Aug. 17—Exploring the outdoors has been a lifetime fascination for Elaine Dean.
“I love the freedom of not knowing what you’re going to see or encounter,” she said.
Dean likes venturing into unknown areas.
She recalled camping with her family at Terra Star RV park or Belle Starr park.
“I was a Checotah girl,” she said. “Eufaula Lake was in my back yard.”
After graduating from Checotah High in 2006, Dean sold insurance and worked for a daycare center. She said she couldn’t find a profession “that called me.”
Then she learned about Oklahoma game wardens.
“I was like, ‘yeah it was something I was meant to do,'” she said.
Dean attended Northeastern State University and studied to become a game warden. She said she took a lot of classes in managing different types of wildlife and how to prepare animal traps.
She decided to prepare herself physically for the position as well.
“I wanted to be better able to protect myself in the field,” she said. “I didn’t want to worry too much about my own capabilities. I want to learn as much as I can so I can be ready for anything.”
Dean started taking classes at Soaring Eagle Jiu Jitsu. She said she noticed there were few women in the class.
“We wanted to gear a class toward them, a self defense women’s only class,” she said. “My coach was like, ‘Can you teach it?’ I said ‘Sure, I can do that.’ He believed in me, so I believed in me.”
She has taught four classes so far, with three or four in each class.
“It’s slowly going to grow, I think,” she said.
Dean likes to kayak area streams with her husband. She said it’s a good way to watch birds.
“I need to brush up on my ornithology skills and being able hear a bird and recognize it,” she said. “Being able to identify things in the field important in this job.”
She and her family also live the outdoor life on four acres south of Muskogee.
“We love it out there,” she said. “We have trails. We like going for a walk, hanging out.”
Managing wildlife is her calling
Dean says being a game warden, “is something I was meant to do.”
“I started looking into what they do and started doing ride-alongs with them,” she said. “Being in a moving office appealed to me instead of being in the same room, looking out the same window.”
Dean studied at Northeastern State University, which has a major emphasizing fish and wildlife
“If I find a school (of fish) I can be able to identify that, and know what to look for in the school and know what kind of animal it is,” she said. “I need to brush up on my ornithology skills, to be able to hear what the bird is and be able to recognize it and watch.”
She said she applied for a job with Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and is waiting to hear back.
“I would really like to stay in Muskogee County because I established roots here, my babies go here,” she said. “Cherokee (Wildlife Management Area) is absolutely gorgeous, there’s some beautiful terrain out there,” she said. “The ultimate dream would be for me to stay around here so I can be close to the family.”
She wants to empower women
Elaine Dean sees her self defense class as a way to help women build confidence.
“I want to empower women to know they are strong and capable, and they are worth protecting,” she said. “I want them to believe in themselves, and basically feel confident in their abilities.”
Dean said she wants her students to know they are strong.
“A lot of women are scared of hurting one another,” she said. “But, in order to actually get the move down, you have to come out of your shell a little bit and feel the move and feel the weight.”
The class does not involve fighting.
“We can do the same style of sweeps (destabilizing moves), like getting out from underneath somebody,” she said. “But once we’re out, we would normally call for help instead of grapple and take them down. We defend ourselves, then we back away to a better, safer area to call 9-1-1 to get away from a threat.”
She said the biggest challenge has been getting the word out about the class.
“Especially the women that need it,” she said. “I picked Tuesday because it’s not a Monday — every Monday is overwhelming. And it can be after everyone gets back from work. It’s one of the better days I can offer.”
Deans have different motivations for trips
Dean and her husband have taken their kayaks to interesting places.
“I love exploring new creeks you can get up into,” she said. “I don’t know any names of any creeks, we normally just kind of find one and wander up in it.”
She said a favorite is near Greenleaf State Park.
“It has beautiful flowers growing, birds chirping,” she said. “We also like to kayak near Spaniard Creek because it’s just down the road, by Brewers Bend.”
They like to leave shortly after sunrise, “when the weather’s perfect.”
The two have different motivations for the trip.
Dean said her husband likes to look around for good fishing spots.
Meanwhile, she prefers to watch and listen to the birds.
“Birding in creeks is the best because you can get where people aren’t,” she said. “I can kayak in and sit there and listen to what birds are around. Sometimes you can get different birds you’re not used to listening to in the city.”
She uses an app, Merlin, to help identify bird sounds.
“It makes a sound tape of everything and it tells you everything that’s in the area. She said she’s identified green heron and indigo bunting around Greenleaf.
“And there are so many sparrows,” she said. “Those are probably my favorite.”
HOW DID YOU COME TO BE AN OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE?
“We really wanted to be between both our families and we wanted our children to go to Hilldale. About 11 years ago we bought our home and we’ve been here ever since. We love it “
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT MUSKOGEE?
“I like how it’s small but big and growing. It’s constantly growing and getting better. I love all the little shops on Main Street, all the little things you get to do.”
WHAT WOULD MAKE MUSKOGEE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?
“A drop in crime, more women being able to defend themselves, more things for the youth to do, especially indoors when it’s hot.”
WHAT PERSON IN MUSKOGEE DO YOU ADMIRE MOST?
“My coach, Cesar Ponce. He just pushes you to be better in every way. He’s there whenever you need him. He basically acknowledges your achievements and helps you become the best person you are.”
WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE THING TO HAPPEN TO YOU IN MUSKOGEE?
“Probably the balloon festival. We’ve only actually got to go last year with all three of our kids, and it’s such a fantastic time. One of those times when you always say you’re going to go and time always slips by and you miss it.”
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
“Hang out with our kids and make memories with them. Anything we can do to keep them from being hooked on the electronics.”
HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP MUSKOGEE IN 25 WORDS OR LESS?
“Muskogee has almost everything you need. It’s big enough to where you don’t feel trapped, but small enough to not be overwhelming.”
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