Youth Hunters, Old Dogs, and Wiley Roosters
October 9th, 2021 dawned beautifully crisp and clear. A prime day for Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever’s annual youth hunt.
Upon arrival at Clyde Shooting Preserve, the usual crowd of hunters and canines was not what it was in the past. The change came as benefit to participants from good planning. Youth Committee Chair, George Endicott, arranged a hunt schedule over the two-day event, staggering arrival times and reducing the wait for hunters.
From high on the hill, the parking area at Clyde Shooting Preserve appeared nearly vacant as scheduled hunters were chasing dogs and roosters afield. Photo by Katy Bellotti.
As hunters, mentors, and Chapter guides took to the field, it became clear that the roosters at Clyde Shooting Preserve achieved the usual standard. Large, healthy birds demonstrated typical pheasant skill, sneaking away from the dogs before busting into strong flight. Youth hunters exercised proper trigger discipline and impressive wingshooting skill as roosters erupted into a head wind, gaining altitude and dodging between shooters and dog handlers.
Across the two days, 26 youth hunters graced the fields, some new to game and others experienced. A first bird is an unforgettable moment, and the Chapter was proud to have afforded the opportunity to a few hunters over the weekend. But the youth hunt is not only for youth. A few old dogs also enjoyed a run at some birds.
10-year-old Llewellin setter Kea worked over a few birds, despite battling an autoimmune disorder. Photo by Brad Trumbo.
Thanks to George Endicott and Kit Lane at Clyde Shooting Preserve for arranging the event, and to Chapter officers and volunteers who came to support the hunt. And, of course, thanks to the parents, mentors, and youth who traveled from various areas of Washington to participate. The Chapter and Clyde Shooting Preserve appreciate your support.
Youth hunters enter the field following a little coaching from the dog handler. Photo by Brad Trumbo.
Smoke and Clays
As the Green Ridge fire expanded into the southwest line of the Lick Creek blaze, Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever welcomed youth shooters to their final regular event of the summer clay series at the Walla Walla Gun Club.
Despite a light haze from the nearby burn, air quality was sufficient for outdoor activity, and 10 youth arrived, eager for a round of five-stand.
Parents, chapter members and volunteers looked on as the shooting commenced. At least a few of us couldn’t help but appreciate the skill of some of the young participants as challenging clay pairs were dusted, include a simulated rabbit coupled with a fast overhead flier.
As the event wound to a close, prizes were awarded for to Oliver for Ma breaking 94 clays, Dominic Goins for breaking 69 clays, and Tanner Corn for breaking 56 clays out of 150 across the shooting series. A beginner award was given to Samuel Weiland for breaking 14 clays, and most improved went to Madison Muhley.
Overall, the 2021 clay series was a success, opening with the Chapter’s first ever shotgun clinic in May, and seeing over 30 youth shooters across the summer. Looking forward, September holds the Family Challenge shoot, and the youth and family shoots later in the fall.
Other upcoming opportunities include another Chapter first – a Women on the Wing outdoor and shooting event. Planning is in the works, so stay tuned, and we hope to see you at these events this fall.
Pollinator Plot Preparation at Bennington Lake
In July, Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever (BMPF) Assisted the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mill Creek Project by laying clear plastic tarp along a 300-foot property boundary strip south of Bennington Dam. Employing a technique called “solarization”, the technique uses the sun’s power to control pests, in this case, invasive weeds, by trapping solar energy under the plastic. The heat encourages weed seed germination, and then overheats the sprouts, killing plants before they can establish. The plastic will be left in place for up to two years before removing and drill-seeding native broadleaf plants to promote pollinator insects like bees and butterflies.
The cooperative project was carried out as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Mill Creek Project and BMPF. The MOU is a non-binding, non-monetary agreement to cooperate to the benefit of both parties on conservation and youth outdoor events. While youth hunts have been held on Mill Creek wildlife lands in the past, the solarization project is the first cooperative conservation effort between BMPF and Mill Creek.
The Mill Creek wildlife lands and Bennington Lake are valuable resources for the Walla Walla Valley, seeing over 350,000 visitors annually. These public land users range from hunters to birders, and otherwise include runners, bikers and hikers traversing the 10 miles of trails around Bennington Lake.
“The solarization project provides a prime opportunity for Pheasants Forever to cooperate with the Corps of Engineers to provide environmental and general public recreation benefits that reach a broad range of public land users” said BMPF Advisory Board Chairman, Brad Trumbo.
As the solarized land strip is ready to be seeded, BMPF will cooperate with the Mill Creek Project to move the tarps to the next contiguous section of property boundary in an attempt to establish native pollinator plants around the property.
a Shotgun Start to the summer shooting series
How do you end a two-month spring drought, wrought with bluebird skies and mild temperatures? Host an outdoor youth shooting event. Proven fact.
May 22nd, Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever hosted a shotgun clinic at the Walla Walla gun Club. The first shoot of the Chapter’s 2021 youth event season. Barely an inch of rainfall graced the parched wheat fields since March, but as volunteers, special guests, and youth shooters worked through the morning, a cold rain fell across the Walla Walla Valley.
Rollin Carpenter, one of the Chapter’s active youth members, opened the morning with some inspiration on the influence and opportunity Pheasants Forever provides him.
Tom Schirm with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife rounded out our special guests discussing the importance of habitat and wildlife management on wildlife populations and hunter opportunity.
Richard Mason was welcomed to assist with firearms instruction.
As the presentations concluded, it was time to burn powder and dust clays. Chapter Advisory Board member and shooting instructor Dean Wass rounded up the first-timers for some one-on-one instruction on firearms handling and shooting technique, guiding those new to the world of firearms through the process of tracking, aiming, and firing on the clay targets. Meanwhile, more experienced members enjoyed a round of five-stand, which mixes sporting clays and trap shooting into an action-packed variety of shooting challenges.
Our good friends at Ranch and Home provided hats and cut us a deal on shotgun shells for participants, while the US Army Corps of Engineers provided information and goodies on water recreation safety and hunting public lands.
Despite the much-needed rain, the morning was a great success with 22 youth participants undeterred by the storm. Special thanks to George Endicott, Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever’s Youth Committee Chair, for organizing the event, as well as members Tami Wass, Bernard Ma, Mike Davis, Ethan and Annie Carpenter for setup assistance. Finally, the event would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Chapter’s long-time supporter, the Walla Walla Gun Club.
Pheasants Forever and Army Reserve Officers Support Wa-Hi JROTC
The Walla Walla High School Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (JROTC) has 2 competitive shooting teams that have been nationally ranked for over a decade. Made up of the top 15 to 20 shooting athletes in the program, the teams travel to attend up to 20 competitive rifle matches each year. To that end, travel expenses and other equipment needs present a continual financial need.
Blue Mountain Pheasants Forever (BMPF) has supported the JROTC during their annual fundraiser for many years by purchasing a shotgun for raffle, selling tickets, and donating 100 percent of the proceeds to supplement the JROTC rifle team’s budget.
Funds raised by BMPF, Walla Walla’s Army Reserve Organization of America (ROA), and other local donors, are placed in an endowment set up with Midway USA in 2012. Midway USA matches the funds raised, and the JROTC is able to withdraw up to five percent of the endowment each year for equipment, ammunition, team travel, and competition registration fees. The JROTC 2021 endowment payout was over $8,000, said JROTC Instructor and Rifle Team Coach, Mark Mebes.
In a normal year, varsity shooters can expect to receive invitations to shoot in local, regional and national matches in as many as eight different states, Mark said. Preliminary match results suggest invitation to national-level matches this coming summer in Ohio, Alabama, or Michigan.
Each year at the BMPF fundraiser banquet, the JROTC presents the flags, a cadet occasionally sings the National Anthem, followed by the Captain of the rifle team delivering a summary of the prior year use of the Midway USA endowment funds. “This amounts to a rifle team ‘state of the union’ address of sorts.” Mark said. It’s an exceptional public speaking experience that team Captains consider a part of their job, proudly reviewing the team’s accomplishments from the past year. It also informs the community of how their donations supported the team.
The BMPF 2021 fundraiser banquet, typically held the last Saturday in February, was cancelled due to the pandemic. Not only did the JROTC Captain miss their opportunity to address the community, it seemed JROTC raffle ticket sales may not fare as well as usual, but BMPF was not the only non-profit affected by the pandemic this year. The ROA typically supports the JROTC as well, and when their typical fundraising efforts were impacted, Lieutenant Colonel Ben Morris reached out to BMPF to join forces.
Together, BMPF and ROA sold 548 raffle tickets and received additional donations, raising a total of $3,000 for the JROTC’s Midway USA endowment. BMPF’s concurrent 10-gun raffle in lieu of the annual banquet was also wildly successful. Thanks to passionate BMPF and ROA members for their efforts, and the strong support of the community for the fundraiser successes.
Community support has been foundational to each of these organizations over the years, and BMPF relies on membership support. With the cancellation of BMPF’s 2021 banquet, many memberships have not been renewed. To keep in the loop on youth and family hunting and shooting opportunities, memberships can be renewed with Tami Wass at bmpfbanquetchair@gmail.com.
Haying Best Management Practices for Wildlife
Farming and habitat practices to maintain healthy CRP and alfalfa stands provides significant nesting and brood rearing benefits to upland game birds, fawning areas for deer, and nesting and roosting habitat for wild turkey in the early spring and summer. Long, overhanging grasses provide nesting cover while broad-leaf plants like alfalfa and other native forbs provide insect forage for fledgling broods and hens. These stands draw and hold birds but have been called “ecological traps” in areas where haying regularly occurs.
The term ecological trap refers to a beneficial condition that attracts wildlife, but results in additive mortality, affecting the population overall. Quality CRP and alfalfa stands fit the scenario well where haying normally occurs during nesting season.
As haying equipment approaches, a hen pheasant may not vacate eggs or chicks, rather hunker down and use her camouflage for protection as a tractor passes by. This leaves birds vulnerable to the following mower which may be offset from the tractor. Likewise, small mammals and deer fawns use similar camouflage techniques and experience similar vulnerabilities to upland birds.
Best Management Practices
To minimize the potential hazardous effects of haying on wildlife, the Natural Resource Conservation Service has developed a few simple best management practices.
1) Defer haying. Apply and maintain at least two of the following management actions specifically for improving or protecting grassland functions for target wildlife species.
- Do not cut hay on at least 1/3 of the hay acres each year. Idle strips or blocks must be at least 30 feet wide.
- For at least 1/3 of the hay acreage, hay cutting must be either before and/or after the primary nesting or fawning seasons based on state established dates for the targeted species.
- Increase forage heights after mowing to state specified minimum heights for the targeted species on all hayed acres.
2) For all haying during the nesting/fawning season implement at least two of the following to flush wildlife from hay fields during the mowing operation:
- A flush bar attachment will be required on the mower (see figure below).
- All mowing will be done during daylight hours.
- Haying pattern:
- Begin on one end of the field and work back and forth across the field, OR;
- Begin in the center of the field and work outward.
Following these simple practices can greatly reduce unintentional wildlife mortality, further increasing the benefits of environmentally friendly farming.
BMPF is Back!
Its a new year. We have a new look. We have a new plan. And while the pandemic is still affecting Chapter business, out Officer team and Advisory Board continue to work behind the scenes. Although our annual banquet was canceled for this past February, we are planning to make 2021 our best on record!
Join us this year as we sponsor more trap shoots, more hunts, and offer greater opportunity for family involvement.
The Habitat Committee is seeking additional projects near Dayton and Milton-Freewater while continuing to improve shrub habitats and Sudbury and native grasses at Buckley.
Finally, the Chapter membership is considering an Outreach Committee to develop exciting new and creative opportunities for all, beginning with a Women on the Wing event.
But we can’t do it alone. If you haven’t already, renew your membership today by contacting Tami Wass at bmpfbanquetchair@gmail.com. Your membership entitles you to the Chapter’s sponsored events.
Want to feel a sense of pride in a meaningful contribution to the community and the uplands? Get your hands dirty with us as we break ground on our habitat projects.
Have a knack for education? Come on out to a trap shoot and step up to assist as we offer trainings on firearms safety and wingshooting mechanics.
Have an interest in conservation, upland hunting or shooting sports in general? Blue Mountains Pheasants Forever is for you! So, what are you waiting for? Join us today!