HARTSEL — On a drizzly, breezy South Park morning, friends and contemporaries of Charlie Meyers gathered with his family Saturday to honor one of their own, dedicate a monument and celebrate the life and legacy of the late Denver Post outdoors writer.
“He was truly a remarkable person,” said Mike King, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, shortly after the Dream Stream segment of the South Platte River officially was renamed the Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area. “It couldn’t be more fitting. It’s a testament to the breadth of the influence he had in looking out for sportsmen’s interests and in keeping our outdoors heritage alive for future generations.”
A steady flow of sportsmen, public-policy makers and regular readers filed past a newly placed kiosk with photos, biographical tidbits and a vintage column by Meyers that celebrated a barefoot fishing boy.
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter had proclaimed it Charlie Meyers Day, and tributes were spoken. Stories recalled. And with the rain becoming heavier, at least one wondered whether a certain ghostly presence might be responsible for the dreary weather.
“I wonder if Charlie’s somewhere up above, looking down and going ‘pfft,’ ” said Kirk Deeter, editor at large for Field & Stream magazine, friend, fishing partner and coauthor with Meyers of the recently published, “The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing.”
“He never cared about honors for himself; he’d rather see someone else getting them.”
In any event, the tributes and honors flowed as steady as the river in the background.
“With one phone call, Charlie could have hunted or fished on just about any private club that he wanted to,” said Rick Enstrom, former member of the Colorado Wildlife Commission and a friend and frequent hunting and fishing partner. “But he didn’t do that very often. He was attuned to the average sportsman, and the kid fishing with a soup can full of worms was just as important to him as anyone else.”
Meyers entertained and informed with accounts of his hunting and fishing outings and expressed his views in columns. His advocacy for sportsmen’s interests and conservation at times put him at odds with public officials. He did so through established working relationships of mutual respect.
“He had a unique combination of tenacity and eloquence,” said Tom Remington, director of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, who made the official dedication. “He sometimes took us to task, but he was honest, accurate and fair in his reporting. He was highly respected within the DOW and became a friend of many who knew him. He was invited to join many of us in our personal outdoor adventures.”
Meyer’s influence often was manifested behind the scenes.
“Sometimes when we’d be discussing a point of policy among ourselves, we’d ask, ‘What would Charlie Meyers think about this?’ before making a decision,” King said. “And that usually led to a better decision. That’s the kind of influence he had.”
Enstrom agreed.
“He brought 30-plus years of insight and institutional memory,” he said. “That was invaluable.”
Public access for fishing and hunting was among the causes for which Meyers campaigned most ardently. Behind the scenes, he had quietly campaigned for acquisition by the DOW of the property through which the river flows. He fished it frequently and often worked DOW biologists to help establish fishing regulations that would maintain its quality into the future.
“This is among our best properties, and it was one of Charlie’s favorite places to fish,” Remington said. “It’s a fitting part of his legacy. Renaming it for him will keep his memory alive for future generations, and it will inspire future sportsmen and future journalists.”
The formalities concluded, the crowd slowly began to disperse. Naturally enough, the talk turned to fishing.
“When you fished or hunted with Charlie, no matter how good or how bad it had been, he’d always say, ‘It was a pleasure,’ ” Enstrom said.
As if on cue, the rain let up. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds.
