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Into the Outdoors: Dads and the Outdoors

As we all know, last Sunday was Father’s Day. Given that, it might be nice to take a little look at the role dads have played in the outdoor experience. This deviates from my original plan for the column, which will be used next week. When I think about it, nearly every hunter and angler I know was introduced to these sports by their father.

In many ways, my dad had it a little rougher than some others when it came to taking a kid hunting and fishing. You see, he was forty-one when I was born. When I turned six, he introduced me to trout fishing. When my son turned six, I was fully ten years younger. Even then, it was somewhat hard to keep up with the tangled lines, incessant questions, and overall energy level of a little kid. It must have been quite a chore for my dad. Then, by the time I was old enough to get a hunting license, Dad was fifty-three. For several years before that, he had spent a lot of time teaching me such things as how to shoot, with a strong emphasis on firearm safety. It must have been something for a fifty-three-year-old man to keep up with a twelve-year-old kid, but Dad did it without complaining. In retrospect, I don’t know if he was really having any fun or not, as he hung up his hunting boots as soon as I turned sixteen and could hunt by myself. He did, however, continue to fish, and we spent a lot of fun-filled hours in my boat.

Dad and I were to hunt together one more time. It was the opening day of deer season in 1977. My mother had passed away just the week before, and when I was invited to a friend’s hunting camp up north, I invited Dad to come along. To my surprise, he accepted, and the predawn darkness found us standing once again out in the bitter cold. Luckily for us, a buck came along at a little after eight. As he had always done, Dad insisted that I take the shot. Today, those antlers hang on the wall as a reminder of my last hunting trip with my father. It’s not the biggest buck I ever got, but it’s the most special.

Dads can build a library of great memories of experiences with their kids, too. When my son, Ray, was about six, I got him a little life jacket and took him pan-fishing in the boat. He had a great time, and I got a lot of satisfaction watching his skill level improve with each outing. I still like to look at an old photo album containing pictures of him with his early catches. The first squirrel he ever bagged was a big deal, too, and I was there when he got his first buck. Those are memories that I would not trade.

Just about everyone has a bunch of father and son or father and daughter stories they like to relive, either as the father or the kid. By the way, you didn’t misread the last sentence. A lot of dads take their daughters fishing and hunting, and have great times with them, just as outdoor mothers do with their sons. This no doubt has a lot to do with the ever-increasing numbers of women participating in the pursuits of the great outdoors, and that is a great thing.

If you’re a dad and have never taken your kid(s) fishing or hunting with you, this would be a great time to give it a try. Also, if your dad is still around, even if he’s getting a bit long in the tooth, consider taking him on an outing. If you love the outdoors, there’s a good chance you have him to thank for it.

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