I Am Conservation

Tim Reger, center, poses at Fountain Grove Conservation Area near Meadville with his son Jeff (right) and his grandson Trevor. “I shot my first duck in 1957,” said Tim. “I was 11 years old, hunting with my dad, my brother, and my dad’s friend Guy Sommerville. Guy was a great duck caller and seeing him calling in ducks was amazing to me. Duck hunting has become a big part of my life.” Tim joined Ducks Unlimited (DU) in 1969, and was asked to help start a DU chapter in Chillicothe in 1972. “Forty-five years later, I still work on the committee and our chapter is still going strong,” said Tim. “We have raised about $1.3 million for ducks in our 45- year history.” Tim’s son and grandson both started hunting with him at a young age. “Duck hunting with my son and grandson is important because we spend time with each other,” said Tim. “We love the outdoors and our time in the blind.” Fountain GroveDepartment built back in 1947. “I first hunted there in 1965,” said Tim, who is proud of the contribution he made to the area’s Golden Anniversary Wetlands Initiative, which significantly renovated and improved habitat and facilities at the area. “To me, it’s a special place and one all Missouri people should be proud of.” —photograph by Noppadol Paothong