By Chad D. Baus

While the major media focus continues to be on the Obama administration's infancy, the choosy newsreader can also find a number of stories covering various aspects of the Republican party's attempts to "rebrand" itself in the wake of major losses at the ballot box, both in Ohio and nationally, over the past two election cycles.

As party leaders continue their soul-searching, they need to consider the reasons for which they lost their hold on what has historically been one of the most loyal voter segments - gun owners and hunters - and make plans to regain their trust.

Spend $1 million on habitat mission for third straight year; State Meeting this weekend

Waldo, Ohio - For the third consecutive year, Ohio's Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) chapters have surpassed the $1 million mark in expenditures, spending $1,066,731 on the organization's wildlife habitat mission in 2008. Ohio PF/QF celebrated these accomplishments at the Annual Ohio PF/QF State Meeting on Saturday, January 24th, at the All Occasions in Waldo.

During the year, Ohio chapters completed 949 habitat projects impacting 6,001 acres; planted 18,685 trees and shrubs for winter cover; engaged 1,224 youth in mentor hunts, 487 youth in target shooting, 194 youth in conservation camp and 2,563 youth in other related outdoor events; issued $1,510 in sponsoring educational workshops and offered 18 scholarships for $4,550. Additionally, a 90-acre property in Union County became the second property in the nation donated to PF/QF's Forever Land Trust, and a pilot program in northwest Ohio called the Ohio Upland Habitat Initiative (OUHI) was launched to focus habitat funding in a specific focus area.