Another First for "Bug"!

A couple of weeks ago my youngest son, Hunter (aka "Bug") caught his first steelhead over 20 pounds.  Today, he and I went out to try and harvest his first spring Turkey.  Lucky little turd that he is, he not only got his first Turkey, he shot it at about 15 yards and made a clean kill on a very nice "Tom" that sported a seven inch beard and weighed over 20 pounds!  It took about 20 minutes for us to get into position and call it in after it first answered my hen clucks.  There were two toms that came in and Hunter chose this one.  GREAT JOB SON!

A new adventure begins!

                                                    South Coast Fly Caught Fall Chinook

Without a doubt, I live in the best State in the best Country in the World! Within minutes of my home I can find something to do in the outdoors 365 days a year...and I do!  As a fishing and hunting guide I also get to spend my days introducing folks from literally around the world to the incredible outdoor experiences that can only be enjoyed in my part of the world. 

This blog is intended to give readers an opportunity to come with me and my guests on our adventures afield.  I'll try to describe our days on the water chasing steelhead with a fly or in a duck blind as birds work to our decoys.  I'll try to give some of my tips to help make your day afield more productive or enjoyable.  And because I love photography, I'll place an emphasis on presenting images... lots of them from the great outdoors. 

My son Hunter's monster winter steelhead

I guide on a variety of Southern Oregon rivers, lakes and bays.  You'll see rivers like the famed North Umpqua where I guide for steelhead with a fly.  Coastal rivers and bays where we chase monster fall chinook on fly's.  You'll see spring chinook caught on flies and conventional tackle from the mainstem Umpqua.  During the summer months you get to come along on float trips for trout on the McKenzie river or smallmouth bass on the Umpqua.   

A bag of Willamette Valley ducks and geese

In the fall and winter you'll get a chance to follow us into the duck marshes and goose fields in the Willamette Valley or a coastal bay where I'll try to capture in words and images what our day was like as birds worked our decoys or turned back towards us by our calls.  Big game animal hunts will also be featured with Elk, Deer and Bear hunts with my boys and I as we harvest food for our table with bow, muzzle loader, rifle and shotgun.

For the past five or six years I've often used my website to try and relate these experiences, but I feel like this blog may be a better vehicle to allow others to enjoy my outdoors activities.  I'll continue to update my website and I encourage readers of this blog to visit my site as well.

I look forward to this new adventure and I hope you enjoy your time spent here, but please make a point of getting out there yourself every chance you get! It seems too much time is spent in front of a computer screen these days instead of making your own "memories of a lifetime" that can only come from being out there and doing it yourself.