Just the idea of Black Friday makes me want to find a hole in a hallow tree and stick my head inside to shut out a world gone mad.
Giving a gift feels nice, and so does receiving one, but do most of us really need more stuff? There's a good chance the outdoorsman in your life, the one you say "already has everything," actually does already have everything he needs.
So don't waste your time and money trying to force a gift. Instead, create an outdoor adventure and commit to doing it with the person you hope to please. Create your own "gift certificate" for a completely planned and booked outdoor adventure. Have the details worked all out, so all they have to do is hop in the car and leave with you.
The following four trips are adventures I believe most outdoorsmen would be grateful to receive for Christmas. These are just a few examples. There is outdoor adventure in every county of Missouri. Be creative and give a gift your sportsman will cherish and remember.
• Bennett Spring State Park camping, canoeing and trout fishing trip
Bennett Spring State Park is one of Missouri's premier outdoor destinations. The campground is an excellent place to pitch a tent for the weekend, or if you're not a sleep on the ground type, rent one of the onsite cabins.
The trout fishing in the park brings people in from around the Midwest. It is an excellent place to learn how to fly fish.
It's not just the park that is so inviting; it's the entire area. The Niangua River flows through a beautiful landscape of looming forest and unique rock features, and offers some of the best smallmouth bass fishing in the state. You can rent a canoe from one of many local liveries.
• Branson area adventure
Branson is often mistaken as a place to do things indoors. The truth is, few places in the country offer more outdoor opportunity than the Branson area. With Lake Taneycomo, Table Rock Lake and Bull Shoals Lake all right there, it's easy to argue Branson is one of the greatest fishing and water recreation destinations in the Midwest.
The tourist aspect of Branson does actually add to the experience. You can fish all day, then take in an entertaining show in the evening.
There are plenty of great dining options and you won't have a problem finding lodging to meet your budget. You might consider a cabin or condo along Taneycomo, but for the sportsman in your life who's been real good this year, book at room at Big Cedar Lodge. This Bass Pro Shops resort sits right on Table Rock Lake and is simply awe-inspiring.
• Mark Twain Lake crappie fishing and mushroom hunting trip
Missouri is flush with crappie water. Lake of the Ozarks and Truman Lake are two of the country's most recognized crappie waters. The fame of these two lakes often overshadow the many more excellent crappie fishing waters we have.
One of the best of those is Mark Twain Lake in the northeast portion of the state. This timber filled impoundment is a perfect place to take a serious fisherman on a crappie fishing trip. There is a ton of crappie in Mark Twain Lake and it offers a diversity of fishing options.
There are a number of motels and resorts around the lake, and there are a lot of camping options. Public land abounds in the area, so if you want to make sure your outdoorsman stays active all day after likely limiting out early on crappie, then plan this trip during the end of April or beginning of May so you can take to the woods in search of wild morel mushrooms. Ending the day with a meal of fresh fried crappie and morels is likely the best gift your fisherman could dream of.
• Eminence elk viewing and horseback riding
Eminence is a little hamlet tucked away in some of the most spectacular Ozark scenery there is. This area is most famous for the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, and rightfully so because they are two of the grandest rivers flowing on earth, but Eminence offers so much more.
The elk restoration that is taking place in Missouri right now is an amazing feat. Our generation is restoring a native species that once roamed free all across our state.
Generations from now, when the bellowing bugle of a majestic bull elk is a common sound to Missourians, they'll have us to thank for bringing them back. Go see these animals. Lay your eyes on the beginning of the new history of elk in our state. And while you're down there, take a horseback ride. The area is famous for it's trails and equestrian activities.
See you down the trail ...
Brandon Butler, executive director of Conservation Federation Missouri, is an outdoors columnist for the News Tribune. Contact him at [email protected].