There is always lots to do during summer - except when it’s over 100 degrees. This weekend June 23-24 the Russian River Rodeo takes place in Duncans Mills, a very cool place being so close to Jenner and filled with great shops and good coffee. It is also a cool place to spend part of your weekend. They will feature lots to do and see for families. Kids can rope hay, ride in a real saddle, watch clowns and check out plenty of horses and riders up close.

The Rodeo Queen will be crowned in a dazzling ceremony on Saturday. This event is a local rodeo, a descendant of the “Stumptown Daze.” The Parmeter family owns the rodeo grounds and has turned the rodeo into a true family event. Good wholesome fun, great summer weather, lots to do, lots to eat.

I met with three generations of the Parmeter family; Grandma Dee will be a rodeo clown, Aunt Tina will be working hard in administration and young Lacy is in the running for this year’s rodeo sweetheart - and a fierce competitor in the rodeo.

There will be many friends and families from all over Sonoma County in attendance. There will also be information on “Pony Camps” - your child can do an equestrian summer camp and go on trail rides appropriate to his/her skill level; great fun in a positive environment for your child.

Costs at the gate: Adult $12, Seniors 60+ $7, children under 12 $5. Also available is a family pass for $30 at the gate. A very affordable day of family fun.Visit the rodeo Web site: www.russianriverrodeo.org for more details.

Good news for hunters
Wild boar has had a very good year, again. This is great news for hunters, bad news for the environment. The feral pig population savagely rips up the fragile top soil to eat grubs and roots; their indiscriminate rooting scars the wild landscape and promotes erosion. Wild pigs have grown exponentially in the last 10 years, some estimates run as high as a three-fold increase in overall feral pig populations.

To help rid our wild landscape of this plague, you must first have a hunting license and pig harvest tag. Some people use archery to take boar.

The old boys rub mud from their wallows on nearby trees, this builds up a deep, heavy plate between their hide and shoulder muscle. This plate can be so hard, a high-power rifle bullet turns to glitter. Shooting an old boar with an arrow, though, is like asking him to chase you back home or up the nearest tree.

Go to the department of fish and game Web site for more details and information on pig hunting seminars: www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/.