SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
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The Republican
Voices
There’s Always More to Learn
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Hunting Tips & Reflections By Mike E. Neilson Mike Neilson, longtime Danville High School teacher and longtime hunting enthusiast is sharing his hunting experience with our readers. He’s also shared his knowledge in three books, Available on Amazon. com.
Travel Hunting - Part 2 Rafting on the Tippecanoe River with high school ag, biology and environmental science students is a learning adventure for all ages. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Exploring Hendricks County
By Jackie Horn I love learning new things. I’ve never outgrown the child’s curiosity. I’m not afraid to ask questions. (That’s part of the reason I enjoy writing these articles. It gives me an excuse to ask ALL The QUESTIONS I WANT, which are many.) As an Indiana Advanced Master Naturalist, I’m required to get eight hours of “education” to keep my certification. That’s not a problem. I’m ready to learn something new. The thing about continuing education, I’m never bored. There is always something new to explore. This past week I had numerous opportunities to add to my intellectual storehouse. Every September, for two days I step into a rubber raft and floated down the Tippecanoe River in Winamac with a bunch of high school students. It’s the highlight of my summer. As we paddle along on the current, I teach them about the river, what formed it, why it should matter to them, and what they can do to protect it. Along the way, we stop for classes and workshops on forestry, water quality testing, and endangered species taught by experts from state agencies. After ten years, I’m still picking up new information. (You have no idea how interesting mussel reproduction cycles are!) Back home in Plainfield, I had noted a program offered by the Hendricks County Parks and Recreation, “Bicycling with a Biologist and Birder.” I signed up. Friday evening, our group of eight took off from the Vandalia Trail Amo station. The weather was perfect for a leisurely ride. Along the way, the biologist or birder would stop us and point out various wildlife, flowers, trees, and birds. We only traveled a mile-and-a-half to the Virgin’s bower, a type of clemCrittenden bridge and wa- atis and Rough Horsetail near ter treatment plant, then re- the Crittenden Creek bridge turned to Amo. I learned to identify Canada Clearweed, Clematis/Virgin’s-bower, and Rough Horsetail as well as goldfinch and warbler songs.
Robert Aull of the Indiana Astronomical Society briefs visitors on what can be seen overhead while stargazing at McCloud Nature Park.
Saturday evening, John and I were thankful for a clear night to view the stars at McCloud Nature Park. The Indiana Astronomical Society presented a brief overview of what could be seen overhead. Members of the group had their equipment set up along the prairie and visitors could move from telescope to telescope to see the moon, Jupiter and four of its moons, Saturn and its rings, double and quadruple stars. It was awesome! I now know how to find the Cygnus constellation, the Summer Triangle, and from there, other constellations, planets, and stars. Hendricks County Parks offers educational programs for all ages. Sunday Drop-In activities and a Storywalk that changes monthly are informative and great fun for children. From September 15-26, visitors can learn about Monarch butterflies and naturalists will assist with catching and tagging the butterflies to track their 3,000-mile annual migration. October 2, weather permitting, the Indiana Astronomical Society will again be setting up to view the night sky. For additional information or schedule of programs, check out the HCPR web page at hendrickscountyparks. org , their Facebook page Hendricks County Parks and Recreation, or free quarterly publication, THE EXPLORER which is available at the parks and other area locations. Get out there and expand your mind...and have fun doing it. Jackie Horn and her husband, John, transplanted from Warsaw to Plainfield to be near family. An Advanced Indiana Master Naturalist, Jackie is a retired substitute teacher who continues to teach (and learn) about all things outdoors. John is a retired CNC programmer and the photographer on the team. The Horns enjoy traveling, walking, hiking, kayaking, and bicycling.
A Note From Bee When my friends and I get together, all in our late 70’s or early eighties, the subject gets around to family or lack of. One friend, Mary, tells how her granddaughter, Sarah, and her husband moved from Illinois when their first child was to be born. They wanted baby Cole to know his grandparents. This lasted about a year. Mary said something to offend Sarah and even though Mary apologized profusely. Sarah has only allowed Mary and her husband to see Cole on his birthday for the last two years which is very hurtful. Another friend, Carol, made the mistake of calling a man black instead of just a man standing near the door. Grandson Mike called her a racist. That situation was resolved and Mike did apologize to Carol. It seems that grandchildren in the 20 to 30 age bracket are the quickest to find fault with their grandparents. Our family is a very small family, 15 members. It is hard to have a family dinner or picture because three of the family members do not like one of the family members. How can we have peace and harmony in the world when we cannot even have it in a small family? Bee Jones ______________________________________________
Let’s talk driving to your destination, which is the option I chose on the last hunt. The first advantage is that you can load as much gear as your vehicle will carry. I threw in a couple of big coolers, a bow case, a crossbow case, all my clothes, an extra pillow and blanket (sleeping in rest areas and truck stops, not to mention Walmart parking lots), a case of water and all sorts of snacks and goodies for the drive. Another advantage is that I had wheels when I got to camp and if I shot our early, I could leave early. A third advantage is that you are able to take sidetrips when interesting things pop up like Devil’s Tower, the continental divide, and other roadside attractions. Oh, those rotten disadvantages! Time is a biggie for some of us still working. We only get so many vacation days and weekends that sometimes it’s hard to justify a 2-day marathon drive there and the same back. My long-distance driving is now down to about 12-13 hours a day, after that, I need to get out of the truck. We drivers also have limited control over road construction, delays, accidents and mishaps. Nobody wants to deal with a flat time or a mechanical breakdown on the road. I’ve had a few and they are no fun and tons of stress. Flat tires, running out of gas, engine lights coming on, all can add stress that you don’t need on your trip. And if your ride is not reliable, be honest with yourself, will that vehicle make it safely to your destination and back? Another potential downside to driving is going long-distance solo. On most of my hunts, that’s exactly what happens. On the few hunts where I’ve got at least one partner, the job of driving can be split up. While one partner drives, the other can rest/sleep and take over the duties when needed. This works great unless you both get sleepy riding or driving at the same time. With the advent of GPS and Google maps, it’s very unlikely you will get lost again. There are also old-school paper maps that, if you can read them, will safely take you to your destination. Apps like Gas Buddy can help you plot and plan your trip, budget for your fuel and show you likely places to fill up in unfamiliar territory. So which method is best for you? Well, I’ve used both methods quite a bit and for me it breaks down to destination and time as the biggest factors for my decision. Obviously, geography plays an important role. Kinda hard to drive to Australia! If my destination is 20 hours away or less, I’ll grudgingly drive unless there is a hay-shaking deal on flights and the outfitter will pick me up. If my hunting takes me further, I’ll be flying, thank you very much. Whichever method you choose, travel safe and travel wisely. Be prepared for delays and emergencies and you will have less worry on your trip. Best of luck this season. ______________________________________________
A Squirrel About Town By Archy
Join WYRZ for a Live Remote at the Avon Community Heritage Festival at the Washington Township Park!
WYRZ will be broadcasting September 25th from the Avon Community Heritage Festival from 4pm to 7pm. Say hello to Shane Ray and maybe talk on the radio. If you can’t be there in person, listen on 98.9FM or stream it from www. wyrz.org.
Archy’s tail was bushier that usual. “Oh, that,” he said. “I’m just practicing my indignation. It’s for the talent show.” “What talent show,” I asked, cautiously. “Why the Squirrel Salon’s Annual Talent Show,” he replied. “We squirrels practice our best imitations of human traits.” He gave a laugh and continued. “We vote on who is gives the best performance. It’s the highlight of the Fall season.” “What kind of traits are you talking about?” “Humans have so many from which to chose,” he said, stroking his forehead. “Let me think. There’s envy, of course. Jealousy is always good for a laugh. And self-importance,” he said, puffing out his chest. I was beginning to regret asking. “Oh, and ignorance! When humans boast about how little they know about a subject.” The squirrel slapped his knee and said in an affected tone, “I don’t know anything about science, but by golly, I know more than the scientists.” He started to giggle uncontrollably. I asked if there were any good traits of humans that were part of the contest. The squirrel had to think about it. “I suppose there are, but humans don’t seem to be practicing them much these days. There’s quite a bit of heard mentality these days.” “Don’t you mean herd?” I asked. “No,” Archy replied. “People starting their conversations with, ‘Well, I heard...’ and it goes downhill from there. Too much second-hand information from social media circulating without any verification. Humans should take a break from their silos and try to see the world from a different point of view.” “Archy,” I said, “Sometimes I think you’re a secret optimist when it comes to humans.” “That’s because I like to think there’s good in all creatures,” he said, patting my hand. “Even humans.” “Sometimes, so do I,” I said. _____________________________________________
