By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The saying "For the birds" originated as military slang during WWII. It's a little fitting, then, that Cheyenne Bottoms, not particularly busy with birds now, will take on a slightly different role on Aug. 27. Given the dry conditions at the Bottoms, the next WILD Club activity will be a treasure hunt in search of old WWII shells.
"Things could change if we do get water before Aug. 27," said Kansas Wetlands Education Center Program Specialist Mandy Kern. "We might have to cancel that, but as of right now, it looks like the Bottoms will probably be dry. That's an excellent opportunity to go out and look for this history of the Bottoms."
For a brief stretch in the mid-1940s, during the height of WWII, the U.S. Army leased nearly 7,000 acres of Cheyenne Bottoms for what was called the Great Bend Air-to-Ground Gunnery Range. The space was used for all kinds of munition training, including bombs, chemical weapons, and large-caliber artillery. Many shells were not recovered from the Bottoms.
On Saturday, Aug. 27, KWEC's WILD program will feature a treasure hunt for some of those shells, along with the shells of animal species like snails and mussels. The use of metal detectors is encouraged.
"I thought with as dry as it is, that's a perfect opportunity to walk the pools since they are so dry," Kern said. "We can find the .50 caliber shells, but they are other things to find out there also."
WILD is a monthly program for school-aged kids and their families. The club promotes getting outside and away from screens. The Aug. 27 treasure hunt is free with no registration required. The event is tentatively scheduled for 4 p.m. but may be moved if the summer heat proves to be too much. For more information, call the KWEC at (877) 243-9268.