The Maine Outdoorsman posed a question the other day challenging readers to name people who were instrumental in kickstarting their interest in hunting and fishing... Or naming one or two people who made a difference in their sporting life.
Hmmm... I thought about this throughout the day.
My dad was the first one I thought of. The many trips we took as a family, complete with tents, campfires and fishing. Whether we were in Colorado searching for trout or at some small lake pulling catfish, bass and crappie out of the water... Dad spent all of his spare time teaching us to love the outdoors.
My big bros taught me the art of shooting. First by blasting tin cans off the top of the clothes line pole with a BB gun. Then working my way up to the .22s and a plethora of pistols and rifles that would blow yard ornaments into oblivion in a matter of seconds. (I recommend asking for permission first when it comes to yard ornaments. lol)
I was taught to respect wildlife at an early age..... if you shoot it or catch it....you clean it and eat it. That made me VERY cautious in choosing my targets.
Thank you Rabid Outdoorsman for bringing back so many great memories! :)
Now comes the spring fever part.....
Darn you Rabid Outdoorsman for bringing back so many great memories! (just kidding) Thinking of my old hunting, fishing and camping trips has me yearning for warmer weather... I have full blown spring fever!
I'm ready to sit by the campfire in my favorite little rocker...
kick back and wet a line......
revel over my amazing achievements....
wonder if this is what a perch feels like staring at a bobber on the surface of a lake....
Sit in my fishin' chair under the "bobber" tree....
Good thing I go with friends who pay attention to their fishing........
Thanks to them, I never go hungry. :)
Unlike me, The Rabid Oudoorsman takes full advantage of the outdoors year round. If you get the time, check out his site.. The Maine Outdoorsman.
Lots of great articles, pictures and tips on hunting.... and the outdoors in general.
Spending time there reading has somewhat eased my distressed state. lol
Thanks for your posts RO!
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20 comments:
Nice post, Jeanie. One line reminded me of my first time hunting (squirrels) with my dad. When we got home, he taught me how to skin and clean the squirrels, and said virtually the same thing - "If you hunt and kill it, you clean it yourself and eat it. If you're too squeamish to clean it or eat it, you have no business killing it."
-Steve
Thanks Steve! Sounds like your dad and mine had similar outlooks. :)
Glad to hear your dad spent time teaching you how to hunt too.
Hope it brought back good memories for you! :)
I enjoy providing meat for my table...but have no problem putting down a coyote or any other predator that threatens my livestock. (rattlesnakes included)
Another benefit from shooting yard ornaments and tin cans as a girl.. I'm a fair shot. lol
Thanks again Steve...
LOL! Thanks for the mention! Glad I could jump start your passions!
I remember well the days of my brother and I shooting mom's lawn ornaments. Those pink flamingos will never be the same! HAHA!
Love your 3rd to last picture of the sun setting peacefully on the lake. It reminds me that soon warmth will return to this land and we can once again partake in a lazy lakeside wetting of a line while enjoying an ice cold one in shorts and a tshirt . . . AHHHHHHHH!
I don't want to hear about YOUR spring fever(just kidding)...it was 30 degrees below zero F on my truck thermometer this morning! Summer seems like a milion miles away!
Dave,
from the frozen MN tundra
Brings back many cherished memories Jeanie. My father always made the time to spend with my sisters and I doing something outdoors whether it was fishing or just taking us to an open field to fly kites and just let us run around. I also have a case of Spring Fever bad and I don't have it nearly as bad as you living in Florida. Thanks for sharing,
Michael
lol Rabid, I owe you the thanks! You've brought back a lot of good memories for me. :)
Glad to hear I wasn't the only one who couldn't resist a pink flamingo or two. lol
I'm ready to sip on that cold beer by the lake and watch the sun go down...
Your posts are taking my mind off of my spring fever. I enjoy your site... Thanks Rabid for getting me through winter! :)
Dave! 30 below? Dang...... I feel for ya. lol
I don't know how you function in freezing temps like that. You're a lot braver than I. :)
Thanks Dave, hope you keep warm!
Hi Michael, nice to see ya! I'm glad to hear this brought back good memories for you too. I had forgotten about flying kites, thanks for the reminder. :)
Sounds like you had an awesome dad too!
Thanks so much for stopping by. :)
I too grew up camping in the mountains of Colorado. I spent many a summer day at the lakes between Durango and Silverton or on the creeks higher up. My folks loved to trout fish. The "bug" never caught when I was a kid, but these days I can't wait to hit the river and snag a trout. Too bad my folks ain't around anymore to join me......
Thanks for sharing Jeanie. I'll have to check out some of Rabid's stuff. It's definitely my dad who introduced me to the outdoors. We still hunt together. I'm with you on the spring fever. I've made my last trip to SW KS to hunt pheasants for the year (unfortunately)so now I say bring on the warm weather!
My whole family fishes and most hunt. We've just always made our vacations around fishing! My mom and her sisters still all meet up at their spot every year (hubbies in tow) and fish. It cracks me up because my oldest aunt is now blind and out fishes everyone! She just never gives up---what an inspiration.
Tim that's great! I know what area you are talking about, it's beautiful up there. :)
Do you still fish for trout up there?
Thanks for stopping by Tim. :)
Thanks Nick! Rabid's stuff is great, He's got a great sense of humor too!
How did your SW Ks hunt go? Hope it was productive. I bet it was fun whether you got any pheasants or not. :) I didn't see as many as usual this year.
Glad to hear you are able to go with your dad.. that's really nice. :)
Thanks for stopping by Nick!
Mrs JP, you've got a great family!! It's nice they still get together to do that...
lol Your aunt sounds like a wonderful lady.
Thanks Mrs JP! :)
This evidence just might be anecdotal, but out of all my cousins and me, the kids who spent the most time in the outdoors while growing up turned out to be the most well adjusted. Just saying.
jeanie - you are so mean! It is 23 below here - I am not sure if we will ever thaw and now I want to go hunting, fishing and camping... arrrggghhh!
All the best,
David
Kirby, I think you have a good point. :)
Thanks!
lol David, sorry! :) ( I blame Rabid)
Sounds really cold up there. It was close to 50F today, I'll try to send some of this sunshine your way. :)
Thanks David!
My father first took me hunting, but hunting was a half-interest for him. Interest in the outdoors seemed to come naturally for me. It came from within.
Ranger Man that's great. I know what you mean... it's something inside that draws me to the outdoors too.
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your comment. :)
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