New Pheasants Forever Chapter Forms in Nevada
Pheasants Forever 04.01.14
Passionate outdoorsmen recently formed the newest Pheasants Forever (PF) chapter in Nevada, known as the Great Basin Pheasants Forever chapter. The group will focus its attention on habitat improvements, increasing pheasant populations, and youth outdoor participation in the Great Basin area.
The Great Basin chapter was drawn to Pheasants Forever’s unique model, which empowers county and local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent.
“Our chapter will work to put habitat on the ground, raise awareness for conservation in Nevada and instill an appreciation of the outdoors in youth. Without youth, we don’t have a hunting future,” said Tim Ricketts, the chapter’s newly elected president. Ricketts is no stranger to the outdoors; he has been chasing upland birds in Nevada since he was 13 years old. Today, Ricketts raises German shorthaired pointers and owns Nautydog Gun Dog Kennels.
“We also wouldn’t have a hunting future without champions of wildlife like longtime Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever supporter Ed Holland, who was instrumental in helping us get this chapter started,” continued Ricketts. “Our chapter’s five-year goal is to raise funds for our mission, a land acquisition of 2,000 acres, host an annual trap shooting every Father’s Day, and start a summer camp to get kids out of the house and experience the beauty nature has to offer.”
In recent years, severe drought and agricultural changes in Nevada have caused upland bird numbers to fall; however, the Great Basin chapter is highly motivated to improve the habitat conditions for pheasants in an effort to give them every opportunity to thrive.
Dan Connelly, Pheasants Forever regional wildlife biologist for Nevada and California, said, “Weather and habitat have the greatest impact on wildlife in Nevada. We can’t control the weather in Nevada, but we can control the habitat impact, which is exactly what the Great Basin chapter will do. They’ve already hit the ground running, and I am excited to see what they will accomplish.”
The Great Basin chapter has nominated Joe Crim as treasurer and Willie Molini as habitat chair. The Great Basin chapter will host all of their chapter meetings on the first Thursday of every month. Their next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 3rd at the Lovelock Community Center at 6 PM.
For more information on the Great Basin chapter, please contact Tim Ricketts at (775) 843-7811 or email Ricketts. For all other inquiries, please contact Dan Connelly at (702) 606-6775 or email Connelly.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the last 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail. There are five major factors leading to the losses of quail habitat; intensified farming and forestry practices, succession of grassland ecosystems to forests, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife, and urban sprawl.
