Due to what I do for a living I have many people asking me all sorts of questions about the outdoors. Some of them I can answer right away; others I need to refer to people who know a lot more than I do. Many of you know about my Native ancestry and my connection to that culture. Often I find myself asking the Elders for their advice. One Elder, Tall Oak, of the Mashantucket Pequot, told me, “Nobody knows everything, but everybody knows something”. This statement, along with many others, is one I hold close to my heart.
Too many outdoor writers like to make themselves look like they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. They use the best gear; they catch the biggest fish or they shoot the biggest buck. I was always taught to tell the truth. I’ve been told by many Elders that the Creator gave me the task of telling the story. We as humans don’t write the story; we just document the events as they happen. That is what I try to do in my articles. I tell the good, the bad and the ugly.
I will be the first to admit when I don’t know something. When that happens I will find someone to guide me. If I was hunting pig in Louisiana, which is something I hope to do someday, the first person I would contact is John Simone. Though John is someone I don’t agree with on many issues, I do respect his knowledge and his ability as a hunter. He knows pig hunting and it is he that I would contact, though, with all due respect, I won’t hunt pig with a .22. My skill with a fly rod, and I use that term very loosely, I owe to my late friend Jack Hanley. He knew more about fly fishing than I ever will and I miss his advice every time I go out. Many people will notice that many of my articles involve guides of some sort. I do this because these people are experts at what they do and they teach me lessons. Their time is valuable and I make sure that I take advantage of what they are willing to teach me.
In over 30 years of writing about all aspects of the outdoors, for many different publications, many people have taught me lessons. These lessons I freely pass onto you, the readers of my articles. My job as a writer is to pass on what I have learned in an entertaining way. I hope that I do that and I hope you enjoy them.
By Dana Benner