JimRange's heart was as big as the Montana sky. His kindness, generosity and inclusiveness knew no bounds. He was honest, fair and direct; and he loved fully and tenderly. These are the qualities and values with which Jim filled our lives over the last five years, and for which we will be forever grateful. And, there's one more thing. We remember how, when Jim would experience something that moved him, he would choke up, the tears would well, and he would say, "That's beautiful...that's just god damned beautiful." Whenever we see or hear or feel or taste or touch something that moves us--wild, delicate, ragged, raw, refined--we will remember Jim's deep and intense appreciation for life, and he will always be part of the beauty.
Anni Ince-McKillop, Greg McKillop, Jess McKillop
Damn it, Range!
You left us while there’s still a s-load of conservation work to be done, let alone so many fishing and hunting trips and fires and…..now it’s up to a bunch of lesser souls to figure out how to continue the work, Jim. Dang!
Well, I know I will be inspired by the memories of what you’ve done [and the unique way you went about it] to make a difference for wildlife and conservation. You’ve set a high standard and mapped out a path for others to follow.
I regret I never shared a campfire or was on the same river with you, Jim. But when we had rare chances to talk about our respective adventures and misadventures, I knew we were on the same page, saw and appreciated the world around us through similar eyes. I know I have a fatal flaw, in that the strongest stuff I drink is a milk shake [chocolate]. But you forgave me for that and always made me feel welcome.
Our paths happened to cross over a decade ago when I was representing farmer co-ops and a fellow aggie called me up one day and talked me into getting into this little effort called the Fishable Waters Coalition [he needed company so his group wouldn’t be the only aggie!]—trying to bring sportsmen and agriculture together to improve our waters for fishing. I liked you and your style right away, and more importantly I appreciated your positive, we can make this happen attitude. What a character you were, Jim, and I am sure always will be wherever you are! My regret is that we were unable to reach the Fishable Waters Coalition goals, but no one can blame you!
You were kind to invite me to your home for dinner one time some years back,where I met your mother and enjoyed visiting her—a real treat. But after meeting her, I’m not sure where you got your salty style. As I told you then, I am Kentucky born; and my Grandfather spent a career supervising tobacco graders for USDA in your neck of the woods—Greenville—and he lived in the Sevier Hotel in Johnson City, commuting back to the farm in central Kentucky every month or so.
Our paths haven’t crossed as much recently, but we managed to stay in touch, and you gave me encouragement at a point when I needed it.
I’m only a 2 bit player in the conservation cause, Jim, but when I have doubts I’ll think about you passion and it will help me remember that what we are fighting for is worth it. So I’ll keep plugging along helping to protect “my” RappahannockRiver and making the case for conservation efforts to protect our pollinating partners. And as you agreed, those who like to hunt and fish should care about pollinators because they are so critical to healthy wildlife ecosystems. You wouldn’t have used such fancy words, of course…and I am sure would have said the same in terms that could not be ignored or misunderstood! Oh, and I’m going to continue to fish, backpack, canoe and hunt every chance I get. Your leaving us prematurely reminds me again how uncertain our stay is, and we should work and play hard in what we care about and appreciate.
Be seeing you on every river, up in the mountains, Jim.
Tom Van Arsdall
Jim, Like so many others, it was with great sadness that I learned of your passing. Our friendship and memories go back 20+ years. I spent most of last night looking at old photos of our many days hunting the great state of North Dakota and enjoying numerous cocktails in the “cranedo”. I still have pictures of “Jambo” retrieving some of the first sandhill cranes you ever shot. You are the one-and-only person to ever take a taxi from Bismarck to the cranedo! You will be missed and I’ll always cherish the memories of our many hunting days together. The hunting shack will not benefit from your laughter this fall and I won’t have to cook near as many sourdough cakes! I regret that I won’t be able to attend your memorial service and celebrate your life with your many friends who will attend. So long buddy.
Frank Pfeifer
My Beloved Friend and Colleague
Jim Range had many nick names; some folks knew him as “Ranger”, some “The Colonel”, others “Commander”, a few “Senator”, within TRCP the staff would often refer to him as “JR”, some grizzled survivors of a memorable hunting campaign across the Pampas of Argentina called him “Little Jimmy Dickens” but most in the “district” they referred to him respectfully or fearfully quite simply as “Range”.Range’s range of skill sets in the modern parlance was truly astonishing.
Within the depths of Jim’s character was a man who was simply complex.He had many loves and loathing’s.Jim might be defined as a renaissance man but in truth that would be too narrowly cryptic a description of him. Like his iconic hero Theodore Roosevelt; JimRange was well versed in many things and they were all pursuits that he carried out with aplomb and style.Here are but a few of the many talents and skills observed by me during our 25 year friendship which of course are but a small exposure to Jim’s totality. His educational combination of fisheries biology and law in itself was unique as was the way he utilized these skills.He shrewdly selected the top of the food chain to impact policy in the realm he loved most passionately ---- Wild America. He was an accomplished orchidist as well as a horticulturist, gardener and amateur mycologist.His skills as a chef were astonishingly gifted with special prowess in pressed ducks and delicate reduction sauces to enhance his game bird dishes. He was a gifted field naturalist whose sharpened abilities included ornithology and dendrology. Jim had a voracious appetite for good books; he read fiction, history, science, nature study, politics; you could not confine his interests to any one discipline. Fly fishing was one of his loves and he particularly loved trout that were deigned to be uncatchable. He was a wizard with a short zero weight rod using tiny midge patterns. He often gingerly crawled on all fours to stalk a big fish in a small creek or would nimbly climb down sharp embankments to fish a tricky reverse current with a foam line with embedded midges a buzz with feeding fish. In spite of his love of the long rod he passionately pursued the stripers of the Potomac by bumping the bottom with whole dead alewives impaled on a circle hook & he loved to hank big door mat fluke off the bottom of the Chesapeake near the bridges. Good hunting dogs don’t just result from a good breed line; patience and due diligence in training polishes gems into jewels and Jim’s dogs were the gold standard. While Jim had the good fortune to hunt everywhere imaginable in North America, South America, Europe and Africa his most spirited wing shooting passions were directed at the wild native grouse of the Great Plains. To witness Jim hunting these birds was a pure joy as his before the hunt exhilaration & excitement was sustained and just as high after the hunt in spite of his platoon of exhausted younger hunters & dogs all festooned with the prairie’s gurry of feathers, seeds, & mud lying comatose strewn around him.There are few people I know who knew and touched as many people as Jim; no matter what state, province, country or calling you could count on Jim knowing someone from that dominion.Much like TR I believe that Jim was a committed republican but in the lower case sense; he was first & foremost a CONSERVATIONIST in capital letters.It was his unswerving loyalty to science based conservation and his personal adherence to upholding his committed word that made him such a force in crafting public policy. His loyalty did not only extend to his principled goals but to people; once you were a player on TeamRange you were on that roster for life!The bench strength of Team Range was enormous as it drew its strength from both political parties, conservatives and liberals, Westerners and Easterners, Greens & Browns, rich & poor, male & female:its varsity players followed a coach whose unique style seldom involved barked orders but he gave commands through hints, grunts, parables & stories, with occasionally unique couplings of curses that resulted in Range epithets. Few people I’ve met other than some Grand Banks Newfoundland fisherman had such a talent for creative profanity; yet Jim’s cursing seldom seemed offensive as his swears were never uttered with Godless intent. Indeed while Jim was not what could be defined in the traditional popular sense as a religious man he was indeed very spiritual and highly respectful and thankful of the gifts of God. He was very sensitive and could easily tear at the most simple & beautiful sights, sounds and sayings. Most people do not associate governmental programs and non-profit organizations as being entrepreneurial but because Jim wasn’t afraid to take risks he made them so. He and Chip Collins pioneered the way for the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation; an entirely unique concept that they made not only work but caused to become highly successful. Were it not for Jim and the generosity of Dean Buntrock; Ducks Unlimited would never have seamlessly opened a Washington, DC office and become involved in federal public policy a consequence of which resulted in the passage of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. TRCP would have simply ended as TRCA were it not for Jim’s ability to not only envision a robust future but to fund, enable and staff a successful enterprise.Open Fields often talked about but seldom earnestly pursued had a happy ending under Jim’s command. The creation of USA within TRCP; creating a program comprised of a sportsman’s confederacy of labor union members was a streak of genius that brought Jim criticism from some myopic typesinside the Beltway. This man had a truly uncanny knack for sensing where things would be politically both within government and outside. He also had an enormous talent in using the media as a thought partner as well as an agent of change. With George Cooper’s leadership this capacity exploded and Jim’s leverage on behalf of the resource gained greater traction.
Personally I’m so thankful to Jim for having enabled me to extend my boyhood by 50 years; it was a privilege and pleasure to join him as a hunter/gather across the world and to make indelible shared memories. Some of those memories were as simple, beautiful and pleasurable as sitting on the deck at the Flyway Ranch with a gargle in our hands not saying a word but watching the magnificence of what he fought so tenaciously for play out on the panoramic riparian stage before us in the waning crepuscular light. While Jim was only with us 63 years I thank God for enabling him to fit 126 years of living into his brief life time. He lived with gusto, productivity and passion and leaves our lives blessed by having known and loved him. He leaves America with cleaner water, more habitat and greater opportunities for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. As our modest but earnest salute of admiration to your intellect, sweat equity and good deeds we commit ourselves to the tireless perpetuation of your principles and goals. God rest your soul “Little Jimmy Dickens”.Thank you, thank you, thank you! Matt Connolly
Dear Jim,
In one’s life, there are defining relationships that guide one’s life and pursuit of purpose and happiness.I count myself as one of those lucky individuals who by happenstance came within your sphere of influence, sense of purpose, and could call you “friend”.You were a mentor, occasional fishing partner, and a hero in the true meaning of that word.I learned so much from you in such a short time, and always appreciated your support and guidance in those arenas where I had the high privilege of working with you to improve the state of this nation’s fisheries. I loved your anecdotes about life in DC, how to maneuver around the Halls of Congress, how to deal with non-believers of wise use of our outdoors, how to fly fish correctly, how to properly grill a redfish steak, and how to really enjoy life.It saddens me to know that I will not get to be with you up at Flyway Ranch in person ever again, but I rejoice in all the experiences I had fishing with you, and especially floating the Missouri river with you as my guide. It was great to watch you fly fish and be in the moment with the river and the surroundings.Your legacy of environmental legislation, quiet humility and broad friendship will be an inspiration to all those of us who knew you and loved you for who you are, and what you believed in.Your spirit will guide us as we continue the good fight.
Godspeed and tight lines where ever you are, Robin Knox
