How does the old saying go? Neither snow nor rain nor, in this case, sweltering heat could keep them from their appointed rounds.
Nine dedicated Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation volunteers and three others from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently gathered for a service project to clear the way for better habitat for elk and other wildlife. Despite downright steamy weather conditions, they cleared rocks and other debris from a tilled 12-acre field that will be seeded with grasses, clover and other vegetation preferred by elk.
“In the heat it was tough work but for a shed hunter and elk lover it was a labor of love,” Rob Sparhawk, RMEF member, wrote in a Facebook post. “I loved giving back to the Wisconsin wildlife as much as I use the land.”
The crew also set a liner for a pond to be dug and used as a water hole. One of the volunteers that lives nearby gave a boy an elk shed he found as a token of gratitude for helping get things done.
“It was really great to see our volunteers come out to help with this work project! They put in a ton of hard work picking rocks and putting down the lining for the pond during one of the hottest days of the year,” said Tyler Wetterau, northern Wisconsin RMEF regional director. “Even though it was hard manual labor, everyone was laughing, smiling and just having a good time. This is what it is all about, coming together for a mission we care so much about.”
(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)