My outdoor journey has several chapters. The first was waterfowl hunting in North Dakota, while in high school and college.
The impetus to move to Montana, was for the chance to hunt big game. The first ten years or so, I did that with vigor and also fly fished for trout. Somewhere, along the line I started bringing a shotgun on deer hunting trips, just to shoot birds encountered, while deer hunting.
That rekindled the interest in pointing dogs, as my father had an English Setter that I adored. I've had pointing dogs for a little more than the last thirty years. At first, it was bird hunting, and I killed my share of birds, certainly. After a few years, the dog's work was more interesting than killing so many birds.
Once I crossed paths with horseback field trials, my outdoor life entered a new chapter. I have greatly enjoyed the time spent on a horse, handling a bird dog. Any day that I do that, is a great day.
Here's a few more photos, from various chapters.