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April 2024 Newsletter
AES is dedicated to benefiting elk, advancing wildlife conservation, and preserving outdoor recreation traditions for present and future generations.
Habitat Project Update by Russ Johnson
The first part of the year in May and early June we will find ourselves returning to the Butcherknife Project that we worked on last year. We still need to finish the skirting and build an elk exclosure fence around the apron. We are anticipating this being about a 2 week project to finish up this site.
Other water catchment projects that we have scheduled next summer include Twin Knoll Tank in the White Mountains. We have this project slated for May 10-12. This is phase 2 of this project and we will be building a 36x48 catchment apron which will be placed on the ground. We have a similar apron building project at Strawberry Tank as well, which will also be placed directly on the ground and not on a substructure. We have not yet determined a date for this one, but most likely this one will occur in the late summer or early fall.
We have plans to return to Houston Draw to finish up a project that has been ongoing there. We will be completing a meadow restoration using zeedyk structures such as one rock dams, zuni bowls, rock mulch rundowns, log weirs, and log sills. We also need to relocate a hiking trail from the meadow to the hillside. We anticipate this project taking up the bulk of our summertime work, as we estimate 6-7 weekends to complete it.
We also have a couple of log-worm fence builds this summer. We are looking at several problem areas atop the Mogollon Rim where OHV traffic has had a major impact on some meadow areas. This fence allows us to mark boundaries so that motorized vehicles are blocked from using the area and causing further habitat damage.
If you are interested in any of these projects, please contact me at russj@arizonaelksociety.org for more info.
If you are interested in any of the fishing or above events, please feel free to contact russj@arizonaelksociety.org for more information.
March 2, we woke up early for a 5 AM breakfast, and after a great hot breakfast with sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and eggs we started preparing for the morning fishing session. After each veteran had their gear packed, we all headed over to the main boat launch area and met up with our other 3 boats that had arrived that morning. The morning fishing session proved successful and most of our veterans caught fish. Around noon the guys came in for brats/hotdogs and a nice lunch break. During this time, we were able to do a raffle to give away 2 quilts to 2 different veterans, and 2 steering wheel covers made by one of the ladies who sewed the quilts to the volunteers. We also were able to pair up the veterans with different boats for the afternoon sessions. The goal of pairing them with different boats was for them to get different techniques and ideas for multiple guides. The afternoon fishing session proved a little tougher because of windy conditions but still had a little success. Saturday evening after fishing, we had a Cajun fish fry prepared with hushpuppies for the veterans as they arrived. Saturday night we had a campfire and sat around for a couple of hours having great conversations, listening to the fishing stories for the day, and lots of laughter. We gave the pairings for the final morning session on Sunday also.
Sunday morning, we again had a nice hot breakfast around 5 AM with bacon, pancakes, sausage, and biscuits/gravy. Afterwards the veterans got on the water for the final fishing session, and this day was the nicest day of all. The lake was calm and the fish were biting. To say that our first ever bass fishing trip was a success would be a huge understatement.
The best thing that I was able to do this weekend was sit back and observe the veterans and their interactions with each other, with the guides, with the volunteers and see the smiles on their faces. Not only with the fish that they caught, but the ability to connect with others who have been through the same things as they have. Lifelong friendships were established, and that is why we at the Arizona Elk Society and Heroes Rising Outdoors have these events.
Youth Events
We have several youth events coming up that you will want to mark your calendar for. The first event is the Youth Turkey Camp April 18-20. Registration is through the AZGFD website. This will be held at the V-bar-V Ranch and is approximately 7 miles North of Clint's Well on the Lake Mary Rd, and 5 miles north of Happy Jack Lodge on FR 81.
This year's Wapiti Weekend will be held June 14-16 at Camp Raymond just east of Williams, Arizona. This is a really fun and informative camp for youth to learn different outdoor activities.These include fly casting, archery, marksmanship, animal identification, owl pellet dissection, outdoor survival, and much more. Make sure to sign your kids up for a weekend they won't soon forget. Contact linsdayl@arizonaelksociety.org for more information on these events.
New Volunteer Incentive Program
The drawings for these raffles will be held on the 1st of every month. (Example: You volunteered 20 hours in December, so you have 20 tokens that will give you 20 entries into January 1st volunteer raffle) The goal will be to have the drawing on the 1st of the month or the closest business day following the 1st. The prizes will vary and the winner will be notified by email and/or phone.
Upcoming Events & Volunteer Needs
May 3-5 Fly Fishing Trip
May 10-12 Twin Knoll Project (White Mountains Unit 3B)
May 16-18 Butcherknife Tank Project (Unit 7W)
May 31-Jun 2 Butcherknife Tank Project (Unit 7W)
June 8 Show Low Banquet
June 14-16 Wapiti Weekend (Camp Raymond)
June 14-16 Houston Draw (Unit 5A)
June 20-22 Buck Springs (Unit 5A)
June 28-30 Houston Draw (Unit 5A)
Arizona Elk Society offers a variety of volunteer opportunities! Sign-up as a volunteer and make a direct impact on wildlife conservation in Arizona.
Would you like to help conserve Arizona's elk population and protect their habitats?
If yes, then you can make a difference by joining the Arizona Elk Society today!
As a member, you will be supporting AES's four core initiatives: Habitat Projects, Youth Education, Water for Arizona's Wildlife and Heroes Rising Outdoors.
Our youth programs aim to educate and inspire the next generation to become conservationists. We also work towards improving and safeguarding elk habitats across Arizona through our habitat restoration projects. Our Heroes Rising Outdoors initiative provides outdoor experiences to Arizona's wounded veterans and our "Water for Arizona's Wildlife" initiative ensures that elk and other wildlife have access to dependable water sources.
Your membership helps us in implementing these vital initiatives! Join