Happy Birthday, Daddy!

My father died in 2005. Today would have been his 85th birthday, and I still miss him. Chuck was an outdoorsman, through and through. He taught me the love of nature. He was a hunter and a fisherman, and truly lived off the land.

This photo may repulse some, and I apologize to anyone's sensitivty. (This is the only photo I have of him on my computer --- my scanner is broken --- and I'd really rather not use this one, but....)  My dad understood the importance of hunting for keeping wildlife populations in check. Coyotes, unlike other predators, have adapted to the presence of humans throughout their wide range. They reproduce prolifically and even mate with feral dogs. They carry rabies and heartworm, and would just as soon eat someone's pet kitty or small dog as a wild rabbit or squirrel. So I make no apology for hunting them.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!  If you were still here, I'd fry you up a mess of crappie and mushrooms today, and toast you with a brewskie. You may be gone, but you're not forgotten