John Olson

John is a retired “story teller” who now dotes after his still-working, biologist-bride, Julie. Prior to this important task he was a wildlife biologist for the Wisconsin DNR for a brief 42 years, pretending to be the furbearer ecologist for the last 23 years of this cool “ride”.

This little guy – if he gets any smaller, he’ll disappear(!), was first introduced to Manomin (wild rice) in 1976 and learned the ins and outs of harvest technique as well as the need to respect this somewhat mysterious, spiritual plant that provides wholesome nutrition as well as sustained life for native people for eons.

John bothered folks enough that he was allowed to participate in the WDNR/GLIFWC Wild Rice Committee for a couple of decades and has taught scores of folks about the value and need to preserve this precious resource.

On his other “foot” he was a member and eventually chair of a Working Group of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), wandering around the U.S., Europe, Russia, and Canada spreading the word about humane, regulated trapping – which often times involved precious wetlands where furbearers and wild rice coexisted.

Informally he was dubbed the “Rice Raven” by other ricers and was instrumental in the development of the Departments’ wild rice harvest video.

With a daughter that gardens “crazy” like him, a son that builds log homes with a passion, and a bride that drags him around on cross country ski trails, he barely squeezes in time for fishing, logging, paddling, berry picking, The Wildlife Society, Wisconsin Green Fire, and the all-important – story telling! Recently inducted into the Wisconsin Trappers Association – Hall of Fame, he’s now thinking about adding a rocking chair to his rice boat!

Courses offered:

Wild Rice Soup: The Ecology, History and Harvest of Wisconsin’s Native Grain — with Peter David