Two anglers enjoy their catch, a native redband trout, by the Metolius River, Ore. Photo by Sarah Roth.

Kermit Roosevelt’s Reflections on Hunting with T.R. In 1920, a year after Roosevelt’s death, Kermit, his son and boon companion during the great African safari of 1909-1910, published an account of his own hunting adventures. In addition to tales about the twosome’s African adventure, his book includes stories about hunting in the American Southwest for sheep, New Brunswick for moose and South Dakota – along with T.R.’s friend Sherriff Seth Bullock, of Deadwood fame – for prairie chickens. The Happy Hunting Grounds is a slim volume, only 100 pages in length, yet it is reminiscent of his famous father’s writings. It remains in print and is available from Barnes & Noble Books.

In Jennifer Ham’s introduction, you’ll find a quote from T.R. that speaks to the heart and soul of many hunters. “I am fond of politics, but fonder still of a little big-game hunting,” he wrote.

I would suggest that Roosevelt ought to have written “a great deal of big-game hunting”! For few of us can imagine a year-long safari in Africa, not to mention his many excursions out West and to Canada in pursuit of big game.

Kermit was only 19 years old when he accompanied his father to Africa and barely 30 when he penned his own book, but by then he understood the allure of hunting and expressed it well when he wrote, “We get three sorts and periods of enjoyment out of a hunting trip. The first is when the plans are being discussed and the outfit assembled; this is the pleasure of anticipation. The second is the enjoyment of the actual trip itself; and the third is the pleasure of retrospection when we sit around a blazing fire and talk over the incidents and adventures of the trip.” Who among us would argue with those words?

Kermit obviously idolized and loved his father, writing of T.R., “He was a natural champion of the cause of every man, and not only in his books would he carefully give credit where it was due, but he would endeavor to bring about recognition through outside channels.”

The Happy Hunting Grounds is filled with personal nuggets and observations about growing up and hunting with Theodore Roosevelt. I enjoyed it and trust you will, as well.

Alan Wentz, Ph.D. is the senior group manager for conservation programs for Ducks Unlimited. Wentz is also a member of the TRCP board of directors where he uses his conservation biology background to help guide the decisions of the Partnership.

Q: How did you get into hunting and fishing?

My father was determined to introduce both my brother and me to firearms and hunting even though, after being in WWII, he hunted very little. He started that introduction when I was 8 years old and continued to mentor us in firearms use and on a few hunting trips each year until he felt we were safe to send off alone – at about age 14! For most of my early years, my grandfather took me hunting often for all kinds of small game, and he taught me much about finding game. My father was a dedicated fisherman, and he took us fishing on lakes and rivers all over Ohio and Michigan, with regular trips to the northern lakes of Ontario. When I learned that a neighbor was a trapper, I begged him to teach me how, and he did that. I probably learned more about natural history and the animals themselves from trapping and one of my part-time jobs with a fur buyer than anything else I did.

Q: What led you to your career in conservation?

Fishing, trapping, hunting and learning as much as I could about fish and wildlife as a teenager did that. As far back as I can remember, I admired the local game protector, savored my trips to the Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area (Ohio Division of Wildlife), immersed myself in the outdoor literature of the day (Fur-Fish-Game magazine in particular), and deeply studied the writings of one Theodore Roosevelt. I worked at a local Boy Scout camp for many summers and became a naturalist with a broad interest in all things outdoors. All of those experiences taught me that there were people who make their living in conservation, and I could think of no higher calling. By the time I got to college, I had no other goal in life than to work in conservation full time, and I have been lucky enough to do that. Several professors and faculty colleagues at the various universities I attended were critical to the direction I have taken over the years.

Q: How did you get involved with the TRCP?

Like many other TRCP board members, I found it hard to resist that “talking to” by [TRCP co-founder] Jim Range. Jim had a way of asking that was more like telling you this was how it was going to happen. I was among the people who met with Jim as the TRCP was being formulated and had more than a few late-night discussions with him and other TRCP leaders about creating such an organization. And while I was surprised to be asked to join the board, I felt a strong obligation to help see the organization develop and grow.

Q: What do you think the most important conservation issues facing sportsmen are today?

Habitat and access are the two things sportsmen must address, and the sooner the better. Habitat is No. 1, since without habitat, access is meaningless.

Q: What are your hopes for the future of the TRCP?

I hope the TRCP can continue to pull together the sportsmen-based community to accomplish what we must for habitat conservation and the future of hunting and fishing. We all have to stand together on the basic issues of protecting, conserving and better managing the habitat base that all fish, wildlife and people depend on.

James Earl Kennamer Ph.D. serves as the chief conservation officer of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Kennamer has spent nearly three decades at the helm of the NWTF’s conservation programs department. Before coming to the NWTF, Kennamer was a tenured professor of wildlife biology at Auburn University. In 2006, Kennamer was awarded the highly coveted Henry S. Mosby award at the ninth National Wild Turkey Symposium; in 2005, he was honored with the Wildlife Management Institute’s Distinguished Service Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the South Carolina chapter of The Wildlife Society; and in 2004, he received special recognition from the U.S. Forest Service. In 1997, he received the C.W. Watson Award, the highest honor to be bestowed by the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society and Southeastern Section of The Wildlife Society for Distinguished Service in Wildlife Research and Administration. Also in 1997, he received the President’s Award from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Q: How did you get into hunting and fishing?

My father took me on a dove hunt when I was 6 years old. That was soon after he returned from World War II. My father was the extension fish and wildlife specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service from 1946 until 1974, so I grew up with a great appreciation for our natural resources.

Q: What led you to a career in conservation?

In 1954, when I was 12, my father took me turkey hunting at the Ft. Benning Military Reservation. I really appreciated the beauty of watching the turkey strutting back and forth, thanks to the respect and love of nature my father had instilled in me. I walked away from that memorable hunt knowing I wanted a career that provided me with the opportunity to work with wild turkeys. It’s not often that a 12 year old is able to say with certainty what they feel they are called to do in life and then carry it through. I was fortunate enough to recognize my passion and then chart a course that would allow me to realize my dream. During the nearly 30 years I’ve worked at the National Wild Turkey Federation, I’ve not only been able to help restore wild turkey populations across North America but I’ve also helped forge partnerships between hunters and wildlife agencies, corporations and conservation groups and advocate conservation issues that are important to the NWTF’s dedicated volunteers and members. My son Lee also realized he wanted a career working with wildlife and followed my and my father’s path by earning a degree in wildlife from Auburn University in Auburn, Ala. I’m proud to have a third generation of wildlife biologists in my family. But I’m mainly honored to have passed on a love and respect for the outdoors to my children and grandchildren.

Q: How did you get involved with the TRCP?

I met Tom Franklin when he was the policy director at The Wildlife Society. Since then, I’ve had opportunities to work with Tom and others on issues that would benefit conservation, the TRCP and the NWTF. Working together on these issues forged lasting relationships, and I have a great amount of respect for Tom and all he has accomplished in his career.

Q: What do you think the most important conservation issues facing sportsmen are today?

Sportsmen are facing many significant challenges today, but one of the most important is our need to preserve our hunting heritage. If we don’t instill the love of hunting and conservation in our children and grandchildren and introduce new people to the outdoors, there will be no hunters and conservationists to care for our natural resources in the future. The NWTF works through its JAKES, Women in the Outdoors and Wheelin’ Sportsmen outreach programs to introduce youth, women and people with disabilities to outdoor activities. Another challenge hunters face is finding land to hunt. Studies have shown that the No. 1 reason hunters give up their sport is because they don’t have access to hunting land. Since we know that hunters were the first and are the most dedicated conservationists, we must work to protect hunter access to public lands as well as focus on ways in which we can address the declining base of hunters through promotion and hunter retention. The NWTF’s More Places to Hunt initiative is one way we are working to help hunters find land to hunt. The economy also has presented some significant challenges, but the new Farm Bill, plus energy development and climate change legislation, will create opportunities for conservation organizations to complete some great projects that will benefit wildlife and our natural resources.

Q: What are your hopes for the future of the TRCP?

I hope the TRCP will continue to partner with organizations in the conservation community to conserve our natural resources and protect our hunting heritage for future generations.