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********** Pa. County Coordinators Pike County Coordinator & Processors Monroe County Coordinator & Processors HSH Pike County Program Sponsors Pennsylvania Game Commission Search HSH ********** ********** ********* |
Pike County 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 habitat. Public awareness and continued hunter education is vital for sound decisions in deer management practices. The national Quality Deer Management Association office is located in Watkinsville, Georgia. Visit their website www.qdma.com for additional information. Short Course Provided CFE CreditsThe Pike County Branch of QDMA held a Short Course on March 12 that was approved for 4.5 hours of Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) credits. The educational program focused on managing white-tailed deer in residential communities, culling, habitat relationships at the landscape level, developing food plots, the future of deer in Pennsylvania, hunting, and the quality deer management philosophy. Speakers were Dr. Gary Alt, wildlife biologist retired from the PA Game Commission; wildlife biologist Bryon Shissler of Natural Resource Consultants, Inc. in Fort Hill, Pa.; Neil Dougherty, wildlife consultant at North Country Whitetails Hunting and Habitat Development based in Newark, N.Y.; and Kip Adams, wildlife biologist and northeast regional director of QDMA. Jeff Evans, general manager of the Lake Naomi Club in Pocono Pines, a large-scale residential development in Monroe County, reviewed a deer herd culling operation they conducted in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Branch director John Crerand, also Pike County coordinator for Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) and acting HSH coordinator in Monroe County, gave an overview of the statewide program to help feed the hungry.
Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) Update The Lake Naomi culling operation with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture yielded over 3,000 pounds of venison, of which 600 pounds was distributed in Pike County to supplement the 696 donated and distributed in Pike County this past season to three food banks. Youth Event Our Branch Youth Event Committee is making plans to hold our first educational youth event. The one-day program is designed for 8-12 year olds to participate with a parent, grandparent, or guardian to learn more about our hunting heritage and experience hands-on activities. We will send info. to membership regarding this event as soon as it becomes available. QDMA & HSH Participated in the Milford Bible Church Sportsmen's Game Dinner and Sports Seminars The Branch set up two displays at the Milford Bible Church second annual Sportsmen's Game Dinner on April 16. The event was part of their outreach program and guests enjoyed a variety of educational sports seminars, 3D archery shoot, fishing demonstration, and special guest speaker Charles Alsheimer, wildlife photographer and outdoor writer. QDMA was represented by directors Nicole Bernarsky and Teresa Crerand. A DCNR Bureau of Forestry display showed photographs of healthy and seriously deteriorated forests, and contained information about deer health. Data from the deer check station run each year outside Milford was displayed with an infrared map showing deer densities. Hunters Sharing the Harvest Pike County coordinator John Crerand, also assisting in Monroe County, and Branch director, manned a display and provided information about the HSH statewide program to help feed the hungry.
About 350 people attended the event and enjoyed a game dinner that featured barbecued venison steak, bear stew, bear sausage links, and meatloaf made with caribou, bear and venison. Churchgoers loaned their personal mounts for the special event that made an awesome wildlife museum with mounts of a grizzly bear, black bear mounts and rugs, moose, elk, caribou, fox, ring-necked pheasant, numerous white-tailed deer, ducks, fish, and turkey. Displays included campsites and several tents, ice fishing scene with snowshoes nearby, various tree stands and hunting gear. Alsheimer gave a presentation that included an educational video and slide program about the life cycle of white-tailed deer, antler growth cycle he called the fastest growing bone known to man, and his research on deer behavior. Seminars and speakers throughout the event were nymphing by Keith Dye; taxidermy by Dave Clark; whitetail food plots by Rusty Brown; deer butchering by Bob Becker; primitive archery by Wes Waldren; smallmouth and walleye by Bob Delonas; trapping by Rod Baker; archery by Bill Vandertulip; gun safety and self defense by Steve Hoffman; Native American bush craft by Ed Wentzler, and fly fishing the Upper Delaware River by Joe Demalderas.
Top row from left: Milford Bible Church foyer with wildlife display; Steve Niznansky of Twin Pond with nearly 4-year-old Springer Spaniel; Arctic Cat ATV dealers Garry and Cathy May of May's Cattie Shack, Inc.; gymnasium campsite display; Bottom row from left: sanctuary display, guest speaker Charles Alsheimer, wildlife photographer and outdoor writer; and Wes Waldren holding an early 1950 aluminum arrow during his presentation about primitive archery. Directors Appointed New directors appointed are John Crerand and Tad McAlpin in January, and Nicole Bernarsky in February. This brings our total number of directors to ten. We are also pleased to have three female directors on our board. Branch to Sponsor a Student to attend the Youth Conservation School The Branch donated $150 to sponsor a student to attend the Youth Conservation School. The annual program is sponsored by the Pike County Federation of Sportsmen's Club, Pike County Conservation District, and Lacawac Sanctuary. It is traditionally held the first full week in August. (Visit www.pikefederation.org for more details and photos.) Our Branch participates in the program by giving a presentation on Thursday evenings. Branch president Peter Pinchot gives a PowerPoint presentation on the history of forestry, and John Crerand gives a presentation about the statewide program Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH). The school is limited to a maximum of 20 students in the weeklong program that includes hands-on activities, off-site educational visits, and classroom style activities.
Quality Deer Management Association Pike County Branch #2207 P.O. Box 1147 Milford, PA 18337
QDMA is a non-profit organization. |
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