Plumas County Chapter Completes First Volunteer Project

By George C. Garcia, Wildlife, Fish & Rare Plants Program Manager, Plumas National Forest

Just a few months ago, a handful of dedicated sportsmen came together one evening in the public meeting room of the Portola Library to discuss their interest in Mule Deer. The common theme at the meeting was to get sportsmen out on the ground and doing something for the habitat to help Mule Deer. What eventually came out that meeting was the birth of the Plumas County Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation. 

Since a lot of the members joined to get their hands dirty for habitat and to contribute a little sweat equity, the Plumas County Chapter partnered with the Plumas National Forest for two key projects; 1) Guzzler Inventories and 2) Guzzler installations. While the first project is ongoing with members currently inventorying the condition of 135 guzzlers and water developments, a few members actually took a Saturday off from that project to help install two 550 gallon guzzlers on the Mt. Hough Ranger District. 

Plumas County Chapter Chair Frank Smith, members Jerry Whipple, Jim Tarleton-Smith, and George Garcia were joined by Regional Director Fawna Gregory and Nevada State Co-Chair and Northern Nevada Chapter Chair Billie Gregory on July 26th for Plumas County Chapter’s first work project. The work day started off early at 7 am with volunteers gathering at the Plumas National Forest Supervisor’s Office. From there, the six member workforce headed east out of Quincy and into Sloat Deer Herd country. The first guzzler was installed by 10:30 that morning after some hard digging and stump removal. Not much time was wasted by moving on to the second guzzler of the day approximately 1.5 miles to the east of the first site. Based on experience learned installing the first guzzler, the second guzzler was in the ground by shortly after noon. 

The group gathered under the shade of some black oaks for a cold drink and to wrap up the day. After talking about deer, hunting and some planning and preparations for the Plumas County Chapter’s first banquet and fundraising dinner set for February 21, 2009, the group loaded up the tools and headed home for the day. In all, with the two guzzlers installed, approximately 1,200 acres of habitat capability was enhanced for the Sloat Deer Herd, with 45 hours of sweat equity contributed for the day. These guzzlers will benefit Mule Deer, Turkey, Quail, Dove, Black Bear and countless other wildlife on public lands.

This project in its totality was a partnership between three premiere conservation organizations; the National Wild Turkey Federation who provided funding for the purchase of the guzzlers, the Plumas National Forest for conducting the needed environmental compliance to allow the guzzlers to be installed, and the Mule Deer Foundation for providing the volunteers and the sweat equity to see this project through completion.

For more info visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas/partnerships/wfrp/empire_water_developments/.