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Jay was raised in the farm country of the Salinas Valley of California. He developed a passion for things outdoors at a very early age and was engaged in studying birds of all kinds by the time he was 7 or 8 years old. He fondly remembers his early hunting forays, riding his bike across his small community and going down to the river to chase quail, cottontails and an occasional duck.
This love of wildlife led him to a degree in wildlife management from Humboldt State University in 1978 and soon after embarked on a career as a wildlife technician, working on National Wildlife Refuges in California, Nevada, Minnesota, and Utah. This was followed by a six year tour as a Wildlife Biologist for the Department of Army in Oklahoma and then a transfer back to the National Wildlife Refuge System as the Refuge Manager in Charge at the Bill Williams NWR in Arizona. After a couple of hot years on Lake Havasu, he transferred back to his dream station, the Fish Springs NWR where he remained as the Refuge Manager for the next 19 year before retiring in March of 2010.
Aside from watching birds, Jay is a passionate spring turkey hunter and enjoys pursuing all upland birds in the fall. He views his work with the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers as a stellar opportunity to continue to contribute to the habitat conservation that has been core to his world for over 40 years.
He now lives in beautiful Torrey, UT and is the proud father of two wonderful kids and the most wonderful granddaughter in the whole world!
About Caitlin Thompson