Upcoming Meetings Locations and Dates
January 6, 2026 – 6:30 p.m.
Chapter Meeting at Cabelas, Lone Tree
January 13 – 6:30 p.m.
SPECIAL THORNTON MEETING PARTICULARLY FOR OUR MEMBERS IN THE NORTH PART OF THE METRO AREA, AT CABELAS THORNTON
We will have some door prizes to kick off this first Cabelas Thornton chapter meeting. This meeting is an experiment of sorts to provide more opportunities for our north metro Denver members to learn and/or to get involved. If you can’t make it but still want to be counted as being interested, or if you have questions, please give me a cal. Dean at 303 981 4642 email dlt2737@aol.com.
FIELD REPORT
Positive reports from members indicate a great season is underway. Since our last bulletin, we also now have field reports of limits being taken on the Burlington area walk-in properties. The wild bird season is more than half over but January still looks to be very promising. Crops are mostly harvested and birds are being concentrated and easier to reach.
Our members who travel to neighboring states are, likewise, having great success. On one account, a group of 18 friends harvested over 100 birds in South Dakota over a week end. Now such large parties are not everyone’s “cup of tea”. In South Dakota the non-resident licenses are for 10 days and have an option to do two five day trips. Some members of this group have already done their second trip because you can’t have too much fun! Member reports in Kansas have also been good.
SIDEBAR NOTE
Two Pheasants Forever programs that are fundamental to the mission to recruit new hunters are the Learn to Shoot and Learn to Hunt programs. Our chapter has focused on Learn to Hunt activities for many years now.
I was recently reviewing the training template PF provides chapters for the Learn to Hunt activity to see if there were any changes for 2026. It is a 9 step program. Their instructions for the program included 15 photos of chapters doing the various steps. I was surprised to see two photos on two of the nine steps were from a Learn to Hunt event our chapter did.
This event was a pilot project that PF National provided grants to our chapter to do. So, we had to provide records and photos of our events to earn the grants. Nonetheless, out of 700 plus chapters it was a pleasant surprise to have a couple of our photos selected for PF chapter training materials. Also, Learn to Hunt volunteer and our current banquet chair, Kylie, is very photogenic! Me, not so much!
DATES TO REMEMBER
- February 3 – Chapter Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Cabelas, Lone Tree
- February 4 – Habitat and Hunting Presentation to a gathering of area 4-H Clubs, 6:30 PM, Wheat Ridge Grange, 3850 North High Court, Wheat Ridge, 80033. 4-H Clubs have robust programs in shooting and hunting. They request we address habitat conservation as well. Presenters are Steve O. and Dean T. Let either Steve or Dean know if you want to attend to listen or to help. Dean 303 981 4642. (Steve is temporariily unavailable.)
- February 20-21 – Pheasant Fest, Minneapolis, Check the National PF website for details.
- March 14 – Greater Denver PF Banquet, Arapahoe County Fairgounds. Ticket sales to commence soon and will end March 7.
- April 4 – Habitat and Wingshooting Adventure for University of Colorado students at Valhalla Hunt Club. We need approximately 12 to 14 volunteers. If you have not volunteered for an Adventure and would like to know more or volunteer, call Dean T. 303 981 4642 or email dlt2737@aol.com or Steve Osa (temporarily not available)
- April 11 – Tentative live bird hunts for Colorado State U. and Front Range Community College students at Valhalla Hunt Club. Details will be forthcoming when final student numbers are known.
- April 18 – Second Annual Habitat and Wingshooting Adventure for CSU students. 30 students expected plus additional college administrators.
- July, date TBD – Annual Occidental Petroleum and PF Habitat Project at Barr Lake State Park
- September 12 – Second Annual Habitat and Wingshooting Adventure for Front Range Community College students.
- Late September – We anticipate additional live bird hunts for CSS, CU, Red Rocks Community College, Regis U., Denver University and Co. Christian University students.
For the Adventures and Hunts, we will need volunteers including dog handler/guides and Field Safety Officers. We can train volunteers. Dogs need to be competent pointers accustomed to quartering a line of hunters. Please send Dean an email at dlt2737@aol.coom with questions or whichever dates you can be available. Please include what your interests are: habitat, field safety, dog handling demonstrations, guide/with pointing dog, hunts.
BANQUET
We will be focused on our banquet for the next couple of months. Our banquet is our primary fundraiser. It is an “all hands on deck” event and we can use all the volunteer help we can get.
If you have ideas for silent auction items, live auction items, sponsorships that you or your company can offer or you can help us to set up before the banquet please reach out to Dean at 303 981 4642 or email at dlt2737@aol.com I can refer you to whichever banquet committee person you need to coordinate with.
LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET MORE INVOLVED?
If you want to get plugged in as an active member who can help with any of these activities, please give me a call or email. We can always use some help. There are fringe benefits too! Contact Dean Titterington, 303-981-4642 dlt2737@aol.com