NAMIBIA: MORE THAN A HUNT - a part of our lives

I came late to hunting, not starting until my mid-thirties. I grew up with fishing, but an invitation to join a partner duck hunting triggered something very strong and important within me, something that I suspected for years was there but never had the opportunity to explore. Now, thirty years later, it is intrinsic to who I am, and I embrace it with gratitude.

Life flooded forward in waves without pause, from college to an extremely busy clinical practice. In the midst, my wife Gayle and I welcomed eight wonderful children whom she home schooled in our remote home on the shore of Lake Superior, miles out in the forest, while I continued with all the logistics of my medical career.

I did my best to fish and, later, hunt with my children while involved in all of their activities. This included trips -- always adventures --spanning nearly 40 remote Canadian and Alaskan experiences for fishing, but also hunts for deer, bear, caribou, moose, and ducks. And I kept reading about Africa. Finally, in 2006 a good friend committed to a trip, and now began the research.

This was a big first for Jerry and me.