The Eagle Outdoors

So what's the big deal with Daylight Savings Time (DST) nowadays? I'm seeing news story after news story about the depth and breadth of the mental anguish folks are experiencing due to the time change. It's an hour, for Pete's sake; and, it's not like it's something new. In fact, and thanks to Google, I learned that DST was first enacted in March of 1918 "as a World War I measure to conserve fuel by extending evening daylight." It was, she said, "a temporary wartime policy." However, DST was permanently adopted in 1966 by way of the interestingly named Uniform Time Act, which set up standard biannual clock changes.

As a fisherman, I'm a fan of DST. It gives me an extra 60 minutes of daylight for my traditional "one more cast." I don't believe I'm traumatized in any way by the obligation to "spring forward." However, the girl chickens do get up a little earlier, and I lose that hour of sleep. Still, this is insignificant because, thanks to a 14-year-old curvy labrador/German shepherd and three cats who enjoy nothing more than playing NASCAR at 3 a.m., I don't sleep much anyway. That's just me and my take on DST, so let's jump into the great outdoors, shall we?

Vandemore's daughter

Anybody who knows anything about waterfowl hunting knows of Tony Vandemore. For over 20 years now, Vandemore has served as co-owner of Habitat Flats, a waterfowl hunting lodge located in the tiny north-central Missouri town of Sumner. A legend in the industry, the young man built his reputation largely on his innovative take on what's known as the Spring Conservation Order (SCO). This is a special hunting season targeting snow geese primarily during the months of March and April and in the eastern two-thirds of the "Lower 48."

As such, Vandemore's a busy man in the spring; however, he's never too busy to make time for his seven-year-old daughter Victoria, who enjoys nothing more than spending mornings outdoors with her Dad. On Saturday, March 7, the proud papa sent me the picture you see here of a pair of Osceola subspecies wild turkeys that he and Victoria harvested while hunting with Southern Strutters Outfitters near Clewiston, Fla. "She was pumped," Vandemore wrote. "I've doubled with both my girls on Osceolas now. Priceless." Please note that "doubled," in this context, is defined as "two hunters each taking a bird at the same time."

My father started me afield in 1969 when I was five years old. I had no firearm; I was just an observer. That changed in 1972 when I, under the watchful eye of my "Pop," bagged my first wild game, a northeastern Ohio fox squirrel. This year will mark my 54th as a hunter and, during those five decades, I've had many a chance to walk in Vandemore's footsteps and share in the outdoors with a young impressionable mind. Some of you folks don't hunt. Some of you might not "cotton much" to hunters and hunting. It's all good. I, however, wouldn't trade one single second of those 54 years for a mountain of gold. They've been, to quote Mister Vandemore, "priceless." Congratulations to young Victoria on her first Osceola gobbler. Well done!

Sadly and, despite what appears to be 1.27 million seals and sea lions in the mainstem Columbia as of Sunday, March 8, there will be no smelt dipping on the Cowlitz River on Saturday, March 14. My unprofessional opinion, based on the birds and mammals plying the Columbia, is there are smelt in the river. However, given the WDFW has already provided two exceptional mornings of harvest - thanks, in large part, to the efforts of Mother Nature - for a species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act, we might not see another opening in 2026. Still, as of this point, March 18 and March 21 'dips' are both still pending, so there's always hope that we can get those nets wet.

If you're not a member of the Audubon Society, you might give thought to ponying up a mere $25 and joining the Willapa Hills Audubon Society (willapahillsaudubon.org). Julie and I are members, and I love to receive the local chapter's "Willapa Whistler" newsletter four times a year. In this latest spring issue, Ms. Becky Kent notes that the regional Cowlitz/Columbia Christmas Bird Count netted 103 different species and 11,727 individual birds! Ms. Kent notes high counts for several species including wood ducks, Anna's hummingbirds, Cooper's Hawks, Common Ravens, Canada Jays, and Barn Swallows. Not a 'Bird Nerd?' It's never too late nor too early to change!

Until next week, get out and enjoy what Wahkiakum County has to offer. You'll be amazed at what's out there. All you have to do is get outside!