The job shadowing, roving legislator again…in preparation for adding additional this year assignments, I’m catching up and posting older ones.  Enjoy!

 

Last week was a lucky one for me.  I had the opportunity to job shadow two very dedicated individuals – Benton County Conservation Naturalist Karen Phelps and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Game Warden Pat Jorgensen. 

 

My education in conservation and law enforcement to protect our natural resources began with our Naturalist on Friday the 19^th.  Karen organized a field day for Vinton Shellsburg’s 1^st graders at Pleasant Creek State Park.  I had a rocky start when I got lost and drove about 25 minutes around the area before I found them.  But I arrived just in time to rescue a little girl who was supposed to be with the “red” group and we both finally got where we were supposed to be.  Karen had already started.  She was teaching one of the five groups about white tailed deer.  The other four groups were learning about furs, birds, insects and going on a nature walk 

 

White tailed deer.  Wow, she is really knowledgeable about the subject.  We learned, okay me and about 50 1^st graders, learned about why the whitetail is important, why the ears are big, why the nose is wet, why the eyes are on the side of the head, all about antlers (did you know they are alive from May to September and can bleed?), and the difference between a doe and buck.  It was really in depth, but just right for 1^st graders.  Karen is very skilled at tailoring what she is teaching to her audience.  Each group had different questions, some REALLY funny. 

 

The Naturalist does many things, but teaching kids seems to be Karen’s favorite.  My observations on field day, her challenges are tailoring the presentation to each age group, fielding the fun, crazy questions and keeping the kids on task.  She loves her job, you can tell.  She is patient and kind to the students.  Karen said it is rewarding when she’s recognized from year to year and she’s doing what she was meant to do in life.  How great is that?

 

If you see Karen, please thank her for the job she does.  She is teaching our young people the beauties and patterns of nature.   Thank you, Karen!

 

On Saturday, at 6:00 a.m., I met Game Warden Pat Jorgensen at my office.  By 6:15, we were out in the mist waiting for 6:22 a.m. when the duck hunters could begin shooting.  It was really beautiful and the entire day, I saw a different Benton County than the one I know.  He had me all over the place, – checking on fishermen, youth deer hunters and duck hunters.   At one point we were stuck in a hole, another time we had bird shot raining down on us, and he is one heck of a 4-wheelin’ driver, running us through mud, water and fields.  I might’ve squeaked out loud a few times.  I admit it.    

 

Pat’s truck is equipped with all kinds of gadgets.  Some of them are a secret and instrumental in the law enforcement part of his job, but he pulled out a cool scope to attach to my window.  Once it was hooked on, I zoomed in on 2 eagles, 2 herons and some ducks, all in the same area.  One of the herons pulled a fish out of the water and swallowed it whole.  You could see it wiggling all the way down its neck, just like in the cartoons.  Who needs the Nature Channel when you live in Benton County? 

 

After it started warming up, we drove to Pleasant Creek to pick up some materials for the hunter education class we were going to teach.  We went the river way, so we could stop at all the county areas to make sure no shenanigans were going on.  Everyone was behaving.   Pat doesn’t have an office or storage area for all of the stuff he needs for his job.  It’s in many different locations and that would drive me crazy.  I’ll be thinking about a solution for that.

 

We went from Pleasant Creek up to Hawkeye Community College and Pat did a class on Hunter Education.  It was really interesting and he stressed to 120 young people how hunters needed to understand wildlife management, behave ethically and responsibly.  He had a great quote in the class.  “In general, hunter ethics is doing the right thing when no one else is watching – even when doing the wrong thing is legal.” By Aldo Leopold.  That quote could surely be used for more than hunters!  Pat’s colleagues thought my light blue and polka dotted rubber boots were pretty funny.  Yeah…yeah…I can dish it out, so I can take it.  Hey, I was getting shot at!  If I’m going to go, it’s going to be with cute boots!

 

On the way back, I asked Pat to give me a list of his responsibilities, because while we were talking it seemed like his job description was pretty intense.  Listen to this, for one person to do all this – Education of hunters, boaters, ATV operators, snowmobile drivers, certifying instructors, outdoor journey for girls and boys, youth hunter education challenges.  Inspections of ATVs, Bow hunters, Taxidermy, Nuisance Animal Officers, Boats, Game Breeders, Snowmobiles, Fur Harvesters.  Law Enforcement of Ginseng Harvesting, Commercial Turtle Harvesting, Criminal Investigations of hunting incidents, boating incidents and ATVs on water or ice, and water patrol. 

 

With all of that, Pat said he was doing exactly what he’d wanted to do all of his life.  He has been a ranger, ran a state park and became a Conservation Officer in 1992.  He is an “I get to” instead of an “I have to” kind of a person and said the variety in his responsibilities is one of the rewards.  He said county conservationists, like Karen, make his job easier and they work hand in hand to protect our natural resources.  Besides the long list of responsibilities, I would say another challenge of the job would include having to go up and check on people who have guns.  He has to go up and ask for their guns to check what kind of ammunition they are using.  Can you imagine a police officer or sheriff pulling you over and saying, “Ma’am, could I see your registration, insurance card and your pistol?”   Pat has a friendly, respectful manner and many were happy to see him.

 

At about 4:00 p.m., I was dropped off at my office and was beat!  He wore me out!  Please make sure you give your DNR Law Enforcement Officers a thank you when you get a chance.  They are working hard for us. 

 

My quick education in natural resources was very beneficial for me.  I have a new appreciation for our Naturalists and DNR Law Enforcement.  From your State Representative, thanks for all you do!