Longtime volunteer helps restore habitat in Idaho
By Darwin Waters, Snake River Quail Forever chapter president
Editor's note: Here at PF & QF we have a wide array of talented individuals all across the country working hard every day to deliver our mission, each with unique backgrounds and skillsets. In our new blog series, “Why Conservation,” we feature some of the incredible employees and volunteers that make up the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever family. Each of these blogs will highlight their background information, the important work they do for the organization and answer the important question of — Why Conservation?
I grew up in eastern Idaho and started hunting deer with my Dad and my brothers at the age of 12. We would take family drives into the mountains and into the desert and go plinking with .22s. In junior high and high school I always took as many science classes as I could, and all of the teachers usually had some outdoors theme or conservation program. I made it part way through Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring”, enough to realize we needed to do more to protect our planet or at least the best parts of the earth.
I used to pick up aluminum cans and trash while walking home from school. When I got my driver’s license and started going hunting, I would haul home trash as well, and still do these days. In fact, some days the bird vest has more cans and garbage than birds.
I started out as a Pheasants Forever member when my best friend and I went to the Dakotas to hunt pheasants. As the years went by and we started seeing more oil rigs and land access being denied to hunters, I realized there was much more to be done. Watching all the farms and fields being turned into subdivisions in recent years has led to urgent habitat restoration.
I became a PF & QF member for a few years, an MDF member and Chukar Chaser member. I like the Quail Forever plan that allows chapters to use the money locally, as the members see fit. Currently I am the Snake River Quail Forever Chapter 3208 president. We have held Clays for Conservation shoots the last few years and try to put money on the ground where the public has access. We also work closely with Idaho Fish and Game, especially to restore all the burned areas from the last 10 years.
As a passionate hunter and fisherman, I realize quality habitat is needed to protect and grow wildlife for now and future generations. I enjoy getting out there and help planting sagebrush, bitterbrush and rabbit brush with all the Fish and Game personnel and other volunteers. It takes thousands of hours and plants to refurbish the recently burned landscapes, but knowing we can give the land a jump start in some of the important areas gives me satisfaction. I’ve learned so much about the area, the soil and the plants from all the Fish and Game personnel and Pheasants Forever biologists. It gives me a better perspective on the overall condition of the local habitat, and helps me understand how our efforts will help preserve the habitat and game populations for our children and grandchildren.