{"id":951,"date":"2018-12-31T16:46:53","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T23:46:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.saquailforever.com\/?p=951"},"modified":"2024-01-14T15:57:44","modified_gmt":"2024-01-14T22:57:44","slug":"december-presidents-corner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saquailforever.com\/dev\/december-presidents-corner\/","title":{"rendered":"December President’s Corner"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Overview:<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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-I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and is looking forward to a Happy New Year.<\/div>\n
-Desert quail numbers are really poor.\u00a0 Much of the habitat looks pretty good and we had decent rain this year but not at the right time for the chicks. \u00a0 Very few first year chicks are being taken.<\/div>\n
-Mearns has been average to below average – it would best be described as spotty.\u00a0 AZ G&F has 5 wing barrels out in visible locations (Gardner Canyon, Ruby Road, Highway 83 south of Sonoita, Harshaw Road and Hog Canyon).\u00a0 Use of these barrels helps the department track bird information and sets you up for an annual digital hunter survey.<\/div>\n
-Please support local merchants when hunting in the Sonoita or Patagonia areas.<\/div>\n
-U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge [BANWR] has released a little over 400 Masked Bobwhite chicks. Last report was that survival has been fairly good.<\/div>\n
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Lost Shotgun:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 Passed to me by Brit Oleson.\u00a0 Lost Shotgun Dec 25 by hunter, in Lyle Canyon – Forest SVC Research Area – 1\/4 mile W of West Gate Village FS-4893 south 1\/2 mile along Lyle Canyon to FS-4894.\u00a0 Gun laid on ground at road jct.\u00a0 Picked up between 12:15 and 1:30.\u00a0 Special light weight 28 ga favorite of 88 year old Korea War Disabled vet which allows him to continue hunting.\u00a0 Generous reward to finder – call John at 307.690.4810.<\/div>\n
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Access to Public Lands:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
-Hog Canyon.\u00a0 Currently there is only an agreement to keep Hog Canyon open and the agreement for Adobe Canyon is still in work.<\/div>\n
-San Rafael Valley.\u00a0 The public has lost driving access to a large area in San Rafael Valley.\u00a0 Details were provided to those that attended our Dec meeting.\u00a0 CNF is evaluating bypass routes before starting the NEPA process required before road building can start.\u00a0 Our next meeting with CNF and AZ G&F on this subject is in Feb.<\/div>\n
-Please respect the land and landowners whether you are on private or public land.\u00a0 Leave the gates in the proper position, pick up you trash (and trash from others), keep speed and dust down, be careful around livestock and don\u2019t trash roads by driving on them when they are very muddy.<\/div>\n
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Habitat:<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
-Jim Littlejohn and Sarah Gandaria have scheduled a meeting with a private landowner in January to assess a habitat project.<\/div>\n
-We have provided some additional funds for Dr Alberto Macias to continue his Montezuma Quail diet study.\u00a0 He is considering requesting the permits needed to take a few spring\/summer birds to see what they are feeding on.\u00a0 Alberto was at QuailFest to collect crops and answer questions.<\/div>\n
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Chapter Meetings:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
-Bill Brake, one of the AZ G&F Commissioners has agreed to speak at our 17 Jan meeting in Sonoita.\u00a0 This should be a very good meeting.<\/div>\n
-We will hold our last meeting of the year 14 Mar in Sahuarita at the American Legion Hall Post 66.<\/div>\n
-All meetings will be 7-9 PM with social starting at 6:15.<\/div>\n
-We have a few leftover QuailFest shirts that will be available at our next meeting.<\/div>\n
–Please send me your thoughts on our meetings to help us provide what members want.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/div>\n
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Banquet:<\/span> <\/strong><\/div>\n
Our 7th annual banquet is Sat 2 Feb at the fairgrounds with doors opening a little before 5 PM.\u00a0 This is a prime rib dinner.\u00a0 Tickets for a couple are only $100 and include an annual membership.\u00a0 Youth tickets are only $20 and also include an annual membership plus they will be entered in a free raffle for a gift card to buy a shotgun or other merchandise from Sportsman\u2019s Warehouse.\u00a0 Early bird pricing has been extended to 5 Jan, prices will then increase $10 per person. \u00a0 We have several great prizes for raffles and auctions at the banquet.\u00a0 If you have ideas or have something in work let)\u00a0 Banquet tickets are on sale at https:\/\/pheasantsforeverevents.org\/event\/3354<\/a> or contact Steve Geerligs sgeerligs1@yahoo.com<\/a>.\u00a0 We have already sold about 65% of our tickets and will sell out again this year. \u00a0 For those that want to stay in Sonoita or Patagonia do not wait too long to make room reservations.\u00a0 If you buy tickets and let us know at least one week before the event you are unable to attend we will refund your ticket price and resell your ticket to someone on the waiting list.<\/b><\/div>\n
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Chapter Website and Facebook:<\/span> <\/strong><\/div>\n
We work to keep our sites current.\u00a0 If you see an error or recommendation for improvement please let us know.\u00a0 We are always looking for pictures, stories or articles to add.\u00a0 Many of you have seen our slide show that we show at QuailFest and the banquet – if you have pictures that would be a good addition please send them to me.<\/div>\n
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Please consider volunteering to be a member of one of our committees.\u00a0 We need help on habitat, banquet and youth committees or you can just help out with an event like QuailFest, the banquet, road cleanup or BANWR habitat.\u00a0 Thanks to those that stepped up to volunteer for the habitat committee at our last meeting.<\/b><\/div>\n
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Future Dates:\u00a0 (note change in Quail Closes date from 17 Feb to 10 Feb)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n
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