To most biologists, summer means fieldwork, and lots of it. It also means plans that can change rapidly from one week to the next based on weather patterns and the movement of fish.

My son, Josh, has accompanied me and our two yellow labs on several chukar partridge hunts over the past few years. I’m glad he came along on those trips as a spectator because chukar hunting is one of the most difficult hunts for youth. Now, he knows what to expect from his first chukar hunt this Saturday.

A few weeks ago, I convinced a coworker (who has a reputation as a top-notch tiger muskie fisherman) to show me and my friend, Melissa, how to catch Utah’s most coveted sportfish. We headed out super-early to Newton Reservoir in Cache Valley (north and east of Logan) and fished all day.