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Pheasants Forever’s Farm Bill Biologist Program Helps Improve Over One Million Acres
Six-year old program improving how conservation is delivered to land and landowners.

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever

Saint Paul, Minn. - -(AmmoLand.com)- Improve how conservation programs are delivered to landowners and producers. That’s the goal of Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever’s (QF) Farm Bill Biologist program, a program that has, in just six years of existence, accounted for over one million acres of land being improved for wildlife. With the spring habitat improvement season here, Farm Bill Biologists are on the front line working with more acres and landowners than ever before.

The Farm Bill Biologist program is designed to educate farmers and landowners about the benefits of conservation programs, as well as assist those farmers and landowners after programs have been implemented. Pheasants Forever first began employing Farm Bill Biologists in 2003 and now has 35 Farm Bill Biologists working in seven states â?” Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Farm Bill Biologists have contacted and consulted 21,004 landowners, resulting in the improvement of 1,107,797 acres of land for wildlife.

“We’ve designed our Farm Bill Biologist program as the best possible resource for conservation information; one that is easy and user-friendly,” said Jim Inglis, PF/QF Farm Bill Biologist Coordinator. “Our Farm Bill Biologists possess the necessary knowledge of federal, state, and local conservation programs. More importantly, they are making local contacts and promoting programs on a personal basis â?” over 150,000 hours have been spent with 21,000 individual landowner contacts. That’s the formula helping landowners find the right conservation programs to meet their personal habitat and land-use goals.”

Primarily, the biologists work to accelerate enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and other Farm Bill conservation provisions that work with farm operations. Farm Bill Biologists add wildlife technical assistance in USDA offices to assist the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) and other conservation partners with the increasing wildlife focus as part of the Farm Bill and various state programs. Funding sources for the Farm Bill Biologist program are diverse, from state wildlife departments and/or soil and water conservation districts, contribution agreements or contacts with the USDA’s NRCS, local PF/QF chapters, watershed groups, foundations, and other state and local partners.

With the early success of the Farm Bill Biologist program in seven states, PF/QF envisions the program growing into success stories for additional states. “We are interested in adding more Farm Bill Biologist positions in new states and furthering our wildlife habitat mission,” Inglis said.

For more information on the Farm Bill Biologist program, contact Jim Inglis, PF/QF Farm Bill Biologist Coordinator, at (419) 569-1096 or via email at jinglis@pheasantsforever.org

About:
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has 130,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.

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Texas Deer Association Delivers ‘Sure Shot’ Insurance for Hunting Leases

Texas Deer Association

SAN ANTONIO, TX - -(AmmoLand.com)- Hunting leases are growing in popularity nationwide and Texas land owners are looking for affordable options to protect their investments and provide financial security for their families. The Texas Deer Association (TDA) is proud to make available affordable hunting liability insurance which will reduce the expenses and operating costs for hunters and landowners throughout the state.

Landowners who lease their property to hunters cannot usually turn to normal home or automobile insurance companies for liability protection, so TDA has worked closely with Porter Insurance of Brownwood, Texas, to develop its ‘Sure Shot’ program, a special insurance package that covers commercial hunting facilities and hunting leases and is available to all TDA members.

David St. Pierre of the Paraiso Escondido Ranch near Cisco, Texas, recently applied for the Sure Shot insurance available through TDA and he was extremely impressed. “This was extremely easy,” said St. Pierre. “Warren [Blesh] just came out to the ranch and measured the buildings. Then, he gave me an awesome quote. I’m in the insurance business and I could not have beat it myself.”

TDA’s new Sure Shot Plan provides complete liability insurance for commercial hunting with or without lodging as well as deer breeding facilities. The policy covers property, lodges, cabins and other overnight facilities, and can include deer pens and handling facilities on premises. The Sure Shot policy also provides liability for hunting with or without guides, skeet shooting facilities and gun ranges, and liability associated with serving meals and/or liquor on premises, and transportation to/from airport for your van or truck. For hunting lease liability, the policy covers commercial hunting operations, land leased to hunters, outfitters, club and WMA’s. Includes liability for bodily injury or third parties and property damage.

“Because hunting is such a large part of our economy, Texas landowners know a wilderness property that is properly managed can generate substantial income, but it’s important the landowners protect themselves and their families before opening up their property to hunters,” says Karl Kinsel, executive director for the Texas Deer Association. “The TDA is dedicated to serving land owners and hunters and our new Sure Shot insurance program provides a great, affordable solution for both commercial hunting operations and individual land owners throughout the state.”

The TDA is the only non-profit organization solely committed to improving the quality of Texas deer herds through better habitat practices, modern harvest strategies and use of superior deer to enhance the deer herds. As a part of its public education efforts, the TDA produces a full-color bimonthly publication, Tracks Magazine, which updates TDA members on current industry news, deer genetics and game management issues. The TDA also hosts an annual convention and trade show in August featuring fund-raising auctions, a deer auction, golf tournament and other events.

For more information on the TDA-exclusive insurance programs or for membership, please call 210.767.8300 or visit www.texasdeerassociation.com

About:
Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, the Texas Deer Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of Texas deer herds, and to developing ways to improve deer quality in Texas. For more information on the Texas Deer Association, call 210.767.8300 or visit www.texasdeerassociation.com.

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