Jillian Clemente

Drinking 20 oz. of water every hour keeps that life-giving liquid on the forefront of my mind all the time … More Drunk on Water

The West is Wild, but so is West Virginia. Today, I begin to compare the two vastly different but wholly wonderful states. … More Wild West (Virginia?)

No, I’m not just getting paid to sight in rifles, although that was one recent critical component of my job. I’m working for Safari Club International Foundation as an intern for the American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) in Jackson, WY. But what does that mean? Safari Club International is a world-wide organization that promotes conservation … More Work, Like What I’m Actually Doing 

It’s only been three days for me spent in Jackson, WY, but the concept of “work” has changed from the physic’s definition of “a force applied to an object” or a 9-5 office space to, now, sighting in .22 rifles and pistols. Firearms instructor Doug said he needed help sighting in the .22 rifles and … More Work & Home on the Ranges

Life isn’t real right now. I can look outside my window and see a passing moose or mule deer in a river that snakes between snow-capped mountains. I’m in Granite Creek State Park near Jackson, Wyoming, and the Grand Tetons working for Safari Club International Foundation. I still can’t believe I just typed that sentence. … More #WestVirJillianTravels: Wyoming

Broken water heaters flood basements, something I have now experienced firsthand. My family doesn’t like flooded homes. I don’t think anyone does, but some birds do. White-throated sparrows, song sparrows and eastern towhees (collectively called “swamp-type sparrows) love wetlands and, luckily, some find their home in West Virginia University’s arboretum. Dr. Chris Rota, an assistant … More Flooded Homes & Banded Birds

Taylor Swift and the black-backed oriole have both made Berks County famous, so it was only appropriate to wake up to “Blank Space” on the morning of my journey to see the bird. My treacherous journey consisted of walking a whole 250 Fitbit-tracked steps on my well-maintained, suburban hometown street, Indiana Avenue (yes, just like Monopoly – maybe … More Monopoly should include the Black-Backed Oriole in game pieces

West Virginia doesn’t quite parallel Pennsylvania in the ways of electroshocking. Almost solely in the mountain state do fish biologists use parallel wires to shock fish, and I had the honor of experiencing this unique way in the summer and again on Sept. 12 for a lab. The same troupe of DNR officers ran the wires again, which made … More Two Wires, One Stream

Duck banding went loosey goosey. As Pennsylvania Game Commission’s southeast wildlife management supervisor John Morgan approached one of 12 duck cages set up throughout Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, he counted three birds. Duck. Duck. Goose. One lone snow goose who missed the migratory memo last spring was waddling around the cage amidst a mallard … More Tagging Along: A Duck-Banding Experience

May 20, 2016: I said goodbye to fish camp today after our Last Breakfast this morning. The night before was the Last Supper, but that garnered no laughs. Nonetheless, it’s still bittersweet to say goodbye. After a morning of lulling around, taking a final practical and exam, lulling around some more and packing up, we headed out.   Yes, … More Day 5: Fisheries Camp