First new team member.

As you can tell I added the first new member of out blog team, Joel. Joel and I actually met through a message board centered around duck hunting, and over the past couple of years have become friends. We share a common love of the outdoors, while he gets to live in the heart of some of the best hunting in the world; I have to live miles away on the outskirts of a large city. But, such are the sacrifices one makes to keep his family happy and pursue a career.

He is known to shoot everything from a stainless over and under to an old Ithaca, and he is one of the best shots I know. Joel, like many of us, hunts a combination of different locations, private lands and from time to time he has been known to take advantage of public lands. He hunts with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named “Canton” who only minds him, and is very territorial over his truck. Why on earth he chose a “Chessie” I’ll never know, but it probably has something to do with the fact that he doesn’t think anything worthwhile is ever easy, and takes satisfaction in going down the road less traveled. To that extent he and I are probably throwbacks to a past generation, we don’t mind sharing our experiences with others, but we will not give away the fruits of our sweat equity (meaning we aren’t going to tell you where the good duck holes are).

I asked Joel to be a contributor here due to the respect I have for not only his skill as an outdoorsmen, but also for his ethics and values. He understands and respects the natural cycle, and gives back as much if not more than he harvests. Most importantly, Joel is the kind of guy you really want to share a blind with. Maybe it is just the fact that we see eye to eye on so many things, but it could be that his passion for the outdoors along with his humor and lighthearted attitude tend to make the most out of every situation. To make a long story even longer, Joel is the kind of guy whose enjoyment of the outdoors comes through and makes it enjoyable to be around. His entries should make for some great reading