Looking Ahead To Ice Fishing In 2010...
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Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ Saturday, January 2, 2010 PAGE 4B www.yankton.net OUTDOORUPDATE Snowmobile Trails Receive 40 Inches Of Snow For Christmas PIERRE — The Black Hills snowmobile trails received over three feet of snow during the recent storm, and groomers are out in full force to get the trails in riding condition. “Grooming has been difficult,” said Ryan Raynor, trail program specialist in the GFP Division of Parks and Recreation. “This much snow accompanied by high wind has caused deep drifts. Crews are working hard to get the trails ready for snowmobilers.” Great snow conditions exist in the northern Black Hills; however, the southern trail system only received 8 inches of snow. Snowmobile trails in eastern South Dakota also received sub- stantial snow cover, but Raynor reminds riders that, like in the Black Hills, it will take a few days for groomers to get caught up. Current trail conditions can be found at our website at www.sdgfp.info and on twitter @SDSnowBHills or @SDSnowEast. For more information on snowmobiling in South Dakota or to request a snowmobile trail map, call 605-773-3391. Turn In Poachers Web Site Gets Upgrade PIERRE — South Dakota’s Turn in Poachers (TIPs) Internet Web page is getting a facelift, including the addition of links to unsolved cases. TIPs is a cooperative effort between the Game, Fish and Parks Department and the non- profit Wildlife Protection, Inc. The Web page, http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/TIPS /Index.htm, has been around for several years and provides a his- torical perspective of the TIPs pro- gram in addition to keeping the public informed on the statistical data. It will now feature information on high-profile cases being investi- gated by wildlife law enforcement. According to TIPs Coordinator, Charlie Wharton, this addition was prompted by two recent South Dakota poaching cases. “The killing of a moose in the Black Hills in early fall and the more recent case involving a bighorn sheep in Custer State Park provided the impetus to reach out to Web users for information. In the past, TIPs has sought out general informa- tion on wildlife violations; but, with this addition, we are taking our cases directly to the public.” The first case being featured on the Web site involves the illegal killing of a mature bighorn sheep in Custer State Park, near Game Lodge Campground and Creek Side Resort on Friday, Nov. 27 (http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/TIPS/ BigHornPoached.htm). The animal's head and cape were taken, while the carcass was left to rot. The importance of this case is multiplied because this mature ram was one of only nine that live in the park. Contract Awarded For Rapid City Outdoor Campus Complex PIERRE — The South Dakota State Engineer’s Office has awarded a $9.8 million construc- tion contract for building a Game, Fish and Parks outdoor learning center and regional office facility in Rapid City. J. Scull Construction Service, Inc. of Rapid City has been approved as the contractor for the building project. Funding for the entire project will come from feder- al sources and hunting and fishing license revenue that was set aside by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission over the past 4 years. “We are very pleased to announce Scull Construction as the contractor for our planned Rapid City complex,” Tony Leif, director of the GFP Division of Wildlife, said. “Jim Scull’s compa- ny has a wealth of experience in major construction projects in the community and around the region. I know that Jim is passionate about this project and will be a valuable partner to our agency as we move forward into the con- struction phase.” Construction is set to begin within the next month and is scheduled to be completed by April 2011. Construction progress can be followed through the GFP site at www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/ OutdoorCampusWest/index.htm. OUTDOOR REPORT TROPHY SPOTLIGHT BY GARY HOWEY Hartington, Neb. Years ago, when my brother A.J. and I first started ice fishing, the gear was pret- ty basic and mainly homemade, but we thought that we had it figured out. We “redesigned” our Flexible Flyer sled into a real ice fishing machine by wiring a peach crate to the top of it, rods were made from broken broom handles and a couple of nails. To get through the ice, we borrowed a spud bar from our neighbor. A spud bar isn’t exactly a high tech piece of equipment as it’s just a “real” heavy metal bar with one of the ends sharpened. Add to that long han- dle underwear, four buckle overshoes, a stocking cap, brown jer- sey gloves and we were ready to hit the ice. Well, it’s been forty some years since that time and things have come a long way. Every year, there are more and more advancements in ice fishing gear, making it easier to punch holes through the ice and less exhausting for the fishermen when he’s hauling his gear out on the ice. You don’t have to look far to find new and updated locators that help you to get on the fish quickly, new lures that helping us to catch then fish as well as clothing helping to us to stay warm in the harsh- est of conditions. This year is no exception as I recently found out when I recently attended an Ice Fishing Expo. Gone are the old days when you either had to spud your way through the ice or chip your way through the ice with a spoon auger as the ice augers now days, make it quick and easy to get a hole dug Feldmann Manufacturing out of Wisconsin, (www.jiffyonice.com) the man- ufacturers of the Jiffy augers were the first to manufacture ice augers and each year they come out with new improve- ments. All of their augers have the E-Z con- nect, allowing you to quickly remove and replace the blade from the power unit, making it much easier to transport. They have a new High Torque Transmission HTT and heavy duty clutch transfers more energy giving the auger additional torque. They start easily, cut quickly, giving us more time to fish. Transporting your gear on and off the ice have never been easier as there are numerous companies out there that are making sleds and houses now that not only allow the ice fishermen to easily haul his gear onto the ice, but once he gets their to fish in comfort. Otter Outdoors (www.otteroutdoors.com) a Minnesota based company has a complete line of ice fishing sleds and houses made for 1 to 4 people. Their sleds have a raised front allow- ing the sled to be pulled through snow easily with plenty of room to store and haul your gear. The back of the sled is raised higher than the front, which allows you to safely transport all your gear without fear of it falling off on the ice. Once you get to where you want to fish, the flip up swivel-cushioned seats allow you to fish in comfort. If the weather turns nasty it takes just a few seconds to flip the house up over you, giving protection from the elements and plenty of room to comfortably fish, no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. Vexilar, another Minnesota based com- pany (www.vexilar.com) celebrates its 50th year in 2010. I’ve used Vexilar loca- tors for years and believe they manufac- ture the finest locator available for not only ice fishermen but also for us soft water anglers. Their FL-20 is state of the art; it’s a three-color sonar unit allowing you to quickly locate the fish, because of the three colors, allowing you to see your lure, which appears orange as it descends. The unit makes it easy to spot the fish, which appear in red. Once you spot the fish are above or below your lure, you can watch your lure as you bring it to the depth the fish are feeding, the red color indicating the fish will widen which means that your lure is at the exact depth the fish are, putting the bait right in front of the fish. The unit also has a night and day mode. The night setting lets you cut the output of the LED display bin in half to avoid getting night blindness when look- ing at the super bright LEDs. There are also numerous new lures on the market including those manufactured by Lindy, another Minnesota based com- pany (www.lindyfishingtackle.com). Their new Darter with its enticing new action resembles the lipless crankbait used by anglers during the open water season. It’s rattle chamber mimics the sounds of a distressed baitfish and will bring in fish from long distances. It’s worked much like a jig using the standard lift drop method causing the Darter to vibrate while darting from side to side. Available in three sizes and eleven dif- ferent holographic patterns, these baits have been hot on many upper midwest- ern lakes. Anglers have found the hottest colors in our area seem to be the 1/3” Bluegill for perch and the 1 ?” Shiner and Perch pattern for walleyes Arctic Armor a Pennsylvania based company (www.idigear.com/arcticarmor) has been keeping us warm for several years and once again this year, they’ve come out with several new styles of ice fishing clothing that; not only will keep you warm, it will also keep you afloat if you happen to end up in the water. Insulated with lightweight Insultex™ you’ll keep you warm without the old bulky type insulating material that you’d find on some cold weather clothing. This along with its Internal Tightening System keeps your body heat in while keeping snow out. Their super padded knees with Insultex™ keep you warm and dry when kneeling on the ice to dip or while landing that big fish. These are just a few of the new and updated products that will help to make you a more efficient and a much more comfortable and warm ice fishermen. Be safe, keep warm and we’ll see you on the ice this winter. Gary Howey, Hartington, Neb., is a syn- dicated outdoor columnist and the produc- er/host of the award winning Outdoorsmen Adventures television series that can be seen on KTTM/KTTW-TV (Fox) ay 6:30 am Saturday & 7:00 am Sunday and on KPTH- TV Fox, Sioux City, IA. Sunday @ 7:30 am. OF THE OUTDOORS: Looking Ahead To Ice Fishing In 2010 Gary Howey SUBMITTED PHOTO The new Lindy Darter is one of the hot new baits that ice fishermen are using to take Perch and Walleyes. SUBMITTED PHOTO Sydney Gall, 11, shot this deer during the mentor license season on Dec. 6 in Yankton County. It was Gall’s first deer, and she killed it with one shot. BY PAUL A. SMITH (c) 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel POYNETTE, Wis. — Deer camp is a total immersion experience. Just ask the 16 youth hunters of the Kids and Mentors Outdoors (KAMO) organization who assembled last weekend at the MacKenzie Environmental Education Center. There's the hunting, of course, for as many daylight minutes as you care to utilize. Then there's the rest — cooking, eating, story-telling, cleaning and game-playing. Maybe, too, if the conditions allow, some snow-based recreation. Can you say "snow- ball fight?" Sleeping? Well, that's optional. You just try to wedge a little in. Justin Ludvigsen, 12, was doing just that Saturday morning. Seated in a ground blind at the edge of a red pine plantation at MacKenzie, Ludvigsen leaned his head back and learned one of the sweet lessons of deer camp: You can't get this kind of sleep at home. The wake-up calls can't be matched, either. As Ludvigsen sawed logs, his mentor, Bob Babcock, 51, had remained vigilant, seat- ed next to his young charge. Just after 9 a.m. a trio of white-tailed deer moved along a trail through the pines, just 60 yards from the blind. "I had to beat on his knee," said Babcock, a Milwaukee native who, although no rela- tion, is called "Uncle Bob" by Ludvigsen. "He was out good." Ludvigsen would later claim he was dreaming of hunting. Whether it was a pre- monition, a gift from Mother Nature or something entirely different, the central Wisconsin woods presented him with a real opportunity. He opened his eyes to a mature doe, standing broadside, in shooting range. After leveling his rifle on his crutch — the boy has a lower leg cast — he touched off a round and minutes later was fixing a tag to the first deer of his young life. The cast came in handy once more. "Can you drag if for me, Uncle Bob?" said Ludvigsen, all smiles. Yes, deer camp is special. Ludvigsen and the 15 other young hunters got a taste of it courtesy of KAMO, the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and the Department of Natural Resources. The event was held earlier this month at MacKenzie, a 300-acre property owned by the state and run by the WWF. The site includes a lodge, kitchen, dormitories, nature trails, prairies and forests. The youths and mentors rolled into camp Friday afternoon and evening, carry- ing bed rolls and rifles and more than a few dreams. Brilliant white snow covered the ground and striped the trees; the mercury hovered just below zero. "Should develop a healthy respect for the conditions," said Mark Walters, of Necedah, founder of KAMO. "We'll make sure they're all dressed right and prepared for the day." The kids ranged from 10 to 16 years of age. Most had never deer hunted before; for a few, it was their first hunting experience of any kind. "I'm excited to give it a try," said Felicia Graf, 16, of New Lisbon, Wis. "I've heard sto- ries, you know, but this will let me actually see what it's like." Walters founded KAMO in 2007 for exactly that reason — to introduce kids, many of whom would not otherwise have the chance, to outdoors activities like fish- ing, camping, canoeing, hiking and hunting. The group utilizes a time-honored process (adults teaching kids) and a per- sistent approach — activities are held year- round. "My dad taught me and my siblings to love the outdoors," said Walters, 48, and a syndicated outdoors writer. "And now I've raised a few kids, too. "I know we've got more and more single- parent households who can use the help. I also know it usually requires more than just taking your kid to a hunter safety class or taking them on one hike to teach them to value the outdoors." Walters said he was in the midst of a divorce in 2007 when he decided he needed to start something positive. The KAMO idea seemed natural, so he wrote a column about it and solicited members. The group now has four chapters in Wisconsin and about 180 members. It attracted national attention recently when one of its members, Jon Hilmer of Baraboo, Wis., was named one of Field & Stream mag- azines 25 conservation heroes of 2009. KAMO has sponsored a wide array of outdoor experiences, including ice-fishing outings, wildlife-viewing hikes, turkey hunts and waterfowl hunts. And now a deer camp. The KAMO deer camp at MacKenzie helped serve multiple missions, said Derek Duane, DNR director at the facility. Since the grounds are not open to gen- eral hunting, the event helped trim the deer herd. And the KAMO goals dovetail with youth education initiatives of both the DNR and the WWF. The young hunters got a classroom refresher on hunting safety Friday night. And hunting sites were carefully chosen and assigned. Then it was time for some sto- ries around the stone fireplace and a little snowball throwing. A recent Saturday was filled with hunt- ing and an evening presentation from Dean Teeter, a Poynette resident with a long- standing deer camp in northern Wisconsin. "If you form a real deer camp, and you could, you will make some of the best friends of your life," said Teeter. At the end of hunting late Sunday morn- ing, seven deer — six does and one buck — hung outside the dorms. The kids then learned to skin and butcher deer. Each then left for home with fresh, packaged venison. "I love this," said Ludvigsen. "I can't wait for the next time." Nebraska Deer Camps Provide Women With Hunting Opportunities LINCOLN, Neb. — Two deer camps for women hunters are being planned by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Both are scheduled for Jan. 8-10, 2010. The camps, part of the Becoming an Outdoors- Woman (BOW) program, are designed for women of varying experience levels who want to learn more about deer hunting. Participants will take part in all aspects of the hunt. They will be paired up based on experience level to provide informal mentoring opportunities. The Central Deer Camp will take place near Alda in Hall County along the Platte River. A Season Choice Area 1 permit and Nebraska Habitat Stamp are required. A 2009 stamp may be used. The Baxter Deer Camp will take place near Milligan in Saline County. A Season Choice Area 20 permit and a habitat stamp are required. The hunt takes place during the January late antlerless season when no bucks may be taken and only legal firearms may be used. All partici- pants must have proof of successful completion of a hunter education course. Space is limited. To reserve a spot, contact Aaron Hershberger at (402) 471-6144 or aaron.her- [email protected]. Deer Camp Mentors Offer Tips On Shooting, Snowball Fights PAUL A. SMITH/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL/MCT Justin Ludvigsen, right, of Sheldon, stands with his mentor, Bob Babcock, of Glen Flora, and a white-tailed deer Ludvigsen shot during a Kids and Mentors Outdoors (KAMO) event at MacKenzie Environmental Education Center in Poynette, Wis. on Dec. 12. Youth Fishing Instructors Will Be Certified LINCOLN, Neb. — Adults may be certified as volunteer youth fishing instructors for the Youth Fishing Program. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will have free train- ing on Feb. 6 from 10 a.m.-noon at Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium. The certified instructors will learn how to put on fishing pro- grams, derbies and club activi- ties for children and families. The aquarium is at 21502 W. Nebraska Highway 31, Gretna. Pre-registration is required for any adult Visit OutdoorNebraska.org to learn more about the Youth Fishing Program. Contact Andrea Faas at (402) 332-3901 or [email protected] to reg- ister. www.yankton.net 0102_Outdoor 12/29/09 9:41 PM Page 1
Transcript of Looking Ahead To Ice Fishing In 2010...
Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ Saturday, January 2, 2010PAGE 4B www.yankton.net
OUTDOORUPDATE
Snowmobile TrailsReceive 40 Inches OfSnow For Christmas
PIERRE — The Black Hillssnowmobile trails received overthree feet of snow during therecent storm, and groomers areout in full force to get the trails inriding condition.
“Grooming has been difficult,”said Ryan Raynor, trail programspecialist in the GFP Division ofParks and Recreation. “This muchsnow accompanied by high windhas caused deep drifts. Crews areworking hard to get the trails readyfor snowmobilers.”
Great snow conditions exist inthe northern Black Hills; however,the southern trail system onlyreceived 8 inches of snow.
Snowmobile trails in easternSouth Dakota also received sub-stantial snow cover, but Raynorreminds riders that, like in theBlack Hills, it will take a few daysfor groomers to get caught up.
Current trail conditions can befound at our website atwww.sdgfp.info and on twitter@SDSnowBHills or@SDSnowEast.
For more information onsnowmobiling in South Dakota orto request a snowmobile trail map,call 605-773-3391.
Turn In Poachers WebSite Gets UpgradePIERRE — South Dakota’s
Turn in Poachers (TIPs) InternetWeb page is getting a facelift,including the addition of links tounsolved cases.
TIPs is a cooperative effortbetween the Game, Fish andParks Department and the non-profit Wildlife Protection, Inc.
The Web page,http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/TIPS/Index.htm, has been around forseveral years and provides a his-torical perspective of the TIPs pro-gram in addition to keeping thepublic informed on the statisticaldata. It will now feature informationon high-profile cases being investi-gated by wildlife law enforcement.
According to TIPs Coordinator,Charlie Wharton, this addition wasprompted by two recent SouthDakota poaching cases. “Thekilling of a moose in the Black Hillsin early fall and the more recentcase involving a bighorn sheep inCuster State Park provided theimpetus to reach out to Web usersfor information. In the past, TIPshas sought out general informa-tion on wildlife violations; but, withthis addition, we are taking ourcases directly to the public.”
The first case being featured onthe Web site involves the illegalkilling of a mature bighorn sheep inCuster State Park, near GameLodge Campground and Creek SideResort on Friday, Nov. 27(http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/TIPS/BigHornPoached.htm). The animal'shead and cape were taken, whilethe carcass was left to rot.
The importance of this case ismultiplied because this matureram was one of only nine that livein the park.
Contract Awarded ForRapid City OutdoorCampus ComplexPIERRE — The South Dakota
State Engineer’s Office hasawarded a $9.8 million construc-tion contract for building a Game,Fish and Parks outdoor learningcenter and regional office facility inRapid City.
J. Scull Construction Service,Inc. of Rapid City has beenapproved as the contractor for thebuilding project. Funding for theentire project will come from feder-al sources and hunting and fishinglicense revenue that was set asideby the Game, Fish and ParksCommission over the past 4 years.
“We are very pleased toannounce Scull Construction asthe contractor for our plannedRapid City complex,” Tony Leif,director of the GFP Division ofWildlife, said. “Jim Scull’s compa-ny has a wealth of experience inmajor construction projects in thecommunity and around the region.I know that Jim is passionateabout this project and will be avaluable partner to our agency aswe move forward into the con-struction phase.”
Construction is set to beginwithin the next month and isscheduled to be completed byApril 2011.
Construction progress can befollowed through the GFP site atwww.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/OutdoorCampusWest/index.htm.
OUTDOORREPORT
TT RR OO PP HH YY SS PP OO TT LL II GG HH TT
BY GARY HOWEYHartington, Neb.
Years ago, when my brother A.J. and Ifirst started ice fishing, the gear was pret-ty basic and mainly homemade, but wethought that we had it figured out.
We “redesigned” our Flexible Flyer sledinto a real ice fishing machine by wiring apeach crate to the top of it, rods weremade from broken broom handles and acouple of nails.
To get through the ice, we borrowed aspud bar from our neighbor. A spud bar
isn’t exactly a high techpiece of equipment asit’s just a “real” heavymetal bar with one ofthe ends sharpened.
Add to that long han-dle underwear, fourbuckle overshoes, astocking cap, brown jer-sey gloves and we wereready to hit the ice.
Well, it’s been fortysome years since thattime and things havecome a long way.
Every year, there are more and moreadvancements in ice fishing gear, makingit easier to punch holes through the iceand less exhausting for the fishermenwhen he’s hauling his gear out on the ice.
You don’t have to look far to find newand updated locators that help you to geton the fish quickly, new lures that helpingus to catch then fish as well as clothinghelping to us to stay warm in the harsh-est of conditions.
This year is no exception as I recentlyfound out when I recently attended an IceFishing Expo.
Gone are the old days when you eitherhad to spud your way through the ice orchip your way through the ice with aspoon auger as the ice augers now days,make it quick and easy to get a hole dug
Feldmann Manufacturing out ofWisconsin, (www.jiffyonice.com) the man-ufacturers of the Jiffy augers were thefirst to manufacture ice augers and eachyear they come out with new improve-ments.
All of their augers have the E-Z con-nect, allowing you to quickly remove andreplace the blade from the power unit,making it much easier to transport.
They have a new High TorqueTransmission HTT and heavy duty clutchtransfers more energy giving the augeradditional torque.
They start easily, cut quickly, giving usmore time to fish.
Transporting your gear on and off theice have never been easier as there arenumerous companies out there that aremaking sleds and houses now that notonly allow the ice fishermen to easily haulhis gear onto the ice, but once he getstheir to fish in comfort.
Otter Outdoors(www.otteroutdoors.com) a Minnesotabased company has a complete line of icefishing sleds and houses made for 1 to 4people.
Their sleds have a raised front allow-ing the sled to be pulled through snoweasily with plenty of room to store and
haul your gear.The back of the sled is raised higher
than the front, which allows you to safelytransport all your gear without fear of itfalling off on the ice.
Once you get to where you want tofish, the flip up swivel-cushioned seatsallow you to fish in comfort.
If the weather turns nasty it takes justa few seconds to flip the house up overyou, giving protection from the elementsand plenty of room to comfortably fish,no matter what Mother Nature throws atyou.
Vexilar, another Minnesota based com-pany (www.vexilar.com) celebrates its50th year in 2010. I’ve used Vexilar loca-tors for years and believe they manufac-ture the finest locator available for notonly ice fishermen but also for us softwater anglers.
Their FL-20 is state of the art; it’s athree-color sonar unit allowing you toquickly locate the fish, because of thethree colors, allowing you to see yourlure, which appears orange as itdescends. The unit makes it easy to spotthe fish, which appear in red.
Once you spot the fish are above orbelow your lure, you can watch your lureas you bring it to the depth the fish arefeeding, the red color indicating the fishwill widen which means that your lure isat the exact depth the fish are, puttingthe bait right in front of the fish.
The unit also has a night and daymode. The night setting lets you cut theoutput of the LED display bin in half toavoid getting night blindness when look-ing at the super bright LEDs.
There are also numerous new lures onthe market including those manufacturedby Lindy, another Minnesota based com-pany (www.lindyfishingtackle.com).
Their new Darter with its enticing newaction resembles the lipless crankbaitused by anglers during the open waterseason. It’s rattle chamber mimics the
sounds of a distressed baitfish and willbring in fish from long distances.
It’s worked much like a jig using thestandard lift drop method causing theDarter to vibrate while darting from sideto side.
Available in three sizes and eleven dif-ferent holographic patterns, these baitshave been hot on many upper midwest-ern lakes.
Anglers have found the hottest colorsin our area seem to be the 1/3” Bluegillfor perch and the 1 ?” Shiner and Perchpattern for walleyes
Arctic Armor a Pennsylvania basedcompany (www.idigear.com/arcticarmor)has been keeping us warm for severalyears and once again this year, they’vecome out with several new styles of icefishing clothing that; not only will keepyou warm, it will also keep you afloat ifyou happen to end up in the water.
Insulated with lightweight Insultex™you’ll keep you warm without the oldbulky type insulating material that you’dfind on some cold weather clothing. Thisalong with its Internal Tightening Systemkeeps your body heat in while keepingsnow out.
Their super padded knees withInsultex™ keep you warm and dry whenkneeling on the ice to dip or while landingthat big fish.
These are just a few of the new andupdated products that will help to makeyou a more efficient and a much morecomfortable and warm ice fishermen.
Be safe, keep warm and we’ll see youon the ice this winter.
Gary Howey, Hartington, Neb., is a syn-dicated outdoor columnist and the produc-er/host of the award winning OutdoorsmenAdventures television series that can beseen on KTTM/KTTW-TV (Fox) ay 6:30 amSaturday & 7:00 am Sunday and on KPTH-TV Fox, Sioux City, IA. Sunday @ 7:30 am.
OF THE OUTDOORS:
Looking Ahead To Ice Fishing In 2010
GaryHowey
SUBMITTED PHOTOThe new Lindy Darter is one of the hotnew baits that ice fishermen are usingto take Perch and Walleyes.
SUBMITTED PHOTOSydney Gall, 11, shot this deer during the mentorlicense season on Dec. 6 in Yankton County. Itwas Gall’s first deer, and she killed it with oneshot.
BY PAUL A. SMITH(c) 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
POYNETTE, Wis. — Deer camp is a totalimmersion experience.
Just ask the 16 youth hunters of the Kidsand Mentors Outdoors (KAMO) organizationwho assembled last weekend at theMacKenzie Environmental Education Center.
There's the hunting, of course, for asmany daylight minutes as you care to utilize.Then there's the rest — cooking, eating,story-telling, cleaning and game-playing.
Maybe, too, if the conditions allow, somesnow-based recreation. Can you say "snow-ball fight?"
Sleeping? Well, that's optional. You justtry to wedge a little in.
Justin Ludvigsen, 12, was doing just thatSaturday morning. Seated in a ground blindat the edge of a red pine plantation atMacKenzie, Ludvigsen leaned his head backand learned one of the sweet lessons of deercamp: You can't get this kind of sleep athome.
The wake-up calls can't be matched,either.
As Ludvigsen sawed logs, his mentor,Bob Babcock, 51, had remained vigilant, seat-ed next to his young charge. Just after 9 a.m.a trio of white-tailed deer moved along a trailthrough the pines, just 60 yards from theblind.
"I had to beat on his knee," said Babcock,a Milwaukee native who, although no rela-tion, is called "Uncle Bob" by Ludvigsen. "Hewas out good."
Ludvigsen would later claim he wasdreaming of hunting. Whether it was a pre-monition, a gift from Mother Nature orsomething entirely different, the centralWisconsin woods presented him with a realopportunity.
He opened his eyes to a mature doe,standing broadside, in shooting range.
After leveling his rifle on his crutch — theboy has a lower leg cast — he touched off around and minutes later was fixing a tag tothe first deer of his young life.
The cast came in handy once more."Can you drag if for me, Uncle Bob?" said
Ludvigsen, all smiles.Yes, deer camp is special. Ludvigsen and
the 15 other young hunters got a taste of itcourtesy of KAMO, the Wisconsin WildlifeFederation and the Department of NaturalResources.
The event was held earlier this month atMacKenzie, a 300-acre property owned bythe state and run by the WWF. The siteincludes a lodge, kitchen, dormitories,nature trails, prairies and forests.
The youths and mentors rolled intocamp Friday afternoon and evening, carry-ing bed rolls and rifles and more than a fewdreams.
Brilliant white snow covered the groundand striped the trees; the mercury hoveredjust below zero.
"Should develop a healthy respect forthe conditions," said Mark Walters, ofNecedah, founder of KAMO. "We'll makesure they're all dressed right and preparedfor the day."
The kids ranged from 10 to 16 years ofage. Most had never deer hunted before; fora few, it was their first hunting experience ofany kind.
"I'm excited to give it a try," said FeliciaGraf, 16, of New Lisbon, Wis. "I've heard sto-ries, you know, but this will let me actuallysee what it's like."
Walters founded KAMO in 2007 forexactly that reason — to introduce kids,many of whom would not otherwise havethe chance, to outdoors activities like fish-ing, camping, canoeing, hiking and hunting.
The group utilizes a time-honoredprocess (adults teaching kids) and a per-sistent approach — activities are held year-round.
"My dad taught me and my siblings tolove the outdoors," said Walters, 48, and asyndicated outdoors writer. "And now I'veraised a few kids, too.
"I know we've got more and more single-parent households who can use the help. Ialso know it usually requires more than justtaking your kid to a hunter safety class ortaking them on one hike to teach them tovalue the outdoors."
Walters said he was in the midst of adivorce in 2007 when he decided he neededto start something positive. The KAMO ideaseemed natural, so he wrote a columnabout it and solicited members.
The group now has four chapters inWisconsin and about 180 members. Itattracted national attention recently when
one of its members, Jon Hilmer of Baraboo,Wis., was named one of Field & Stream mag-azines 25 conservation heroes of 2009.
KAMO has sponsored a wide array ofoutdoor experiences, including ice-fishingoutings, wildlife-viewing hikes, turkey huntsand waterfowl hunts. And now a deer camp.
The KAMO deer camp at MacKenziehelped serve multiple missions, said DerekDuane, DNR director at the facility.
Since the grounds are not open to gen-eral hunting, the event helped trim the deerherd. And the KAMO goals dovetail withyouth education initiatives of both the DNRand the WWF.
The young hunters got a classroomrefresher on hunting safety Friday night.And hunting sites were carefully chosenand assigned. Then it was time for some sto-ries around the stone fireplace and a littlesnowball throwing.
A recent Saturday was filled with hunt-ing and an evening presentation from DeanTeeter, a Poynette resident with a long-standing deer camp in northern Wisconsin.
"If you form a real deer camp, and youcould, you will make some of the bestfriends of your life," said Teeter.
At the end of hunting late Sunday morn-ing, seven deer — six does and one buck —hung outside the dorms. The kids thenlearned to skin and butcher deer. Each thenleft for home with fresh, packaged venison.
"I love this," said Ludvigsen. "I can't waitfor the next time."
Nebraska Deer CampsProvide Women With
Hunting Opportunities LINCOLN, Neb. — Two deer camps for women
hunters are being planned by the Nebraska Gameand Parks Commission. Both are scheduled forJan. 8-10, 2010.
The camps, part of the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, are designed for womenof varying experience levels who want to learnmore about deer hunting. Participants will takepart in all aspects of the hunt. They will be pairedup based on experience level to provide informalmentoring opportunities.
The Central Deer Camp will take place nearAlda in Hall County along the Platte River. ASeason Choice Area 1 permit and NebraskaHabitat Stamp are required. A 2009 stamp may beused.
The Baxter Deer Camp will take place nearMilligan in Saline County. A Season Choice Area 20permit and a habitat stamp are required.
The hunt takes place during the January lateantlerless season when no bucks may be takenand only legal firearms may be used. All partici-pants must have proof of successful completionof a hunter education course.
Space is limited. To reserve a spot, contactAaron Hershberger at (402) 471-6144 or [email protected].
Deer Camp Mentors Offer Tips On Shooting, Snowball Fights
PAUL A. SMITH/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL/MCT
Justin Ludvigsen, right, of Sheldon, stands with his mentor, Bob Babcock, ofGlen Flora, and a white-tailed deer Ludvigsen shot during a Kids and MentorsOutdoors (KAMO) event at MacKenzie Environmental Education Center inPoynette, Wis. on Dec. 12.
Youth Fishing Instructors Will Be Certified LINCOLN, Neb. — Adults
may be certified as volunteeryouth fishing instructors for theYouth Fishing Program. TheNebraska Game and ParksCommission will have free train-ing on Feb. 6 from 10 a.m.-noonat Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium.
The certified instructors willlearn how to put on fishing pro-grams, derbies and club activi-
ties for children and families.The aquarium is at 21502 W.Nebraska Highway 31, Gretna.Pre-registration is required forany adult
Visit OutdoorNebraska.org tolearn more about the YouthFishing Program. Contact AndreaFaas at (402) 332-3901 [email protected] to reg-ister.
www.yankton.net
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