Hunting Forecast for Southeast Colorado
Holy smokes folks, the cover and birds are INCREDIBLE!!!!! John H., Mike H., and I accompanied Steve Osa (SMPF Habitat Chair) on a day-long June 26th tour of Baca and Prowers Counties. Trey McDowell, PF Private Lands Conservationist, was our tour co-host along with Jonathan Reitz with CPW. There were also several other CPW folks and a couple of private photographers rounding out the group.
We toured many of their habitat projects and covered a lot of ground over the day. Everywhere we went there was fantastic cover. These areas are open to public hunting. Cactus and rattlesnakes are not issues. However, everywhere we went we heard bobwhites whistling and saw many birds just “hanging around” on the roads or sitting on fence posts. Reports on recent whistle survey counts confirm big numbers. Our hosts advised that pheasants are also present in large numbers in each of the parcels we toured. I managed to catch sight of a rooster “hot footing it” across the road.
Check out some of the photos I managed to capture! There’s a close-up of a Lark Bunting nest with blue eggs, and some pictures of the cover. Several of our chapter members will be spending our opening weekend down south. I know I plan to be there.
Barr Lake Projects with Occidental (OXY) and PF Volunteers
July 17 SMPF hosted 30 OXY volunteers at Barr Lake State Park for a half-day habitat work day. We split into 2 groups. One group constructed a split-rail fence to complete the fence around an educational pollinator plot. The other group planted 130 sumac shrubs and spruce trees (all native to Colorado) to form a shelter belt area near the park nature center. OXY has corporately donated to several of our BARR Lake projects over the years. We had a box lunch in the nature enter and a slide presentation by Trey McDowell, who drove up from Lamar to show OXY employees how OXY has also helped with PF and CPW efforts to save the lesser prairie chickens in the Southeast part of the State. We are down to only about 200 of these birds statewide.
Below are some photos of the OXY crew in action. I want to thank Carlos and John H. from the chapter who helped. Also, SMPF outreach chair Mike H. and Charley Schoenherr, PF Development Officer for Co., UT., N.M. and Wy., both graced us with their attendance and help.
COMING UP:
August 5, 2025 – 6:30pm – Chapter Meeting
Our next chapter meeting will be at Cabella’s Lone Tree. If you can make it, we would love to have you attend. If there is some area that you can contribute some time to that interests you I am sure we can work that out.
August – Social Media Work/Study Meeting
Sometime in August there will be a work/study meeting to discuss how to make better use of social media. If you have ideas or experience in this area, call me please: 303 9814642, Dean.
August Planning Meeting for Wing Shooting Adventure
Also in August, we will be making arrangements for Front Range Community College Wildlife Biology students to attend a September 13 Wing Shooting Adventure at Valhalla Bijou. Please mark your calendars for this event. We need a dozen or more volunteers for the morning event. We will be reaching out to CU students to participate in a Wing Shooting Adventure that same afternoon. So this will be an all day affair for PF volunteers.
Sunday, September 14, 2025 – SAVE THE DATE!
The day after the Winshooting Adventures, SMPF will be hosting a fun shoot. Stay tuned for details.
If you have any questions on anything or can volunteer, please let me know at dlt2737@aol.com or, better yet, give me a call at 303 981 4642.