“I was born in High Point, North Carolina; however, I moved to West Virginia when I was two and have been living in Morgantown since the age of five. Throughout my growing up, my grandfather was the district biologist at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center. Thus, I have been visiting every year, multiple times a year since I was born. I even spent my last two summers working there as well as doing my internship. My grandfather, Ray Knotts, was also a very active hunter and fisherman. Even before I could hunt, I had my own toy gun and stuffed deer that I frequently “hunted” and pretended to feed the family. When I reached the age of eight, I finally got to go hunting and kill my first deer (along with many squirrels). As I got older, my hunting interest continued to expand. I have killed many deer, squirrels, turkeys, and even a raccoon. While hunting, my grandfather taught me a lot about the woods. For instance, I have a very traditional view of hunting. It is all about the fair chase. We do not hunt semi-tame, fenced deer with any type of lure or feeder. And while it is always fun to shoot a nice buck, my intention for hunting is to put food on the table. He also taught me a lot about mast, times of day, and other factors contributing to the hunt. I also grew up with a great knowledge of plants and trees. For my 16th birthday, my grandparents bought me a lifetime hunting and fishing license for the state of West Virginia. Despite my huge interest in hunting, it was not until my senior year of high school that I decided to go into the field of wildlife and fisheries. I have always had a love for animals and wanted to be a veterinarian my entire life; however, I also had such a love of the outdoors that a career in veterinary science did not seem to fit. With the help of my grandfather, I discovered that Wildlife and Fisheries was the field for me. I am still unsure as to what career to pursue in natural resources, but I have a passion for the conservation of wildlife and the environment. Perhaps I will pursue a career in wildlife biology or conservation genetics. As of right now, I hope to gain experience working or volunteering in various parts of the natural resources industry.”

Charity Knotts, West Virginia University Scholar