Salina Journal News: The Last and Final Prediction

The Last and Final Prediction

3/9/2010

I’ve been kind of on a roll so I’ll continue to tell a few stories and make a few predictions for the future of hunting and fishing. Last week I looked at fisheries and wildlife management and how far we’ve come in my 50 to 60 years involved in the sports of hunting, fishing, and trapping. My entire career has been devoted to this process and I certainly feel like I have made a difference!!!

Hopefully I have left a legacy to the positive future of the great outdoors in Kansas and my son will be able to enjoy the fruits of the seeds planted by his family. As I said before in a column written in November, 2005, “even though I do work for the agency and truly support what they are doing, my deep and underlying reason for being so involved in education is because I want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors as much as I have.”

I want to relate a few stories about youngsters that I have dealt with over the years. I remember a couple of young college kids who came to work for me way back when I was stationed at Manhattan. One was a kid from Salina who was not real sure what he wanted to do with his life. He worked for me one summer and after going fishing with me and catching a bigger bass than I had ever caught on an old lure called a Mudbug – he caught the fever. He decided he wanted to be a fish squeezer and he is today the manager of the Farlington Fish Hatchery and in charge of all the fish trades with other states.

Another young farm kid we nick-named Wizzardi, ran creel for me at a small state lake and then worked as a summer aide. He did not hunt nor fish much in his youth and he never did get into fisheries or wildlife, but went back to the family farm. Still, he started to hunt and fish and he today manages his farm with fish and wildlife in mind.

I could tell stories about youngsters like this and fill a lot of pages. The one thing that I have observed about kids is that despite whether they are boys or girls, if they come to a fishing clinic and catch a fish, they are all hooked. I have found some young ladies who won’t bait their hook nor take a fish off, but they all have a broad smile when they pull in a fish. I’ve even had a few boys who were squeamish about handling worms or fish but I honestly cannot remember a kid who did not like fishing once they tried it. Not sure whether some of them ever went again but they certainly seemed to enjoy it while it lasted.

Shooting is a little different story. Some young ladies just cannot convince themselves that they can handle a firearm and a few find out that they don’t want to after firing that first shot. However, I have found very few gals who do not enjoy archery – at least most will give it a try. However, as the gals grow up, they seem to change their attitudes. In my education of women in the Becoming An Outdoors Woman or Women in the Outdoors programs, there seem to be a lot who want to learn both fishing and shooting / hunting. In fact, there are more females entering into the shooting/hunting fraternity today than there are men!

I am pleased with the conservation education message being taught kids today. I think the rural kids get a better dose than the big city kids, but at least in most school curriculums there is a conservation message. I still realize that the strength and reliability of that message often very definitely depends upon the teacher and their attitude. And, speaking of teachers, over the years I think the male teacher – especially grade school - is almost a relic. The male teachers that I have seen are wonderful with the kids and most were really outdoor – conservation minded. Lady teachers, don’t think I don’t appreciate a whale of a lot of you who are also great at delivering the conservation message!! But, I would certainly like to see more grade school male teachers – what wonderful role models!!!!

Some of the things in schools today really scare me. The fact that teachers must be so careful that they almost cannot discipline a child in this day and age nor hardly even take a hug from one of their students. It scares me to see some youngsters being able to disrupt the classroom – what a disadvantage to all the other kids that really want to learn! It takes a special person today to be a teacher and I sincerely hope that those special people continue to take up the teaching profession.

I hope that some day things like Hunter Education, Archery In the Schools, Aquatic Education, and even Shooting Sports will be incorporated into school curriculums. I have seen the increase in OWLS (Outdoor Wildlife Learning Sites) at schools over my career and some make wonderful outdoor classrooms. How neat would it be if a school could develop an OWLS site with a pond that would provide a bit of fishing – the biology kids could provide the management and all the kids could benefit!! Maybe some of the educators need to think outside the box.

I do know that many kids today seem to know more about oceans and the critters in them than they do our freshwater lakes and ponds. Most kids know more about forest critters than they do about prairie animals – Kansas is a prairie state!! Several years ago I remember being on crusade to get more Kansas geography into the schools. Lots of kids don’t know what river runs through their neighborhood nor where the water goes after it passes by. We have a lot to be proud of in Kansas and Kansas kids need to be aware of that.

We have to be diligent in reminding kids and adults alike where the money comes from for conservation, for fish and wildlife management. It does not come from taxes or the state general fund. It comes from hunting and fishing licenses, big game permits, and federal excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment. We are working hard to make it easier for youngsters to get into hunting and fishing. We are trying new things like early sales and multiple licenses to entice more folks to buy. We need to educate even the senior citizen that just because they turn 65, they should get a free ride. I’ve had seniors ask me what they can do to help out. My comment is to go ahead and buy a hunting or fishing license even though you are exempt. Instead of taking that free ride, give something back for all the great opportunities you have had!!!!

And finally, we also need to continue to support and grow our conservation organizations. Pheasants/Quail Forever, Ducks Unlimited, the Wild Turkey Federation, the Kansas Wildlife Federation, the National Rifle Association, the National Wildlife Federation, or even you local sportsman’s club or bass club to name a few. Many of these organization have been around a long time and have done amazing things for conservation. Most conservation organizations have youth events, give out scholarships, and put their money into conservation practices right on the ground!

No one has a crystal ball nor knows exactly what the future holds. Still, we need to be positive, think positive, and all work hard to make certain that our kids and grandkids have the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors like we did!!!!