She describes herself as a “third-generation bluegill fisher,” and growing up in Wisconsin, she and her sister spent lots of time at the family cabin on the Mississippi, sitting in a boat with family members, or simply exploring the seemingly endless fields, woods, and creeks near home. Nelli’s mom loved being outdoors and would take the kids to the Boundary Waters for week-long adventures.
Since both Nelli and Austin work for Trout Unlimited, fishing is the number one family activity, and Mason has created his own tradition of marking each birthday by catching a new species of fish. When the kids were very young, Nelli and Austin discovered pretty quickly that it was much easier to haul all the stuff you need for infants and toddlers—from diapers to food to clothes—if you’re in a boat. As an added bonus, wave action often puts the kids right to sleep. Mason took his first drift-boat ride when he was just six days old, and the family now has a jet boat, as well.
Both kids enjoy being outside, and as they get older, they realize that they live in a special place. An important part of being an outdoor parent is to carefully manage experiences to help the kids develop their own sense of safety—especially when many of their wilderness trips are far from hospitals or other kinds of help. “I think it’s important to help them find their own limits . . . under supervision, of course,” Nelli says. Learning from mistakes is vital, and both kids have felt water pouring into their waders because they waded too deep. On one trip, when it looked like the weather might force them to spend the night on a gravel bar far from the boat ramp, Nelli asked Mason to help brainstorm the family’s next steps. (Luckily, the weather broke, but it was an important learning experience.)