~ Green Creek Wildlife Society ~
~ Green Creek Wildlife Society ~
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Belted Kingfisher ~ Ceryle alcyon ~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to the Green Creek Wildlife Society Website! We are a conservation and research organization based in NW Ohio. Founded by Tom Kashmer over 20 years ago we are highly involved in the area with research projects and educational programs year round.
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Arkansas! Why would we want to travel to the state of Arkansas? For starters, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, thought to be extinct in the U.S. since the 40’s, was “rediscovered” at the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge; the Ozark Mountains looked very inviting for a couple of day hikes; a canoe trip down the Buffalo River; and finally……Tonya lived in Arkansas and called it “home”. Well, we did it all……except for Tonya…….she got a job with the Ohio Division of Wildlife and couldn’t make the trip. This year’s participants were: Tom Kashmer, Jim Fisher, Anne Baldwin, Aron “Bub” Burmeister, Kevin Okonski, Tyler Weaver, Dan Ragen and Jim Schroeder. Our first scheduled campsite was to be in Illinois. However we were making such good time I decided to go a little farther and camp in Benton, Illinois. Looked good but turns out that Benton is in Missouri, not Illinois, and hence, no campgrounds……the first of my many screw-ups! So back into the vehicles…… we are driving my new little Toyota Yaris and Jim’s mini-van….and off we go. We eventually made it to Arkansas around 6:00 P.M. and camped at Crowley Ridge State Park. The next day we were to meet Dan & Jim at the White River National Wildlife Refuge…..both of us arrived at 3:00 P.M. We checked out the Visitor Center…..obtained information on primitive camping……viewed video on refuge and headed to the campsite. The landscape in this part of Arkansas is pretty monotonous….mostly rice fields, cotton, a little corn and soybeans…..and flat as a board……almost think you’re back home! Tyler and I are leading the way….or at least for the first ½ hour…..we got lost and had Dan & Jim lead the way. They got us to the right place…..pretty neat area…..right on this beautiful lake with large Tupelo trees on the waters edge. It was definitely primitive though…..no water, toilets, etc…..although there was a concrete picnic table! We had purchased Arkansas fishing licenses so the boys were off fishing as soon as the tents were up. I think it would have been a neat place to camp except for the MOSQUITOS…..they were everywhere, in huge masses…..repellant worked for a while…..then the rains came…..and with the rain the mud…..it was pretty crummy. We decided that one night of primitive camping in this muddy, mosquito infested habitat, would be enough. Hopefully the Cache River NWR would be better. The next morning, on the way to the Cache, we stopped at a historical site of the Louisiana Purchase…..this site was where the original survey began of the Purchase territory. This was a great place…..elevated boardwalk that took you through a Tupelo/Cypress flooded bottomland forest…..it was exactly what you would picture as a typical Arkansas or Louisiana bayou country. There were Prothonotary Warblers everywhere. We were really disappointed with the Cache River NWR…..it was closed for the weekend! That certainly made a lot of sense….visitors recreate on weekends…..not during the week……go figure! We did find some neat areas to hike….most of the bottomland forests were dry because of a drought in the area…..so we hiked the dry creek bottoms. Spent most of the day driving trying to find a campsite…..went from plan A, to plan B, to plan C. Finally found a great campsite along the White River…..but were driven into the tents as soon as the mosquitoes came out. Visited a Fish Hatchery the next day……right up Dan’s alley. They raised trout, rainbows and browns……the hatchery was along the Little Red River and the manager told the boys what kind of bait to use and how to fish for trout in the river. The boys all limited out on trout. They kept the 15 and Chef Kevin fixed them for supper…..yummy! The next day we headed for the Buffalo River National Park…..camped for the next several days at Tyler Bend Campgrounds……two sites side by side…..very clean…..showers….great place. The boys fished the river but not as rewarding as yesterday. We took a neat hike to an “old homestead” in the Ozark’s…..very impressive old farmstead and outbuildings. The next day was one of the highlights of the trip……we took a 7 hour canoe trip on the Buffalo River. It was amazing…..the scenery was spectacular…..the fishing was excellent…..the water was fast and clear and not a lot of work…..hardly any litter. The river is famous for its smallmouth bass…..Tyler caught the largest…..about 15 inches. There were very few canoers; we almost had the river to ourselves. It was a long day but well worth it. The Buffalo was the first National Scenic River designated in the United States……and we know why! Goal today was to get to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways…..beautiful area…..rolling wooded hillsides…..found superb campsite…..most sites empty during the week. I could go on and on but space is limited and I’m sure you’re heard enough already. I can’t stress enough how great these GC trips are…..how much fun they are….the neat things we see and do. If you ever get the chance to participate in a GC trip……do it. The memories will last a lifetime. |
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For problems or questions regarding this website contact Auriel Van Der Laar
- aurielvdl@yahoo.com
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