Izaak Walton Memories
I was raised by men who loved to hunt yet stewardship for wildlife was instilled deep in my soul ? Stay tuned for Open Range. My grandfather was an avid big game hunter yet some of my favorite memories were sitting on his lap thumbing through the Izaak Walton magazine filled with animals and projects that benefited wildlife habitat. I tagged along when his local Chapter gathered each summer at a lake to build nesting boxes and share hunting tales. Back then I never knew there was a line in the sand between environmentalist, fisherman and hunters, in my world they were one and the same, men like Miles Ten Eyck, “Grandpa” who believed that if you took from the outdoors, you invested the same amount of energy ensuring it would be there for future generations. His beloved Izaak Walton League was formed in 1922 by avid anglers like himself and named after the 17th century author of “The Complete Angler” probably the most famous fishing book. Almost every successful conservation program that America has in place today can be traced to either a league activity or initiative. Yes the Izaak Walton league still exists, but I doubt it holds much appeal for the masses of hunters I see each season sporting motorized decoys, range finders, and four wheelers, whose kids learn the art of hunting from a Cabelas video game. While it’s rare to see a child packing out camp garbage, or protecting nesting habitat, I smile when I do and I give a nod to good parenting and conservation minded mentors like my grandpa.
