Bucks & Buckthorn wants YOU

[Grute Man]

I saw this at my kids high school so I thought I'd share it.


Wanted - Youth & Adult members for Bucks & Buckthorn -- "Return the Land."

Bucks and Buckthorn seeks to enable hunters and conservationists to work for a common goal: land stewardship.

Bucks and Buckthorn, organized as a Boy Scout Venture Club sponsored by the Science Museum of MN, is a land stewardship and hunting program designed to foster a strong connection to the land in youth and adults.  Participants are given the opportunity to archery hunt on unique properties and then return to complete habitat restoration projects and learn about ecology.

Boy Scout Venture Clubs are for adults and youth, boys and girls ages 14-18.

Tell a friend...we are always looking for new youth and adult mentors!

Program Highlights from 2003 - 2006:

Land Stewardship:
9 buckthorn clearing events - 25 acres cleared
8 acres of prairie reconstruction
5 prescribed prairie burns
400 oak trees planted and protected
3000 prairie plants added
prairie seed harvest

Just Being on the Land (15 eco-events conducted on the land)
bird banding
falconry demonstrations
small mammal tracking with fluorescent powder
archeology for 2500 year old bison bones
prairie pollinators and plants
antler shed hunting and skill ID

Wildlife Management Activities
103 Forkhorn Camp graduates (props for my MN Deer Hunters)
34 youth and 38 adults afield
20 first time hunters
6000+ hours logged in tree stands observing nature & journaling
6000+ hours NOT spent on cell phones, video games, texting, hangin out with the wrong croud....
75 antlerless deer & 14 bucks harvested
44 deer harvested by youth (thats over 1/2 of the harvest)


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

http://www.bucksandbuckthorn.com/

NEXT MEETING - Wednesday, Oct 3, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
(I'll be there with Hockey #12)

North Campus High School Cafeteria
5040 Bald Eagle Ave.
White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Registration Requirements:
Parent/guradian present for hunts (mentor)
$10 registration fee
Full body, vest style tree stand harness

Harnesses will be available for a purchase at the meeting at a discounted price of $25/youth and $60/adult (normally $75 and $125)


Like I said, I'll be there with my oldest boy.  If you want even more info, reply here, PM me or email me from my profile.

GRUTE  ::

[Realtree]

This sounds like an excellent program Grute...I wish we were closer to the Cities, I would take part in it.

I would like to highly encourage others who are in the area to plug into this great program. What is better than being able to bow hunt on unique properties around the area and then go back and help to reclaim and rejuvinate other areas for future hunters and outdoorsman? Nothing...that's what! Awesome program!!!     happy2.gif

[Grute Man]

Bump.  I just wanted to say that.  Out of all my posts, this is my first bump.   party3.gif  Woo Hoo!!!

Anyway, this class will be going on tomorrow Wed Oct 3 from 6pm to 9pm at White Bear Lake North High School.  I've already spoken to 2 other people who plan to go so you won't be alone.

If you want local hunts, area able bodied, want to do some stewardship and mentor a youngun (like we all were  at one time) then come join us and see what its all about.

Hope to see you there.
Grute  ::

[Grute Man]

Well my oldest son and I got signed up for this.  There is a special weekend coming up on Oct 19-21 that is a bucks only hunt and he's going; Im trying to see if Momma Grute wouldn't mind too much.

This is a great opportunity to not only get in on some great hunts but give back to the land that we love to hunt.  I encourage all of you looking for places to hunt in the metro to check it out. 

PM me if you want a personal contact rather than just the website.

Grute ::

[Grute Man]

One last chance for folks to sign up for this season.  They're really looking for mentors especially women to mentor girls.  I guess there are a bunch of girls who want to get into hunting and their rules wont allow an adult male to mentor a youth female.  Makes sence; gotta protect the kids.

Anyway, the last orientation class is Monday Oct 15 from 6pm - 9pm at North High School's cafeteria in White Bear Lake.

Here's the basic rules:
     1)  pay $10 to join scout troop 555
     2)  take a kid hunting and you hunt on a few 1000 acres owned by the Science Museum in ladder
          stands put up for you in Marine on St Croix
     3)  do land stewardship stuff in the spring/summer (hunt now) like clearing buckthorn, prescribed
          burns, putting up wood duck houses...
     4)  use a 5 point body harness in the stand the entire time


Here's the contact info:

jgwach@comcast.net  or call Jack at (651) 492-2572

I used to work with Jack so I know him personally and will attest to the fact that he is a Top Notch kinda guy.  He is very professional, knows his material, and is experienced in bow hunting.  He's also the High School archery coach in White Bear.   

This is a great chance to get in some metro area bowhunting so call or email Jack to sign up for Monday.  He'll give you ALL the details.  Im in with it and cant wait for my first hunt!!!

Grute ::

[kenhuntin]

This is a good program and I hope it continues. For those that may be unfamiliar with Buckthorn it was only introduced here in the 1970s from S.E.Asia as an ornamental shrub by landscape outfits. Any thing you see while out in the field or forests right now that is still green is Buckthorn. It produces clumps of little blue colored berries that remain on the plant until spring. Birds ingest these and transplant them wherever they eliminate. Buckthorn does not usually die when cut at the base. It also is rapidly taking over natural vegetation.If you see them please pull young plants as you walk by or do what you can to slow the spread. Buckthorn is so prolific that I fear it is too late

[Grute Man]

Well some of you were thinking about joining this program and Im telling you that you're missing out.  (I've gone on 2 hunts with them, seen deer both times, and got one this last time. And I'll tell you right now, this is some of the BEST hunting land in the state.)
 
However the good news is that there is another registration night scheduled at North High School campus for this Thursday 11/15/07.
The cost to sign up is minimal and you're required to wear a full body harness which
B & B can get for you for $65.  I got one and its great.  I actually deal with construction body harnesses all the time and I really like the Hunter Safety System harness I got from the program.

They're especially needing female mentors.  THere are a few high school age girls who want to participate but are restricted due to lack of female mentors.  If the younguns go with mentors of the opposite gender, there has to be 2 mentors.  Any of you women hunters who even thinking about this, call Jack (aka Mr W.) at (651) 492-2572.

I hope some of you make it and join the B & B program.
Grute