Posted by David Maxfield (Max) on October 05, 1999 at 23:16:11:
Right now I'm 38. My outdoors starts while I was growing up in a small farm town near the Quadcities in Illinois. My father loved trapping and we spent most of the fall running traplines in the drainage ditches and float trapping on the Hennipen feeder canal south of Rockfalls, Il. We occasionally hunted but the old boy's love was trapping so that's what we did. I lost my Dad while I was in college at Il State. Moved to Minnesota in 1986 with a diploma and 200 bucks...my sister offered to let me give it a shot up hear and I d--n well wasn't interested in living in Chicagoland. Besides, the hunting and fishing hear was much more my style.
I'm a corporate misfit, hate those stuffy big behive offices. After 2 years in consumer lending, and nine years with my own insurance agency for a very large company, I changed careers last year. So, currently I'm a Financial Planner for an independent fp firm based here in the twin cities.
Up until last year when my daughter was born,( best thing I ever did and most joy I believe I'll ever have is being that girl's father. Marrying her Mother was a pretty good idea too.), I spent most spare time flyfishing in Western WI, tying flies,hunting or reading about them. Still do, I just read more and participate less lately.
A few years ago like maybe 4, I became a volunteer Avanced Hunter Education instructor for the Minnesota DNR and consequently got exposed to waterfowling and pretty interested, Sooo in fits, and spurts and budgets, I've taken to love it. My nephew has been a great hunting buddy too and kind of gave me the waterfowl nudge, I got him into deer.
Other hunting pursuits include Deer hunting - my current armament of choice bears the Smith & Wesson logo. Though I'm looking hard at a recurve bow too. Hopefully I'll be taking up Black bear next year. Pheasant has always been a favorite of mine too.
My hunting vessel is a make due rig. An inherited 14ft fiberglass trihull Tuffy powered by the only reliable motor I have, a 2hp Evinrud and a burlap rig for a blind (this was old commercial potato sacks the first year)Affectionatly referred to by friends as "The Ark". It's on it's way to the graveyard before it becomes a widowmaker. Hence, how I became interested in the this webpage.
I've been snooping in and around here off and on since January. Lately, quite a bit. A marginal rig and a season coming up will do that to a fella.
I must say, there seems to be an awfull lot of experience and knowlege around here, I'm even thinking of this decoy carving thing (winter is long here ya know). Next spring or summer I'm hoping to tackle a black brant or broadbill or both. I would never have thought to do either dekes or a vessel if it wasn't for this websight, thanks Eric! Hope to learn lots from you gentlement and thanks for what you've taught me already even if ya didn't know it.