10 ways to support yourself, your community, and wildlife in challenging times
We are in difficult times. Likely, everyone reading this has made significant changes to their own life in the past few weeks. Through this unsettling moment, we want to first ensure you that the Idaho Wildlife Federation is diligently continuing our work (from home) and we remain committed to a positive future for Idaho’s public lands, wildlife, and hunting and angling opportunities for all Idahoans. You can always contact a member of our staff via email with any questions.
The IWF staff, along with all of you, continue to shift our perspective to meet changing realities as time passes. Through the uncertainty, Idaho’s public lands and wildlife offer opportunities for reflection during these changing times. We hope you are able to channel this energy in order to maintain community and promote responsibility.
The following list of ideas is a starting point, providing opportunities to strengthen the hunting and angling community while we are all at home. Along with this list, remember to check your local information and recommendations. Most importantly, adhere to the guidelines of health experts and local officials.
Support Yourself
Read a book. Not sure where to start? Here are some IWF staff book picks:
Brian Brooks: A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Normal McLean - I hate to be cliché by recommending a very popular book, but here we are. It's a poetic homage to the things we love but sometimes cannot understand, like family and fishing. McLean puts to words what most of can't in describing the draw of quiet woods and clear streams. It's comedy, tragedy, and the story of Idaho and Montana.
Becca Aceto: American Serengeti by Dan Flores - Whether you want to learn about the history of pronghorn in North America or you’re curious about the days when bison roamed widely, this book will give you a glimpse into a past of the American West that is nearly unimaginable today. The resiliency of many iconic western species is something that, even in chaotic times, should bring you comfort.
Lizzy McKeag: Working the Wilderness by John McCarthy - This history of the Wilderness Act and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness is tiding me over until I can follow the Selway River Trail to the Moose Creek Ranger Station once the snow clears.
Garret Visser: The Governance of Western Public Lands by Martin Nie- I am not a huge poetic or romantic reader, so this one falls into the hand for me. This piece, written by a mentor and previous college professor of mine, examines some of the root causes of conflict on public land and for resource management. I consider this essential reading for the work that IWF does.
Try a new wild game recipe. Do you find yourself with a full freezer and an abundance of time on your hands? Now is the perfect time to test your culinary skills and try a new wild game recipe. Hank Shaw’s website is full of recipes and is a great place to start, no matter your skill level or what type of wild game you want to cook. The Hunt to Eat recipe blog is also full of inspiring dishes from regions across the world.
Practice your knots. No, seriously. Can you make a bowline, clinch, or slip? Everyone who spends time outdoors, and especially sportsmen, should be well-armed with knot knowledge!
Support Your Community
Become a local farm food subscriber. Community Shared Agriculture, or CSAs, allow you to receive produce from local farms for an entire season. A list, albeit outdated, of Idaho CSAs can be found here. Many local farms are now offering online shopping or private shopping opportunities, considering the implications of gathering at grocery stores. This food tends to be more sustainable, you can avoid human interaction, and it keeps local producers employed.
Share wild game. If you’re able, consider sharing game with vulnerable friends and neighbors. Idaho Food Bank and their partners cannot take any donated meat unless processed through a USDA facility. Most butcher shop products and all self-processed meat cannot be donated. So, reach out to your networks and find out who is in need. Consider a donation to Idaho Hunters Feeding the Hungry.
Grow a garden. We recognize not everyone has the resources to grow a garden, which may serve as a stronger incentive for those who can grow food at home to share with their less fortunate brethren. The manual labor of using traditional tools is great for home exercise, growing plants is a teaching resource for children, and, like hunting, it connects us to our food. Gardens are also great for pollinators and birds. The University of Idaho has free online tools to help you grow as a gardener and you can also order seeds online.
Stock up on hunting and fishing essentials from your favorite local outdoor shop - online. Many shops have transitioned to online-only sales and are offering people a way to support small businesses without stepping foot into a shop. Local shops bring diversity to small communities and in times of uncertainty, it’s important to support these places so they can continue to offer services to us and their communities long into the future. Want to read more about how COVID-19 is affecting outdoor businesses? This MeatEater article does a good job telling the story.
Support Wildlife
Convert your yard to native plants. Here is another way to stay at home and benefit wildlife. Native plants take less water and can provide shelter or food for native species of birds and small mammals. There are also nutritional and medicinal benefits from many of Idaho’s native plants, as well!
Plant a pollinator garden. Idaho is home to over 300 of species of pollinators, from bees, to bats, to hummingbirds. The Idaho Botanical Garden has compiled some helpful tips so that you can make your yard a haven for pollinators.
Help someone you know who is interested in hunting begin online IDFG Hunter’s Education. For a limited time, IDFG has waived the field day requirement for all online hunter’s education courses, meaning you can begin and end the entire course from your home. With turkey season right around the corner, now is an excellent time for yourself or someone you know to take Hunter’s Education. Classes are available for those 9 years and older.