event_title: Working For Wildlife Tour w/ Mark Kenyon- B.K Leach Conservation Area

event_time_zone: America/Chicago

event_start: August 12, 2023 08:00

event_duration: 300

event_end: August 12, 2023 13:00

event_address: 105 S 3rd St, Elsberry, MO 63343, United States

event_description: Join Missouri BHA as we team up with Mark Kenyon of Wired to Hunt & MeatEater as part of the Working for Wildlife Tour. Well spend the day at B.K. Leach Memorial Conservation Area getting our hands dirty improving habitat for whitetails, turkeys and other wildlife on Missouri public lands! "Im kicking off the Working for Wildlife Tour to shine a spotlight on these volunteer opportunities. I’ll be heading out to participate in six of these events myself, and I’m inviting you to join me! I’m excited to meet a bunch of you at these volunteer habitat days to answer your questions, hear your stories, sign books, and get our hands dirty together doing good stuff for deer and other wildlife. Ill also be giving one of our brand new "I Work for Wildlife" t-shirts to the first 25 volunteers at each event."-Mark Kenyon, Wired to Hunt, MeatEater Project will include Wet Prairie Improvement: Willow and Cottonwood cutting, seed harvesting, invasive species removal, installation of short eared owl perches, installation of beaver guards, trash cleanup.Volunteers are to meet up at the Elsberry Community Center at 8:00AM to receive your project instructions. Volunteers must register in advance. The first 25 people to arrive at the event will receive a free "I Work for Wildlife" T-shirt!*Please feel free to bring your own hand pruning tools. Electric or gas powered cutting tools are also welcome. The user should be competent in its operation and follow all safety precautions.**Water and snacks will be provided during workday.What you need to know:Please arrive around 8:00 AM. - 105 S 3rdSt. Elsberry, MO 63343 If you are a little early/late, no worries, we’ll get you signed up and plugged in!When you arrive, you will sign in and we will get you connected with a work group and send your team out into the field.It looks like it is going to be great weather, but there will be water and shade tents up at each worksite.We will work through the morning and then head back to the Elsberry Community Center for lunch.You are welcome to take part in our free lunch or there are many great restaurants within a few blocks (Shooters, Pickle Barrel, AJ’s Texmex and BBQ, Cadillac Bill’s).What you need to bring:We have several different projects to work on, and each will require slightly different supplies. Projects choices will operate on a first-come, first-serve basis until needs are met, and then attendees will be assigned. MDC will be providing staff to give guidance and operate any chainsaws/heavy equipment. If you do not have any of the recommended supplies, please still join us, we will have some extra supplies on site to share or you can purchase supplies next door at event sponsor Elsberry Hardware! Project 1 - Removal of woody vegetation from wetland poolsSupplies provided – Drinking water, shade, first aid kit.Volunteer supplies needed – none.Volunteer supplies recommended – Closed-toe shoes, long pants, leather/durable gloves, eye protection, sunscreen, insect repellent. Project 2. Construction/Repair hunting blinds Supplies provided – Building material, drinking water, shade, first aid kit. Volunteer supplies needed – cordless circular saw/ reciprocating saw, cordless drill, hammers, wrenches, and waders. Volunteer supplies recommended - Closed-toe shoes, long pants, leather/ durable gloves, eye protection, sunscreen, insect repellent. Project 3. Installation of perches for wildlifeSupplies provided – Building material, drinking water, shade, first aid kit.Volunteer supplies needed – Shovels, post-hole digger, tamp.Volunteer supplies recommended - Closed-toe shoes, long pants, leather/durable gloves, eye protection, sunscreen, insect repellent. Project 4. Collection of native wet prairie seed Supplies provided – Collection bags, drinking water, shade, first aid kit. Volunteer supplies needed – Garden shears. Volunteer supplies recommended - Closed-toe shoes, long pants, leather/ durable gloves, eye protection, sunscreen, insect repellent. Please dress for the weather, as we will be operating rain or shine.We have partnered with Shooters Saloon(located across the street) to offer a few lunch specials, so if you are going out for lunch, tell them we sent you!After lunch, doors open for our Stewardship Stories event. This is an open house-style event so you are free to come and go and you do not need to be present to win any prizes.All volunteers will receive a complementary raffle ticket!We will have BHA merchandise for sale along with beer/soda and raffle tickets on site. Cash or credit is welcome.While there is no cost to participate in this event, we welcome donations to help offset any costs we incur and so that we can invest in future projects to benefit our public lands, waters, and wildlife. Make a donation here! Thank you! After the stewardship project Please join us at Elsberry Community Center for Stewardship Stories with Mark and a few other guest speakers, great food, and fellowship to celebrate giving back to our public lands.