It’s been a long time since I made requests to Santa, but just in case he happens across this blog post, I’m going on the record. Here are some of my on-the-water wishes for 2012.

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.

I took my first pack trip with horses three years ago, and since then, I have been hooked on this great way to see remote areas. Last summer, I went on 12 trips in three states.

Before heading into the field, we practiced. Josh worked on using the turkey box call, and we practiced sighting in the shotgun on a silhouette of a turkey. After explaining where to shoot the bird (to avoid damaging the breast meat) and discussing many other safety tips, we were finally ready!

My adventure began about a year ago, in March 2010. I’d heard tales from previous years, and I knew the season for bear denning was upon us. For a small-town girl from Mississippi, this was a chance of a lifetime!

A little over a year ago, I admitted to my coworkers that even though I’d worked for the DWR for nearly 13 years, I had never taken Hunter Education. Then, I encouraged (guilt-tripped?) a handful of my colleagues into taking the class with me.

Last spring, my mom called to suggest that I take my dad fishing for his birthday. I have seven siblings, but Mom asked me to arrange the trip, probably because I work with fish every day. Even though I’m a fisheries biologist, I’ll admit to…

Remember your first fishing trip? Whether you were young or old, successful or skunked, that initial trip makes a lasting impression. And you never forget who took you. For me, it was my brother, Joe.