Chapter Activities Summary as of November 8, 1999

State Chapter Activities 2000

The 25^th Anniversary State Convention and Sport Show: March 10 – 12, 2000 in State College Pennsylvania. Featured speaker is Will Primos, President Primos Hunting Calls. Special appearance by Rob Keck, Executive Vice President NWTF. For details contact Mary DeArmitt at (814) 353-1712.
January state board meeting: January 8, 2000 at the Greenwood Lodge in Clearfield County. Executive Committee meeting January 7, 2000 at lodge.

The Women In The Outdoors program continues to grow with 10 – 12 events schedule for 1999, and approximately 15 events planned for 2000.
One significant use of our state’s super fund dollars is the purchase of additional public hunting lands. There are currently a number of land acquisition projects under way:

The state chapter has donated $10,000 towards the purchase of 1550 acres of land known as The Atlas Tract, which will be added to existing State Game Lands.
The state chapter has donated $5000 towards the purchase of 4200 acres of land in West Keating Township, Clinton County. This property is adjacent to State Game Lands #100 and the Sproul State Forest.
The state chapter donated $10,000 towards the purchase of 1100 acres within the Moshannon State Forest.
The state chapter donated $10,000 towards the acquisition of 236.22 acres near Elk Grove, Sullivan County to be added to State Game Lands #13.

The State Chapter will donate $26,500.00 from the state super fund per year for two years to help fund a wild turkey study in Turkey Management AREA (TMA) 7B. This study will monitor survival rates, cause of specific mortality rates, and reproductive rates of hens in this area of suppressed population. Turkeys are currently be trapped and relocated within TMA 7B. No turkeys will be removed from TMA 7B during this effort.
Summer sighting surveys were conducted for the second year in the Michaux State Forest to determine turkey population trends in this area. Six routes (approximately 30 miles each) were conducted in June, July, and August; with each route being surveyed 12 times weekly. The individuals conducting these surveys do so completely on a volunteer basis.
A new Wild Turkey Management Plan was completed and signed by Executive Director Donald C. Madl on April 29, 1999. The State Chapter strongly supports this plan and will work very hard in cooperation with the PGC to ensure its success.
42 spring habitat projects were funded in 1999 with state super fund dollars, totaling $156,029.94.
A new DART system has been purchased for use by the state chapter. This system teaches proper shot selection and placement, as well as safety while turkey hunting, spring or fall.
1999 has been the best year in NWTF history with over $15 million in net dollars raised; Pennsylvania have raised over $1 million by year’s end.
Pennsylvania is currently the 3^rd largest state chapter in existence with 14,270 members in approximately 60 local chapters. Illinois is #1 (14,907 members) followed by Wisconsin (14,357 members). The last two chapters to form are located in the Charleroi and Northern Cambria areas.
The Pennsylvania State Chapter received 7 tractor-trailer loads of seed (or approximately 300,000 pounds of seed) for distribution throughout the state.
The State Chapter has decided to pursue an organization license plate. This plate will display the national NWTF logo and will also say "Pennsylvania Chapter, NWTF" at the bottom. An application for these plates will be printed in an upcoming issue of "Turkey Talk".
The State Chapter will again donate funds to the Make A Wish Foundation. They also will support donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
58 habitat improvement projects were funded in 1999 for a total of $206, 553.80; the breakdown is listed below:

Spring 1999 (42 projects):

Allegheny National Forest$15,000.00
Local Chapter Seedlings 20,700.00
Local Chapters 22,800.47
DCNR B.O.F. 32,971.00
PGC B.L.M. 64, 558.47

Fall 1999 (16 projects):

Local Chapters$10,336.98
DCNR B.O.F. 10,026.85
PGC B.L.M. 30,159.97

The state chapter has hired Marcus Schneck as the state’s public relations representative.
The state chapter has agreed to renew it’s membership to the NRA. The chapter strongly supports the NRA.
The state chapter has chosen a board member to be seated on the YHEC council. In support of YHEC the state has also decided to provide $500 each to the senior and junior contest winners in the YHEC essay contest. The money will be used to send the senior winner to the Penn State advanced hunter/conservation school, and the junior winner to the NWTF Porter Wagner Youth Field Days.
The website www.huntingpa.com will feature an NWTF bulletin board that will be monitored and moderated by PA state chapter board member.