QUALITY  DEER  MANAGEMENT  ASSOCIATION  PIKE  COUNTY  BRANCH  2207 NEWSLETTER November 2005 Fall Issue

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.

QDMA Banquet and Sportsmen's Raffle Sept. 22

             The Pike County Branch of QDMA banquet and sportsmen's auction & raffle was held Thursday, Sept. 22, in Hawley at Ehrhardt's Waterfront Resort on Lake Wallenpaupack. New this year was a hunting revolver that seemed to be a popular item among the firearms.

	Left: Branch Director and Treasurer Joani Bucksbee is prepared to efficiently register everyone that attended the Banquet.  Right: NE Regional Director Kip Adams welcomes everyone to the Pike County Branch 2005 Banquet.
Professional Auctioneer James C. Lovins, Jr. of Shoemakersville, Pa., has a knack for keeping the crowd entertained. Here he playfully awaits the nod for another bid.  Jamie was a hit at last year's banquet, too, and we look forward to his service again next year.		Master Taxidermist & Wildlife Artist Shawn Lamparter is pictured with one of his freestanding white-tailed deer mounts displayed throughout the dining hall.		Branch President Peter Pinchot, left, and NE Regional Director Kip Adams read the names of silent auction winners.  Our Branch truly appreciates Kip's expertise and professionalism that makes our Banquets run smoothly and efficiently. This translates to an enjoyable evening for all.

"Protecting our Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Recreation Landscape" – Sept. 18, Branch Pres. Peter Pinchot was one of the speakers at the PPL building in Hawley during this seminar. Directors Nicole Bernarsky, John Crerand, & Tad McAlpin set up QDMA and HSH displays and spoke to the public.

 "Deer in Your Backyard" Seminar

 The Branch was among 67 organizations representing forestry, environmental, agricultural, landowners, hunting and community interests that sponsored a "Deer in Your Backyard" seminar held Oct. 1 at the PPL Environmental Education Center in Hawley. Professionals gave scientific advice about deer problems and solutions. Area residents then had an opportunity to tour one of two sites in Pike County to view the condition of the forests.

PA Department of Agriculture Secretary Dennis C. Wolff welcomed everyone to the informational program and briefly discussed CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) that had been confirmed in deer within 25 miles from the PA state line. Dr. Gary Alt, wildlife biologist retired from the Game Commission after nearly 28 years, talked about the challenges of managing suburban deer in PA. "Deer management impacts all of us whether you are a hunter or not," he said. Other speakers included Wildlife Biologist Bryon P. Shissler of Natural Resource Consultants, Inc.; Marian Keegan, natural resource coordinator at Hemlock Farms Community Assoc.; Tim D. Schaeffer, Ph.D., executive director of Audubon PA; and Chad Forcey, director of government relations at PA Landscape and Nursery Assoc.

Branch Director Teresa Crerand, also representing PA QDMA at this event, set up a QDMA display and FLIR maps with Branch Director Tad McAlpin who personally handed out literature to members of the public. They also set up an HSH display about the program that supplies ground venison to local food banks.

         

 Photo on left: Wildlife Biologist Bryon P. Shissler., standing, answers a question from the public during a seminar designed to gather public input about deer management. Seated to his right are Tim D. Schaeffer, Ph.D. and Marian Keegan.

Photo center: Chad Forcey, dir. of government relations at PA Landscape & Nursery Assoc. (left) and Dr. Gary Alt listen to a question during the seminar.

Photo on right: Dr. Gary Alt speaks to members of the public during a short break from the seminar for refreshments.

 

FLIR Maps & Update on Deer Herd White-tailed deer aerial surveys were reviewed at the Sept. 28 meeting along with valid data about deer herd reproduction, population, and impact on the habitat in Pike County. The educational presentation was held at the PPL Environmental Learning Center in Hawley. Tim Carr, management forester for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, showed Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) maps and described the process of aerial flights to conduct a deer census. The FLIR flights were done on Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) forests at night or early morning, when deer are most active, using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to fly patterns over forests. Branch vice pres. Robin Wildermuth spoke on behalf of the Blooming Grove Hunting & Fishing Club where he has managed the club since 1995, & in 1996 started deer management on the 19,253 acres. Branch pres. Peter Pinchot reviewed FLIR results over the Milford Experimental Forest, a research forest focusing on solutions to major threats facing the forests and watersheds of the Delaware Highlands region.
	Left: Speakers from left are DCNR management forester Tim Carr, Branch president Peter Pinchot, and vice president Robin Wildermuth.  Right: Tim Carr points to an infrared aerial map where deer congregate at night on state forestland. The sophisticated camera captures night vision of animals. Deer are visible among trees.

      

 

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Out in the Open" Highlights HSH Program - Blue Ridge Cable "Out in the Open" host Alex Zidock interviewed Pike & Monroe County HSH coordinator John Crerand & Monroe County processor Mark Haydt. Crerand said, "The combined totals of delivered venison to food banks in Pike & Monroe was 6,000 lbs. during the 2004-2005 hunting season with 5,300 pounds coming from Monroe alone."  The half-hour program aired the first week in November. Visit the show's website at www.outintheopen.com. For more information about HSH, contact Crerand at 570-686-7611 or visit  www.QDMAPikeCountyPA.com. From left in photo are Alex and JoAnne Zidock, Mark Haydt, and John Crerand.