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Something for Everyone: Public Lands Provide Myriad Opportunities

By Brent Lawrence / Public Affairs Officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region in Portland, Oregon

There’s something awe inspiring about public lands. Perhaps it’s the remoteness of it all, thinking that it’s just you and the wildlife. Or perhaps it’s about the connection to the land.

Whatever the reason, public lands are magical for the people who take advantage of everything these places have to offer.

There are hundreds of millions of acres of public lands managed under the umbrella of the Department of Interior. These include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuges, and lands managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation.

Find your local refuge at www.fws.gov/refuges/

On these lands there a multiple wildlife-related uses, including ranging from hunting and fishing to photography, watching wildlife and outdoor education. More than 101.6 million Americans participated in wildlife-related activities in 2016, according to a new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Outdoor enthusiasts are an economic force in America, generating an incredible $156 billion economic impact in 2016. Forty percent of the U.S. population participated in wildlife-related activities in 2016,” said Robyn Thorson, the Service’s Pacific Regional Director. “Our public lands play an essential role in outdoor recreation, and our team at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accelerating efforts to expand hunting, fishing and other opportunities when compatible with wildlife management goals. Sportsmen and anglers play a huge role in the conservation of wildlife and their habitat, so it only makes sense that refuges provide opportunities for folks to get outside to hunt, fish and enjoy myriad other wildlife-related activities on their public lands.”

On the Service’s 568 National Wildlife Refuges, permissible uses are known as “The Big Six.” It calls for refuges to support wildlife-dependent uses involving hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, interpretation, and education, when compatible, as legitimate and appropriate uses.

Regardless of your preferred use, these are incredible public lands. They’re special. They’re unique at part of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

And they’re yours.

To celebrate National Wildlife Week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region is highlighting the myriad opportunities on your public lands.

Take a look at how some people use their public lands.

Tammy Black of Salem, Oregon

Tammy is a regular user of Oregon’s public lands. With 97 percent of the Willamette Valley privately owned, however, her favorite local spots for a hike are Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge and Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge.

“It is super important to have public lands available. Being able to have the freedom and flexibility to hike and to be out in nature is vital to my regular health and activity,” she said. “We’re so fortunate that we have so many spots in Oregon such as the National Wildlife Refuges, particularly when the Willamette Valley is mostly privately owned. I’m going to Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge today with a friend of mine. She was looking for a place to take some photos and for a quiet walk, so I told her I’d introduce her to Ankeny.”

Tammy also watched the total solar eclipse from Baskett Slough Refuge. Read more about that incredible experience at http://bit.ly/OutshineTheEclipse

Andrew McKean of Glasgow, Montana

It’s an understatement to say that Andrew hunts. As editor of Outdoor Life magazine, he has traveled and hunted all across the world. However, his “home” is Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and the public lands in central Montana.

“I live in an extremely rural area, five hours to the nearest airport and about the same distance to the nearest Costco. But because I'm surrounded by public land, including the glorious Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, I consider everything I really need to be close at hand," Andrew said.

In his article about his epic public land elk hunt in the Missouri Breaks, Andrew wrote:

“I can hunt anywhere in the world, but I keep coming back to the Breaks, usually with my bow and almost always alone. My solitude owes to the remote roughness of the country. … My visitation frequency owes to its proximity; if I leave my house at noon, I can be deep in the Breaks by mid-afternoon. And my fidelity stems from its public ownership. My hunting homeland is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management, so I don’t have to ask anyone for permission to visit.

“The ownership – most of my hunting area is on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge – comes with some restrictions. I cannot possess any rock, artifact, or shed antler I find here. I can’t drive off roads. And because elk permits are issued by draw, I don’t draw an archery bull tag every year. But when I do, I save vacation time and gather gear. My goal is to hike into the heart of the Breaks and camp alone for as long as a week while I hunt elk. Any elk. I’d love to hold out for a mature bull, but I’ll take any cow, calf, or meat bull that gives me a decent shot. This isn’t a trophy hunt; it’s about making meat and reveling in the weird wildness of the Breaks.”

Read Andrew’s whole story at http://bit.ly/AndrewAndTheBreaks

Wil Warren of Portland, Oregon

Wil’s passion is teaching fishing to kids. By partnering with Tualatin National Wildlife Refuge and Ridgefield Refuge, Wil’s goal is to give urban kids the opportunity to go from a simple first cast to a lifetime of angle.

“On the weekends, (my dad) would take me out fishing and that was my time to connect with him,” Wil said. “He would tell me stories and taught me how to fish. … I always wanted to be like him, so here I am giving back what was given to me. We’re introducing youth to fishing (at Tualatin Bird Fest). Are they really fishing? No, but they’re getting the experience of learning of how to use a rod and reel. We hope they get hooked on the outdoor experience and fishing.”

Wil says fishing offers two important things to kids: an opportunity to experience nature, and a diversion from the academic and social pressure that builds on kids and families.

“Smelling the fresh air, seeing the birds fly, the ripples on the water, even the flies … there’s just something about getting outdoors,” Wil said. “You get away from the internet, the television and smart phones. Getting outdoors lets the mind relax. Not just for the children, but for the parents as well.”

To read more about the role our refuges plan in teaching kids about fishing and other outdoor activities, visit http://bit.ly/WishToFish

Rachel Marlowe of Tumwater, Washington

Rachel is an amateur photographer. She got her first point-and-shoot camera five years ago, and it caused her to see nature in a new way. About 2 ½ years ago, she got her first DSL camera, and the shutterbug bit her.

“I really got into wildlife photography,” Rachel said. “I do a lot at (Billy Frank Jr.) Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge and McClain Creek nature trail. This year I’ve been hiking some more public lands in the mountains.

“For me, it’s very important to have public land available. Animals and nature are a big part of who I am, and how I was brought up. Having access to a place such as Nisqually is just amazing. It can be totally quiet and peaceful day one day and you focus on the plants or trees, and the next day there are eagles, deer and finches all around you. For people who like photograph nature, it is important to have those things available.”

Brenda and Keith Krejci, somewhere on public land

Keith and Brenda Krejci have lived in their motor home and traveled the country since November 2005. Along the way, they volunteer at National Wildlife Refuges, Bureau of Land Management, and state parks. They have volunteered across the Pacific Northwest, including the last four years at two Oregon National Wildlife Refuges – Bandon Marsh and Oregon Islands.

“When we decided to retire to a motor home, we knew we wanted to do something other than just travel, spend time in RV parks, and visit attractions. Both Brenda and I were always interested in learning more about wildlife, birds, and history, but work, family, and life in general never gave us the time. And so we decided to give volunteering at try.

“Since (our first experience at Metcalf NWR in Montana), we’ve volunteered at other U.S. Fish & Wildlife locations, Oregon and Washington State Parks, The Nature Conservancy, and the Bureau of Land Management. With very few exceptions, we’ve been welcomed, appreciated, and best of all, educated in a new facet of nature. We’ve become proficient birders, versed in the history of the fisheries of the Western U.S., and amateur naturalists. We’ve led wildlife and nature walks, given evening programs on seals and sea lions, and guided people at Pacific tide pools. But most of all, we’ve had the opportunity to teach children about the wonders of nature as Junior Ranger program hosts.”

In 2016, dedicated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteers in the Pacific Region gave an incredible 230,919 hours of their time to conservation. That is the equivalent of 28,864 eight-hour work days!

To volunteer, contact your local National Wildlife Refuge or Fish and Aquatic Conservation station or hatchery. You can also email our regional volunteer coordinator Chelsea McKinney at [email protected] for more information.

Read more about Keith and Brenda at http://bit.ly/KeithAndBrenda, or more about volunteering at http://bit.ly/FWSvolunteers.

Brogan Madden of Corvallis, Oregon

His smile seems to be as broad as the Willamette Valley, and he flashes it no matter if he’s showing you his latest wildlife photo or his compound bow. Brogan, 13 years old, harvested his first deer with a bow on a recent hunt at Finley National Wildlife Refuge.

“Getting on public lands is a good way to spend time with my family and enjoy the outdoors,” Brogan said. “It’s fun looking at the animals and learning more about them. It’s about seeing them all and everything that’s going on in nature. It makes me happy they let us hunt there. A lot of places won’t let us hunt.”

Brogan’s step-dad, Jeremiah Maghan, noted that public lands are essential to his family time.

“It is extremely important. There’s no other place to go,” Jeremiah said. “This lets you get the kids out of the house and enjoying the outdoors. It’s the greatest thing to see these young kids out there. Being outside in nature builds confidence and self-esteem, and it builds knowledge of the outdoors.”

Peter Pearsall of Newport, Oregon

Peter spends much of his time on public lands. He has worked and volunteered for the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex for the past 2 ½ years, providing many fabulous photographs of wildlife, the refuges (such as Siletz National Wildlife Refuge above) and other public lands.

For him, it’s a way of life.

“I use the Oregon State Parks all along the 320 odd miles of the coast. There are hundreds of parks, refuges and waysides that offer spectacular photo opportunities. You can see the surf, the beach, storms rolling in and the sunsets. Plus on the coastal rocks, which are part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, it’s an incredible opportunity to see the seabirds,” Peter said.

“Every day I end up on some stretch of public land. It is part of what makes the state an amazing place to live and visit. It’s a great example of conservation.”

To see some of Peter’s favorite public land photos and to get some photography tips, go to http://bit.ly/NWRphotography

Rita Poe and Nancy Zingheim of Chimacum, Washington

Rita Poe knew a lot about public lands before she died on Nov. 16, 2015. Nancy Zingheim, on the other hand, knew nothing about these national treasures.

However, their uncommon relationship and Nancy’s role as Rita’s executor after her death put Nancy on an amazing journey that taught her about National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands.

Rita left almost everything – nearly $800,000 – to eight National Wildlife Refuges and four parks across the West. That gift started Nancy on a path that culminated with a 4,000-mile “trip of a lifetime” during which she learned about wild spaces and public lands, and what made them meaningful to Rita.

“She made me realize that we live in nature and there are animals all around us,” Nancy said. “How often do we take time to sit and watch them? I never stopped to realize the little things like when the birds arrive. I do stop and watch the animals now. … Your refuges are quiet and peaceful. If you’ve never been, you should go to a refuge and spend some time there for Rita.”

In the Pacific Region, Rita donated money to Camas, Malheur and Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuges.

Read the whole amazing story at http://bit.ly/RitaLegacy

Kai Pelizza, Portland, Oregon

Sometimes hunting is just a waiting game. It’s about waiting, watching … and then waiting some more.

That’s how Kai Pelizza’s first hunt at Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge worked out. Kai, accompanied by his father Charlie, was taking part in the youth shotgun hunt for antlerless deer at the refuge in August.

“When we first got there in the afternoon, we couldn’t see any deer or anything from the top of the ridge,” said the 17-year-old high school senior. “There was just a little bit of (deer) sign, so we went back to set up camp. By time sun was going down, we went up on top again and saw the deer everywhere.”

It continued like that for the next three days.

“Each day, they were just out of range, and I couldn’t get a good shot off. Finally, on the last day we were walking back along the treeline and saw her there.”

Kai said it was his first time hunting on a National Wildlife Refuge.

“It was really pretty there,” Kai said. “It’s really good to have such a neat opportunity. Without the public lands, there were be a lot fewer opportunities to hunt.”

One of Kai’s fondest memories, however, won’t be of the deer or the refuge, but the time together with his dad.

“One of the coolest things was having my dad there with me. I enjoyed the father-son time to get out there and be alone with him.”

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