Grassroots Conservation Campaign Testimonials

Bill Baxter

Cancer had extracted all but the ultimate penalty, yet the love of his farm – the wildlife, the carefully planned and planted habitat – still flamed in Bill Baxter's soul.

Baxter motioned for his son to come to his bedside. In a weak voice, he asked Bill Jr. to go outside, drive around the place, come back and give him a report. The younger Baxter, who lives in Raleigh, N.C., had been making evening reports of the wildlife activity on the farm to his dad for more than a week. It was early February. Death was near, but the elder Baxter remained a committed, curious wildlife biologist.

Bill Jr. climbed into his dad's pickup and drove to a spot on the 320-acre farm where a pond recently had been constructed. A large herd of deer was grazing in a six-acre soybean field adjacent to the pond. He grabbed his binoculars, slipped out of the truck and found a comfortable place from which to watch the deer.

Bill Jr. noticed about 40 small, dark blobs on the ground behind the deer. He trained his binoculars on one. It was a pheasant. Moments later, the entire flock took flight.

"They all got up cackling and flew off together," he recalled. "All except one. It came down to where I was and flew right past me. Then it turned and went west into the setting sun. I thought, 'Gosh, I can see why my dad loves this place so much.'"

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Dwight R. Hubert

The late Dwight R. Hubert, 52, spent some of his last days fishing in Canada. That said a lot about the man. It was out under God’s bright sun where he was the happiest, among the wilderness and wildlife that gave him life and a reason to live. No doubt those happiest of days with the wind in his hair, his friends close by and a rod or scattergun in his hands are what gave him the mental courage to fight off a vicious cancer for six long years.

Dwight, an accomplished competitive shooter who qualified for Olympic tryouts in 1984 and 1996, was a lifelong hunter who trained Brittanies, English Setters and Labradors. He lost his battle to cancer in 2005 at an age no one should have to bid farewell to the people, the dogs and the land one loves. But one thing cancer could never take away from Dwight was his determination and ability to leave a permanent legacy to conservation through a considerable charitable bequest donation to Pheasants Forever. Rest assured, somewhere out there Dwight is smiling down upon us all...and the land/habitat he helped preserve for many generations to come. Thanks old hunter, thanks very much!

Charlotte Adelman & Bernard L. Schwartz

Back in the 17th century, wealthy French explorer, Robert Cavelier de La Salle traveled from Canada to the wilds of the Gulf of Mexico. Where the Mississippi River branches, a tree was hewn, stuck into the ground and carved with the arms of the king of France. Its inscription stated, "Louis the Great, King of France and of Navarre, Reigns Here, April 9, 1682." Then the expedition listened to LaSalle loudly take possession of Louisiana, naming the vast territory in honor of Louis XIV; it amounted to one half of North America.

Fast forward to another ceremony on May 9, 2006 in the prairie region of Southern Wisconsin. Retired lawyers, husband and wife Bernard L. Schwartz and Charlotte Adelman, traveled from Wilmette, Illinois, to meet PF president Howard Vincent, vice president of development Bryan Van Deun, who traveled from Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Wisconsin regional biologist Jeff Gaska, at the Footville Wildlife Area near Janesville, Wisconsin. Peering from beneath their umbrellas, they dedicated a custom aluminum plaque stating, "This land will be loved and respected and admired for all time thanks to the generosity and planning of Charlotte Adelman & Bernard L. Schwartz," and pounded the sign into the ground.

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Iowa's 'Patron' Chapter

You might call Iowa's Winnebago/Hancock Chapter the country's 'Patron' chapter since it has six (see photo) Patron members ($10,000), the most of any PF chapter. It was also the first chapter in Iowa to spend $1 million on local habitat projects.

"Six patron sponsors from the chapter is proof of the dedication that our chapter and these individuals and the Hanson Foundation have made to PF. Also, each of these patron sponsors have contributed labor, time and money to various habitat projects in our area to improve wildlife habitat, along with their commitment to the national organization," said Bruce Hertzke, PF National Board member. "This type of dedication will benefit future generations of children who will be able to learn and enjoy the values of outdoor recreation and wildlife."

Iowa's Winnebago/Hancock Chapter boasts the most Patron Members ($10,000) of any chapter in the country. These outstanding supporters are, from left, Gaylord Wooge, 15 year chapter sponsor and representing the Walking Eagle Marsh project; Darrell Hanks, chapter president; Bruce Hertzke, PF National Board member and longtime chapter member and sponsor; George Wilson, National Board member 17 years and chapter founding member; Matt Jennings, major chapter sponsor; and the Hanson Foundation (no representative pictured). Thanks everybody for your outstanding support of upland conservation! You have indeed set the example for us all.

Darrel Smith

Despite the passage of over 40 years, Darrell Smith still remembers the thrill of seeing his father bag a ring-necked pheasant.

"I was probably 11 or 12. It was the first time I saw dad shoot a pheasant," Smith, now 56, recalls. "Back then we thought the only reason to hunt was for meat. I thought that first meal of pheasant was food fit for a king."

Some time later, Smith shot his first pheasant. "Now that was really exciting," he says.

In those days, it was difficult to find pheasants near the family farm outside Mount Carroll, Ill. "My friends and I did a lot more walking than hunting. But we didn't let that discourage us."

Instead, abundant squirrels and occasional forays to other parts of the state in search of ringnecks fueled within him a growing passion for hunting and the outdoors. It's a love that never grew cold.

"The last few years, if you totaled up the hours, you'd find that I've spent a lot more time assisting the local Pheasants Forever chapter than I actually do hunting," says Smith, who's a field editor for Farm Journal magazine in Champaign, Ill., and secretary for the local PF chapter. "I've only been getting out one or two times a year to hunt, but the outdoors has always been, and will continue to be, a special place to my wife, Janis, and me."

That's why when Smith reflects on the past, he also thinks about the future and the legacy he and Janis want to leave. "We'd like to see our money invested in something that will lead to more hunting opportunities for other people. We'd like to know that other people will have some of the same opportunities to enjoy the outdoors that we have had."

The Smiths can now count on that happening through PF's Legacy Program. The program helps individuals interested in charitable giving who also want to leave a wildlife conservation and hunting legacy for future generations.

"Our hope is the Legacy Program will build to a point PF is able to invest even more funds at the local level for land acquisitions or major habitat projects," says Gerry Rodeen, a PF national board member for the past 15 years and the founder of Illinois' first PF chapter.

Schottler Family Story

(From L to R)Back: Shawn Schottler, Paul Schottler, Dave Haugen, Leif Erickson; Front: Sherrill Schottler, Karla Schottler, Charlotte Schottler Winslow, Dan Schottler

What to do with the family farm? A difficult choice had to be made—no one from the family was interested in farming like it used to be, but the family didn’t want to totally lose their family roots either. At this same time the grandson of Ed and Lucy Schottler went to the annual Pheasants Forever banquet and enjoyed conversations with Leif Erickson (chapter leader) and other PF members. They talked about the hopes of someday having some land in Mower County dedicated to Pheasants Forever for restoration and preservation of wildlife habitat.

Soon the grandson mentioned to his dad that PF was hoping to start some restoration work in southern Minnesota—would the family be interested in considering PF in their future options? It took several months of thought-filled discussion but by early summer the family had come to a consensus: Making the farm available to Pheasants Forever would achieve what they most desired—they didn’t want to see the family farm disappear into wall-to-wall soybeans and corn. Instead they saw this as an opportunity to keep the farm as an identifiable, special place that would benefit plants, animals, birds and many, many people for generations to come.

The family chose to make a donation to PF because their parents had understood the importance of living in balance with the natural world and this would be a way of carrying on that legacy.

— Paul Schottler

Bob Speicher

Bob Speicher of northeast Indiana was an active, self-employed owner of several businesses. His release from the pressures of his work was to hunt—pheasants, ducks, turkey and elk.

According to his daughter, Heidi Speicher, he had a lot of fun in all he did and tried to get others involved in the outdoors. “He had a passion to see others benefit from his resources and experiences,” says Heidi as she fondly remembers her father.

At the time of his final illness, he had a trip planned to hunt pheasants in North Dakota. Bob Speicher left some of his insurance proceeds to Pheasants Forever so that others could follow in his footsteps. Thanks, Bob.

Bill Benson

About 17 years ago Jim Wooley (PF regional biologist for Iowa) contacted me about forming a PF chapter in Mahaska County, Iowa. At that time I had a rather serious commitment and had to put him off. Jim was pretty persistent and we finally got rolling about six months later and in the spring of 1988 we had our first banquet. I served as chapter president for the first four years and then did two and one-half years as president of the state council. I served on the state council for 10 years, took a two year break and have been back on the council for another three years.

A few years ago I decided I wanted to do something different to benefit the organization that has done so much to change the way habitat is done. A friend who is in the insurance business and I got our heads together and came up with a plan. I would donate a certain amount of money to the chapter and they in turn would pay the premium on a $100,000 life insurance policy. In order to do this I had to prove that my involvement with Pheasants Forever has been consistent and ongoing. This is a tax deduction for me because the chapter controls the policy and I have no say in how it is used. In 2013 the policy will mature and can be used. If I die before then, it will be used without me. It is my plan to be around long enough to see what happens.

This is my legacy to PF.

Bill Benson
Oskaloosa, IA