An Outdoorsman's Journal

   2025, A Year on the Go!!!

Hello friends,

   I am writing my annual, “o what a great year it was” story and as you read this I am in Mississippi camping in Delta National Forest with my brother Tom hunting hogs and deer, in other words having a good time.
   I cannot help the simple fact that I am addicted to winter camping on the ice while fishing. I literally dream about ice fishing in my own yard with great regularity and perhaps that is why I put in a pond and stocked it with perch, walleye, crappie and bluegill. Last winter I went on 6 winter camping trips and my favorite 2 were to Little Bay de Noc with my "old" buddy Jeff Moll where we kicked some butt on big "eyes" and then to Chequamegon Bay at Ashland with Moll again his son Nate and Rick Miotke. Some big kahuna's were caught on that expedition and I love the “you never know what you have on,” variety of lake Superior.
   As you may know, I am addicted to growing veggies, cattle, chickens, trees and now fish. The hobby farming thing literally kicks my butt because when I get home from each trip, there is always plenty to do. If I actually did have a tv in my house, there would be dust on the remote.
   KAMO "Kids and Mentors Outdoors" and NOAC "Necedah Outdoor Adventure Club." I am the president of both of these organizations and the founder of KAMO and cofounder of NOAC. KAMO gets kids outdoors, NOAC builds green spaces as in a beach, disc golf course, ice skating rink and perhaps a sledding hill, we also host really fun events.
   I have been KAMO's president since day one, 19 years, and I am surrendering that position as of February 1st as we could use new blood at the helm and I am a bit overwhelmed. Will we find a replacement? Only time will tell. FYI, in no way am I leaving KAMO, I am a lifer and see my myself as a board of directors member for our 6 chapters and a chapter guy that takes kids hunting and fishing.
   My daughter Selina is the "rock" in my life. We have had a great relationship since before she was born, I used to talk to her when she was inside of her mother. Selina came home in May for a wedding and in August I went out to both Idaho and Montana to spend time with her. I was able to camp with Selina and her crew members as they did hike ins and research on trout and salmon as they spent their days in wet suits in frigid mountain streams.
   At night I was able to spend time with young biologists as they camped and enjoyed life.
   The second half of our adventure was spent looking for elk in Montana for our fall hunt. We found elk in large numbers, and nothing mattered, life was perfect. Unfortunately, when we returned to hunt in October there were no elk. I reached out to readers of this column for a "new" place to hunt and want to thank all four people that wrote to me with some excellent ideas, I will be contacting each of you.
   Deer Camp, Canada, Duck Camp! How much fun can one person have in a lifetime? We peg out the fun meter at all of these camps as well as several others and our group of people that numbers about 40 are lifelong comrades that are tough, do not whine, must work and pay their way.
   This year Selina won the Red Brush Gangs Big Buck Trophy with a really pretty 10-pointer and I will end with that, as I have to load my truck, drive a thousand miles, hang out with Tom and make some meat!

   Sunset