Pheasants Forever banquet set

Hunting and conservation enthusiasts are planning a fund-raising banquet in Phillips March 14 ending a three-year hiatus for an event designed to connect private landowners to Pheasants Forever dollars and resources.
“The last banquet was in 2022 and it didn’t happen for three years just for lack of volunteers,” explained Doug Salmon, president of the Lincoln Creek chapter of Pheasants Forever. “I reached out to several other people to form a committee and got a great response.”

The banquet will be held at the Phillips Memorial Hall, featuring a program by Kelsi Wehrman, state coordinator of Nebraska State Pheasants Forever. Salmon noted that there are 52 chapters statewide, supporting an organization that has improved, maintained or enhanced 8.6 million acres of habitat since it was formed in 1986.
“I’ve asked Kelsi to speak with a focus toward landowners about taking some of their marginal ground and perhaps converting it to habitat,” Salmon said. “It doesn’t mean that they have to let people on their land to hunt or anything else, but Pheasants Forever has a lot of programs, so for every dollar the Lincoln Creek chapter puts in we can generate up to $14 in matching grants.”
Resources from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission and private donors support the Pheasants Forever mission of habitat conservation and education, which Salmon said is making a difference.
“With that, they can get help figuring out what kind of ground is eligible, what would be the best types of plants to put in there, whether it’s native grasses or orbs, wild flowers and even small pollinator gardens if it meets their criteria. Pheasants Forever also has access to no-till drills, so we can go in on the bigger areas and help with seeding these plots and a lot of that. 
“We might even be able to help with clearing cedars out of pasture ground, so there are some opportunities just to improve habitat and help conserve soil,” Salmon added. “You know, a lot of this ground if there is a draw or a creek that runs through, it may not be terribly productive and with the cost of farm inputs now to try and put a crop in, you could help with erosion, plus you build habitat.”
All the money raised at the banquet in Phillips will stay with the Lincoln Creek chapter, Salmon noted, though the group has not yet decided what local projects will be funded.
“It’s kind of wait and see where we are on our fundraising and we’re hoping to draw interest from the public, from the landowners and the farmers,” he said.
Education is part of the organization’s mission, which is why the local chapter supports hunter safety programs and youth hunts.
“We want to get people interested in conservation and hunting,” he said. “So we want to get them started, and not just for a one-and-done thing. We want to continue to get their interest so they become a lifelong supporter.”

Bird populations
Asked about the pheasant population in Hamilton County, Salmon said it has improved dramatically in recent years.
“I’d say 99 percent of my hunting is on public ground that gets a lot of pressure from not only Hamilton County people, but also from Hall County, Adams County and Clay County people because Hamilton County is blessed with a lot of public ground, federal wetlands,” he said. “The last two years the populations have been really good,” he said. “The year before last was exceptional. The 4-1/2-inch rain we got last year right when the chicks were hatching was very detrimental because chicks don’t like to get wet and the mortality rate goes way up, but still the people I’ve talked to and in my own experience there were a lot of pheasants harvested in Hamilton County. People don’t believe that because they don’t see them when they are driving down the road like we used to back in the 70s and early 80s, but if you’ve got a dog and you’re willing to go out and do the walking you will see birds.”
Those interested in buying a ticket for the event, which is good for a 1-year membership, or learning more information can scan the attached  QR  code. 
The doors are scheduled to open at 5:30 p.m., with a  meal, program and auction to follow.