PF on the Landscape in Michigan
By Melissa Weaver
Two Michigan chapters are blazing the way for elevating Pheasants Forever elite membership in Michigan. Michigan has 400 elite members throughout the state, and we are always encouraging current members to show their support by elevating their membership status.
Monroe County PF
With 320 current members, Monroe County PF has secured 31 of those as elite memberships. Monroe County highlights the value of elevating a membership at each of their events, and successfully identifies potential donors to PF development staff, who can work to further those relationships in the future.
Not only is Monroe County PF a champion when it comes to membership, but they also display a vested interest in their community through the support of local shooting sports teams, outreach events and partnership with other outdoorsmen and conservation groups. They have continually supported the Legislative Action Fund, Path to the Uplands and our Michigan Habitat Fund.
Monroe County has a standing open invitation for its neighboring chapter committees to attend their banquet each year.
The current president of Monroe County PF, Rob Sieb, was one of several who started the chapter 30 years ago. From holding several committee positions to doing behind-the-scenes work, Rob always ensures that fellow volunteers are the recipients of recognition. He is a humble leader, and is well-loved in his community. His hard work, and the dedication of his committee, has afforded their chapter great success.
Monroe County PF’s main event each year is a seed and tree giveaway to their membership. Folks who attend their banquet and join their local membership are often the recipients of these. Active volunteer Steve Oberle says, “That elite membership number happened because our active members believed in the mission of habitat. We used to have 4 life members. Now we have 31.”
Washtenaw County PF
Washtenaw County PF, in the heart of Ann Arbor, boasts an incredible committee truly dedicated to delivering mission. Twenty-five of their active members are elite members. They don’t just stop at hosting their fundraising events, but instead they pour into their local community with Learn to Hunt events, habitat projects, funding for local State Game Area work (through our Michigan Adopt-A-Game-Area Program), and shooting sport events.
Formed in 1987, Washtenaw worked to distribute seed and establish food plots in the first few years. A volunteer introduced the idea of native prairie grass to the chapter, and Washtenaw became a habitat-making machine. Active committee member Steve Schneider says, “One thing led to another. We bought a native grass drill, started advertising, began helping landowners and people getting into CRP projects to establish these new habitat grasslands. As a chapter, we couldn’t keep up with the demand and one of our members started a business to do all this native
grass work.”
When it came to getting youth involved, Washtenaw was also a trailblazer. The daughter of Steve and Gretchen Schneider (both active committee members) used to get bored at banquets and asked her parents why there was nothing for kids to do at these things. The mother and daughter duo came up with the idea of an activity book for children, which PF ended up supporting and distributing for several years.
Howard Vincent honored this young girl at their local banquet for a pheasant drawing she sent to National, which made it into this journal. It was at this time that Washtenaw realized they needed to focus on engaging new generations of outdoorsmen and women. They continued the habitat efforts, but also began youth hunts which they continue today.
Melissa Weaver is a Michigan regional field representative with Pheasants Forever.
This story originally appeared in the 2023 Spring Issue of the Pheasants Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a Pheasants Forever member today!