring actual specimens to use)

o   Stickers! (we made stickers!!!)

·         Quail cleaning station

o   Place for hunters to clean their birds

o   Tucked away so it’s not too obvious to those who just want to hear about birds

·         BANWR

o   May want to talk about masked bobwhite?

o   Refuge info

o   Birding info

o   Just lifted hunting restrictions on one area

Audubon Society

o   Information on grassland birds

o   Tips on being a quail birder?

Dogs booth

o   Potentially have a vet

o   Tips and tricks for dealing with hunting dogs are rattlesnakes/grass seed

o   Dog training clubs to talk about training, maybe some breeders?

Regional economic impact of quail hunters and birders

o   Do you have any information on this that we can throw together?

Quail Cake!

o   If there is interest, Brit will provide a professionally made quail cake and/or cupcakes for the event, potentially just for the coordinators in the evening

Raffle item?

o   We potentially have a German shorthair breeder willing to donate a pup for the raffle!

-The chapter helped AZ G&F man check stations opening weekend at Willow Springs and Freeman Road to help assess quail population in that area.

-Desert quail hunting success has been a little better this year than last with some areas being fairly good.  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.

Volunteer opportunities:

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

-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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