Nebraskaland

NEBRASKAland June 2014

NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.

Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/315021

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48 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2014 JUNE 2014 • NEBRASKAland 49 T his is a story about a government agency and its drone. No, not that government agency and not those drones. It all begins in early 2013, shortly after I was hired by the Game and Parks Commission. The wildlife staff in our district expressed a desire to get aerial video footage of wildlife. With the enthusiasm of a new employee, I researched the issue and found some pretty impressive videos of wildlife on the Internet, filmed using GoPro cameras attached to remote control helicopters. "Hmm, piece of cake," I thought. "I've played around with remote control vehicles before. It will just be a matter of finding the wildlife to film." So, the helicopter would become one of my first equipment requests. I was a little surprised to meet some reluctance by my division administrator for the purchase. The conversation went something like this: "We'd like to buy this helicopter to film wildlife," I wrote in an e-mail. "Hmm, I'll have to check on that," she replied, probably wondering what kind of crazy person had joined her staff and hoping this fantasy would wane. Somewhere in ensuing requests, I attached a better description and imagery of the plastic item I was requesting, a far cry smaller than the two- or four-seat full-size chopper that she must have had in her mind. "Oh, you mean a remote control helicopter? Sounds reasonable. Go ahead." So, I put in the order for the chopper, evoking visions of grand footage of bighorn sheep, elk, deer and pronghorn grazing on the beautiful terrain of the Panhandle. Not long after the helicopter arrived, I got a call from wildlife staff members who were at Chadron State Park monitoring bighorn sheep. "Why don't you bring that helicopter out and we'll give it a try?" "It's a little breezy," I thought. But that didn't deter me. I was going to show them that this thing would work. I arrived to the scene – one of the highest points of the park – and promptly retrieved the helicopter from my truck and readied it for takeoff. Without hesitation, I hit the throttle and up it went. And went. And went. The "stiff breeze," which may be described as a full gale in some parts of the country, carried it away. We watched it spin circles as I tried in vain to get it back to home base. It was becoming obvious the flight was doomed, and my wildlife cohorts were getting antsy as it neared private land. So, I made the decision no pilot wants to make: It was time for a crash landing. To retrieve the helicopter, we traversed up and down the steep walls of several Pine Ridge ravines that looked a lot smaller from a distance. I even managed to get beat over the head by the wing of a hen wild turkey that didn't like me poking my head over the ledge in which she was nesting. Little did we know, that was just the first of many steps and beatings we'd take in search of the helicopter. I'll admit, after that day, my confidence was shaken. Notions crept in that I may be past my prime when it comes to remote-control vehicle operation. So, I deferred to my younger wildlife division coworkers and let them take the aircraft to their Alliance office to practice. About a week went by before I got the call. The helicopter was missing somewhere in a corn field near the office, I was told. Same story: wind carried it up and away. They obtained permission to search from the reluctant landowner, but finding it in the tall corn wasn't going to be easy, I was told. Later that day, my editor called from Lincoln. "I'm wondering if you can tell me where I could find a remote control helicopter?" he inquired, making my pulse rise and my palms sweat. "Crap, he must want it for a project," I thought. He'd later reveal to me he knew it was missing. Yes, news can travel fast from one end of the state to the other. Despite a thorough search by several staff members, the helicopter wasn't found that day. Or the next. Or the next week. Or the next several months. As months went by, along with rain, sleet and snow, I'd pretty much written off the possibility of finding the helicopter. But, on a January afternoon, I sat down to my desk to receive a message from a coworker. He wanted my phone number so he could text me a photo of the helicopter. I was amazed to see the image of it lying face down in the field, looking much in the same condition the last time I saw it. The staff member who piloted the craft to its troubled landing is the one who decided to give it one more look, and found it in the field that had been heavily searched during the summer. He tells me that the discovery brought so much joy that he rolled around on the frozen ground among the corn stubble. The batteries were dead, but, much to our surprise, both the helicopter and camera were in serviceable condition. So, even though it hasn't resulted in any prize footage, we once again have the helicopter that started it all. Problem is, we're all too afraid to fly it. ■ Up, Up and Away The Search for the Missing Drone. By Justin Haag, Regional Editor This picture is from 1950 or 51. The picture includes my oldest brother Jake Hild (as a very young boy) my uncle Orville Wiemers, my dad Jake Hild and family friend LaVern Ahrens. The hunting likely took place on the family farm north of Elm Creek. My dad and brothers always enjoyed pheasant hunting. Looks like they had a good day. – Lori "Hild" Marshall Kearney, Nebraska ▲ This is a picture of me, Paul Leeper (on the right), and my brothers Clay and Matt, sometime around December 1969. I was 12 years old. This would have been the beginning of my passion for hunting with my dad. We lived in Wood River and hunted all the little spots around there. Rarely did we go out to hunt pheasants, we hunted quail and took the roosters that came along. My dad has passed but the memories remain. The picture was taken by my dad, Don Leeper. – Paul A. Leeper Grand Island, Nebraska ▲ Pictured is my dad Virgil Simmons and I fishing on the Blue River in southern Gage County near Holmesville, Nebraska. A farmer would let us pass through his property and we'd camp on a sand bar in the river. Not pictured, but our family's fishing friends, were the Fred Dorn family of Plymouth. This picture was probably taken in 1955. Fishing and friendship were great! – Rick Simmons Lincoln, Nebraska ▲ Send contributions to: Portraits from the Past, NEBRASKAland Magazine, P.O. Box 30370, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370. Or e-mail to Tim.Reigert@Nebraska. gov. Photos should show people enjoying Nebraska outdoor activities, such as camping, boating, hunting or fishing, and must have been taken before 1980. We will give priority to unusual photos or activities. When possible, please include a story about the photograph and identify the people, places and approximate date it was taken. Photos will be returned. PHOTO BY MICAH ELLSTROM

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