Crack that whip: Chris Camp's shows and other things to do in Conservation World

Chris Camp was 11 years old when his mom took him out of school for the premiere of "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark."

"I was fundamentally changed from that moment on," Camp recalled. "I thought it was the coolest thing ever."

Camp didn't have anyone to teach the tricks of how to crack a whip a la Harrison Ford, so he watched "Indiana Jones," and films like it, he said "over and over and over again" until he got the moves down.

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Now known as "The Whip Guy," Camp is one of the daily featured attractions at Conservation World at the Illinois State Fair, which runs through Aug. 20.

Camp has three world titles in whip cracking. He's also in the Guinness World Records for cracking a whip 222 times in one minute.

Camp, 54, weaves stories and light-hearted humor into the show.

He demonstrates a series of moves. There's the horizontal cattleman's crack. The lion tamer crack. The figure-eight crack. The angry-mom-wants-you-to-do-your-homework crack.

With a snap of the wrist, Camp snaps a flower in half. He cuts it further in half with his eyes closed.

Camp bought his first whip at 13, a $2 variety made out of rawhide. Years later, David Morgan, who custom-made whips for "Indiana Jones," made Camp one 10-foot-long out of kangaroo hide leather.

Camp claims the end of the whip travels 900 mph, faster than a bullet exiting the chamber.

The popper at the end of the whip, usually made out of polypropylene bailing twine or upholstery thread, provides the familiar "crack," he said.

While "Indiana Jones" popularized the genre for kids his age, older folks remember "Zorro" or Lash LaRue, who taught Harrison Ford how to use a bullwhip for the movies, "so there's a nostalgia for it.

"It's a fairly unique entertainment," he added.

The show is daily at 12:45, 2:45, and 4:45 p.m.

Here are other things to do at Conservation World:

Fisheries tent

See Illinois sportfish, like muskie, alligator gar, and sunfish in a giant see-through fish aquarium. Learn about the history of commercial fishing in the state and talk to Illinois Department of Public Health officials about the benefits and risks of eating locally caught fish. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Kids aged 10 and under can try their luck at the fishing pond daily at 11 a.m. and 2 and 4 p.m.

Kids and adults also can learn about the essentials of fly casting at clinics at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

If you prefer fish on the menu, The Flippin' Fish Shack from Grafton will be selling copi, DNR's new consumer brand for various species of invasive carp.

The Fish Shack will sell copi sliders, copi nuggets, copi empanadas and copi rangoon from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Wildlife tent

Kids can test their skills at identifying backyard wildlife and waterfowl and learn how to use remote cameras to see what wildlife species use their property.

Wildlife biologists will be available 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., daily to help them learn about habitat management, how hunting is key to wildlife conservation, and other topics.

Paul Bunyan lumberjack show

The family can enjoy watching as lumberjacks race to see who can chop, saw, and cut the fastest. The shows happen Monday-Thursday, noon, 3, and 6 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, noon, 2, 4, and 6 p.m.

Rock climbing

Among the other kids' activities in Conservation World are a rock-climbing wall, 3D archery, a BB gun range (hosted by Illinois Conservation Police) and Voyageur canoe rides on weekends only.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Things to do at Conservation World at the Illinois State Fair