Golden-Winged Warbler Initiative - National Wild Turkey Federation

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Anadarko Petroleum has been an important partner for the Pennsylvania Chapter for the past three years helping us to raise money for conservation. Last year the company helped our chapter by sponsoring the first “Fueling Conservation” fund-raiser. The folks at Anadarko stepped up again this year with an agreement to sponsor “Fueling Conservation II” our second natural gas industry partner fundraiser in Williamsport. The event was held at Haywood’s on the Water once again and attendance was outstanding. Members of the Susquehanna Longbeards helped with the set-up and NWTF staff members Ray Smith, Carl Mowry, Kristen Giger and Bob Eriksen were present. Industry partners of Anadarko Petroleum came out to support conservation in Clinton and Lycoming Counties in a big way. Some 325 people attended the event and participated in the silent auction and raffles. Haywood’s served a great dinner and the evening was an outstanding success with some folks staying until well after midnight. After expenses the event netted an impressive $35,000. We are pleased to have the local office and Williamsport staff of Anadarko Petroleum on our side raising dollars for conservation. They are a great group to work with and with their partnership we have completed major projects on Loyalsock, Sproul and Tiadaghton State Forests. If you happen to cross paths with any Anadarko employees please tell them how much we appreciate their support! The funds raise at the recent dinner will supplement our Pennsylvania Chapter Hunting Heritage Super Fund and will be used for wildlife habitat enhancement on state game lands and state forests. Those funds will be put to work on projects next spring. 10 Fueling Conservation II By: Bob Eriksen, NWTF Regional Biologist Country Singer Daryle Singletary wows the crowd. Turkey Talk Winter 2013 Carl Mowry presents an art print to Mary Wolf of Anadarko Petroleum. panwtf.org Bob Smith's Fall Turkey Ryan Correll took his first buck with a crossbow. Walt Bingaman congratulating Brett Leach on his 1st turkey The Lake Region Longbeards Chapter located in Hamlin, PA held their 11th Annual Earl Mickel Memorial Youth Turkey Calling Contest at the Greene- Dreher-Sterling Fair. This was the 5th year since the calling contest took on the name and tradition through the memory of Earl Mickel, the renowned publisher and turkey call maker. The young participants were divided into appropriate age groups ranging from 4 years old to the age of 17. A variety of calls were made available for the youths to practice with and use during the competition. Each did their best to imitate a turkey’s cluck, a hen yelp, a purr call and their best call. Judges were members of the Lake Region Longbeards. Prizes were awarded to the top three scores from each age group. Shown in the photo are: 1st row: Marshall Davis, Lauren McLain 2nd row: Carter Davis, Rachel Zarubski, Arianna Quinones, Shawn Bronson, Douglas Chapman and McKenna Smith 3rd row: Jim Chapman, Mike Batzel, Rich Barbolish, Rich Ozark, Kerri Farrell, Ethan Maines, Faith Bronson, David Chapman, Ron Motacki.
Ursus Americanus “the North American Black bear”, the mere mention of this animal makes my adrenaline pulse through my veins and my trigger finger curl. This animal has eluded me for all twenty-six of my hunting years. I can almost see the shiny black hide on my wall. I have only ever seen one black bear in the wild in my home state of Pennsylvania. The bruin walked past my archery stand one October morning so close I could hear the guttural grunts it resonated searching the leaf litter for acorns which were strewn everywhere. I knew that from this moment on this magnificent beast would forever haunt my hunting dreams. I have a progressive form of Muscular dystrophy. The disease slowly causes the muscles in my hands and legs to atrophy. This causes severe pain as well as limited grip and mobility issues. As you can imagine this has become quite the hindrance when it comes to hunting. There just isn’t a deer or bear right off the road. These crafty critters aren’t just waving white flags and holding signs that say “Matt shoot me”. To say the least the last several years of hunting were not easy. I have been successful whitetail hunting with lots of help from family and friends. I just never harvested a black bear. I had all but given up hope of hunting bear. There are two ways to hunt bear in Pennsylvania; the sit and wait, and driving. For those of you not familiar with driving it has absolutely nothing to do with a car. It involves a group of people who beat the bush and push the quarry toward the hunter. Both of these situations involve finding good bear habitat. The black bear likes unfriendly habitat. This makes it hard for someone with a disability to hunt bear successfully. This is the very reason I pretty much gave up my dream of ever harvesting a black bear. This was all about to change. Last January I received a call from Mike Paterson, who is the Wheelin chairman Emily Lichtenberger's for the Southern End Strutters chapter of first gobbler! the National Wild Turkey Federation in 19 lbs, 3" beard. Lancaster County Pa. He called and asked Southern End Strutters Send Me North By: Matt Geyer me if I wanted to go on a fall bear hunt to Maine. The Southern End Strutters were paying for me to go on an outfitted hunt. I had to ask him if he really wanted me. I didn’t think I deserved it. I remember saying “give it to someone worse off than me” he said no, we want you to go. I was thrilled. I was going to go after the game animal of my dreams in a state I had never been to. They were also going to pay for someone to go along with me. That someone was my dad. I figured who better to come along with me then the one person who introduced me to the sport I am so passionate about. On September ninth my dad and I left Myerstown Pa. for the thirteen and one half hour drive to Crystal Maine. I was not looking forward to the drive; one hour in the car is torture on my body let alone thirteen plus. We made many stops along the way and we arrived at our destination at ten o’clock that evening. I was very intrigued with the terrain change. The piedmont region of the Appalachians’ slowly gave way to the swampy, thick forests above the forty fifth parallel. I was very intrigued by the vastness of the country. The forests were so thick with pines that midday seemed like dusk. This was not in pine stands common here in Pennsylvania but throughout the whole forest. It was impossible to see ten yards in front of one’s self without the foliage being cut. When we arrived at camp we were greeted by Tim Martin who is the current President of the Southern End Strutters as well as another hunter Bob Eckman. Mr. Martin had accompanied Bob along up for the hunt. Tim had also graciously provided his own ATVs for us to use for hunting. This man’s generosity and fore planning were greatly appreciated and saved us novices during the hunt. Sunday was spent telling hunting stories with Tim and Bob. We would have to wait one more day; Sunday hunting is not permitted in Maine. On Monday morning I awoke early ready to hunt. We were informed by the guides that bear hunting over bait is mostly an evening process I would panwtf.org have to wait until that afternoon. I was ready to hunt, so waiting was not easy, finally around lunch time we were able to convince the guide to show us the way to our blind. My dad and I arrived at the blind after a several mile ATV ride. After getting settled in and making several ADA modifications to the blind we settled in for many hours of looking at a bait barrel. The quietness of the thick Maine woods settled in around us. I did not see any bear Monday night but, I did see an animal I had never seen alive. I had a Pine Marten twenty- five yards in front of me. This agile member of the weasel family entertained us as it tried to catch a meal of red squirrels. The next several days were bear less but I did see deer, flying squirrels, raccoons and various other fauna not readily seen in the Pennsylvania woods. My hunting trip to Maine may not have ended in the dream harvest of a bear; but I still would call it successful. I was able to see a state that is still wild. The beauty of the largest mountain in the state, Mt. Katahdin will remain with me forever. This trip would not have been possible without the hard work and sacrifice of many people in the Southern End Strutters. The Wheelin Sportsman Outreach of this group, behind efforts of Mike Paterson is changing the lives of the disabled. This organization is helping those of us with disabilities not only reach our dreams physically but also mentally. An experience like this ignites the passion of hunting that is so easily extinguished when one has a disability. I know that one day I am going to harvest a black bear. The passion has been reignited. I know that with individuals like Mike, Tim and The Southern End Strutters Wheelin program there will be many more individuals with disabilities continuing to pursue their passions. People like this are what makes the National Wild Turkey Federation the strong organization what it is. I cannot thank these heroes of the outdoors enough. Winter 2013 Turkey Talk11
Page 1 and 2: 2013 Winter Edition Volume 38 Numbe
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Page 7 and 8: ideal ruffed grouse nesting and fee
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Page 19 and 20: Classes to choose from! ARCHERY Lea
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Page 23 and 24: Mar 1 ...... Wolf Creek Longbeards

Golden-Winged Warbler Initiative - National Wild Turkey Federation

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