State’s hunters, wildlife benefiting from banquets

Posted on: February 26, 2015 | Bob Frye | Comments

There all kinds of seasons in the outdoors. Deer season. Turkey season. Trout season. Bass season.
And, of course, banquet season.
We’ve been in the midst of that for a while. State and local chapters of all the assorted sportsmen’s organizations hold banquets in the winter, offering the usual mix of raffles, games, drawings and prizes.
They’re all good, and all fun. If you’ve never attended one, you should. Pick your favorite cause – waterfowl, deer, grouse, trout, whatever – and go.
Why?
A lot of the money raised benefits us and our wildlife.
Here are three cases in point.
The Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation just announced that it will spend a shade more than $190,000 on habitat projects within the state this coming year. Eight-five projects will get money, to do things like control invasive plant species, maintain productive wildlife openings and help create healthier forests.
The bulk of the money, about $128,000 worth, is being given to the Pennsylvania Game Commission for use on game lands projects. State forest projects will get another $44,000 or so.
Other money will be spent at Pymatuning State Park, Erie National Wildlife Refuge, Allegheny National Forest and property managed by the Raystown Lake Army Corps of Engineers.
The Ruffed Grouse Society, meanwhile, will fund seven habitat projects benefitting grouse, woodcock and other forest wildlife in Pennsylvania this coming year. They’ll improve habitat on a combined 2,577 acres.
M.K. Goddard and Pymatuning state parks will be the site of some of that work, as will Erie National Wildlife Refuge.
Finally, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is pledging almost $468,000 to projects in 28 states this year. Pennsylvania will get some of that money.
It will be spent in two places: in Cameron County, to lime, seed and fertilize 2,050 of existing herbaceous openings, and in McKean County, to plant 16 acres of clover on state game land 311 to improve elk viewing and hunting opportunities.

Bob Frye is the everybodyadventures.com editor. Reach him at 412-838-5148 or bfrye@535mediallc.com. See other stories, blogs, videos and more at everybodyadventures.com.

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