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Scot
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« on: December 11, 2009, 09:48:08 AM » |
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Reflecting back on all of my years spent in the great outdoors I am grateful my outdoor life of hunting and fishing began as an Illinois farm boy. Living in rural Illinois fostered my love of the outdoors and all it has given me in my life. Although I spent many days fishing in the Rock River, it was hunting that was my greatest pleasure. My father was in the grain business and I knew every farmer within miles. Weekends never found me inside our house...I was to be found afield with either a rifle or shotgun in my hands. If I was not in search of pheasants, quail or rabbits my quarry was pigeons, crows, starlings and later on fox hunting introduced to me by a mentor who taught me how to trap beaver, muskrat and mink as I followed him while he worked his 8 mile long trap line. I've hunted the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois for deer, ducks and geese near Cairo, Ill, Paducha, Ky and the Arkansas wetlands.
As a young adult I made annual hunting trips with a group of friends to the Gillette, WY area for deer, antelope and predator hunting.
All of my family moved to Florida in the 60's after my father sold his grain business. I was the last hold out and eventually moved there in the fall of 1969. Initially, my outdoor life turned to fishing at that time which included largemouth bass fishing soon followed by my introduction into saltwater fishing. I was soon addicted and later became a partime inshore flats fishing guide for snook, redfish, trout and tarpon. Eventually, through my association with one of the state's largest gun clubs I added competitive clay shooting as part of my life competing in trap, skeet and sporting clays events which led me back to hunting again for Everglades deer, wild hogs, Osceola turkeys, quail and doves. It was only natural as I had an ingrained love for all of it.
My life has taken a turn again...full circle, so to speak, as I have returned to my midwest roots and back to hunting again. Upland bird hunting is still great fun although the game is not as prevalent as it was back in my early hunting days in Illinois. Predator hunting for coyotes in northwest Missouri and Kansas has become a passion with me. So it goes for one who loves the outdoors.
I can't stress enough the importance of a present day outdoorsman to get involved with introducing kids to the outdoors and joys of fishing and hunting. It was easier back in my childhood as computers, color tv, cell phones, I-pods and video games didn't exist. Life seemed more simple back then. For conservation efforts and the joy of the outdoors to continue to exist it is vital for each of us who love the outdoors to pass this heritage on to the next generation...vitally important. Do your part...take a son, daughter, grandson, grandaughter or neighborhood kid hunting or fishing and make passing on this wonderful world of the outdoors part of your legacy.
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The Great Outdoors: Hunting