VOL. 15 NO. 1 Dedicated to the care, protectionimprovementof the Fish PointWildlife Area May 2014
2013 – 2014
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Ron G. Hohne
Vice President Kevin Hollingshead
Treasurer Darcie Hohne
Exec. Secretary Barbara Gosler
Rec. Secretary James Gosler
Director – 2yr Mike Dabrowski
Director – 1yr Harold Mayer
Director – 1yr Nick Dabrowski
EDITORIAL POLICY
The editor of this newsletterencourages members to send items to be considered for inclusion in future newsletters. Events, book reviews, recipes, and letters to the editor, articles on hunting (especially at Fish Point) allare welcome, but at the discretion of the editor.
MEMBERSHIP COUNT
Adults: 90
Youths: 51
DNR: 9
Total Members:150
The FPWA currently has 150members in good standing which is down from previous years, so please share the good work that the association is doing for the area and encourage your fellow outdoor enthusiasts to join or renew their membership. We are a great organization that is dedicated to the care, protection and improvement of the Fish Point Wildlife Area.
Barbara Gosler
Communications
Dear members, I want to remind everyone to update their email address if it has or will be changing shortly, or if you recently obtained an email address please share it with us.
Why is a correct email so important for FPWA? Email is the quickest and most cost effective method to reach the majority of the membership (currently at 77%) and solicit feedback. Historically, topics requiring FPWA membership input often had short response windows. Waiting for a bi-annual meeting, the next quarterly newsletter, post card mail outs or telephone polling wasnot practical, could also be costly and time consuming. Therefore our primary method of communication and feedback is via email. In addition to member input topics, the newsletter, CWAC & DNRE reports along with various communications are also quickly distributed via email.
We continue to include as much of this information as reasonably possible for those that prefer the hard copy newsletters, with the understanding that primary communication and feedback is via email.
It is FPWA’s practice not to sell, or share email addresses with third parties, nor will we contact junior members if emails change for family and privacy matters.
So remember to update your email address with us to be informed and involved. To update send an email to or call us at 248-618-9070
James Gosler- Executive Secretary
PRESIDENTS NOTEBOOK
Its spring time again and planting season is just around the corner if the rain ever stops. With the late spring and the constant rains the fields are soaked, the only bright side the Bay water levels are up higher than they have been in years. This year major projects will be parking lot expansion, new access to drive to field 48, start to add field tiling to the north end fields, continue the bridge replacement project, and the building of two new field blinds. We will also continue to support youth days, local school field trips, maintenance projects and other joint projects with the MDNR and other groups. This year the area will have a full time area manager, an assistant technician and two part time helpers. The east side of the refuge was burned this year to help eliminate much of the undergrowth that had accumulated over many years. There will also be continued repair on the aging infrastructure such as water control gates, tube replacements and dike repairs which will be done by the DNR. The area is in the process of purchasing a field ditching implementand will start redoing the field ditches that have filled in over the years. The FPWA appreciates all the past support from our members and we look forward to your support to continue to improve Fish Point for all sportspersons to enjoy. I look forward to seeing everyone this year. President FPWA
Ron Hone 810-335-0591
From The Vice President,
Hello everyone,
Spring has sprung and it is time to gear up for the fund raising season for FPWA.
Our first show will be the Sebewaing Sugar Festival on June 13th and 14th. Show times are noon until 9 p.m. The second show is the Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Show at the Bay CityState Park on August 2nd and 3rd. The hours are 10am until 6pm on Saturday and 9am until 5pm on Sunday.
Anyone interested in donating a little time to either show please let me know.
Our summer workday is scheduled for August 23rd. This is usually a pretty busy day. Please mark this day on your calendar as we would appreciate all the volunteers we can get. Watch your e-mail for further updates as the day gets closer.
The FPWA banquet is set for September 6th. Banquet tickets are available for purchase through me or Ron Hohne. The price remains the same at $40 per ticket. The banquet sells out quickly so get your tickets while their available. Raffle tickets are also available at $5 per ticket you may purchase these tickets by contacting me at the e-mail or phone number listed below. This years Grand Prize is a Model A400 Berretta 12 gauge shotgun, second place is a Model Berretta Outlander 12 gauge shotgun and third place is $250.00 cash. Have a great summer and hope to see you at the shows or summer workday. If you have any questions or need more information please contact me.
Kevin Hollingshead
Vice President, FPWA
Cell: 810-252-0847
E-mail:
TREASURERS UPDATE
May 2014
Hello fellow FPWA members. I hope everyone is enjoying the weather, I know I am. Even though it means yard work I’m especially looking forward to getting out on the boat, fishing and camping with my family this summer.
As for the business of the Association I wish I could report that 2013 was our best year. However, we have had better years. That being said, I feel that each year our members as well as their families and friends who attend our banquet are amazing with their support. I am looking forward to getting out and seeing all of you this summer selling raffle tickets and supporting this amazing organization and ask that we all put in a little extra effort this year in order to make 2014 a great year.
Thank you,
Darcie Hohne Treasurer, FPWA
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CWAC UPDATE
Here is an updatefrom the CWAC meeting earlier this year.
- CWAC will support and recommend an early teal season. The dates of the season will be Sept. 1-7, the bag limit will coincide with the maximum number of birds allowed.
- Still no sand hill crane season in Michigan.
- Early goose season at Fish Point will be from Sept. 1-10 and from Sept. 20-28. They allowed a 9 day season which encompasses two weekends.
- Two goose limit during the regular goose season will be the norm again this year.
- Still no reform on how zones are selected on the managed areas. There is relief in sight but may not happen this year.
-The Law Enforcement of the DNR was asked by members of CWAC to show a bigger presence at the managed areas. The general public is getting lax in abiding by the rules and laws. This will be given serious consideration.
-There are 29 new DNR Law Enforcement officers in training right now and an additional 31 scheduled to graduate sometime later this fall.
- After three years of studies by the DNR, results show that there is no significant reduction in the mallard population in the states that allow for the daily bag to include two hen mallards. So CWAC will support and recommend that Michigan hunters be allowed to have two hen mallards in their daily bag limit beginning this year.
-There are talks on how to reduce the number of deer on the managed areas.
-Youth duck hunting weekend will be Sept. 13-14.
These are the highlights of the meetingthat affect our area.
Mike Dabrowski – Director / CWAC
DNR UPDATES FROM THE FEBUARY MEMBERSHIP MEETING
New share cropper agreement- two new farmers will be working the area.This new agreement will keep a little more corn on the area. Some corn strips will be wider in 2014, and a 92 day corn variety will be used in the standing corn strips which should provide taller and thicker stalks.
Two hundred and twenty acres of different grains will also be planted to interest and retain the various species of ducks.
All cropping to be covered by the DNR this year.
Investigating the possibility of adding another hunting strip in the 50-53 areas, and in areas 1-3.
Blind 4 may get an additional blind for wind direction changes (this is not an additional area)
Plan to dredge ditch between areas 1-3 and area 6.
Dredging the access cut to the bay by the Gainey Marsh
The Sheep Farm will be planted with corn for the next three years, rotation with prairie grass.
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FPWA CONTACT INFORMATION
As always please feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions regarding this association or Fish Point in general.
Ron Hohne - President
E-mail:
Cell: (810) 335-0591
Kevin Hollingshead - Vice President
E-mail:
Cell: 810-252-0847
Darcie Hohne - Treasurer
E-mail:
Barbara Gosler – Memberships
E-mail:
Mike Dabrowski – Director / CWAC
E-mail:
Cell: 586-255-0181
Nick Dabrowski – Director / Newsletter
E-mail: