News from the Field
September/October 2010
By Bob Meulengracht
70% Banquet Efficiency, AGAIN!
This time it is the Western Montana Chapter in Missoula, Mont. According to the preliminary financial the banquet has a banquet efficiency of 70.4% with a net dollars raised of around $20.5K. According to Regional Director Ron Knapp the success of the chapter is all about keeping expenses to a minimum and obtaining donations. On the topic of getting donations - Chapter Chairman, Gene Foster, is retired navy and a part time taxidermist. According to Ron, Gene lives to hunt and fish and every morning, in the months leading up to the banquet, he would set out to go fishing. He set a goal of getting at least on donation for the banquet prior to hitting the lake or river and would not “go fishing” until he had met his goal. Sometimes the donation would come easy and Gene would be on the river before 9 a.m. and other times Gene would not make it to the river until late afternoon. But every day that he set out to go fishing he had to get the donation first. But in the end all of Gene’s and the Missoula Committee’s work paid off for MDF and mule deer. Thanks Gene and the Missoula committee (Ray and Jeanne Rugg, Kip Rugg, Teresa Lucier, Korey Rugg, Ryann Rugg, Jennifer and Bill Cote, Brian and Cindy Arnott, Jack and Linda Gerdts, Joe Rediske, Richard Werst, Tom and Sherry Ide, John and Sharon Reiter, Dwight Gappert, Alvin and Theresa Meeks, Phil and Nancy Donnally, Shelly Kenny. Last issue I wrote that maybe we need to think about a 70% Club award at convention. I am now stating that we should in fact have this award.
Luck of the Draw
By the time you read this you are either planning to get out into the field or have already started your hunting season. Some of you may have been able to draw that “once in a lifetime” license. But, can you imagine drawing three of them in the same year. It just so happened that that is exactly what happened to MDF Board Member, Greg Glasgow (well not exactly he did buy one of the tags at the MDF National Convention in February). It all started in February when Greg was the winning bidder on the statewide Colorado Pronghorn license. This license allows Greg to hunt for pronghorn anywhere in the state and for an extended period of time. Greg then put in for the “hybrid” draw for elk in unit 201 in Colorado and drew that coveted license. Unit 201 produces some of the best bulls in Colorado and a few 400 class animals have been taken over the last few years. Most of us will wait for almost 20 years to draw this tag and Greg drew it after eight!
As for the third tag. For many years, Greg has supported conservation through the purchase of raffle tickets for guns, statewide licenses, etc. Well this year it paid off. In early July, the Pass the Buck chapter was conducting the raffle for the other Colorado Statewide Pronghorn tag. Greg being the supporter that he is had purchased the maximum of 25 tickets and when the drawing took place one of Greg’s tickets was drawn! So there you have it – two Statewide Pronghorn Licenses and a 201 Elk tag! Hopefully the hunt is as successful as the drawing and raffle! And, when you see Greg at convention remember to shake his hand and then immediately go validate your selections for the Utah Tags or go buy a lottery ticket (maybe some of his luck will rub off!).
Additionally, congratulations to Nelson Wert of Townsend, Mont., who was the lucky winner of the Colorado Statewide Mule Deer License, and Rafael Jaramillo of Santa Fe, N.M., winner of the New Mexico Lt. Governor’s Mule Deer Enhancement License.
Summer Events in Wyoming
On July 10th the Central Wyoming Chapter of Casper, Wyo., hosted the first annual “Buck Blast” at Stuckenhoff Shooters Complex where participants could use their shooting skills to win tickets for rifle drawings. The goal of the shooters was to hit the small steel targets (approximately 4 inches in diameter) with Henry lever action .22 rifles. Hitting the targets would knock the targets down and the participants would receive tickets depending on the number of targets hit. Although this event had small attendance in 2010, over 1000 rounds were shot throughout the day. It is anticipated that the chapter will host this event in future years and develop additional awards categories. During idle times and “just for fun”, the committee members themselves developed a tournament style event where Scott Brownell and Mike Brownell became winners. For shooters actually participating in the event, the winners included Pat Fallon (Remington 700 ACL in .270), Jeff Fallon (Remington 700 ADL in .243), and Riley Stroup (Crickett .22). Congratulations to each.
On July 17th the Thunder Basin Chapter in conjunction with Wyoming Game and Fish Department and other conservation groups (RMEF, NWTF, PF, SFW) hosted the second annual Thunder Basin Youth Outdoor Field Day. The day’s activities allowed youth to experience shooting of rifles, shotguns, and bows at targets and clay pigeons. Special guests for the day included National Wild Turkey Federation Spokesperson Brenda Valentine and U.S. Olympian and three-time national record holder Allen Treadwell.
You never know at the time of the event how if might impact someone in attendance. During the first Field Day in 2009, 14-year-old Cole Simonson caught the attention of event coordinators for his shooting skills. In the past year, Simonson has worked with several members of the local Pheasant Forever chapter to hone his skills and represented Wyoming during the International Youth Hunter Education Challenge in Mansfield, Pa., after winning the junior division of the NRA Wyoming Youth Hunter Education Challenge. “It’s changed my life,” said Simonson in an interview with the Casper Star Tribune. “It has opened so many doors for me.” While Simonson's story is unique, it exemplifies the importance of youth day events and encouraging children to get involved in hunting and the outdoors.
Thunder Basin Chapter Co-Chair, Kim Phagan-Hansel stated after the event that, “Fortunately, for me, my parents introduced me to the outdoors many years ago and my husband and I have continued that tradition with our own children. Passing along that love to other children, is why being a part of the Mule Deer Foundation is so important.”
Special Raffles
During the fall of last year some of MDF’s chapters were involved with what was coined as a “Two Gun Raffle." Most of these were highly successful. One of the reasons for the success was that chapters were able to put the funds generated from the raffle towards their 2010 events. So we decided to do it again! This year the rifles are a 2010 Banquet Rifle (Browning X-Bolt in .300 WSM) and Henry Golden Boy .22. Some of the chapters currently involved in the “Two Gun Raffle” are:
The Northern Front Range Chapter in Greeley, Colo. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. The drawing for the winner will be on Oct. 2, 2010. For tickets contact Joe Straley at 970-590-6238.
The Mile High Chapter in Denver, Colo. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. The winner will be drawn on Dec. 19. For tickets or information please contact Boyd Anders at 303-514-4728.
The Central Wyoming Chapter in Casper, Wyo. For ticket prices and information contact Gloria Taylor at 307-235-3392.
The Northern New Mexico Chapter in Santa Fe, N.M. The drawing will be held on Dec. 4, 2010. Tickets at $10 each. Contact Christian Anderson at 505-412-1260.
The Snowy Range Chapter in Laramie, Wyo. The drawing will be at their annual banquet and fundraiser on Dec. 4. For raffle tickets and/or banquet tickets contact Ed Elliott at 307-760-2653.
The Western Dakota Chapter in Rapid City, S.D. For tickets and information contact Dale Johnson at 605-390-9739.
The Western Montana Chapter in Missoula, Mont. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20. To get your tickets contact Gene Foster at 406-218-9883.
The Magic Valley Chapter in Twin Falls, Idaho. Tickets are $20 each or six for $100. For tickets or information contact Ron Bishop at 208-324-5719.