February Update

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Overview:

As the Quail Season comes to a close it appears this has been below average for all species.  There are some areas that have been good but not many.  Rainlog has been your friend to help with planning.  Our decent rainfall this winter bodes well for better desert quail numbers next year assuming we get some spring rain to keep bug numbers up which the chicks need for their early days. 
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Habitat

:We are on contract with Borderlands Restoration to complete new loose rock dams in the borderlands grassland project led by Coronado National Forest.  The rock dams will slow water flow and improve habitat. Volunteer dates are: February 9/10, March 9/10, and April 3/4 at 8:30 AM.  Any amount of help is appreciated.  The volunteer meet up location will be at Montezuma Pass. From AZ-92 E, you will turn right onto S Coronado Memorial Rd and continue onto W Montezuma Canyon Rd. You’ll drive pass Coronado National Memorial and continue to gain elevation until you get to the parking area. There is a large sign for Montezuma Pass and it’s also a big parking area with drop toilets, making it difficult to miss. The latitude and longitude of the meeting location is around 31.351144, -110.285430.There is also an opportunity to help at the Wildlife Corridor just east of Patagonia.  The dates for this are 20 and 27 Feb at 8:00 AM.  For the Sonoran Joint Ventures Grant, the volunteer meet up location will be at the Wildlife Corridor Kiosk. If you’re driving in toward Patagonia from Sonoita, it will be maybe 100 yards after mile marker 23. There is a large metal sign that says: “Wildlife Corridor” in blue letters. The latitude and longitude of the meeting location is 31.5739207,-110.7313993.
We are working with AZ G&F and BLM in Sierra Vista to install quail ramps on water tanks. AZ G&F and BLM have purchased the extruded metal ramps and installation hardware and have cut, bent and painted the hardware. We have the hardware in our possession and are working to schedule ranch visits for installation.  They are now working to schedule ranches for installation.  There will be a call for volunteers soon.
We are working together with the Valley of the Sun Chapter out of Phoenix to fund a conservation easement and public access easement on ranch land near Tombstone.  This land abuts public land resulting in a very large parcel.  A conservation easement prevents the land from being developed and the public access agreement will allow hunting on the property in perpetuity.  We expect the need to do some habitat work in the future.  This land is primarily scaled quail country.  AZ G&F, AZ Land Trust and US Dept of Agriculture are putting the vast majority of funding into this purchase.  AZSFWC is also providing a grant.  Once all other moneys are in place we will actually cut a check.
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Access to Public Lands:

We will continue to do our road cleanup on highway 82 to promote a positive image of the chapter and to keep Hog Canyon access open.  Our next road cleanup is Tue 11 Feb at 9 AM.  Meet at the entrance to Hog Canyon Rd.  Contact Ron Walp at couesaz2011@gmail.com if you are able to help.
Please be respectful of and make sure your actions do not impact public or private land.  Close gates, watch for livestock, pick up trash (yours and others) and keep speed and dust down.
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Buenos Aires NWR:

USFWS has added a 3 month, 10 person Americorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) crew working on quail habitat at BANWR.  That’s the equivalent of having one full-time person for 2.5 years!   We are also working with them to restart some old wells to provide wildlife water.  Rebecca Chester from US Fish and Wildlife is looking for help from those with well trained dogs to help find Masked Bobwhite Quail on the refuge.  If you can help please contact her directly at rebecca_chester@fws.gov or  505-270-1492.
Banquet:

Thanks to all that attended, donated or helped with the banquet in any way.
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Getting Folks Outdoors:

R3 (recruitment, retention and reactivation) is an effort aimed at increasing hunter participation. We are planning for our Family Day/Youth Hunt 29 Feb 2020 along with partners from AZ G&F, NWTF and Southern AZ German Shorthair Club.  We are looking for all ages, backgrounds and abilities to either participate or volunteer for this event.  In addition to youth participants, we welcome older participants that are interested in learning more about the outdoors.  Please let Tony Valentino know if you can help at avalen18@aol.com.  To sign up a participant  register at AZ Game & Fish Outdoor Skills https://register-ed.com/events/view/142030.  A flyer was recently sent to all members, please feel free to share.
We need help in the following areas:

• Set up and tear-down of tents, tables, chair, etc.  Note: we have the Airfield Group Site reserved for Friday through Sunday.  For those wishing to camp out, feel free to arrive as early as Friday morning.  
• Registration Table:  Linda Pfister will lead
• Trap Shoot Evaluators/Safety Observers
• General Safety Observers
• Activity Flow Facilitators:  keep participants moving between all activity stations
• Breakfast/Lunch help (Note:  Steve Hopkins has lead to prepare the chow.  Will need help with clean-up)
• Live Quail Hunt:  Nick Besenick is lead coordinator.  He may need some safety observer help.  

From AZ Game and FishFor the Hunter The Solution is Multi-faceted from HAHWG to Laws (cure)
As I noted in the last issue, the recovery of America’s wildlife is a true success story. 
Now, our current challenge is the decline of hunters, a mere fraction of the US populace.
Why are fewer people hunting? Studies reveal a multitude of reasons.
Unfortunately, with most complex problems, there’s no silver bullet solution. 
On a positive note, 79 percent of the public approve of hunting. And, there is a growing interest by those that want to learn how to hunt but need help.
Chipping AwayArizona Game and Fish has been whittling away at many of these barriers. We’ve made some good progress, but there is more to do, and it includes you. 
Policy & Regulatory:Our most notables are: License simplification in 2014 and ongoing tweaks to hunting structures to increase opportunities.
Promotion:Since mid 2014, we’ve had ongoing license campaigns, and a multi-year, outreach and awareness campaign. In 2018, an internal Marketing Branch was created.
PartnershipsOur biggest lesson, AZGFD can’t do this alone, it takes a village. And we have that in spades with the Hunting and Angling Heritage Workgroup (HAHWG). 
The HAHWG, pronounced Hog, is a partnership of conservation and sportsmen’s group leaders who are united to reverse the decline of hunting and preserve our hunting heritage. 
What’s that all mean? It means we turn our hats around, partner up and work together to teach people how to hunt.
The HAHWG hosts nearly 40 hands-on, mentored hunting events each year and has been doing it for over 10 years. Here are some of the highlights:
495 public events conducted60+ engaged partners8,000+ primary participants 6,000+ attendees reachedcentralized calendar of events with single branding online event registration
And while it’s an impressive record, the task is mighty and we can use some fresh faces to help. We need you. There are many ways you can help, shoot me an email at dburt@azgfd.gov, or visit www.azgfd.gov/OutdoorSkills for a list of our events and contact information for our partners. – Doug Burt
Next issue: Staying Relevant and Modernizing Approaches (new ideas)
By: Doug Burt, Hunting and Shooting Sports ManagerWill be printed in the March / April 2020 issue of the Arizona Wildlife Views, published by the Arizona Game and Fish Department 
Please make an effort to invite someone out hunting or outdoors this year!
Chapter Meetings:

Chapter Meetings:

Here are the planned speakers for last meeting this year.  We are working to keep our meetings fun and educational.  Meetings will start at 7 PM with a social period starting at 6:15.  We will have food and sodas available for those coming directly from work and will pass the hat to offset costs.  Everyone is welcome, feel free to bring guests!
-20 Feb American Legion (next to Titan museum) Green Valley (this is a change of location) – Larisa Harding New AZ G&F Small Game Manager, Cherie Nelson Gambels Quail Translocation Project, Chris Parish from Peregrine Fund – lead ammo

Volunteer Needs:

Please consider volunteering as a chapter officer to continue to move the chapter forward.  We are in need of fresh candidates specifically to serve as treasurer, banquet chair and secretary.  We will vote for a new board later this spring.  Without additional help we will not be able to continue at our current level.

AZ Sportsman for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC):

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 Service Arizona.  The fee for this license supports the conservation grants provided by AZSFWC.
Chicago Cubs/Quail Forever Spring Training Game.The Cubs are providing a donation to QF for every special Cubs/QF hat sold in conjunction with a game ticket in Mesa on Tuesday 25 Feb.  Tickets and hats are available at https://groupmatics.events/event/Quailforever.
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National Outdoor Women’s Weekend:

Our sister chapter in Phoenix, Valley of the Sun is hosting the National Outdoor Women’s Weekend (NOWW) 6, 7 and 8 March  2020, in Phoenix, Arizona. This inaugural event is dedicated to the inclusion of women in the shooting and hunting sports and will feature classes, seminars, range time and opportunities for fun and recreation as well as a Saturday Evening Extravaganza. The event intends to bring women from across the country and Arizona to participate in a shooting and hunting seminar event that includes everything from firearm basics, personal development, shooting clay instruction on the Franchi Sporting Clay range to dog training and upland game bird hunting! The weekend commences on Friday March 6th with a golf outing & fundraiser followed by an opportunity to meet NOWW sponsors, volunteers, and other participants. On Saturday & Sunday, participants will have the chance to shoot sporting clays and get hands-on coaching from pro shooter and Quail Forever life member Anna Van Nostrand of Anna V Outdoors. Franchi Shotgun Pro Staffers and Firearms Safety Instructors Tina Dokken and Simone Schara will introduce firearms and Upland Hunting. Noted dog trainer, author, and inventor of the Dokken Deadfowl Trainer, Tom Dokken, will discuss dog training and breeding. TV hunting star Tiffany Lakosky of The Crush with Lee and Tiffany will headline, along with Tina Dokken, the Saturday evening round table discussion and will also participate in seminars. Arizona Game & Fish Department staff members will discuss conservation and educate on species and habitat issues as well as conduct a seminar on how to cook wild game. The weekend will be highlighted by a Saturday Evening Extravaganza VIP Wine & Wild game happy hour followed by a catered dinner with raffles, gun auctions and a celebrity roundtable discussion with Q & A. Major Sponsors include Franchi, Savage Arms and the Sportsmen’s Business Alliance.  For more information and to register for this event at https://www.votsqf.com/banquet.html or at https://noww2020.org/. 
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Chapter Website and Facebook: 

 If you see an error or have a recommendation for improvement, please let us know.  We are always looking for pictures, stories or articles to add.  Dave is looking for help adding material to our Facebook page – this can be as simple as crossposting from other outdoors sites.  If you can help, please contact Dave Brown at browndave27@gmail.com.  This could be an opportunity to get a child or grandchild more involved with the outdoors by asking for their help.

Future dates:

• 4 Feb  2020 Support TRCP Regional Meeting in Sonoita
• 9 Feb 2020 Quail Closes
• 9/10 Feb Borderlands Volunteer Days
• 14-16 Feb Quail Classic Minneapolis 
• 11 Feb 2020 Winter Road Cleanup 
• 20 Feb Quail Wing Bee
• 20 Feb 2020 Chapter Meeting American Legion Sahuarita
• 25 Feb 2020 Chicago Cubs/Quail Forever Spring training game
• 29 Feb 2020 Family Day/Youth Hunt
• 6-8 Mar Valley of the Sun National Outdoor Women’s Weekend
• 9/10 Mar Borderlands Volunteer Days
• 3/4 Apr Borderlands Volunteer Days (4 Apr AZ public lands day)
• May 2020 Chapter Officer Election Cycle
• 7/8 Aug 2020 Western Region Meeting Missoula, MT
• 16 Oct 2020 Desert Quail Opens
• 19 Nov 2020 Chapter Meeting Sahuarita
• 4 Dec 2020 Mearns Opens
• 10 Dec 2020 Chapter Meeting Sonoita
• 21 Jan 2021 Chapter Meeting Sonoita
• 30 Jan 2021 SAQF Banquet
• 7 Feb 2021 Quail Closes
• 18 Feb 2021 Chapter Meeting Sahuarita
• 27 Feb 2021 Family Day Empire Ranch

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