July 2012 1 |
Previous | 1 of 6 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
|
W I L D L I F E • O • G R A M Continued on next page. Ben Rocks Employee Newsletter of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife July 2012 The wind blows cool and steady across the low hills and ridges of Beaver River Wildlife Management Area, teasing the branches of sand sage brush. The sun has recently set but a soft gray light lingers, fading slowly. No animals are visible, but they are out there. The nocturnal species are stirring, preparing to begin their journey, while the daylight creatures bed down for the night. I’m out in the panhandle of Oklahoma to meet with Weston Storer (W), Biologist at Beaver River as well as Rita Blanca, Schultz and Optima WMAs. I’m touring Beaver on my own, but in the morning Weston will take me around the McFarland Unit so I can take pictures of the newest addition to the Department’s WMA lands. I scan the horizon as it gets darker. I can see the twinkling lights from town across the flat terrain, but most of the horizon lacks the lights that signal civilization. The sky feels much bigger, perhaps because there are so few trees. It’s very quiet. That’s the way things are in the panhandle. The land is rugged, the weather reaches extremes at both ends of the thermometer, and there aren’t a lot of people around. In other words, this three-county stretch of Oklahoma is pretty close to perfect for many animal species. It’s April, but the wind is cold and I’m chilled, so I head back to the truck. I need to get some rest tonight, because tomorrow’s tour with Weston of the new WMA promises to cover a lot of ground. * * * The morning sun shines down on Weston and I as we drive around the new McFarland Unit, an area that eventually will add approximately 9,000 acres to the Beaver River WMA. (Some land swaps are still in progress.) Beaver already has 17,700 acres, so this addition will make for a sizable WMA for Weston and his technician Cody Crisswell (W) to manage. Out here, though, large distances are pretty much the norm. Weston is the biologist for every area the Department owns or manages in the three-county panhandle. To say his responsibilities cover a large area is an understatement. It takes two and a half hours to drive from Beaver WMA to the western edge of Rita Blanca WMA. “Time management is important,” Weston says while steering us across a dry river bed. “I’ve been surprised at how broad Beaver is. I have to make time to get out to Optima, Schultz and Rita Blanca, too.” He gets out of the truck to unlock a gate. Weston is very tall, over six feet in height, with a firm handshake and a neatly-trimmed brown goatee. He knows the names, common and CONTENTS Editor’s Farewell.............................3 New Faces / New Places �4 2013 Holidays................................5 Employee Snapshots �5 Reelin’ In the Years ������������������������6 Ben Davis Information Rockalist Where the Deer & Antelope Roam: Exploring the Department’s Panhandle WMAs Entrance sign for Beaver River WMA.
Object Description
Okla State Agency |
Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma Department of |
Okla Agency Code |
'320' |
Title | The WOG : employee newsletter of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife, 07/2012 |
Alternative title | Wildlife-o-gram |
Authors | Oklahoma. Department of Wildlife Conservation. |
Publication Date | 2012-07 |
Publication type |
Newsletter |
Purpose | Where the Deer & Antelope Roam: Exploring the Department's Panhandle WMAs, Ben Davis; Editor's Farewell; New Faces/New Places [Alex Rizzo, J. D. Stauffer, Chris Stover, Brandon Fulton, Shelli Gray, Whitney Jenkins] |
For all issues click | W2800.6 W845 |
Digital Format | PDF, Adobe Reader required |
ODL electronic copy | Downloaded from agency website: www.wildlifedepartment.com/employee/2012/july/wog.pdf |
Rights and Permissions | This Oklahoma state government publication is provided for educational purposes under U.S. copyright law. Other usage requires permission of copyright holders. |
Language | English |
Date created | 2013-05-24 |
Date modified | 2013-05-24 |
OCLC number | 890223808 |
Description
Title | July 2012 1 |
Full text | W I L D L I F E • O • G R A M Continued on next page. Ben Rocks Employee Newsletter of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife July 2012 The wind blows cool and steady across the low hills and ridges of Beaver River Wildlife Management Area, teasing the branches of sand sage brush. The sun has recently set but a soft gray light lingers, fading slowly. No animals are visible, but they are out there. The nocturnal species are stirring, preparing to begin their journey, while the daylight creatures bed down for the night. I’m out in the panhandle of Oklahoma to meet with Weston Storer (W), Biologist at Beaver River as well as Rita Blanca, Schultz and Optima WMAs. I’m touring Beaver on my own, but in the morning Weston will take me around the McFarland Unit so I can take pictures of the newest addition to the Department’s WMA lands. I scan the horizon as it gets darker. I can see the twinkling lights from town across the flat terrain, but most of the horizon lacks the lights that signal civilization. The sky feels much bigger, perhaps because there are so few trees. It’s very quiet. That’s the way things are in the panhandle. The land is rugged, the weather reaches extremes at both ends of the thermometer, and there aren’t a lot of people around. In other words, this three-county stretch of Oklahoma is pretty close to perfect for many animal species. It’s April, but the wind is cold and I’m chilled, so I head back to the truck. I need to get some rest tonight, because tomorrow’s tour with Weston of the new WMA promises to cover a lot of ground. * * * The morning sun shines down on Weston and I as we drive around the new McFarland Unit, an area that eventually will add approximately 9,000 acres to the Beaver River WMA. (Some land swaps are still in progress.) Beaver already has 17,700 acres, so this addition will make for a sizable WMA for Weston and his technician Cody Crisswell (W) to manage. Out here, though, large distances are pretty much the norm. Weston is the biologist for every area the Department owns or manages in the three-county panhandle. To say his responsibilities cover a large area is an understatement. It takes two and a half hours to drive from Beaver WMA to the western edge of Rita Blanca WMA. “Time management is important,” Weston says while steering us across a dry river bed. “I’ve been surprised at how broad Beaver is. I have to make time to get out to Optima, Schultz and Rita Blanca, too.” He gets out of the truck to unlock a gate. Weston is very tall, over six feet in height, with a firm handshake and a neatly-trimmed brown goatee. He knows the names, common and CONTENTS Editor’s Farewell.............................3 New Faces / New Places �4 2013 Holidays................................5 Employee Snapshots �5 Reelin’ In the Years ������������������������6 Ben Davis Information Rockalist Where the Deer & Antelope Roam: Exploring the Department’s Panhandle WMAs Entrance sign for Beaver River WMA. |
Date created | 2013-05-24 |
Date modified | 2013-05-24 |