Sept. 17-18 Minority Outdoor Alliance Training Event

The Pheasants Forever National office, The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and the Minority Outdoor Alliance all joined forces on a new outreach program to be piloted in 5 states.   Colorado was one of the five and South Metro Pheasants Forever was asked to spearhead the project here. 

On Sept. 17-18, 2022, nine members of various minority communities who were interested in learning to hunt and six minority members of the hunting community were hosted by Pheasants Forever volunteers at The Bluffs Hunt Club in Byers, Co.  The event was the first 2 day learn to hunt event done by the PF chapter.  Our guests were provided extensive training in gun safety, hunting techniques, and conservation on Saturday.  There was the extensive practice in gun handling and clay shooting in the afternoon. They were able to spend the night at the Bluffs lodge and enjoyed the hospitality of the Bluffs’ owners and each other.  New relationships were forged over some brews.  Sunday, our newly trained hunters were hosted for an actual hunt at the nearby Valhalla Hunt Club near the town of Bennett.   

PF volunteers provided pointing dogs, guides, and field safety officers for hunts over terrain that included wooded river bottoms and crop fields.   Our new hunters were able to combine their recently acquired skills to live bird hunting and do so safely with the added excitement of harvesting the game. 

Subsequently, some guests of this outreach participated in another hunt and even attended a PF monthly chapter meeting.  Everyone is encouraged that this type of outreach achieves the goals of introducing new participants to the sport of hunting and to conservation.

Private Land Fundraiser Hunt!

Congratulations to SDPF auction winning hunt teams of Doug & Wendy Heersink, Matt Sawyer & Natalie Wurzer, and Mark Campbell & Joe Nobles!

Total raised for both chapters was $6,425!

Ever wanted to have access to bird-heavy, private land in mid-Kansas? Here is that unique opportunity!

South Metro Pheasants Forever is partnering with Kansas PF Smoky Hill Chapter 424 for a two-day hunt on private lands near Hays, Kansas. Six hunters and an SMPF chapter representative will travel to Hays on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, and return on Sunday, Jan. 8. We will stay in a lodge and hunt on Friday, Jan. 6, and Saturday, Jan. 7. Pheasant (limit 4) and quail (limit 8) abound on the properties we will hunt. The property owners will hunt with us (they know where the birds are!). Note: in the event, we get snowed out, a secondary date of Jan. 19-22 will be held.

Auction details:

  • Bids are for a 2-person team and start at $1500/team ($750/person).
  • Each team of 2 hunters should have a dog
  • Hunt will be awarded to the highest 3 (2 person teams) bidders.
  • New bids must exceed the previous high bid (cannot bid for 2nd/3rd place).
  • All funds, minus expenses, will be split between the two chapters.
  • Auction will start on Sept. 10 at 8 am and close on Sept 24 at 5 pm.
  • Read details below on how to bid.

Hunters are expected to be experienced with hunting safely under a variety of conditions including blocking, covey rises, etc. All hunters are responsible for their own, and others, safety. 

  • Access to more acres than we can hunt in 2 days.
  • Lodging in a bunk style (1 room) building converted into a fully equipped lodge (not fancy).
  • A field lunch and simple dinner will be provided.
  • Dogs/kennels allowed in lodge.

Not included in the hunt:

  • Hunting licenses, dogs, shells (this is not an outfitters hunt).
  • Breakfast or snacks (fridges are on site so food can be stored as needed).
  • Drinks, water, personal items.
  • Transportation.
  • Motels nearby if preferred

Rattlesnake Training

On Saturday, August 20th the Brekke Veterinary clinic and JPAW Training held a hunting (and other dogs too) rattlesnake avoidance clinic.  Dr Jay is a Pheasants Forever member and contributor to our PF Journal of Conservation and an expert in the veterinarian care of hunting dogs.

From the pictures, you can see 2 different dogs with their owners approaching the snake cage. In the second set of pictures you can see that the dogs learned the avoidance lessons!  

Good job JPAW training and Brekke Vet clinic and a special thanks from Gracie and Linc, the two successful graduates!  

May 25, 2022 – Habitat Project at Barr Lake State Park

On May 25th, Oxy, STEAD school, Pheasants Forever and the Barr Lake team all partnered to provide protection and food for our bird friends of all varieties.  

400 feet of nesting, berries and shelter were on the agenda for planting.  First, the holes (185 of them) were dug.  Six cubic yards of compost and mulch were used to make our new plants welcome as we tucked them into the ground. Our new residents- 35 Junipers, 60 each of chokeberry and sumac bushes were planted. 

There were approximately 60 people present to do the planting -20 students and 5 adults from STEAD school, 30+ Oxy employees, the Pheasants Forever Habitat and outreach chairs, and a half dozen employees from Barr Lake.

All enjoyed the morning of connecting to each other, and to the wildlife that we are helping protect! 

April 23, 2022 – Hands-on Habitat Project

In partnership with Barr Lake and Oxy, SE Metro Pheasants Forever Chapter joined the national effort for “Hands-on Habitat”. This project highlighted dry lands habitat development in Barr Lake’s Educational Plots. Previously, the primary development has been with the pollinator plot. This project planting included planting rabbit brush and prairie dropseed plants. It also included a dry land seeding of a grass mix specifically designed by the National Pheasants Forever wildlife team. The mix included Blue Stem, Indian Grass, Switchgrass as well as several other native grasses. 

SMPF hosts wildly successful Ladies Day event!

Organized and led by Banquet Chair Kylie Alstrup, our South Metro Chapter hosted 16 women for a wildly successful Ladies Day wingshooting clinic and live pheasant hunt at Valhalla Hunt Club and Kennels. As the number of female hunters increases, so does our support and mentorship! We’re not sure who enjoyed themselves more — the ladies, the volunteers, or the dogs?!

We extend a huge thanks to Mike Mills and the Clay Connections Foundation for hosting our group at the Warren Watson Shooting Grounds, and for his expert coaching tips! Our female shooters were able to practice their skills before the live hunt.

We had 18 mentors and six dog handlers who helped with our day-long event. Our event would not have been successful without their passion and dedication! 

September 25, 2021 was National Public Land Day!

Sept. 25 was National Public Land Day!

South Metro Pheasants Forever and Oxy joined to participate in two events at Barr Lake State Park that day.

The first was the painting of a mural depicting our pollinator plot and the multicultural volunteers responsible for the creation of the pollinator plot.

The artist, Dominic Velando, sketched the mural and guided the volunteers in the painting. Thanks Dominic! The second was adding more pollinators plants to the plot!


Oxy volunteers team for two Barr Lake projects

On Thursday, August 19, PF and Occidental volunteers teamed with Barr Lake staff to complete the next stages of 2 projects.  The first project, an exciting project that will continue for the next month, is the mural project. 

The first step was to build the fencing structure needed as the surface for the mural. The team measured, dug holes, measured again, widened the holes and finally cemented in the upright structure beams for the fence.  It was hard work, and created many laughs as the structure took shape! 

The next steps on the mural will take place in September as the fence is finished and the mural sketched in for the final painting stage on National Public Land day, the 25th of September.  At the same time as the posts were being planted, additional planting was taking place in the Pollinator Plot.  More rabbit brush, coneflowers, and others joined the growing plot.  The additional plants were gently placed by the Oxy team as the PF team helped with both projects!  

It was a great team day.  Thanks Oxy!!