I grew up in northern Minnesota in a small, but what I wouldn't call little, town of Grand Rapids. Basically, it has everything you really need and then some. So, to get back to the real moral of this story I LOVE the outdoors and this passion of mine has pretty much taken over my life!

I guess I was just lucky to have a father and family which were so much a part of the outdoors, and I must say my Uncle Gordon and his passion did rub off a little bit! Since I was really little I remember my dad and him coming home with deer in the back of the old Chevy, yes I am a Chevy fan, and the fish they were always there too!! At the age of 4, I remember my younger brother Kevin and I getting put into my dad's homemade harness which was hooked to the back wall of the spear house so we wouldn't fall in the hole. My ma used to ask him "What do they do while you guys are out there?" and my dad would just laugh and say, "Well they just sit there and look down the hole". My ma just couldn't believe that since I was such a rambunctious little kid and I really didn't have any patience for anything other than the outdoors!

While growing up as a young kid we had 4 lakes that were within bike range f our house Crystal Lake, Forest Lake, Hale Lake and McKinney Lake. I spent most of the time from the ages 5 to 16 perfecting my bass, bluegill, crappie, northern pike, dogfish and every other species these lakes offered when I couldn't get out with my uncle and dad. When I say most of my time I mean every day, I just couldn't get enough! While fishing was the first passion, hunting soon entered my life at the age of 12. Well I was exploring the woods long before that "oh the good old days with the bb gun and 22"so what I mean is whitetails invaded my brain!! Weapon of choice, compound bow! "YES!!" I just loved it and was hooked!

Once I had earned my drivers license I started working at Ogle's, a small grocery store in town. This is where I met Brock Anderson (aka Beeves) as a fellow employee! This is where the craziness begins; a buddy with the same passions, there could be nothing but trouble to be caused. For the next couple years we did all sorts of fishing; everything from pan fishing, sucker fishing off the river banks, taking Rocksters (Brocks dad) boat to every lake around, to Red Lake trips every weekend and even sleeping in the portables out on the ice! Oh we had fun!! Then I headed to Staples, MN for a try at college; yes a just a try, while Brock stayed in Rapids and attended ICC. Taking a while apart Brock started to hang out with what is now known as the rest of the Hang Loose Outdoors pack: Randy Topper, Craig King, Dan Neary, and Randy Greniger. So when I came back he introduced me and I guess we all just clicked!! Yup so you all know what we have been up to and thats catchin HOGS!!!

Stay tuned!!!