Night fishing is not unusual in these parts. Creeping the banks through the tangle and woody debris with big flies looking for big fish, the behemoths that cruise only in the dark of the night. Big brown trout striking at sound and movement, no matter the cause, anglers making casts to concentric reflections. But not tonight. It’s a little too soon. The days are warm but the chilly nights will keep most away. No one will fish tonight, except for Jack. And when he returns home

It was cold in the shade along the shoulder of the road. Heavy dew and even a little frost in places. Jack knew it would be awhile before the sun cleared the blufftop and began warming the valley, so he took his time with preparations, methodically retrieving his gear, vest, waders, boots from the back of the truck, assembling his rod and reel. Like a cleric preparing for a great liturgical service, the tailgate his alter, each movement was slow, thoughtful, organized, delibe

I’m a lucky guy and I know it. For some couples, hunting and fishing can be a dividing line,  something to be tolerated or negotiated. But fortunately this is not the case for my wife and me. I married a Missouri girl, born and raised mostly in the northern Ozarks, a Mizzou grad who studied wildlife biology, and was working at Conservation Department when we met (yes, I was fishing off the company dock). Early evidence was clear. Hunting and fishing trips would not need permi

Caught up in the moment, I broke my rule. I took the going away shot and the wounded bird sailed to that familiar place 250 yards away. I...

I don’t necessarily subscribe to the myth of the “good ol’ days,” there’s a lot about the right now, today that’s pretty amazing. Yet,...

On a cold snowy day in February, Charlie Schwartz was on my mind. For those unfamiliar, Charlie was, at the very least, a biologist and...

“Each generation sees the world for the first time.”   James F. Keefe, The First Fifty Years Very soon, Missouri’s newly elected...

The Secretary, Colonel, and President inspect habitat conditions at The Flats with Harper's assistance. For one day in March, No Name...

I was seven years old when I was first exposed to the idea of public service, although I didn’t really know what it meant. But the words...