|
|
|
|
|
|
We are Brown County Minnesota Pheasants Forever Chapter #166 (BCPF), a nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1987 dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasants and other upland bird populations in North America.
|
|
|
|
|
OVERVIEW & PRESIDENTS REPORT
|
|
|
|
|
Hello everyone! We are just a few weeks away from this year's MN Pheasant Opener. We are getting reports that pheasant numbers in Brown County look real promising. The August Roadside Count should be out around the time you see this newsletter in your inbox. - On Friday August 15th a Native Grass Management Workshop was held at Bashaw WMA. This was led by our local Pheasants Forever Field Biologist Reva Ecker, Jeff Zajac of the MN DNR, and Teddy Giefer from the Brown County Soil and Water District. Topics discussed were how to control unwanted weed/trees, improving water quality, and supporting wildlife.
- Upcoming meeting schedule: We will be starting regular chapter meetings again in September. We pencil it in for the 2nd Thursday of each month, but this is subject to change. Meeting #1 is Thursday September 11th at 7 PM at the Tavern 507 in New Ulm. Meeting #2 is Thursday October 9th at 7 PM at Dawg House Bar in Sleepy Eye. As of now the October
meeting may include representatives from the Brown County Commissioners Board and Sherriff Office as they are looking for input on proposed changes to deer hunting laws in MN regarding the option to allow rifle hunting in Brown County. As always these are open meetings to everyone, not just our Board members so feel free to attend! Who knows, maybe you’ll find these meetings enjoyable and decide to come to more or get more involved with our Chapter!
- At Game Fair, Tim Kraskey and I accepted an award on behalf of our Chapter for the Outdoor News Outdoor Leaders Award. This award was made to recognize Minnesota Outdoor organizations, chapters, and clubs that have made influential contributions to benefit the outdoor community. They highlighted our recent work on WMA’s, public land acquisitions, area youth support, and pollinator programs. There was a really nice article (See below) outlining our chapter in the August 15th issue of Outdoor News. We had a lot of help from others on our Board and
local volunteers to make this happen.
- Any landowner wishing to enhance their RIM property read the overview in the "Habitat" section. Money is still available for these efforts if you can meet the criteria for this program.
Thanks again for the support!
Fall is nearer than you think!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks, Steve Eckstein,
President Brown County Pheasants
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Opening day is right around the corner. This year the MN Pheasant Opener starts at 9:00 am on Saturday, October 11.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Landowners with
RIM Easements
In 2023, BWSR received $2 million for the purpose of enhancing existing RIM easements to promote vegetation biodiversity, improve wildlife habitat and pollinator resources, among other positive benefits for the landscape. Enhancement funds will prioritize projects where the landowner is willing to purchase a custom seed mix(es), did not receive any portion of the original easement payment, and are willing to provide an elected cost match (cash or in-kind).
Projects best suited for enhancement will be on sites that are surrounded by existing habitat, were enrolled prior to 2014, have low diversity, and/or are threatened with noxious weed pressure. If approved by BWSR, projects are reimbursable at up to $1200 an acre to complete enhancement work. Work activities can include: tree removal, prescribed burning, chemical application, tillage, seed mix, seed installation. Seed installation must be completed as part of the work plan!
Applications will be reviewed at the end of every month. Funding is available until spent or June 30, 2029,
whichever comes first.
Please contact your local SWCD office at (507) 794-2553 or Teddy Giefer at teddy.giefer@brownswcdmn.org for more information to see if you would be eligible.
Easement Enhancement Guidance Document - https://bwsr.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/2024-11/Easement%20Enhancement%20Program%20Guidance.pdf
BWSR Resources - https://bwsr.state.mn.us/node/11841
USDA to Open General and Continuous
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Enrollment for 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can now enroll in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP). The sign-up runs from today, July 14, to Aug. 8, 2025. Grassland
CRP, offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), is a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands while also continuing most grazing and haying practices.
Grassland CRP emphasizes support for grazing operations, plant and animal biodiversity, and grasslands and land with shrubs and forbs under the greatest threat of conversion.
General CRP
Currently, more than 25.8 million acres are enrolled in CRP, with nearly 9.7 million acres in Grassland CRP. On May 12, FSA opened General and Continuous CRP enrollment for 2025. FSA is currently reviewing submitted offers and will announce accepted offers at a later date. Due to the 27-million-acre statutory cap, only 1.8 million acres are available for all CRP enrollment this fiscal year. Stay tuned this may change in the near future.
Continuous CRP
Unlike General CRP, Continuous CRP offers are not subject to a competitive bid process. To ensure enrolled acres do not exceed the current statutory cap of 27 million acres, FSA is awaiting further enhancements to this program as part of the US Farm Bill renewal.
Continuous CRP participants voluntarily offer environmentally sensitive lands, typically smaller parcels than offered through General CRP including wetlands, riparian buffers, and varying wildlife habitats. In return, they receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover.
Continuous CRP enrollment options:
- State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative: Restores vital habitat to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals.
- Highly Erodible Land Initiative: Producers and landowners can enroll in CRP to establish long-term cover on highly erodible cropland that has a weighted erodibility index greater than or equal to 20.
- Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) Initiative: Prioritizes water quality practices on the land that, if enrolled, will help reduce sediment loadings, nutrient loadings, and harmful algal blooms. The vegetative covers also contribute to increased wildlife populations.
- CLEAR30 (a component of the CLEAR Initiative): Offers additional incentives for water quality practice adoption and can be accessed in 30-year contracts.
- Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP): Addresses high priority conservation objectives of states and Tribal governments on agricultural lands in specific geographic areas.
For more information on CRP participant and land eligibility, approved conservation practices and detailed program fact sheets, visit FSA’s office or reach out to Reva – Brown County Pheasants Forever Land Biologist.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We will by fall hunting season have installed a few new parking areas on Brown County WMAs. Look for better parking and signage on our WMAs.We hope you will be able to join us in one of our future habitat days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Minnesota Outdoor News selected Brown County Pheasants Forever for its Outdoor News Outdoor Leaders Award. This award was made to recognize Minnesota Outdoor organizations, chapters, and clubs that have made influential contributions to benefit the outdoor community. They highlighted our recent work on WMA’s, public land acquisitions, area youth support, and pollinator programs.
The August 15th issue of Outdoor News had a great story about the chapter.
Thanks again for the support to our volunteers and members!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BCPF has acquired a few new
parcels over the last couple of years. One parcel being 80 acres which is part of the expanding Bashaw complex. During our habitat day we posted and removed most but not all the barb wire fencing so this parcel will be open to the public.
Additionally, we had donated to us a 40-acre parcel which will be posted and added we hope open to the public this fall. Another 80+ acre parcel was acquired in March and again we hope will open to the public this fall. Stay posted for updates on these two parcels.
|
|
|
Key Dates to Mark Your Calendar
|
|
|
September 1, 2025 - MN Small Game and Dove Opener
September 6, 2025 - MN Waterfowl (Teal & Goose Only) Opener
September 11, 2025 - BCPF Chapter Meeting, 507 Tavern, New Ulm 7:00 P.M.
September 13, 2025 - MN Deer Archery Season Opener
September 27, 2025 - MN Waterfowl Opener (Split Season)
October 4, 2025 - MN Fall Turkey Opener
October 9, 2025 - BCPF Chapter Meeting, Dawg Haus, Sleepy Eye 7:00 P.M.
October 11, 2025 – MN Pheasant Opener
October 16-19, 2025 - MN Youth Deer Season
November 8, 2025 - MN Deer Firearm Season Opener
November 29, 2025 - MN Deer Muzzleloader Season Opener
January 4, 2026 - MN Pheasant Closes
March 21, 2026 – 2026 Brown County Banquet & Family Fun Night
MN DNR Hunting Regulations and Dates
|
|
|
Other Conservation Organizations News
|
|
|
We want to let you know our friends at the MN Deer Hunters Association (MDHA) will be hosting a banquet on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at the Courtland Community Center.
For ticket information please contact: Terry Alfson at (507) 317-8078 or see https://mdha.myeventscenter.com/event/Sioux-Trails-Chapter-Banquet-115206?redir=1 .
Hope you can support other organization with similar missions to ours as well as Pheasants Forever.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The monies we receive through donations, fund raising, and membership are critical to us enhancing or purchasing lands for all the public to enjoy. We encourage everyone to renew their membership to Pheasants Forever or upgrade to a Lifetime membership.
Pheasants Forever is the only national organization with a model of chapters keeping 100% of the funds they raise. While belonging to a larger national organization that has a voice on federal and state conservation policies, chapters are tasked with finding projects for their funds. Minnesota takes full advantage of this model using funds raised for projects locally as well as other areas in the state of Minnesota.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Again, we want to thank all our members and volunteers who do so much to
help in the Brown County Pheasants Forever (PF) mission.
|
|
|
BROWN COUNTY PHEASANT’S FOREVER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- FOUNDED 38 YEARS AGO and SPENT OVER $6 MILLION in Brown County for HABITAT.
- OVER 500 HABITAT PROJECTS benefiting OVER 5,000 ACRES on PRIVATE land.
- PRESERVED OVER 3,500 ACRES for PUBLIC ENJOYMENT & HUNTING. Brown
County has NEARLY 40 WMA/WPAs encompassing OVER 5,000 ACRES.
- BROWN COUNTY HAS OVER 24,000 acres in HABITAT.
- HOSTS AND PARTICIPATES IN ANNUAL MENTORED YOUTH HUNTS with more than 200 KIDS
PARTICIPATING
- SUPPORT our LOCAL TRAP SHOOTING TEAMS.
- PARTICIPATE in MN DNR
Adopt-a-WMA program. Planting food plots, replacing signs, removing trash & barb wire, creating parking areas, and more.
|
|
|
|
|
Brown County Pheasants Forever
1783 Buerkle Circle
St. Paul, MN 55110
United States
|
|
|
|
|
