I moved to Worthington at the age of 13 and after my folks bought me a new bike, I was the traveling fisherman and hunter.
I would ride my bike to the local lake in my town almost every day.
When I reached the age of 14, which is when you can hunt without an adult, I would ride my bike about six miles out to the Lake Ocheda Waterfowl refuge and try to shoot a Canada goose. I would often ride home with a shotgun in one hand and, if I was lucky, a goose held by the neck in the other.
When my own son was about 10, he wanted to start hunting, and this was when hunting became a bigger part of my life. So, fast forward almost 50 years from that new bike, and wildlife habitat and the conservation of our natural resources now occupy almost all my non-work hours.
I was at the Minnesota DNR Roundtable a few weeks back and ran across an old friend by the name of Jason Garms. He didn’t know it and I didn’t really realize it until that chance meeting last week, but my encounter with Jason was a pivotal moment in my life.
I was working to enroll a portion of my parents’ farm into the Minnesota Native Prairie Bank Easement Program, which paid owners of remnant native prairie parcels to protect those lands from ever being plowed or developed.
Considering that 97 percent of the native prairie in Minnesota is long gone, these unique spaces offer a glimpse of what the state looked like before modern civilization, with plants and flowers that exist nowhere else in the state.
Back in the days before the plow, native prairie could support as many as 250 different plant species all living in harmony at the same time. Native prairies are a look into the past and are my very favorite places to spend my time in the wild.
Jason came down to do a site inspection on my parcel. My parcel was not very large, 20 acres or so, so it wasn’t a big priority in terms of protecting large blocks of remaining native prairie.
I was doing my best to convince Jason that my spot was important. After a short walk I asked him if he thought I could qualify. He responded, “I have already made up my mind to recommend this spot for protection. Now I am just going on a treasure hunt.”
What he meant was that he was exploring for as many different plant species as he could identify.
It was on that day more than two decades ago – that very moment – that I became immersed in native prairies and the creatures that lived there.
Every year I try to learn and remember (that is the hard part) the names of new plants and flowers, including their scientific names.
When I met Jason, his title was a Prairie Stewardship Specialist. Today he has been promoted more than a few times and now holds the title of Agricultural Program Liaison.
My engagement in the outdoors now results in countless hours a year volunteering for Pheasants Forever, Minnesota DNR, Prairie Chicken Society, Round Lake Sportsman’s Club, Quail Forever, Ducks Unlimited Okabena/Ocheda Watershed and many others.
You hear all the time that you should always be good to one another and that every meeting, no matter how insignificant, could be a life-changing event for you or the other person.
I never really realized it until my drive home from the metro that day just how important my chance meeting with Jason Garms was in terms of becoming the person I have become.
Lighting a spark, creating a curiosity, opening someone’s eyes to the wonders of nature is something that every adult and child needs and deserves.
Jason did it for me, and I truly believe I will spend the rest of my life trying to do the same for every person I might have the opportunity to interact with.
I am sure Jason has no idea of the effect he had in my life and the results that my efforts since have achieved. Thank you, Jason, and I will do my best to carry on your spark.
Scott Rall, Worthington, is a habitat conservationist, avid hunting and fishing enthusiast and is president of Nobles County Pheasants Forever. He can be reached at scottarall@gmail.com. or on Twitter @habitat champion.