Since the late 1980’s important dates for a large number of West Virginians have come with a reminder to fill the birdfeeder, a suggestion to take a hike and look for shed antlers, or to use soap to ward off an ant invasion. The DNR Wildlife Calendar has become an annual staple for many to get through the year.
"It’s getting better and better as the years go along," said Jim Freganaro of the West Virginia DNR. "A lot of people send them to folks who used to live in West Viginia. A lot of people buy a whole box of them and send them to family all over the country. They make a very nice Christmas present."
The calendar has a huge volume of information. There are the normal holidays reflected in red, but in green on nearly every day of the year you’ll find helpful hints to take care of common household problems or two enhance your enjoyment of the outdoors. Also included are a number of feature articles that spotlight the work of the West Virginia DNR to manage the state’s game and fish resources.
Although the information is helpful, probably the most popular feature of the calendar is the 12 pieces of pristine artwork that accompany each month.
"They have to be native wildlife from the state or well known landscapes of the state. Many people have painted pictures of Blackwater Falls or the Dolly Sods," said Freganaro. "What we don’t want are pictures of wildlife from other countries that are not native to West Viriginia."
The artwork submissions grow every year. They range from deer, bear, and turkey to the lesser recognized species such as warblers, groundhogs, and painted box turtles. Freganaro admits that the non-game animals are highly encouraged. He also says they’ve resisted the temptation to switch to high end photogrpahy.
"Some people have asked us why we don’t include photographs, we kind of thought about that and looked at all of the other state calenders out there and most of them use photographs. We wanted ours to be original and that includes paintings from individual artists," Freganaro tells MetroNews.
The sales of the calenders benefit the state’s Wildlife Diversity programs and can be purchased at any DNR district office around the state or on line at the DNR Website. The cost is $8.00 plus shipping and handling.