April, 2025 Newsletter
KAMO – April, 2025 Newsletter
For comments related to this document, contact Mike
President?s message – Hello to all KAMO members and friends of KAMO,
This is KAMO President Mark Walters with my part of the monthly Newsletter.
We are finishing the final touches of the statewide raffle tickets and after that will be sending th em out to each chapter. As the years pass the state end of KAMO has become a lot more open to spending money on projects other than insurance, The Joe, website etc. etc And I would like to see that grow. I would like to thank everyone that sold tickets last year and this year I would like to make it clear, please do not turn in a pocketful of unsold tickets 2 hours before the
early September drawing, it really cuts into our profit.
Sydney Seymour is the daughter of my longtime friend Kevin Seymour who has been a Baraboo Chapter member for a very long time as well as a huge part of The Joe when it comes to putting it together. Sydney will be in charge of our statewide facebook page and as we all know we are the very early stage of this project but I honestly feel if each chapter submits positive, high energy photos as well as a write up, that it will make a difference for KAMO in the long term.
I am personally asking every chapter to discuss this at each and every meeting, critique what you like and don’t like and we go from there. Welcome aboard Sydney what you are doing for KAMO has the potential to really make a difference.
In closing, I spent the Youth Turkey Hunt with six young hunters and their mentors for a 3 day get together, we harvested five birds and it was a really fun and memorable experience.
As always, thank you for what you do for KAMO, every little bit helps
Mark G Walters
Facebook Management – Message to us from new helper
Hello,
My name is Sidney Seymour, I will be the new administrator for the statewide KAMO Facebook page. If you would like to submit photos or any information to be posted on the page please send them to my email sidneyaseymour@gmail.com and I will make sure they make it up. (:
Each chapter should designate one person to work with Sidney on submitting information to the state?s page.
I?m looking forward to posting as much and as often as you guys have submissions, so please don?t hesitate!
Thanks,
Sidney
QR Coded KAMO ad – Each chapter has been mailed some ads. The intention is to leave these in places where they can be taped to a wall or desk and passersby can snap a picture of this QR symbol. If they are left in places not already familiar with KAMO, that would be ideal.
The QR directs to the kamokids.org front page. There is a statement on the front page encouraging the viewer to visit the page of the chapter nearest to them. How up to date is your page?
There is also a new page labeled ?KAMO offer? which is intended to invite people in counties adjacent to an existing chapter to get involved with the nearest KAMO chapter.
Website – Mike is looking for someone else in the group who would be willing to suggest edits to improve the website quality about 3 times per year.
Chapter Reports
Baraboo – The Baraboo River Chapter of KAMO held our monthly meeting on Monday April 14th at Rivers Edge in WI Dells. The big excitement was the $2000 donation check we received from Sysco Systems! We discussed possible future uses and Rick has already sent a Thank You for this generous donation. Our small Chapter did report 72 hours spent getting Kids Outdoors in the past month. This includes fishing, hiking and the Maple Syrup Festival at the MacKenzie Center. We have started our ?Then & Now? board and encourage members to bring pictures to future meetings & will continuously update the board to see what prior KAMO kids are doing now. Our Chapter did send out funds to sponsor a Scholarship at Stevens Point and paid our Chapter dues at the State meeting.
AJ will be the leader for the upcoming Fundraiser Dinner on Saturday May 10th along HW 13 North of the Dells. We will be selling half or whole Chicken Dinners with sides & serving starts at 11am. All Chapter members are encourage to help if available. Our annual camping trip is set for June 27th?29th at the Juneau County Park on Castle Rock Lake. 5 spots have been reserved and we will again team up with the Dodge County Chapter. More details and menu to come. We are working on plans to team up with the Lake Wisconsin Chapter for a fishing event during the week?possibly in June or July. There was also discussion about an ATV Safety class and if anyone in the area is sponsoring one?Upham Woods? Our next meeting with be Monday May 12th at Upham Woods. The June meeting will be at AJ?s Campfire.
Greg
Coulee – In early April, Coulee received a donation of 58 musky lures from the God?s Country Chapter of Muskies Inc. If anyone from another chapter is interested in several of these, let Mike know.This La Crosse area Muskies chapter bought out a portion of a musky tackle manufacturer?s inventory to use for some promotional activities they are doing..
Randy took a mentee out on a new to us property near Sparta. The young man got his first turkey. On Friday, April 18th, 7 adults took 10 kids out on the fishing float near Dresbach. The fishing started slow, but as the sun came up and warmed things up, the fishing improved. Northern fishing was particularly good.
There was an Izaak Walton League meeting at Myrick Park on the evening of the 14th. A decision was made to run an activity day at Goose Island on Saturday, June 14th. There will be canoeing, outdoor photography, fish electroshocking, water quality testing demonstrations, an interpretive walk, mussel education, tree planting, and more. KAMO is going to run a fishing station throughout the approximately 4 hour event. We will need to recruit volunteers from outside our group.
We also have the summer edition of the Kraig Hoff Memorial fishing event to plan for.
Dodge County Conservation –
DCC KAMO had a pretty good month. We had a table at the Dodge County Conservation congress rummage sale. We put together a little raffle for 3 prizes and one of our members’ mothers made home made cookies to sell as well. They were a big hit.
We had 6 of our Mentors participate in the youth Turkey hunting weekend and all the kids ended up with there turkeys. We had a few kids help with the Conservation Club clean up day and let me tell you they did an outstanding job at what they did to those Trap houses and grounds. The local YMCA is looking for an Instructor to hold an Archery class this summer. It would be a week long class and they have all the equipment that is needed. Feel free to Call Me @ 920-210-6998 if you know of anyone that would be interested in doing it. Our Chapter is also looking for a Treasurer . Ours stepped down due to her increased workload and we thank ( Cierra K ) her for everything she did for DCC KAMO.
\Lots Going on and I hope everyone reading this will think of Volunteering at MOHEE and WWA EXPO in August. KAMO can not find a better opportunity to showcase what we do and who we are. Get a kid outside and see what happens. Good luck to all the Turkey hunters and Fisherpeople on opening weekend.
Jim B Pres
Meadow Valley –
Hello from the Meadow Valley Chapter.
Some KAMO members and Mentees participated in the youth turkey hunt. 9 participants and 2 successful hunters.
It is the time of year that we are reviewing scholarship applicants, and we will coordinate with Mark Walters regarding presenting the scholarship. This year we expanded our scholarship pool ? New Lisbon, Mauston, Tomah, and Necedah.
Coordinating the learn to hunt bear for this fall. Bob Nicksic is coordinating with the DNR and submitting the required paperwork. The mentee and the parents have been notified and will meet with James Newlun to go over the logistics for this event.
Thanks, and have a great summer – Jim