Greetings!
The Queen and I have a house-sitter in place to take care of LL,2 and the dogs so we're headed to South Dakota to meet up with Dave & Susie Willis, give a speech to the SDSU American Fisheries Society chapter and hang out...maybe chase a pheasant.
We'll get to see several of our buddies, Norm Kopecky and Peter Maffei, for sure. Doesn't sound like Dwight can make it, though.
We'll leave Sunday, November 7 and drive north. The speech is Monday evening at 6:30 in Brookings, SD.
Then, we'll head for home Thursday, November 11. Looks like the route will take us from Brookings through Sioux Falls, Sioux City, Omaha, Topeka, Wichita and Oklahoma City.
If any of you would like to set up regional Pond Boss meeting that evening, November 11, we could do it. Looks like Omaha is a good candidate (hint)...but so is Topeka.
Anyone interested?
My email is pondboss@texoma.net
Let us know if it works for anyone...
I'm also looking for stories and pictures for the magazine along the way, so even if a regional meeting won't work, we can at least meet, talk, share some time and get a few photos.
Let us know.
South Dakota can't wait for Bob and Debbie's arrival! Yes, a chase after the wily rooster pheasants "might" be involved.
However, all "work" is obviously done in the best interest of our students, eh??
Will the students sub for the retrievers ?
A few words to the students about the connection between PB , this forum and the SDSU Chapter might occur. Have fun guys !!!
I wonder how the Texan will handle the climate change?
He'll let you know!
The Queen is packing his thermal stuff...even though it's only supposed to be in the upper 40's...kid stuff.
Upper 40's are the highs. What's the lows supposed to be? Shotgunning with gloves on is hard, at least for me. Good luck and shoot straight!
Upper 20's. Good weather to hang with Dr. Willis. I'll take it.
It'll be brisk in the morning. Here's hoping that the wind lays down for you the whole time you are there.
No such luck, esshup! Forecast tomorrow is "breezy."
Too soon old, too late schmart.
That kind of temp range is only good for sitting at a canasta table with good friends.
Well, it's about 70 today, but probably only upper 50s tomorrow. The wind is not fun, though, as it makes the birds spooky.
You guys are going to luck out with the weather. I was expecting you'd have 30's by now.
Eric, we just got home, cleaned birds, and took showers.
The Monday night talk to the SDSU student subunit of the American Fisheries Society was great. Bob did his typical outstanding, fun job. We had fisheries grad students, undergraduate students, a couple of the state agency biologists, and Pond Boss friends Norm Kopecky, Mike Johnson, Bill Gibbons, and Peter Maffei.
We had a wonderful day today (Tuesday) at Pond Boss subscriber Peter Maffei's place. Wonderful hospitality. Bob, Queen Debbie and I arrived about 10 a.m., hunted, had lunch, hunted some more, and then had supper! Whew. We also stopped and talked at the pond after lunch, and before the afternoon hunt.
Peter has a quarter section of well-managed habitat. We are guessing we saw about close to 50 pheasants, not counting the dozens that were coming out of the standing corn into the grass at sunset. Weather was great, about 60 F, and wind was moderate. We also saw thousands of ducks of many species, a few deer, and two monster flocks of snow geese (one to the south of us about a mile, and another off to the northwest).
OK, OK, I'll get to the point. We ended up with six roosters for three of us, and Bob and I will both have to sheepishly admit that we could each have had another bird. :-) Bob got two, so it was a nice day.
Bob will post pictures later.
Forecast for tomorrow is now rain. Bob and I may be able to sneak out for an hour or two at 10 a.m., and hopefully the forecast is right and the rain will hold off until noon or so.
OK, here are some pictures. First, let's start with THE Pond Boss talking to the SDSU Student Subunit of the American Fisheries Society. Somehow, the ghost of Dr. Condello seemed to be present....
Next, a few pictures after sunset after that great day at Peter Maffei's place! First, a picture of Bob with a nice rooster.
Finally, here is the crew. From the left: Brian Graeb (fisheries professor at SDSU), Sauger, Lady, Sir Bob, Lily (mostly interested in birds, not pictures), and me. We couldn't get Peter to be part of the pictures.
Notice the hat I'm wearing in the picture?
That's why I showed the picture.
We had a great time...Debbie and I left yesterday, drove westward to the Black Hills where we grabbed a room reserved for us by Susie Willis at the Creekside Lodge inside Custer State Park.
I got out early, saw lots of wildlife and got some good photos.
Will show them off when I can.
Awesome! That's a great report. I'll bet the students really enjoyed that perspective of fisheries management.
Thanks Bob and Dave. Any comments by the students including about the hat?
Go Jackrabbits!...and Jesse West Fund!!!!
Eric, I didn't hear a single student mention the hat. They are too complacement, aren't they? They need to get out in the real world and see what a "good thing they had," I believe.
After all, THE Pond Boss was here giving them the straight story! Questions went on at least a half hour after the 45-minute presentation. Then, more students (and Pondmeisters!) stayed behind for more visiting. Both Bob and I mentioned that the Jesse West Endowment was the first research endowment in our department, and that Jesse West, Eric West, and the Pond Boss family were the reasons that SDSU was the fortunate recipient. We had three JWW recipients in the room: Melissa Wuellner, Justin VanDeHey, and Mark Kaemingk. Plus, former recipient Nick Peterson was mentioned by Bob because Nick will be sampling some of the ponds that Bob manages for his (Nick's) graduate research at Mississippi State University. Small world - small profession.
I will never forget listening to THE Pond Boss lecture (about two years ago??) while I was in school at SDSU. Your right Dr. Willis, that Bob Lusk guy sure does give a straight story! From student to struggling catfish farmer to THE Pond Boss. Quite an inspiration to a young aspirant fisheries biologist! Good things come to those that “Think outside the box.”
Since we’re on the topic, I must personally thank the West family and the entire Pond Boss family for the support and opportunities provided from the Jesse West Endowment! The JWE gave me GREAT fisheries experience and lifelong memories. Can’t thank you all enough!
Dr. W...I sure remember the "good ol' days" at South Dakota State University. However, I must say that I am extremely jealous of you all!! This is the first pheasant season I have missed in nearly 11 years! Looks like you all had a great time. Hopefully I can corner some ‘ditch chickens’ when I’m back in Iowa in December.
B. Lusk…over halfway through Tears of the Cheetah. Great recommendation! Looking forward to collaborating on some great research!
-Nick P
FutureBoss, formerly known as Nick, you can "pay us all back" when you write up your largemouth bass genetics research for a Pond Boss magazine article!
By the way, Nick, you have the honor of receving my 2,000th post! A milestone! Is that cool or what that I hit 2,000? I can't compare with our "big" posters, but I'm slow and steady!
Thanks for checking in Nick and for the kind comments. How about a few comments on what you have been up to over the last year and your journey from north to south ? I bet the PB family would like to hear about the journey and the story behind it.
Dave as I noted before , its not how many but how good that is important.
Soak in that 2000th post.. Congrats
Congratulations Dr. Dave on your 2,000th post!
We are very lucky to have you take the time to post on these forums.
Plus who else (well, besides Bill Cody) would take the time to include photos of GSF in their presentation just for us GSF aficionados!
We very much appreciate the contribution that you make to these forums Dr. Dave!
It is an absolute HONOR to be number 2,000! Quite an accomplishment!! I will try to keep the Pond Boss family updated throughout my research. Very interesting and important study directly related to pond management!
Nick
How about a few comments on what you have been up to over the last year (Since PB Con. III) and your journey from north to south ? I bet the PB family would like to hear about the journey and the story behind it.
I guess I could do that ewest!
First off, for those who don’t know me, my name is Nick Peterson. I’m a small town, farm raised, corn-fed Iowa native transplanted in Mississippi for the time being working on my Master’s degree in Fisheries Science. I attended South Dakota State University for my undergraduate degree and came to know the Pond Boss family through a mentor of mine that you all may know by the name of Dr. David Willis, current head of the Wildlife and Fisheries Science Department at South Dakota State University.
While at SDSU, I was provided the grand opportunity to conduct undergraduate research working with largemouth bass and bluegill in South Dakota small impoundments and presented our research at Pond Boss III in Springfield, MO where I met my current advisor, Dr. J. Wesley Neal. Dr. Neal mentioned some research opportunities working with largemouth bass in PUERTO RICO, and soon after offered me a position. The opportunity for a 23 year old Iowa farm boy to live and work in Puerto Rico AND work with the notorious largemouth bass... couldn’t turn it down!
I started my Master’s Degree at Mississippi State University in January 2010. The focus of my research is to determine the importance of genetic diversity in LMB populations from small impoundments throughout the Southeastern US. In Cerrillos Reservoir, Puerto Rico, we have a LMB population that was originally stocked in 1957 from a low number of fish (only 30 individuals). These individuals potentially have been inbreeding with their siblings for 53+ years! You don’t see that very often! We will use this population as a model to compare with small impoundments throughout the Southeast US. Also, we will be working with the Big Dog himself, Mr. Bob Lusk, to collect some LMB from around the south! Looking forward to it!
In the end, we hope to be able to provide recommendations for the importance of genetic refreshment in isolated populations (i.e., private ponds/impoundments). Pretty much: What happens when you stock an isolated pond with LMB and not restock/supplement with alternative genes for many years? How often should LMB populations be ‘refreshed’... Or should they be ‘refreshed’ at all? I would love to start a discussion on the PB Forum to collect some opinions on this topic.
Yet another great contact made at the Pond Boss Convention!! What a great opportunity! Are you going to make it to the next one in April Nick? I met Wes at the meeting too ~ he was in the fishing tournament with my dad and he went to NC State like I did ~ he is a great guy!
Thanks Nick!
PB family , Nick is one of the students you helped. Dr. J. Wesley Neal is a PB Forum member and has some very thought provoking posts. Doc Neal spoke at the PB III conv. In talking to Wes we learned he had a position for a masters degree student doing research . In talking to Dave Willis and Nick we learned that Nick was considering masters work but was not sure at the time. So we all sat down in the area adjacent to the meeting room and shared ideas and what-ifs and now you know the rest of the story.
The point - you guys' help with the SDSU students through PB touches the lives of real people offering opportunity and encouragement through your involvement (time, donations ,presence , advice and caring). Well done PB and Nick and their facilitators Wes Neal and Dave Willis. Just look at what you started Bob.
Sue- I still dont know for sure if I will attend PB IV this March. Graduate school tends to keep us graduate students quite busy! However, Dr. Neal and I contacted Mr. Lusk about the possibility of giving a talk over our research...to make it an excused absence with the graduate school.
I had a great time last year, so hopefully things work out!
Thanks ewest! I still remember the talk we all had at the lodge that day during the convention. You're right, Mississippi is a beautiful place! If only I could find some free time to hunt and fish a bit while I'm here!
Hello, everyone!
I'm pretty excited about Nick's and Dr. Neal's research...I've always loved research. In this case, it's stuff that will directly impact the way we think as pond managers.
Nick is a thriving example of all things good about higher education.
Nick...start making plans to come to Pond Boss IV. You and Dr. Neal will definitely be on the program.