New Pheasants Forever Chapter Forms in Kansas’ Sumner County
Pheasants Forever 06.21.12
Pheasant hunters and conservationists in Sumner County, Kansas, have formed a new Pheasants Forever chapter. Known as the Slate Creek Valley Ringnecks, the group is dedicated to improving the area’s wildlife habitat, providing local farmers and landowners with information on available conservation programs, and giving youth opportunities to experience the outdoors.
The chapter is led by Travis Cook, a Conway Springs resident, avid upland hunter, and the chapter’s newly elected president. “Our main goal is to work hand in hand with area farmers and landowners, helping to restore local habitat through the use of the various conservation programs that are beneficial to both landowners and wildlife,” says Cook. “We’re also looking forward to hosting mentored youth hunts and hopefully getting kids in the county together to shoot trap and sporting clays at chapter events.”
“The Slate Creek Valley Ringnecks are a very energetic group of volunteers, who are interested in creating events and activities for the community,” says Marc Glades, Pheasants Forever’s Kansas Regional Representative. “They are also extremely interested in working with landowners and farmers and showing them what resources are available to them along with putting marginal land back into habitat.”
“We are at a stage in our lives where we want to get more involved with our community, and this chapter is a helpful way of doing just that,” Cook explains. “This past year we were hit hard with drought and it has been difficult on the pheasants as well, so we want to help them out and rebuild the habitat.”
Slate Creek Valley Ringnecks Pheasants Forever chapter
- The Slate Creek Valley Ringnecks Pheasants Forever chapter has also elected Shane Gerber of Conway Springs as treasurer, Mark Winter of Viola as banquet chairperson, Eric Matthews of Conway Springs as habitat chairperson, and Darrin Siewert of Conway Springs as youth education chairperson.
- For more information about the chapter, including the chapter’s next meeting, contact Travis Cook at (620) 200-0652 or Email Travis.
Kansas is home to 39 Pheasants Forever chapters, 12 Quail Forever chapters, and combined more than 7,100 PF/QF members. For more information on Pheasants Forever in Kansas, contact Marc Glades at (620) 218-0557 / Email Marc. For all other inquiries, please contact Rehan Nana, Pheasants Forever Public Relations Specialist, at (651) 209-4973 / Email Rehan.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the last 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail. There are five major factors leading to the losses of quail habitat; intensified farming and forestry practices, succession of grassland ecosystems to forests, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife, and urban sprawl.
