To say he wanted to hunt badly would be an understatement. I wasn’t sure we were going to make it a reality. Until we did. Despite his enthusiasm he conked out in the backseat as we headed down progressively smaller roads, for an evening deer hunt. We pulled up to the ranch and began glassing. Ignoring, Read More
Laying down a cast, I heard my buddy straining to hold his three year old daughter over the gunwale. She had to pee. Bad. Most of the urine made it to the water. Some splashed on cold beers that had been placed nearby. My friend had had enough time to remove the beers from the cooler,, Read More
I’ve got a garage full of gear. Enough to outfit a small army for anything from mountaineering to horsepacking, canoeing to big wall climbing, not to mention hunting and fishing. Despite the raw volume of stuff, that at times is overwhelming and probably warrants a garage sale, there are a few pieces of gear, Read More
River trips have become our favorite family adventures. As a way of experiencing the backcountry with kids, few other methods can compare. But with a little planning you can take some simple steps to help ensure your adventure is one that will be fun for the whole family. Planning for shorter days on the water makes, Read More
The house is spotless. We’ve hardly been home. The pickup is a disaster, so is the boat bag. Clothes shoved into the corners, smelling of bug spray. Plastic bags, food wrappers, and empty soda bottles litter the floor mats. The girls went back East to visit family and my son and I are flying, Read More
We nearly passed it by. Fast water, little structure, it just didn’t quite seem worth it. But time was on our side and Matt decided to wade into position for a quick cast. Before I knew what happened he was tied fast into a good fish…and losing ground. I tossed the Echo Gecko aside. Wading with, Read More
We pointed the truck south without a single rod or gun. Instead we had the whole family, one canoe, a weeks worth of food, and visions of life on a desert river. It didn’t disappoint. River living is hard to beat. The pace of life slows down. Water sounds drown-out front country distractions. The gentle rhythm, Read More
The girls decided to stay in the truck. Hand in hand we walked up the shallow ridge going over our game plan. We needed to be quiet. It was important to follow directions. Plugging your ears was ok. Being sneaky was our goal. Peeking over the ridge we spotted them, right where we anticipated, Read More
Big Horn, Shoshone, Yellowstone, Madison, Gibbon, Firehole, Snake, Wind. This could be a tick list of must fish Western trout water or the index of a fly fishing guide book. Instead it’s a list of rivers I passed by this past weekend, without stringing up a rod. Yet I couldn’t be happier. With a, Read More
“How are the fish doing?” a small voice piped up from the back seat. “Huh?” I replied. “You know…how are their homes doing?” “Oh…you mean where we helped on that project last summer?” “Uh huh” Seven months had passed, but it is remarkable what sticks in a five year old’s mind. My daughter and, Read More