KAMO April Newsletter

Hello KAMO members and friends,
This is KAMO President Mark Walters with my monthly part of the Newsletter. We are now well into the turkey season and I had a great time taking a young hunter on her first turkey hunt. We did not put a tag on a gobbler but as I taught her after she “missed” now the turkey gets to live another day. No matter if it is one of my kids or a young KAMO hunter or fishermen I have always lived by that creed and if you really emphasize it when things do not go as planned, it works.
Folks Mike Brown is our “acting” Secretary. Mike wears a lot of hats in KAMO as we are all well aware and agreed to help out in this position until June 1st. This subject needs to be addressed at your May meetings. One of the biggest realities in volunteer organizations is burnout and I do not want this to happen. As Mike recently told me, “Being KAMO Secretary is not that hard”.
Please contact myself, Mike or Bob Nicksic if you would help.
Bob Nicksic is setting up a KAMO workday to help out a good friend of KAMO for Saturday, May 18th from 8:00 to 12:00. We will be splitting and stacking firewood and doing some tree planting work. Please help if you can, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this very simple project but it really is.
In closing, my friends I have not been as active in KAMO for the last month nor will I be for a while longer. I am planning a big shing ding for Selina’s graduation and through the month of July have to put a serious effort into what I do for a living. I am still active but just cannot do what I have done for the last 12-years at the same level until I take care of what I just wrote about.
As always thank you for doing what you do to help introduce our youth to the outdoors!

Webmaster Report
The site has a hosting fee of under $30 a year and we pay $80.00/ yr. for a quarterly update of updates, making it a good value. These quarterly updates have the potential to both improve and change the way the features work. So far, that hasn?t been an issue. The web place has sent us access to an advanced Google analytic and it is free.
The analytics tell us that most viewers come on between 7:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M just about evenly during the weekdays.This is a change, because most viewers used to come in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.. 55.9% are using a mobile device, 41.5 % are using a desktop, and the other 2.5% use a tablet. Social media accounts for about 25% of viewers.
Most of our viewers are not using the kamokids.org to enter, but instead are using a keyword such as ?youth mentoring?, ?youth outdoor group?, etc. into a search engine. Some might be putting ?Kids and Mentors Outdoors? into a search to see what happens. In other words, many new people are learning that there is a KAMO or have heard about it, but didn?t realize we had a site.
The site was viewed 420 times in the past 30 days. This information tells us a lot about who is on our site, where they are coming from, where they look, etc. We still need a spring picture for the homepage and I don?t have a good one. Even a summer one. Something without a kill. Got that kid lined up to take over as chapter web person yet?

Baraboo Chapter

Due to low meeting attendance, no report this month

Coulee Chapter
Coulee?s mentors took three youths out turkey hunting on two different properties on April 13-14. Two kids hunted on a property near Cataract and one kid and his mentor hunted on a DMAO east of the north Fort in Monroe County.
Normally, this is a terrific time for fishing the Mississippi with some kids, but this year?s high water makes accessing the water dangerous.
Two mentors attended the Altra Credit Union Employee Volunteer Fair at the Altra facility in Onalaska.Although we got no volunteer offers directly, at least more people are aware of the group. Also, this is one of several businesses in our area that have the capacity to send a nonprofit group volunteers during their working hours.
We have set the date for an archery/ nature art/ gear swap event at the Hokah Administrative Center in neighboring Houston County, Minnesota on Saturday, June 22nd. We have collected several tubs of camo clothing, fishing, hunting,and general outdoor equipment, and are likely to accumulate more before the event. The purpose of the event is partially to try to establish some activity in Minnesota..

Mike

Lake Wisconsin

Hi All, Lake Wisconsin chapter held their meeting April 3rd, not many attended. Next meeting is May 1 and we will set dates for the summer fishing dates with Baraboo and try planning a canoe trip this summer. Earlier in April our chapter helped the DNR remove cardboard covers that protected the bud on top of the White Pines so the deer didn’t eat them over the winter. Looking forward to better weather in May to get outside more!! Submitted by Linda

Meadow Valley

We had 8 members present with no new members in attendance. To help with the promotion of KAMO, we decided to donate KAMO shirts to all of the youth attending the NWTF Banquet. Additionally, we donated 2 youth shotguns for the banquet at well. Mentoring for the month:Aaron, Janine and Dan took kids shed hunting.
Discussion on the upcoming Youth Turkey Hunt. We have 4 kids participating in the hunt. Aaron discussed with the group the possibility of having a KAMO booth at a sport show in Richland Center next year. Aaron has been in contact with the show organizer and believes this would give KAMO great exposure.
Activities going forward for the group include:
Fawn capture/collaring with the DNR.
Putting wood duck houses up
Air Rifle demonstration/shoot
Camping
AMS youth bow shoot

Submitted by Bob Nicksic

Northwoods

Next meeting will be on May 15th

Yellow River ? April 8th ? Meeting Minutes
There were 7 people who attended this meeting, so we are very excited to have a good core group of adults that are ready to make this chapter a positive family for this community. Dana, treasurer, reported that we now have our bank account open and checks are here to be used for whatever is needed. Brad spoke about the state KAMO meeting on 3/23 and expressed some needs, the state is in need of a secretary ? Mike Brown is stepping up for a few months until this happens.
We need another 1 or 2 people to represent Yellow River at the state level for Board of Director ? President Brad Allen and Treasure Dana Anderson are both interested if no one else is. Everyone was encouraged to read the LINK magazine article written in December, 2017. A great overall article on KAMO. Some information on snapshot WI was handed out, this is a program that gives you a trail camera and you help the DNR manage wildlife.
We were grateful enough to get a media starter kit with t shirts, hats, magnets and more. All of these items will go in the storage unit with the rest of Yellow River?s belongings. Dana is going to write a grant for $250 to the Wildlife Federation we need at least 2 events with hunting/fishing/outdoor activity to qualify. Randy D mentioned a youth banquet at the end of June, he is hoping to get a table to promote our KAMO chapter. Keith M talked about setting up a page like go fund me to raise additional funds for events and equipment.
The state board will pay for expenses for the Joe Hunt except $25/camper/hunter, which is very fortunate. This is the hunt that takes place at the McKenzie center in Poynette, WI. The youth can attend this hunt for 2 years. 10 deer were harvested at the last Joe Hunt and were tested, 2 were positive. We wanted to thank Kieran L a youth member that has taken the initiative to run our kamokids.org ? Yellow River chapter page. KAMO has some potential to grow into the neighboring states in the future, we are excited about that.
4/27 is the next event ? Rich Chronquist Youth Outdoors Day at 9AM at the Meade Wildlife Area in Milladore. Brad took 2 kids out on a 1 on 1 and had a great time looking for deer sheds. Our next meeting will be 5/13 at 7PM.

April