The Season of Adventure Begins

by Dan Simmons– (Pictured above: Laura Oslund’s first ocean fish) As the weather warms my thoughts turn to sandy beaches, crashing waves and fishing. It’s time to plan my annual San Diego deep sea fishing charter and visit my friends at H&M Landing. Previous years adventures have always begun with this event and it’s always … Read more

When I Grow Up

by Dan Simmons– (Pictured above: Dick Gunlogson, Dan and Bertus Pretorius, planning the next trip.) Summer is coming soon and we’re all making plans. It’s an exciting time for our new high school and college graduates, but perhaps a little intimidating. They’re being asked to make career decisions. Put less diplomatically, they’re being asked, “What … Read more

Notes from the Top of the World

by Dan Simmons– We are starting off the year with remarkable exploits, stories, and adventures. The Story continues…. My good friend Larry Strickland just returned from Tajikistan where he shot a remarkable Marco Polo sheep on his December birthday. It all started at the OVIS wild sheep convention in Las Vegas where Larry & wife … Read more

A Season of Gifts and a New World Champion

by Dan Simmons– It’s the season of receiving and giving of gifts and my good friend Lanny Barnes is a perfect example of the season. You’ve previously met her in this column as we celebrated her and her twin sister Tracy’s achievement as Olympic Biathlon champions and their taking a “last minute” Elk for Lanny’s … Read more

Dr. Jessie’s First Elk

by Dan Simmons– Have you ever met a charming twenty-seven year old lady power lifter with a Doctorate who likes to hunt and fish? I have, and this is her story of harvesting a deer and her first elk this past year. It all started with her drawing both tags. Jessie Peterson’s dream elk hunt … Read more

The Quest for the Unknown

by Dan Simmons– The adventure of the unknown still exists while fishing.  One never knows what will be attracted to a bait from the unseen depths. Adrenalin rushes through the nervous system, triggering a muscle reflex; it’s hooked and “hook up” is shouted.  The primordial struggle with nature’s unknown begins, the anticipation of hearing, “I … Read more

Fishing and Life’s Lesson

by Dan Simmons– The end of summer is a time for reflection, and fishing, so it seems appropriate to reflect on the true purpose and meaning of our angling pursuits.It’s certainly not about catching and eating fish, as it may have been in the earlier times of our forefathers. Today it’s much less expensive to … Read more

Our Hunting Heritage, Culture and Traditions

by Dan Simmons– I’ve just returned from a homecoming trip to British Columbia, Canada and was once again reminded that many in northern communities continue to be financially and culturally dependant on subsistence hunting and fishing, as were our American families in the not too distant past. This continues in many parts of the world … Read more

Why We Hunt

by Dan Simmons – This is the time of year when your non-hunting friends begin to ask, “Why do you hunt?” and beginning hunters ask about the hunting lifestyle, culture and what it takes to be a good hunter. I’ve been around it long enough as a game warden, guide, lecturer and now story teller, … Read more

The Biathlon Elk

This is the story of an Elk hunt, but not your typical story, if there is such a thing. Lanny Barnes is a three- time Olympic Biathlon champion (skiing and shooting) and her identical twin sister, Tracy, is also a biathlon champion. This sets the stage for a very unusual story. It was the last … Read more