“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” At this point several of you are confused, “isn’t that a Christmas carol? “Aren’t we rapidly approaching Halloween, not Christmas?” Well to answer both questions, yes, but for myself that “most wonderful time of the year” is associated with fall. I love the season and all of the aspects that go along with it. Growing up, fall was always a special time in my house because it meant, A) my birthday, B) hunting season, and C) Halloween!
Hunting has always been a tradition in my family, from my grandpa, to my dad and now to me. My grandparents live out of state, so when hunting season came around it always meant a visit from my papa. I can remember even before I was 12 and able to hunt for myself, loading up on the 4-wheeler with my dad to go out hunting. If it was a hunting trip somewhere else in the state, helping my mom cook our famous, “Mom and Callie’s secret recipe chili” for them to take along. Now, I’m not going to say that I always enjoyed getting up super early to join them, but I wasn’t one to miss out on a trip either.
As an avid hunter there is a level of awareness that you must possess. This includes anything from the land to the animal’s health. As an undergraduate in the Microbiology program one particular matter sparks my interest–chronic wasting disease. Chronic wasting is prion disease in deer and elk in the Rocky Mountain region. From 1996-1999, hunters who had harvested an animal with abnormally low weights brought in the main identification of this disease. In courses offered here within the College of Agriculture, chronic wasting is a topic covered, along with other prion diseases that effect domestic sheep and cattle. At the Wyoming State Veterinary Lab they test for chronic wasting disease. It is not just microbiology majors that are playing a role in keeping hunting alive in Wyoming, it’s just as importantly the students in rangeland management that are studying wildlife habitat management.
Hunting with my dad and papa are some of my fondest memories growing up, even the years my papa wasn’t able to make it, he was always my first phone call when I got home. It was nice to spend quality time with my dad away from school and sports during those hectic teenage years. I could tell stories for days about the adventures that we have embarked on for the perfect deer, elk or antelope. From walking to the “end of the earth” to being “a one shot wonder.” I honestly don’t think I could ever thank my dad enough for providing me with the opportunity to go out with him and harvest an animal for myself. Though, I’ve never had a trophy of my own, it was always a good feeling to help provide food for my family and spend quality time with my dad. The hard work in research being accomplished in the College of Agriculture in both the Micro/Molecular Biology departments and the Ecosystem Science and Management department, along with the State Vet Lab will help keep my family tradition safe in Wyoming for generations to come.
