---

I am thankful for the opportunity this paper has provided me over the past few years to express myself and share my experiences with you, the reader. Following each memorable day spent on the water or afield, there is a story to tell –– a detail or two worth mentioning, emotions and thoughts about a trip worthy of sharing with others. I hope that, at times, you were able to put down the paper after reading my column and feel as though you were there with me on the stream or in the woods. At the very least, I hope that I’ve occasionally provided some good information, sound advice and most importantly, entertained you at times along the way.

I shy away from (as often as possible) practicing what the outdoor media refers to as “hook and bullet style” writing. Oh sure, I can write in that “how to” style, but it’s not nearly as much fun as spinning a good yarn and inviting the reader to come along with me and be there in the moment. No, I don’t suppose it is typical outdoor writing, but I do hope that it has proven to be highly readable.

I once wrote, “Memories of fish are fleeting, but memories of the time we spend together and the emotions we share last a lifetime.” As I conceive of stories to tell and how I wish to tell them, I keep that saying as a mantra in the back of my mind and as a guide in the way I write.

I am most thankful to pass on my love for the outdoors with my sons, Anders and August. With attentive mentorship on my part and careful thought to their own positive outdoor experiences, I hope to inspire in them a deep awareness and respect for our natural world. I also hope –– as lifelong anglers and hunters with a keen interest in protecting, managing and preserving our natural resources –– they develop along the way an understanding and profound appreciation for important conservation issues and act upon them. There is little doubt that hunters and anglers, as a collective, are the greatest advocates and defenders of our lands, waters and wildlife.

My boys are continuing a very proud outdoors heritage that will teach them valuable life lessons –– lessons that will no doubt transcend sport and serve them well throughout their lives.

Thank you again for allowing me to share my experiences with you. I write from experience, so it goes without saying that I hope to have quite a few more stories to tell. Of course, I haven’t lived the stories yet, but I bet I’ll know some pretty good ones.

Don’t think too long and hard about that last paragraph. The last thing I want to do is give you a Thanksgiving Day headache.

Dan Brown’s weekly outdoor column is brought to you by Frankie’s Bait and Marine, in Chisago City, and St. Croix Outdoors, in St. Croix Falls, Wis.

---