By Frank Stanko • Daily News franks@wahpetondailynews.com Mar 8, 2021
The Red River Area Sportsmen’s Club had an opportunity to not only assist a local nature site but continue its mission of enhancing habitats.
Club President Greg Gerou and Patrick Fitzmorris, the new manager of the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge, located south of Cayuga, North Dakota, recently shared a conversation. Fitzmorris’ goals for Tewaukon include increasing the refuge’s wood duck population.
“The problem is that there are limited natural nesting cavities available for the ducks,” Gerou said. “Many of the old growth trees that had cavities have died and fallen over.”
Gerou and Fitzmorris’ conversation led to a project that would provide a number of wood duck nesting boxes. Before the Tewaukon plan, Gerou explained, the Sportsmen’s Club had been talking to a landowner in rural Hankinson, North Dakota, about providing nesting boxes in the Horseshoe Lake and Stacks Slough area. Ultimately, the two projects were merged.
Utilizing plans from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a materials list and cost estimates were developed. Many organizations and individuals collaborated on or contributed to the project. For example, the American Foundation for Wildlife, Bismarck, North Dakota, provided the funding grant and rough sawn cedar was purchased through Builders FirstSource, Wahpeton.
“According to the plans, the amount of wood purchased should make 12 nesting boxes,” Gerou said.
Fastenal of Breckenridge, Minnesota, provided the exterior decking screws for assembling the boxes. Wood shavings, used for nesting material, were purchased from Tractor Supply Co., Wahpeton, and waterproof wood glue came from Wahpeton Ace Hardware.
“Del Hoefts, one of our club members, offered the use of his woodworking shop for the cutting and assembly of the units,” Gerou said. “Club members assisted with the cutting of material. Through a lot of measuring and calculating, they were able to cut the material to make one additional nesting box.”
From there, the boxes were assembled, the nesting material was loaded and the boxes were ready for distribution. Eight of the boxes were delivered on Feb. 25, 2021 to Tewaukon.
“Refuge personnel will determine their locations and install the boxes. The remaining boxes will go to replace some nesting enclosures near Horseshoe Lake and Stacks Slough west of Hankinson, as well as add some new nesting sites along the Wild Rice River in rural Wahpeton,” Gerou said.
Gerou reiterated his many thanks to the groups which came together to make the project possible for the Red River Area Sportsmen’s Club, including: Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Foundation for Wildlife, Bismarck, Builders FirstSource, Fastenal, Tractor Supply Co. and Wahpeton Ace Hardware.
“A big thank you goes to Del Hoefs’ wood shop of rural Wahpeton and the Red River Area Sportsmen’s Club members for volunteering their time working on this conservation project, Gerou said. “The plan is to have the boxes installed prior to the wood duck arrival this coming spring.”