Pheasants Forever might be nevermore in Clay County if its chapter members don't step up to the plate.
The 139-member chapter is in need of officers and committee members. If it doesn't come up with about a dozen people willing to fill those positions the chapter will fold, according to Pheasants Forever regional biologist Eran Sandquist of Delano, Minn.
A meeting will be held Tuesday at the Knights of Columbus hall in Moorhead in hopes of finding five officers and a handful of other committee members.
"This is do or die," Sandquist said.
The officers who recently stepped aside were president Tom Vesledahl, secretary Steve Mikkelson, treasurer Dave Johnson, habitat chairman Bruce Christiansen and vice president Mike Cegla.
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Clay County has had an active Pheasants Forever chapter since the mid-1980s. The officers had been in their positions for much of that time and wanted a break, said chapter member Ron Jablinske of Moorhead.
"We need some young blood to come in and take some active positions in the organization," Jablinske said.
Sandquist is confident the Clay County chapter will stay active. He said he's been contacted by several members willing to be officers or committee members.
"You never want to lose a chapter, but sometimes certain areas just can't support one because they can't find enough people willing to step up and fill those positions," Sandquist said.
Clay County Pheasants Forever has invested more than $350,000 on local wildlife projects in the last few years, Jablinske said. That included tree plantings and acquiring 660 acres of land open to public hunting.
The chapter also maintains about 30 winter feeder cribs and 90 acres of wildlife food plots each year. It also sponsors a youth shooting clinic each spring and is involved with the release of wild pheasants in Clay County, Jablinske said.
The chapter funds its projects with an annual banquet.
Founded in 1982, Minnesota-based Pheasants Forever is a non-profit organization that uses a system of county chapters to keep all the funds it raises at the chapter level for local wildlife projects.
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Readers can reach Forum reporter Mike McFeely at (701) 241-5580
