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Howdy CMDA Members:
We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a time to
Celebrate with your family and friends the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
December 8th through the 11th, the CMDA held our third year of youth rifle hunts. We had 14 young hunters, 10 young gents and 4 young ladies. Black Timber Outfitters (the Fisher Family) of Eckert CO, hosted 8 of our young hunters and the Nichols Ranch of Molina, CO hosted the other 6. Dr. Dick Steele, CMDA Secretary, was the hunter coordinator for the Eckert Hunt and Denny Behrens was the hunter coordinator on the Molina hunt. A special thanks to the guides of Black Timber Outfitters for their commitment in getting all their hunters a deer. As for the Molina hunt, it would not have been successful without the mentoring help and camp help of CMDA Board members, Opie Johnson, Steve Sheehy and CMDA members, Steve Ashmore and Chuck Nichols. The Molina camp was 100% successful as well. 14 for 14, it doesn’t get better than that! You can read about all the 2011 youth hunts in the next issue of the Colorado Mule Deer Magazine.
Christmas Eve Day, we drew 14 names of young hunters who signed up for the 2012 Christmas Youth Hunt Drawing. We had over 160 names in the pool to draw from. These young hunters will be participating in archery and rifle hunts. As we get more ranches and outfitters on board to host hunts, we will draw more hunters from the pool of names. Any youngster wanting to get his or her name in the pool can go on line to our web page and send in the name via e-mail. We also drew the names of the two winners of the CMDA Youth Program Rifle Raffle. Stephanie Parker won the Remington 700 ADL 243 and Kurt Kissner won the Remington 700 ADL 270. To all who bought tickets to help pay for our Youth Program, a very special thanks. You make the program a success.
CMDA Working on BLM Lands:
The CMDA is removing 75 acres of pinyon and junipers on BLM lands in the Garfield Creek area south of Silt, CO. We are involved in a Habitat Restoration Mitigation project for Bill Barrett Corp. (BBC) thanks to Doug Dennison BBC Environmental/Government and Affairs Liaison. The CMDA has had a great working relationship with BBC.
Predator Conference:
The CMDA participated December 7th at the GJ Colorado National Guard Readiness Center in the Predator Conference. This was a think-tank session on how we can collectively participate in reducing the impacts predators are having on small and big game populations. Director of Parks and Wildlife, Rich Cables and Ryan Benson of Big Game Forever were speakers and gave important updates on predator studies, predator control and on wolves. Check out the full story in the next issue of Colorado Mule Deer Magazine.
The Sportsmen’s Hub:
The Sportmen's Hub is now into its 2nd month of the broadcasting thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife. A special thanks to Regional Manager, Ron Velarde in helping secure the grant. We have received positive comments on the broadcast. “It is informative”, “ Very educational on the issues ”, “I like the fact that there are numerous topics covered ”, “ It was interesting to hear directly from DNR Director, Mr. King, and Parks & Wildlife Director, Rick Cables.” “Ron Velarde and Tom Kenyon did a good job of explaining the process of the habitat stamp and that there is access associated in the program, that’s a good thing.”
These are just a few comments we have heard about the broadcast. If you wish to comment or financially support the Sportsmen’s Hub, you can go to our web page, coloradomuledeer.org or you can call our office number at (970) 261-2513.
We are currently in a three part series on Predation & Predators, but it might go to a four-part broadcast based on the comments we are getting on this topic.
The Feds & the Mexican Gray Wolf:
Is Colorado on the radar screen by the USFWS for introduction of the Mexican Gray Wolf? Check out the News Letter from Big Game Forever. Go to: Big Game Forever bgfnewsletter@biggameforever.org
On December 2, 2011, Arizona Fish and Game commission released official documents, which would mandate wolf proliferation across the Southern Rockies and into Texas. The documents have been confirmed by several sources, including a regional director for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service testifying at Friday's Arizona Fish and Game Commission hearing.
Despite denials by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding these plans, it has become clear that these plans are moving forward. This official "draft" was released for official comment by members of the wolf recovery team in the last couple of weeks. In the wake of criticism by western states, USFWS' national director accused states of "mischaracterizing" the Southern Rockies wolf plans. These leaked documents confirm that the criticism of these plans by western states were well founded.
Here are several quotes from the document that illustrate the dangerous nature of these plans:
(1) An acknowledgment of the intent to force wolves into Texas
"Several questions at the August recovery team meeting focused on...availability of suitable habitat in Mexico and the United States, especially Texas." "Approximately 24,000 square kilometers of potentially suitable [wolf] habitat...occurs in western Texas."
(2) Mandated wolf proliferation across the entire southern Rockies
"Based on the material below we recommend that the Mexican wolf recovery area include "Mexico...western Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and the southern portions of Utah and Colorado."
(3) Dramatic increases in forced wolf populations minimum numbers
" Three major zones of suitable wolf habitat exist in the area encompassing Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado and southern Utah. Under current habitat conditions, it is estimated that over 1,000 wolves could inhabit this large area." This is more than triple the number of wolves that were required in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
(4) Mandating Mexican wolves OUTSIDE their historic range using the Endangered Species Act
The report spends several pages trying to justify mandated Mexican wolf populations outside their historic range. The report concludes "recovering [Mexican Wolves] outside purported historical ranges...may establish a useful and critically important precedent." Given demonstrable damage from invasive species, most biologists we have spoken with feel this is a slippery slope and a dangerous precedent. The areas outside of historic range includes Utah and Colorado.
We will be following this issue on the Sportsmen Hub and on our web page coloradomuledeer.org.
Breaking News:
The CMDA now has a Colorado Governor’s Raffle Tag to go along with our Auction Tag. This tag is available to anyone with the purchase of a $25.00 raffle ticket. The same hunting criteria holds for the raffle tag as does the auction tag. There is a limit on the amount of tickets one can purchase in his or her name.
“ b) Raffle tickets shall be available for a value of not more than $25.00 each, and the same name shall not appear on more than 25 tickets. The raffle license shall be issued to the person whose name appears on the winning raffle ticket.”
Only $625.00 worth of tickets can be purchased for one person’s name.
Growing the CMDA:
If you like what the CMDA is doing to restore mule deer habitat and fostering new generations of hunters, then urge your hunting buddies to join the CMDA. Get involved with the CMDA by volunteering to be a mentor for our Youth Hunt Program. Be apart of the Banquet Team. Help us man our booths at up-coming events. If you have a background in media relations join the Editorial Staff of the Colorado Mule Deer Magazine. Make a commitment this coming year to help grow the CMDA and in doing so together we can make a difference in perpetuating Colorado’s Mule Deer herds.
From the CMDA Board, we wish to extend to you all a Happy New Year greeting. May you all be blessed this coming year!!!
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