Watching Him Grow Up

This last week was the hardest, wildest and most fun week I've had hunting in a long time! We hooked up with some new friends and a new UNJ Field Staff Member (Chris "Chico" Lopez) on a wild week of Michigan Early Season Goose Hunting.

Mikey And His Opening Day Birds

Mikey and I started the week off by going with Mossy Oak Pro Staff Member John McNamara to one of his fields for opening day, then it was off to the crew from the north that I mentioned earlier. What was so unique about these hunts was how I watched Mikey grow right before my very eyes!

Mikey On Opening Day With A Few Of Our Friends

Sure I had fun running the camera and capturing video of our hunt and I had fun taking a few shots along with bagging my first goose, but the real excitement was watching Mikey do his thing. I have never seen him work so hard to obtain a goal that he coveted so much. He was in a zone all his own this week, working at getting the goose trailer ready to haul the gear out, making sure we had all the gear we needed and taking charge in the field with the calling. It was like watching an adult growing into his own out there. He worked well with all the guys in the field and when it came to the teasing and ribbing, he was right there giving it back along with taking it like one of the guys should!

Mikey Practicing His Calling In The Field

When the hunt was over, he was right there cleaning up and making sure everything was put away properly, not to mention he took care of all the game we harvested! The field dressing and cleaning of the meat was all his doing, making sure nothing was spoiled or wasted. I can't wait until he makes his goose jerky that he has been talking about!

Mikey With Art And Chico Gathering Up Birds

What I witnessed this week was a 15 year old boy becoming a man and taking charge of the situation. If he had his drivers license he could have done this without me and that is when I knew he was growing up and becoming his own person. He doesn't need me to tell him what to do anymore when it comes to the field, I can't wait to see him pass that tradition along to his kids one day! One down and three more kids to go. My job as an outdoors men father is 25% complete! I don't want it to go by too fast, but it sure is fun watching it happen! It makes all those troublesome times seem so far away now and it was all worth it!

A Morning Harvest With The Boys From Saginaw

I will post later on how our whirlwind week went later. I thought this post was more important than what we took from the field, so look forward to the posts of our 7 day adventure.