Nebraska
This spring, Chad and Brian have already conducted
a variety of prescribed burns to rejuvenate
decadent grasses/shrubs in an effort to allow new
growth to return and provide forage for mule deer
and other wildlife.
Frenchman Chapter Spotlight
May/June 2008
By Scott Hampel, Brian Perks, Chad Taylor
Mule Deer in Nebraska? No Way! How can that be?
Frenchman Chapter of Southwest Nebraska Joins the Effort for Mule Deer Conservation
When most people think of Nebraska, they think of farms, wheat fields, corn fields, river bottoms filled with cottonwood trees and other woody species. They think of Husker football. Sportsmen think of a place with an abundant supply of pheasants, quail, turkeys and whitetail deer. Surely, there can’t be mule deer in Nebraska. The truth of the matter and facts are that mule deer DO, in fact, inhabit western Nebraska. And, Nebraskans love their mule deer. Unfortunately, mule deer are struggling in regions of this state in much the same manner as in other western states.
In January 2007 while working the MDF booth at the Denver International Sportsman Expo, a young man named Brian Perks stopped by the MDF booth to visit. Brian is a biologist for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) and happened to be promoting Nebraska’s outdoor recreational opportunities at a booth located near the MDF booth. After exchanging phone numbers and e-mail addresses, Brian explained that he was interested in setting up a meeting in Cambridge, Neb., to meet with a group of sportsmen, landowners and concerned citizens who wanted to help mule deer. After several failed trips because of bad weather and scheduling conflicts during the busy banquet season, Scott was finally able to get to Cambridge, Neb., on February 27, 2007. Oh my, was Scott surprised to walk into a local restaurant (Town Talk), and see a group of 13 sportsmen voice their concern over a declining mule deer population in southwest Nebraska. As a result of this meeting, the Frenchman Chapter was started. (The name “Frenchman” coincides with the name of Nebraska’s deer management “Frenchman” unit. The Frenchman Unit is the top unit in Nebraska for mule deer, and the chapter would like to keep it that way.)
The committee is comprised of several volunteers who are also NGPC employees. Chad Taylor, Lance Hastings and Brian Perks are wildlife biologists. George Sund is a Conservation Officer, while Mike Hoskovec is the manager of Medicine Creek State Recreation Area in southwest Nebraska. Also included on the committee are Mike Sexton, Adam Helmbrecht, Don Helmbrecht, Mitch Hoskovec Steve Ervin, Cody Ervin, Randy Hoelscher, Caden Houghtelling, Lyle Hutchins, Jim Mollhoff, Kim Miller, Cole Nickerson and Chase Beeby.
Throughout the spring and summer of 2007, Scott made periodic visits to assist this first-year chapter with its fund-raising effort. A banquet date of Friday, October 26, 2007 was set at the Red Willow County Fairground building. This committee then “got to work” on their mule deer conservation efforts. When the financial books were “closed” in December 2007, the Frenchman chapter achieved some great results with their first event by generating a gross revenue of $23,019.98 and net revenue of $12,966.74, with a banquet efficiency rating of 57.2%. The chapter raised $1,075 in conservation partners and obtained 118 members. Attendance at the first event was 162 people. The chapter now has a membership base from which to pull. Not bad for a start-up chapter!
The Frenchman Chapter already has a variety of projects in mind where they will be able to help mule deer. As we all know, funding is limited throughout MDF. MDF always has more requests for projects than project dollars available. If any chapter is interested in partnering with the Frenchman Chapter with chapter rewards, your money will be put to good use. Projects that the Frenchman Chapter are interested in accomplishing include habitat restoration, conservation education, research, increased public access to hunting areas, and assistance with law enforcement activities.
As previously mentioned, Brian Perks, Chad Taylor and Lance Hastings, with their backgrounds in wildlife biology, have a vast array of projects to enhance mule deer habitat on public land that they manage. If you have never been to western Nebraska, this country is truly unique. It does have its share of cropland and river bottoms, but it also has many areas that are “high plains, prairie grassland and canyons” which are home to mule deer. There are a variety of reasons for the decline of mule deer in Nebraska. Historically, mule deer were once abundant. However, drought, loss of habitat, ranching and farming practices, and woody species encroachment have eliminated some of the prime habitat for mule deer as well as created competition with whitetail deer. In addition, exotic species such as smooth brome and cheat grass have had a huge impact. This spring, Chad and Brian have already conducted a variety of prescribed burns to rejuvenate decadent grasses/shrubs in an effort to allow new growth to return and provide forage for mule deer and other wildlife. If you are located in Nebraska and would like to help the Frenchman chapter, please contact Brian Perks at 308-737-1305 or bperks56@hotmail.com. You many also contact Scott Hampel at 303-659-2088 or shampel@muledeer.org. It would be great to see more chapters in this “mule deer” state.