# Pheasants Forever Announces 2003 North Dakota Habitat



## administrator (Feb 13, 2002)

In conjunction with North Dakota Pheasants Forever state meetings in Bismarck, Pheasants Forever announces statistics on their 2003 habitat work. North Dakota's 23 Pheasants Forever chapters completed a total of 256 habitat projects across North Dakota in 2003, which are now providing 2,897 acres of wildlife habitat. Following are details of North Dakota's 2003 projects:

168 food plot projects covered 2,281 acres 
15 nesting cover projects added 408 acres 
71 winter cover projects planted over 64,664 shrubs, bushes, and conifers

Pheasants Forever got its start in North Dakota with the creation of the Dakota chapter (Bismarck) in 1986. Since that time, Pheasants Forever has grown to 23 chapters and more than 2,500 members in North Dakota. In fact, Pheasants Forever has raised more than $1 million for North Dakota's wildlife habitat, which has resulted in North Dakota chapters completing over 2,400 habitat projects benefiting over 29,000 acres since 1987.

"Pheasant brood counts were up by 56 percent across North Dakota this summer," stated Dan Hare, Pheasants Forever's regional wildlife biologist for North Dakota. "That's a huge increase. Last year's mild winter and relatively dry spring are the biggest factors in those numbers, but without adequate nesting habitat, it wouldn't make a difference what kind of weather we had. Our chapters are working hard to make sure pheasants have the proper habitat to take advantage of favorable weather conditions."

Pheasants Forever, through a grant from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, employs two habitat teams in North Dakota. These teams work with farmers, ranchers, and landowners assisting them with the establishment and maintenance of wildlife habitat on their property. Last year, those habitat teams worked with over 300 landowners, affecting 1,265 acres. That assistance also led to an additional 1,061 acres of nesting cover, 225 acres of additional Coverlocks maintenance, and the planting of over 200 acres of food plots.

"We are real proud of the work our habitat teams are doing in North Dakota," added Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever president and CEO. "Any landowners interested in making a difference for wildlife on their property should give one of our habitat teams a call. They can walk people through the best ways to put habitat on the ground and also help people receive cost-share dollars through government conservation programs. Our habitat teams truly provide one-stop shopping to the conservation-minded landowner."

Pheasants Forever is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Such efforts benefit landowners and wildlife alike. Pheasants Forever's unique system of county chapters allows 100% of net funds raised by its chapters to remain at the chapter level for local habitat projects. Headquartered in St.Paul, Minn., Pheasants Forever has more than 100,000 members in over 600 local chapters across the United States and Canada.


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## Scraper (Apr 1, 2002)

The Dakota East Central PF Chapter (based in West Fargo) is putting over $20,000 worth of habitat projects in the ground this spring, all east of Hwy 281. This is due solely to the support of our members, sponsors, and others that support our fundraising activities throughout the year.


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