Learning from the Experts

Today we were able to gather for our 4H Photography group.  This might be our last meeting for the year, so I wanted to finish strong.  We talked about careers related to photography (see list below).  Many photography-related jobs do require a degree from a college or art institute. However, many successful photographers are self-taught. Internships can provide hands-on experience, and some companies are willing to do training for some photography-related positions.

To go along with this discussion, I was able to have the editor of our local daily paper talk to the group about photojournalism.  It was great to learn about this career from someone who started out in the business at such a young age.    Mr. Andy is also from the area so it gave these budding photographers a good perspective. He told the 4Hers how he started out at 16 years old writing about his beloved sports hobby.  He would report on high school games he was attending.  This is also when he began taking pictures for his stories.

He then talked about his college career and how he was so glad to return to his hometown to work for the newspaper where he began.  He is now the editor of this local paper, but his reporting days have not ended. He still loves to go to the local games to report the scores.  He also listens to police reports and attends events in the area to report in the news.

He showed us pictures from his portfolio.  These included several sporting events, a holiday ballet, and even a special trip to New York he took with his son.  He also was kind enough to share with us some unpublished photos that will be used in upcoming articles for the paper.  He showed us how important it was to show emotion in the photos to tell a good story.  His vacation photos were used to show us how you can tell a story without words.  He told us that his ballet photos were some of the best he had taken in his career!

We spent the rest of the time asking him various questions about his career.  He was very open with us and did a great job of answering all of the questions the 4Hers had for him.  Even though he told the 4Hers it was not likely any of them would have the opportunity to join his staff in high school (as he had done), he did tell them that he took help from the local community college.  He also told them that there was always the opportunity to submit citizen photos of events (but this would need to be done promptly to be newsworthy)

It was a great experience for our group and we were very thankful for the opportunity.

We ended the meeting with the final discussion of photo-related careers.  I gave the group an assignment to choose one of the careers and try 'being' that person.  They should take a picture that would be taken in that career sometime in the next month.  I look forward to seeing the careers chosen and their related photos!

Here are some of the options they might choose:

Photographer's Assistant

You can start in this field by becoming a photographer's assistant or apprentice. An assistant may be asked to perform duties such as carrying, setting up and breaking down equipment, as well as proofing photos and submitting orders for processing.

Photojournalist

If you crave excitement and do not mind deadlines, become a photojournalist. As a photojournalist, you may be employed by a newspaper, magazine or news agency to take photos of fires, accidents and other news and sporting events. Knowledge of digital photography is essential.

Freelance Photographer

If you want the freedom to determine your own work schedule, consider becoming a freelance photographer. You will have the potential to make more money, perhaps by selling your work through photo stock agencies or on a contract basis to news agencies.

Commercial Photography

Commercial photographers take pictures of various things, such as products, architecture and models for advertising and product development purposes. You will need additional equipment such as lighting and magnifying accessories.

Forensic Photographer

Forensic photographers obtain photographic evidence with highly specialized equipment such as ultraviolet and infrared photography and optical microscopes. They also use video equipment.

Still Photography Specialist

As a Still Photography Specialist, you will play an integral part in the Air Force communications strategy. After attending an intense 12-week training course on the intricacies of photography, you will begin your role in documenting Air Force activities. You will shoot everything from portraits to mission aerial shots. Your assignments will change often and can take you around the world, so you will face new challenges every day.

Photo Editor

Some newspapers and magazines hire photo editors who review photos for publication and make technical corrections such as adjustments in resolution, size, color and contrast using photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop.

Television, Video, and Motion Picture Camera Operators and Editors      

Workers acquire their skills through on-the-job or formal postsecondary training.  Operate television, video, or motion picture camera to photograph images or scenes for various purposes, such as TV broadcasts, advertising, video production, or motion pictures.

Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators          

A decline in employment is expected as digital photography becomes commonplace.  Most receive on-the-job training from their companies, manufacturers' representatives, and experienced workers.  Job opportunities will be best for individuals with experience using computers and digital technology.  Perform precision work involved in photographic processing, such as editing photographic negatives and prints, using photo-mechanical, chemical, or computerized methods.

Portrait Photographer

Portrait photography is a more specialized form that requires artistic flair. Most portrait photographers are largely self-employed so business skills are necessary to keep a studio running. There are no educational requirements to be called a professional photographer. The ability to take pictures that people are willing to buy is the key to success in this genre.

Industrial or Commercial Photography

Commercial or Industrial photographers work in different areas of media, such as books, catalogs or advertisements. Subjects vary from buildings to cars to landscapes. These images are usually captured on location so the ability to travel is a job requirement. Training and degree requirements vary as most positions are filled by freelancers in this occupation.

Studio Photography

Studio photographers, also known as portrait photographers, specialize in posed pictures of people. They often focus on specific types of events, such as weddings, parties or school photos. They work either in their studio or on location. Many studio photographers own their business and oversee sales and marketing, billing, hiring and supply purchases. Plus, they must be organized to keep up with scheduling and record keeping.

Commercial Photography

From buildings to couture dresses, commercial and industrial photographers take pictures of diverse subjects. Their work appears on the covers and pages of magazines and catalogs, and in corporate and consulting reports. Commercial photographers include engineering, architectural, advertising and fashion photographers. An engineering photographer, for example, captures photos of factory equipment for operating manuals. An advertising photographer clicks images of products for marketing and promotional campaigns. Architectural and landscape photographers take pictures of buildings and land, sometimes from the air in a plane or helicopter.

Other Fields

Photographers also work in a variety of lesser-known fields. Scientific photographers use microscopes to capture scientific or medical images. University photographers work for larger four-year colleges, taking portraits of students, professors, buildings or events for press releases and school publications. Fine art photographers sell their work to galleries, consumers, interior designers, community centers and other organizations. Among all photographers, fine art photographers have the most creative freedom, but because they sell work piece by piece, they need business management skills.

Fashion Photographer

Glamour Photographer

Wildlife Photographer

Throughout the time we were at the meeting, Henry took different perspective shots.  Here are some of  my favorites:

Where Does the Time Go?

I cannot believe I have missed posting several events over the last few days!

Here is the post I should have sent out two weeks ago about our WHEP meeting.  We met to talk about Black Bear and Northern Raccoon.


Black bear 

General information 
Black bears primarily use mature deciduous or mixed deciduous/coniferous forest interspersed with early successional openings containing soft mast. Young regenerating stands, shrub thickets with dense brushy cover, and riparian corridors are also used. They are generally secretive and avoid human contact; however, black bears are highly adaptable and may occur in and around human dwellings and be¬come problematic, especially if food is available. Black bears are primarily nocturnal, but may be seen anytime during the day. They hibernate in winter (even in warm climates like Florida and Louisiana) and have large home ranges (several square miles) that vary based on sex, age and/or time of year (breeding season, fall for¬aging areas, denning habitat). In general, adult male home ranges (up to 50 square miles) are much larger than female home ranges. Solitary females and females with cubs have consider¬ably smaller (15 square miles) home ranges. Black bears are omnivorous, however more than 90 percent of their diet consists of vegetative matter. Liberalizing or restricting females in the harvest influences population growth. Regulation of bear population densities is influenced by public tolerance toward bear/human conflicts, property damage, livestock and agricultural damage, and the desire to see bears.

Habitat requirements
Diet: spring food sources are typically scarce and consist of early developing plants such as skunk cabbage, squaw root, grasses and insects; occasionally, small to medium-sized mammals such as deer fawns and young livestock (calves and lambs) are preyed upon; during summer and early fall, a variety of soft mast such as blackberry, blueberry, serviceberry, black cherry and pokeweed are important; during late fall, acorns, beechnuts, hickory nuts and other hard mast, as well as field corn and soybeans, help bears prepare for hibernation; when natural foods are scarce, bears may wander near human residences and feed on bird seed, dog/cat food and other food scraps
Water: free-standing water is used for drinking; spring seeps and other shallow water sources are used to cool off and get away from biting insects; water is seldom a limiting factor since black bears have such a large home range
Cover: mature hardwood or mixed hardwood/conifer forests for foraging; brushy areas and young regenerating forest for loafing and escape; early successional openings primarily for foraging, usually for soft mast; rock crevices, excavations, hollow trees, dense mountain laurel/rhododendron thickets for hibernation

Wildlife management practices

• Decrease Harvest: may be necessary when additional bears are desired and hunting pres¬sure may be limiting growth
• Forest Management Techniques: forest regeneration, especially clear-cut and shelterwood methods, creates dense escape and loafing cover for bears; an abundance of soft mast (pokeweed, blackberry, huckleberry, blueberry) is usually available in recently regenerated stands; timber stand improvement practices can lead to increased hard mast production if quality trees are retained in the stand, and can stimulate groundcover, which usually increases soft mast production
• Increase Harvest: where populations can sustain additional hunting pressure for recreation and/or where populations need to be lowered
• Leave Grain Unharvested: strips of corn, grain sorghum/soybeans should be left standing, especially adjacent to escape cover, to provide food close to cover
• Manage disturbance: Prescribed fire can stimulate groundcover and soft mast and maintain Stages 3 and 4 
• Plant/Manage Food Plots: where available food may be limiting, forage and grain plots may be planted to provide additional nutrition
• Plant Shrubs: crabapple, high-bush blueberry, hawthorn, wild plum and elderberry can be planted within forest openings where soft mast is lacking; this can also 
• help maintain Stage 4
• Plant Trees: apple, pear, cherry, persimmon and dogwood are suitable choices to provide additional soft mast
• Tillage Management: eliminate tillage in the fall to provide additional waste grain during winter, especially when adjacent to Stages 4-6
• Wildlife Damage Management Techniques: may be needed if bear-human conflicts occur in agricultural or urban settings

Northern raccoon

General information
Raccoons are very common throughout most of the U.S., except in certain parts of the Rocky Mountains, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Raccoons are found in a variety of vegetation types but are usually most abundant near riparian areas and wetlands. They are also found in urban areas. Raccoons den in hollow trees, burrows under stumps or brushpiles, or in chimneys, at¬tics and crawl spaces of houses and buildings. They are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of foods. Raccoons can become pests in urban areas and in wetlands where waterfowl nesting is important. Raccoons have also been identified as major predators on game bird nests and young game birds. In such cases, wildlife damage management or increased harvest may be necessary.

Habitat requirements
Diet: crayfish, birds, eggs, small mammals, insects, lizards, snakes, worms, fish, carrion, grains, seeds, hard and soft mast and foods prepared for human and pet consumption
Water: require water frequently during warm seasons
Cover: riparian areas, bottomland hardwoods and along other wetlands; natural tree cavities are used for denning and daytime loafing; also dens in ground burrows under stumps, brush and junk piles, old abandoned buildings and rocky cliffs and ledges

Wildlife management practices

• Decrease Harvest: if hunting pressure is limiting population growth where an increase is desired 
• Establish Field Buffers: to increase usable space for prey around row crop fields
• Forest Management Techniques: forest regeneration and timber stand improvement can stimulate soft mast production and cover for prey; relatively large snags with cavities should be retained when implementing for¬est management
• Increase Harvest: where populations can sustain additional hunting or trapping pressure for recreation and/or where populations need to be lowered for various reasons
• Leave Grain Unharvested: especially cornfields adjacent to bottomland hardwoods and riparian areas
• Manage disturbance: prescribed fire is recommended to rejuvenate old decadent wetland vegetation; prescribed fire and disking can maintain Stages 2 and 3; prescribed fire, herbicide applications and chaining are recommended to revert Stage 4 and Stage 5 to Stages 2 and 3; grazing management should prevent livestock from degrading riparian areas and other wetlands; this may include development of livestock watering facilities in uplands to discourage congregation in and overuse of riparian areas
• Plant/Manage Food Plots: annual grain food plots, especially corn 
• Plant Shrubs: where soft mast is lacking and to provide corridors across large areas of Stages 2 and 3
• Plant Trees: especially in riparian areas and adjacent to wetlands where few trees are present; maintain approximately 50 percent deciduous forest cover; maintain forested riparian corridors
• Create Snags: relatively large dead trees with cavities can provide denning sites
• Tillage Management: eliminate fall tillage of grain crop residue adjacent to cover to make waste grain available as an additional food source
• Water Control Structures: to control water levels and provide water less than 2 feet deep and stimulate emergent vegetation and enhance habitat for prey
• Water Developments for Wildlife: shallow impoundments can provide a water source and additional wetland habitat
• Wildlife Damage Management: may be necessary if raccoons invade garbage cans, occupy residences or buildings, or prey upon poultry; exclusion is cost-effective; cultural modification such as using wildlife-proof trash cans is effective; trap and euthanize is most effective for problem raccoons

In between animals, we had a fun hands on activity to demonstrate the carrying capacity of Black bear in a habitat.  We then discussed a scenario related to a national park for these animals.

Youth Fair 2013

Spent the week at youth fair.  We took it slow this year and only spent one day at the fair because of other family commitments.

The day before (late into the night) the cookie show at the fair, our boys were busy in the kitchen.  Sean chose to showcase our own honey with Honey Cookies.  He actually tried several recipes before going back to his original recipe!  He stayed positive through the time and the cookies did not go to waste.  Even those that were not so good were crumbled into a new flour mix to make a coffee cake fro breakfast!  I hate to see a cookie (even a bad one) go to waste!




Edward chose a technically challenging recipe for his age.  As he told me, "This is not your drop and bake cookie recipe!"  He made Checkerboard Cookies, and he had to make two dough mixes and form strips that were put together with 'milk glue' to create the desired look.  There were several steps to his cookie and he had a lot of wait time in between steps.  He spent most of the day in the kitchen, but had a lot of fun.  However, I think he might go back to drop cookies next year!  LOL!

Edward did learn an important lesson in cookie baking (actually in cookie mixing).  He put the dry ingredients together and then added the wet ingredients.  He quickly learned this makes a crumbly mess!  However, little Brendan took advantage of the situation to make his own creation.  He was able to make a big sheet cookie with chocolate chips sprinkled over the top.  Bad part for Mom...he then thought he was showing cookies at the fair!  Oh...I spent most of the day trying to explain that he would not be old enough until NEXT year!!!  He thought I meant next time we went to the fair and was so upset when her forgot his cookie!  So cute and so ready to be BIG!  Proud of him for spending good time in the kitchen with his brothers!

Henry waited patiently throughout the day...watching his other brothers bake.  He waited until they were all in bed and came out to make his Wooden Spoon Cookies.  He wanted the cookies to be as fresh as possible and he needed the kitchen to be clear of everyone else so he could concentrate.  He had to bake a thin layer of cookie on a pan and then take them out and roll the cookie while it was still hot onto a wooden spoon.  He actually learned after several attempts to give the cookies about 30 seconds of cool time before rolling made a nicer cookie, but even with that cool time his fingers were burnt by the time he had his dozen cookies for show!  He persevered and got the cookies done at midnight!  Worn out he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow!

While the boys were showing their cookies, I had the opportunity to sit with  some of the other 4H moms.  We talked about our commitment to the program and how much work was put in behind the scenes.  It is all worth it to see the 4Hers succeed.

I learned a lot about livestock.  I know it is a great program for the youth who are interested, but I am so glad our boys are NOT interested in this aspect of 4H.  It takes a lot of work and time, but most of all those large animals would scare me to death.  The stories told about training the bulls to 'behave' for show....no thank you!  LOL!  Our children chose well...sticking with showing food and art is a much tamer prospect!

Henry also turned in a photo of a pumpkin patch he took last fall.  It was a good picture but was very grainy when it was blown up into an 8x10.  Maybe he can try a story board arrangement next year.

I wish I could have been there for all of our youth, but here are a few pictures from our time at the fair.

Congratulations to the following for their achievements at the Youth Fair!

Ana - Best of Show - drawing
Kevin - Best of SHow - picture
Edward - 3rd place - cookies
Henry - Red Ribbon - cookies, White Ribbon - Photo
Sean - Blue Ribbon -  cookies
James - 2nd place - photo
Brianna - Blue - yeast rolls, 3rd - scarf

Kaleigh - 2nd place - cookies (with our other 4H friend, Erin, who had Best of Show cookies!)

So proud of all our talented group of 4Hers!  They did a great job!  I look forward to adding the others who completed projects at the fair!  I am sure I am missing some of the other talented work from our youth!

American Kestrel

We had WHEP practice earlier this week.  I got sidetracked with some family business but I wanted to make sure to get this information for those who are trying to practice and remember what we covered.

We talked about the American Kestrel as our focal species.  Straight from our manual we learned:


General information 
American kestrels are found year-round throughout the U.S. Kestrels use Stages 2 and 3 for feeding, and Stages 4, 5 and 6 for roosting and nesting. Kestrels use both natural and arti¬ficial cavities for nesting. They eat small mam¬mals, other birds and insects.

Habitat requirements
Diet: primarily insects and small mammals as¬sociated with open areas
Water: obtain necessary water from diet and do not need water for drinking
Cover: nest in tree cavities and other sites in¬cluding holes in cliffs, canyon walls and arti¬ficial nest boxes

Wildlife management practices
Establish Field Buffers: to increase cover for prey around row crop fields

Establish Native Grasses and Forbs: where necessary to provide increased early suc¬cessional habitat for prey; Stages 2 and 3 should be interspersed with Stages 5 and 6

Forest Management Techniques: forest regen¬eration will provide open areas for hunting for a couple of years

Manage disturbance: prescribed fire, chaining and herbicide applications are recommend¬ed to maintain Stage 4 and stimulate Stages 2 and 3; grazing management should leave enough herbaceous canopy to support in¬sects and small rodents; grazing manage¬ment should maintain trees in riparian areas

Nesting Structures: where adequate nesting cavities are lacking; boxes can be placed on fence posts in open areas

Plant Shrubs: in large open areas on idle lands for cover for hunting prey

Plant Trees: for future perching sites and cavi¬ties for nesting

Create Snags: for perches, nest cavities and a food source (insects)

Tillage Management: will facilitate hunting prey when waste grain is available

Then we went outside and talked about vertical structure (understory, midstory , and overstory/canopy), arrangement & interspersion, and edge.  I used the 4Hers to show the different levels of the vertical structure.  I think they enjoyed the interacting.  Hopefully, we will be able to do this more as we go to different parks with more area.  We also hope to have the back area of the museum again soon.  We were able to discuss the edge of the plant succession (hard edge and soft edge) during this time using the museum property as well.

We ended with the group analyzing the use of the museum grounds for American Kestrel.  This was pretty far-fetched but it was a good scenario for them to see the difference between the aerial map features and actual land conditions.

This is the scenario created for the museum grounds:


Scenario:
Wooded park and museum on the outskirts of a small city is looking to encourage the sightings of American Kestrel on their property.  There have been sightings of this species on other properties near the museum, but not in the park area.

The director of the property has discussed the future plans to remove sections of the wooded area behind the museum.  There is an open field on the adjacent property.   There is also a seasonal creek on the outer edge of the property.

There were a lot of great ideas to incorporate the American Kestrel on to this property.  I gave the group the homework of placing this information on a map of the property.  I am looking forward to seeing what they remember from the lesson.

Story Boarding

In my desire to stay off the computer for the next few weeks, I almost forgot to mention a fun learning experience our Photography project had this week.  We all met at the local library to talk about story boarding.  We had a small group of seven and we talked about how sometimes a story could not be told in 1000 words as the saying goes...there might be a need for a few more pictures to give a more accurate account of the event or subject.

This is what we learned:

A storyboard is a visual representation of a story from beginning to end. Storyboards are used in television, film and video as a panel-by-panel blueprint for the final product. Photography storyboards act as unique representations of an event, person or place. When you make a photo storyboard, you panel several different pictures to bring together a unified theme. With photography software, you can make professional photo storyboards, print them to size, frame and hang them on your walls.
Before creating your photo storyboard you must first decided on the size. If this is just for web and blog only then the size really does not matter, however if your purpose is to have this printed then you will need to take into considerations what printing sizes are available to you through you local photo print lab.

Things needed:
Photoshop (elements or any of the CS series)…not necessary but helpful…there are free programs such as gimp that can do this also.

Hi-resolution photos (any quantity, but photos should be around 300dpi)

When collecting photos to use in a storyboard you want to be sure that they all relate to each other, or there is a common theme in which you can connect each one together (i.e. birthday, bath time, Easter, summer vacation, etc.)

Here are several websites....some have information about formatting and others are given just to look at examples.   Pay close attention to the flicker site for great examples...especially notice the rugby photo...a new way of creating a storyboard is to blend several photos into one.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/multiphotostoryboards/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2009/09/how-to-make-your-own-storyboards/

http://denenebrox.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-create-photo-storyboard-with-pre.html

http://lollyjane.com/create-a-storyboard/

http://www.ehow.com/how_8653712_make-photo-storyboard.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_8352761_create-storyboard-powerpoint.html

http://learningppt.com/heres-a-free-easy-way-to-create-a-storyboard/

http://thedailydigi.com/tag/photographer-storyboard/

http://www.facebook.com/storyboardpix

http://denenebrox.blogspot.com/2012/12/photography-storyboard-templates.html

After the information was given to the group, they were asked to find a story to tell within the library.  I thought that was pretty clever but I am not sure if anyone got the pun....oh I now know I am glad I did not choose the path of a comedian!  The 4Hers came back with several interesting ideas.  Their homework was to take the photos collected and create a story board to show the group next month.  It should be fun to see what they design!

American Robin Review

We spent our WHEP meeting reviewing the American Robin for the contest.  After being at the WHEP practice over the weekend, I think we will have a similar format each time we meet.  The idea is to focus on one type of animal each time along with the habitat requirements, management techniques and a scenario that relates to that focal species.

Today that meant learning about the American Robin.  I picked this animal because most of us are familiar with it.  We can all spot a robin with little trouble.  Also, the needs for a robin are straight forward.  We also talked about plant succession...moving through the six stages-bare ground to mature forest.

I think looking at a species plan for one animal at a time is helpful practice that will prepare us for the contest.  We went over the plan together, but everyone was given a little "homework" to create a plan given the scenario.  These will be brought to the meeting next week to be discussed.

This is what we learned today (straight out of our WHEP manual):

General information

American robins use a wide assortment of vegetation types, from mowed grassy areas to forested areas. In urban areas, robins use large open areas and nearby trees and shrubs. Parks, golf courses and lawns in residential areas are attractive to robins. They are found throughout North America, though they may migrate out of northern latitudes during winters with sustained cold and snow. Robins build a nest of grass and mud on a tree or shrub limb, but will occasionally nest on building ledges. Robins spend considerable time on the ground feeding on earthworms,  but also will perch on branches to eat berries, fruit and insects.

Habitat requirements

Diet: insects and worms in warm seasons; soft mast from shrubs and trees in winter; seldom use artificial feeders

Water: require water daily in warm seasons; obtain water from low-lying areas, ponds, even yard irrigation and rain-filled gutters

Cover: shrubs, evergreen trees, and deciduous trees used for nesting and escape; evergreen trees often used for early nests

Wildlife management practices

Manage disturbance: prescribed fire, disking, grazing and mowing can be used to set back succession and improve structure for robins

Mowing: can be used to maintain suitable structure for robins in urban areas (really a part of the techniques above!)

Plant Shrubs: for soft mast; examples might include dogwoods, hollies, golden currant and winter berry 

Plant Trees: both deciduous and evergreen; where nesting sites may be limiting

Water Developments for Wildlife: birdbaths and pans of water can be provided in urban ar­eas; do not place water in areas where cats can catch the birds; cats should be removed

This was the scenario we used:


City Park Scenario
The park manager would like to increase the habitat for the American Robin at the city park.  During recent bird watching events, the numbers have been down from previous years.    The area represented on the map is accurate for current park conditions; however, there are benches not represented along the walking path.  All reasonable solutions are acceptable and cost is not a limiting factor.

Great time for all.  Looking forward to many meetings with this group!

WHEP Practice Contest

We all met together to head to the WHEP practice contest.  We took a good group of participation (Michelle, Sean, Henry, Edward, Brenda, Brianna, Renee, Caitlin, Naomi, Trevor, Trent, Becca, Christie, and Katy).  We began with introductions, which included our park ranger host and the local county extension agent.  Then the contest began...

We were all given a habitat management requirements chart for the four focal species (wild turkey, black bear, northern bobwhite, and mourning dove).  We were told that the chart would be given to us marked with the correct techniques, and we were to circle the correct ones that matched the scenario.  We were also given the conditions for the park about these focal species.  In general, we were told that hunting was not allowed on the park grounds and food plots were not promoted for wildlife in their natural habitat.  We then began our walk around the property.  We stopped along the way to go over the key areas of the property.

Our first stop was at a plot that was mostly covered in yaupon with a few mature trees and a seasonal creek (not acceptable for consistent wildlife use).  We were asked to evaluate the property for wild turkey and black bear.  We were only told that Wild Turkey were scarce and biologists had made call and sight counts in the fall.  Also, also the park was interested in managing the habitat to bring in more for viewing.  The Black Bear had not been seen in several years.

Larry did a great job of allowing us the opportunity to evaluate the land before he presented the "correct" answers.  In this case, the only need for the land was to manage disturbance (e.g. prescribed burn to remove the yaupon and other shrubs...disking and chaining would not have been appropriate because the trees needed to remain) and create water development for wildlife to provide water for the turkeys.  Manage disturbances relates to maintaining a habitat and plant succession at a certain stage of plant succession to provide the habitat for wildlife.  Even if the land is currently at the appropriate level, the need for manging disturbances might be needed to continue a specific need for focal species. We learned that the use of "Forest Management Techniques" was only for areas that need to remove timber (usually for value/profit) in forest area and this would be hinted at directly in a scenario.  Another way of looking at this use is to decide if the loss of habitat was worth harvesting trees OR was the land owner's desire for the tree value more important and the habitat benefit be a bonus to this desire.

Then we answered some questions about the focal species that would be used for the Junior division.  We were told that when answering the Junior questions, we did not need to worry about field conditions for this portion of the contest.  Two of the questions asked about a situation when wildlife was causing trouble on the property.  We learned that when a species is harming human assets (this might include domesticated animals or livestock harmed) the way to mange the species is to have wildlife damage management.  However, when wildlife are hurting other wildlife, the management technique should be to increase harvest (hunting or trapping).

We continued through the trail to the area designated for the Northern Bobwhite.  This area appeared to be suited for this species, but we would quickly learn differently.  We needed to have a wildlife survey performed and manage disturbances (e.g. burn to create larger area).  Also, we leaned that we would NOT use "tillage management" because this practice is used for crop land and not appropriate for a wooded area inside a park.  Larry told us about a publication that explained more about quail habitat that we should try to read..."Maintaining Quail Habitat".  We will try to find this in the near future.

Once again, we answered some questions formatted for Juniors over the same habitat and then moved on to our last scenario.  This time we learned that management for migratory birds (e.g. mourning dove) is difficult because we have no control over their habitat.

We looked out at a field with very tall, dry forbs and we were asked to evaluate the situation for Mourning Dove.  We needed to perform a wildlife survey, and then follow this with managing for disturbance (e.g. mow paths or strips to create open areas with easily accessible cover).  There was also a need for water development for wildlife, since there was no access to water.

By this time everyone was tired from the morning session and hungry!  We made our way back to the picnic tables where we were given a nice BBQ lunch.  We enjoyed the company of all the groups and the younger 4Hers had a playground to enjoy.  The weather had been cold in the morning but had warmed to a comfortable temperature.  It was cloudy but we were all hoping any rain would hold off until after the training.

Larry gave us an introduction to the next portion of the contest.  He assured the 4Hers and adult volunteers that the Wildlife Plan, along with the oral presentation, was a simple process of gathering the needed information and presenting in an orderly fashion.  He would go to great effort to keep this portion of the contest relaxed and enjoyable.  He wants the 4Hers to come into this portion of the contest with the idea that it is a learning process as well as a way to see what they have learned.  Each level of experience (Junior, Intermediate, and Senior) are given a portion of the plan format to use during the contest.  This template to gather information should help to remind the participants of the needs of the plan that should be followed.  Every plan will have the following details:

Plan Background (Focal Species to be managed and Management Objectives of the landowner)-This will come directly from the scenario and should be easily identified.

Plan Development (Habitat Requirements of focal species and Evaluation of habitat)-The first part of this development should come straight from the habitat needs found in our WHEP manual for food, cover, and water.  The evaluation is what we observe in the scenario and in the actual physical observation of the habitat.  This will include what is present in the habitat for each species and what is lacking.

Plan Implementation-This is when the management practices are given for the habitat at its current state to reach the objectives.  his should include how, when, where and the effects (on the habitat and on the species) for each management technique implemented.

Plan Evaluation-This is where we look at how to determine if the plan worked.

Plan Sketch-A drawing of the land that is being managed should be as accurate as possible and include the management techniques used.

So, then we went out to practice what we had learned.  We were told our main objective was to evaluate the pond area of the park for implementing a habitat for Largemouth Bass.  We were told that the population was unknown but some were caught regularly.  A water test revealed that the oxygen, Ph, and temperature of the pond water was adequate for the needs of the fish.  The park had a desire to improve this species to allow for more fishing.  We were then sent out in our groups to observe the habitat.

We had such a large group we decided to split into two sections.  We each went the opposite way around the "mile" path that circled the pond.  We observed the water level, clearness of the water, and plants as we made our way around.  About half way, the drizzle began and increased until it was a nice rain by the time we made it back to the picnic area (thankfully that was a covered area).  No one seemed to mind the wet too much and we were able to gather information that we thought would be helpful to create a habitat management plan.  We would later find out that we do not know much about managing ponds...but Larry was a great instructor and helped us along the way.

We learned that we should begin with a survey of the population.  Also, the water was actually too clear for the fish population and a fertilizer was needed to promote phyoplankton.  This would provide more food and vegetation growth.  There was also a need to maintain the spillway because we should have observed that the lake edge had several small cave ins and holes that needed repair.  There was also a need for a water control structure because there was not a siphon drain present to lower the water supply.  This is helpful to expand the management options for the pond to make it easier to mange the species.

Then to evaluate the plan implemented there should be a fish survey using fishing records throughout the year.  Then a simple observation of vegetation growth can be used to evaluate the success of the fertilizer.

This review of our plans was a big help in understanding the contest.  We followed this with the wildlife ID and general wildlife knowledge questions.

Then Larry gave us some valuable resources (publications of various animals).

We learned a lot and we are looking forward to updating what we learned with all the information from the other participants.