Each of Colusa Countys middle schools will have the opportunity to have their students learn the history of one of the most successful wildlife conservation organizations in California.
Pat Kittle, owner of Kittles Outdoor & Sport Co., in Colusa, is donating a copy of ” California Waterfowl Associations 75-Year History,” to all the school libraries and the Colusa County Librarys main branch in Colusa.
The hardcover book, written by California Outdoor Hall of Fame writer Peter Ottersen, chronicles the associations history from its early beginning as a duck hunter organization in 1945, to one of the most prominent education, conservation, and advocacy programs in the 21ts century.
” Were losing duck hunters and duck enthusiasts,” Kittle said. ” I would like to have the book and resources available at young peoples libraries and schools to introduce them to the sport.
Known originally as the Duck Hunters Association, the group first pushed to have hunting seasons split to allow young men in school or in the military to come home for a ” second opener.
The group, which started with just 13 members, also pushed for an early season for hunting pintail ducks, so that it would encourage early flooding of wetlands for the early migrators.
As the Duck Hunters Association became more involved with wetland conservation efforts, the membership changed its name in 1960 to the California Waterfowl Association, Ottersen states in the book. The book also chronicles the changes, challenges, and accomplishments over the 75-year history of the organization that has grown to a membership of more than 22,000.
The 80-page book is filled with interviews with people like Judy Oswald, who founded the Kids Outdoor Sports Camp in 1998, after she sought – but could not find – a hunter education program for her grandchildren that included firearms handling and live-firing. She was also a founding member of the River City Ladies Committee.
” After more than 20 years, approximately 300 boys and girls annually from all over California and western states take part in the program that has the support of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Red Bank Outfitters, and CWA,” Ottersen writes.
The book also features photographs of mallards feeding at Butte Creek Ranch, the magnificent clubhouse at Grizzly Ranch that serves as CWAs primary field station, and an aerial photo of Grasslands Ecological Area.
Kittle said he hopes the book inspires young people to take an interest in duck hunting, duck calling, and waterfowl conservation efforts.
Kittles Outdoor and the City of Colusa will sponsor the California State Duck Calling Championship this year at the Sacramento State Recreation Area park, Aug. 21-22, instead of Memorial Park.
The top two winners in the mens open divisions will advance to the World Duck Calling competitions in Stuttgart, Ark. in November.
Colby Stillwell, of Willows, last years State Champion, and Ryan Sherbondy, of Acampo, last years Butte Sink Regional champion, have secured their spots because the 2020 world competition was canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stillwell and Sherbondy will be joined by the top two winners from this months competition.
” This year we will be sending all four people to the world contest,” Kittle said.
The two-day event at the State Park this year will include entertainment, food trucks, and vendors. –