Today we have an interview with West Central Illinois QDMA Branch President Chase Burns. Chase is also the Illinois Chapter President for the QDMA and was nice enough to spend some time answering questions about QDMA, buying hunting land, and being a certified deer steward. While reading his answers – it’ll be clear to you how deep the QDMA seed has been planted in Chase. He’s spent countless hours, and pennies devoting himself to spreading the good word about land management and stewardship. I’m sure you’ll come away with a few things that you too can apply to your situation.
OF – Chase – what gave you the drive to be a branch President? I’m sure you knew would take a lot of time and effort to create a successful branch.
Chase – After studying Wildlife Biology for four years, in college, I found the job market in that field to be scant, and what jobs I could have landed, didn’t offer much for financial compensation. I wasn’t expecting to get rich working in another field, either, but I knew that, ultimately, I’d be happy if, one day, I could afford to buy some land, and make wildlife Continue Reading →
Came across this press release and thought some of our Ohio folks could benefit. Pretty easy and simple to renew your boating registration online. Chow!
COLUMBUS, OH – Now is the time for Ohioans to renew their watercraft registrations if they are set to expire on March 1. The renewal process can be completed conveniently online, through the mail or in person, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft.
Ohio watercraft registrations are valid for a period of three years. In 2011, Ohio had a record of 426,674 registered watercraft, and approximately 1/3 of Ohio’s watercraft registrations will expire on March 1. The Division of Watercraft processed a record of 16,635 registration renewals online at www.ohiodnr.com/watercraftin 2011.
The Division of Watercraft encourages boat owners to take advantage of the online registration renewal system if they are not making any changes to boat information included in their registration.
Owner information, such as a mailing address, may be changed when using the online watercraft registration renewal process. Multiple boat registrations may be renewed online in one transaction. These secure renewal transactions require the use of a valid MasterCard or Visa credit card in addition to a Division of Watercraft assigned boat registration personal identification number.
The online renewal process may be utilized 24 hours a day, seven days a week through Sept. 30. Once the boat owner’s transaction is successfully completed, a valid boat registration and decals will be sent in the mail within 10 days.
Ohio boat owners also may renew their watercraft registrations by mail through June 30, if they have no changes to information included on their registration, including owner information. Ohioans also may renew watercraft registrations in person when visiting a watercraft registration agent.
A listing of watercraft registration agents, which includes each of the Division of Watercraft’s 11 area office locations, fee schedules and other registration information, is available online at www.ohiodnr.com/watercraft or by calling the Division of Watercraft toll free (in Ohio only) at 877-4BOATER (877-426-2837).
Media Contact
John Wisse, ODNR Division of Watercraft
614-265-6695
Bethany McCorkle, ODNR Office of Communications
614-265-6873
It is tough to beat the excitement of a first time hunter or an outdoor enthusiast. Introducing a child into the great outdoors is something that cannot under-valued. To keep the outdoor traditions we love so much, strong – we need a flurry of new participants, and taking your child or any young hunter to a hunter safety clinic or course in 2012 is a great way to do your part. Hunter eduction is a big first step in getting youths hooked on hunting and the outdoors. Be sure to check with your state as well- nearly every state offers special youth hunts that are a great source of fun! We will be listing and highlighting hunter safety course dates, locations and information for each state in the blog post below. Some states might now be there – but check back! In the coming days this list will be completed.
Hunter Safety Course Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask questions and take detailed notes. The tests that you will be taking are not difficult, but they do require some thinking. Taking notes and asking detailed questions will help your chance of passing!
Hunter Safety Course Tip: Be sure to go with a friend or parent. It never hurts to take someone along with you – and the more the merrier! Practicing handling an unloaded firearm before and after the class with help you feel more comfortable come test time.
The 2012 deer season is over. What a freaking roller coaster! Some nice deer were shot, and some dandies were missed. But now the work starts! Before my father purchased land over a decade ago – I thought that deer and deer hunting were put on the back burner immediately after deer season. Shortly after Dad purchased the land, and I became essentially engulfed with the Quality Deer Management Association (www.qdma.com), I found out I was completely wrong. Now that deer season is over – I have tons of work to do! Below I’ve listed 5 activities and projects that I’d recommend doing with your deer hunting property this in the next 2-3 months. This time of year is what I love about quality deer management!
1) Thicken it up. Much like my hair (or lack thereof), your deer and turkey woods would probably benefit from some kind of hinge cutting or TSI implementation. Hinge cutting is the act of cutting non beneficial trees (nature wise) about 7/8 through the truck, and bending them over. The benefits of this are a) immediate ground cover for bedding b) allows more sunlight to hit the forest floor, encouraging fresh new growth that the deer will either browse on, or bed in. Because you did not cut directly through the tree, it should live, producing more browse and bedding cover for the deer and wildlife. TSI or timber stand improvement, is cutting your timber is a strategic way to improve the overall quality of timber and trees on your land. Deciding which trees to cut is directly connected to your objectives as a land manager. I suggest walking through your hunting property with a district forester. They likely will be able to explain the options available to you, as well as any state or federal programs your land may be qualified for.
2) Shed Hunting. Need I say more? Get out there and find some antler! Late season food sources, known bedding areas, as well as creek and ditch crossings are hot spots.
3) Frost Seeding. There is no better time of the year to plant clover than right now. The freezing and thawing conditions that take place this time of year help the clover seed get incorporated into the ground and likely will give your clover a jump start during those first warm days of Spring. Below is a picture of a food plot. It doesn’t look like a food plot now – but I will be taking you Freaks step by step through the food plot making process. Stay tuned to see this ugly, lifeless patch of land into a thriving food plot that wildlife will benefit from on a daily basis.
4) Education. I cannot think of a better time of year to join the Quality Deer Management Association, and order a couple of books they put out. They will instantly make you a better deer hunter. In the coming days, I’ll also be releasing a blog that talks about the QDMA’s new Deer Steward Online class. Now is the best time of the year to do that, too! Aside from joining QDMA, I recommend you constantly check aerial and topo maps of your hunting properties. Last week I found a saddle I looked over for 3 years. Brilliant, I know.
5) Stand sites. I use to believe and think January – March was the best time to actually hang your stands. Now I think you can still get away with that during the early Summer. But right now is a great time to trim shooting lanes, and pick the exact trees you’ll be hunting come Fall. Remember – the less intrusive you are in the Summer and Fall months – the better! Get all of the dirty work done this time of year.
