It was encouraging to see the good turnout at last Saturday’s Boy Scout field days at the county fairgrounds. While not proof positive that some of our youths will become avid outdoorsmen, It did show that there’s sufficient interest once exposed to the many outdoor opportunities available to pique youthful interest into getting outdoors and partaking in some form or another. In recent years there’s been national concern that our youths are becoming increasingly sedentary. The reason, of course, can be found by simply looking at our national lifestyle. Let’s consider how we, as a nation, have changed over the past half century
Fifty years ago, home television – if there even was one – often was limited to two maybe three channels. No color TVs, no cable or dish reception, no DVD recorder/players, and TV programming was limited to around 12 hours each day, with a test pattern being shown when no programs were available. There were no Ipods, cell phones and few fast food drive-ins. Kids ate breakfast at home, walked or took the bus to school, and ate supper with their family in the evening. The time from when school ended until supper was often filled with all sorts of makeshift outdoor play time, be it ball games, cowboys and Indians or whatever.
In most families, the father was the bread winner and mom was home. There were few sexual predators to worry about, and drugs were something you took when you were sick. Schools had dress codes and teachers were allowed to discipline unruly students, followed by a notification to their parents (which often resulted in further disciplining at home).
If kids lived in a rural area, there was a good chance that their fathers and uncles were sportsmen who hunted and fished on weekends or days off, and the bounty they harvested ended up on the supper table. There were strict rules about touching dad’s hunting gun or fishing equipment. Pity the youth that even considered doing so. Responsibility came with the daily chores and other rules laid out by the parents.
When youths were deemed old enough to accept the responsibilities dad would begin teaching them the fine points and safety procedures of hunting and fishing. If the youth passed those tests, he or she would be allowed to accompany and participate with the adults on an outing. If they adhered to the rules they’d been taught, when they were old enough they’d be allowed to partake in the actual fishing and hunting with the adults, under supervision of course.
I guess it’s easier for adults of my age to relate to the social changes we’ve seen, since most have occurred during our lifetimes. For example, many of us grew up on family farms, in small villages, or in similar rural locations. Much of our “neighborhood” consisted of small family-run farms or semi-isolated residences . Once our parent-delegated chores were done, we were free to recreate – which often meant makeshift games or other activities that usually were done outdoors, with or without playmates. We seldom got bored, and our parents often had to command us in when it was time for supper. After eating was usually school homework time, and once done, we might be allowed to watch appropriate shows on the family’s lone B&W TV. Then it was off to bed – also at a delegated time set by our parents. We had one telephone that was on a party line, and we were seldom given permission to use it.
When playing, we often got dirty, cold or wet, and loved every minute of it, but not necessarily the bath that would come later. If you were lucky, you had a bicycle, otherwise you walked or ran to any semi-distant destination to join your neighborhood friends to play games.
In contrast, today’s youths are pulled in many directions, whether it’s computer, video or Ipod related, just about every kid has their own cell phone, laptop computer, older ones have their own car or motorcycle, and rarely need to ride the school bus. Younger ones often get chauffeured to school by a concerned parent, and school grounds have evolved into “campuses” where students are often allowed to “hang out” on the grounds during free periods with little or no supervision. There’s little or no dress code enforcement, and teachers must be cautious when disciplining an unruly student.
And yet, many adults can’t figure out where we went wrong in creating a generation of youths far different from past ones.

Gun Ownership Up, Crime Goes Down
BELLEVUE, WA – For the third straight year, violent crime has declined in all categories while gun sales climbed, gun ownership expanded and more citizens are carrying firearms for personal protection; proof positive that gun prohibitionists have been consistently and undeniably wrong, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms reported. The FBI released its 2009 report on Crime in the United States, showing that murder declined 7.3 percent, robberies fell 8 percent, aggravated assault dropped by 4.2 percent and forcible rape has declined 2.6 percent. Meanwhile, the National Shooting Sports Foundation notes that gun sales in 2009 were up dramatically.

Banner year for Ticks
According to most veterinarians this year has been a particularly bad one for tick infestation in our area. These tiny parasites are primarily spread by mice and voles and can be found in most any grassy or low-growth cover, where they can hitch a ride on other warm blooded creatures such as dogs, cats, deer and humans. Once on a new host they attach themselves and start feeding on the blood. Pet owners and humans should be especially watchful for any that may have attached themselves to the skin, usually in warm areas such as underarms and crotches on humans and neck and underleg areas on pets. Ticks can be removed with small tweezers, but be sure to grasp them close to the skin so you get the entire tick, including its head.
(Note: Last week I wrote that the SZ archery season opened 10/17, having referred to the DEC’s 2010-11 syllabus by mistake. Obviously this year it opened on 10/16)