A Day To Remember

To a kid, going fishing or hunting ranks high above ordinary and everyday events. Other childhood memories may trickle away through time, but people usually remember their early outdoor adventures.

The outdoors has many lures; you can't predict which ones will stick in memory. You may never forget the first time Grandpa let you steer his boat, or the sudden apparition of a gobbler. Your first contact-tiny fingertip pressing into the cool glistening flank of a quivering fish-can etch itself permanently into your memory. So can the emotions that flow when you feel the still-warm body of a deer or the fluffy down of a mallard you've just shot.

Some outdoor memories seem like whoppers. Can bluegill really grow bigger than footballs? Did the buck really have 14 points? The stories may be embellished, but the constant retelling of them reveals that the child-who may now be an adult-fully enjoyed the experience.

Outdoor time spent together builds love and trust in families. It's a chance for a child to test adulthood and for an adult to feel like a child. Take your kids fishing or hunting and share your and their happiness and excitement.