QDMA REACH BANQUET

REACH is an aggressive national education and outreach program from the Quality Deer Management Association that benefits hunters, landowners and deer managers in several ways. REACH is the acronym for Research, Educate, Advocate, Certify and Hunt. The program specifically addresses all of the QDMA's core mission elements:

• Research – Fund whitetail research projects related to Quality Deer Management.
• Educate – Expand educational activities for QDMA members and the general public.
• Advocate – Increase the QDMA's involvement in whitetail hunting and management issues.
• Certify – The QDMA's individual and property QDM certification programs.
• Hunt – The QDMA's National Mentoring and Hunting program.

Our first annual Reach Banquet was a great sucess. With only room for 168 people we had over 150 there. The event was held at the Bristol Motor Speedway in the Bruton Smith Building on Feb. 2, 2008. The event consisted of a full course meal, silent auction, live auction, raffles, card games, kid games, and door prizes. There were numerous items for all these events. Encluding firearms, bows, and limited edition prints just to name a few.

2009 banquet is already in the making we look forward to seeing you there.

2008 Banquet Committee

2008 Habitat Improvement

Field Day

 Darrell Hard at work

INDOOR 3-D Benefit Shoot

QDMA TRI-CITIES BRANCH in conjunction with Miller’s Outdoor Sporting Goods and Apparel hosted a benefit indoor 3-D Archery Tournament for Johnathan Walden and family.This was  to help with medical expenses due to a recent fall while hanging a tree stand.

 Johnathan Walden

 2008 Kids Day

The Tri-Cities Branch hosted a kids fields day May 10, 2008. Every year the UT Extension and TWRA has a contest for  4-H members for planting a food plot for wildlife. the contest is called FACE (food and cover exstablishment)  for Wildlife. Each kid can plant a food plot from 1/4 to 1/2 an acre and must be planted in cowpeas and sorgrum. The seed is provided by Twra and well be judged before Sept. 1. The winner will recieve a gift worth $50 and a certificate  and a one year subsribtion to TWRA Wildlife magazine.

 Our branch is pround to have Maekayla Crawford entered in this contest and wish her luck on winning the event.

Making plans for the days work.

Emalee getting ready to drive the tractor.

Maekayla planting her food plot.

Maekayla taking notes she has to keep records of the food plot and everything that is seen in it.

Planting the field.

The field after it is planted.      

2008 TurkeyContest

1st Place

Tony Dickenson

13 1/4 inches

2nd Place

Fin Glasscock

13 inches

2008 Hunting & Fishing Expo

We had a great time at the 2008 Hunting & Fishing Expo at the Higher Ed Center in Abingdon VA. There was a great turn out for the two day event. There were alot of different outdoor vendors and conservation groups there that provided plenty of things to do for everyone. Our QDMA branch and the Tri-Cities Quail Forever  chapter worked together during the event talking to people that had questions about various management options. The QDMA & QU also sponsored a free raffle for a bird hunt to Pigon Creek Outfitters that was given away on the last day of the Expo.