National Pronghorn Organization

[David Gough]

With pronghorn on the decline in many western states I have searched for a national conservation organization that is specific for pronghorn. This is all I come up with: https://pronghornfoundation.homestead.com/

The organization seems to be defunct like their website. Does anyone have an idea why there is no organization committed to speedgoats? They seem to be looked down upon by so many. Hell, even bears have ABF.

The discussion started on a different forum, so I wont insert the direct link. WAFWA hosted the 30th Pronghorn Workshop recently and here are some maps and graphs from the conversation:





I know my home state (Nevada) does a pretty good job managing for quality hunts, but with the feral horses and burros destroying our delicate sagebrush ecosystem I was surprised to see the population expanding (compared to mule deer, which is on a downward spiral).

 

[Big Fin]

I was a dues paying member of the now-defunct organization, for about a decade. I even offered to help with any accounting and tax reporting, even to work on fundraising. Never heard back.

Then, 15-20 years ago, the lights went out. Not sure what happened.

That said, it's a shame that this amazing and uniquely American animal doesn't have a group advocating for it. I know about seven or eight years ago that @Randy11 put some plans in place to do such. I'm not sure how far it went.

If someone has time and passion to get it started, I'd offer our platforms for whatever helpful purpose we could serve.

 

[David Gough]

I was a dues paying member of the now-defunct organization, for about a decade. I even offered to help with any accounting and tax reporting, even to work on fundraising. Never heard back.

Then, 15-20 years ago, the lights went out. Not sure what happened.

That said, it's a shame that this amazing and uniquely American animal doesn't have a group advocating for it. I know about seven or eight years ago that @Randy11 put some plans in place to do such. I'm not sure how far it went.

If someone has time and passion to get it started, I'd offer our platforms for whatever helpful purpose we could serve.

I know there's crossover where some organizations (like NBU in Nevada) do great work with pronghorn habitat. In one particular unit I've hunted in the past their guzzlers were a main source of water for the population.

Agreed, it's a shame.

 

[perma]

If someone has time and passion to get it started, I'd offer our platforms for whatever helpful purpose we could serve.

Just to satisfy curious minds. How would one start such an organization? I imagine you’ll need funding, mission statement, nonprofit tax stuff, etc. What puts the truck from park to drive on something like this?

 

[Big Fin]

Just to satisfy curious minds. How would one start such an organization? I imagine you’ll need funding, mission statement, nonprofit tax stuff, etc. What puts the truck from park to drive on something like this?

You need to incorporate in a state, with that Secretary of State, under their non-profit corporation statutes. You need a name, articles of incorporation, incorporator (founder), bylaws, and then go about forming the infrastructure of an organization such as Directors, tax-exempt application, Federal ID#, mission statement, governance rules, bank accounts, etc.

I've done it for many orgs. The application for tax-exempt status is a big PITA. The other parts are pretty easy.

 

[perma]

You need to incorporate in a state, with that Secretary of State, under their non-profit corporation statutes. You need a name, articles of incorporation, incorporator (founder), bylaws, and then go about forming the infrastructure of an organization such as Directors, tax-exempt application, Federal ID#, mission statement, governance rules, bank accounts, etc.

I've done it for many orgs. The application for tax-exempt status is a big PITA. The other parts are pretty easy.

Thanks for that. Not to water that down, but more or less sounds like you’re starting a business in a sense. Seems like a lot of fun honestly….

 

[406LIFE]

The 30th Pronghorn Workshop was this past week and highlighted some great research being done on the species. It also showed some very real concerns about their declining numbers. Virtually every state is reporting dropping numbers, some very quickly. The hardest hit areas are the core states and ranges. Disease and environment are definitely having an impact but in many places they simply don't know why the numbers are declining. Road avoidance studies are showing stark segregation of herds, which might be leading to loss of collective migration knowledge and genetic diversity. Another study shows that there may be susceptibility of pronghorn to contract CWD, sharing 6 of 6 of the alleles that make WT susceptible.

All this makes me very concerned about our current conservation of antelope. They can bounce back with a few good years, but they aren't showing that response, especially in Montana. Beyond the winter kill in WY 2022, there is significant pressure on a species that generally is last on priority sheets (heck, I wonder if sage grouse work is probably benefiting pronghorn more than pronghorn work).

The proceedings of the workshop will be published this summer, if anyone's interested in reading more. Maybe it's time for pronghorn enthusiasts to form the North American Pronghorn Foundation or something.

 

[Zellhouse]

Realize their not nation wide... the Arizona Antelope Foundation does alot of good work within the state.

www.azantelope.org.

 

[Wild Bill]

I was cleansing my instagram followings the other day and ran across the American Pronghorn Alliance account. Haven’t posted anything for a few years. Website doesn’t work. Not sure if they really anything more than a social media account.

https://www.instagram.com/pronghornalliance?igsh=MXBxcmxqc2o2dDEyOQ==

 

[QuazyQuinton]

While I can't tout a long personal history of conservation org involvement, paying the dues to join and support a pronghorn organization would definitely be on my priority list.

QQ

 

[David Gough]

While I can't tout a long personal history of conservation org involvement, paying the dues to join and support a pronghorn organization would definitely be on my priority list.

QQ

Agreed. Would be interesting to learn from the mistakes of past organizations.

 

[jryoung]

The coolest kids have hats.

 

[David Gough]

The coolest kids have hats.

View attachment 331549

Take my money. I’m definitely not cool, far from coolest. You already know this.

 

[Dakota79]

I’m willing to be involved in starting this up. I have had several discussions with folks regarding it. We need a few people to do some of the leg work, like crowd funding some initial start up costs and being on the original board to get some things done.

PM if interested.

Anything I can do let me know.

 

[Bryerific]

While my bucket list is long, and largely egocentric, I feel like I’d be disappointed if I grew old without making a meaningful effort to support conservation. Especially for a species that is so unique to the North American West and one that will continue to face ever greater pressure. I might not have the experience to lead this effort, but I’d be happy to give time and energy to help push it forward.

 

[TexanSam]

I know there's crossover where some organizations (like NBU in Nevada) do great work with pronghorn habitat.

Maybe until there is a dedicated group for Antelope, our resources and efforts should go towards organizations that help with habitat and issues that effect pronghorn as well. For example, if a group improves a bunch of sage grouse habitat, that surely would help the pronghorn as well right?

 

[brocksw]

I’ve filed articles of incorporation for the “North American Pronghorn Foundation”. But I’ve been advised not to pay for start up costs myself, and instead to crowd fund those costs with other willing folks….that has proven to be a short list.

I’ve spoken with several folks regarding starting this group up. Those discussions have resulted in telling me a half dozen different ways in which it “should be done”, many questions about how much public support/membership it will have, and a host of other potential barriers. Even the staunchest pronghorn supporters have not jumped forward willing to do much. Instead it’s a circular discussion about all the reasons it might not work.

The one thing I have not been able to find is a couple folks willing to step up and make some things happen and get some work done.

Application for 501c3 exempt status, a website and management system that can take membership money and work with email lists, logo/branding/marketing, etc., will likely require several thousand dollars+ of start up funds.

And that is not even counting some actual work that gives the organization legitimacy, i.e. some initial projects.

Then there is writing bylaws and finding a board of directors (which I think will be absolutely crucial too early success) and general organizational structure.

The Wyoming migration initiative guys call this apparent lack of support or motivation to support pronghorn, the “Pronghorn Paradox”.

I can see why they coined that term…

 

[Bowmannate2000]

Some good work being highlighted in South Dakota.

Bowhunters are volunteering to improve pronghorn survival in western South Dakota • South Dakota Searchlight

Bowhunters in western South Dakota are volunteering to replace sheep fencing with a pronghorn friendly alternative.

southdakotasearchlight.com

 

[David Gough]

Maybe until there is a dedicated group for Antelope, our resources and efforts should go towards organizations that help with habitat and issues that effect pronghorn as well. For example, if a group improves a bunch of sage grouse habitat, that surely would help the pronghorn as well right?

I spent Sunday scouting a buddies pronghorn tag in Washoe County, NV. Covered a lot of different county. Found one water hole with sign. Saw zero pronghorn. Place was full of feral horses and burros. Sad state of affairs. I know we were just burning rubber to cover ground, but it was pretty disheartening. Even the two pivots we saw had zero animals in it.

There are no sheep in that unit, so to my knowledge there are no NBU guzzlers. Plenty of small game. An area like that could use some artificial water sources as the rest of the ingredients are there for pronghorn to thrive.

 

[David Gough]

I’ve filed articles of incorporation for the “North American Pronghorn Foundation”. But I’ve been advised not to pay for start up costs myself, and instead to crowd fund those costs with other willing folks….that has proven to be a short list.

I’ve spoken with several folks regarding starting this group up. Those discussions have resulted in telling me a half dozen different ways in which it “should be done”, many questions about how much public support/membership it will have, and a host of other potential barriers. Even the staunchest pronghorn supporters have not jumped forward willing to do much. Instead it’s a circular discussion about all the reasons it might not work.

The one thing I have not been able to find is a couple folks willing to step up and make some things happen and get some work done.

Application for 501c3 exempt status, a website and management system that can take membership money and work with email lists, logo/branding/marketing, etc., will likely require several thousand dollars+ of start up funds.

And that is not even counting some actual work that gives the organization legitimacy, i.e. some initial projects.

Then there is writing bylaws and finding a board of directors (which I think will be absolutely crucial too early success) and general organizational structure.

The Wyoming migration initiative guys call this apparent lack of support or motivation to support pronghorn, the “Pronghorn Paradox”.

I can see why they coined that term…

Thank you for doing that. I wish I had the time to go head first into this, but with a newborn at home and (slowly) taking over a business I wouldn't be able to give it 100%. That being said, I did help write the bylaws for NV board of BHA. I could help there and volunteer in a smaller capacity. Identifying projects across different states in conjunction with governmental agencies and other conservation organizations would be a good place to start.

@Big Fin offered his platform to assist above. I believe crowdfunding startup costs would be easier than you think. PM me if you'd like.