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!