Fishing With My Little Girl

I took the entire family on a brief fishing trip to a local creek. We had a few red worms and a couple of poles, but that was enough to have a memorable experience. Of course my son, the experienced angler, got right down to business and was fishing hard. My little girl (5 years old) took a little longer to get comfortable. First of all we had to find a place for her to sit down while she practiced her angling skills.

Things were going pretty good, although not many fish were biting, until we caught one and she wanted to throw it back. She was trying to grasp it when she touched one of the fins and it "stuck" her (her words). She got over this pain fast enough, but she accidentally got hooked and that ended her fishing trip immediately.

We were able to distract her by looking for other wildlife so I think we will be able to convince her to go again, but we will have to be careful that she doesn't get "stuck" again. It was a very brief outing, but made memories we will remember forever.

Why Do We Do What We Do?

What is the lure of spending time outdoors? Many people love hunting, fishing, hiking, and any outdoor activity while others would rather curl up indoors with a book. The basic need of humans is to have a release that allows time for rest, and to clear one’s mind. Many of us who love the outdoors love it because it gives us that chance to clear our thoughts and just relax. I often joke that when I am fishing my blood pressure drops twenty points and while I am just joking, I don’t doubt that there is some truth to the statement.

Spending time with people we love is yet another reason many of us spending time outdoors. Some families play ball, some go to dance recitals, and the possibilities are endless. Each activity appeals to different people, but the end result is finding a way to have some fun and spend quality time with people that mean the world to you. Personally, I love being in the outdoors by myself, or with my friends and family and can’t imagine living my life without these pleasures, but at the end of the day the relationships are the most important things in our lives.

End of Hunting Season

Well, deer hunting season has come to an end. My son and I spent the last Saturday of the season hunting for the elusive "first buck" for my son. This year has been a huge success because he has seen more deer than any other year, and actually killed two does. He has grown so much and has learned to be quiet, still and patient. He still has a little to go, but he has gotten so much better since last year.

He has developed a love for the outdoors which makes me very happy because he shares one of my passions. I haven't pushed it on him, but gave him the opportunity and now he wants to go hunting or fishing all the time. There have been times I would have stayed home or went home, but he was so excited and wanting to stay that I couldn't bring myself to leave. Any time I can spend time with my son is time well spent.

Snow Pictures

We have been doing an unusual thing in north Alabama; Playing in the snow. Here are a few pictures.

Good Times

Spending time outdoors has become a precious commodity and I relish every moment. My son and I have been able to do a little hunting and we look forward to some warming temperatures. Coyote hunting, hiking, and fishing loom in our future. The only enemy is time which doesn't seem to cooperate, but that make every outing very special.

Great Article About Coyotes

Coyotes are plentiful in north Alabama and this is an interesting article about their future. Coyotes are here to stay!

Time with Friends

A few years ago I was invited to join some close friends of mine on a hunting trip at their hunting camp. I have been fortunate to have been invited back every year since and it has become somewhat of a tradition for us to get together and hunt around Christmas each year.

A few years ago our sons got old enough to take with us on this annual hunting trip. They are about the same age and although they only see each other about once a year they play together like they have known each other their entire life. We always have a great time reminiscing about old times and making new memories.

This year we had a special treat because both boys would kill a dear during the trip. They shot about ten minutes apart from each other and since it was about dark the tracking and cleaning process took us to about midnight. Although nobody got up quite as early as usual the next morning we all had a great time.

Hunting trips are not about whether or not you get a deer, but more about good times and spending time with people you care about, but getting a deer certainly helps cap off the trip must like icing on a cake. The two days we spent were two quality days spent enjoying nature and the company of good friends.