4H-647A
$1.00
Supplement to the 4-H Wildlife Manual: Outdoor Skills
Ronald A. Howard Jr., Department of Forestry and Natural Resources;
Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth
Introduction
Statistics about fishing show that about 6-10% of the anglers catch 90-96% of the fish. The reason is not “luck” but skill in nearly every case. The same thing is true in almost all outdoor skills. Outdoor Skills covers a lot of activities. Many of the skills are complex, and they may lead to professions as well as hobbies. An experienced person can be very helpful in learning the required skills for many outdoor activities. No matter how they are learned, though, practice and personal experience are required if you are to become really skilled. An experienced tracker, angler, photographer, or fly tier can teach you more in a few minutes than you can learn from a book in days (sometimes years), but there is no substitute for practice. For example, the difference between the person who has mastered the basic skills of fly tying and one who ties professional quality flies is about 5000 flies. The early ones will catch fish, but they will not be up to the quality of those you tie after gaining more experience.
Anyone can learn the principles involved and get basic experience in the skills presented here. Everyone can learn how to read wildlife sign, tie flies, take wildlife photographs, or catch fish. Only a few will ever become highly skilled at doing those things, but everyone can become better, or more successful, at them by learning the basic skills and applying them to their experience.
A well-planned learning process is needed. The materials presented here are intended to help you develop the basic skills needed to develop good experience on your own. You need to learn the core of abilities if you want to develop the advanced skills or artistic expression that separates skilled outdoor enthusiasts from beginners.
Field Notebook or Journal
The importance of keeping records of your activities and observations is stressed many times in all kinds of 4-H programs. That is particularly true when learning or refining outdoor skills. Memories of observations, or little tricks learned, tend to fade if they are not used constantly. Notes that are carefully recorded enables you recall something years after the fact. Field biologists generally agree that “the weakest ink is stronger than the best memory.” As a result, they have developed some standard ways of recording their observations. Their methods are easily adapted to other outdoor activities, and the models suggested here are
based upon the journals I use. Developing the habit of writing down your observations takes effort, but it is worth it.
Several things need to be considered if the notebook is to be used in the field. Size and durability are important. Most biologists use three-ring binders measuring about 18x23.5 cm (7x9 inches) designed to hold 16x18 cm “ornithology paper.” The notebook is small enough to be easily carried, but large enough to have plenty of space for your observations. The heavy, 100% cotton fiber paper is extremely tough and durable, even when it gets wet. Notes should be recorded in waterproof ink (drafting or engrossing inks) using a drafting pen.
Purdue University, Cooperative Extension Service, West Lafayette, Indiana