Fellowship

Numbers Game.

I was watching a t.v. show this morning, which I don’t do very often, and it really bothered me. The show was about kids hunting, something that should be great right? It was about privileged kids hunting. Which is entirely different. I am not sure that I like where hunting and fishing is going, thanks in large part to television shows. Now hunting and fishing is turning into a game for the privileged. It’s all about the score. This is a major conflict for me, especially as an outfitter. I have guided many people over the years that are way too concerned about what an animal scores. A score is only a number, created by people. Animal scoring systems were not created to measure the worth of an animal. You simply can not do that with a number. These numbers were created by people for people, to somehow measure themselves. Which doesn’t work either. It is the same thing as measuring  yourself, or someone else, by the number in a bank account.

The worth of an animal isn’t measured by some number people created, ( which is often exaggerated anyway). The worth of an animal can only be measured by the person who harvested that animal. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say. The goal to harvest an animal shouldn’t be based on numbers alone. It should be based on the quality of an experience. We all know people who do unethical things to achieve a score whether it is in sports, business, or sadly in hunting and fishing. The number becomes the focus, and the true value of an animals life becomes blurry and worth much less.

I do think that scoring holds a small value, because it is a fairly decent way to judge maturity of an animal, or fish. I like to hunt for big animals. I like to catch big fish. However, score is never my concern. Numbers don’t mean anything to an animal. Most people associate maturity with intelligence. A very large brown trout is typically harder to fool with a dry fly than a little one, though not always. Very large animals are more rare, more experienced, and much harder to harvest than the small ones. It’s like selling a car to a 18 year old kid versus a 55 year old man. The stakes are much higher. I believe the reward is greater. Not because of a number. Because of the experience. Because of the challenge. I also don’t believe that makes a difference in the value of an animals life. It is only a starting point to determine what animal I would like to pursue. Everyone has their own measuring system for success, and it should never be based solely on a number. I believe that is the fastest way to devalue the experience.

Hunting and fishing should’t be about how much money you have. I do realize that it is a little ironic coming from an outfitter, but it shouldn’t be. Outfitters should be making their living by helping people acquire quality experiences in the outdoors in areas that they aren’t familiar with, or don’t have the ability to access on their own. I believe outfitters shouldn’t be selling numbers for people to measure themselves with. We all know being privileged doesn’t make you a better person. Being privileged also doesn’t make you a better hunter or angler.

I want kids to grow up hunting and fishing. I think that if it is done ethically and for the right reasons, it can be a very wonderful thing. When we learn to truly value the lives of wild animals and wild places, we can better value our own lives.

Hello July, goodbye June.

The water is rising everyday. I’m not sure anyone knows why, it obviously isn’t the corps of engineers. Floating debris makes the dry fly fishing a little more difficult, especially when a dislodged piece of driftwood floats/crashes along over the fishy’s heads. Oh well… at least it will slow down the ultimate warm-up of the water, which happened way too fast last year. The summer seems to be working in reverse, we started June at 4,000 cfs and we ended it around 6,200 cfs. June is Over. The waters are rising everyday in July so far too. Eventually they will go down again, but I don’t know when. Even though the conditions are changing, there are still plenty of fish to be caught on dry flies.
I look forward all winter to seeing certain clients that fish with me every year. I just had some very special ones make their annual trip. Blink. Over. I can’t wait until next year. One of the very best things about guiding is the people you meet and the relationships you forge with them. Some people have the ability to make you feel good about yourself. They make you feel like being a fishing guide is an important job. (Not sure I agree all the time.) Those are the days that you are glad you do what it is you do, and are very grateful that you aren’t sitting behind a desk at the cube farm. Just like releasing a nice fish, you hope to see them again.
Do yourself a favor, grab a friend and go fishing. Summer time is in full swing, and it is short lived in Montana.

The speed of life.

Moving at the speed of life.

I swear I just blinked and it was May 28th. That was a month ago!
I can’t seem to grasp how time can go by so quickly during the summers. It seems to me that during the winter, when the daylight is in short supply, the hours drag slowly along. Yet, during the summer solstice, when we have an over abundance of daylight, time moves exceptionally fast.

Now it seems to be compounded since I have a child. She changes rapidly everyday, growing, learning, gaining personality. I would hate to miss even one day. Though, I will. It is this type of situation that reminds me what my priorities should be.

I remember looking forward all summer long to a week long fishing trip on the St. Joe River with my Dad. I had heard so many stories that I couldn’t wait to go see it for myself. Time seemed to drag by… Until finally it arrived on the right date. Before I could even blink it was over. How could a week go so fast when all the other ones seemed to take forever?
The answer is fun. Having fun makes time a distant measuring device, that doesn’t seem to register the same way when we aren’t having as much fun.

For me, nothing will compare to my first trip up the river. Everything was new, exciting and fun. I can’t wait to do that for my daughter. I know I have been apart of many of those same experiences, and I can’t wait to be a part of many more.

Before the summer is over, which will be sooner than you think, plan something with a friend or someone you love. Go fishing. Make it special. Before you know it time will pass us by and the only thing we take away from it will be our memories.