Outdoor Wisconsin | Program | Season 36 Episode 3
We've. Come back to bender, Park and Oak Creek where you can launch a boat have a picnic, or hike a trail in. Just a few minutes Elizabeth, Kramer joins a group of women for an ice fishing outing on Lake Superior and, then will attend the 6th annual Midwest, outdoor, heritage, education, Expo for kids at, McKenzie, Environmental, Center near Poynette but, first I'll, get a sea kayaking lesson, from instructor, dick Silberman, I'm, Dan small and it's time once again for outdoor Wisconsin. Some. Of the five winners. Strange green, beta where the same crossings, from Canada brain to superior, sure, outdoor. Wisconsin. Outdoor. Wisconsin. There, are many ways to enjoy an outing on Lake Michigan you can fish sail or swim but you can also go sea kayaking, and some, folks do that year-round. Last, summer I joined instructor, dick Silberman, for a sea kayaking lesson, a few miles up the shore at south shore Yacht Club, we've. Come out to south shore Yacht Club here on Lake Michigan I'm, with dick Silberman, he's a level-4 sea kayak instructor and, dick, you've got a couple boats here and some gear let's talk about what you brought sure Dan what. I brought today were two sea kayaks of they differ a little in style but that's not important, for us today and, sea kayaks unlike the recreational. Kayaks or the sit on tops they don't have a flat bottom that rock and go, over in the waves and they don't belong out here on Lake Michigan we've, had some real tragedies, these. On the other hand that have a displacement hull like a sail boat and you can edge them and you can lay in the waves you can bring them back up all, the other things we've, taken them out in all sorts of conditions and they, come from the Inuit design in Greenland, and they. Go. Out in everything they stay out for days hunting, seals and. When we look down at the boat what we see are the basic, parts the top of the boat is the deck the, bottom of the boat is referred. To as the hull and where they meet we, call that the shear line we.
Sit In the cockpit and, if you notice there's a nice rim, around the cockpit and that's, so, that we can hook our skirt in there which, keeps us moderately, dry and, then, we notice that there are different, kinds of lines on here we have stretchy, Bungie lines and we, always carry a spare panel for safety, but. We don't put anything much else on here, I always, tell my students, that's where you put the stuff you want to lose. The. Important, lines and we make sure not only we have them, with, the other people we paddle with our, the deck lines and if you notice they're not tight and they. Are used in, rescuing. And in, towing. The. Next button what makes it a sea kayak is, there is a little wall at your feet you can't see it of course there's, a wall behind the cockpit and then there's a wall back, there these create. Spaces. So if the cockpit floods they, stay dry and we, never open up those hatches while we're on the water for. The risk of flooding our kayak, you'll. Notice for safety, reasons, there's a lot of things on me and on the boat I don't have it on but I always carry a marine. Radio and by. Law if it's not it has to be on channel 16. You. Can't see everything I have a whistle I have a mirror, I have a stirrup, to get people back into the boat I have, emergency, cold-weather stuff, if somebody spills and they have the chills something. To cover them with till we get them back I carry. A tow belt this, is for what we call a short and long. Tow for. All different conditions, and I can need, to let out 25, to 30 feet of line to tow somebody, on the, deck I keep. A pump in, case I get water in there and I have to pump it out that's the whole thing. And then I have, a very short towline, here, where. If somebody needs. To be towed a very short distance I, can clamp on have. The lye on my boat and, Tom. In and finally, on the back deck you see I have a old bag, that's that's. All compressed, and I can inflate that over, a paddle, for a paddle float to, get back into my boat if I'm alone and there's, nobody else to help me get back in and then finally. People, are surprised to hear that we, paddle twelve months out of here here and by, doing it we were these dry suits which have gaskets, here, and here. And I have booties so, my feet are sealed in as well the.
Dry Suit does not keep us warm it keeps us dry underneath. We'll wear a base layer will, wear some wool or something like it and on. A hot. Day and winter, we sweat plenty, and sometimes. We come home drenched, and sweat but. If we should happen to have to go into the water we're protected, and that's another thing a lot of folks don't have we. Worry about them Dan when they come back down here in early spring it's. A nice day they're in t-shirts and shorts and it's, an offshore breeze number. One offshore. Breezes, bring, up the cold water the water gets colder number two they, fall in it just keeps blowing them out and out and out and they don't realize the hypothermia, is so dangerous, and. We. Try to educate that's. Why a group of us instructors, started, a Facebook. Page paddle, safely, calm has, no commercial input. At all is talking, about safety issues so. Dan, how. About we put these in the water and do a little paddling, it sounds like fun okay let's go, and. Take small gentle, stroll all right it. Doesn't take much to movies. As. Long as you're having fun it doesn't really matter. Looking. Good looking, very good. But. I didn't know better I think you've been on the water before. So. This is really a balance game then yeah. You have, to learn to rotate without. Going to the side yeah and by. Taking shorter, strokes because once the paddles after hip we like to bring it out. Because. If we go back here we're actually turning, the boat uh-huh. Beautiful. Day for it oh we have lucked out it's. A good day for teaching. Well. Dick this is a pretty calm day but you like to get out in the big waves don't you we, do, it. Does require some, advanced, skills. One. Of the most important, skills to learn after the basics, is a brace, which. Is a means, of, slowing. Down you, tipping, over doesn't. Prevent it it's using, the blade and then, we use our leg to bring the boat up it looks. Like that and. We. Can also brace, into a wave if a, wave is rolling towards me and it's, too big I can lay down right in that wave if. I hold my paddle, correctly. That. Wave will pick me up and just sometimes. Take me to shore okay. The, other skill, is sculling. Just to learn paddle, control, where. You alternate. We always say you're spreading butter and. You don't want to tear the bread and it. Turns out that. Can be quite powerful oh. Yeah. Wow. And really. That's how you finish a roll uh-huh, and, the, other thing of course it's rolling a both when it's upside-down. Some. Of its done with the paddle a lot of it's done with the leg underneath. Lifting. The boat and. You. Really don't roll the boat you kind of slide, it under you and climb. Aboard okay. So once you have those skills and, also. Rescue, skills. We'll. Go out with a group of us since in anything practically. And. It's. Wonderful, this is a paddlers. Paradise. How. Long you leave my paddling, dick. It's. Got to be over 20 years I started in my 50s. My. Sports, did, I still, dearly miss it where judo and marathon running and. I had nerve damage my, left leg is not stable, then I was desperately, looking for something, and I had been a sailor as well and. So with the balance, of Judah which is counterintuitive. Just like kayaking is, and. My, knowledge of the water, I took. A, paddling. Lesson and just loved. It, went. Out got a kayak probably sooner than I should have not knowing what nothing, at all but.
Bumped. Into wonderful, people here in Milwaukee kayak, group sea. Kayak group, they've. Taught me along the way and I we. Learn from each other. And. I. Hope to do it forever. However. Long forever is. Lake. Michigan isn't, frozen today but by midwinter, there should be enough ice in the harbor areas, to support ice anglers, last. Winter Elizabeth, Kramer trekked, to Lake Superior where. She spent a day with a group of women who love nothing better than catching fish through the ice. On. The ice you can walk around and talk to each other, open. Water I mean it's still social, but ice fishing, is social. There's. Just a different, energy when, it's all women. Little. Chick. And. You're gonna start seeing seeing all these lines, there it's, super empowering. It's. Something that's really hard to even put into words sometimes. Just. Being able to go out on your own and inspire other women to do things that they might not even be able to do and not just women but sometimes. The men you, know just getting outside of your comfort zone and, doing something that's, unknown, to you and, it could be your next addiction, it's a lot of fun this. Is called a leech flutter spoon. We've. Been having a really good look on it today. When. I started, to learn about mapping, and, Navionics, and, knowing, that oh look, at the structure, I can just look at my phone and go where I want and, if I have my own auger and I have all my own equipment, I can, just do what I want, to do. I see. Things I'm like oh no I can't do that oh, no. No. I don't think I could do that and so I put all these boxes around, and thinking I can't, and. Barb. And Hannah, and Shelley and everybody has. Pushed, me to. Do, it and and, it's so empowering when I accomplished. Something that I didn't think I could. They. Pushed, me outside my comfort zone time. And time again and. Every time I do it I feel just a little bit more alive. This. Ice fishing, community, is. Really, like. Family-oriented. Oh yes, in Wisconsin oh, yeah and in, all, of the states any of the ice felt the ice fishing community, Minnesota. Wisconsin Iowa. Michigan. Any. Of them North Dakota South Dakota it. Is its social, season I. Have. Never laughed so hard as with I when I'm with these ladies yeah this is these are my best, friends, and I see them on the ice. My. Husband, passed away in. 2013. That's, one of the reasons were here is, we're, so we're celebrating. Him. And. I'm, introducing my, friends, to his lay the lake that he taught. Me about. The. Ice fishing community took care of me more than you could possibly believe.
After He passed away but, these are the ladies that got me back up fishing so. They're. And. Part, of that had to be overcoming. Some fear. That's. What I talk about when I teach people ice, fishing didn't, kill him an accident. Accidents. Happen he was one of the safest people out on the ice he taught ice safety he was a first responder he was a retired police office if, an, accident happened, and accidents, happen and. So, for me what. I wanted to tell, people is don't. Stop, doing what you love I love ice especially is my favorite thing in the entire world. Don't. Stop, fishing or don't stop doing whatever you're doing because. You're. Afraid something, might happen obviously be safe but. Do. What you love life, is too short to sit there and be afraid. Hanan, Hudson. Inspired, this year because she. Her. Process, of dealing with her husband's, death on this same body of water, six, years ago Saturday. Being. Able to overcome that and be out here participating. In the sport that she loves in, spite. Of that and, what could make you more afraid about losing, your husband in the same area. That you're out here. That. Challenge. Goes out to a lot of women because they would say oh I could never do that or I could never do that by myself but, were overcoming, fears and being successful so. They can overcome, their fears and be successful because, if they see us do it then, they think well maybe I can do it too. The. Fact that I get to, show. My favorite, ladies, the ones who took care of me when he passed away and got me out here my, favorite. Body of water and the fact that he, grew up here he is from Red Cliff Native American talk like a Jim way this, was his soul his heart and now. I get to do that and teach other women and bring more people up here to the people who took care of me and Bayfield like, coming to visit in the winter this is I am. So happy that I could do this and. I I, loved my life and I bet I get to do this, and Jim. Gave it to me. Will. Tell you how to learn more about the women ice angler, project, later in the show now. Let's head over to the McKenzie Environmental, Center near Poynette, where, the Midwest, outdoor, heritage, Education. Explorer MO he introduces. Kids from all across Wisconsin, and beyond to, a wide, variety of outdoor activities. We. Have the Midwest outdoor heritage, education. Expo in its sixth, year at the beautiful McKenzie, Center and the, idea is to try and connect, the students, with nature. And the environment nature. Brain process, is going we have two thousand, seven hundred and sixty one students. From. As far away each year, Highland. School in Milwaukee, a lot, of the schools from Madison, scales. Mount Illinois, and the, new record this year Ashland. Superior, area but of them haven't, had an experience, like this work they can try 30, different 40, different activities. This year just. To understand, what's. Available out, there. Archery. Is always their favorite place to be most of them come here right has to get off the bus and and we see them come to come, through the line three, or four times during the day there we go let go when you're ready, there. You go we're. Introducing, archery the NASP style of archery to the kids that come through the tent so, they get a chance to put their hands on the bow and shoot a couple arrows with some some, instruction, on how to do that and making sure everybody staying safe really, bear down on that yellow spot take your time NES P stands for the national archery in Schools program, currently. In Wisconsin, were an eighth over eight hundred schools, in the state nationally. Were in all the states currently and in, several. Other countries. We've. Got a lot of volunteer, hunter ed instructors, just some volunteer, folks from the Wisconsin, born or group and just, some friends that want to help draw the program and introduce the families to archery so a great, group of volunteers they put in a lot of hours here it's it's, a long day but as, you can tell they're having a lot of fun with it so it's a lot of fun to be part of it aim small miss for.
This Program for NASPA in general we use the genesis bow universal. Fit bow so any kid from fourth grade through high school can shoot it and really. The cool thing about it is the kids buy them and the parents are shooting the same bows so they're able to experience the, same thing that kids are we, use the same aluminum, arrow um so everybody's shooting the exact same equipment not, only nationwide. But worldwide for nascar tree keeps everybody on a level playing field and, puts. The focus back on the archer a lot of smiles a lot of laughs and just, a lot of fun watching the expressions, on their face when they shoot arrows so certainly. A positive experience for everybody that's involved. Keep, that tomahawk nice and straight we rely on a lot of volunteers. In all. These different activity. Areas, they're, the experts, and they're, volunteering, their time in, order to connect kids with the environment. I. Learned. At a young age it was fun to enjoy the outdoors and the shooting sports and hunting and fishing and all. The other great things that we know and love is we, were kids and just, want to pass that on for future generations, so, that we don't lose it and we can pass that money here to John. I. Would love to have a mind still, at number one is safety. If they come Don I check, to make sure it's. The. Firearm safety, aspect. They move over to the BB gun shooting. They. Enjoy first. Time where multiple. Times they can come through and shoot firearms. The BB guns and just, have a just a great time. They. Come back and we ask them to show them they're your targets, to us and it's just amazing the smiles on their faces the. Excitement. That they have you. Know with hitting, the bull's eye and some of them even shoot the whole Center right out of the bullseye it's it's just it's great it's very important, because I think today's society we're, losing a lot of the chances. Of them to experience what we have experiences, in our lives when we were young and those, opportunities are, few and far between and here they can enjoy it and get it get the touch of everything. This. Is the one field trip that the dads want to come on more than any other my first time here was, with my older son when he was in fifth grade, my. My second time with my my younger son now I think it's a great event it's great for the kids a lot of hands-on, stuff. Here the, kids really enjoy it a lot. Of stuff for them to see and then the people in the exhibits, are really really nice to the kids let. Them get right right in there hands on they appreciate it you guys have fun I've. Been involved in conservation it's, going to be almost 50, years, and. Things, have really changed we're much more of an urban society. Students. Are often, involved in a million, activities. There's also TV. And the electronic, games it's. Really a different world, right now but. What mo he does is provide, them the, opportunity, to really, see that other world and, get. The spark the, learn what. They could be doing what they're missing. Different. Activities. We, get to actually, see the animals, up close like, a wolf, from. Here, we, tell them where they can go to get into the what they call the r3, program, ongoing, mentored. Programs. Learn, to hunt for food fishing, for dinner and. The. Light bulb goes on for, the kids here and they, can pick what area they want to go to next. And, those ongoing mentored, programs are available through the DNR website and, a lot of other resources. The, DNR. Has, a wildlife, booth here, we're, lucky enough to be actually, within the animal exhibit we've got a wide, variety of animals there's a bald, eagle a red-tailed. Hawk a couple of different kinds of owls there's actually two links. So those are not native to Wisconsin but. We are lucky enough to have them here which is pretty exciting I also have two wolves you've got the one of them who's who's wandering aimlessly behind, me here, with the the youth Expo it's been really exciting to have a. Number, of different students from all over the state coming, in and talking. To us we get the opportunity to talk to them about Wisconsin. Mammals talk, to them about some. Of the hunting and trapping that goes on here in Wisconsin, and introducing. Or talking, to these kids in general just about some. Of the different wildlife. Management, aspects, that we have here in Wisconsin, and of course having these animals up close you're not going to get to see a wolf, this close you're not going to get to see a Lynx this close.
So Getting the opportunity, to see that and actually be able to learn. A little bit about those animals is a really unique experience. At. Our specific. Booth the. Running. Excitement, is the. Kids and and looking, at the wild animal scat or poop that's, a this, is the, age range where that's pretty exciting, but, also they're really excited, about the. Furs have. Learned some really cool stuff about animals one of the topics, that we're talking about here at our booth is about the importance of keeping wild animals in the wild we, have a campaign, called keep wildlife wild, the general goal is to to, tell everyone. But especially students. That if you see a wild animal if you think it's hurt or injured or if you see a baby while the inland you think it's orphan the important thing is to call, someone, and talk, to someone before actually, doing anything with that animal this, time of year we get a lot of phone calls from people where. They think that an animal might be orphaned most of the time it's not we're, having fun. So that generally, drop in May and so we're getting a lot of those calls and. Funds. Mom. Doesn't stay near the fawn for, most of the day and it looks unusual. To us it's normal, in the wildlife, world. So that's really important for people to understand. You, know there's challenges facing, Natural, Resources right now, recent. Study came out talked about how there's a loss of many species or. Obviously facing, things. Such as climate, change which change habitat. For fish and wildlife when, it comes down to it the. Real value, is. Creating. An awareness among. The next generation, they're the future conservation, leaders they're, the future, voters, and policymakers, they're, the ones who need to be environmentally. Literate and, so. By introducing them to these conservation, concepts. Early, on it establishes. That baseline, some. Of them may never get into outdoor, activities. As a lifestyle. But, they'll have an awareness that they wouldn't otherwise have, and for, us that's gold. This. Year's Midwest outdoor, heritage, education, Expo is scheduled, for May 20th, and 21st, to. Learn more about Mohan, this week's other features log. On to Milwaukee pbs.org, and, search local programs, for outdoor Wisconsin or, visit the Milwaukee, PBS, Facebook, page well. Next time we'll attend a training clinic, for Olympic, luge hopefuls, Elizabeth. Kramer goes whitewater, rafting, with Wildman adventures, and will get a spring, turkey calling lesson, from 12-time, in Wisconsin's state turkey, calling champion Jeff. Frederick saying. Goodbye from bender, Park and Oak Creek I'm Dan small join, us again next week for outdoor, Wisconsin. Flash. Of white tail moving too long. I. Will and even, on, the lake musky, on the line, outdoor. Wisconsin'. Free. Yourself, like, an eagle. Feed yourself, like a bear in the blackberry like a Hulk, purchased. An outdoor. Wisconsin. When. The working, life is, way too much. You're in too deep way, out of touch lace, up your boots get, out of town walk, in the wild sit down and listen. Listen. To the sounds of the cribs of the night to the wind and the leaves and the little river run coyote, brother. Outdoor. Wisconsin. Hike. Fish hunt camp tsul Kalu ski, photograph. Laughs do what you want to stick he knows where the wild rose grows outdoor. Wisconsin. Outdoor. Wisconsin.
2020-04-17 15:06
