Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Waders become a big hit on Christmas morning

Paula DelGiudice

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 | 10:10 a.m.

Paula Del Giudice's outdooors column appears Thursday. Reach her by e-mail at desertdenizens@aol.com.

As parents, we hope our children will hold dear those same values we do. We hope they will love the outdoors and outdoor pursuits as much as we do.

You can introduce your child to something, but then it's up to them whether the "magic" sticks. You cannot make children love hunting, shooting, fishing, hiking or backpacking. You cannot make your children love skiing, watching birds, photography or camping.

We have nurtured both of our children's interests in the outdoors over the years, but I have to admit it's a little easier with boys, who seem more inclined toward rough-and-tumble pursuits.

Last year, Kevin received a bow for Christmas. This year we bought him his first shotgun and took him on his first duck hunt. Subsequently, for Christmas he wanted his first rifle, a 78-function Swiss Army knife, and hunting clothing.

It's a little too soon to tell with Katie. As Mike and I talked about what to give the kids for Christmas, we decided that next summer would be the perfect time to introduce them to some serious fly fishing, so a gift of waders would make perfect sense.

We ordered pairs to fit them both. We were smugly satisfied that we had done the right thing for the kids.

On Christmas Eve, the kids and I were shopping for presents for Mike. As we walked past a display of neoprene waders, I felt smug. I knew the kids' pairs were safely stashed away waiting for Christmas morning. Katie had ignored the thousands of other items in the store up to this point, but as we walked past the boxes of waders Katie exclaimed, "Those are the ugliest things I've ever seen!"

"Uh, oh," I told Mike when we got home. "I think we're in trouble. She thinks the waders are ugly."

The kids were surprised, all right. Katie loved her new Lindsay doll and Kevin loved the Play Station II that Santa brought. (Santa finally brought me the Columbia Quad parka that I've been begging for the past 15 years along with a new Remington 11-87 for shooting ducks, so I was happy.)

Kevin found the waders and tried them on immediately, while Katie's went unnoticed by her for the longest time.

We waited as she explored the rest of her presents and then decided to try the waders on. As she ran/plodded down the hall to the mirror, we secretly hoped she like what she saw. There was a big sigh of relief as her posture told us she liked her reflection.

So now visions of family fishing trips have begun to crowd our brains. Mike wants to go back to Alaska. I'd settle for getting away someplace for a few days with some peace and quiet. At least we know that both kids will enjoy the excursion.

The new passes are available for sale at entrance stations located near the park boundary lines at Lake Mead Boulevard, Lake Mead Drive, Lake Shore Road and in Arizona at Katherine Landing Ranger Station.

"There will be no changes in cost for either the entrance or vessel use passes," said Dan Yeager, chief of feemanagement.

New annual passes as well as renewals are $20 each and expire on Dec. 31, 2002.

The trophy buck, which was found the first weekend of November, had been dead for an unknown period of time. Anyone with information or who has seen suspicious activity in the area is encouraged to call NDOW's Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 992-3030 or the Las Vegas office at 486-5127. Callers can remain anonymous.

Tanner, a longtime waterfowl hunter, said his area is now largely frozen and ducks have become wary after nearly two months of hunting pressure. After being pushed in the morning, ducks at the management area are sitting on ice and not returning to open water until after sunset when shooting is no longer permitted.

"Birds are now wise and don't want anything to do with a call. You don't hear a lot of ducks calling at this time of the year. So either do very little calling or don't call at all," he said.

He also said to avoid using large spreads of decoys and to place just one to three decoys in pockets of open water. Motion decoys have become popular in recent years and these may help for late season ducks.