45 years later

[Eztouche]

Yep..45 years was before most of you were born.
In 1963 I was a wildlife biology freshman at Arkansas Tech and some of us started a club. ( I changed schools and majors after soph year)
The only river runner I knew was Steve Wilson from Batesville. (Steve later became director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.) He and his wife ran the Buffalo, the Strawberry, the Mulberry etc on weekends in an old grumman aluminum boat as did Harold and Margaret Hedges from Kansas City. Steve and spouse were equipped with army surplus stuff and slept in jungle hammocks.
Around that time I tried to find boots with vibram soles and the people at Star sporting goods in Little Rock and elsewhere assured me that they would never sell in Arkansas..too muddy.
About that time members of the club started taking home petitions on weekends to prevent the damming of the Buffalo.
Time flies

[robkanraft]

I suspect there are more 40 some's out there still getting their feet wet than one might think. I fall in that category, but started later in life so I don't have the early perspective.

I recently found a copy of Compton's Buffalo River in Black & White. Are you in there? Cool stuff. Love the gear and camping photos. Paddle on!

[suckhole]

Would that be Steve "Wildman" Wilson?

[DeBo]

Would that be Steve "Wildman" Wilson?

Nope, the Steve Wilson refered to here is retired from G&F and I believe he lives near Mountain Home these days.

Thanks Eztouche, we owe a great debt of gratitude to all who appreciated rivers 45 years ago and helped make sure we still enjoy them today.

We are still working to keep them for the future.