QUALITY  DEER  MANAGEMENT  ASSOCIATION  NEPA  BRANCH  #2207 NEWSLETTER February 2007 Spring Issue

NEPA Quality Deer Management Association is a  501(c)(3)  non-profit organization.

 Quality Deer Management (QDM) is a philosophy or practice for landowners and hunters to work together toward producing healthy deer herds by not harvesting young bucks but harvesting enough does to better balance the herd and maintain quality sustainable habitat. Public awareness and continued hunter education is vital for sound decisions in deer management practices. The National QDMA office is located in Bogart, Georgia. National website: www.qdma.com. Branch website: www.qdmanepa.com.

***   New Branch Name   ***

             Beginning in 2007, the Pike County Branch of QDMA becomes known as NEPA Branch of QDMA. This change was made to better reflect the area served in the northeastern portion of the state since the Branch is not limited to Pike County. Residents who attend our events and activities are from counties that surround Pike as well as our neighboring states of New York and New Jersey. Visit our website at www.qdmanepa.com.

 Short Course – Deer Issues and Habitat – Friday, March 16, 6:30 to 10 p.m.

PPL Environmental Education Center, Route 6 at Lake Wallenpaupack in Hawley

Admission – $10 per person  –  Limited to the first 125  –  Sportsmen’s games and informational displays

            Wildlife Biologist C.J. Winand (below) will talk about "Adapting Hunting Techniques for Older Buck and Lower Deer Densities." Winand is an outdoor writer with columns in Bowhunter Magazine and North American Hunter. He also presents the "Whitetail Wisdom" segment on The Outdoor Channel and is on the hunting advisory staffs of Scent-Lok and API Treestands. Winand also manages and guides on several quality deer management programs around the country. All the scientific information presented during his talks is based on actual field research conducted by him or other prominent wildlife biologists. Winand translates this scientific work so hunters can readily adapt or modify their hunting techniques to harvest quality bucks.

 

            Ben Jones will talk about "Habitat Management for Deer: Food Plots and Beyond." Jones is new to the PA Game Commission where he is responsible for developing habitat management plans for wildlife on State Game Lands. Jones holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from Tennessee, an M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Mississippi State, and a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Pennsylvania State University. He has studied the impacts of land management practices on wildlife and the use of forest management to improve wildlife habitat.

             Matt Keenan will review "PA's Antler Restriction - Effects on the Buck Harvest and Hunter Satisfaction." Keenan is a graduate student at Penn State, assisting in the Pennsylvania Coop. Fish and Wildlife Research Unit's work.  He has been involved with several of the deer research projects of the PGC including deer survival studies and hunter satisfaction surveys.

To register, send your name, address, phone number, email address, and $10 payable to “QDMA” for each individual attending, to the NEPA Branch at QDMA, P.O. Box 1147, Milford, PA 18337. For additional information and directions, visit our website www.qdmanepa.com. Questions may be directed to Branch Director John Crerand at 570-686-7611.

Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, Harrisburg, Pa. 

Director Teresa Crerand (below) scores antlers the first weekend in February at the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show held in Harrisburg at the Farm Show Complex. She represented the Branch and worked at the PA QDMA booth to talk with the public about the health of deer and importance of sustainable habitat. QDMA members statewide work collaboratively with the PA Deer Assoc. to score antlers. The 9-day show is the largest in North America with hundreds of exhibitors, presentations, and activities for all age groups. A youth hunter harvested this white-tailed deer in Saskatchewan. It measured just over 154.

Banquet 2006 – “Deal or No Deal…”

 Regional Director Ken Allein created some excitement on banquet night when he quipped to one gentleman “Deal or No Deal” in all the suspense typical of Howie Mandel, host of the television game show series “Deal or No Deal” where contestants compete for cash inside sealed briefcases. Hopefuls lined up to try out their key to see who had the one that unlocked the lock to declare the winner of the revolver during the banquet last September. Unbeknownst to Ken, though, as he was just having fun and adding to the excitement of the raffle, the gentleman he queried about selling his key for $100 and then up to $400 in a Deal or No Deal challenge, actually had the winning key, and won the revolver!

     

Banquet attendees line up in the key game to see who won the prize of a pistol. Center photo: Regional Director Ken Allein, right, holds the lock as Branch Vice President Robin Wildermuth, center, holds the bucket containing keys that did not open the lock.

            The banquet was held Sept. 29 at Ehrhardt’s Waterfront Resort on scenic Lake Wallenpaupack in Hawley. Host Eric Ehrhardt provided a wonderful and delicious buffet dinner enjoyed by those attending.

       

            Professional Auctioneer Jamie Lovins, pictured in his trademark western hat, livened things up again this year as he auctioned off scenic and wildlife art, bronze statues, and woodcrafts while having fun with the crowd. The ladies table had some great prizes for hunters and non-hunters alike. A grandmother who won the ski pass to Shawnee planned to present that special gift to her grandchildren. There were numerous other prizes that included a fly-fishing guided day trip, golf outing, sporting arms, binoculars, rangefinder, butchering kit, Native American flint knife, and several pieces of luggage, one in leather and several in heavy-duty canvas, and much more.