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"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men...
The last several months served as a replenishing hiatus between hunting seasons. I had a wonderful spring turkey season, only hunting four Saturdays and still connecting on a jake on a beautiful April morning. Still, it would be an understatement to say I found it difficult to wait for the beginning of summer. I was all too aware the job I secured was going to be amazing, and on top of that I found out I was successful in the limited tag draw and would be able to hunt elk in the fall. The anticipation was boiling over and it was all I could do to maintain an air of coolness; summer arrived right when I was at my breaking point. I spent the first week in New Orleans presenting research at a Microbiology conference, but left for my work out west immediately thereafter.
Tissue samples of deer and elk carcasses that I extracted were used for testing of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a neurological disease endemic to Colorado and involving prion infection in cervids (specifically deer and elk). As my knowledge of CWD increased, so did my awareness of its significance to hunting families and the economy and even future of the sport. Witnessing the dedication of those working on the transmissibility and pathogenesis of CWD firsthand was very comforting. It is my hope that hunters will seek to educate themselves about this and other wildlife diseases and conservation issues. If we arm ourselves with knowledge, the opportunities to help fight for that which we love will increase. I was honored to be welcomed as part of the dynamic team of CDOW veterinarians, researchers, and technicians. The sheer beauty of Colorado is breathtaking and it will only be a few short weeks until I am back – this time in pursuit of a wapiti.
Wildlife conservation and sustainable use are not merely scientific jargon. To wholeheartedly love hunting is to joyfully meet the responsibility that comes with the privilege, meaning that we actively seek out ways to contribute to the sport. You have the heart of the hunter. What does that mean to you?
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Because so many "whys" and "ways" of doing things exist, it is crucial we define—if only for ourselves—why exactly it is that we do what we do. Why do you hunt? Taking some time during an off season to determine motives and clarify values is always a good idea. Raise the hard questions and endeavor to tackle them. It will be worth it.
As a Wildlife Technician for the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW), I went wherever I was needed to go and did whatever I was needed to do. My work exposed me to the art of the necropsy, the demands of the wildlife microbiology laboratory, and the unpredictability of the field. Telemetry, tranquilizing game for biopsies, collecting blood for genotyping purposes, and performing nucleic acid extractions were all tasks in which I was involved. I raised and administered medications to orphaned mule deer and whitetail fawns, bighorn sheep lambs, and an elk calf. That elk calf grew like a weed and downed calf bottles like a pro! Very powerful, too! Of course I also learned how to drive a manual transmission truck, and very well, mind you – Colorado mountains are not very forgiving.
There were so many times when I was in the middle of a task in the lab or field and just had to once again breathe in the reality of what I was doing. I was so exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to give my time and energy to contribute to wildlife health.
I am enjoying the privilege of being increasingly involved in big-game management and research and am so thankful that there are such ways to give back to the land and show my appreciation and respect for the creatures that I pursue while hunting. As passionate sportsmen and women, we should be compelled to give of ourselves what we can to being stewards of wildlife conservation. Perpetuating the sport and pastime of hunting includes not only the rearing of new responsible hunters, but also of ensuring a perpetual source of wildlife to view, stalk, harvest, consume, and enjoy. Hunters are a very intelligent and resourceful group of people, and it is crucial that we kindly and affirmatively press on if we are to see the changes we seek come to pass. I desire the privilege of hunting for my children. I will stay involved and do everything I can for this to happen, and I hope you will as well.
