Farmers Find the Balance Between Productive Cropland & Pheasant
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1 888 overbag or 1-888-683-7224 SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2018 Affiliated with the National Wildlife Federation VOLUME 58, NUMBER 5 Inside this issue: Farmers Find the Balance between Productive Cropland & Pheasant Habitat Page 2 Re-printed with permission from SD Corn EXEC.DIRECTOR’S UPDATE This fall, thousands of hunters from all over the world will be Farmers can have both,” says Jeff Zimprich, South Dakota stepping into South Dakota fields to flush our famous state bird— State Conservationist. Page 3 the pheasant. It is a tradition that dates back to 1919, and one If you’ve never before considered how to create pheasant PRESIDENTS COLUMN that South Dakota corn farmers support in many ways today. habitat on your farm, the good news is that there are many Page 4 - 5 Recently, the South Dakota Game Fish & Parks (SDGFP) resources available to help. announced their 2018 statewide pheasant brood survey, which SDGFP offers free food plot brood mix for farmers to use on BOD - ZACHERY HUNKE indicated a 47 percent increase in pheasants per mile (PPM) their operations to encourage wildlife to come and eat. SDGFP Survey - Federal Funding over last year. This is a substantial increase as the state heads also offers a food plot program that pays $20 per acre on food into its 100th pheasant season. Duck, Goose, Spring plots that are 1-10 acres, including providing free corn and Turkey Season Dates Make Your Farm a Pheasant Haven sorghum seed for those food plots. Food plots must remain standing through winter until April 1 of the following year, and There are many factors that impact pheasant numbers from Page 6 be planted within half a mile of winter coverage to maximize year to year, including weather, predators and habitat. The wildlife accessibility during winter months. Local Pheasants Female Hunters on the overall increase in our pheasant population is a sign that South Forever chapters can also provide food plot seed. Rise. - Girl Power Dakota corn farmers are doing their part to nurture upland habitat for all wildlife. “Conservation planning assistance from the Natural Resources Page 7 Conservation Service (NRCS) is available to farmers for free,” “A lot of farmers feel like they have to choose between making says Zimprich. “NRCS staff can come out and evaluate farmers’ Chronic Wasting Disease their farms profitable by growing crops or using the land to operations, discuss their objectives and offer suggestions on GFP residency cases support pheasant habitat, and it doesn’t have to be either/or. how farmers can improve pheasant habitat.” Page 8 continued on page 3 SDWF BUFFALO SHOOT Reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. And make it permanent By THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD For more than 50 years, fees on offshore oil and gas drilling On its adoption in 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund have provided billions of dollars for the federal Land and Water allowed the federal government to purchase land using revenue Conservation Fund to protect redwood forests, Joshua trees, from recreation fees. A later amendment supplemented funding beaches, mountains, parks, trails and other natural treasures with royalties on oil and gas leases on the outer continental in California — and similar assets around the nation. But the shelf, and those fees have now become the primary revenue fund’s authorization expired at the end of September, and source, to the tune of about $40 billion thus far. Congress left for its autumn recess without renewing it. Projects include acquisitions of narrow but crucial strips of land When it reconvenes in a lame duck session after Veterans adjacent to national parks — for example, a parcel next to Joshua Day, Congress should permanently reauthorize the fund and Tree National Park that was slated for real estate development — ensure that the fees are used for their intended purposes: to and access strips to open up existing public areas to recreation. acquire and protect natural areas and to make grants to states A matching-grant program allows states to develop and enhance for outdoor access and recreation. urban parkland, creating dozens of parks in Los Angeles County It shouldn’t be this hard. The fund and the many projects it alone, including baseball and soccer fields. pays for have wide, bipartisan support. But reauthorization Matching grants also can be used to protect water supplies. has become a pawn in ideological arguments over the federal Many of the state and local bond measures that Californians government’s role in acquiring and holding land. have adopted to respond to drought and to provide water The Land and Water Conservation Fund is perhaps the least security rely on federal matching funds — and many of those widely known, but by no means the least important, of six matches have come from the Land and Water Conservation essential environmental programs created by Congress in Fund. the 1960s, largely under the leadership of Stewart Udall, who Federal law allows up to $900 million to be appropriated served as Interior secretary under Presidents Kennedy and each year, which is less than the amount of revenue flowing LATS Johnson. Ironically, the other five pieces of legislation — the in; as a result, billions of dollars sit in the fund unused. But F Wilderness Act, the Water Quality Act, the Wild and Scenic money doesn’t actually come out of the fund until Congress Rivers Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National appropriates it. And Congress routinely did, with bipartisan Historic Preservation Act — may be better known because they backing and without controversy, until several years ago, when ARCODED B have been, at various times, more controversial. some lawmakers tried to link the fund and its grants to the When it reconvenes in a lame duck session after Veterans Day, controversy over federal land ownership and management in Congress should permanently reauthorize the fund. Western states. continued on page 2 Out of Doors 2 September / October / November 2018 by Chris Hesla Executive Director LWCF remains a high priority. private landowners, local communities, industries Sportsmen and women across the country have and conservation organizations.” Said Rounds made it clear that they want congressional leaders Give Sen. Rounds a call at and leave a message to work together on common-sense, bipartisan thanking him for his current support and his continued solutions like permanently reauthorizing and fully support of LWCF and permanent funding. funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund — America’s most successful land conservation and Phone: (202) 224-5842 outdoor recreation program. Given its enormous Toll Free: (844) 875-5268 benefits as a means of both conserving high-value Executive Director landscapes and fueling economic growth. Last month I announced the winners of several different raffles that Chris Hesla NWF and several of NWF’s affiliates joined over SDWF and SDWF- The South Dakota Out of Doors (ISSN 0883-6809, USPS 503- 200 organizations and businesses in a letter to 320) is published bimonthly by Curt Merriman Printing , Inc, Camo drew for. I 306 S Coteau, Pierre, SD 57501, congressional leadership calling for the permanent Subscription Rate - $20.00 per year or with membership in named the wrong SDWF Individual members devote approximately 40 cents of funding and reauthorization of the Land and Water winner for the Bonus their annual dues for each copy of the newspaper. Periodicals Postage Paid at Pierre, SD 57501 and additional Conservation Fund. gun in the Camo mailing offices. South Dakota’s Senator Mike Rounds went to bat for drawing. The winner POSTMASTER: Send address changes to South Dakota Wildlife Federation, us in his Senate EPW hearing; of the bonus Browning 208 Linnell, Pierre, SD 57501. A5 shotgun was David “I had the opportunity to discuss the importance Butler, shown here in of stable, consistent funding for state conservation the picture. I am sorry programs so they can deliver proactive and voluntary for any confusion I OUT OF DOORS EDITOR fish and wildlife conservation work in cooperation with Chris Hesla caused. Box 7075 • Pierre, SD 57501 Phone 605-224-7524 South Dakota Wildlife Federation OUT OF DOORS, is the official publication of the South Dakota Wildlife Federation (SDWF), a private, ww.usps.com committee advanced its own version of the proposal. non-profit statewide organization of affiliated organizations and individuals But even lawmakers who are partial to this so-called lowed by the ration, give the (Include area code) incorporated under South Dakota as well those of laws. Subscription to this publication sagebrush rebellion recognize that the link between But lawmakers disagreed over details and never got Chris Hesla 605-224-7524 9/30/18 $20.00 Contact Person Contact Telephone 3. Filing Date is through membership in the SDWF or direct contact with the SDWF, PO Box 7075, Pierre, SD 57501. All communications regarding advertising,: See our privacy policy on w their grievances and the Land and Water Conservation a bill to the floor of either chamber. ) editorial,® circulation andStatement SDWF matters of Ownership, may be Management, sent to SDWF and Circulation OUT OF _ DOORS, PO Box 7075,(All Periodicals Pierre, South Publications Dakota Except 57501. Requester Permission Publications) to reprint Fund is weak. Just over three years ago, they tabled 1. Publication Title 2. Publication Number 3. Filing Date NOTICE PRIVACY None The danger now is that a final deal on the fund will x articles normally(Do not leave blank) given providing proper credit is given the publication and Out Of Doors 0 8 8 3 _ 6 8 0 9 9/30/18 (Not printer) 6 their philosophical arguments and reached a short- 8 3 6 0 9 author.4. Issue Frequency Views expressed by free lance5.