Seven youth, ages 11-14, from Ward County area were in attendance; Caden Brey, Layne Korgel Carter Larson, Sarah Potts and Justin Volson, all Minot; Clay Carpenter, Granville; and Trent Williams Ryder. Most of the attendees were Ward County 4-H members. Those who volunteered and assisted by teaching sessions during Drift Prairie Day included Patty Bloms, U.S. National Wildlife Refuge administrative assistant; Darlene Carpenter, Volunteer; Jason Greff, senior wildlife officer; Bryan Korgel, Volunteer; Tom Pabian, USNWR manager; Ellen Bjelland and Emily Goff, NDSU Extension agents.

Bloms presented history of the wildlife refuges across the country. Bjelland led an educational lesson demonstrated proper cutting techniques and how to incorporate healthy food into their diet. Bjelland helped participants make their Hobo Lunch of hamburger, potatoes, carrots and many seasonings. Pabian gave youth a tour of the dam. Pabian discussed the history and importance of “Dam Number 87” and how high the water was in the 2011 flood. The youth also were allowed to walk along the catwalk and briefly control the dam’s water flow.

Following the tour of the dam, participants went to the trail and fishing area of the USNWR where Goff paired them for the geocaching. Each team found all of the caches that were set up prior to Drift Prairie Day. The activity required a lot of walking and running so the attendees were very happy the next activity was eating lunch.

Participants also dissected owl pellets at the USNWR building. Owls are unable to eat every piece they swallow so items they cannot digest comes back up as a pellet. Depending on the owl’s diet, the pellets can include the exoskeletons of insects, indigestible plant matter, bones, fur, feathers, bills, claws, and teeth. The pellets were disinfected and provided in the NDSU Hawks and Raptors trunk. Youth enjoyed prying the items apart and finding different things inside.

Submitted Photo Fishing was the final activity at the 5th Annual Drift Prairie Day at the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge. Shown here are Jason Greff, senior wildlife officer, and Clay Carpenter, Ward County 4-H member from Granville.

Fishing was the final activity for the group. Many youth had never cast a reel before. With the help of Bloms and Greff, youth were fishing in no time. Potts was the only participant to catch a fish. Pabian demonstrated how to clean the fish Potts had caught and two youth went home with bags full of fish.