OUTDOORS

My love of the outdoors started as a child. Growing up in a family of outdoors man, I was introduced to hunting, fishing and the Boy Scouts at a young age. These times started to mold me as a young man. 

 

I was given my first shotgun at age 13 and went deer hunting with my dad in the fall as a youth. Fishing was fun, but the idea of sitting in a boat and hoping something bites your line did not seem fun anymore as the years past on. I could sit for hours though in a tree with my archery bow. My wife and sister in-law never really understood this. After awhile, you start to blend in and the forest around you comes alive. Watching squirrels chase each other and deer walking around you is truly amazing. 

As a Boy Scout I loved camping, fire building and the though of being away from civilization. Understanding how to survive in the wild went hand and hand with my love for hunting. When I was in scouting, I went to several places that I probably would not have went if it wasn't for scouting. Some memories and times I shared with my dad and others I took in on my own. Funny thing is, when I was in scouting, I was not in love with hiking at all. This is one thing that has changed drastically over the years. I love to hike now! Something about getting away from all the gadgets and the fast paced city life is so appealing to me as I get older. 

I have started to introduce my son to my love for the outdoors. He took his first backpacking trip at the age of 5. He has become a sponge of information when it comes to the outdoors. His knowledge of how to make things out of  sticks, rocks and fire is amazing. As I grow older, I hope to open his eyes even more to the outdoor world.