By Joe Healy
A new Pheasants Forever chapter in Bismarck, North Dakota, intends to carry forward the good conservation work that has made Pheasants Forever a force of almost 150,000 members. More hands doing the heavy lifting are always welcome, but the news about this chapter, Capital City Lady Birds, is that all the members are women.
“I am confident these women will further the Pheasants Forever mission by recruiting more females for outdoor recreation opportunities as well as contributing to habitat conservation in the region surrounding Bismarck,” said Renee Tomala, North Dakota regional representative for Pheasants Forever.
Tomala says the big-picture goals for the Lady Birds chapter are threefold: First is conservation advocacy, creating passionate advocates who will stand up and let their voices be heard. Second is female-hunter recruitment and outreach, bringing more women into the fold and sharing experiences.
The third goal combines education, networking and resources: “This network of women will allow those who manage or own land to have easier access to natural-resources professionals, to our Pheasants Forever team and to the tools they need to be good stewards of their land,” Tomala said. “We’re also creating access to educational opportunities such as learn-to-hunt, learn-to-shoot events as well as topics covered in our Women Caring for the Land events and other topics.”
The North Dakota Pheasants Forever team has held women’s wingshooting clinics to offer shooting instruction, starting with the basics and building on other aspects of shooting and gun handling.
