I was born and raised in Oconomowoc, Wis. I had a good horse to ride, a lake to explore and lots of rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks to hunt. I started hunting chipmunks at the age of 3 with my trusty Daisy BB gun and my love of hunting was born. I soon graduated to a Crossman pellet gun and one Christmas I was given my grandmother’s Winchester model 61 pump 22. All the money I ever earned as a kid doing chores or cutting grass went to purchasing ammo. After graduating from college I attended the Erv Malnirch guide school in Hamilton, Mt. and after the course was over my love of Montana and Idaho was solidified. After a brief move back to Wisconsin I transferred to Billings in June of 1978 at my request and resumed the love affair with Montana. I have been blessed with two children, Jodi and Brett, and we have made Billings our home since 1979. When my daughter was 7 or 8 years old she came home from school asking questions about Vietnam. During our conversation I told her if she wanted to make a difference to get good grades go to college and law school and I would take her to Africa on safari if she did. Dads, be careful what you promise, she remembered and in 2007 we went to South Africa where she and her husband took 12 animals. I have had the opportunity to hunt in Montana, New Mexico, Manitoba, New Zealand, Old Mexico and South Africa, Tanzania, Scotland, Texas, Saskatchewan My passion for hunting brought me to SCI with the notion that we need to preserve hunting for future generations. The dreams of animals we didn’t take keep my hope for the future alive.