God bless the Dakotas. •
ing the outdoors and all its challenges, learning together, so profoundly willing to connect with the elements under any terms, each time recognizing God’ s marvelous, boundless creation, I couldn’ t be more grateful. Bobbi was always there, loving every minute of it with me.
That beautiful bride in that sparkling white gown many years earlier didn’ t know what lay ahead for her. She didn’ t know she’ d be awakened before dawn to tromp into the dark of a stinky, slippery, slough to set duck decoys and wait for some simple, senseless brown ducks to wing their way toward her, while she was hushed repeatedly“ don’ t move.” She didn’ t know she’ d get wet beyond wet, cold beyond cold, tired beyond tired, as she trudged tragically behind an aimless crew of people with questionable intelligence who were searching for ringnecks on a drizzly, cold October morning, her daughter Jodi beside her, both giggling uncontrollably wondering,“ What the hell are we doing out here?”
Those memories, before Bobbi became ill, remain vivid as the greatest joys of my life. Only God knows how intensely I miss her. There are many reading this, I’ m sure, who know of what I speak.
Here in the Dakotas, we have almost unlimited freedom to pursue an extraordinary list of fish and wildlife options in a land that remains mostly empty, absent of traffic gridlock, radio and TV abuse, political sewage and separation from 99 percent of the world’ s discord.
The outdoor world sets us free, aids in our mental and physical health, adds to our life span, our happiness and keeps us on track with our eternal destination. Statehood has forced us to live by some rules, but most anywhere in the Dakotas, even today, you can drive a hundred miles of prairie backroads and not see more than a half dozen vehicles. Therein lies Cooper’ s point. We still have more outdoor solitude among bountiful resources than anywhere in the world.
As the world moves closer to magnum mayhem, our Dakotas remain more precious, thanks to people who understand the valuable nature of our land and its priceless resources, and demand that our leaders keep it that way.
To this day, John Cooper’ s declaration remains relevant. Like so many of us growing older, having experienced the very early stages of natural resource growth in this great land of Dakota, we will leave fully appreciating that we lived the best life possible.
I don’ t know, of course, when my last article will fill these pages. Maybe it’ s this one. Whenever, I will move on with gratitude knowing I lived in the greatest place on Earth to fill my passion for the outdoors and share it with as many people as I could, family first. Few, I trust, will have as much gratitude and joy with those memories than me. Thank you, Lord.
Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine.( Tom T. Hall.)
God bless the Dakotas. •
Page 84, Dakota Country, September 2025 www. dakotacountrymagazine. com