Dear Santa:
I know. I know. I do this every year… It occurs to me, however, and at the last possible minute, that I may not have been clear with your beardedness about my Christmas needs. And, given the responsibility I bear for making wishes for the county=s outdoor nuts, I worry that I may have overlooked something. Then, too, with an e-mail, I figure you might just read one more.
Anyhow, Santa, here’s the list. Handle what you can, and I will be forever grateful.
1) While you are in the State, could you drop something into the stockings of our state legislators about supporting the Washington Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights legislation which will be soon working its way through the House and Senate in Olympia? Last year, we got that great Senate Resolution passed to honor Washington Families’ Outdoor Heritage, and now we want the Bill of Rights. Its purpose is to get families and kids outdoors, Santa, and I know this is something that you would want too. Do what you can so that Washington can join the other couple dozen states and organizations which have such a Kids’ Bill of Rights.
2) I know you are dropping off small-caliber rifles and kid-size shotguns all around here. Could you please put a bug in kids’ ears about safety – about their folks getting them safety training – so they will be better able to look out for themselves and their friends when there are no adults around?
3) While you are here, remember that your whisper touches people in mysterious ways. How about you putting a bug up… er, uh… in the ear of some key decision-makers about establishing a large, safe, new shooting range in the valley?
4) Santa, could you drop a little stardust on my preference points for special hunt license draws? I know the drawing is a ways off, but you know how much I look forward to a moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, buck deer on the Training Center and branch-antlered bull elk hunt this fall. You know I didn’t make a lot of meat this last fall, and I have a growing family, so I’d sure appreciate your help. How much trouble could it be to help my odds a little, Santa?
5) About that southern white-tail deer hunt for next year. Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas or the Carolinas – any of those will be fine – you can make that decision. My life would sure be richer if you just dropped that one in the stocking… I could just quit fretting about it.
6) Santa, could you drop a little stardust on the free bird seed that will be at Ranch and Home and Shaw’s Furniture? Pheasants, chukars and quail – and all those others we like to watch – need to make it to spring, so they can make more pheasants and quail and other feathered critters. Maybe folks will help defray the cost of the seed with a contribution to Field and Stream.
7) There are a lot of youngsters who would benefit from a pair of cross-country skis, Santa. This could be the year for them to take part in the youngsters’ ski school Jeff Hashimoto and Carey Gazis have put together. Just drop off the skis and tape a note to them that points the family to eburgski.blogspot.com or [email protected] for more info.
8) It will be sort of last minute, but you might drop a note into parents’ stockings, reminding them that, maybe, the best gift they could give family and kids is some set block of time doing whatever the recipient would like to do. Things will be tight for a lot of Homeys this year, Santa, but this sort of gift costs little to nothing and could last a lifetime.
9) Our little side-chat at the mall? Handle that one, Santa, and I’ll be smiling ‘til next year.
Thanks for your consideration. My best to Rudolph and the gang. The egg nog and that shot of warming medicine will be right where you expect to find it, Santa…
Safe trip next week.
Your lifelong buddy and pal,
Jim
Oh, yeah. Happy New Year!
