This blog has been retired

I'm sorry, but this blog has been mothballed.

I realized there was some outdated contact information on this blog and if someone is looking for me, I'd prefer they find me. The information on this site is quite possibly outdated.

You can do that at:

www.DarrenMarcy.com



My nonfiction writing and editing site is:

www.DarrenMarcyWriter.com



My outdoor writing website is:

www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com


Please look me up there.

Best,
Darren

Club celebrates 100 years of Long Trail

The Green Mountain Club held a celebration last week to honor 100 years of its existence and 100 years of the Long Trail, the country's first long-distance hiking trail.

Someone on Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy's press staff earned the honor for best line in a press release when they sent a notice that began: "What birthday present do you give to a trail that has everything - drop-dead scenery, border-to-border expanse, and a rich 100-year history?"

While the trail is rightly the focus of the celebration, the Green Mountain Club is celebrating itself as well. It's the GMC, after all, that shepherded the trail into existence and has built and maintained the path, its shelters, signage, bridges and other features for the last century.

But the nation's first long-distance hiking trail deserves more than a single day to be feted so there will be events scattered throughout the summer honoring the path through the wilderness.

On May 7, a fundraiser will be held at the Trapp Family Lodge. A reflection on 100 years of memories and accomplishments will be held May 22 at the GMC headquarters in Waterbury Center. The Killington Section will celebrate 100 years of the GMC at a fundraiser June 5. A barn dance is slated in southern Vermont June 16 to kick off four-plus weeks of guided day hikes on the Long Trail that begin the next day. More about these events can be found online at www.greenmountainclub.org.

In addition, more than 900 Long Trail photos have been made available online from the Special Collection archive at the University of Vermont Library. The archive can be viewed by logging on to cdi.uvm.edu. A link is also available from the GMC Web site.

Read all about the celebration on OutdoorsVT.

Contact Darren by e-mail at darren@darrenmarcyoutdoors.com or through his Web site at www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com.

Kids and the Outdoors

Read my most recent column about how a chance encounter with a memorial stone led me to thinking about kids and the outdoors.

The memorial -- for local angler who grew up fishing a pond and went on to be a successful bass tournament fisherman -- made me think a lot more about how introducing a kid to the outdoors at a young age can pay dividends down the road.

The column is particularly timely because the National Wildlife Federation is holding its National Wildlife Week beginning Monday to help parents get their kids outdoors.

Read the column at OutdoorsVT.

NWTF names new board chair

The National Wild Turkey Federation National Board of Directors has named Peggy Anne Vallery as the board's new chairman and president.

Read the full press release at the link below.

National Wild Turkey Federation

U.S. Fish and Wildlife chief dies

U.S. Fish and Wildlife chief Samuel Hamilton died Feb. 20 while skiing in Colorado.

Hamilton apparently died of a heart condition, based on the preliminary medical reports.

Hamilton was appointed to head up the F&W agency last September.

Here's an article about Hamilton's death in the Denver Post.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife chief dies

Great Backyard Bird Count

Don't miss a chance to stretch your wings this weekeend (Feb. 12-15).

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a chance for "citizen scientists" to count birds in their area and report the results via the Internet to capture a snapshot of the continent's bird population.

My column covers the GBBC.

Here's an excerpt from my column:

Beginning today, people are encouraged to participate in the 13th annual
Great Backyard Bird Count.

The four-day event runs today through Monday giving people a chance to
participate in a grand social experiment.

Participants simply count birds in their own backyards, park or any other
area where birds can be found, then report their findings online at www.birdcount.org.

You can read the entire column at OutdoorsVT.

Ariz. Game And Fish responds to jaguar report

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has responded to a report the Department of Interior's Inspector General issued about the death of Mach0 B, the jaguar that died after being handled by the department.

The department is responding to a redacted report, which leaves many details missing. It's clear, however, the department isn't thrilled with the DOI's involvement when there is already a federal investigation into the death underway.

Read about the response from Outdoor News Daily.

Arizona Game And Fish Responds To IG Report On Jaguar

Column: Safety key when learning to ski

Slope safety

'Let go of the rope,' and other warning ski tales

I'm a walking poster for ski safety and the perfect example of why helmets should be firmly affixed atop all noggins while on the slopes.

So, as we get ready to observe National Safety Awareness Week beginning Saturday through Jan. 22, I share a few reasons I can personally attest that safety is a worthwhile goal on the slopes.

It all started with my first trip to a mountain some 27 years ago.

A herd of us from my junior high advanced (yes, advanced) PE class rode the yellow weenie to Purgatory - now known as Durango Mountain Resort - in southwest Colorado.

A half day of lessons were required before we were turned loose to terrorize other skiers the rest of the day.

I didn't even wait for the ski school to end before I started the destruction.

My first trip on the rope tow should have been reason enough for the instructor to send me back to the bus.

We were half way up the bunny hill when I lost my balance. But instead of falling over and scampering out of the way of other skiers, I held on, trying to regain my balance.

I ended up falling anyway, pulling the rope with me just enough to knock over another dozen skiers as well. They had to stop the rope tow until everybody could collect themselves.

At the top our group instructor just looked at me and shook his head as he said, "that's one I've never seen before."

We spent the rest of the morning mastering the snowplow - or at least trying to. We snowplowed our way down the hill over and over, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't snowplow my way into a stop.

I could turn, and if I turned far enough, I'd end up going uphill, which would bring me to some semblance of a stop, but I couldn't bring myself to a controlled stop without a fall.

The one thing I mastered that first morning on the snow was falling down. I couldn't even get up very well but when it came to falling, I was a master.

I began to use a controlled fall as my own personal method of stopping, despite the instructors constant yelling to turn, turn, turn; pressure on this ski, pressure on that ski, blah, blah, blah.

It would always end up the same.

Fall down, dig skis, pole grips, fingers, everything into the snow until the sliding stopped. Then I had to figure out how to get up.

That worked for the most part until, late in the morning as my confidence grew, I zoomed down the slope - top to bottom without falling - turning back and forth to control my speed.

But then it hit me.

The rope tow line was too close and I didn't have enough room to fall and slide to a stop.

I threw myself down in a panic and slid frantically toward the group of people whose eyes grew wider as they tried to scramble out of the way.

I went into the crowd like a bowling ball and pins exploded in an array of skis, poles, goggles and who knows how many body parts.

I've heard it described as a yard sale on the snow.

It took five minutes for people to gather their gear as people traded poles looking for a matched set.

I was done for the morning.

Through a combination of shame, peer pressure and a little bit of a formal recommendation from my instructor, I slunk off toward lunch.

The second half of the day went much smoother.

An experienced skiing friend took a handful of us to the top and pointed down. "Let's go," he said, and took off down the slope.

He kept us on green and easy blue runs, but it was still a little more difficult than the bunny slope on which we had been.

The "tough love" ski lesson worked. Soon, we were all making clean runs - except when it came time to stop and I slid toward my friends who would scramble out of the way while hurling insults.

Still, I was in relative control, maintaining my speed and changing direction as necessary. I even began to keep my skis parallel for stretches, snowplowing only when necessary.

But I still couldn't stop.

That became an issue when we tackled a more difficult intermediate trail and I found myself skiing back and forth across the run to control my speed.

However, in one area I started going too fast and hit an ice spot.

I tried to turn, but my skis chattered across the ice.

Panicked, I threw myself down into an "emergency stop" slide, but I just kept sliding downhill toward the trees at the edge of the run.

When I hit the powder at the side of the trail, my body flipped around and I went into a tree backwards.

My upper body thumped against the tree as my butt settled deep into the tree well.

My feet - with skis still attached - were in front of me and about head high. I couldn't move.

I had hung on to my poles during the train wreck, but they were of little use.

I tried rolling over, but the depth of the powder and the fact I was wedged against the tree, kept me from being able to wiggle into a position to get up.

Because I was always the last in the group - so I would know where to slide to a stop - my friends were long gone and nobody else was coming by.

And because I was buried in the powder and the branches of the tree hung nearly to the top of the snow, I doubt I could be seen.

I must have sat under that tree for nearly a half an hour before I was able to use my ski poles to release my ski bindings and free my feet.

I tossed my skis out onto the trail and was able to finally wiggle myself into a position to crawl out of the hole and back into the daylight.

Fortunately, eventually, I learned how to stop and slowly taught myself to ski with some measure of skill and style. Well, skill, anyway.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. Contact him through his Web site at www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com.

There's an app for that

Audubon has release iPhone and iPod Touch apps featuring the Birds of New England.

Read here for more details.

A funny FTC disclosure

The Federal Trade Commission has decided you're too stupid to know when someone is blowing smoke up your backside. They're worried that bloggers, tweeters, Facebook friends and others might mislead you about a product endorsement without revealing whether or not they have been compensated or received incentive to say nice things about the product.

If you're a blogger running a small site without a ton of traffic, and little to no income, you might be tempted to say, "so what." But the FTC, like other government agencies without enough to do, has put some teeth into the law. Big teeth.

So most bloggers and other social media types are trying to take the new law seriously and comply.

One outdoor company, Deneki Outdoors, decided to have a little fun with its FTC compliance disclosure and I think they've done a great job with it.

Read Deneki Outdoors' FTC disclosure here.

Official: Largemouth bass ties record

It's official, the 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass caught on Lake Biwa in Japan has tied the record for the the biggest bass ever caught.

Manabu Kurita caught the monster on 25-pound test line with a blue gill July 2.

Six months later, on Jan. 8, the record was confirmed by The International Game Fish Association.

Kurita's fish ties the record that George Perry set on Montgomery Lake in Georgia June 2, 1932.

Jaguar decision expected from feds

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to issue a decision soon on whether to develop a recovery plan for the jaguar in the Southwest.

The feds are bound by a court order to issue a decision on managing jaguars and the case is seen as a test by conservationists as to whether the government will work to protect a species that ranges across United State's borders.

The big cats range is primarily south of New Mexico and Arizona into Mexico and Central and South America. They once ranged into Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Once believed to be extirpated in the United States, a hunter running mountain lions in New Mexico treed a jaguar and took photos of the big cat. That spurred a study that has resulted in two cats being identified.

One of the cats, Macho B, was captured in a snare in southern Arizona, but died shortly after being tranquilized.

The Outdoors World Loses a Legend

The Outdoors World Loses a Legend in Charlie Meyers Field & Stream

I ran across this Field & Stream notice this morning about the death of Charlie Meyers, longtime outdoor writer at the Denver Post.

The outdoor writing world is missing a little piece of itself this morning.

Reporter fired for questioning Vail's snow total ethics

Some of you might remember a story about a Dartmouth College study on how snow totals reported by ski areas don't always jive with snowfall totals reported at nearby weather stations.

Of course the ski areas defended their accuracy and denied stretching the truth, err, snow.
Still, it was something many people think probably happens -- at least to some extent -- at most resorts.

So, I found it interesting to find this article about a reporter in Colorado that was fired for what he claims was writing a column calling a major resort -- Vail -- on the carpet for what he perceived as misleading claims about snow.

You can read the article here.

New Blog Site

I have launched my new outdoor writing and photography blog site.

Check it out at: darrenmarcyoutdoors.typepad.com.

You can also take a look at my Outdoors Vermont blog at rutlandherald.typepad.com/outdoorsvermont

I'll still be posting things here about outdoor writing and photography and the general outdoors.

Don't forget my new Web site address at www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com.

New Year's Column

Check out my New Year's column.

At some of the worst moments in my life, it was the outdoors that helped me hold it all together. And during some of the best points in my life, it is the memories of the outdoors that really stand out as being among the best.

Read the column here.

www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com

There are some big changes happening with Darren Marcy Outdoors.

The biggest is the change in my Web site's address thanks to problems with Microsoft and the company it uses to register domain names, MelbourneIT.

Despite the fact my domain wasn't suppose to expire until Nov. 19, the Web site was shut down Nov. 15. When I tried to renew it, Microsoft said it was Melbourne's fault. Melbourne won't return e-mails or requests for help. I tried to switch my domain to another company, but it won't let me because e-mails to an old address, which no longer exists, contain the information I need to make it happen.

So, I've changed my domain name to www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com.

The old address was www.DarrenMarcy.com.

At some point, I'll reclaim my old address, but I'll keep my new domain name for my outdoor Web site.

I'm also switching my blog to another site. This site will soon become a placeholder to direct people to the new sites.

Please check out my new Web site at: www.DarrenMarcyOutdoors.com.

Vt. man wants "legal permits" to kill hunters

The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press ran a letter by a man that calls for the killing of hunters.

In his letter, Ethan A.H. Sims of Shelburne, writes about the opening of moose season in Vermont. Then he writes, "I suggest that before the next annual killing season, other residents be awarded legal permits to kill hunters who will be out to kill these beautiful, non-destructive animals. Or the government could just rule out of all this primitive killing."

Everybody has the right to his or her opinion and I certainly don't hold it against Mr. Sims for being an anti-hunter. I think he's misguided and we are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to our beliefs on hunting, but he still has a right to his opinion.

What floors me, however, is that the Free Press chose to run this letter. Granted they issued an apology online and the letter has been removed from the paper's Web site. But how did it make the page in the first place?

Editorial page editor Aki Soga wrote on the Free Press' Web site, "that violates the standards of the Free Press by advocating for violence against hunters. The letter has been taken down. We apologize for our error in judgement."

Wow!

OutdoorsVT 6-12-09

Why can't we be friends?

Sharing the trails starts with compromise

Motorized and nonmotorized. Access versus preservation. Foot-power or pedal-power. Greens versus plaids.

Can't we all just get along?

Outdoor users groups continue to butt heads and as long as we battle, everybody will lose to some degree.

It's no wonder some sections of our outdoor recreation groups are decreasing in numbers and funding for trails projects and infrastructure maintenance is lagging.

We can't even agree on who's allowed to use a section of trail, so how do you expect us to get along when it comes to asking for money or getting a kid involved in the outdoors?

The battleground isn't new as all-terrain vehicle riders find themselves facing off against recreation advocates who are against ATVs on the trails.

The conflict surrounding ATVs is nearly as old as the machines themselves and has grown steadily as more and more people buy and ride them.

In recent years land-management agencies have tried to catch up on the debate and referee the brawl, pushing the battle to a fevered pitch. The resulting rule-making has only intensified as both sides scratch and claw to gain the upper hand.

Nonmotorized folks try to push the machines off the trails and the ATVers seek more access.

You'd think there would have been some compromise by now, or at least they would have run out of trails over which to argue.

That would be easy and when it comes to ATVs, the discussion is never easy.

Camps from both sides of the issue too often exhibit the standard "me, me, me" attitude that pervades this and many other issues.

At some point, we have to get away from the "This is what I want," and look more at "This would be best for the largest number of people."

Don't get me wrong.

I'm pretty much a middle of the two-track guy here.

I don't own or ride ATVs, but I have nothing against the legal and ethical operation of the machines.

An ATV isn't my cup of tea. Although I would definitely ride an ATV at times and would find great fun in using an ATV, I personally would rather use my feet and, for the most part, would prefer to hike than ride an ATV.

But, my opinion doesn't - and shouldn't - dictate what others are able to do.

What I think shouldn't weigh an ounce more than what an ATV rider wants. My view is no more important than what someone who is against ATVs thinks.

That's the level of respect that is missing from this debate. Just because I don't ride an ATV doesn't mean I want to keep them off the trails.

There are, however, places they shouldn't be due to the risk of trail damage, erosion, and other potential impacts.

Where the trails are capable of handling ATV traffic, they should be allowed.

I've known many, many ATV owners who are great people, respectful of others and careful in their riding.

They stay on trails, don't ride when trails are muddy, ride at safe and sane speeds, keep their rigs muffled and tuned to prevent excessive exhaust, and whatever else goes into being a good steward of the land.

As with any other group, there are the outlaws.

It doesn't matter what outdoor activity you pick, there are idiots.

There are poachers who call themselves hunters, although I'll never mix the two words.

There are hikers who tromp down muddy trails and circle mud holes, there are anglers who don't obey limits or size restrictions, skiers and boarders who go under the ropes and ski out of bounds and mountain bikers who bomb downhill without regard for anybody else who might be on the trail.

There's just a certain percentage of people who won't follow the rules and there are ATVers who, right now, fall into this category.

You can close, or refuse to open, all the trails you want and you'll still have rogue ATVers on those trails.

You can't manage for the 2-percenters. You have to manage for the resource and access that best serves the most people. All user groups deserve places to play.

Space is not always a luxury and we're going to have to share the trails. Finding the right balance won't be easy. But it needs to be done.

Maybe, just maybe, we can all get along.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is http://www.darrenmarcy.com/. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

Turkey hunter faces manslaughter charges

Vermont State Police have filed manslaughter charges against the man accused of killing his son while turkey hunting.


Following a joint investigation by the Vermont State Police and Vermont Game Wardens, Kevin Kadamus, 44, was charged with manslaughter today.


He was processed at the State Police Barracks in St. Johnsbury and released pending an arraignment that is scheduled for July 6 at the Caledonia County Courthouse.


Kadamus is accused of shooting and killing his son, Jacob Kadamus, 18, while the pair were turkey hunting on the opening day of the Vermont turkey season May 1.


Jacob Kadamus reported was hunting in a different area, but moved into the area where his father was hunting when he was shot.


He died at the scene.


See my original blog post for more details on this turkey hunting incident by clicking here.

OutdoorsVT 5-22-09

Outdoor funding

Money flows into Vt. for outdoor recreation enhancements, wildlife

Vermont's outdoors will be in a little better shape thanks to an influx in funds from a variety of sources announced recently.

Gov. James Douglas announced $568,170 in funding for 24 trail projects in Vermont.

The money comes from Vermont's Recreation Trails Program, which is a matching grant program of the Federal Highways Administration.

The money will be used for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation and maintenance of trails and trail-related facilities for nonmotorized multiple-use recreational trail projects, according to a news release from the governor's office.

About half of the funding - $282,980 - will benefit the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers for winter grooming maintenance.

VAST clubs maintain Vermont's snowmobiling trail network with 120 groomers who take care of more than 6,000 miles of trails every winter.

Also on the list to receive funds is Pine Hill Park in Rutland, which will see $3,855 for trail maintenance and a trail skills training project.

The Moosalamoo Association North Branch Trail in Addison County, Robert Frost Interpretive Trail and Chandler Ridge Trail reconstruction will receive $19,150.

The Green Mountain Club will get $18,905 for reconstruction of 1.2 miles of the Long Trail in northwestern Vermont.

The Catamount Trail Association will get $17,673 for relocation of some trail in the Coolidge State Forest in Plymouth.

Local Motion, a group dedicated to developing trails, promoting walkable communities and fostering active lifestyles - primarily in the Burlington area right now - will receive $25,000 to expand its Trail Finder database of recreation trails.

The database expansion is slated for Rutland, Orange, Windsor and Washington counties.

Hartford's Kilowatt Trail system will get $19,257 to link the North and South Park.

Shaftsbury's Linda Tilgner Memorial Nature Trail will get $12,223 for reconstruction.

The Woodstock Billings Park Commission will get $7,000 for restoration efforts on the Faulkner Trail.

And Vermont's Trail and Greenways Council will see $10,000 for statewide educational outreach.

This is just a sampling of projects throughout Vermont that will receive funds from the grant, which can fund up to 80 percent of the total project cost and requires a match, which can include donations, in-kind support and other nonfederal funds.


Stimulus money

The Department of Interior also announced more than $1.7 million in Vermont as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The money will be used to rehab a fish hatchery, fund a fish passage, and repair and rehabilitate carriage roads at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will receive more than $1 million of the funding to fix the electrical system and main hatchery outfall at White River National Fish Hatchery, as well as work toward removing or bypassing barriers to fish movement at Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Resource Complex.

The National Park Service will receive $518,000 for the historic carriage road restoration at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park and to help rehabilitate the Appalachian Trail Little Rock Pond shelter.

The U.S. Geological Survey will receive $216,000 to catch up on some deferred maintenance as well as upgrade stream gauges.

To see the entire list of projects planned in Vermont, log on to recovery.doi.gov/VT.


Wildlife funds

Wildlife will also benefit from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service appropriation aimed at conserving and recovering imperiled wildlife through the State Wildlife Grant Program.

Vermont's share of the more than $61 million will be $610,704 - or right at 1 percent of the total funds available.

Money is allocated to states based on the formula of one-third for land area of the state and two-thirds on population. Each of the 50 states is guaranteed a minimum of 1 percent.

The funds, which come from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, are intended to benefit wildlife species and their habitat, including nongame species.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 5-15-09

Pine Hill Park
A Droopy Muffin can nourish a hungry soul

Early this week I spent some time trekking around Pine Hill Park in Rutland in what may have been absolutely perfect conditions.



Temperatures were in the 60s Monday and the sun was bright overhead as I walked the trails in this recreation gem.



I hoofed it from the Giorgetti parking area on Upper Giorgetti to Trillium to Svelte Tiger. I hooked up with Droopy Muffin over to Underdog to Rocky Pond and on up to the Overlook where I sat for a bit enjoying the view.



This is such a great spot in Pine Hill Park and anybody who hasn’t invested shoe leather into reaching this spot should certainly do so.



But darkness was fast approaching. I had hit the trail well after 6 p.m. and, despite having an el cheapo headlamp with me (just in case) I really didn’t want to risk tripping over a rock or root in the trail in the dark, so I reluctantly moved on.



Following Overlook Trail over the new suspension bridge I hit Jersey Trail and then hooked up with Santa’s Helper back to Droopy Muffin.



I hate coming back the way I went in, however, so I did my best to retrace as few boot prints as possible, choosing a few trails I had never been on before.



I continued on Droopy Muffin over to the Upper Ledges trail and down to Tim’s Vista to the Birches and back out on Trillium and Upper Giorgetti.



I did find myself wondering as I walked, “where in the world did Svelte Tiger and Droopy Muffin come from?” Particularly Droopy Muffin. I couldn’t remember ever walking on a trail with a cooler name.



Whatever their names, those trails guided me through a few hours that couldn’t have been better spent.



After a lengthy outdoor dry spell, I’ve finally managed to get off the pavement several times lately and the Pine Hill Park trek was the ointment I needed to soothe my chapped soul.



The only thing that went wrong was when I pulled my camera out and watched the battery indicator go from “full” to “empty” in one press of the shutter button.



But while I didn’t manage to capture the photos I planned to take, I went home contented and with a greater appreciation for all that Pine Hill Park offers.



Pine Hill Park continues to be something to boast over and is quickly becoming one of the area’s best not-so-secret attributes.



Monday, on Svelte Tiger, I ran across Michael Smith — the one-man trail- and bridge-building hotshot who continues to be the driving force in the park.



With help, Smith has been the force behind much of the park’s growth and improvement in the last few years.



That day, Smith was working on the decking of a new bridge — a cool, serpentine-looking boardwalk that arcs around trees and flattens out a part of the trail that had suffered from runoff in the past.



He said the coming summer brings plenty more work with five planned bridges, more trail building and the always constant repair and improvements.



But Mike’s not alone in his work and many others have helped, and continue to help, in large and small ways.



This Saturday is the last work day of the spring and a good chance to do a little bit toward upkeep in the park that offers so much to so many.



The work day will kick off at 9 a.m. Plans include work on free ride trails, improving water bars on Giorgetti, “digging the Suez Canal” on Lonely Rock, as well as working on Rembrandt’s Brush, according to a press release.



Show up for whatever time you can offer. Bring water and a snack. Bugs weren’t too bad Monday, but bug spray isn’t a bad idea.




Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.darrenmarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 5-8-09

Losing the battle for our kids

This should scare the willies out of all of us. Every time I read another study about our decreasing participation in the great outdoors I get more and more nervous.

I’m afraid that the way things are going, we could be at risk of losing our connection to the outdoors in just a generation or two.

We simply aren’t doing enough to foster an appreciation for outdoor recreation in our kids.

Because of that, our grandkids may not ever get a chance to lay in a sleeping bag and listen to the rain against tent walls before falling asleep, sit by a campfire with a burned marshmallow at the end of a stick, round a bend on the trail and happen upon a doe and two fawns standing in a field or feel the tug of a feisty rainbow at the end of a fishing line.

Most likely you’ve already experienced these simple pleasures — or something very similar — in your own outdoor adventures. Hopefully, you are passing on these opportunities to your kids or grandkids.

Too many of us aren’t.

More and more of us are living in urban areas and the only nature many kids experience is the wild cats that live in the abandoned building down the street.

Even in rural areas, more and more kids are growing up without the outdoor experiences that we used to take for granted.

Entering my fifth decade, I see a big difference. If you’re anywhere near my age or older, I’m sure you don’t have a problem recognizing all the things that compete for attention among today’s youth that didn’t exist when we were kids.

Television has 250 channels today as compared to the 12 I grew up with, and we had cable television. There were no satellite dishes with 24-hour cartoon networks. My kids have half a dozen channels that play an endless loop of animation. Heck, we didn’t even have a VCR until I was in high school.

I never saw a computer until I was 10 or 12 years old and I didn’t know anybody who had one for another decade. I got an Atari when they first came out but with the few games that were available, I grew bored with it after a few months.

But what I did have was a passion for the outdoors. From camping and fishing from a very early age, hunting with my dad as soon as I was old enough to tag along, and plenty of other outdoor fun, I caught the bug early.

As I grew older, my friends and I would go on “expeditions” into places my parents never knew we went. We would take our rod and reel and a few pieces of stolen fishing tackle from my dad’s tackle box to a local golf course pond. We went rabbit hunting. My cousins and I even camped out in the backyard throughout the summer because the few trips to the mountains we took just didn’t cut it.

In junior high I discovered Jim Kjelgaard and his 40-plus books about a boy and his dog, wildlife, survival and outdoor adventure. I bet I read darn near every single one of those books within a couple of years.

Quite often those books, or the outdoor magazines I stole from my dad and took to school, got me in trouble as I read about the outdoors or lusted after the gear I saw advertised on those pages instead of paying attention to a teacher.

When I wasn’t reading about it, or doing it, I most often was dreaming about it. Trust me, my grades bear this out.

Who am I kidding? I’m still doing it today.

While I may have been an extreme case, there aren’t enough kids daydreaming about the outdoors. Too many of them are deep in thought about how to get to the next level of the latest video game or what they’re going to do to their Facebook page.

If they’re not playing video games, or watching television, they’re on the Internet, which isn’t a bad thing all by itself, but too much of it certainly feeds the cycle.

But, guess what folks? We can’t blame our kids.

It’s our fault. It’s your fault if your kids spend too much time online. It’s my fault my kids watch too much TV.

We have to end this cycle now, before it’s too late.

Studies show that a kid who isn’t introduced to the outdoors at a relatively early age is much less likely to stay involved later in life. I’m not blowing smoke.

Why do you spend time in nature? Why do you hunt? Fish? Hike? Bike? Ski? Camp? The overwhelming majority of you are muttering to yourself that it’s just something you’ve always done.

You can’t remember not being active in the outdoors. If you think hard, however, there was an adult somewhere back there who took you into the outdoors — probably many, many times.

If we don’t build an appreciation for nature and outdoor activities now, they won’t pass it on to their kids. The chances of them picking it up later are much, much lower.

A recent survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows the number of kids 6 to 15 who fish has decreased to 12.3 million, the lowest number in 29 years.

A nationwide University of Maryland study found that the number of kids 9 to 12 years old who spend time in the outdoors has dropped 50 percent since 1973.

Visits to National Parks and our national forests are down.

A 2006 study shows that beginning between 1981 and 1991, there was a decline in per capital nature recreation at a rate of 1.3 percent per year. The study looked at a wide variety of outdoor recreation.

That’s not acceptable.

Without new blood joining the fight for sound wildlife management practices, to protect habitat, to battle for clean water and for open trails, we’ll begin losing those fights.

Other interests will take over and land management agencies will make different decisions. Funding will head in different directions.

An administration that wants to privatize the National Parks System, or give preference to the extractive industries over wildlife considerations, will have little opposition.

Many outdoor groups have recognized this and there are many new initiatives being launched to combat the decreasing participation rates.

All the programs in the world won’t matter if we don’t take advantage of them.

We have to take time out of our busy schedules and set aside some time for our kids.

We can no longer sit back and hope they develop an interest in the outdoors naturally. There are too many obstacles and competing interests.

Get them involved now.

Do it for your kids. Do it for the future.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is http://www.darrenmarcy.com/. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

NEOWA Spring Safari

I am excited to attend the New England Outdoor Writers Association's Spring Safari the weekend of May 16 in Killington, Vt.

It will be my first chance to meet some of the outdoor writers, photographers and various other outdoor communicators since joining NEOWA.

Sent my registration in today. Looking forward to it the event.

Vermont teenager killed while turkey hunting

Vermont Fish and Wildlife game wardens and State Police are investigating what appears to be an accidental shooting that has left a 17-year-old turkey hunter dead.

The incident occured at about 6 a.m. May 1, the opening morning of the Vermont turkey season.

According to a press release issued by the Vermont State Police, authorities responded to a report of a shooting at 7206 S. Wheelock Road, in Wheelock, Vt.

Rescue personnel and Game Warden Dave Gregory arrived to find Jacob Kadamus, 17, suffering from a gunshot wound and his father, Kevin Kadamus, 45, trying to render aid, according to the press release. CPR and rescue efforts failed and the teen died at the scene.

Officials said the pair were hunting turkeys in two different areas, but Jacob Kadamus left his area and moved toward where his father was hunting. Kevin Kadamus fired a shot at what he believed to be a turkey, hitting Jacob, according to the press release.

State game wardens are processing the shooting scene and State Police detectives are continuing the joint investigation. The Caledonia County State's Attorney will review the facts.

No charges were immediately filed, according to the press release.

An autopsy will be conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine conclusive cause of death.

OutdoorsVT 5-1-09

Checking for ticks

Spring is a beautiful time of the year. As the temperatures warm the air, green creeps back into the picture, flowers bloom, animals birth their young and another year of battling ticks begins.

I guess spring can’t all be beautiful.

Dealing with ticks is just part of being outdoors in the spring.

Unfortunately, because of the dangers of contracting Lyme disease, ticks aren’t just an annoyance, but can prove to be a serious risk to your health.

As outdoor enthusiasts, we are going to run into ticks, which are most often found in wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter on the ground.

Fortunately, while we seem to have a growing problem with ticks and Lyme disease, the situation isn’t as bad as it may seem.

Health officials say the number of cases of Lyme disease grows every year.

Some of that is certainly due to an increase in the number of ticks as well as the number of ticks carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

But some experts say that the increased number of cases certainly has something to do with increased vigilance on the part of people who get symptoms checked out and a medical community that continues to get better at diagnosing Lyme disease.

Still, if you’re the one who gets infected, it doesn’t matter what the statistics say so prevention is critical.

Happily, every tick bite doesn’t result in a person contracting the illness and there are things people can do to reduce the chances of being infected with Lyme disease.

If bitten by a tick carrying the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that causes Lyme disease, quickly removing the tick reduces the chance of it being conveyed to the person.

It takes 24 hours or more for the disease to be transmitted as the tick feeds so if the little critter can be removed the same day it attaches, the odds improve that you won’t suffer any ill consequences, according to health officials.

Country crooner Brad Paisley sings about trying to convince a barroom conquest to let him check her for ticks.

Despite the humorous nature of this silly song, checking yourself — or having someone help you — is a good idea.

Early detection is key to treating Lyme disease.

Anyone who ventures into the outdoors — even if it’s just the backyard or a local park — should conduct a thorough inspection to ensure they haven’t picked up a tick.

The problem with tick bites is that the person being bitten quite often has no clue they have a tick unless it is seen.

Most often, tick bites go unnoticed at the time of the bite.

And spotting a tick on your body isn’t always easy. The black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick, which is responsible for carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, are little bitty.

They may not be much larger than the period at the end of this sentence. A tick will also search out a warm, moist place on your body, which often means armpits, groin, between the toes and even behind the knees. But they also tend to bury themselves in hair-covered places, which again points toward armpits and the groin area along with the head.

The upshot of all this is spotting ticks isn’t always easy and getting a little help isn’t a bad idea; parents should check their kids every day when they come in from playing outdoors.

But while finding a tick after it bites is important, preventing the tick bite in the first place is even better.

Avoiding tick bites is relatively easy, although far from 100 percent effective.

One thing people can do is wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and tall socks and tucking the pant legs into the socks will better prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.

Add another layer of defense by using an insect repellent.

Products containing high percentages of DEET or Permethrin are favored, but there is a big difference between the two products in the application.

DEET-based products can be — and should be — applied directly to the skin, as well as the clothing.

But Permethrin-based repellents should only be applied to the clothing, and clothing should be allowed to dry before putting on.

On children, use lower concentrations of the active ingredient, using concentrations of less than 30 percent.

Be sure to read the label carefully and follow directions closely.

Also, keep the product away from the face and off of hands, which your little one might use to rub an eye, handle food or otherwise come in contact with the mouth.

There are natural products that are, in my experience, generally less effective but still offer some protection and are safer for children.

This season is turning out to be a busy one for ticks already.

I’ve talked to many different people who have found ticks on their bodies and I’ve already pulled ticks from an animal at my house, and we’re only at the beginning of May.

Unfortunately, tick season really doesn’t peak until June or later every summer.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is http://www.darrenmarcy.com/. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

OutdoorsVT 4-24-09

Herricks Cove festival offers outdoor family fun

One of the top outdoor events of the year is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, when the 10th annual Herricks Cove Wildlife Festival is held in Rockingham to “celebrate the wonders of wildlife.”

This event, by all accounts, offers a great opportunity for outdoor family fun and education.

The day-long event begins with an early-morning bird walk, but most events are scheduled 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Herricks Cove.

Herricks Cove is located at the confluence of the Williams and Connecticut rivers, and is noted for its birding opportunities. Designated as an Important Birding Area, Herricks Cove offers important habitat for waterfowl and songbirds, and provides a staging ground for migrating ducks, geese and warblers.

This year’s event is expected to feature live wolves, owls, eagles and reptiles — a sure bet to fascinate kids of all ages in addition to presentations, activities and tours.

Things get started with a guided bird walk at 7:30 a.m. Other activities get under way at 10 a.m.

The day is billed as an event that brings together wildlife, nature and outdoor enthusiasts.

There will be a forest exhibit, and guided nature walks, nature presentations, crafts and workshops will be held throughout the day. Some of the events on the schedule include:

? The Southern Vermont Museum will be there with hawks at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

? Live animals from Squam Lake Science Center will be shown at 10:30 a.m. and noon.

? Jim Andrews will feature amphibians, including a turtle workshop at 11 a.m.

? Jerry Snyder will feature butterflies at 11:30 a.m.

? Brian “Fox” Ellis will give a presentation about the “comic misadventures” of Lewis and Clark at 1 p.m.

? The Vermont Institute of Natural Science will offer a presentation on hawks and owls at 2 p.m.

? Jake the Snake of AMOS Natural Science Education Services will feature a 9-foot boa constrictor at 2:30 p.m.

? And Atka, a wolf from the Wolf Conservation Center, will be featured at 3 p.m. Other events will be held throughout the day.

Families will be able to take nature walks with Meg Moynihan.

Also, a presentation will focus on the “Ways of the Woods: People and the Land in the Northern Forest.”

There will also be food and live music, and the event will be held rain or shine.

Finding Herricks Cove can be tricky. It is located off Route 5 less than 3 miles north of Bellows Falls.

From Interstate 91 northbound, take Exit 6 onto Route 5. Continue past the intersection with Route 103, down the hill, across the Williams River to Herricks Cove Road on the right, then follow the signs. From I-91 southbound, take Exit 6 onto Route 103, take a left onto Route 5, down the hill, across the river and right on Herricks Cove Road.

There is no charge to attend, but contributions will be accepted with a suggested donation of $2 per person or $5 per family.

For more information contact Ascutney Mountain Audubon at 722-3355, The Nature Museum at 843-2111 or staff@nature-museum.org, or the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.


Seyon Lodge

The Vermont State Parks is offering a bargain for people wanting to experience Seyon Lodge State Park and get away from it all with the creature comforts of home.

Located in the middle of Groton State Forest, and home to Noyes Pond, Seyon Lodge features some of the best early-season brook trout fishing destinations is offering people a preseason deal.

Sorry for the blatant ad, but this sounds like a deal a lot of people might be interested in.

Between now and June 18, a two-night, midweek stay at Seyon Lodge is priced at $65 a night with all meals and full-day boat rental included. Even taxes are covered in this price.

That boat will come in useful; should you simply want to tool around Noyes Pond or cast for brook trout, that is highly recommended.

The State Parks calls it Vermont’s only public fly-fishing trout pond and has been named one of the best brook trout fisheries in Vermont by Steve Hickoff and Rhey Plumley in their book, “Flyfishers Guide to Northern New England.”

“Early and late season is the best time to fish Noyes Pond,” according to the book. “The emergence of the giant mayfly, in late May and early June, can be dramatic and brings many, sometimes large, beautifully colored brookies to the surface.”

Seyon Lodge State Park offers a season fishing pass granting unlimited fishing and boat rentals that will be on sale for $89 through June 1. After that, the price is $95.

Not an angler?

No problem.

“The excellent fishing is not the only draw at Noyes Pond,” Hickoff and Plumley write. “The setting is quietly beautiful. You’ll often hear the whistle of a peregrine soaring on the wind currents high overhead. Or you might see a loon dive beneath the surface of the pond, holding its breath for what seems an impossible amount of time.”

Sold?

Contact Seyon Lodge State Park at 584-3829, or find more information online at www.vtstateparks.com.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

Tweetin' on Twitter, or Whatever

I'm taking this Web 2.0 or Social Networking, or wasting time over and over again to the next level.

One of the things I want to do is expand my horizons in the world of outdoor writing as well as possibly find new eyeballs that might be interested in reading some of mine.

To that end, I've been jumping into the online world deeper than ever. I've had a blog and Web page in one version or another for about four years. Now, I have a Facebook page, a spot on CamoSpace, and, last but not least, a Twitter page.

You'll see the link to my Tweets (as I'm told they're called) on the side of this blog.

Soon, I will get around to adding links to my Facebook page (Darren Marcy Outdoors) and CamoSpace site (Darren Marcy) as well as a link to my other blog with the Rutland Herald (www.rutlandherald.typepad.com/outdoorsvermont).

Look me up and let's connect. I'm always looking to meet new people, particularly people with a passion for the outdoors.

OutdoorsVT 4-17-09

Vt. State Parks propose increase in camping

Fido is going to have to pay more to camp in Vermont State Parks in 2009.

It’s going to be more expensive to camp in a Vermont State Park this year if a fee increase goes through as proposed by the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

State Parks Director Craig Whipple says the fee increases are an effort on the part of the State Parks to keep up with the cost of doing business because the costs to run the parks increase $200,000 to $300,000 every year due to inflation.

The fee increase proposal is set to go into effect June 1. While the increased costs are only some of the proposed changes, camping fee increases will be among the most noticeable changes for visitors to state parks.

With the exception of remote areas, the department is proposing to eliminate $14 sites and add a $2 fee for nonresidents — two of the changes people will notice.

The new camping fees will be $16 for residents for a standard tent or trailer site, and $18 for prime sites.

A lean-to site will go for $23, with prime lean-to locations priced at $25.

Those prices are for up to four people per site. The additional-person charge will be increased by $1 to $5 per person.

Nonresidents will pay $2 more per night for all camping sites.

The designation of a “resident” follows the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s definition as a person living in Vermont with no other residences for at least six months.

Fee increases will even affect your pooch, which will be charged $1 per night.

There are other changes, but those are the highlights.

There will be detractors who claim the proposed increase is just another example of government excess. Some will go as far as to call it a tax increase.

But growing costs are a fact of life and Vermont’s State Parks are still a bargain.

Consider day-use fees. My family of four, with one kid too young to be assessed an entry fee, pays $8 for the day.

Try going to a movie — even a matinee — for that.

A night of camping will go up, but a night with the family is priceless. There is little better than cooking hot dogs over a fire and roasting marshmallows with your kids. We’ll be doing that this summer and a couple of dollars won’t dissuade us from that little adventure.

Whipple says the proposal to increase the fees is part of the State Parks’ philosophy of supporting the parks system to the point that is feasible and reasonable.

He said that charging fees is a simple reality in order to sustain the parks’ operation, but fees should not become a deterrent for people.

“Our fiscal approach here is to balance all those things and not set fees too high, but not to apply any more pressure than necessary on the general fund. Our effort is to make the park system as self sufficient as possible without the comprising our purpose.”

In 2007, the day-use fees were adjusted slightly, but Whipple says it has been a while since camping fees had been adjusted.

Whipple said day use has been declining at state parks but he doesn’t expect this round of fee increases, if enacted, will deter people.

“It’s an educated guess, you never know for sure,” Whipple said. “In the past there have been some larger incremental increases and it’s shown a modest decline in usage. It shows you’ve gone too far too fast.”

But today’s economy has people looking for cheaper, closer-to-home recreation options.

“Camping is still a relatively inexpensive camping option,” Whipple said. “People are looking for ways to spend their down time and leisure time. We’re hoping people stay close to home and use their state parks.”

That seems to be happening, he said.

About 45 percent of State Parks visitors are Vermonters and reservations are up about 5 percent this year, Whipple said.

With the fee increase, Vermont will still be competitive with nearby states, Whipple said.

“We did as close a comparison as we could for 11 northeastern states,” he said. “We’re about in the middle any way you work it.”

Let’s face it. Camping remains one of the most affordable ways for a family to spend time in the great outdoors. A small fee increase won’t keep most people home or prevent a family from going camping.

This increase deserves our support.

But whether you agree, you have an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes.

A public hearing will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, April 27, at the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation Conference Room in Waterbury.

Written comments can be mailed to Craig Whipple, Director of State Parks, 103 S. Main St., 10 South, Waterbury, Vt., 05671. Comments can also be e-mail to craig.whipple@state.vt.us.

Details of all proposed changes can be found on the State Parks’ Web site at www.vtstateparks.com, scroll down and click on Fee Increases.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

NEOWA Member

Well, I guess I'm officially a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association. Submitting my application materials during the organization's annual meeting a week ago and I've received word that it was accepted and I should expect my membership packet in the mail soon.

I'm looking forward to that.

I've been kicking around the idea of joining the NEOWA for a year or so, but wanted to wait until I felt like I truly belonged.

I didn't want to have to work hard to meet the minimum requirements for eligibility. Now that I've been writing my weekly outdoor column for the Rutland (Vt.) Herald for more than a year and regularly sell other freelance work, I decided it was time.

I'm proud to be able to call myself a member of the NEOWA.

OutdoorsVT 4-10-09

Avoid wet trails through Memorial Day

It’s that wonderful time of the year again. Spring is finally coming to Vermont.

The snow is largely gone, temperatures are finally beginning to turn seasonal and there is green beginning to show.

Unfortunately, while the temperatures often provide great hiking weather this time of the year, the ground often isn’t ready.

Mud season is a time of the year when hikers and bikers are itching to set boot or tire to trail, yet the trails fight back with mud.

The Green Mountain Club is asking hikers to refrain from hitting the trails that are muddy until they firm up, usually by Memorial Day weekend.

Staying off muddy trails will protect fragile areas and prevent erosion.

The Green Mountain Club and trail volunteers work throughout the warmer months to repair trail damage as well as perform preventative maintenance.

Hiking when the trails are muddy can set back efforts, causing more damage and negating previous work.

And the higher elevations are where the trails will remain muddy the longest. It’s possible to start out on a dry trail that quickly becomes a mud bog.

Some hikers will try to skirt muddy areas by walking on the vegetation on either side, causing the hole to widen and increase the size of the problem.

Fortunately, there are plenty of lower-elevation hikes that offer early-season hiking opportunities ranging from dirt roads to recreation paths.

A list of possible hikes can be found on the Green Mountain Club’s Web site at http://www.greenmountainclub.org/.

Check with the Vermont State Parks, the nearest U.S. Forest Service ranger district office or the local municipality for suggestions and warnings about trails under each jurisdiction.

Some areas should be avoided, including Camel’s Hump, Mount Mansfield, Stratton Mountain, Killington Peak, Jay Peak, and Lincoln Ridge from Mount Ellen to the Appalachian Gap.

Also avoid high-elevation conifer forests, sticking to hardwood forests at lower elevations and south-facing slopes will dry sooner than northern exposures.


Pine Hill Park
The Pine Hill Park folks are back at it with a slate of work days to improve the trails.

The first public work day is set for 9 a.m. Sunday, April 26. Work will focus on the front entrance area and back to Elephant Rock.

Pack some cookies to share if you’d like and organizers say chocolate bribes might be available for those who show up.

The second work day is set for 9 a.m. May 16 with the focus on hauling in lumber for bridge projects followed by trail work on Lonely Rock and Strong Angel trails.


ATV club grant
The Birdseye Mountain ATV Club has announced it has received a $10,000 trail grant from the Polaris TRAILS Committee of Polaris Industries.

The grant will be used to improve Trail No. 2 up to Betsy’s Balcony and build a new trail across the top of the Birdseye Mountain ridge towards the Dome.

The new trail will be called “Polaris Run.”

The ATV club hopes to have Polaris Run ready by July 18.


Half marathon
A new half marathon is set for April 26.

The Middlebury Maple Run — The Sweetest Half is scheduled to kick off at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 26, from Porter Medical Center.

The USA Track & Field-certified course will feature traffic control and water stations until 12:30 p.m., after which runners continue at their own risk.

Runners registered by April 15th will get a free T-shirt.

The race will award the first-place male and female finisher in open and master divisions, as well as three places in six age groups.

A pre-race pasta buffet will be held 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. the previous night and registration and packet pickup is at 6 to 8 p.m. The cost for the buffet is $12.99.

For more information, log on to http://www.addisoncounty.com/ and click on the link at the bottom, right part of the screen, or call 388-7951, ext. 2.


Floyd Landis
The 2009 Tour of the Battenkill will be held April 18-19 with one high-profile rider scheduled to compete.

Floyd Landis, who won the Tour de France only to be stripped of the title after testing positive for a banned substance, is set to compete with Team OUCH out of Oakland, Calif., after sitting out his two-year ban and having hip-resurfacing surgery.

In all, 22 professional teams are scheduled to compete in the professional invitational event. Dubbed “America’s Queen of the Classics,” the Tour of the Battenkill boasts a 124-mile course with 16 dirt sections beginning in Cambridge, N.Y.

In all, more than 2,000 racers are expected for the two-day event, which organizers claim makes it the largest road cycling race in the United States.

For more information, log on to http://www.tourofthebattenkill.com/.

Darren Marcy is a local outdoor enthusiast. His Web site is www.DarrenMarcy.com. E-mail him at darren@darrenmarcy.com.

The Great Hook-Baiting Scandal

Saturday is the trout season opener in Vermont, a holiday of sorts for hard-core anglers who have waited all winter for the chance to drown a worm with the hope of landing a rainbow, brown or brookie.

Also, Gov. James Douglas and Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche will celebrate the season opener at 11:30 a.m. at Marshfield Reservoir fishing access area, 2 miles east of the village on Route 2.

There will be youngsters on hand along with their parents or mentors. Douglas and Laroche will be fishing with them and coaching the young anglers as well as talking about the importance of fishing in Vermont.

Let's just hope there isn't a repeat of last year's hook-baiting scandal.

A year ago, I watched footage of Douglas fishing on opening Saturday on the evening news. At one point, I was amazed as the governor reeled in his line, raised his rod and swung his bare hook back toward a man wearing a Fish and Wildlife shirt who promptly baited his hook for him.

I later found out this was Laroche.

I was amazed and told Rutland Herald outdoor editor Dennis Jensen knowing he would get a chuckle out of it. When I told Jensen, he was more than amused. He wrote a column about it, which spread far and wide. Douglas ended up being vilified in several national publications.

Mr. Laroche, please leave the governor's hook alone.

Governor, put your own worm on. You should also be prepared. What if you accidentally catch a fish? You wouldn't want to embarrass yourself in front of all those kids.

What Direction Will This Blog Take?

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the purpose of this blog.

For a while now, I've been regurgitating news that I thought to be interesting, or maybe even useful.

But it struck me. I'm doing something that others are already doing, and, in fact, they're doing it better. (Look for a post soon on what I believe to be some of the best sources for regular -- daily -- outdoor news on a countrywide scale.)

So, I'm thinking, what can I offer that isn't already out there in several locations?

The quick and dirty answer is my opinion. Nobody else is printing my opinion on things, or sharing with the world news about my successes and failures as an outdoor writer.

That's the direction I'm going to be leaning. Until I get it figured out for sure, I'd expect fewer offerings here than what I've been posting.