Drs. Kerry Reese and Mike Schroeder fish with Jake Wilhelm and they also spend countless hours teaching Jake to identify birds and other outdoor skills.
Drs. Kerry Reese and Mike Schroeder fish with Jake Wilhelm and they also spend countless hours teaching Jake to identify birds and other outdoor skills.
JACK CONNELLY PHOTO
John Connelly, my dad and mentor, developed his outdoor skills in the backwoods of Maine long before I was born.
COURTESY JACK CONNELLY
Local sportsmen mentor young archers during an archery shoot.
Two of my grandkids graduate from high school next year. What will they do with their lives?
This question caused me to ponder my life experiences. I’ve been a professional biologist for over 40 years. The awards on my office wall suggest I’ve had some success in my career. I’ve been an avid angler, hunter, and outdoorsman for much longer. The contents of our freezer indicate some proficiency in those pursuits.
My hobbies and career choice, as well as the successes I’ve enjoyed, were no accident. More than anything else, they were the result of three early mentors — my father, John Connelly, Mr. Francis Dingle, and Mr. Art Crelan.
My early mentors were members of “The Greatest Generation.” Two were carpenters and one was a factory worker. They were all friends, but not close friends. They had two things in common: a love for the outdoors and a willingness to teach skills and an appreciation of nature to us kids.
My father gave me my first bird identification book and my first fly tying kit, first three fishing poles, and first .22 rifle. On every trip, he made my brother and I stop on the hike back to the car after an evening’s fishing to listen to whippoorwills calling. He taught me how to catch and clean fish, row a boat, care for a bird dog, and identify birds and trees. Mr. Crelan taught me the fundamentals of trapping, and that outdoor adventures often involved strenuous effort. Mr. Dingle taught me how to hunt for ruffed grouse and rabbit as well as ice fishing and ice safety. Together, they taught my friends and I that success comes from hard work and perseverance, as well as three important values: ethics, woodsmanship, and an appreciation for nature.
I grew up in southern New England. At that time there was an abundance of small game (deer were very rare) and good fishing. Even though much of the land was private, access was easily obtained and there were many places to hunt and fish.
Today, even here in the west with abundant public lands, access to prime hunting and fishing areas can be difficult. Large numbers of hunters and anglers and numerous declining fish and game populations discourage many young folks from pursuing outdoor-related hobbies.
More than ever, mentors are needed to inspire and guide newcomers. Whether we’re talking a seven-year-old that would like to go fishing, a high school kid interested in deer hunting, or an adult that would like to try their hand at fly fishing, someone needs to teach them the skills and values that can result in success and safety in outdoor pursuits.
Fish and wildlife agencies admonish us to “take a kid fishing” but much more is needed. A successful mentor is committed to teaching individuals how to do things, not just bring them to a “Take Me Fishing” trailer, borrow some fishing equipment, and then stand by while a kid may or may not catch a hatchery trout. This is certainly better than having a child play video games but it’s not true mentoring.
Mentoring takes time, commitment, and knowledge to share. When I was young, I read all about trapping, but making a proper set that resulted in trapping a muskrat was only possible because Mr. Crelan took the time to show me how to do it and explain why it worked.
When I got married and went off to graduate school all of my early mentors were there, even though it was a 300-mile drive one way. They came to wish my new wife and I well and to impart a last bit of wisdom and encouragement. Those are the kinds of mentors needed today.
Jack Connelly has lived in Bingham County for over 40 years. He is an avid outdoorsman and has hiked, camped, hunted, and fished over much of the U.S. as well as parts of Europe and Asia. Connelly worked as a biologist for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game for over 30 years. He now enjoys retirement with his wife Cheryl raising chickens and bird dogs at their home in Blackfoot.
