Louisiana Outdoor Writes' Association News

[administrator]

The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) will honor the winners of its 2010 Youth Journalism Contest (YJC) at its 65th annual conference held in Covington on Saturday, August 7, 2010. An annual event, the contest focuses on building literacy among outdoor youth while promoting involvement in the outdoors.
Winning entries can be viewed at the LOWA website, www.laoutdoorwriters.com. The Louisiana Chapter of Safari Clubs International (SCI) also publishes the winners in their newsletter.
Students share personal experiences in hunting, fishing, boating, camping, horseback riding, hiking, or any other activities where they engage with nature and the environment. Judges look for literate and enthusiastic work along with photography that captures the essence and spirit of Louisiana.
Prize monies are donated by the Louisiana Chapter of Safari Clubs International, and the Baton Rouge Advocate provided advertising and press releases in the promotion of the contest. First through fourth place winners receive award certificates and cash prizes. The categories are Photography (18 and under), Senior Essay (14-18), and Junior Essay (13 and under).
For more information about LOWA and its membership guidelines visit their website at www.laoutdoorwriters.com.

The 2010 YJC photography winners and their photos:

1st place:
Flight of the Egret
Jacob Thompson, Age 18
Oak Forest Academy
Amite, LA

2nd place:
Louisiana Reflections
Brittany Gosserand, Age 16
St. Michael the Arc Angle High School
Baton Rouge, LA

3rd place:
Louisiana Stream
Emily Winter, Age 12
Home School
Gonzales, LA

Honorable Mention:
Gator Camouflage
Dylan Duvio, Age 15
John Curtis Christian
Kenner, LA


The 2010 YJC Senior Essays 14-18 age group:

1st Place:

2nd Place:

3rd Place:

Honorable Mention:



The 2010 YJC Junior Essays 7 - 13 age group:

1st Place:

2nd Place:


Third Place:


Honorable Mention:

[administrator]

PRESS RELEASE

Winners of the 2009 National Outdoor Book Awards (NOBA) Announced

Please Hold Until Thursday, November 12
Color scans (print quality), an AP style MS Word copy of this release , complete reviews, and other supplementary art work (print or web resolutions) may be downloaded from http://www.noba-web.org/bookrel09.htm. For more information, contact Ron Watters (mailto:wattron@isu.edu)

Quick Summary of Winners. (Some categories have two winners - more details to follow).

History/Biography. Winner. Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley
Outdoor Literature. Winner. Halfway to Heaven by Mark Obmascik
Outdoor Literature. Honorable Mention. Rowboat in a Hurricane by Julie Angus
Design & Artistic Merit Category. Winner. Lars Jonsson's Birds. Illustrations by Lars Jonsson
Classic Award. Winner. Kayak: The New Frontier by William Nealy
Classic Award. Honorable Mention. Appalachian Odyssey by Steve Sherman and Julia Older
Nature and the Environment. Winner. Our Living Earth by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Nature and the Environment. Honorable Mention. Sand: Tthe Never Ending Story by Michael Welland.
Natural History Literature. Winner. Every Living Thing by Rob Dunn
Children's Category. Winner. Whistling Wings by Laura Goering. Illustrated by Laura Jacques.
Children's Category. Honorable Mention. Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
Instructional Category. Girl on the Rocks: A Woman's Guide to Climbing by Katie Brown.
Outdoor Adventure Guidebooks. Winner. Guide to the Green and Yampa Rivers by Duwain Whitis and Barbara Vinson
Outdoor Adventure Guidebooks. Honorable Mention. The Guide to Baja Sea Kayaking by Dave Eckardt
Nature Guidebook. Winner. Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America by Roger Tory Peterson
Nature Guidebooks. Honorable Mention Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West by Dennis Paulson

General Press Release:
2009 NATIONAL OUTDOOR BOOK AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Pocatello, Idaho - A new groundbreaking biography on Theodore Roosevelt is the winner of the history-biography category in this year's National Outdoor Book Awards (NOBA).

Entitled "Wilderness Warrior," the book is by historian Douglas Brinkley.

"No doubt about this one." said Ron Watters, Chairman of the National Outdoor Books Awards. "It's a winner. Not only is Brinkley's book well written and impeccably researched, it sheds new information on Roosevelt's work to protect our nation's outdoor heritage."

"Wilderness Warrior" is one of several winners in the 2009 National Outdoor Book Awards.

The winners of this annual award program represent some of the finest outdoor writing and artwork being published today. The awards program is sponsored by the National Outdoor Book Awards Foundation, Idaho State University and the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education.

Awards are given in ten individual categories.

"The list of this year's winners is as varied as it is impressive," said Watters who is a professor emeritus at Idaho State University. "Brinkley's serious and rigorous historical work is balanced by a light and humorous book on climbing Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks."

The Colorado book is called "Halfway to Heaven" and received top honors in the Literature Category. It is about author Mark Obmascik's dream to climb Colorado's highest peaks.

While most people take years to reach all 54 summits, Obmascik decides to climb all of them in one summer. Obmascik, however, has a problem. He is overweight and utterly out of shape.

Nonetheless, he heads out on a rollicking, non-stop adventure with an all-star cast of eccentrics and fanatics.

The most adventurous story among this year's NOBA winners is "Rowboat in a Hurricane" by Canadian author Julie Angus. In this riveting, true life adventure, Angus and her fiancée set out on a 6,000 mile journey to row across the Atlantic.

It is the same year as Hurricane Katrina and the Atlantic is seething with tropical storms. Their path takes them directly into the storms' midst. "This one will keep you on the edge of your seat," said Watters. "It's truly a book that you won't be able to put down."

Bird watchers will find much to savor among this year winners.

A stunning collection of bird paintings by the master artist and ornithologist Lars Jonsson won the Design and Artistic Merit Category. "Lars Jonsson's Birds" includes sketches, watercolors, oil paintings, lithograph, and commentary by the artist.

A new edition of Roger Tory Peterson's classic field guide, the "Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America" won the Nature Guidebook Category. The book conveniently combines his eastern and western guidebooks into one volume.

And finally little bird lovers, particularly those between the ages of five and nine, will enjoy the winner of the Children's Category "Whistling Wings." It's a sweet bedtime story about Marcel, a young tundra swan who is flying south for the winter.

Complete reviews of these and the other 2009 winners may be found at the National Outdoor Book Award Web site at: www.noba-web.org.

Here is a list of winners.


History/Biography. Winner. "Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America." By Douglas Brinkley. Harper, New York. ISBN 9780060565282
Outdoor Literature Category. Winner. "Halfway to Heaven." By Mark Obmascik. Free Press / Simon & Schuster, New York. ISBN 9781416566991

Outdoor Literature Category. Honorable Mention. "Rowboat in a Hurricane: My Amazing Journey Across a Changing Ocean." By Julie Angus. Greystone Books, Vancouver. ISBN 9781553653370

<>Design & Artistic Merit Category. Winner. "Lars Jonsson's Birds." Illustrations by Lars Jonsson. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 9780691141510
Classic Award. Winner. "Kayak: The New Frontier." By William Nealy. Menasha Ridge Press, Birmingham. ISBN 9780897325899

Classic Award. Honorable Mention. "Appalachian Odyssey: Walking the Trail from Georgia to Maine." By Steve Sherman and Julia Older. Author's Guild, New York. ISBN 9781440115301
Nature and the Environment Category. Winner. "Our Living Earth." By Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Abrams/Books for Young Readers, New York. ISBN 9780810971325

Nature and the Environment Category. Honorable Mention. "Sand: Tthe Never Ending Story." By Michael Welland. University of California Press. Berkeley. ISBN 9780520254374

Natural History Literature. Winner. "Every Living Thing: Man's Obsessive Quest to Catalog Life, from Nanobacteria to New Monkeys." By Rob Dunn. Smithsonian Books. New York. ISBN 9780061430305

Children's Category. Winner. "Whistling Wings." By Laura Goering. Illustrated by Laura Jacques. Sylvan Dell Publishing, Mt Pleasant, SC. ISBN 9781934359303

Children's Category. Honorable Mention. "Operation Redwood." By S. Terrell French. Abrams/Amulet Books, New York. ISBN 9780810983540

Instructional Category. "Girl on the Rocks: A Woman's Guide to Climbing with Strength, Grace and Courage." By Katie Brown. Photos by Ben Moon. Globe Pequot Press/Falcon Guides, Guilford, CN. ISBN 9780762745180

Outdoor Adventure Guidebooks. Winner. "Guide to the Green and Yampa Rivers in Dinosaur National Monument." By Duwain Whitis and Barbara Vinson. RiverMaps, Buda, TX. ISBN 9870981935913

Outdoor Adventure Guidebooks. Honorable Mention. "The Guide to Baja Sea Kayaking." By Dave Eckardt. Paddle Publishing, Eagle, CO. ISBN 97809645839914

Nature Guidebook. Winner. "Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America." By Roger Tory Peterson. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston. ISBN 9780618966141

Nature Guidebooks. Honorable Mention. "Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West." By Dennis Paulson. Princeton University Press. Princeton. ISBN 9780691122816
More information on the awards program is found on the National Outdoor Book Award website at: www.noba-web.org.

[administrator]

Cody Braud Age: 14 St. Amant High School 16319 Stafford Oak Drive 225-236-6655

In 1996, when I was only two years old, my Paw Paw Doc Kennedy caught a fish that had the world talking. A new world record Red Snapper weighing an incredible 50 pounds 4 ounces! Newspapers around the country posted this top story everywhere.
Although he passed away in 2000, he hasn’t been forgotten. Today, I have the privilege of telling people that my Paw Paw caught the world record Red Snapper. Now when I see someone who thinks they have caught a pretty big Red Snapper, I get to tell them what a big Red Snapper really is.
I never stop thinking of him and his fish especially when I round the corner to my room where it is mounted on the wall. We have kept lots of newspaper articles featuring his top catch and now that I’m older I read them once in a while. I love opening the 1996 edition Guinness World Record Book and seeing my Paw Paw and his fish next to his autograph that he signed while in the hospital.
My family and I love to go offshore fishing and I try to follow in my Paw Paw’s footsteps. My biggest Red Snapper weighed about 28 pounds and it was really hard to reel in. I can’t imagine my Paw Paw reeling in two fish that weighed 50 pounds. That’s right, he actually had two record qualifying fish on his line, but only one made it to the top.
Today I still can’t believe that we have the world record fish in our living room. What makes me really happy is that the record hasn’t been broken. My dream is to see the record stand forever and hopefully no one, not even me, will to break it.

[administrator]

To All LOWA Members:






Any news copy you can produce on these winners will be greatly appreciated.



These four winners, along with the Senior Essay (14-18 YOA) and Junior Essay (13 YOA and under), will be honored at our annual conference banquet on Saturday evening, October 17 in Lake Charles.



The Youth Hunters of the Year will also receive their awards and will also be recognized. Member Dave Moreland is the committee head on this contest, and can give you more information on those winners.



As soon as I have the list of winners and their essays for the Senior and Junior Essay contest, I will send them to each of you.



Feel free to promote these kids and this excellent youth literacy project in any way you can.



Sincerely,





Gordon Hutchinson

Chairman, Youth Journalism Contest




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Deborah Burst [mailto:debswriting@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 9:08 PM
To: Hutchinson, Gordon
Cc: aeinck@wlf.la.gov
Subject: 2009 YJC Photo winners



Hello Gentleman,
Here's the list of winners and photos along with photo name, age and school.
Thanks...deb

1st place
Dreamy Wild Flowers
Chandler Pearson
Age 13
Pearson Christian Home School
Vivian, LA

2nd place
Pelican on Shrimp Boat
Ashley Albert
Age 16
St. Michael High School
Baton Rouge, LA

3rd place
Raccoons in a Tree
Hannah Fabacher
Age 16
Firm Foundation Home School
Broussard, LA

Honorable Mention
Heron in the swamp
Jacob Thompson
Age 17
Oak Forest Academy
Amite, LA

Deb Burst
Freelance Writing & Photography
Travel, Lifestyle, Entertainment
www.debswriting.com
Cell 985-630-0659

[administrator]

Dear Friends of OWAA:
>
> The 82nd Annual OWAA Conference is right around the corner! We look
> forward
> to seeing you at the historic Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, situated right on
> the
> shores of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.
>
> Michigan is an outdoor writer's paradise with national scenic trails for
> hiking and biking, world-class trout streams, Great Lakes and sand dunes,
> national parks and lakeshores, and a plethora of wildlife and birds to
> accompany you as you explore all the state has to offer. And getting there
> is easy, too. The city boasts an easily-navigable international airport
> serviced by no less than 8 major airlines, an Amtrak station, and two
> major
> cities within a 3-hour drive.
>
> Registration materials are available on the OWAA Web site at
> http://www.owaa.org/Conf_Pages/2009/index.html. Take advantage of Early
> Bird
> pricing of $190/person, which includes most meals and four full days of
> craft improvement and newsmaker programming. Visit the Web site to peruse
> the entire agenda.
>
> All work and no play makes for a dull conference. Pre- and
> Post-Conference
> trips are being arranged by long-time member Dave Richey (fishing only)
> and
> Tim Nelson of the Grand Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau (anything
> non-fishing). The Shooting Program and Break-Out Day, staples of the OWAA
> conference, are scheduled for Monday, June 15. Make sure to take part in
> the
> Outdoor Skills Contest at these events for a chance to win a beautiful,
> custom Buck Knife donated by Chuck and C.J. Buck. And of course there's
> the
> Golf Scramble, Nutty Irishman, Photo Scavenger Hunt, Community Night, a
> Welcome night at the local Public Museum, special Spouse and Partner
> tours,
> and many opportunities to visit with old friends and make new ones.
>
> Early Bird registration discounts end May 15, but you're welcome to
> register
> anytime. Reservations can be made at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel by
> calling
> 800.253.3590. Let them know you're part of the "Outdoor Writers
> Association"
> block. (Room rates are $107/night, single/double occupancy.)
>
> We look forward to seeing you in Grand Rapids this June!
>
>
> SOME OF THE FEATURED SESSIONS INCLUDE:
>
> Becoming an Outdoors Communicator
> Saturday, June 13, 8 a.m. - Noon
> This free, four-hour workshop will feature some of OWAA's most prolific
> and
> best-known communicators giving presentations about their specialties from
> "Writing for Magazines" to "Outdoor Television" and everything in between.
> Please join Pat Wray and fellow OWAA members for this popular staple of
> the
> OWAA conference.
> Moderator: Pat Wray.
>
> No Child Left UnWild
> Saturday, June 13, 10 - 11 a.m.
> While thousands of schools administrators across our nation deal with
> requirements of the "No Child Left Behind" policy, State fish and wildlife
> agencies are concerned with children left "unwild," and their growing
> disconnect with nature. The North American Conservation Education Strategy
> is an effort to align all state fish and wildlife agencies with consistent
> messages and tools to help reconnect Americans with nature. Come find our
> how many state agencies, perhaps yours, are tackling this issue.
> Speaker: Kevin Frailey, Education Services Mgr, Michigan DNR.
>
> Keynote Address by John Otterbacher
> Sunday, June 14, 9:15 - 10 a.m.
> Author, John Otterbacher, discusses his book "Sailing Grace," John's
> account
> of drowning in heart disease, fighting back to the surface, and sailing
> on.
> A gritty chronicle of his family's struggle to do better than simply
> survive, "Sailing Grace" is also a commentary on how love heals, dreams
> energize and trauma can be a wake-up call.
>
> The Future of Radio
> Sunday, June 14, 2:45 - 3:45 p.m.
> Outdoor radio has been a significant income producer for many OWAA members
> in the past, but what about the future? What lies ahead for this medium
> and
> for those who depend on it to earn a living? How can outdoor radio
> broadcasters compete with TV and Web sites for sponsorship dollars? In
> this
> one-hour session, veteran outdoor host Wade Bourne will peer into his
> crystal ball to answer these and other questions about where outdoor radio
> is headed in the next decade.
> Speaker: Wade Bourne.
>
> Smith & Wesson Ladies Shoot
> Monday, June 15, 7:30 - 9 a.m.
> West Walker Sportsmen's Club, Grand Rapids, Mich.
> Smith & Wesson would like to welcome some of our women attendees,
> including
> writers and spouses of OWAA members and supporters to a Ladies Only
> shooting
> event before the range opens for Shooting Day. Open to first-time lady
> shooters only. Transportation to the range will be provided. Limited to 10
> participants. Coffee and bagels provided by Smith & Wesson.
>
> It's You, Me and Them All the Way.
> Tuesday, June 16, 1:15 - 2:45 p.m.
> Cross Promotion: No man is an island. We all need one another to be
> successful. How can I help you get to your goals and in turn how can you
> help me get to mine. We'll discuss numerous possibilities in the writing
> and
> broadcasting field. E-newsletters, Web sites, media kits and audio/video
> resumes will be discussed.
> Speaker: Jim Ferguson.
>
> OWAA EIC Contest and Honorary Awards Banquet
> Tuesday, June 16, 6 - 9 p.m.
> Ambassador Ballroom - East
> Excellence in Craft contests winners will be announced and OWAA's
> traditional Honorary Awards will be presented.
> Sponsored by: National Wildlife Federation.
>
> View the entire agenda at:
> http://www.owaa.org/Conf_Pages/2009/agenda.html.
>
>
> Robin Giner
> Director of Membership & Conferences Services
> OWAA
> 121 Hickory St., Ste. 1
> Missoula, MT 59801
> 406-728-7434 / (Fax) 406-728-7445
> www.owaa.org The Voice of the Outdoors
>
> *~*~*~*~*~*
> Plan to attend OWAA's 2009 Annual Conference
> Grand Rapids, Michigan
> June 13-16, 2009
> For conference agenda and registration information,
> visit our Web site: http://www.owaa.org/Conf_Pages/2009/index.html
> We hope to see you there!
> *~*~*~*~*~*~*
>
>

[administrator]

Here are the Photography winners…there were 96 students who entered the contest for 2008.


Anyone 18 YOA and younger can enter a black and white or color photo. While no subject specifications are made, the judges look more favorably on photos with a Louisiana (or Deep South) content.



You will note we frequently have younger children win in photograpy. It seems the age difference does not play as big a part in being able to take award-winning photos.








Hello Gordon,

Listed below are the winners of the YJC photography contest. I've also scanned the originals and attached those as well. I'll be calling the winners Friday.

Let me know if you need anything else.
Deb

2008 YJC Photography Contest Winners



Cypress Tree Stumps, 1st place

Alayna Durio, Age 8

Park Vista Elementary

4747 I-49 South Service Rd

Opelousas, LA 70570

Phone 225-288-5373





Oak Tree Garden,2nd place

Samantha Simon, Age 17

Silliman Institute

5515 Butler Lane

Ethel, LA 70730

225-634-3302


Sunset Flood, 3rd place

Selby Kean, Age 15

University Lab School

623 Woodgate Blvd

Baton Rouge, LA 70808


Alligator, Honorable Mention

Arne Bartenbach, Age 8

Episcopal High School

36515 Manchac Trace Ave

Prairieville, LA 70769





Deb Burst
Freelance Writing & Photography
Travel, Lifestyle, Entertainment
www.debswriting.com
Cell 985-630-0659

[administrator]

Junior Division of the LOWA YJC is 13 YOA and under.Gordon,
There were 109 Entries.

1st Place - "My Commune with Nature"
Jonathan Jacob Faulk
Age: 11
School: Mater Dolorosa, Independence, LA
Home Address: 359 Marshall Road, Pine Grove, LA 70453
Telephone: (225) 924-2822 or (225) 229-0439

2nd Place - "See You Later, Alligator!"
Katelyn Bayhi
Age: 13
School: Parkview Baptist Middle School
Home Address: Harness Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Telephone: (225) 756-5670

3rd Place - "Summer Time In Louisiana"
Madalyn Lyons
Age: 12
School: Westside Jr. High
Home Address: 26671 Debra Drive, Denham Springs, LA 70726
Telephone: (225) 664-0171

Honorable Mention - "Biking - Fun and Exercise"
Jack Mertens
Age: 13
School: Home Study
Home Address: 144 Shamard Drive, Natchitoches, LA 71457
Telephone: (318) 352-5183

Let me know if there is anything else you need, but I think this is a wrap for 2008. It really was fun and not a burden at all. I did it when Christine was driving, when we went on vacation to Michigan. When I got down to the 20 or 30 real essays, than the hard work began as I read them out loud to her. We both struggled over some of them, argued a bit (in a good way after all we were stuck in a car together for 1,200 miles coming and going), reread and reread them again.

Thanks for letting me be a part of this committee,

John

Jonathan Jacob Faulk
Age: 11 years of age
School: Mater Dolorosa
Independence, LA
Home Address: 359 Marshall Road
Pine Grove, LA 70453
Telephone: (225) 924-2822 or
(225) 229-0439






“My Commune with Nature”


My grandmother called to me, “It’s time to commune with nature!” On a cold,

autumn Friday, she took me by the hand and headed to the shed to pack up our

old sleeping gear. The smell of dried-out rotten wood reminded me of many

campouts and many happy nights sitting by a campfire roasting marshmallows.

Little did I know that my commune with nature would turn out to be quite

remarkable.

I and my younger brother, Jonah, were to camp at Natalbany Creek

Campground. Grandmother reminded me, “This is for your requirement for Webelos

to join Boy Scouts. You must prove that you camped out and prepared a meal.”

So, after finding the appropriate campsite, I began to set up camp. I got out

the tent gear and hunted for the instructions. I noticed that we were the only

campers in the tent area.

“You boys don’t need instructions to pitch a tent. I know that you’re good

scouts and know how to do all these camp things. I’ll just sit in the car and read a

nice romance novel, while you boys get to it, “ my grandmother snidely remarked.

“Yeah, right!, I said and started laying the tent out. It was starting to drizzle and

my hands were turning red from the cold. I started thinking that this would be miserable.

Jonah helped me and we soon got the tent put up. Now, we had to cook dinner.

Dinner can be what you make of it in the wilderness. So, I decided that I would get

chili and baked chicken from the store. I already had my charcoal, Dutch oven, lighter

fluid, and hot chocolate. I started making the fire.


My grandmother rolled down the window to the car. “You boys had better make sure

you have your circle of stones for that fire,” she said and immediately ran to see what

we were doing.

“I think I’ll just squirt some of this lighter stuff on the fire,” Jonah said excited to

get the campfire going.

“Oh, yea!,” I replied. But, before I could blink my eyes, Jonah jumped back. The

flame was out of control. I quickly spread the dirt over the flames and got the

fire under control. After all, I was the older scout and knew what to do! I had

saved the fire and rescued the camp from a fate worse than death! I wouldn’t be

able to live down the prospect of starting a major campfire in the woods. No sir, I

acted for the good of my scout troop.

“See what I mean,” my grandmother said. “Now, I don’t want you boys using any

more lighter fluid.”

Well, we settled down to eat the food and got ready for bed. I must say that I was

really proud of my little meal. Chicken chili had a nice ring to it and was warming. The

tent was cold and wet. I got out extra blankets and a mat for my bed. Now, came the

hard part. Sleeping in the cold, wet tent. No lights can be pretty daunting if you’re

not a scout. But, I am a scout. So, I struggled with my feelings and went to sleep.

It was another story with Jonah. He got scared in the middle of the night and had

to sleep in the car with grandmother. Like a champ. I stuck it out.

In the morning, my grandmother made picture of the frost that had developed on the

ground. She took picture so that I could prove that I had slept out in the cold, hard, dead

of winter. (it was autumn really.) I couldn’t get a polar bear patch. But, I knew it was

worth it to say that I had done it by myself. So, I now have a nice, little scrapbook of

my “commune with nature.” I have a wonderful memory of the great outdoors and of

camping in the wilderness. I also have met the requirement for Boy Scouts.

Would I recommend other scouts to do this? Yes, in a heartbeat. Camping is fun and

lets you learn how to depend upon yourself and not your grandmother!




Katelyn Bayhi, 13 Yrs. old, Parkview Baptist Middle School,
6014 Harness Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70817, (225)756- 5670

See You Later, Alligator!
My dad and my brothers have always gone hunting on our land, which we call "The Plantation", near the Diversion Canal. They do any type of hunting you can think of - deer hunting, turkey hunting, quail hunting, and dove hunting. You get the idea. This year, my dad decided to try alligator hunting. A few weeks before alligator season opened, my dad was busy getting alligator tags, making the hooks, and talking to other die-hard hunters who might know a lil' something about "them gators." This is when you see the need for a book like "Alligator Hunting For Dummies."
As alligator season got closer, my Dad asked me if I would like to go with him to set out the hooks. My experience with alligators had gone no farther than seeing them behind fences at the Baton Rouge Zoo. I went along for the ride, since it was something new for me to do with just Dad. We rode the four-wheeler until we found four spots to set up the traps that we thought we would be most successful at. On the way home, we stopped off at Fisherman's Market to get chicken, which all die - hard hunters agreed was the best bait for alligator hunting ( I of course got boudin for myself because that is the best bait for my stomach).
Once we got home, the chicken was put into a bucket with some water and covered tightly. We left it outside for it to marinate, aka rot. Dad checked on it every day to make sure it was rotting properly. Apparently the smell gave it away. Dad was confident that the bait would be perfect for " them gators." We counted down until it was time to go bait the hooks, but I decided to pass up this adventure and instead go to bed early so I would be rested for the our big hunt. But in truth, the smell of the rotten chicken was so bad, it made my stomach turn.
The day was finally here. We loaded up the truck with our guns and headed out. Our first trap was unsuccessful, so we kept going, not giving up yet. I was distracted, and the next words out of my dad's mouth were, " Sweet Pea, you got yourself one on this line!" I didn't know what to do. I grabbed the gun and dad started pulling on the string. It was bigger than we thought. Slowly but surely, we began dragging the alligator onto the bank. It wasn't easy because the alligator was almost nine feet long and was putting up quite a fight. When we finally got it out, we shot it straight between the eyes. It quickly gave up and just laid there. We could not believe that our first catch would be a nine - footer!
We decided we would pose for some pictures with our catch so we would have proof to go along with our bragging. A friend who had been working on the land came over to help us. We all took pictures with the alligator. My dad has never been really photogenic but he wanted his picture taken. He got down really low by the alligator's face and before we could say "cheese" he began yelling that the alligator was alive again. It had winked at him! We brushed it off and continued with the pictures until we saw the tail move. We dropped everything and started running. After we grasped reality and composed ourselves, we shot the alligator again and decided we had enough photos.
We continued our alligator hunting until the season ended, but the rest of the season was not as exciting as the very first hunt. This was an adventure I will never forget. Be on the lookout for my future book titled, " Successful Alligator Hunting For Dummies."

Summertime in Louisiana

Last summer my family bought a travel trailer. For months my parents dragged my little brother and I to every R.V lot across Louisiana in search for the “perfect travel trailer” as my mom called it. All I could say was “I think ya’ll are crazy”! My parents would just calmly say, “just wait ya’ll are going to love to camp.” Finally, sometime last May they found it! My parents were so happy when they brought the camper home. My dad picked a special spot in the backyard to put the camper and my Mom did what she does best, and went shopping to stock the camper. Mom has the camper stocked as well as our house or maybe even better.
My parents officially turned into camping maniacs. I never thought the highlight of our weekend would be to take a ride to camping world. Soon after, the camper was perfectly stocked and my dad had finished reading the owner’s manual about three times. We were FINALLY ready to see what was so great about camping. The adventure was finally going to begin!
One Friday afternoon we headed to Tickfaw State Park. When we arrived at the park that evening and set up camp, we roasted hot dogs and made smores; that was kinda fun. It was getting late so we went inside and settled in for the night. The T.V reception was terrible and that left us with nothing else to do besides TALK to each other. At that point I just decided to go to sleep. The next morning we awoke to the smell of my Mom cooking a HUGE breakfast; eggs, bacon, grits and biscuits! This is something she never does, we are lucky to get a bowl of cereal most of the time. As I sat outside under the canopy and enjoyed my breakfast, I couldn’t help but to think to myself, “This camping stuff may not be so bad after all”.
After breakfast, we pulled out the fishing poles and tackle boxes and headed for the lake. I was excited because I had never been fishing before. My Dad set up our poles and showed us how to cast. As I sat on the banks waiting to get a bite from a fish, my mom whispered, “listen” I told her I didn’t hear anything and she said, “listen again because you can hear all the beautiful sounds of nature”. At that point there was nothing else to do, the fish weren’t biting and I was bored stiff, so I figured I didn’t have anything to loose. I started to realize my mom was actually right about something, I begin to open my eyes and ears in a way that I have not done before. Birds were singing all around me, I was amazed how beautiful the trees swaying in the light breeze sounds, I could even hear the bees and butterflies flying around me and I didn’t even run away screaming. Before we called it a day, my dad reeled in a bass and I caught my first fish, it was very exciting even though it was just a little brim.
By the time we reached the camper that afternoon I was just as excited about camping as my mom and dad. It’s hard to explain but I had never felt so close to my family and to nature before in my life. We have been on many camping trips since then and they all have been special in their own way. But, nothing compares to that first trip we took to Tickfaw State Park. Sometimes on the weekend, when we are all sitting around at home watching T.V, I look over at my parents and ask “Can we take a ride to camping world”!

The End
Madalyn Lyons
Denham Springs, Louisiana

Jack Mertens, Age 13
Home Study
144 Shamard Drive
Natchitoches, LA 71457
318-352-5183
Biking—Fun and Exercise

When I hit the biking trails, fun and exercise went hand in hand—rather blistered hands in my case, for I had neglected to bring riding gloves. The day was warm and sunny when we drove to the Lincoln Parish biking trails just north of Ruston. Spring had just arrived, and rain had not visited recently, so the trails weren’t washed out. The weather was perfect for a ride with my family and friends on the trails of Louisiana.
We arrived at the trail entrance in the early afternoon, and we began to suit up: helmet, water bottle, and bicycle. A lucky few also had gloves. Then we started riding.
Naturally, I took the advanced riding trail (as opposed to the beginners’). I made this decision not because I am a capable rider, but because that was what everyone else was doing. Because I had not touched my bike in months, it took a good amount of time to stretch my leg muscles and get them used to cycling again. I kept my bike in a relatively low gear (I didn’t want to die of heat stroke) and tried to keep up with my dad and brother on the path. It felt good to be out on the trail again.
Keeping up with everybody else proved to be a chore, and I had broken a sweat before the second mile of the trail—bad news for me because the advanced trail was ten miles long. I shifted to a lower gear and kept going, the thrill of the trail urging me to go faster. At one point, I spotted a rather steep gorge ahead on the right side of the trail—fifteen or twenty feet deep. In this area there was also a large assortment of roots stretched over the trail, daring riders to ride across them, at the risk of falling down into the gorge. I walked that section of trail. I like a thrill once in a while, but not that directly. Our group then continued on, up and down winding trails that strained my reflexes to the utmost.
At about the seventh mile of the trail, we arrived at the king of the hills. Once I wound my way to the top, I looked down to see a roller-coaster-like drop, straight down the hill, staring me in the face. I had been dreading this hill, for previous bikers had described it to me. My dad and friends glided down the hill with apparent ease. In the end, though, I decided not to brave the suicidal drop of the slope, for the park had conveniently provided steps leading down the hill beside the trail. Riding that slope, I decided then, would be a pleasure reserved for another time.
By the time I reached mile ten, I was sweating profusely, my water bottle was empty, my hands were covered with blisters (I really wanted those riding gloves), and my legs were worn out from the three and a half hours of trail riding. I had enjoyed myself immensely and had fun; I had also completed an extraordinary amount of exercise for one day. I still can’t decide which was better—the fun or the exercise. I guess they just go hand in hand when I’m biking.

[administrator]

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