I don't get on this thing often as I spend seven to eight months a year in "bush" Alaska at my hunting lodge and connecting thru our Irridium sat phone gets a bit pricy. Still I enjoy catching up when I get a chance. I consider myself first and foremost a hunter and guide rather than a "real" gunwriter although I send the occasional piece in to Rifle or Handloader and do a column in Successful Hunter. I have been interested in anything that went bang or tossed a projectile since I can remember and been a hunter since I was able to cock a Red Rider BB gun. ( I was five) I shot competatively for four years on the SW Missouri rifle team, served a year as a combat grunt with the fourth infantry division in the central highlands of Vietnam in 1969 and was given a choice as a sniper instructor with the US Army marksmanship unit in Ft. Benning or as a service rifle team member on the Ft. Benning Team. I chose to shoot on the rifle team and every moment off was also shooting with the USAMU pistol team or the skeet team as well. Once out of the service I finished college with a degree in Wildlife management, obtained my pilots license and began a series of jobs with the National Park service including bilolgist and Park Ranger. I quit to do research with the musuem of Northern Arizona on bighorn sheep and burros and finally worked as chief pilot for Grand Canyon Airlines before heading to Alaska. My first week in Alaskan I answered an add in the Anchorage Times looking for a packer during Dall sheep season and when the guide broke his ankle on day three I started my guiding career. This is my twenty seventh year. As for guns, like I said I enjoy everything including military weapons. In shotguns I have owned numerous high grade English and Italian double shotguns (but still prefer Win. M-12's) I shot competitive pistol for years but now prefer the simplicity and durability of tuned S&W revolvers. My first love however is practical hunting rifles, especially in the larger calibers as I also love hunting big bears. I have also hunted on four continents, including two countries in Africa.
