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A DAILY JOURNAL PUBLICATION
Good Gobbler
Greenwood man supports wild turkeys, his community
Also inside:
Indiana Nature Conservancy | Counting Frogs | Profiling Atterbury FWA
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Southside Outdoors is published by the
FEATURES
DAILY JOURNAL
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Hopping to It
For editorial content, contact Paul Hoffman in the Daily Journal special publications department at 317-736-2721 or by email at phoffman@ dailyjournal.net.
Local woman helps organization that tracks frog activity. Story By Jenn Willhite Photo By Thinkstock
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For advertising content, contact the Daily Journal advertising department at 317-736-2730.
Nature Preservation
Nature Conservancy buys wilderness areas, protects the land. Story and Photos By Amy May
Southside Outdoors c/o Daily Journal 30 S. Water St. Second Floor, Ste. A Franklin, IN 46131
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Helping Out
Turkey organization gives Greenwood man opportunity to serve his community. Story By Greg Seiter Photos by Mark Freeland
ON THE COVER
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Mike Weaver co-chairs the Johnson County chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Brokaw’s Outdoorsy Side
Montana ranch provides respite for retired TV newsman. Story By Dennis Anderson Photo By Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Photo by Mark Freeland
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From Tiaras to Triggers
Former Miss Kansas hosts hunting show on cable television channel. Story By Michael Pearce Photo by The Wichita Eagle
ETC.
8 DNR Notebook Tips and news from Indiana Department of Natural Resources. 13 Property Profile All about Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area.
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WATCHING
frogs BY JENN WILLHITE CORRESPONDENT
F
or nearly 20 years, Franklin resident Karen more than 50,000 monitored sites as part of the program, Gotshall has helped monitor amphibian which boasts more than 100 chapters across the U.S., includpopulations in Johnson County as a voluning Indiana. teer citizen scientist with FrogWatch USA. The passive citizen scientist program requires participants “I’ve always loved frogs,” Gotshall said. “I to attend a certification class where they learn about amphibstarted listening to them years ago.” ian species, the breeding calls of each and their habitats. Gotshall monitors six different wetland locations in “Our citizen scientists go through training and a lot of Johnson County during the FrogWatch season, which can practice to have well-trained ears for identifying the various start as early as February and lasts into September. species’ calls,” said Rachel Gauza, FrogWatch national coor“The season starts as soon as temperatures are warm dinator and education outreach coordinator for the AZA. enough for the frogs to come out,” Gotshall said. The program is considered strictly passive because volunPrior to joining FrogWatch, Gotshall participated in the teers listen and record their observations North American Amphibian Monitoring without actually touching the Program, but said she got to a point amphibians. Intensive handling where it lost its appeal. Monitoring by people can be detrimental activities were confined to specific “In the spring, the frogs and to amphibians due to the locations, dates and times, which risk of the inadvertent toads are very enthusiastic. made it inconvenient. transmission of disease, Sometimes it can be so loud She said FrogWatch offered more Gauza said. your ears go numb.” freedom to pick monitoring locations So what makes frogs and close to her home and enabled her to toads so special that they Karen Gotshall choose when she would collect data. deserve their own monitoring One or two evenings a week, the 65-yearprogram? They’re good indicaold Gotshall travels to six locations in Johnson tors of environmental health, County, including two in Johnson County Park and Gauza said. three in the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area, where she may Essentially, thriving amphibian populations are spend up to an hour listening to the frogs’ calls and recordindicative of a healthy environment. ing her findings. Since so many amphibian species live their lives both in “In the spring, the frogs and toads are very enthusiastic,” and out of water, they’re at significant risk for population she said. “Sometimes it can be so loud your ears go numb.” decline or loss due to negative changes in the environment, FrogWatch USA, a program of the Association of Zoos including habitat loss, pollution and disease, Gauza said. and Aquariums, was launched in 1998 to track When citizen scientists collect data, they’re looking for amphibian populations across the basic information, Gauza said. The type of wetland and its U.S. There are currently location are recorded and used to frame a snapshot of the habitat for the resident frog and toad populations. Amphibians are highly sensitive to disruptions in their SEE FROGS, PAGE 17
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DAILY JOURNAL
green acres
Indiana Nature Conservancy saves Hoosier wilderness
STORY AND PHOTOS BY AMY MAY
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f it weren’t for the Nature Conservancy, thousands of acres of pristine forest, prairies and wetlands might be strip malls, housing developments or even landfills. The Nature Conservancy is an international environmental organization that operates on a market-based principle: It buys wilderness areas from willing sellers with the goal of preserving and protecting the land. Its funding comes from donations. “It is part of our framework or guidelines that we only buy from willing sellers,” said Chip Sutton, marketing manager for the Indianapolis office of the Conservancy. “Often, when an individual or family sells to
us, they want to make sure (the property) remains in its current state. We’ve done some restorations, but usually it’s to preserve the quality of the land.” The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide, he said. In Indiana, the Conservancy has worked for 50 years at more than 195 sites to protect more than 85,000 acres. Some of the land is contiguous to other preserves or state parks, such as Whippoor-will Woods in Brown County, that are part of the region’s 230,000 acres of forested land.
Others, such as Bitternut Woods and Richey Woods in Hamilton County, are isolated sanctuaries in a fast-developing suburban area. After taking possession, the Conservancy begins its stewardship initiatives. Sometimes that includes prescribed burns to encourage native trees to thrive and it takes steps to eliminate non-native plants such as garlic mustard and Japanese stiltgrass. A few smaller or ecologically delicate properties that can’t withstand foot traffic are not open to the public. But most of the Conservancy’s properties are open to visitors for hiking and wildlife watching.
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They are not turned into campgrounds or manicured parks, but many have trails. At one nearby property, the Hitz-Rhodehamel Woods off Freeman Ridge Road north of Nashville, the Conservancy worked with the Hoosier Hikers Council in 2002 to create a 3-mile marked trail running through the 486-acre woodland. Its remote location allows visitors to enjoy the forest without the crowds found at the nearby state park. Harley and Evaline Rhodehamel were the owners of the property and donated acreage to the Conservancy in the 1980s, said Chad Bladow, property manager of the Conservancy’s southern Indiana properties. Since then, contiguous acreage in that area has been acquired. A cabin used to stand at the trail head. The Conservancy removed it, but decided to keep the covered porch and screen it in, providing a small shelter from insects, sun and rain. Hitz-Rhodehamel is an important part of Brown County’s large forest block, Bladow said. The three strata of tree species — chestnut/oak on the dry ridgetops, oak/hickory on the southern facing slopes and unglaciated
Opposite page: The entry and sign to the Hitz-Rhodehamel Woods, owned by the Indiana Nature Conservancy. Above: One of the boot brush stations put up by the Conservancy and the DNR. Hikers are asked to wipe the soles of their shoes at the stations before hiking to prevent the accidental spread of non-native plant species.
ther species is endangered, they are seldom seen outside wooded areas. HitzRhodehamel is also home to painted sedge, an understory plant. “The best populations are found in the Brown County Hills,” Bladow said. Without a large uninterrupted forest area, many species seen in Brown
“Often, when an individual or family sells to us, they want to make sure (the property) remains in its current state. We’ve done some restorations, but usually it’s to preserve the quality of the land.” Chip Sutton Indiana Nature Conservancy
beech on the north-facing slopes — are common to the Brown County Hills region.
For the birds Although Brown County is not lacking wooded areas, it is important to preserve large, uninterrupted blocks of forested land for several species of birds, including the cerulean warbler and the red headed woodpecker. Although nei-
Fall/Winter 2014
County would not thrive. “The Nature Conservancy has a project office in Nashville focused on filling in the last gaps that exist in the forest block to reduce forest fragmentation. The primary benefit and our goal is for those bird species that nest in the interior forest,” he said. Other species are also protected in the state due to the Nature Conservancy’s work, Sutton added.
“Our overall goal is to provide habitat to rare and endangered species,” he said. One such area is the Goose Pond Cypress slough in Posey County, which is home to one of the few remaining Cypress stands in Indiana. Bald cypress used to number in the thousands in Southern Indiana, but wetland draining for farming eliminated nearly all of them. The Conservancy is also involved in work at the Lost River in Orange County, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Indiana Karst Conservancy. Two sites it owns, Orangeville Rise and Wesley Chapel Gulf, are above-ground areas secured to preserve the fragile cave systems and underground river.
Worldwide reach The Nature Conservancy works in all 50 states and 35 countries. “One of my favorite international projects ever is Palmyra, located 1,000 miles south of Hawaii,” Sutton said. “When we purchased this beautiful SEE CONSERVANCY, PAGE 18
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DNR Notebook
By the Indiana DNR
Where are the fish biting? Anglers can find out what fish are biting in a certain lake on what bait by looking online at the updated DNR fishing reports. The DNR has improved this Web page, dnr. IN.gov/fishwild/8270.htm, to allow for more information to be easily shared about lakes across the state. The new look splits the state into three zones, North, Central, and South. Each zone can be clicked on an interactive map to see all lake reports in that region. A dropdown list of lakes in the system is also available to allow quick specific searches. “The new fishing reports system allows DNR staff to provide updates throughout the state,” said Bill James, DNR fisheries chief. “This allows us to get more information to the public on lakes we are surveying in real time, and for anglers to know what is biting throughout the year.” The information will be updated toward the end of every week, so anglers will have current information for each weekend.
If you see a hunting violation…
Less than 1 percent of Indiana’s nearly 400,000 hunters are found to be violating the law while hunting. Finding those violators often requires the input of law-abiding hunters and other citizens who see violations taking place. Now that Hoosier hunting seasons are in full swing, the Indiana Conservation Officers charged with enforcing the state’s wildlife laws ask concerned citizens to keep two phone numbers handy and enter them on their cell phones. The 24-hour Central Dispatch number is (812) 837-9536. It documents the caller’s name. The Turn in a Poacher (TIP) hotline number is 1-800-TIP-IDNR (4367). It allows the caller to remain anonymous.
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Previously, applicants have been required to have an associate’s degree or 60 credit hours toward a bachelor’s degree. The application process is now open to individuals who do not meet the college requirement but have four years of continuous military service and have earned an honorable discharge. If you see a suspected violation: 1. Safely gather as much information as you can (vehicle description, plate number, clothing description, number of people, location, direction of travel, etc.) without approaching the subject. 2. Immediately call the appropriate number. 3. Do not communicate with the subject by yelling or informing them that you have called a Conservation Officer. 4. Continue to stay out of the subject’s area — allow the Conservation Officer to approach the situation. 5. Cooperate with the Conservation Officer.
DNR seeks qualified candidates for Conservation Officers The Department of Natural Resources is seeking qualified applicants to become Indiana Conservation Officers. Indiana Conservation Officers work in the DNR’s Law Enforcement division. Founded in 1911, it is Indiana’s oldest state law enforcement agency. Conservation Officers enforce all state laws but concentrate their efforts on laws affecting natural resources, state properties, and recreational activities such as boating, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles. The recruiting phase ends Nov. 30, and only those registered by that date will be considered for the recruit school that begins June 2015. To be considered, applicants must successfully complete an on-line prerequisite test at dnrlaw. IN.gov/2760.htm. Indiana Conservation Officers are conducting recruiting events in various locations to explain the steps of the hiring process and how to prepare to be a successful candidate. Anyone interested in attending must register through the “Stay in Touch” form at the website listed.
DNR Reclamation honored for abandoned mine work The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Reclamation has earned the federal 2014 Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award for work at the Mill Creek Highwall in Pike County. The honor comes from the Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining. The project removed a dangerous highwall adjacent to a county road about a half mile north of Augusta. A highwall is a sheer ledge or cliff remaining from the removal of soils and overburden above coal seams. In addition to eliminating a public safety hazard, the project is a first in Indiana because the State negotiated with a nearby, active coal mine operated by Triad Mining to perform the work. The original cost estimate for this project was $6.2 million, but the cooperative agreement resulted in an actual restoration cost of only $305,000 for a savings to the state of $5.9 million. The completed project also replaced the deteriorating county road and constructed a naturally designed stream channel as part of the reclamation process. The highwall was more than 4,000 feet long and 60-80 feet high, with some spots more than 100 feet high. The DNR Division of Reclamation administers the surface coal mining laws for the state of Indiana. The Inspection and Enforcement Section permits and inspects active coal mines. The Restoration Section is responsible for eliminating public health and safety hazards and environmental degradation resulting from coal mining activities that took place prior to the enactment of the current reclamation law. All activities are funded through fees collected from active coal mining production. O
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Wild about Turkeys
Love of outdoors, community led local man to get involved with organization STORY BY GREG SEITER PHOTOS BY MARK FREELAND
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ifelong southside resident Mike Weaver dreamt of pursuing an art career while growing up in the Greenwood area. He dabbled in photography for a while, handled holiday season décor for Greenwood Park Mall during high school and spent several years doing interior work for a local landscaping company. “I took every art class Greenwood High School had,” Weaver said. “But eventually, I decided that I wanted to make art a hobby and not a career.” Over the years, Weaver, a stormwater “The National inspector for the city Wild Turkey of Greenwood, maintained a strong appreFederation seemed like a ciation for the great Mike Weaver uses a glass type scratch call to bring wild turkeys his way. great fit because outdoors. His pasOpposite page: Weaver takes aim with his H&K 12-gauge over-and-under shotsion for hunting in of all it does to gun. The pads on his knees helps him steady the weapon. particular resulted in help our state and his deep level of When the organization was formed, there were approxicommunity.” mately 30,000 wild turkeys across the entire United States. involvement with the National Wild Mike Weaver Now, there are believed to be more than 7 million scatTurkey Federation, including the rejuvetered across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. nation of that group’s local chapter, the Johnson County Gobblers. Desire to aid community Founded in 1973, the NWTF is dedicated to wild turkey “A few years ago, a group of us wanted to form a local conservation and the preservation of hunting heritage. The conservation organization chapter, and the National Wild nonprofit organization, which works with various wildlife agencies, has reportedly spent more than $412 million to Turkey Federation seemed like a great fit because of all it conserve nearly 17 million acres of habitat; benefiting not does to help our state and community,” said Weaver, only turkeys but hundreds of other species of upland wildco-chair of the Johnson County Gobblers and a member life, such as quail, deer, grouse, pheasant and songbirds. of the NWTF’s Indiana State Chapter board of directors.
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Above: A bow rack of Weaver’s that is stocked for the season. At right: A custom box type turkey call featuring the National Wild Turkey Federation logo.
“... Some friends and I worked together to start the Gobblers five years ago. It’s been a really good thing. We’ve been able to do many things in the community.” The Johnson County Gobblers are heavily engrossed in community support and promoting wildlife-related activities. The group began its service activities by taking wounded military soldiers on first-time hunting excursions and then started a program to provide the same opportunity to children. “Two years ago, we picked up a young man from Franklin who was a sophomore at the time. He had cancer for the second time. So after we got approval from his parents and doctors, we took him on a hunt,” Weaver recalled. “He got his bird and had it mounted. We’re now good friends with the family.” This year, the local chapter did the same thing for an Indian Creek student who has spina bifida. “His dad wants to become a committee member now,” Weaver said. A group of wild turkeys is called a flock. The animals have excellent vision during the day but don’t see as well at night. They can run at speeds up to 25 mph, and they can fly up to 55 mph, althoguh they don’t fly very far.
In addition to providing financial support for groups such as the Indiana Hunter Education Program, Johnson County 4-H Shooting Sports, Camp Atterbury and the Wishing Well organization, the Johnson County Gobblers donates birds to food pantries for the Thanksgiving holiday, through a program called Turkey Hunters Care. “We recently received a $1,000 Johnson County Community Foundation grant to help, so our goal this year is to be able to buy between 200 and 250 birds,” Weaver said of the donation program.
Support women’s program The Johnson County Gobblers also helps conduct an annual NWTF Women in the Outdoors event. “We bring in a variety of professionals who help us teach women about things like handgun safety, archery, kayaking and cooking on a fire,” Weaver said.
Photo by Doug Hoffman
These community-based programs require money to complete, so the group holds various fundraisers, including an annual fall banquet. “The planning process starts in mid-June,” Weaver said of the annual event. “We have to find sponsors, plan games and coordinate raffles. There are about 12 people on our committee and it’s a major undertaking but a lot of fun. It’s like planning the biggest family reunion ever. “We started with about 90 attendees, but now it’s up to around 195,” he added. “We would love to continue to grow the banquet, but it’s hard to get the word out.” According to Weaver, the National Wild Turkey Federation and its state chapters work extremely hard at repopulating and preserving wild turkeys, at least in part to allow those interested in doing so the thrill associated with hunting turkeys. “There is nothing more exciting than getting into the woods before daylight, doing some scouting, hearing a ‘Big Tom’ and knowing that you can bring him in,” Weaver said. “Turkeys are a challenge to hunt. You can be busted by just turning your head. But there’s nothing like watching a first-time hunter shake with excitement when one gets close to them.” More information on the National Wild Turkey Federation can be found at www.nwtf. org. O
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DNR Property Profile Address: 970 S. Rowe St., P.O. Box 3000, Edinburgh, IN 46124 Phone: (812) 526-2051 Website: http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3100. htm What: Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area provides hunting and fishing opportunities while maintaining 6,206 acres of upland game habitat, marsh, running creeks and shallow impoundments. History: Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area was purchased by the state from Camp Atterbury, an Army training installation established in 1942. In 1969, wildlife management efforts began on over 6,000 acres. The remaining military area, a training facility for the National Guard and Army Reserve units, coordinates with Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area to authorize limited hunting on military property when not in conflict with training operations. In October 2010, 1,200 acres were released to the Indiana National Guard in exchange for 2,057 acres of surplus land from the Indiana Department of Corrections in Putnam County, Indiana. Presently the property totals 5,000 acres. Funding: Most revenues used in land acquisition, development, operation and maintenance of Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area are derived from the sale of hunting, fishing and trapping licenses. Funds are also received from the federal Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson programs to aid fish and wildlife restoration. These
funds are derived from taxes levied on sport hunting and fishing equipment. Fishing: Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area provides 270 acres of available water, 10 impoundments, including 75 acre Pisgah Lake. Channel catfish, bluegill, redear and largemouth bass are the major species present. Stone Arch Lake, Beaver Bottom and Pisgah Lake have concrete boat ramps, and Teal Marsh and Mallard Marsh have gravel boat ramps. All lakes are limited to a maximum 24-volt electric motor. No check-in is required. However, five impoundments are closed during waterfowl season. There is a 14-inch minimum size limit on largemouth bass. All other size and bag limits apply. A fishing pier accessible to people with disabilities is present at Beaver Bottom. Hunting: Deer, rabbit, squirrel, grouse, dove, woodcock, ducks and geese are common at Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area. Check-in is
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Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area required. All hunting seasons and bag limits apply. Special hunts include a three-day Military Deer Hunt, Put-Take Pheasant Hunt. Dog training areas are provided in sections 13-B, 13-C and 13-D. Hunting areas accessible to people with disabilities are available. Ask for details at the headquarters. Shooting Range: Visit http://atterbury shootingcomplex.com/ for information on hours and pricing. Wildlife Watching: A total of 5,000 acres of upland and woodland game habitat along with marsh and shallow impoundments attract more than 200 species. Atterbury is an excellent songbird viewing area all year round. Neighboring Land: Driftwood State Fishing Area is a 260-acre neighboring property ideal for bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie and tiger muskellunge. Plover Pit has two concrete boat ramps, and Meadowlark and Sandpiper pits have gravel access ramps. A picnic area is also available. Johnson County Park and Recreation Area offers camping, swimming, fishing, equestrian events and other recreational activities. More: Wetland trapping is available through a drawing held the first Saturday in October. Blackberries, raspberries, morels and walnuts may be gathered from Atterbury Fish & Wildlife Area. No camping and no swimming allowed. O
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Newsman enjoys his outdoor life
Retired NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw with his Labrador, Red, on Brokaw’s Montana ranch in August.
Tom Brokaw talks guns, dogs and bird hunting
By Dennis Anderson Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
T
om Brokaw opened the back door of his pickup and invited Red, his yellow Labrador retriever, to jump in. This was on a recent day on Brokaw’s ranch, which lies nestled among undulating bunchgrass about a mile above sea level in central Montana, with a crystalline river coursing through it and the Absaroka Mountains rising in the distance. Happy to ride along, Red rocketed into the truck and soon crowded the nape of Brokaw’s neck as the retired NBC News anchor piloted the flatbed rig over a washboard-like gravel road, dust cascading behind in long plumes. Earlier in the day, Brokaw, 74, had returned from New York City, where he is being treated for the cancer that was diagnosed about a year ago. Now, tired but buoyant, he was eager to see whether he and Red could put up a covey or two of the sharp-tailed grouse and Hungarian partridge that inhabit his 5,000-acre ranch. Opening day of bird hunting was still weeks away. But Brokaw wanted confirmation that the spring and early
summer nesting seasons had been productive. “We should have good hunting this fall,’’ he said. “There should be birds around.’’ Though a son of the plains — he was born and raised in South Dakota — Brokaw might seem an unlikely candidate for the ranch and outdoor life he has long led, albeit largely out of the public’s eye. As anchor and managing editor of the Nightly News from 1982 to 2004, and for five years before that, host of the Today Show, Brokaw has lived in New York City with his wife, Meredith, more than 35 years.
A crack shot For much of that time, he not only didn’t hunt, he didn’t own a firearm, even though, as a young boy with a BB gun, he passed long hours plinking grasshoppers off fence posts. And he was a crack shot with a lever-action Marlin .22 his dad gave him when he was 12 and bedridden with pleurisy. “I slept with that gun day and night until I recovered,’’ he said. But in 1968, when Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King were assassinated, Brokaw got rid of his guns. “There was so much violence in the country, I just didn’t want to own them anymore,’’ he said. “I gave them to a cameraman friend who hunted, two shotguns and a .22 rifle. I didn’t pick up another gun for more than 20 years.’’ Turning to other sporting pursuits, Brokaw cast flies to trout and backpacked widely with his wife on multiple-day
“Tom’s love of the outdoors never disappeared under the pressures of a celebrated career.” Tom McGuane
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wilderness trips, while also learning to mountain climb after meeting Yvon Chouinard, founder and chairman of the gear and clothing company Patagonia as well as a veteran alpinist. “Rick Ridgeway was the first American to climb K2 (the second highest mountain in the world),’’ Chouinard recalled the other day from his Wyoming home, “and when Tom had him on the Today Show, he expressed an interest in climbing. So Rick suggested he go out to Wyoming and climb with a friend of his — me. “I didn’t watch TV then and I still don’t. So I didn’t know who Tom Brokaw was. But he came out and we fooled around for a day. Then we climbed Grand Teton, and not by an easy route — by direct ascent. My judgment was then as it is now. Tom wasn’t out to prove anything. He just wanted to do it.’’ Fast friends, Chouinard and Brokaw subsequently scaled Mt. Rainier, “and not by a tourist route.’’
Growing up in South Dakota
“Red’’ and Jean Brokaw were working-class parents who bowed their backs deeply to provide
for their three sons, Tom being the oldest. This was in the early 1940s, when dust swirled across the Dakotas and the Great Depression had only recently wound down. Savvy with machines and a workaholic, Red Brokaw didn’t hunt. But other South Dakota men did, and come October, young Tom caught on with them, a Remington pump in his hands, his clothes from Army Surplus. Now, steering his pickup from the gravel road toward a vast fenced pasture, Brokaw asked a passenger, “Can you get the gate?’’ In the back seat, Brokaw’s Labrador paced excitedly, wanting to scour the nearby hawthorn and sage for “sharpies’’ and “Huns.’’ This was on ranchland that Brokaw has worked hard to prove up since purchasing it in 1989, ridding it of toxic leafy spurge and fencing off the river to keep cattle from beating down its fragile stream banks. He’s also planted food plots and otherwise managed the property for the birds he now pursues with the same passion he did as a boy. A hunting dog acquired serendipitously
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helped rekindle that interest — and prompted him also to restock his gun case. “Our youngest (of three daughters) had left for college. We were empty-nesters, and Meredith thought we needed a dog,’’ Brokaw said. For a dozen or so autumns, Sage and Brokaw descended on South Dakota to chase ringnecks and, for Brokaw, to reprise old times. The flip side of his life as the anchor of NBC Nightly News continued apace. He has also contributed to or authored a book shelf full of books, including the bestselling “The Greatest Generation.’’ The writer Tom McGuane ranches not far from Brokaw’s place, and the two are fishing and hunting partners. “Tom’s love of the outdoors never disappeared under the pressures of a celebrated career,’’ McGuane said, “and in fact contributed to its gravity. One always felt with the public Brokaw that he also had a life.’’ Still under contract to NBC to produce documentaries, with a score of other irons in the fire and friends worldwide, he remains in demand. O
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Fall/Winter 2014
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Beauty queen shoots into new career By Michael Pearce The Wichita Eagle
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heresa Vail’s job still involves being on camera. But since relinquishing her Miss Kansas crown in June, the camera has focused less on her evening gowns, swimsuits and talent routines and more on her outdoors passions for “Limitless,” a series she’ll be hosting on the Outdoor Channel next year. Her new on-camera clothing is mostly camo, made by “She,” a line of women’s outdoors apparel Vail has been hired to promote and help design. Vail filmed her first episode for the show while at the Kansas Governor’s Turkey Hunt in El Dorado. The show was about a Flint Hills turkey hunt with her father, Mark. Both shot nice toms 20 minutes into the hunt. Vail has received attention for openly speaking of her love of hunting, firearms and her career in the Kansas Army National Guard. She gained more national attention when she announced she would not cover her tattoos in the Miss America competition in Atlantic City in September 2013. Two months later, the 23-year-old chemistry and Chinese major at Kansas State realized that her career goal of becoming a dentist might be put on hold when the Outdoor Channel called to talk about her possibly hosting a series on their network. “I told them I didn’t want to do what everybody else was doing and they said they didn’t either,” Vail said while taking a break from her first hunt for the show. “We both wanted it to have more than just me on hunts. I was sold from there on.” She had gotten a taste of outdoors television in late December, when she and cameraman David Blanton met for an archery deer hunt near Pratt. It snowed hard, and the windchill and temperatures were brutal. She got a nice,
Wichita Eagle photo
Theresa Vail, former Miss Kansas, is an avid hunter who is making the change from competition stage to hosting a show on the Outdoor Channel. Vail smiles after shooting her first turkey while on a hunt for the show.
mature whitetail with her bow. Blanton, Realtree Outdoors host, got a look at someone he thought could easily succeed in the business. “She just absolutely energized me more than anything. She is an amazing person, really,” Blanton said. “She really wants to teach people they can do things outside their comfort zone, to believe in themselves. They’ll see when the shows begin to air.” Vail said about half of each segment will be based on hunting, usually with archery gear. The rest will be about a particular personal challenge. To go along with a New Mexico elk hunt she’ll be spending a day training with the state’s Smoke Jumper fire fighters. “You have 100 pounds of gear on, and you’re running up and down buildings carrying people in a fireman’s carry,” she said. “It’s going to be pretty tough, but I thrive on things like that.” Another show will have her participating next year in a marathon in New Mexico that
honors soldiers from the Bataan Death March in World War II. She recently hosted several pageant contestants at the event, which is held largely across boot-sucking sand dunes. Vail carried 46 pounds in a rucksack to compete in the event’s toughest category. Vail also wants to be as hands-on as possible in her hunts that will include at least three trips for elk, several for deer and possibly at least one for bear. That means she’ll be insisting on field-dressing and packing out loads of meat, when needed. Though a longtime hunter, she admits she does have plenty to learn. “I’m not afraid to say, ‘Hey, I don’t know how to do this,’ but I want to learn and do it myself,” she said. “That’s empowering and more people need to do it. I’ve never (backpacked the meat from an elk down a mountain), but I will learn how and that’s the kind of thing that makes me so proud.” O
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Frogs FROM PAGE 4 environment, so when volunteers get to sites, they wait at least two minutes and then listen for three minutes to note the species present and the intensity of the amphibian calls heard, Gauza said. “You’re getting multiple observations from multiple citizen scientists over a period of time, which offers a more complete picture of the frog and toad community in that wetland,” Gauza said. “Then when you zoom out on that nationwide scale, you can start to look at patterns over time and geographic locations.” Even the most inconspicuous locations you wouldn’t think frogs would inhabit are prime spots to collect valuable data. “You could pass by the same storm retention pond every day on your drive to work,” Gauza said. “But if you never go out after sunset, you would have no idea about the life that is teeming within it.” FrogWatch volunteer Terri Gorney, of Fort Wayne spends anywhere from 30 minutes to an
hour at least two evenings each week collecting data during the monitoring season. This past year the 53-year-old said she observed 20 sites around the Wabash Watershed area in Geneva, as well as a pond on her property. She said she gets more out of the experiences than she gives. The observations and data collection fall right in line with the additional volunteer work she does for state historic sites and the Department of Natural Resources. “I remember many of the sounds from when I was a kid,” Gorney said. “A lot of times I didn’t know what I was hearing. Now that I’m in my 50s, it’s a fun experience.” Since joining FrogWatch in 2011, Gorney said she’s had several memorable moments, from a chorus of frogs answering prerecorded calls on a CD she was listening to in her car to a lonely hitchhiker. “A tree frog hitched a ride with me, and I didn’t know it,” Gorney said. “I was so glad I stopped for gas because he was sitting on my gas tank. I carry containers in the car, so I put some water in one for him. He was fine, and I told him he’d be back
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home in a few hours.” Gorney understands firsthand how habitat restoration can benefit amphibian populations. As of late, the northern cricket frog population has been in steep decline in the Midwest region due, in part, to a loss of habitat making the species of special interest for study. Since the wetlands of Limberlost, in Geneva, have been restored, Gorney has witnessed a dramatic increase in the northern cricket frog population. “It was like, build it and they will come back,” she said. “No one released the frogs there; they found it on their own when the wetlands were restored.” To those considering participating in the FrogWatch program, Gorney recommends you keep an open mind and have fun with it. And, if possible, get younger generations involved. “There’s nothing like teaching firsthand knowledge,” Gorney said. “And that’s what it’s all about, getting the next generation interested and teaching them about the natural world around them.”O
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18 Southside Outdoors Fall/Winter 2014 State’s national park tourism boosts economy by $82 million
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new National Park Service report shows that the 1.9 million visitors to Indiana’s national parks in 2013 spent $82 million and supported 1,166 jobs in the state. The national parks of Indiana attract almost 2 million visitors a year, said Patricia Trapp, acting director of NPS’s Midwest Region, which includes Indiana and 12 more states. “Whether it’s a day trip or a long family vacation, they come for a great experience — and they end up spending a little money along the way, too,” Trapp said. “This new report confirms that national park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service. This reality makes parks tourism an important factor in Indiana’s economy as well.” Indiana’s national parks are Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, George Rogers Clark National Historical Park and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. The peer-reviewed NPS visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas, Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The national report shows $14.6 billion of direct
Conservancy FROM PAGE 7 Pacific atoll, it made headlines all over the place. When we bought it in 2000 from the Fullard-Leo family, they had this to say: ‘We protected Palmyra’s wildlife and habitat for nearly 80 years. The time has come to pass on that responsibility.’ I think that sums up how a lot of families feel when they sell their land to us. These are not decisions that families make hastily,” Sutton said. The island, home to a naval station during World War II, had a thriving population of rats that were likely brought on the ships. Once the rats were eliminated, the native black tern population rebounded. Working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife ser-
Left: The cabin at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Right: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. These are two of the state’s three national parks.
spending by 273.6 million park visitors in “gateway” communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported more about 237,000 jobs nationally — 197,000 them in park gateway communities — and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion. The 2013 national economic benefit figures differ from the 2012 results, which were reported earlier this year. In 2012, Indiana’s national parks attracted 2.15 million visitors who spent $88.5 million supporting 1,273 jobs in the state. The authors of the report said the 16-day government shutdown in October 2013 accounted for most of the national decline in park visitation. The economists also cited inflation adjustments for differences between
visitation and visitor spending, jobs supported and overall effect on the U.S. economy. According to the national report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (30.3 percent), food and beverages (27.3 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), and admissions and fees (10.3 percent). Souvenirs and other expenses accounted for the remaining 10 percent. Nationally, the largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restaurants and bars (50,000 jobs) and lodging (38,000 jobs). The 2013 Visitor Spending Effects Report can be found at www.nature.nps.gov/social science/docs/NPSVSE2013_final_nrss.pdf. To learn more about economics within the National Park Service, visit www.nature.nps. gov/socialscience/economics.cfm. O
vice to create the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium, the 4.6-square-mile atoll is being developed as a marine research center with goals to study conservation, global warming, invasive species, coral reefs and marine restoration. The Nature Conservancy has a long history of working with other conservation groups and the government, Sutton said. In Indiana, the group often partners with the Sycamore Land Trust, the Central Indiana Land Trust and the Hoosier Hikers Council. Unlike many environmental groups, the Nature Conservancy also embraces relationships with corporations. According to the group’s website: “For decades, The Nature Conservancy has recognized that the private sector has an important role to play in advancing our conservation mission.”
The Conservancy applies its science, reach, expertise in conservation planning and on-the-ground experience to help businesses make better decisions, understand the value of nature and ultimately protect it. Almost 60 national companies — from Alaska Airlines to Xerox — are signed on as supporters of the Nature Conservancy and its environmental initiatives, including reforestation, reducing waste and protecting the water supplies. Many of the companies create awareness campaigns or promotions that marry conservation and business. They also attempt to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner and use their clout to ensure their suppliers do the same. O