Field and Stream
Published June, 2006

Heroes of Conservation

By Field and Stream

Last July, Bill Knispel went to Washington, D.C., to articulate to Congress the value of 18,000 acres in northern California where he learned to hunt. The hardwoods of Skeleton Glade are crucial to the winder survivial of blacktail herds that come down from the high country. "I used to see 60 to 100 deer a day," Knispel says. "Now, I'm lucky to see five." California loses public lands to development at a rate of 35,000 acres per year, and he is determined not to let this place go. After winning the support of county politicians, Knispel, president of his rod and gun club, joined forces with the Sierra Club to lobby for the protection of Skeleton Glade, plus 285,000 acres, as weilderness-forever.

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