Outdoors

By DON MORROW
Special to The News

Spring shorebird migration is in progress and many shorebirds are in their breeding plumage.
Black-bellied Plovers show their stark black-and-white pattern. Dunlin live up to their old name, Red-backed Sandpiper.
Many of these birds are headed to arctic breeding grounds.
In our winter months shorebirds may seem difficult to identify. Just gray birds feeding along the waters edge.

FWC News
 
Scientists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have uncovered a new species of black bass in the southeastern United States.
Scientists have proposed naming the new species the Choctaw bass and recommended the scientific name of Micropterus haiaka.
They revealed their discovery at a meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society earlier this year.

At an early age I took an interest in the outdoors. This was especially the case with the wilderness areas surrounding my home in Northern Minnesota.

As a juvenile adventurer I did my best to research things like wilderness survival, camping, and methods of fishing. The result was a rather extensive personal library on these subjects.

One of the books I owned early on was called “Minimizing Impact on the Wilderness” by Michael Hodgson. At an impressionable age this was, no doubt, a key component to building my behaviors today.

About two months ago, I was in Crawfordville Auto and Tire and noticed a brochure about a fishing tournament and golf tournament.
I asked Dan Hinchee about it and he first introduced me to Warriors and Quiet Warriors Southern Chapter.
He said the golf tournament and fishing tournament were to raise money to bring warriors to Wakulla County fishing. I told him I wanted to get involved and take some of the soldiers fishing.