Plumes of dust could be seen on the normally quiet forest service road.  It was the day before the pronghorn muzzleloader opener, a tag that has about a 3.2% chance of drawing as a resident.  The pronghorn are thick in this unit.  I see them all summer as I bounce around the roads on my way to pull fencing.  I see the spots that they use to pass under low barbed wire fence.  Pronghorn bucks perform a territorial marking ritual called S.P.U.D.  It's an acronym for Sniff, Paw, Urinate and Defecate.  I see these markings very near where groups have historically passed under fencing.  There will be a pawed area that bucks have marked on either side of the fence, with fresh scat. They use this to locate known crossings. Studies show that it takes time for pronghorn to learn new crossings, once learned they females teach their offspring.  On many sections of the monument you find netwire or woven wire fencing, with two top wires of barbed wire.  This type of fencing is nearly impenetrable to pronghorn and poses a large risk to deer and elk.  The fences are old and usually not tight, resulting in the increased risk of elk entangling their hind legs in the barbed wire.  Our goal of the August 23 stewardship event was to replace a ½ mile section of netwire with new wildlife friendly fencing.

There were 21 total attendees, 16 volunteers, 3 Taos BLM staff and 2 BHA staff.  For this event we partnered with Nick Streit and Ben Mortensen of the Friends of Rio Grande del Norte group out of Taos, NM. The Friends Group is an important partner in our work on the National Monument.  They help engage new volunteers and teach people the importance of becoming stewards.  Ben is their event coordinator and a fly fishing guide. On Sunday he would take 9 anglers into the Cruces Basin to catch brook trout.

I could tell you how well volunteers worked together and how they each found a job that needed to be done. Or how quickly they unclipped the fence and stretched new wire.  But what stuck out to me in this event was the diversity of people from different backgrounds, various professions, and a variety of public lands users.  They shared a common goal to improve habitat for wildlife.  What sticks out the most are the human connections that are made during these events.  The habitat conservation is our end goal, but without the volunteers that can’t be achieved. These events are a place for people to meet up that normally wouldn't cross paths.  New friendships are made each time.  Many times I have heard someone say, “Everyone here is so easy to get along with, they’re my people”.  That is what is beautiful about sharing time with someone in nature.  We bond in a way that we would not if we were sitting at a bar in a city.  We all take different pathways when we are out on public land, some follow elk tracks, some read the water, look for birds or ride mountain bikes.  In the end, a steward of the land knows that they are part of the ecosystem web, and what they do has a lasting impact.

The impact on Saturday happened to be 22,000 acres.  That’s how many acres were improved for wildlife connectivity by simply removing a ½ mile of impenetrable netwire and replacing it with wildlife friendly fencing. It will take time for pronghorn to learn that these new crossings exist.  It may take a mother pronghorn being pressured from coyotes to learn that there is an easier way to pass under the fence.  This crossing will be imprinted in her fawn, hopefully teaching the subsequent generations.   

Elden Aguilar is an artist from the Kewa Pueblo along the Rio Grande.  His art @wildstyln.art was featured in the logo for the Rally for the Rio Grande del Norte event.  He is a regular attendee at our stewardship events.  "A BHA event means a lot to me as a Native American because of our deep connections to our ancestral lands.  We are here to protect them, not just for our traditional purposes but for generations to come. Just like other BHA public land stewards, I have a passion for hunting, fishing, and being outdoors. Doing stewardship is a great way to give back to the land and wildlife. I believe we were brought into this world to serve a purpose and this is the best way to leave an impression on the environment. As Pueblo people we pray for everyone and beauty all around."

The true lasting impact are the memories that are made, the laughs around the fire, the barbecue sandwich’s in a rain storm, the wild game potluck, music around the fire and the hunting stories.  That is the cream on top that convinces a person to do it again.  This is what makes BHA special. 

If this sounds fun to you, take a minute and become a member of BHA.  Your local chapter will keep you updated on upcoming stewardship events. 

Become a BHA Member 

 

Photos by Kyle Klain and Jim O'Donnell

 

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