Western Great Lakes Region. Newsletter. Regional News

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1 Summer 2011 Inside this Issue: 1 Regional News News From the R.D. 2 National Sponsor Raffle Winners 4 Upcoming Banquets or Shoots 6 Update on RGS State Drummer Funds 8 WI 2011 Drummer Fund Projects 9 WI RGS M.A.P. Projects 10 RGS 2011 WGL Habitat Happenings 11 National Raffle Contact Info: Dave Johnson RGS Regional Director River Falls, Wi uptrek@gmail.com Western Great Lakes Region Regional News Newsletter The spring season is upon us, although recently we were still very much in the winter mode. Earlier this week the entire state of received significant snow, with the Green Bay area and points north and west getting over a foot of the white stuff. The woodcock migration that began in mid-march is progressing in spite of the weather. I have had two males set up singing grounds in the field behind our house, but doubt they will find a willing female to set up housekeeping here. They will have to move their activities farther north to find mates. The spring banquet season has been going on now since February and the results so far are very gratifying. Banquet attendee numbers are up across the board, and those numbers also mean more money being put into habitat projects. For further information on projects in your area contact Gary Zimmer our regional biologist at rgszimm@gmail.com. A few chapters in the region have work days where members can participate in the projects with the local land managers and staff. These projects help chapter members take ownership of the projects and also build support for the society s efforts in those areas. - Dave Johnson

2 National Sponsor Raffle Winners Pictured above from left to right are Todd Hagedorn, the third place National Sponsor Raffle winner; Mark Zuiker, Wausau, Wi banquet committee member; and Jerry Piotrowski, first place winner with their guns 2

3 Pictured here is Dave Ziolkowski, winner of seventh prize in the National Sponsor Raffle. Dave is the ticket chairman for the Crandon, Wi chapter. First Prize--Connecticut RBL-28 Shotgun, Jerry Piotrowski, Milladore, Wi Second Prize--AYA Shotgun, Hugh McMaster, Alden, Mi Third Prize--Caesar Guerini Magnus Shotgun, Todd Hagedorn, Wausau, Wi Fourth Prize--S&W Elite Gold Shotgun, Jeff Towner, Grand Rapids, Mi Fifth Prize--SKB Model 785 Shotgun, Paul Beecher, Wexford, Pa Sixth Prize--Steiner Binoculars, Bob Norri, Virginia, Mn Seventh Prize--$1000 Cabela s Gift Card, Dave Ziolkowski, Armstrong Creek, Wi Congratulations to all the winners and thank you for your continued support of our sponsor programs. Upcoming Banquets or Shoots April Lakeshore Chapter Banquet, Sheboygan, Wi Contact Trent Hake, Ext 311 April West Central Chapter Youth Day Contact Rich Chronquist, May 5 -- T. Stanton Armour Chapter Banquet, Chicago, Il Contact Bob Belter, June Grouse Flurry Shoot, John Keener Chapter, Madison, Wi Contact Jim Shurts,

4 Pictured above from left to right; Gary Zimmer RGS Biologist and member of the Crandon, Wi banquet committee, Richard Connor receiving a 20 year sponsor award, and Craig Williams, banquet chairman for the Crandon, Wi chapter. Pictured above are Dave and Leah Ziolkowski with their plaque for 20 years of service on the Crandon, Wi banquet committee. 4

5 UPDATE ON RGS STATE DRUMMER FUNDS Here is an update on the 2010 RGS Drummer Fund. As mentioned many times before the Drummer Fund is a great tool to get money on the ground for habitat. The Drummer Fund Chapter works on a scale. If your banquet nets between $7,001 up to $19,999: 10% of your net it will be placed into a statewide "Drummer Fund" to fund habitat projects. Chapters whose banquet nets between $20,000 up to $49,999: 15% of their net it will be placed into a statewide "Drummer Fund" to fund habitat projects. Chapter whose banquet nets $50, or over: 20% of their net will be placed into a statewide "Drummer Fund" to fund habitat projects. In addition, there are four other ways that money will be directed into that Fund: 1) If the chapter signs up a Life sponsor, $2,500 of that Sponsorship will go to the Drummer Fund. 2) RGS will be sending out letters at the end of each year seeking donations. A person's State Drummer Fund will be one of three categories that one can donate to. At the end of each banquet, RGS will hand out envelopes to the attendees giving them an opportunity to donate to either the RUFF campaign or the state's Drummer Fund. 3) If a person in your state makes a large donation earmarked for habitat work, that donation will go into your State's Drummer Fund and the chapters can raise funds to match it. 4) If your chapter has a successful banquet, then your chapter may elect to hold additional fundraisers, like raffles, to raise additional money. Your chapter may keep up to $2,500 from each such fundraiser and can use it for projects consistent with RGS' mission. RGS is trying to take steps to provide more funds for projects. Money earned in 2010 will be spent in 2011 so that we can be certain we have it before it is spent. In the first year of RGS' new program to share banquet revenue with the chapters about $125,000 was raised for the states' Drummer Funds to support Habitat Projects. We will be working in 2011 to get all of the MN, MO, and other chapters to increase their revenue so they raise more for their Drummer Funds - attendance, donations and sponsors are the key! Auctioneer Col. Robert St Louis at the microphone with Col. Rene Brass assisting with the live auction at a banquet this spring. 5

6 Project Title Bell Mound Ruffed Grouse Area Potato Creek WA Woodcock Habitat Mgmt. Clam River Fishery Area Alder Mgmt. Restoration of Hunter Walking Trail Systems Duck Lake Hunter Walking Trail Development Grouse Mgmt. Area Access Control Enhancement of Early Successional Habitat Wood Co. WA Aspen/Alder Regen. Dell Creek WA Habitat Improvement Colburn WA Early Successional Mgmt. Barron Co. Alder Mgmt Drummer Fund Projects County/Nearest Town Jackson County/ Brockway Rusk County/ Bruce Burnett County/ Shell Lake Forest and Oconto Counties/ Eagle River-Laona- Lakewood Florence County/ Florence Douglas County/ Summit and Hawthorne Multi-county Area in North Central WI Wood County/Babcock Sauk County/Lake Delton Adams/Hancock Barron/Cumberland Cooperating Agency Jackson County Forestry Dept. US Forest Service Florence County Forestry and Parks Dept. Douglas County Forestry Dept. Project Goals Layout 10 ac aspen cutting units on 2300 ac area Requested Drummer Funds Total Project Cost $6,300 $11, acres of alder management $5,000 $5,000 5 ac. alder mgmt./ 5 ac. openings Restore 31 miles of trail and 44 acres of openings Develop approximately 1.5 miles of trail Replace 6 existing gates and install 4 new gates Approx. 200 ac of Alder and Opening Mgmt. Regenerate up to 25 acres of aspen/alder 10 ac alder shearing/10 ac oak seeding 3.5 mi. of trail servicing 800 ac. of habitat $850 $1,450 $1,000 $13,450 $3,850 $4,600 $6,500 $6,500 $15,000 $25,000 $4,000 $5,000 $2,000 $18,000 $7,400 $10, acres of alder $1,200 $1,500 shearing Total $53,100 $103,068

7 Ruffed Grouse Society Management Area Projects 1985 to 2010 Douglas Co. 4 Projects 28,100 Acres Washburn Co. 7,145 Acres Rusk Co. 800 Acres Taylor Co. 2,500 Acres Sawyer Co. 2,700 Acres Bayfield Co. 3 Projects 3,500 Acres Ashland Co. 3,304 Acres Iron Co. 900 Acres Price Co. 8 Projects 30,017 Acres Vilas Co. 600 Acres Marathon Co. 4 Projects 5,889 Acres Oneida Co. 800 Acres Florence Co. 7 Projects 9,104 Acres Lincoln Co. 4 Projects 2,800 Acres Forest Co. 4 Projects 4,705 Acres Barron Co. 480 Acres Dunn Co. 500 Acres Pierce Co. 80 Acres Chippewa Co. 100 Acres Marinette Co. 1,675 Acres Langlade Co. 2,260 Acres Oconto Co. 5 Projects 9,200 Acres Shawano Co. 100 Acres Portage County 1000 Acres Eau Claire Co. 3 Projects 2,240 Acres Buffalo Co. 6,000 Acres Clark Co. 1,984 Acres Trempealeau Co. 200 Acres LaCrosse Co. 200 Acres Jackson Co. 2,640 Acres Crawford Co. 25 Acres Grant Co. 420 Acres Iowa Co. 280 Acres Monroe Co. 700 Acres Sauk Co. 830 Acres Columbia Co. 100 Acres Wood Co. 4 Projects 4,271 Acres Waushara Co. 125 Acres Sheboygan Co. 794 Acres Marquette Co. 40 Acres

8 RUFFED GROUSE SOCIETY 2011 HABITAT HAPPENINGS IN THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION Regional Overview: The first Ruffed Grouse Society Management Area Project (MAP) in the Western Great Lakes Region (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and ) was initiated in Since then the Society has provided over 1.5 million dollars in funding over 150 projects in this region. These funds have enhanced ruffed grouse and woodcock habitat on over 330,000 acres of public land. Thanks to our local chapter committees and RGS members who make all of this possible. 2010: In 2010, habitat related projects were funded in Michigan, Missouri and. These projects ranged from the regeneration of important young forest habitat to improving hunter walking trail systems. During the year, long term partnership agreements for improving ruffed grouse and woodcock habitat conditions continued on the Chequamegon/Nicolet National Forest (WI) and the Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests (MI). The 18 th and 19 th Coverts Workshops were held in August near Woodruff. These 3-day sessions sponsored by the Ruffed Grouse Society provided private landowners vast training on current land management practices. Since 1994, 476 landowners have taken part in this event and are sharing what they have learned with friends and neighbors. Over the past two years these workshops were expanded to include participants from Illinois and Minnesota. Three major youth events were held in the region in the past year, events that provided opportunities for young men and women to learn more about their outdoor heritage. What s ahead in 2011? Interest to improve ruffed grouse habitat on public lands continues to grow with many projects waiting funding from the Society. These include, but are not limited to the following: Implementing the Upper Great Lakes Woodcock and Young Forest Habitat Initiative Chequamegon/Nicolet National Forest Early Successional Habitat Project Glacial Lake Grantsburg Woodcock Habitat Project, Burnett Co., River Hills Forest Habitat Project, Callaway, Montgomery and Warren Co., Missouri Support for the Driftless Area Initiative, Iowa, Minnesota and National Emphasis: The Ruffed Grouse Society is leading the fight to keep all National Forest lands open for public hunting. A recent lawsuit in Michigan is requiring the agency to consider banning hunters and snowmobilers from portions of the Huron/Manistee National Forest. The Society is working with nearly all the nations conservation organizations in uniting to prevent any hunting ban from occurring, a situation that if allowed to happen, could quickly spread across the country. Thank you for your support! None of the Ruffed Grouse Society s accomplishments would be possible without the generous support from our members. We are in this together; in this struggle to protect the future of our hunting heritage and to preserve our nations forest wildlife. Please consider becoming a committee member if you are not already. If you are interested in receiving regular updates on grouse related issues please consider becoming a member of our Forest Action Network (FAN), a group of grouse enthusiasts who are taking an active role in grouse and woodcock management in this region. For information contact your Regional Director or Coordinating Biologist Gary Zimmer at , or by at rgszimm@gmail.com.

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10 Close-ups of engraving on Remington 1100 F Grade National Raffle Shotgun Action 10