40 hour weeks are for people that punch a clock and I wasn't one of them. We all choose our own profession and I knew very well what I was getting into, when I graduated in 1960.

I usually didn't see my children during the week because they were asleep when I arrived home, we didn't have microwaves in those days, so my evening meal was heated in the oven. My wife only worked one year after we were married, she put all her paychecks in the bank for a downpayment on a house. We purchased a house thatwe could afford on only my salary, only had one car and lived on meat and potatoes, not junk take home fast food.

I didn't have the money or the time to hunt from a cabin. To be able to take the first day of buck off, usually required that I work the Saturday before, just to be allowed to take Monday as vacation.First Saturday I would work Friday night for four or five hours, to be able to go out for a day of hunting. Second Saturday, I usually worked to be able to schedule a vacation day for the First day of doe, if buck season started early enough in November, I could get the second day of doe off.

As you can see, I was one of those one or two hunters, that our PGC supporters are always running down. I didn't have a lot of time to scout, hunt or spend time with my family, but I made time wherever I could.

I never was a alpha hunter, nor did I ever intend to be, always enjoyed my time out hunting no matter the outcome.

I would want to change things, even if I could go back. I feel I had a fruitful life, have three boys that tried hunting and a daughter that never would fire a gun. The only thing that saddens me is that my wife missed out on a lot, last two marriages of our children, two of our three grandchildren and one on the way. My family always meant more to me than going hunting, I wouldn't hesitate to give up a day or season of hunting for my family.