I remember the call from editor Kathleen Weflen: "The commissioner [Rod Sando] wants to see more humor in the Volunteer. Would you be interested in doing a cartoon for us in each issue?"

At the time, I was a DNR staff writer and frequently wrote for the magazine. Secretly I'd always wanted to be a cartoonist, so I jumped at the chance. From 1993 to 2010, I drew roughly 100 cartoons for the Letters page. (I retired after moving to Montana to become editor of Montana Outdoors.)

The challenge with drawing a cartoon for a state agency publication was to come up with something funny that didn't offend anyone. My solution was usually to make fun of myself—like my ineptitude or bad luck in outdoors activities. I was no Gary Larson, but a few times I'd visit someone's house and see one of my cartoons taped to the refrigerator. For a cartoonist, that's the ultimate.

Shown here are four pieces that readers have told me are among their favorites. If you want to see more, visit the Letters section of any issue from 1993 to 2010 in the MCV archive.