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
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
This is an exciting time for sportsmen, a time of hot fishing, and a time to prepare for the coming hunting season. I discovered early, by checking my Visa statement online that I hadn’t drawn a Nevada hunting tag, but if you did it’s time to get ready. If you’re like me, plan for an … Read more
As I prepare for a new adventure “a return to the Amazon,” perhaps a final visit to this remarkable and unique part of the world. I say “perhaps final” because the purpose of this visit is for a memorial tribute to my good friend, “brother” and personal hero Phil Marsteller. I’ll join the family to … Read more
by Dan Simmons – We’re wrapping up the season of annual wildlife banquets and conventions. It’s been a time to meet old and new friends as I did at the recent Wildlife Habit Improvement of Nevada (WHIN) banquet in Las Vegas. I shared a table with an old friend, Eddie Pribble, a past president and … Read more
by Dan Simmons – We’re all familiar with the epic adventures of Lewis and Clark. They forged a path across North America for others to follow and create a nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. There were many other trailblazers like Kit Carson and John C. Fremont. Some of us have been fortunate … Read more
by Dan Simmons – There are hunts and there are tough hunts with tents and freeze-dried food on the campfire, all are adventures. Then there’s Spain; it’s a tough luxurious hunting adventure as my friends Commissioner Debra Strickland and Husband Larry discovered on their latest adventure. They signed up for a coveted Spanish Ibex hunt … Read more
by Dan Simmons – It’s a new year with new opportunities and possibilities. Now it’s time to set our priorities and make plans. My friend Bill Wilson did just that this past year as he set his sights on an African Cape Buffalo safari in Zimbabwe. As a former Navy Seal and commander of Seal … Read more
by Dan Simmons – In my last column I wrote about my “successful Elk” hunt with my artist friend Justin Young. It was a great adventure, but my freezer was still empty. I was sitting around my Thanksgiving fireplace with another close friend, Craig Kozeniesky , a retired Marine Colonel in command of Special Ops … Read more
by Dan Simmons – While sitting at my desk, having just returned from a Colorado elk hunt, and eating a plate of elk track stew, I was reflecting on great wildlife artists and hunters. Yes the elk won this time. It was, however, a great hunt, even though it didn’t help fill the freezer. The … Read more