[Ronji]

My dad hunted very little, as he grew up in the city, the only hunting he would do was for grouse. I was fortunate that my grandfather always had lots of rifles, shotguns, and tons of gear around. This got me going.

He started me out with a .22 when I was 6. And he was a tyrant about gun safety, and I can remember his talks, like they were yesterday. By 8, I was good with the .22 and the pastures around Daysland were covered with the damage I did to the local gopher populations. It was that fall of 1970, when I got to go deer hunting out by Sedgewick. Then it was like the flood gates opened. I missed a ton of school tagging along with my grandfather and his trips. Even had my first taste of Canadian Club around the farm that night, as 3 of the men we were hunting with tagged out, along with my grandfather. (to this day I hate C.C.)
I never looked back after that first trip, and to this day, unless I'm tagged out, from September 1 till the seasons close, I am hunting. Thank you for my understanding wife. She knows, never, ever, make plans for me in the fall, as she knows how important the outdoors are to me.