Category: Florida

Tiki Bars, Tripletail, and Shark Teeth Treasure

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • A weekend sunshine escape to Punta Gorda-Englewood

By Forrest Fisher

As winter stubbornly hangs around parts of the Northeast and Midwest this year, many travelers are beginning to wonder if spring simply forgot to show up. Snowflakes in April and freezing mornings in May have a way of crushing dreams of a luscious springtime. With flip-flops afoot, we found that Southwest Florida has the cure — and it comes with soft sand, warm Gulf water, shark teeth, and grouper dripping in lemon basil butter sauce.

Sometimes all it takes is a quick three-day getaway to reset the soul. Better yet, several airlines recently discovered they still have seats to fill with the transportation void going on, and travelers lucky enough to notice can be rewarded with bargain airfare prices. Suddenly, escaping the cold became less fantasy and more “Why aren’t we packing already?” So, we did.

We found that beaches near Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota are very popular, but the real hidden gems sit farther south around the Punta Gorda-Englewood Beach area. Especially near Manasota Key and Gasparilla Island. Here, visitors trade traffic jams and crowded resorts for peaceful beaches, warm Gulf of America waters in the low 80s, and accommodations that won’t require a second mortgage.

The real hidden beach gems sit south of Tampa, around the Punta Gorda-Englewood Beach area. Especially near Manasota Key and Gasparilla Island. Seashells and shark teeth abound here, too.

Even sweeter, some of the summer season rates are already kicking in and that means less cost. Some rental properties are already offering discounts. Budget travelers may want to sit down before hearing that.

The beaches themselves are reason enough to visit. The sand is soft, the clear surf is gentle, and the shoreline hides one of Florida’s most unusual treasures — fossilized shark teeth. Millions of years ago, prehistoric sharks cruised these waters, and today their age-old fossilized teeth regularly wash ashore. Visitors armed with nothing more than sunglasses, sunscreen, flip flops, a towel, and a resealable plastic bag can spend hours combing the beach like pirate treasure hunters. Imagine discovering shark teeth from the era of 5 to 20 million years ago! We did it. So cool.

Finding a few shark teeth is common. Finding dozens is exciting. Finding hundreds over a long weekend? Entirely possible. Somewhere along the way, grown adults begin competing like contestants on a reality show called America’s next “Top Fossil Hunter.” It’s a bikini battle at times, all in fun.

We combed the beach like pirate treasure hunters; we were successful discovering many fossilized shark teeth treasures.

Eventually, yep, thirsty pallets and beach hunger arrive. The good news is that this area shines brightest once dinner begins. Many choices for beverages and top tier menu alternatives. Some of the best chef choices are on the blackboard menu as you enter the eateries.

One standout stop was the legendary Lock ‘N Key Restaurant, sitting directly across from Englewood Beach. In fact, it’s so close that showering after the beach almost feels optional. Sand in your flip flops? Nobody notices. The outdoor seating, tiki-style atmosphere, and reggae music lingering on their roadside patio, yea, makes the entire place feel more Caribbean than Florida. We loved it.

Then there’s happy hour — a magical stretch from noon until 5 p.m. featuring pull tabs where drinks can cost as little as 50 cents — if you’re lucky. Somewhere, beach bar accountants are weeping tears of joy, because this is a popular ploy.

The Lock ‘N Key has been beautifully renovated following recent hurricane seasons and offers both indoor air-conditioned comfort and the outdoor tiki seating. The menu reads like a love letter to seafood fans.

At Lock ‘N Key, with my Grouper Oceana, the thick-cut fish (one-inch plus) was topped with shrimp bathed in lemon basil butter sauce, accented by Roma tomatoes, and served alongside rice with carrots and asparagus.

One dinner selection originally featured tripletail Oceana, but when the kitchen ran out of tripletail, they substituted grouper instead — a swap that I did not complain about. The thick-cut fish (one-inch plus) was topped with shrimp bathed in lemon basil butter sauce, accented by Roma tomatoes, and served alongside rice with carrots and asparagus. Calling it “delicious” almost feels disrespectful. It was the kind of meal that causes conversations at the table to stop because everyone is too busy smiling and chewing. Mmmm-mmm-huh. You know the conversation.

Not far from Englewood Beach, Ken and Barbs Grove City Kitchen is an old southern style eatery with a high Tiki Roof. The special of the day was delicious, Parmesan Seared Yellowfin Tuna with a soy ginger glaze, wasabi, and pickled ginger… perfect with a tall glass of chilled local brew.

Several nearby dining options kept our culinary momentum rolling.

Ken & Barb’s Grove City Kitchen delivered chef-inspired comfort food inside a lively atmosphere that felt like an episode of Cheers. We loved that bar seating arrangement choice but chose a table. Everybody seemed to know everybody there, and if they didn’t, they were pretending convincingly by dessert.

Not far away, Farlow’s-on–the-Water offered a more upscale dining experience with expertly prepared fresh Gulf seafood and polished presentations worthy of food magazine covers. It’s the type of place where you briefly consider ordering something sophisticated before realizing you’re still wearing flip flops and sunburn.

At Farlow’s-on-the-Water, we were greeted with these fresh fish options. From left to right, triple tail, hogfish, yellowtail, grouper and more. All their food is made fresh daily and the herbs in their delicious menu assortment are grown in a garden right there at the restaurant.

We met Keith Farlow on our visit there. He shared stories about how his fish comes to the restaurant. He shared his love for Caribbean style food and the adaptability of the chefs at the restaurant to help satisfy any menu desire for their customers. All their food is made fresh daily and the herbs in their delicious dishes are grown in a garden right there at the restaurant. You’re allowed to tour the garden! The service staff was entertaining about describing their seafood and assorted meat menu options, and cocktail beverages were not faked. Full pours of the real stuff. By the way, the Triple Tail here was delicious.

Between these restaurant stops; breakfast almost became unnecessary. The dinners alone seemed capable of fueling an entire shark tooth expedition the following morning. And did for us.

Accommodations also played a major role in the getaway success. Rental homes through Tarpon Real Estate⁠ provided spacious, hassle-free lodging perfect for families or groups of friends.

Rental homes through Tarpon Real Estate⁠ provided us with spacious, hassle-free lodging, and it is perfect for families or groups of friends because they come equipped with all the necessary amenities you might have at home, and they are secure.

Many of these homes sit near the water and feature multiple bedrooms, private pools, peaceful surroundings, and all the comforts of home — except with palm trees and considerably better sunsets. Many of them are for sale, too, in case you had thoughts of escaping the north for all time.

That may be the greatest appeal of the Punta Gorda-Englewood area. It doesn’t try too hard. There are no giant theme parks, no overwhelming crowds, and no exhausting schedules. Instead, visitors find warm water, uncrowded beaches, excellent seafood, hidden shark teeth, tropical drinks, and enough relaxation to forget what day it is.

And honestly, if you return home with a bag full of prehistoric shark teeth and lingering dreams about grouper in lemon basil butter sauce – that sounds like a successful weekend. We made our stay a 4-night expedition, after all, how often do we do things like “go away?”

What day is it?

Tarpon at Sunrise: Boca Grande Pass

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Tarpon are so big and so powerful that working them to the side of the boat is a fun experience that can take 30 to 45 minutes. We were using St. Croix 7-foot-10-inch St. Croix RIFT rods—medium heavy power, medium fast action, built to handle the brute strength of tarpon.

    Boca Grande Pass is widely known as the tarpon fishing capital of the world.

  • We ran the beaches, circled Cayo Costa, thru Captiva Pass, back to the beach – and there they were!
  • The action was steady, intense, and unforgettable.

By Forrest Fisher

Daybreak comes softly along Florida’s Gulf Coast, but on this particular May morning not far from Englewood Beach, anticipation cut through the darkness long before the sun had a chance. Day two of our trip had us gearing up for something special—tarpon fishing in the waters surrounding Boca Grande Pass, widely known as the tarpon fishing capital of the world.

We met Charter Captain Justin Cauffman of Native Salt Charters at his dock on Gasparilla Island, just steps from the iconic Pink Elephant restaurant. The dock lights glowed against the night water surface as we made our way down just before 6 a.m.  Waiting for us was his 25-foot C-Hawk bay boat, already alive with energy. Soft rock played quietly in the background while a wash of colorful interior lights gave the vessel a polished, almost futuristic feel. It was an impressive start to what would become an unforgettable day.

Captain Justin Cauffmann was waiting for us in his 25-foot C-Hawk bay boat, already alive with energy. Soft rock played quietly in the background while a wash of colorful interior lights gave the vessel a polished, almost futuristic feel.

The gear told its own story of preparation and precision. Rod holders lined the boat, each loaded with 7-foot-10-inch St. Croix RIFT rods—medium heavy power, medium fast action, built to handle the brute strength of tarpon. Paired with them were brand new Seviin 6000 reels, spooled with 60-pound braid line and finished with an 8-foot, 60-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to an 8/0 circle hook, that included a secret hook variation called a target bead.  The FG knots connecting braid to leader were flawlessly smooth, nearly invisible to the eye—a small but critical detail when targeting wary giants.

We pushed off into the darkness, the wind already making its presence known—steady at 16 mph from the east-northeast. You know the old saying, wind from the east, fish bite the least. We were hoping that was not the case this day.  As we ran toward Boca Grande Pass, the boat cut cleanly through the chop. Despite the conditions, not a single spray made it aboard. The air temperature hovered around 59 to 60 degrees, and Captain Justin laughed, calling it “sweater weather.” At 40 mph across open water, it felt much colder—but none of us seemed to mind. We were more familiar with the feeling of shoveling snow from a few weeks earlier, up north. Who said cold?! No way.

The Seviin GW 6000 open-faced spinning reels were loaded with 60-pound braid and an 8-foot 60-pound leader to a size 8/0 circle hook modified with a “hugger bead.” The 40-pound drag on these iconic looking reels was key to tiring out these mega-monster fish. FUN!

Fishing alongside two great friends, Josh Lantz from Michigan and Captain Richard Simms from Tennessee, the mood was equal parts focused and excited. We joked about the weather as we reached Boca pass. The captain started scanning. The depth dropped to around 80 feet, and the electronics lit up with side scan and down scan imagery. But something was off. The water was dirty—murky with reduced visibility—and the screens showed no signs of fish. It had been very windy the last several days.

“Tarpon don’t like dirty water,” Captain Justin explained.

“It’s time to move.”

Josh joked, “Where do you hide 10,000 tarpon?”

Justin smiled. “They move fast when conditions change. We’ll find them.” He said that in full confidence and we all felt reassured.

That kicked off a search that would cover roughly 25 miles over the next 45 minutes. We ran along the beaches, checked the departure buoys, and then circled around Cayo Costa toward Captiva Pass. No fish there either. The geography of this region—stretching from Englewood Beach to Gasparilla Beach through Boca Grande Pass and into Charlotte Harbor—is dynamic and alive. Barrier islands like Gasparilla and Cayo Costa shape the currents and tides, creating a constantly shifting mosaic of clean and dirty water, bait movement, and predator behavior.

Along the way, we made a quick stop to refresh the live well. With practiced skill, Justin tossed a 20-foot cast net, perfectly spread, with ease, over a school of bait. In less than ten minutes, we had dozens of lively 7-9 inch threadfin minnows to complement the crabs already onboard. Watching him throw that net was like watching a craftsman at work—effortless in appearance, but clearly the result of years of repetition.

Side-scan spotted the fish (upper right) while 3D down-scan showed their physical level top to bottom. The fish were all close to bottom in this relatively shallow beach water area, allowing the captain to vary methods to put us “into the bite” and catch them.

Then came the moment.

We swung back toward Gasparilla Island and West Side Beach, and suddenly the electronics lit up. Dozens of tarpon appeared on the side scan, stretching out to 100 feet.

They were here.

Lines went out. Baits hit the water. And almost immediately—chaos.

Richard hooked the first fish, a powerful adult stretching close to six feet. The fish surged, rolled, and fought with the kind of strength that defines tarpon fishing. After a determined battle, it came alongside the boat for a quick line touch—counted as a catch in tarpon fishing tradition.

The bite stayed hot.

Adult tarpon can be 7-feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds, all the while leaping 5-feet out of the water with aerial acrobatics over a half-hour long rod/reel battle.

Over the next five hours, each of us hooked multiple fish. The action was steady, intense, and unforgettable. I managed to land two tarpon—each fight lasting between 20 and 30 minutes. Even with top-tier gear, these fish demand everything you have. My arms, my back and my leg muscles were screaming from my aging body, but somehow, there was no sense of noticeable pain to complain about. This was sheer fun. Pain? What pain? Let’s do it again. And we did.

The Seviin 6500 reels performed flawlessly. Their smooth, consistent 40-pound drag helped wear down the fish without risking breakoffs. Combined with the strength and responsiveness (sensitivity) of the St. Croix RIFT rods, the setup proved ideal for battling these giants.

But one moment stood out above the rest.

Josh hooked into a massive tarpon—easily pushing five feet in length. The fight brought it close to the boat, the silver body flashing just beneath the surface. Then, in an instant, everything changed. Two bull sharks appeared out of nowhere. In a split second, they tore into the tarpon, literally slicing it in half midway between the head and tail before anyone could react.

It was shocking. Raw. Unfiltered.

“Nature at home,” someone said quietly…with some adrenalin tone in their voice.

The phrase “shark sustainability” came up—a reminder of the complex balance within this ecosystem. The same waters that produce incredible tarpon fishing also support thriving predator populations. It’s all connected. I heard one charter captain holler over to another, “There must be 40,000 tarpon in the harbor and pass right now, I’ve never seen anything like this in 20 years.” The only question for all the anglers is how to get one to bite your hook. The fish are busy showing off between themselves. The males impressing the females. Nature at its best.

Throughout the day, Captain Justin constantly adjusted tactics. He changed weights, added floats, switched leader sizes, and rotated baits between crabs, threadfin, and mullet. Every decision was deliberate, based on conditions, fish behavior, and nearly two decades of his experience on these waters.

And he shared it all.

From the nuances of tide movement in Boca Grande Pass to the migration patterns of tarpon along the beaches and into Charlotte Harbor, Justin turned the trip into a master class. He spoke about conservation, the importance of sustainable fisheries, and how responsible practices ensure that future generations can experience the same thrill.

Threadfin in the 7-9 inch size worked for us, while crabs are the usual tarpon favorite dinner morsel. Both worked by end of the day.

That thrill—the moment a tarpon explodes on a bait, the rod doubles over, and the reel drag screams—is hard to describe. It’s part adrenaline, part awe. These fish, often called “silver kings,” are among the most iconic gamefish in the world for a reason.

Landing one isn’t just a catch. It’s an accomplishment. My aching arms can share.

By the time we headed back, eight hours after we started, the sun was high and the chill of the morning long gone. But the energy remained. We were tired, windblown, and grinning from ear to ear.

From Englewood Beach to Boca Grande Pass and across the rich waters of Charlotte Harbor to Pine Island, the day had delivered everything—challenge, excitement, education, and a deep appreciation for one of the most remarkable fisheries in the country.

And somewhere out there, thousands of tarpon are still moving—waiting for the next perfect moment. From April through the start of July, this is “Tarpon Town.”

 

 

Author Note: For more information about Native Salt Charters, visit https://nativesaltcharters.com/. For information about lodging, eateries, and vacation services, visit the Punta Gorda and Englewood Beach Visitor and Convention Bureau at https://www.pureflorida.com/.

 

God, Grit and the Great Outdoors

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • The outdoors is a place where conversations with the Creator come naturally.
  • If you find your “church” in a duck blind, a bass boat, or a deer stand, this podcast speaks your language.
  • The spirit behind the Christian Outdoors Podcast can bring you to a new home.

 By Forrest Fisher

Forrest Fisher photo

There’s something about the outdoors that quiets the noise of everyday life. Whether it’s the stillness of a lake at sunrise or the crunch of leaves underfoot in the woods, many sportsmen and women feel it—that deep, grounding connection. For some, it’s simply peace. For others, it’s something more. It feels like stepping into a place where conversations with the Creator come naturally.

That’s the spirit behind the Christian Outdoors Podcast, a show that has carved out a meaningful space where faith and the outdoor lifestyle come together. For those who find their “church” in a duck blind, a bass boat, or a deer stand, this podcast speaks their language. It speaks my language.

Now in its seventh season, the podcast has produced more than 430 episodes and continues to grow at an impressive pace. With over 13 million downloads and a global audience exceeding 2 million listeners, it has become a powerful voice—ranked among the top one percent of podcasts worldwide and recognized as a top Christian podcast. But beyond the numbers, it’s the message that resonates.

James Monteleone photo

Founded in 2019 by Pete Rogers, the podcast was built on a simple but impactful mission: to talk about all things outdoors and how to enjoy God every day. Rogers, a seasoned outdoor writer and speaker who spends much of his year immersed in nature, created a platform where people in the outdoor industry could openly share their faith—something not always welcomed in traditional outdoor media.

Each weekly episode brings listeners into genuine conversations with whitebeard hunters, expert anglers, outdoor professionals, and many sources of outdoor news. These aren’t just stories about big catches or successful hunts—they’re stories about purpose, gratitude, and the role faith plays in everyday life. It’s a refreshing reminder that the outdoors isn’t just a place for recreation, but also reflection.

Supporting that message is Hi Mountain Seasonings, a trusted name among outdoor enthusiasts. Known for their premium jerky cures, seasoning blends, and brines, they’ve become a staple for hunters and home processors alike. Their continued partnership with Christian Outdoors Podcast—now in its third year—feels like a natural fit. My pantry is stocked with about five different flavors of venison jerky, wild hog seasonings (can be used for pork belly homemade bacon) and sausage kits. Yum.

Both share a commitment to tradition, family values, and a deep appreciation for the outdoor way of life. It’s the kind of partnership that makes sense not just on paper, but around the campfire or in the kitchen, where stories are told and harvests are prepared.

At its core, the Christian Outdoors Podcast is about more than faith or the outdoors alone—it’s about how the two intersect. It’s about recognizing that the same hands that shaped the mountains and waters are present in the quiet moments we experience there. So, whether you’re gearing up for a new season, working on your boat, or figuring out what to do with a freezer full of venison, it might be worth tuning in. You may find more than just another outdoor show—you may find something that speaks to both your passion and your purpose.

Find the Christian Outdoors Podcast here: https://christianoutdoors.org/; and on all the major platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google Play, YouTube, and Carbon TV. Check it out while setting up your boat rig in these next few weeks. Also, for those of us wondering what to do with 100 pounds of venison in the freezer, there are options with seasonings. Check out the jerky cures, seasoning blends, and brines at www.himtnjerky.com.

I use ‘em religiously!

Gotta love the outdoors.

One Reel. One Rod. Any Saltwater Fish – THAT’S FUN!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Spanish Mackerel are smash-strike predators that attack your lure with power. The bigger “mac’s” will tear your drag, screaming a new song that most anglers enjoy. The SEVIIN GW4000 doesn’t care. Forrest Fisher photo

    The Ultimate Inshore Saltwater Setup

  • SEVIIN GW4000, St. Croix AVID series 7-foot Rod.

By Forrest Fisher

In saltwater fishing, anything can happen. We fish Charlotte Harbor, Florida, where a wide selection of fish species thrives. Especially known as the Tarpon Capital of the world, charter captains and recreational anglers are busy all year long.  Springtime is special for visitors. So, I thought to share some insight on the right gear to use and what anglers can catch.

One cast might connect with a speckled trout at sunrise. The next could be a drag-screaming run from something far bigger. When the bite changes fast, your gear has to keep up.

That’s where a true do-it-all setup earns its place. That’s where the rubber meets the road!

The Reel That Handles It All

At the heart of this system is a 4000-series spinning reel—the SEVIIN GW4000. I have learned to call it my “Lucky Seviin!” I catch everything with it. Here’s why.

This 4000-size class sits right in the sweet spot: light enough (12 ounces) for finesse presentations, powerful enough to handle aggressive fish (25 lb drag), and large capacity spool. Some folks like the 2500 series because it’s a smaller reel, but for me, the 4000 is a versatile perfect choice for redfish, trout, Spanish mackerel, pompano, smaller grouper—and yes, even the occasional shark. We’ve caught lots of sharks.

In saltwater, durability isn’t optional.

The GW4000 is light, powerful, has a high-capacity spool, and is protected from saltwater contamination with seals that keep the inside dry. Forrest Fisher photo

The SEVIIN GW series features a fully sealed aluminum body that protects internal components from corrosion. Its smooth, multi-stack carbon fiber and aluminum drag system delivers so much stopping power—critical when a fish makes a sudden, powerful run.

With a 6.2:1 retrieve ratio reels in 37 inches per turn—this reel balances speed and control. I was able to load my two GW4000’s with 280 yards of 20 lb braid, so the reel offers both casting distance and the line capacity needed for long runs with fish you never imagined you might hook.

The wide spool face allows a 3/8 oz jig head to launch 250 feet or more—helping you cover water and reach active fish without using the bow motor or main engine that could spook fish.

Key Saltwater-Proof Features at a Glance:

  • Corrosion-resistant fully-sealed body
  • 5 + 1 shielded stainless-steel bearings
  • Hard-anodized aluminum spool w/braid band
  • Custom oversize handle w/soft-touch paddle
  • 25 pound Drag System
  • S-Curve slow oscillation system (6.2:1)
  • IPX5 water resistance rating
  • 1-year warranty with accelerated replacement

Visit https://seviinreels.com/products/gw-spinning.

The Right Rod Makes the Difference

Pairing the reel with the right rod brings the system together.

A 7-foot medium-heavy, fast-action rod offers the ideal mix of casting performance, sensitivity, and lifting strength—while still being easy to transport.

A 7-foot medium-heavy, fast-action St. Croix AVID inshore rod offers the ideal mix of casting performance, sensitivity, and lifting strength. Forrest Fisher photo.

I matched my new GW4000 reels with two of my older St. Croix AVID inshore rods:

  • VIS70MHF – 7’ medium-heavy, fast action (½–1-1/4 oz lures)
  • VISMXF – 7’ medium, extra-fast action (3/16–5/8 oz lures)

These rods excel when working artificial lures. St. Croix’s premium rod construction provides the sensitivity needed to detect subtle strikes, along with the backbone to handle bigger fish when it counts.

Visit https://stcroixrods.com/collections/saltwater/products/avid-series-inshore.

Line Setup: Strength Meets Sensitivity

For inshore versatility, braided line is hard to beat.

Using 20 lb braid provides:

  • Long casting distance
  • Excellent sensitivity
  • Strong, reliable hooksets

The thin diameter helps maximize casting range, while the no-stretch design gives you direct contact with your lure. We’ve used Sufix 832, Berkley Fireline, YoZuri Super Braid, and Power Pro. They all work fine. The 832 is a workhorse.

To complete the setup, add a fluorocarbon leader.

  • 15–20 lb for trout and pompano
  • 30–40 lb+ for larger fish or structure

The key feature for fluorocarbon line vs just tying on braid direct is simply abrasion resistance and low visibility—two key advantages in clear water and around cover. Fluoro is 10X stronger on the rocks and oyster beds. We’ve used Gamma Edge, Seaguar, Berkley Vanish and Sunline Sniper. The Edge fishes like it’s made of invisible wire.

On some occasions, the bigger apex predators find our lure offerings. The GW4000 seems to enjoy the workout. It’s an impressive well-engineered design. Forrest Fisher photo.

Built for the Unexpected

This combination—a 4000-series reel, medium-heavy fast-action rod, braided main line, and fluorocarbon leader—creates a system that adapts to changing conditions without missing a beat.

It’s built to:

  • Cast artificial plastic tails, spoons, surface baits, and sub-surface twitch plugs with precision
  • Handle a wide range of species
  • Stand up to harsh saltwater conditions
  • Most importantly, it keeps you fishing instead of switching gear.

Stay Ready

Inshore saltwater fishing rewards anglers who stay ready for anything.

With the right setup, you can fish smarter, cover more water, and react instantly when opportunity strikes.

Because you never really know what’s about to bite.

And that’s exactly what makes it fun. Get out there!

To learn more about fishing Charlotte Harbor and southwest Florida, visit https://www.charlottecountychamber.org/tourism. 

I Want to be a Kid Again!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Memories are such a good thing!
  • I think I will officially submit my resignation as an adult. I have decided I want to be a kid again.
Lizards make great pets. Photo by Larry Whiteley

By Larry Whiteley

Our grandkids used to visit us at our weekend cabin a lot when they were little. After they went home with Mom and Dad, Grandma and I would sit on the deck, relaxing, but missing them. They loved it down at the cabin, on the creek.

We created many grandkid memories at that special place in the woods. They are all grown up now with lives of their own. I wonder if they remember all the good times when they were little.

I always wished I had their energy. Today, I still wish I had many things kids have. I think I will officially submit my resignation as an adult. I have decided I want to be a kid again.

I want to have a Grandma and Papa who always greet me with a hug and a kiss. Who let me do just about anything I want and will even do it with me. When it is time to go, I want to see them run out to wave goodbye, blow me kisses, and tell me they love me. I want to say thank you, and I love you to them again before it’s too late, and I can’t.

Dad teaching kids to fish. Photo by Larry Whiteley

I want to build a campfire, enjoy poking around in it, watching the flames dance, and make s’mores. I want to make a wooden boat and sail it down the creek. I want to use my toy truck and digger to make roads on the gravel bar. I want to find beautiful rocks, rocks with holes in them, and chewed-on beaver sticks.

I want to feel good because I can drive an ATV all by myself, but safely because Mom, Dad, Grandma, or Papa are riding with me. I want to sing songs at the top of my voice as I ride and feel the comfort of big arms around me.

I want to be oblivious to all the complexities of life and be overly excited about the little things again. Finding a turkey feather or a turtle shell, hunting squirrels, and finding mushrooms.

I want to be excited when I catch a fish or a crawdad. I want to have fun walking through a puddle, learning to skip a rock, or playing in the creek or waterfall. I want to go snorkeling and discover the underwater world. I want to laugh again as I push Papa in the cold creek; he screams, and we all laugh.

I would look forward to helping Grandma bake cookies and pumpkin pies. I would help make cinnamon rolls with Papa and get flour and cinnamon all over me. I want to smile when I beat adults in board games and video games. I want to go to Disney World one more time with Grandma, Papa, Mom, and Dad.

I want to feel important when I am handed a trophy or ribbon for sports or showing cattle. I want to look and see that Mom, Dad, and my grandparents are there to see me. I want to know they are all there when I need them.

I want to climb onto Mom or Dad’s or Grandma or Papa’s lap and have them read me a book and then feel proud when I can read it to them. I want Mom and Dad to help me with my homework again. I want Mom to talk to me again as she drives me to school. I want to watch her cry when I get on that big yellow school bus, and the first day I drive myself.

I want to know that I can always run and jump into my Papa’s arms, and he will catch me. I want Dad to explain patiently to me again how to do things. I want Grandma to take me shopping. I want to know that if I have bad dreams or hear a storm, Mom and Dad are close by and will snuggle with me so I can go to sleep.

The whole family at the creek. Photo by Bob Kipfer

I want to know if Dad is too busy or too tired to play ball with me, I can just call Papa, and he will come right over. I want to ride my bike for the first time without training wheels and feel safe because Dad is running along beside me, and Grandma is proud of me because I can ride my bike without training wheels.

I want to experience summer nights filled with shooting fireworks, catching lightning bugs, and putting them in jars. I want to find a frog or turtle, give them a name, and feel tears running down my cheek when they escape, or Dad says I have to let them go.

I want to pick up a garden hose and squirt all the adults in sight or play on a slip ’n slide until my toes and fingers get all wrinkled. I want to slide a snake down my sliding board again and cut down the neighbor’s tree with Dad’s hatchet. I want to dress up like Spider-Man again and make things out of Legos. I want Grandma to scratch my back.

I want to play snow football, build a snowman or a fort, and make a snow angel. I want to play wiffle ball, do a cartwheel, and color in my coloring book. I want to take a piece of cardboard and slide down the steps. I want Grandma to lie down on the driveway again while I outline her in chalk.

I want to climb a tree, carve initials in it, or sit in a tree with Dad or Grandpa, looking for deer. I want to go turkey hunting and walk down that lane holding hands with Dad again.

I want Dad to lift me and help me make a basket or help me swing a big bat. I want to toss around the football with Dad or Papa. I want to play on my little indoor basketball goal again with Grandpa. I miss it!

A proud brother helps his sister. Photo by Larry Whiteley

I want to jump on the trampoline and my bed. I want to play sports for the fun of it. I want to believe, as Papa told me, that I can do anything I put my mind to. Heck, I would even look forward to going to school again.

I do not want to have to get up and go to work every day, worry about budgets, deadlines, computer crashes, or meetings. I don’t want to pay taxes or insurance anymore. I don’t want to watch, read, or hear the news.

I do not want to hear gossip. I do not want to worry about how much I have in my savings account. I do not want to worry if I did or said something to offend anyone. I do not want to worry about my kids or grandkids, but I still want to be there for them and help them if they need me.

I want to believe in the power of God, family, smiles, hugs, saying thank you, kind words, truth, justice, peace, dreams, and imagination. I want all parents and grandparents to know that kids spell love TIME.

Okay, that’s it! I am through talking. You can have my checkbook, credit cards, bank statement, house keys, car keys, computer, smartphone, or anything else you want. I will not need them anymore. I therefore submit my resignation. I am no longer an adult.

So, tag you are it. I am going outside. I saw a mud puddle, and I am going to jump in it.

I want to be a kid again.

                             SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

                                    A boy, his dog, and a fishing pole.

                                    All thoughts are his and his alone.

                                    To catch a fish and go back home.

                                    Never a care what tomorrow would bring.

                                    This little boy had everything.

                                                                                       – Unknown Author

 

Shark Teeth, Fun in the Sun…Beach Treasure from Ancient times. Southwest Florida.

Posted on by Forrest Fisher
  • HOW and WHERE to find shark teeth on the beach – 5 Methods / 6 Hotspots
  • Shark Teeth found on the beach are fossilized – 10,000 to 15 million years old!
  • Back to the Future – It’s fun on the beaches at Manatee Key in Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida beach shark teeth are found in all colors and sizes, drawing the attention of beachgoers from near and far. Forrest Fisher Photo

By Forrest Fisher
There are shark teeth to be found all over the world.  If you are looking for a great place to spend the day frolicking in the Gulf of America, lying in the sun, taking a long walk at the water’s edge and looking for the treasure of fossilized shark teeth, here are a few tips on what, where, and how.

Shark Teeth are a precious authentic treasure for locals and vacationing visitors to Southwest Florida.  You can find them on your own, it’s fun, and it’s the best excuse to RE-VISIT the beaches. It’s something about the word “TREASURE!” If you are new to shark tooth treasure hunting, never stop looking for advice on gear, methods to use, and places to go. There are always new things coming out, but what follows here is the simple, old-fashioned way that most folks find shark teeth at the beach.

Gear: For first timers who want to stay very affordable, visit a local store to buy a (noodle strainer) colander ($1-$3).  If you want to spend a bit more, visit a local beach store to purchase a “sand flea scooper” with ¼ inch mesh ($20). Folks use the colander or sand flea scoopers to scoop the surf for shark teeth. Of course, you can also just pick up shark teeth when you see them at the top of the surf on the beach with your bare hands. Lastly, carry an empty resealable plastic bag or old prescription jar to store your shark teeth as you continue the hunt.  Sunglasses, beach shoes, swim trunks, sunscreen, and now you’re set.

Finding Shark Teeth – 5 Methods:

  • Method 1: The Surf Line. Keep it simple, put your sunscreen on, keep your head down, and just saunter along the surf line, where the waves hit the beach, being careful not to bump into any beachgoers doing the same thing going in the other direction. Remember, keep your head down! The best days for this include an east wind at low tide.
    Shark teeth, seashells, sunshine, and gentle surf offer appeal and fun for all age groups.

    The usually black-color shark teeth are easily and clearly visible as they sort of pop up in the firm sand. Each wave can bring more than one at a time. Just pick them up and continue.

  • Method 2: The Storm Line. If you look along the beach between the tall marsh grass to the water’s edge, you will note that there is a distinct line of demarcation where the sand sort of changes texture and composition. You will usually see a collection of millions of small shells here too, yes, right in the middle of the beach, parallel to the waterline. There are tons of shark teeth here. You might not be the first to search, so look around for a 10 by 10-foot area that appears to be untouched. Drop your picnic blanket down, open up your lawn chairs, put up your portable beach umbrella, and set your cooler down. Get started. Treasure awaits!
    Amidst the thousands of feet of shell lines on nearly every Manasota Key beach, look closely at this photo—there are treasured shark teeth waiting for you!

    The sound of the surf will put you to sleep as you sift the sand “down the line” of your intended search area. My family and I usually do this and find about 100 teeth per beach visit. It’s fairly common for that number if you are a serious “looker.” As we talk about life, listen to the sea birds in constant chatter, enjoy a cool beverage and thank the good Lord for this blessing of a sunny day at the beach…with prehistoric shark teeth treasure.

  • Method 3: The Chair Line. My shark tooth collection expert friends, Tim and Jeanie Snyder, internationally infamous and brazenly simple in their shark tooth-finding process, are extremely efficient and prefer this method to find beach teeth by the hundreds. Bring your own or rent a shallow-height beach chair. Walk to the water’s edge, now look left and look right. Find a little feature point of sand that sort of juts out a bit along the usually long and straight beach line. Go there. Set your chair in the surf line on either side of this point and about 1-2 feet or so into the water. You’re about to get wet (feels so good). Use your hands, a small screen scooper, a colander, or a little minnow net with an extension handle. Put your sunglasses on, keep your eyes open and watch for the shark teeth with each wave. You might find many dozens per hour this way, fresh from the sea!
  • Method 4: The Snorkel/Mask Line. Don your snorkel and mask, walk out 20 to 40 feet from the beach sand, and you’ll note a sort of “deep spot” before it starts to get shallower as you continue to walk out. Go back to the trench, this is the “shark tooth trench!” If the water is clear and not too wavy, walk or swim-float and search the bottom. You’ll often see multiple sets of teeth lying right there for the picking. Shells too. This method can be very productive when the waves are soft and small.
  • Method 5: the EASY WAY – Shark Art Online. Even if you are happy with what you collected, or maybe your trip was canceled by weather or travel plans, if you want a perfect collection of shark teeth for vacation talking moments at your next family gathering, consider this: You can buy assorted shark teeth collections or buy shark tooth art, fully supplied in a small kit for very little money. Prices for simple shark teeth package assortments vary from $10-$15 (for 30 teeth and a free shark tooth necklace) to about $40, based on the size and number of shark teeth. The shark art kits vary from $20 to $35 plus shipping – these are 5 x 7 and 8 x 10-inch art, respectively, and are awesome. Each of the art kits is all-inclusive with the shark teeth (about 200 per pack), an artboard (complete with the profile where you glue the teeth), and directions. These kits are inexpensive and make an awesome gift.
    Tim Snyder, the Shark Art Guy, in his favorite shark-tooth treasure hunting place, the Peace River, 25 to 50 miles from where it enters the Gulf of Mexico.

    Visit this link to order directly: https://www.ebay.com/str/sharkteethandsharkartbyclark or email sharkartbyclark@gmail.com. If you become a repeat customer with three orders of $50 or more, Snyder will offer an invitation for a day of collecting teeth and fossils (get your Florida fossil permit, the cost is $5) on the Peace River (Tim reminds each guest that there are no guarantees on weather, water conditions, water level, how many teeth or fossils are collected and, of course, he is not responsible for any accidents or injuries. You are invited as a friend taking a friend to the river.) I did this trip! Under Tim’s direction of the process, Tim’s shovel and Tim’s sifter in hand, I collected 386 teeth in 5 hours! These are perfect teeth with no rounded edges from the surf. Unreal! It was such fun!

Where to find Shark Teeth – 1 Florida Key, 4 Beaches:

Shark tooth hunters of all sizes, young and old, head for the beach to find prehistoric treasure. Not everyone is successful but study the methods outlined here to learn shark tooth-hunting options for your success. This photo is from Casperson Beach.

Manasota Key is a long island-like land mass between Venice Beach and Stump Pass State Park in Southwest Florida. The Key offers several (seven) popular shark tooth-hunting beach spots. All of them are favorites for locals and visitors alike and include (north to south) Venice Beach, Brohard Beach, Casperson Beach (closed after the 2024 hurricane season), Manasota Key Beach, Blind Pass Beach, Englewood Beach, and Stump Pass Beach State Park.

Large and small shark teeth are a common find on the beach. The lightly worn edges of the shark teeth found on the beach is common; this wear is from the rolling wave action. All shark teeth are a treasure.

There is no fee or toll to enter Manasota Key on the north bridge or the south bridge that crosses Lemon Bay. My personal favorites are these:

  • Manasota Key Beach, located on Manasota Key, offers easy access to the Gulf of Mexico and Lemon Bay (bay side), free parking (6 a.m. – midnight), is not usually overcrowded, and, like so many Florida Gulf beaches, offers that perfect orange-sky sunset. The facility building offers changing rooms and restrooms, multiple beach access points to the ocean, squeaky-clean sand, lots of shark teeth and even more tranquility here.
  • Blind Pass Beach, also known as Middle Beach, offers access to the Gulf and to Lemon Bay, more than ½ mile of beach frontage, a hiking trail through the mangrove forest on the bayside, and a boat launch and fishing dock on the bay side.
    A good day on the shark tooth treasure hunt! 

    We have never found less than 50 shark teeth here during a 3-hour day at this beach. It’s a great spot, relaxing, quiet, and wonderful. Changing and restroom facility here, too, and free parking (6 a.m. – midnight).

  • Englewood Beach, with Chadwick Park, is a favorite for residents and visitors. Clear water and frequent blue skies bring kids of all ages here to go shelling and shark tooth hunting for hours on end. Life is all about “beach therapy” when visiting Florida. If you are thirsty, there is a little Volkswagen Bus business stand near the changing facility that offers tasty smoothies – they’re delicious! If you need food, walk across the street and choose from several walk-in restaurants. Eat, drink, and go back to the beach. Parking at Englewood is by parking pay stations (very reasonable/hr), open 6 a.m. – 9 p.m., they accept credit cards. There is a large changing and restroom facility here.
  • Stump Pass Beach State Park is our personal favorite shark tooth place. Open 8 a.m. – sundown, it’s located at the southernmost end of Manasota Key. Visitors will find one mile of Gulf beach where seashells and shark teeth are washed ashore.
    If you have trouble finding shark teeth, there is one easy cure.  Try one of these Shark art kits. They include the shark teeth, artboard, and directions, are inexpensive, and make an awesome gift. Visit https://www.ebay.com/str/sharkteethandsharkartbyclark.

    Anglers can fish the surf too and there are lots of shark teeth here for everyone. It’s not a bad idea to arrive early and get one of the 60 or so parking spots. The cost is $3 for the day; bring the exact change. Any Park Rangers on site are not allowed to make change, or you can leave the money in the park envelope and keep a receipt (self-service) for your dashboard. At least there is a fair system in place to wait for a spot to open. They have two lines, one to exit and one to wait for a spot to open up. We have never waited more than 20 minutes. The really good part about this beach is that the water is very close to the parking lot. Visitors come to this semi-secluded beach to enjoy the year-round swimming and sun soaking. Shelling and finding shark teeth in the wave wash is excellent during the winter months. A hiking trail with Lemon Bay on one side and the Gulf on the other passes through five distinct natural eco-communities that provide a home for many species of wildlife; covered picnic tables are located along the trail. Visitors can launch a kayak and paddle around the two islands just east of the park land base. While at the park, watch dolphins, manatees, gopher tortoises, snowy egrets, terns, and many species of sea birds. Ranger-led nature hikes are on the calendar during winter months. There are stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals, lessons, and guided boat tours here too.

At all of these beaches, the intracoastal waterway side of the parks offers a diverse network of mangroves, marsh grass, many species of birds (more than 150), and many species of fish (more than 200). It’s perfect for fishing, kayaking, birding, and wading. The Gulf side of the parks offers sand, surf, sunshine, seashells, and lots of shark teeth.

After Hunting Season: Delicious Venison Gumbo – for 10

Posted on by Dave Barus

By Forrest Fisher

The perfect quick-to-make meal for Football Sunday or any other day. Most everyone has these simple ingredients in their everyday pantry.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs ground venison
  • 6 cups of diced (3/8 inch) white potatoes
  • 2 cups diced sweet white onion
  • 2 cups sliced celery
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 2 TBS minced garlic
  • 1 TBS table salt
  • 1 TBS black pepper
  • 1 TBS basil
  • 3 TBS salted butter
  • Two 15 oz cans of black beans
  • One 15 oz can of cannoli beans
  • One 15 oz can of sweet corn
  • One (1) 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • One (1) 28 oz can of plum tomatoes
  • One (1) 24 oz can of spaghetti sauce
  • 16 oz box of Rotini noodles

Cooking Instructions: Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, 1 cup of diced onion and 1 TBS minced garlic to a 2-gallon cooking pot. Add enough water to cover the mix by 2 inches or so. Add 2 TBS of butter, salt, pepper, and bring to a boil. Set to simmer for about 30 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are soft.

In a large fry pan, add the burger, 1 cup of onion, 1 TBS butter, 1 TBS garlic, a dash of salt and pepper, and about 3-4 TBS of water, and cover. Cook to a gentle steaming simmer until the burger is browned. Add the burger to the potato cooking pot.

Now add the tomatoes and sauce, cover. After reaching a gentle boil, add the black beans, cannoli beans, sweet corn and Rotini noodles. Bring back to a slow simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked and expanded. If not, simmer a bit longer. The noodles absorb the watery flavored liquids and add gentle chewy stock to the gumbo.

Serve: Spoon it out to a large coffee cup or soup bowl. Add a slice or buttered bread or a sliced roll.

Enjoy. Delicious!

Build your own custom fishing rod: 6 SIMPLE STEPS

Posted on by Bob Holzhei
  • Choose rod type, length, action
  • See a custom rod-building catalog, simplify choices
  • Order, sort the parts, prepare the parts, follow the instructions, get it done, and SEE BELOW
Tom Marks is a custom rod-builder and expert charter-captain with impeccable fishing skills, he simplifies and shares rod building skills for all viewers.

By Bob Holzhei

Building a custom fishing rod is much easier and more affordable than many fishermen think! I’m not a rod-builder, but I met a friend that has become a real custom rod building expert, his name is Tom Marks. He says, “I’m still just learning how to do a lot of the details, but I’m a good learner and I’ve put several dozen rods together over the last few years, my friends seem to like them. It’s more a hobby than anything else, it’s certainly not a job for me (yet).” He has taught me how to do what you do to accomplish what might be nearly impossible for me alone. Tom invited me to watch and do, as he went along.

First, you decide the type of rod you want. To keep things simple, I chose between just two rod types: casting rod or spinning rod? After that, will it be a lightweight, medium-weight, heavy-weight, fast action, slow action? How long? Length is a big factor based on your physical size. The number of pieces? The most sensitive rods are always one-piece, but two-piece rods fit so much better in the trunk! You can decide all these rod details on your own, they are all questions you need to answer.

I chose a custom spinning rod and then enjoyed working and (mostly) watching Tom build my fishing rod.

STEPS IN ROD BUILDING:

Select the rod blank and components. Order a kit or talk to a custom rod-builder like Tom.

The spline of the rod is found by bending it and watching for “hop” or listening for a slight sound crack.

Tom says, “First, I find and mark the rod spline with a permanent marker. The spline is the backbone of the rod and is located where the internal “heavy section” inside the internal circumference of the rod blank is located, it is actually the strong backbone part of the rod. The spline is the reference plane for where the guides will go, on one side of the spline or directly opposite of the spline. More on that later.

The spline is marked; it is the backbone of the rod.

The backbone allows the guides to be placed to provide the greatest rod strength for the blank itself, so the rod will not break when a big fish is on the line. This improves the balance and performance of the rod, also ensuring straighter casts.”

When building a spinning rod, the spline is marked (it runs the entire length of the blank) and the guides are placed opposite the spline.  On a casting rod, the guides are placed on top of the rod blank spline.

“There’s nothing like catching a fish with a custom-made rod,” smiled Marks.

The Simple 6-Step How-To:

  1. Select the rod kit and order it to meet your needs as mentioned earlier. Or see a humble custom rod builder like Tom Marks and ask him questions, then he can design a kit for you and build exactly what you want.
  2. The physical components need to be prepared. This includes adjusting the rod grip to fit the blank. It might mean using some special tools to ream the internal diameter of the grip as necessary to fit the rod blank, no matter if it’s cork or carbon fiber. The grip will be held in place on the blank using epoxy glue later. The rod blank is then measured and marked to determine the location for the grip, real seat, and rod guides.
    The grip or handle of the rod is reamed out.

     

  3. The grip (handle of the rod) is dry-fitted to the blank by attaching the reel seat and aligning the combination with the spline, and when this all looks right, epoxy is used to permanently fasten to the blank.

    Dry fit the handle before placing epoxy glue on.
  4. The top side of each guide foot is sanded to allow a smooth transition for the thread winding to track onto the foot. The guides are then aligned on the rod blank to the marked, spline-oriented, locations from earlier. The guides are attached temporarily using rubber bands cut from silicone tubing (some builders use masking tape for this step). The thread of your color choice is then used to wrap and hold the guides to their designated place. Again, the guides need to be straight and all in-line on the blank. Before the epoxy is applied, the guides can be moved ever so slightly to assure they are perfectly in line. Tom uses the recommended placement of guides from “Mud Hole,” an online supply company of custom rod building kits.
  5. A light coat of epoxy glue is placed on the thread wrap and allowed to cure for 24 hours while slowly rotating the blank to assure no runs occur from the epoxy. Marks will use two to three coats of thread wrap epoxy to assure the wraps and guide feet are sealed and impervious to the external environment.
  6. Lastly, the tip-top is glued in place with hot melt glue.

The rod-build is done.

“The rod is now complete and decorative items can be added including special extra wraps, marbling, decals or really special things such as rattlesnake skin,” added Marks.

“The reasons the custom rods are better than those purchased off the rack is because the rod is crafted to your chosen specifications, your color choice, special highlights with a preference for action, length and all that. Extra care is taken in the building process,” concluded Marks.

Other advantages of a custom-built rod become obvious when you use that rod. Accuracy in casting, heightened sensitivity, best overall performance, including matched balance for rod weight and reel weight, and simple enjoyment.

The author is ready to field-test his custom rod.

A wide variety of options are available when designing your custom rod; I selected a rattlesnake skin handle for my custom rod. “I use a power-winder to turn the blank and place the thread on for each guide, though it’s a time-consuming process. It takes from 6-7 hours to place the components (precision alignment), add the handle glue, sand and place the guides, add the thread wraps, tip-top and epoxy coat the final product,” stated Marks.

Discovering a new hobby is an added benefit for the fisherman who wishes to expand his knowledge of fishing and gain a new appreciation for the various learning opportunities that fishing can offer as a recreational sport.

Prices of a custom fishing rod kit can range from $50 and go up to several hundred, depending on the quality of the rod blank, quality and type of guides, and personalized artwork. Turnkey rod kits can be purchased from Mud Hole direct. The finished custom rod is a function of time and materials…and skill. Every builder values his time, and time has a value. If it takes 2 hours or 10 hours, you add that on at the end. Do it yourself? Yes, you can save a lot of money, but it just might not be the same.

The memory of that first-cast with a custom-rod will last a lifetime.

Tom Marks is a retired engineer and a discussion with him can help you decide what type of rod, type of action and all the rest, might be best for you. Tom receives satisfaction from designing and making custom fishing rods for others. “I like to see everyone happy with the finished rod. For many, it’s a once-in-lifetime thing, their custom fishing rod is what they’ve been dreaming about,” says Marks.

To review the many rod kit choices or for a free catalog, visit www.mudhole.com or call 1-866-790-7637. They also offer free advice and rod-building classes. To visit Tom Marks, drop me a line (bholzhei@gmail.com) and I’ll put you in contact.

 

First Season: Young Hunter’s Milestone Marks New Chapter in NY Early Archery Season – Legal Crossbows

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • First-time youth hunters (12-13 years old) in NY must wear blaze orange clothing for safety. 
  • Woods Barmore, a 12-year-old first-time hunter, scored a doe and a mature 8-point buck with a crossbow near his home in Gerry, NY. 
  • Father and son processed the deer together, adding 75 pounds of wholesome family meals to the freezer.

By Forrest Fisher

New York’s southern zone early archery season kicked off on October 1, and it was special this year – not just because the woods became alive with fall color, but because it marked the first early archery season where modern crossbows are legal during the early big game archery hunt. This new law, which allows the use of crossbows during the early archery season, has opened up new opportunities for youth hunters, enabling them to start their hunting journey earlier and with more ease.

For one 12-year-old hunter in Chautauqua County, Woods Barmore, this regulation change has made all the difference. Under the close mentorship of his father, Forster, the young outdoorsman took his first deer, a doe, and then his second whitetail deer, an 8-point buck, both with a crossbow, marking an unforgettable start to what promises to be a lifelong hunting tradition. Using his Centerpoint 370 crossbow with 400-grain bolts that included a 100-grain broadhead, the youngsters’ practice hours paid off.

Father and son teamwork payoff – for 12-year-old Woods Barmore and his dad, the family has two deer down and a freezer full of venison for the year ahead. Forster Barmore Photo

Like all first-time youth hunters, the youngster followed New York’s youth hunting laws to the letter: blaze orange clothing for safety, direct supervision by a mentor with at least three years of hunting experience, and a valid big game license earned after completing the NYS hunter education course. This energetic young man enrolled in the online course and became certified in this most modern way available.

The boy had been dreaming of hunting for years, tagging along on his dad’s outings and soaking up every bit of woodsmanship. But this season, the deer tags would finally have his name on them. Early in the October hunting season, Woods harvested a doe, his first New York deer ever. His dad, Forster, said, “The deer was not a giant, but it was a healthy doe that we turned into burger and jerky.”

Then, about 10 days later, camaraderie and friendly competition kicked in when Woods learned through an article in the local newspaper that a school friend, now living out of the area, 13-year-old Lucie Katta, had harvested a 12-point buck. Woods’ mom and dad both hunt, and his mom, Autumn, said, “Woods was thrilled for Lucie, but her buck definitely lit a spark.” Even though a family move has put new schools between them, these two young hunters, who once shared a school hallway at Cassadaga Middle School, are now sharing the excitement of the early New York State deer hunting season.  It seems they encourage each other and celebrate the thrill of the hunt in friendly competition.

Young Lucie Katta, 13 years old, says the best part of her hunting success wasn’t the size of the buck, but the experience itself. She said, “I’ll never forget that day. I love hunting with my dad. I learned so much and I can’t wait to go again.” On the scale at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club, the deer weighed 222.2 pounds.  Darin Katta Photo

That spark turned into a focus on a late afternoon sit last weekend. Woods had already taken a doe, and listening to his dad, he was excited now to let the doe’s walk and wait for a buck. From a ground blind beside his dad, the young hunter steadied his crossbow and took his shot. His dad said, “It hit a bit far back, and the deer bolted into the timber.” That’s a scenario that tests every hunter’s patience and respect for the animal and the land. His dad added, “Rather than track the buck as it was getting dark, we made the call to wait until sunrise. At first light, my son and I took up the blood trail and soon found the 8-point buck lying not far from where it was last seen. It was a moment I’ll never forget,” said his dad. “The look on Wood’s face was pure pride and excitement. That’s what hunting’s about, respecting the animal and the land we hunt on.”

Forster and his son processed the deer together, turning the harvest into 75 pounds of wholesome family meals. His parents plan to have a shoulder mount done of the estimated 140-pound deer as a proud keepsake reminder of this first deer for their son, and the family teamwork that made it possible. This achievement is not just a personal milestone, but is in support of the future of hunting and the potential of all young hunters. It’s a cause for celebration and inspiration for all hunters.

His mom, Autumn, an experienced hunter herself, chose not to hunt this year until her son had his first chance. “This was his season,” she said with a smile. “Seeing him succeed out there means more to me than getting one myself.”

For young Woods Barmore, a 12-year-old hunter in Chautauqua County, NY, the new early season archery crossbow law made all the difference. Under the close mentorship of his father, the young outdoorsman took this mature 8-point buck with a crossbow near his home in Gerry, NY.  Forster Barmore photo

The young hunter’s outdoor roots run family deep. He’s been fishing with his dad since age four, learning patience, safety, and respect for the land and water. Now, at 12, he’s stepped into the next chapter of that outdoor heritage, one arrow (bolt), one lesson and one shot at a time.

As the family celebrates and prepares for a long winter of venison dinners, it’s clear that this milestone wasn’t just about the deer. It was about family, mentorship, and the enduring traditions that keep New York’s outdoor legacy strong. The new crossbow law and the kids? It sure seems like a great idea. Forster Barmore agreed, saying, “The new big game hunting law change to allow crossbows in the early season in New York State was the best idea that ever came from Albany.”

Here is to steady aim, safe hunts, and a few good stories to share when hunters meet as friends and family everywhere, because in the end, the best part of the hunt is the bond between us all that keeps it alive.

Gotta love the outdoors.

Whitetails Unlimited – Our Story

Posted on by Megan Richard
  • We support the timeless tradition of deer hunting.
  • We support hunter rights and the Second Amendment.
  • Our cooperative projects for education with other conservation organizations is part of our fund-raising mission.

By Megan Richard 

Communications Director – Editor, Whitetails Unlimited Magazine

Founded in 1982, Whitetails Unlimited is a national nonprofit conservation organization that has remained true to its mission and made great strides in conservation. We have earned a reputation as the nation’s premier organization, dedicating our resources to the betterment of whitetail deer and their environment.

Our mission is to raise funds in support of educational programs, wildlife habitat enhancement and acquisition, and preservation of the hunting tradition and shooting sports for future generations. Since our beginning, we have spent over $147 million on projects supporting this mission, including research, assistance to wildlife agencies, habitat enhancement/acquisition, scholarships, educational materials, hunter safety/education, anti-poaching measures, and cooperative projects with other conservation organizations. This work has made a significant impact, inspiring hope for the future of our wildlife and the preservation of our hunting tradition.

A family of deer resting during mid-day. James Monteleone Photo

Whitetails Unlimited has four programs that support our mission and guide the allocation of our grants. As a part of our Preserving the Hunting Tradition Program, Whitetails Unlimited supports hunter rights and the Second Amendment. In addition, education is a top priority, and our DEER (Developing Education & Environmental Resources) Program comprises organizational initiatives and activities that introduce youth and their families to the great outdoors.

Wildlife habitat, hunter access, and the reduction of poaching are also priorities of Whitetails Unlimited. Our HOPE (Habitat Options & Planned Enhancement) for Wildlife Program initiatives creates partnerships with state and federal agencies to acquire land, improve and maintain critical habitat for deer and other wildlife, and increase public hunting opportunities.

Last, as an advocate for the preservation of the shooting sports, Whitetails Unlimited is helping build the next generation of shooting sports enthusiasts by supporting public archery and firearm ranges through our Staying on Target Program.

Spring Grove Trap Team grant recipient.

There are a handful of ways you can support Whitetails Unlimited and continue the hunting tradition in your neck of the woods. By becoming a Whitetails Unlimited member and receiving our members-only Whitetails Unlimited Magazine, you’re not just joining a community, you’re becoming an integral part of a distinguished American legacy…the timeless tradition of deer hunting!

If you are interested in doing more, consider volunteering at or attending a local WTU event. These events are not just about fundraising, they’re about coming together with like-minded friends and family, feeling connected, and making a difference in your community. Even better, you can continue to make a difference by partnering with Whitetails Unlimited to start your own local chapter, bringing a WTU event to your community and raising funds for a local nonprofit organization.

To learn more about Whitetails Unlimited, including all the ways you can get involved—from becoming a member to volunteering at a fundraising event, to all the ways you can donate—and to find a local WTU event near you, visit https://www.whitetailsunlimited.com.

Adams County, Ohio – support event 2023.

When Cold Front Crappie Won’t Bite – Check the Big River Tailraces

Posted on by David Ranier
  • Lake Wheeler, Wilson and Pickwick, 0ffer the availability of fishing the tailraces – many species hold there.
  • We caught catfish (blue, channel and flathead), bass (smallmouth, largemouth, spotted and white) and enough drum to fill a roadside trash can.
  • Lodging available at Joe Wheeler State Park, which sits on the banks of the Tennessee River near Rogersville.

By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

What do you do after you plan a trip to north Alabama to get in the fall crappie bite and you’re greeted with bluebird skies the day after a cold front? You make lemonade, and the Tennessee River lakes have just the right recipes.

Capt. Brian Barton, Andy Poss and I still wanted to try to catch enough crappie for a small fish fry and headed into the Bear Creek area despite the weather conditions. We found crappie on the forward-facing sonar, but almost all of them had the lockjaw, a common occurrence after a front. We tried small jigs with a minnow, jigs alone and minnows alone, but the crappie just ignored any of the offerings.

The great thing about fishing those lakes, especially Wheeler, Wilson and Pickwick, is the availability of fishing tailraces for anything that will bite a live shad, either a small gizzard shad or threadfin.

After loading Barton’s 23-foot War Eagle boat onto the trailer, we found gizzard shad flicking near the boat ramp on Wheeler. We headed to the Wheeler tailrace with a bait tank filled with the 2- to 3-inch shad. Obviously, as anyone who has fished the tailraces knows, the most productive time to fish is when the generators are running and the water is flowing through the dams.

As required by law, we had donned our life jackets before approaching the dam and headed to the edge of the swift current. Drifting a shad down the edge of the current line with just a split shot started producing action. However, you don’t get to choose the species. You set the hook and take what you get. It may be bass species, catfish species or freshwater drum (known as gaspergou in Louisiana).

Because we tried to catch crappie first, we were a little late to the bite at the Wheeler tailrace due to the generation schedule, which had shifted from afternoon to morning because of the cool nights.

The next morning, we headed to the Wilson tailrace, which doesn’t have quite the dramatic water flow of Wheeler but is still a highly productive fishing spot. The tactics were similar, finding edges to let the bait drift with the current.

Brian Barton shows off a smallmouth bass (L) and a spotted bass (R) caught in the Wilson Lake tailrace recently. David Ranier photo

By the end of the tailrace fishing, we had caught catfish (blue, channel and flathead), bass (smallmouth, largemouth, spotted and white) and enough drum to fill a roadside trash can.

“In the fall up here, from the end of September all the way until Christmas, shad migrate to the dams, and everything else follows,” Barton said. “You have multi-species action for about three months, solid. When I have clients, I catch bait before I pick them up, and then we go to the tailraces. We may drift, anchor or Spot-Lock (trolling motor feature using GPS to stay in one location) in different areas, but it will always be with a live shad.”

Barton said the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) controls how and when he fishes because the agency’s electricity generation dictates current flow.

“The stronger the current, the more the fish are going to be pulled out into the river,” he said. “With a lighter current, the fish are going to be more spread out and harder to catch. Also, the bright sunny days means the fish tend to stick close to structure. On cloudy days, they are more spread out. Ideally, the best day would be good current flow with sunshine.”

Barton said TVA has an app (www.tva.com/environment/lake-levels/tva-lake-info-app) that anglers can use to determine the generation schedule and dam water output for each lake. The app shows what the current flow is for the specific lake, the history for the previous six hours and a projection of water flow for the following two days.

“It (the projections) doesn’t change much,” he said. “But on our trip, you saw it change. It had been afternoon generation. Then we got a cold front with cooler nights, and it changed to morning generation. From now until March or April, it will stay mornings. As it warms up next spring, it’ll flip back to afternoons.

“Ideal current flow below Wheeler Dam would be 30,000 to 50,000 (cubic feet per second), and below Wilson it would be 30,000. Wheeler can generate up to 98,000. If you start getting over 50,000, which is great current, you just go down the river because it’s too tough to battle it near the tailrace. But that really turns the fishing on down the river, where if you’ve got 25,000 or 30,000, you’re pretty much forced to fish closer to the dam because you don’t have enough current down river to position the fish.

“But I want to caution people to not go to that dam unless you know what you’re doing, and, by all means, wear that life vest.”

When he’s fishing with live bait, he’s looking for two different locations where the fish are likely to hold to be able to ambush anything coming out of the tailrace.

“There’s two theories,” Barton said. “There’s site specific fishing on rockpiles, ledges or wood. Most of the time, I do better just drifting. My theory is I go to the spot where I caught them the last trip. That doesn’t always work because the fish move, but I start there first. If I start a drift in 12 feet of water and don’t do any good, then I’ll move up to 8 or 9 feet or I’ll go to 14 or 15. That’s all I do is move my depth. It’s just a matter of if they’ve moved deep or shallow.

“When you’re fishing the tailrace, it’s all about seams. I don’t think bottom structure has anything to do with it. It’s where two currents meet and create a seam or the outside edge of the current. But that’s not just the tailrace. Anywhere you go down the river that has an abutment or anything sticking out can create a current change. That structure may be the size of my garage, and it’s going to create that seam. That’s where the fish are going to be most of the time.”

Barton said when clients ask about a fishing trip, he tells them to expect to catch multiple species of fish in a five-hour trip.

“It could include a miscellaneous sauger or skipjack (herring), but seven species is what two people in this boat are normally going to catch,” he said. “With good conditions, I expect to catch 40 to 50 fish in a five-hour trip. Now, that’s not a great day. That’s just what I expect to catch. And, if you’re lucky, you can catch a four-pound smallmouth. That’s very doable. A five-pound smallmouth is what we call a trophy fish. If I have people who just want to catch smallmouth, that’s what they’re looking for.

“Most of my clients are just people who want a bent rod and to have fun. If they catch a four-pound smallmouth, that’s just a bonus. Most people just want to catch fish, and that’s why I like to call it a multi-species fishing trip.”

Visit www.brianbartonoutdoors.com or call 256-412-0969 for information about fishing on the Tennessee River. Other than the multi-species trips, Barton also does seasonal fishing that targets species like catfish, crappie and bream, both bluegills and shellcrackers (redear sunfish).

When you’re in northwest Alabama, don’t forget about the lodging available at Joe Wheeler State Park, which sits on the banks of the Tennessee River near Rogersville. Joe Wheeler has perfect accommodations for anglers, including the cabins away from the main lodge. The cabins are located on the south side of the Tennessee River near Wheeler Dam. This area has accessibility to both Wheeler and Wilson Lakes. A boat launch for Wheeler Lake is available in the cabin area, and another boat launch is located across Highway 101 at Wheeler Dam for Wilson Lake access. Visit www.alapark.com/parks/joe-wheeler-state-park/cabins for details. Also available is the Fisherman’s Cabin, located near the boat launch on First Creek.

After your fishing trip, Colbert County has an abundance of places to visit, including the Helen Keller home, Fame Recording Studios, Muscle Shoals Sound, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Coon Dog Cemetery. Visit www.colbertcountytourism.org/attractions for more information.

Pickup Trucks and Old Dirt Roads

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Paul Harvey once said on his radio show, “What is wrong with our society today is that too many dirt roads have been paved.“
  • On an old dirt road, you can lsten to the birds sing, look for wildlife, breathe in fresh air, and get away from the rush of city life.
  • The next time you feel overwhelmed or you need a break, drive down a dirt road in the country.
Escape the world for a moment, take a drive on an old dirt road. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

By Larry Whiteley

Unless you have lived in a city all your life, you have probably driven down an old dirt road. Maybe it was a road home, a road to your grandparents’ house, or to a favorite fishing or hunting spot.

I remember fondly the many dirt roads in my life. I was born in Grandpa and Grandma’s farmhouse on an old dirt road. Not many people drove by. There were not many neighbors back then.

Grandpa’s brother had a farm south of us at the top of the hill on that dirt road. To the north of us, there were a few farms. Dirt roads to the east and west led to more farms.

Grandpa had a pickup truck, but he didn’t drive it much. Maybe once a month, he would take Grandma and me to town to buy things we needed. I would ride in the bed of the truck. When he reached the end of the dirt road to the north, the paved road led to the main street in town.

Dirt roads can lead to beautiful places. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

There was a grocery store, restaurant, bank, post office, gas station, church, school, and that was about it. There were a few neighborhoods, but not many. Life was a whole lot different back then compared to now.

South on the dirt road from the farm, Grandpa would take me to the fishing or swimming hole. I would ride in the truck bed and feel the wind in my face. We visited there a few times each summer. As a kid, I always looked forward to that.

He taught me how to drive that old truck. First, he let me drive it around the farm to do chores. Later, he let me drive it down the old dirt roads to take or haul things to and from neighbors.

When I turned sixteen, Grandpa passed on, and Grandma gave me that old pickup truck. I drove it to school instead of riding the big yellow school bus. My squirrel rifle was always in a gun rack in the back window. My truck was always unlocked, usually with the windows down, and my rifle in plain sight. It was a much different world than it is today.

I got a part-time job to help pay for gas. My friends and I traveled down many dirt roads back then. I drove around in fields while my friends, with their loaded rifles, sat in the bed of the truck, shooting rabbits. That truck took us on many fishing trips down dirt roads.

When I started liking girls, they would sit right next to me as I drove. Bucket seats had not been invented yet. Neither were seat belts. We parked that old truck on dirt roads where we could see the moon and did a lot of smooching and hugging.

Later in my life, I would own more pickup trucks. I drove lots of dirt roads to take my kids and grandkids fishing and hunting. We also traveled on a dirt road to get to a weekend cabin we once owned. We drove down a dirt road to the creek, where we’d fish and play in the water during the summer, and go hunting in the fall. We took our ATVs on rides through the forested hills on dirt roads.

I believe, as Paul Harvey once said on his radio show, “What is wrong with our society today is that too many dirt roads have been paved. We would not have as many problems in America today if we had more dirt roads, because dirt roads build character.”

If kids today had to walk a dirt road to school without the distractions of smartphones, they would learn to get along better. They would also get more exercise. Back when there were more dirt roads, if you repeated some words that you heard adults say, you got your mouth washed out with soap.

There was less crime when roads were dirt. There were no drive-by shootings. Criminals did not rob homes because they knew there were barking, snarling dogs and a double-barreled shotgun waiting for them.

Dirt roads lead to views like this. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

Our values were better when our roads were dirt. Dirt roads taught patience. You did not drive too fast. If the dirt road washed out back then, you didn’t worry. You enjoyed family time together. You made memories. If someone got stuck in the mud, you would hook up the team of horses and pull them out. You wouldn’t accept anything they offered in return for helping them. You made a new friend.

In today’s fast-paced, technological world, we all need a place away from all the congested traffic on paved or concrete roads where people are looking at their smartphones instead of watching the road. A place to go where our smartphones can’t get a signal. A place where we can fish, camp, hunt, or sit quietly and enjoy nature.

Sometimes, you just need to explore, to investigate, to see where an old dirt road goes. It’s a journey of curiosity and discovery, a chance to escape the constant barrage of bad news that depresses you on social media or the news on television.

Stop and roll down the windows, or today, push down your window button. Listen to the birds sing. Look for wildlife. Get away from the rush of city life. Breathe in the fresh air. Enjoy the quietness and natural beauty. Slow down and savor life away from technology.

Maybe dirt roads will bring back memories of camping trips, fishing trips, hunting trips, picnics, or visits to Grandma and Grandpa’s farm, and walking down the dirt road holding their hands. For a moment in time, you are a child again. Walking down a dirt road with your fishing pole and a can of worms.

For those of us who grew up in the country on dirt roads, the desire to return home, even if only in our minds, is strong. We long to revisit the memories of time gone by. Sometimes, nothing has changed. Most of the time, it’s not quite like we remembered it. But that’s okay, because it will always bring back treasured memories.

Watch for wildlife as you drive on old dirt roads. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

A few times a year, I will get in my truck with all the electronic gadgets and drive down the dirt road to where the old farm was. I stop, and in my mind’s eye I can still see the old house I was born in. Sometimes I can still see Grandma and Grandpa sitting on the front porch. I can still see myself running around catching June bugs or fireflies.

I can still see the barn, the smokehouse, the outhouse, the chicken coop, the pig pen, the old cow I milked by hand, the farm dogs running around in the yard, ready for me to take them squirrel or rabbit hunting. I can still see the trees I climbed, the grapevines I swung on, and the old spring on the side of the hill I hauled water from. I can still smell Grandma cooking on the old wood stove in the kitchen, and the smell of a skunk the dogs got into a fight with.

The next time you feel stressed or overwhelmed by the craziness in the world we live in today, or you need a break, drive down a dirt road in the country. You can do that in a car, but I still think it is much better in a pickup truck.

You will get your car or truck dusty or muddy on an old dirt road, but they will clean up. It will be worth it. Find a place to escape and make your own memories.

Sometimes the best therapy is taking a long drive in a pickup truck on an old dirt road.

Editor Note: The GMC pickup truck photo is courtesy of James Monteleone.

As Accident Numbers Fall, Hunters Should Still Focus on Safety

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Always wear a safety harness, also known as a fall-arrest system, when you are in a treestand.
  • Avoid drugs and alcohol when hunting or shooting.
  • The 10 Commandments of Hunting and Firearm Safety are listed in the story.
Hunter Education Coordinator Katie Burks provides hands-on safety training with mock firearms. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Photo

By DAVID RAINER

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Lt. Michael Bloxom of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division handed control of the Hunter Education Program to WFF’s R3 staff on September 1 this year, but as he heads toward retirement, Bloxom highlighted the effectiveness of hunter education with a milestone achievement during the 2024-2025 season.

“We actually had a record low number of accidents last season,” said Bloxom, who will retire at the end of the year. “We only had seven accidents, and that includes treestand accidents. Historically, two-thirds of our accidents involved a treestand. This past season, we had four firearm and only three treestand accidents. I hope that means we’re finally getting the messages out about using safety harnesses and other safety equipment. But three is still too many.”

Unfortunately, one of the treestand accidents resulted in the only fatality of the season. The accident occurred in Bankhead National Forest, which is known for its rugged terrain with plenty of gorges, canyons and steep ridges.

“The person was by himself and didn’t have a safety harness on,” Bloxom said. “He was found at the bottom of a 40- to 45-foot bluff. He had his stand positioned facing the cliff, and he fell into the ravine.”

The accident report indicated a pull-up rope was attached to the stand, but there were no definitive clues as to what happened. These types of incidents are avoidable. Following the treestand guidelines below will help ensure hunters safely enjoy their time outdoors.

“We don’t really know, but he may have lost his grip and fallen into the ravine,” Bloxom said. “To be safe, you have to have a fall arrest system and be connected to the tree at all times. Eighty percent of treestand accidents happen on the way up or the way down.”

Bloxom cautioned that a fall from any height can be dangerous. One female hunter was exiting a tripod stand when her jacket caught on the stand, causing her to fall.

“She fell 10 feet and had serious injuries,” he said. “Even falls from short distances can kill or do significant harm.”

The other treestand accident last year involved a stationary stand that had been erected more than a year earlier.

“If you leave the lock-ons up, the heat and cold, the rain, and the trees growing can make those straps give way,” Bloxom said.

This season, one treestand accident and one firearms accident have already occurred. The treestand accident involved trying to place a ladder stand on a tree.

“A lot of these ladder stands require two or three people to put up,” Bloxom said. “Two people have to hold it while the other straps it to the tree. The report showed that the treestand actually bent backward as he was trying to put it up by himself.

“And we had another shooting at a low bird on a dove field.”

Bloxom said the Hunter Education Program will be in good hands with the R3 (recruit, retain, reactivate) staff, including R3 Assistant Chief Justin Grider, R3 Supervisor Lt. Bill Freeman and Conservation Enforcement Officer Katie Burks.

Grider paid tribute to Bloxom’s long career in WFF Enforcement as well as his role as Hunter Education Coordinator.

“Michael has been with the agency for almost 30 years and has been a great asset,” Grider said. “He trained me when I started as a regional hunter education coordinator in the District III office. He’s done a lot to train staff, and he’s supported our volunteers for a long time in his position. We’re grateful for his dedication to the agency and his focus on keeping hunters safe.”

Grider said the Hunter Education Section is now under the R3 umbrella with the goal to complement and streamline the basic hunter education and advanced hunter education programs.

“Lt. Freeman will now be in charge of the hunting outreach component of our agency, and Senior Officer Katie Burks, who has been with the agency for almost 10 years, will be the new Hunter Education Coordinator and will serve the entire state in that role,” Grider said. “We will also be increasing our interactions with hunter education graduates, providing them with the next steps to connect to opportunities in the outdoors, including public places where they can recreate. Access and time are the two biggest things that people mention when they don’t continue to hunt. We can’t do anything about the time, but we will make sure they know all about the access to opportunities.”

Grider and Bloxom predict a bright future for Burks as Hunter Education Coordinator.

“She’s really great with the public,” Grider said. “She goes above and beyond. We know she is going to do a great job.”

Bloxom added, “Katie will do a great job and lead us into the future.”

As always, hunters are urged to follow the 11 guidelines for using a treestand safely:

  1. Always wear a safety harness, also known as a fall-arrest system, when you are in a treestand, as well as when climbing into or out of a treestand. Statistics show that the majority of treestand incidents occur while climbing in and out of a stand.
  2. A safety strap should be attached to the tree to prevent you from falling more than 12 inches.
  3. Always inspect the safety harness for signs of wear or damage before each use.
  4. Follow all manufacturers’ instructions for use of a safety harness and stand.
  5. Follow the three-point rule of treestand safety. Always have three points of contact to the steps or ladder before moving. This could be two arms and one leg holding and stepping on the ladder or one arm and two legs in contact with the ladder before moving. Be cautious that rain, frost, ice or snow can cause steps to become extremely slippery. Check the security of the step before placing your weight on it.
  6. Always hunt with a plan and, if possible, a buddy. Before you leave home, let others know your exact hunting location, when you plan to return and who is with you.
  7. Always carry emergency signal devices such as a cell phone, walkie-talkie, whistle, signal flare, PLD (personal locator device) and flashlight at all times and within reach even while you are suspended in your fall-arrest system. Watch for changing weather conditions. In the event of an incident, remain calm and seek help immediately.
  8. Always select the proper tree for use with your treestand. Select a live, straight tree that fits within the size limits recommended in your treestand’s instructions. Do not climb or place a treestand against a leaning tree.
  9. Never leave a treestand installed for more than two weeks since damage could result from changing weather conditions and/or from other factors not obvious with a visual inspection.
  10. Always use a haul line to pull up your gear and unloaded firearm or bow to your treestand once you have reached your desired hunting height. Never climb with anything in your hands or on your back. Prior to descending, lower your equipment on the opposite side of the tree.
  11. Always know your physical limitations. Don’t take chances. Do not climb when impaired by drugs, alcohol or if you’re sick or fatigued. If you start thinking about how high you are, stop climbing.

All four of the firearms-related incidents during the 2024-2025 season were due to pointing the muzzle in an unsafe direction and not following the 10 Commandments of Firearm Safety.

  1. Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
  2. Control the muzzle of your firearm. Keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction. Never point a firearm at anything that you do not wish to shoot, and insist that your shooting and hunting companions do the same.
  3. Be sure of your target and beyond. Positively identify your target before you fire, and make sure no people, livestock, roads or buildings are beyond the target.
  4. Never shoot at water or a hard, flat surface. A ricocheting bullet cannot be controlled.
  5. Don’t use a scope for target identification; use binoculars.
  6. Never climb a tree, cross a fence or jump a ditch with a loaded firearm.
  7. Store guns and ammunition separately. Store firearms under lock and key and use a gun case to transport firearms.
  8. Make sure your barrel and action are clear of all obstructions.
  9. Unload firearms when not in use. Never take someone else’s word that a firearm is unloaded. Check yourself.
  10. Avoid drugs and alcohol when hunting or shooting. Even some over-the-counter medicines can cause impairment.

For those interested in firearms instruction, WFF’s Hunter Education Unit hosts multiple one-day courses teaching firearm safety and marksmanship. Go to www.outdooralabama.com/outdoor-alabama-academy/firearms-101-introduction-handguns-and-shotguns and search for a course near you from certified firearms instructors.

Outdoor Communicators find Art & Open-Air Adventure in Lindsborg, Kansas

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • The unique Swedish heritage of Lindsborg is evident in architecture, cuisine, and traditions. 
  • Hunts for whitetail deer, bison, turkey, and other species are offered at Kansas Trophy Whitetails, near Hudson, KS.
  • Megan Hilbish calling turkeys. Jon Blumb photo

    Year-round hunting and fishing abound with much public land and water. 

  • Birders, hikers, bikers, paddlers and beachgoers will find top-notch fun here.

by David Zumbaugh

The Outdoor Communicators of Kansas discovered Lindsborg as the home base for the spring conference on May 4- 6, 2025. “Välkommen till Lindsborg” is the city motto and welcome us they did! The unique Swedish heritage of the small town, evident in its architecture, cuisine, and traditions, was a delightful surprise. This tight-knit community promotes the art scene with small and large galleries, including the Birger Sandzén Memorial Art Gallery.

Lindsborg hosts several large festivals that celebrate its culture, art, and local businesses. The city’s website and Facebook page provide detailed descriptions of events, along with the dates for planning a visit. OCK was hosted for dinner by Holly Lofton, Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, at the wonderful Sundstrom Conference Center (https://www.lindsborgcity.org/visitor-information).

Downtown Lindborg, Kansas. Jon Blumb photo
Jim Richardson, a National Geographic Photographer. Jon Blumb photo

A craft improvement seminar inspired the group to focus on taking enhanced pictures with cell phones. Jim Richardson, a National Geographic photographer, detailed settings on the camera mode on Apple and Android devices to get creative, professional results. He displayed images side by side on a big screen, comparing phone pictures with photos taken with the most expensive cameras. Differences could hardly be noticed! Jim and his wife, Kathy, run the Small World Gallery at 127 North Main Street, which features his work (www.smallworldgallery.net).

The magnificent Birger Sandzén Memorial Art Gallery is worth a visit. Sandzén was born in Sweden in 1871 and studied art in Stockholm. He came to the USA in 1894 to teach at Bethany College in Lindsborg as the principal art instructor. He produced more than 3,000 paintings and 33,000 prints. His works are on display at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri; the Brooklyn Museum of Art; the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe; the Library of Congress; the Chicago Art Institute; the Denver Art Museum; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and the National Museum of Stockholm.

Art Center Gallery. Jon Blumb photo

Mike Hartung is currently an active artist of Lindsborg known for his provocative and pointed satirical pieces. He creates giant-format paintings, produced in vivid colors with distorted figures to convey not-so-subtle government tributes. No politician, global or local, is safe from his commentary.  Mike has established the Smoky Valley Arts & Folklife Center, a gallery and workshop at 114-1/2 South Main Street. Current exhibition and workshop information can be viewed on their website (www.smokyvalleyartsandfolklifecenter.org).

David Zumbaugh with his turkey. Photo by Cody Waite

The next several days found members fishing in the area waters, such as Kanapolis Lake. Unfortunately, even the liars couldn’t get many fish to the net. Others spent time trying to outsmart wily prairie turkeys, with only one put in the bag (by yours truly, with the help of guide Cody Waite). Calling from a high blind, other hunters observed many turkeys and deer, but were unable to get a close enough shot on a gobbler.

Highlighting the get-together was the lodging and hospitality offered by Stan Christiansen and his Kansas Trophy Whitetails operation, near Hudson, Kansas. Stan himself is an accomplished hunter and fisherman, having numerous world record animals from Africa and around the globe. Hunts for whitetail deer, bison, turkey, and other species are offered. Many Pope and Young, as well as Boone and Crockett-class, deer have been harvested on the lodge property (www.kansas-trophy-whitetails.com).

Central Kansas offers amenities that are attractive to all outdoor enthusiasts. Year-round hunting and fishing opportunities abound with much public land and water to explore.  But birders, hikers, bikers, and paddlers can also find top-notch offers.

Trophy Room at Kansas Trophy Whitetails. David Zumbaugh photo

From birding hotspots like Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge to the miles of mountain bike and hiking trails at Wilson Lake, Kansas is a paradise for outdoor adventurers. Kanapolis and Wilson Lakes have great waters for paddleboarders, kayakers, and beachgoers.

Plan a visit to Kansas to satisfy your outdoor passions.

You will be glad you made the trip.

For more information, visit: https://www.lindsborgcity.org/visitor-information; https://ksoutdoors.com/; https://travelkansas.com; www.kansas-trophy-whitetails.com; www.smokyvalleyartsandfolklifecenter.org; www.smallworldgallery.net.

The Charlie Kirk – American Hero, Tragic End

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Tragic End for 1st and 4th Amendment Educator.
  • Charlie Kirk was speaking to Students at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

By Forrest Fisher

Charlie Kirk enjoyed his work with students and the public. Picture provided by NSSF®

Like so many groups across the nation and the world, we are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. His untimely death has left a void in our hearts and in the advocacy for free speech and Second Amendment rights. As a representative of many sportsmen and hunter groups, I can say that our thoughts and prayers join with all of America and the Firearm Industry Trade Association (NSSF®). We join the NSSF and the nation in grieving the loss of Charlie Kirk, Founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, who was struck down by an assassin during a public open appearance at an educational institution. Kirk was a thought leader who peacefully challenged opposing viewpoints. But more than that, Kirk was a husband and father to two small children.

Kirk was a man who challenged ideas with ideas. He invited open debate with those who vehemently disagreed with him. He believed in free and spirited exchange of ideas and using words to reach millions of young adults across America’s college campuses. Kirk was also a man of deep-rooted and unapologetic faith in his Creator. He was dedicated to preserving and exercising our American rights granted by that Creator and guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, including not just First Amendment rights of Free Speech but also Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms.

This targeted assassination of Kirk, in what can only be understood as a measure to silence his voice and ideas, is vile. There is nothing – absolutely nothing – that could justify political violence against Kirk, who sought to engage his fellow citizens in civil discourse. This assassin is the manifestation of evil, and NSSF remains confident that local, state and federal authorities will find and bring this individual to justice.

Likewise, NSSF joins those who are repulsed by some who claim Kirk invited this senseless and cruel act of criminal violence, as well as some who celebrate it. We dedicate ourselves to honoring Kirk’s memory and legacy. We humbly pray for his young widow and children, who will grow up in their lives without their husband and father, taken so cruelly and senselessly by a politically-motivated assassin.

Today, we grieve. We also commit ourselves to advancing the principles which Kirk held dear, that freedom of thought and expression of rights cannot be compromised, that this nation is truly unique and preserving the nation’s liberties requires each of us to enter the arena. Wresoluteein our commitmentmitted to the principle that Kirk demonstrated to recognize, with the insight of the Creator who grants us our freedoms, the humanity of those around us – even those with whom we disagree.

My thoughts – After the event and national aerial coverage that ensued, a question arises: would better use of technology with drone surveillance to ensure perimeter security have helped prevent this tragedy? Hindsight is always 20-20, but it’s important to consider all possible measures to prevent such incidents in the future.  These days, the words “In God We Trust” might need man-made help.

NSSF, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information about NSSF and its work, visit https:/www.nssf.org.

Finally! My first 50-inch Musky!

Posted on by Katia Rivers
  • Lake Saint Clair is a perfect “Musky Factory” – shallow, fertile, full of forage base groceries for musky muscle growth.
  • The catch-and-release culture with virtually zero harvest, preserves older, heavier fish.
  • Habitat includes miles of cabbage, weed flats, breaks and current from the Lake Saint Clair and Detroit Rivers (perfect ambush water).

By Katia Rivers

I’ve put hundreds and hundreds of maritime hours (years) into hunting for my own 50-inch class Great Lakes Strain Musky.  FINALLY, I met her!

With a little convincing from my good friend Corinne, after running one of my own charters on the big lake (Lake Ontario) that same morning, I packed up my car and hit the road, headed to Lake Saint Claire. It would be my first solo musky trip.

Loaded with a determined team of seasoned musky captains, we headed out that next day on a mission to get me my first Lake Saint Claire musky. I made the traditional “donation” to the lake, and we cruised out on a roughly 20-minute run to the fishing grounds. Captain Mark Nowicki was at the helm, while Kurt and Matt set up more lines than I’ve ever seen. It didn’t take long for Captain Mark to put us on fish. We “pitched” a couple of pike along the way, trying to find my girl. Then it happened.

The unmistakable zzzztttttt-zzzztttttt, that buzzing reel song of a massive musky stripping line. The drag was screaming! I knew right away that it was finally happening. We ALL yelled fish as I ran full speed to the firing rod. She had already ripped drag out to 243 ft, and the real battle began. She wasn’t coming in without giving me the fight of my dreams. She stayed low. I knew she was big. Head shakes and run after run, and a little musky shuffle from me, all while Matt and Kurt hosed my legs and fanned my feet from the brigade of biting black flies. And, with Corrine shouting “REEL, REEL, REEL!” It was quite the scene! Never to be reenacted. Always to be remembered.

I finally got her to the boat, a 31-foot Tiara. There was no way those guys were missing a net job! Pure perfection. We knew the moment she hit the net that she also hit that 50-inch class mark. My own Great Lakes 50-incher, and my first LSC Musky.

This was EXACTLY the adrenaline rush I’ve been chasing!  It’s been a long time since a fish gave me the shakes. As soon as she hit the net, I dropped the rod and immediately shed a few grateful tears to the deck and crew, and my friends of Reel Therapy Sportfishing, LLC.

herapysportfishinglsc #forevermemories #greatlakesfishing #muskyfishing #spotted #gIt was a fully immersive experience from the moment Captain Kurt reeled out his handmade wooden planer boards, to tricking my first LSC fish on his custom handmade #7 willow blade, 3/8oz, purple/white skirt tail, 7/0 hook bucktail. Perfection in a spinner bait for giant Musky.  Was it the color? The action? The sound? The location? It didn’t matter to me at that moment; I was so excited.

In the photo on the right, this was also my first time experiencing an aerator tank on deck. There’s something really amazing about those few extra moments when you get to experience the musky magic and take it all in. Muskies are released alive and fully vibrant after a few minutes in the oxygenated tank environment.

She was an intense, fierce spotted beauty! I loved every minute of this entire trip! We released her unharmed, and she swam away, strong. Maybe I’ll be back to look for her again in the future – she’ll be even bigger. In the meantime, I know she lives for another day of life in LSC.

 

Author note: edited by Forrest Fisher

Editor Note: Katia Rivers, an ardent musky lady angler, is awell-respected Lake Ontario Charter Captain and is chairperson for the annual NY Musky Expo. She joins forces with musky legend, Zachary Baker, to host this event planned for Jan.31-Feb. 1, 2026 at the exclusive Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Jamestown, NY, located right on Chautauqua Lake – another musky haven for ardent big-fish anglers. Info: newyorkmuskyexpo@gmail.com

 

#catchandrelease #lsc #reeltherapysportfishinglsc #forevermemories

#greatlakesfishing #muskyfishing #spotted #gains #goals #muskiesinc

 

 

 

Crossbow Hunting Expands in NYS

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill S6360A, making it law, expanding crossbow hunting provisions in NYS. Elerdly hunters are pleased.
  • Crossbows during the early archery season in NY marks a significant cultural shift within the hunting community. There are pros and cons.
  • In the end, what unites hunters is a shared passion for hunting, conservation, and passing traditions on to the next generation. Not the hunting implement.

By Forrest Fisher

The last week of August, 2025, was a magical week for the young and the not so young of the archery hunting world in New York State. That’s when Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill S6360A, making it law, and expanding crossbow hunting provisions in New York State. The new law allows crossbows to be used for the entire archery season for big game, similar to longbows. The bill also removes the previous draw weight and width restrictions (except must be 100 pound draw weight minimum), and grants the NYS-DEC authority to set specific hunting regulations. The NYSDEC, not politics, will be responsible for determining the specific rules and guidelines for crossbow hunting, ensuring that it is conducted in a safe and sustainable manner. The bill also mandates that crossbow instruction be part of the bowhunter safety course in hunter education.

An illuminated scope, hand crank, adjustable shoulder stock – benefits of a crossbow that allows for perfect fit and a perfect shot at more than 400 fps. This is a Centerpoint Sinister 430D. Provided photo.

The use of crossbows during the early archery season in New York marks a significant cultural shift within New York’s hunting community. Many are excited and elated for what’s ahead. On the other hand, opposition to crossbow use during archery season has existed for decades, as traditional bowhunters and archery organizations have pushed back. Much of the pushbacks belong to a treasured category entitled tradition and skill. Many consider vertical bows (longbows, recurves, and compounds) to be demanding, requiring years of practice, dedication, and expertise in woodsmanship. They say crossbows are too easy, with their firearm-like stock, trigger, and ability to be cocked in advance. Some say crossbows are not in the spirit of archery hunting. Of course, that’s what recurve bowhunters said when compound bows were introduced.

Critics raise concerns about fair chase, citing that crossbows increase effective range and accuracy, giving crossbow hunters an advantage that could reduce the challenge of close encounters and the woodcraft associated with archery. Some feared that if crossbows were allowed, it would erode the distinct identity of archery hunting altogether.

The archery season in New York is long (Oct. 1 – Nov. 14) and is usually not crowded. Traditional bowhunters worried that allowing crossbows would dramatically increase hunter numbers, potentially reducing deer encounters and pressuring herds earlier in the season. This recent law aligns New York with most other states (more than 30 already allow crossbows in archery seasons).

Across the board, consideration and final acceptance for crossbows in New York has grown for many reasons. Many hunters in the licensed hunting population are getting older, with reduced strength and mobility. This bill allows older and physically limited hunters to stay active. Crossbows will enable older individuals to spend more time in the woods when the weather is not totally in blizzard mode. Today, recruitment and retention are big topics. Crossbows are a viable gateway for new hunters, particularly youth, women, and those without prior archery experience. There is a more straightforward (easier) learning curve for newcomers.

Comparing the technology catch-up, the modern compound bows have advanced so much that the gap between compounds and crossbows is narrower than it was in the 1990s.

From a wildlife management perspective, DEC biologists generally support practical and effective tools for managing deer populations, regardless of their name, especially in areas with high deer densities. Crossbows will increase the number of hunters able to contribute to deer population control. Crossbows produce cleaner, more consistently accurate shots, resulting in less wounding loss. This is a significant benefit for wildlife management, as it helps to ensure that hunting is conducted in a humane and sustainable manner, contributing to the overall health and balance of the deer population.

Adversely, more hunters in the woods during archery season could lead to crowding, particularly in popular public land areas. Can the new law deepen the divide between “vertical bow” hunters and crossbow hunters? Time will tell. Pro or con, both sides need to highlight that there is now more choice, not replacement. Crossbows aren’t replacing vertical bows; they are now just another option. Hunters can still choose traditional methods. Just as we have rifles, shotguns, and muzzleloaders, we now have another hunting tool that will help keep hunting vibrant through all the big game hunting seasons.

To hunt deer and bear in New York with a crossbow during the bowhunting seasons, a hunter must have a hunting license and bowhunting privilege. To be eligible to purchase a bowhunting privilege, a hunter must have a bowhunter education certification. If you are already a bowhunter with an existing archery license, that counts. Additionally, crossbows are no longer associated with muzzleloading privileges. To hunt deer and bear with a crossbow during the bowhunting seasons that overlap muzzleloader seasons, a hunting license and bowhunting privilege are required, not a muzzleloading license as in years past. Deer harvested with a crossbow during any NYS bowhunting season (early or late) may be tagged with a bow/muzzleloader either-sex tag, bow/muzzleloader antlerless tag, Deer Management Assistance Program tag (antlerless deer only), or a Deer Management Permit (antlerless deer only) for the Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) where the deer was harvested. This variety of tagging options gives you the flexibility to choose the most suitable one for your situation. A regular-season deer tag may be used during the late bowhunting season for a deer of either sex.

Whether we choose a longbow, recurve bow, compound bow, or crossbow, what unites hunters is a shared passion for hunting, conservation, and passing traditions on to the next generation. This commitment to preserving our hunting heritage and instilling a love for the outdoors in future generations is the most important point moving forward.

Gotta love the outdoors.

Can Pheasants Be Forever?

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Pheasants Forever is expanding public upland habitats, empowering grassroots chapters, supporting private landowners, and engaging women and youth hunters. 
  • Learn about Pheasants Forever – their periodicals: Pheasant Journal, the Quail Journal – check them out.
  • At the annual 2025 Pheasant Fest EXPO, more than 23,000 attended. Share the force of support with others!
Kate Ahnstrom, Syren Shotgun Pro, demonstrates proper shotgun fit with youth attendees at the 2025 Kansas Pheasant Fest event. David Gray photo

By David Zumbaugh

Yes! With your help. Pheasants Forever is a U.S.-based non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife habitats through habitat improvements, public access, education, and advocacy. Founded in 1982 in response to the declining pheasant populations and loss of grassland habitat across the Midwest, PF boasts 480,000 members in 40 states and Canada. PF is a 501(c)(3) tax entity, so it must operate exclusively for charitable, scientific, literary, educational, or other purposes that benefit the public. PF justifiably meets all these criteria.

Pheasants Forever is a grassroots, boots-on-the-ground, volunteer, membership-based organization. Most members are avid upland bird hunters, but landowners interested in improving the natural balance on their properties, conservationists, and wildlife enthusiasts are also proud supporters.

DVM Clairissa Maples with youth raffle winners of Canine Field First Aid Kit at Pheassant Fest 2025. David Gray photo

PF’s impact is tangible and inspiring. With biologists on staff from many states, PF educates rural landowners about federal and state conservation programs and assists them with the application process to improve habitat. PF directly purchases land to permanently protect select acres for upland wildlife while advocating other areas for public hunting. While the measured success is evident in the new public access for nearly 200,000 acres for bird hunting or outdoor recreation, PF has impacted millions of acres of wildlife habitat across the U.S. through restoration, enhancement, and protection projects.

One example is “Corners for Wildlife”. The Kansas Corners for Wildlife Program in NW Kansas offers farmers and ranchers the opportunity to improve financial results and recover wildlife habitat by providing five years of annual rental payments for planting acres with an approved conservation cover mix. Specifically targeted are the corners of center pivot irrigation systems, but other buffer areas, field borders, waterways, and edge ground are also considered. Initiated through a partnership with the Ringneck Classic, the program that brings people together for an annual pheasant hunt to raise funds to benefit the Northwest Kansas Conservation Foundation (NWKCF), promote hunting tourism, and contribute to local economies.

Highlights:

  • Over $600K has been raised to support the program.
  • PF is assisting in facilitating the program, but it is driven by local volunteers (Logan, Thomas, and Sherman Counties in Kansas).
  • Nearly 1000 acres have been enrolled since May 2024, with a goal of 10,000 acres.
  • The goal is to expand from four counties to all of NW Kansas.
The 2026 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, from February 20-22, 2026. David Gray photo

Pheasants Forever is notably involved in engaging new members in the hunting community through recruitment, retention, and reactivation of previously active bird hunters. The group sponsors many youth hunts and associated state-required hunter safety classes, emphasizing the importance of safety in every hunt. Gun safety is always stressed when in the field, ensuring a secure and enjoyable experience for all.

If you daydream about past hunts but are short on time to go, the Pheasant Journal is a periodical that can help. With feature articles on how and where to go, you will be enthralled for hours. Pages are filled with dramatic color images of days in the field and a section with photos “from the good old days”, including grandpa, his old shotgun, and his bird dog. If you are shopping for new gear or want to get a feel for the organization, grab a copy to peruse. A companion publication, Quail Journal, is available for those after “Gentleman Bob” (or the five other quail species).

The highlight of the year for the Pheasants Forever organization is a showcase event called Pheasant Fest. Officially called the National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, this convention-style extravaganza draws thousands of enthusiasts from across the country. Whether you are interested in the latest model of shotgun, new boots, a puppy, or more, this is an event you don’t want to miss. Youngsters get excited and can’t get enough of the dog breeds during the “bird dog parade,” which happens on day one of the convention. There is something for everyone at this gathering, whether it be live music or the plethora of activities for kids; smiles are unanimous. Federal and state conservation agencies are front and center, offering advice on improving your land. Seed companies, along with agricultural implement dealers, are available to deploy plant varieties for bird nutrition and cover crops for winter survival. Speakers across several stages provide advice on topics from dog training to new hunting sites. The 2026 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, from February 20-22, 2026. 

To learn more, visit www.pheasantsforever.org and www.kansasringneckclassic.com.

 

The Science of a Walleye Worm Harness – Why do they work? You can Make One!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • A scientist might suggest we study fluid dynamics, rotational mechanics, and drag forces to create the perfect spinner/worm rig.
  • In practice, perfect performance has been achieved for decades using trial and error…and not much engineering.
  • Add 2 more beads, make them 8mm, not 6mm, use a larger clevis, make it a #4 Colorado, not a #3 – and there we have it: A perfect fish catcher! A cooler full of walleyes!
A willow leaf spinner blade with similar matching beads tied on a monofilament leader made by 3D-Tackle Company works well at higher boat speeds. Photo by @willsworldoutdoors.

By Forrest Fisher

Spinner and worm rigs are a staple for catching walleye across the U.S. and Canada because they combine several characteristics that specifically appeal to the way walleye feed. Why are they so effective? It’s simple: flash, vibration, scent, and taste.

Many walleye anglers from across North America have grown up with friends who used a spinner/worm harness rigged with a live nightcrawler as their ONLY LURE for walleye fishing. In tackle shops where walleye fishing is famous, hand-made spinner/worm rigs dot the walls. In Eastern Lake Erie, a spinner-worm (nightcrawler) harness is tried-and-true as a walleye catcher. The innocent-looking rigs are especially effective all summer long. To rig them properly, there are balance, bead, spacing, and blade color considerations, and at least three differences in blade shapes. Each of these variables matters.

Along the New York shoreline of lake Erie, daily angler limit catches of 6-walleye per angler, 15-inch minimum, are typical. Four anglers innthe boat and at the dock, 24 walleyes in the cooler headed for the cleaning station in Barcelona, Dunkirk, Sunset Bay and Buffalo, NY. The walleye fishing from all of the Chautauqua County ports of access has been amazing. The best lure for 2025? Yep, a simple spinner and worm rig. Forward-facing sonar or regular downscan, the fish don’t care, just get a spinner/worm down there and hang on.

A Colorado blade tied on a wire spinner/worm harness is more durable than a monofilament leader. This is a “wonderbread” color pattern from the Eye-Fish Lure Company. Jim Klein Photo

A scientist might defer to suggesting that we all study fluid dynamics, rotational mechanics, drag forces, and material balance to achieve consistent blade spin across a wide range of trolling speeds. In practice, the drag force, lift force, and oscillation of the blade have been achieved for decades using trial and error, and not much engineering.

A typical nightcrawler harness consists of a spinner blade (Colorado, Indiana, or Willow), a series of beads – usually measured in millimeters, and one or two hooks (single) tied on a monofilament, stainless steel, or wire leader.

The blade shape matters because it affects vibration, flash, and the speed at which you can troll effectively. The Colorado blade is round, used for very slow trolling (1-1.5 mph), has a slow, wide wobble with a strong vibration, and works well in murky water. The Indiana blade, a versatile teardrop shape with moderate wobble and flash, is a good all-around blade. The Willow blade is a long, narrow blade made for fast trolling in clear water that provides lots of flash and works best when flash is more important than vibration.

Once the blade choice is made, the worm must be rigged just right. Use a whole nightcrawler and carefully thread the very tip of the head of the worm onto the first hook near the beads, then lightly hook the second hook about halfway down the body. Let the tail hang free; don’t thread it all the way up, or it won’t have natural action. Keep it straight – a twisted or overly curved crawler can spin unnaturally, causing line twist and reducing hits.

A one-man limit of walleyes (6) from Eastern Lake Erie can fill a freezer. Josh Larsen photo.

Of course, today, a spinner/worm harness can be rigged on a diving plane, a downrigger, an in-line weight, or with a bottom bouncer wire or sinker. Depending on how you are rigged with a weight, troll or drift (if the wind is right) around contour lines, reefs, or on noted suspended schools of walleye over deeper water. Vary speed and direction slightly as walleye often hit during speed changes and turns. For example, you can speed up and slow down your trolling speed or make slight turns to the left or right. These variations can often trigger an instant strike from a humble and cautious walleye. Speed changes and sharp turns can provoke walleye into striking.

Orange/green beads are excellent for stained water as they mimic young-of-the-year yellow perch. Photo by @willsworldoutdoors.

Bead colors matter, too, depending on light conditions, water clarity and forage. Chartreuse/green is excellent for stained water or low light and mimics emerald shiners and young-of-the-year yellow perch. Purple/dark red is excellent for clear water and sunny days, as walleyes see purple well in the deepest water. Orange/fire-tiger is bright and functional in slightly stained or dirty water. Glow beads are great for dawn, dusk or deeper water where light is minimal. Metallic beads reflect light and act as mini-flashers during high sunshine.

When we mix and match colors and blade types, the most effective favorites are found. That’s what friends are for. Spread the word and have fun out there. There are lots of walleye to catch, especially in Lake Erie, the Eastern end.

If you attempting to make your first homemade spinner and worm rig and need a simple Forrest Fisher formula, try this one – it works: Use a #3 or #4 Colorado blade in hammered nickel finish, a wide metal clevis, size 6 or size 8 mm plastic beads in alternating colors (chartreuse/orange for contrast), two #4 Gamakatsu or Mustad snelled octopus hooks, all on 48 -60 inches of 15-20 pound fluorocarbon leader line. Use enough beads to occupy the blade length plus 2 beads when the blade is laid down horizontally over the beads. Visit a local tackle shop for these parts. This spinner-worm rig setup will work at enticingly slow speeds of o.9-1.9 mph with a 1- to 3-ounce bottom bounce 3-way rig or an inline sinker in 15- to 50-foot depths of water. This rig will provide lots of fish-catching flash and get right down to the bottom when used with a mainline of 10-15-pound braid.

Spinner and worm rigs are so effective because they stimulate multiple senses—sight, vibration, and smell/taste—at once, while being slow and natural enough to match the feeding style of walleye. Their adaptability to different fishing conditions and ability to provoke both feeding and reaction bites make them a go-to for walleye anglers. Go get ’em!

 

If the World Only had a Front Porch

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • My story began with a song by country singer Tracy Lawrence, titled “If the World Had a Front Porch.”
  • If neighbors or someone else were out walking or drove by and stopped, they were invited to sit on the front porch.
  • Sometimes, on that front porch, I would skin squirrels, rabbits, a raccoon, or quail that I got with Grandpa’s old shotgun.

By Larry Whiteley

I was returning from a camping and fishing trip one day recently and decided to drive by the farmhouse where I was born, on my Grandma and Grandpa’s farm. The house, the old barn, the smokehouse, the chicken coop, and the outhouse were no longer there. They were torn down many years ago.

Summertime on the front porch and the living is easy.

I got out of my truck and started walking around the bare land. There was nothing left for anyone to know that this had once been a place where many happy memories were made. As I walked, I could see in my mind’s eye everything that was once there.

As I kept walking, I heard the sound of gurgling water. I walked up the hill behind where the old barn stood. The old spring I used to haul water for drinking, baths, and Grandma’s cooking was still there. We also stored milk from our Jersey cow named Daisy in its cold water. I filled my cupped hand with its water and sipped a drink just as I used to do many years ago.

On my way back to my truck, I stopped again where the old farmhouse had been. It remembered the big front porch. We spent lots of time there in every season but winter when I was a kid growing up. During the summer we spent time on that front porch at the end of the day after all the chores were done. There was no air conditioning back then. Even if there was, we had no electricity.

Grandpa would light a kerosene lantern and whittle on a piece of wood while smoking his pipe and sitting in his rocking chair. I still have that chair. Grandma would read her Bible by the light of the lantern, or mend clothing by hand with needle and thread.

Sometimes, on that front porch, I would skin squirrels, rabbits, a raccoon, or quail that I got with Grandpa’s old shotgun or from my trap line. Sometimes I would clean frogs or fish.

Anytime is a good time to sit on the front porch, but it seems Spring is a best time.

Chickens would be walking around in the yard. Their dogs, Trixie and Blackie, would lay on the front porch worn out from their busy day chasing squirrels and rabbits. When I was younger, I would run around catching fireflies and put them in a Mason jar with holes in the lid. We listened to the sounds of whip-poor-wills and owls hooting.

It was hard to leave the memories that day, but we had church that night and I knew my wife would be waiting. I got back in my truck and started toward home. On the way, I passed by the town where I spent my teenage years after Grandpa died and we left the farm.

The old main street was still there, but none of the businesses I remember from back then. The cafe, drug store, hardware store, post office, barber shop, doctor’s office, and pool hall were no longer there.

South of Main Street was the school I attended for all twelve years. It was now used for offices in the school district. The high school is across town and a hundred times bigger than the one I attended. The Junior High and several elementary schools are scattered around the town. It had grown into a big city I hardly recognized. Fast food choices, shopping centers, and housing developments were everywhere.

I decided to drive by some of the old houses we lived in before I left to serve our country and start my own life. Driving through some of the old neighborhoods I could still recognize, I noticed that the houses all had front porches, just like we did on the farm.

The Fall season on the front porch is wonderful.

It was a time before televisions and computers dominated people’s lives and kept them indoors. A time before a porch in the front got much smaller, and people built backyard patios or decks with tall, wooden fences around them. Today, most people are unaware of their neighbors on the other side of the fence. We stay in our little world.

It was a time when we did not worry about crime. It was a time when life did not seem so hectic and sometimes scary. I don’t think we were as busy back then. It was a time when people would sit on front porches, reading the newspaper or the Bible, playing checkers, or talking face-to-face with each other, instead of using smartphones.

During Summer, they would fan themselves and try to stay cool under the shade of the front porch. If neighbors or someone else were out walking or drove by and stopped, they were invited to sit on the front porch and enjoy a glass of tea or lemonade. Maybe even a bowl of homemade ice cream or a plate of sliced watermelon.

They enjoyed their front porches in the Spring as they watched flowers bloom and listened to birds sing. When Fall arrived, they would sit on their front porch enjoying the colors of the leaves. Sometimes in Winter, they were on their front porch watching the snow fall.

Women talked of kids and grandkids, what was happening at church, shared Bible verses, and showed off their flower or vegetable garden. Most of the men were veterans of World War II or the Korean War. There were always a few war stories shared. Politics was a topic of conversation, but not like it is today in our divided nation.

There were times when I was a teenager, and I would come walking by and was invited to sit with folks on their front porch. The women would ask how Mom, Dad, and my siblings were doing. They wanted to know if I was going to college after high school. They always asked me if I was going to church.

The men wanted to know how my basketball or baseball season was going. They would ask if I was going to join the military. They all knew I loved the outdoors and would share their memories of hunting and fishing stories with me.

Dress warm and enjoy the front porch during every season of the year.

They would also ask about my latest hunting and fishing adventures, of which there were many to share with them. They knew I loved to go gigging for frogs on summer nights and would hint to me how much they liked fried frog legs, hoping I would offer to bring them some. They would also tell me how much they liked fried crappie and fried sucker fish. There were times I would take some of them both. They loved it when I did that.

Later in life, my wife and I bought a cabin in the woods on a bluff. It had a front porch where we could see the creek below and the waterfall cascading down the hill. We spent many hours on that front porch enjoying family, friends, and hummingbirds.

When I think about it, some of my best memories came from sitting on front porches. Front porches from those years were where some of life’s greatest moments unfolded for me. I am sure when people my age think about it, they would probably say the same.

The idea for this story has been floating around in my head for quite some time. It started with a song by country singer Tracy Lawrence called If the World Had a Front Porch.

If the world had a front porch like we did back then,

We’d still have problems, but we’d all be friends.

Treatin’ your neighbor like he’s your next of kin,

wouldn’t be gone like the wind.

If the world had a front porch like we did back then.

Maybe, we need to get Democrats and Republicans together on a front porch. Maybe, we need to get the leaders of other countries together on a front porch. We would probably still have some problems, but maybe we could all strive to be friends. It could help change the world before it is gone like the wind. If only the world had a front porch like we did back then.

A Time To Be By Yourself

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • With all that is happening in America and the world, I put my thoughts into words and hope STO readers enjoy this and go and spend time outdoors by themself.

By Larry Whiteley

Sometimes, a feeling comes over me, and I know I must get away by myself to a place where I cannot do anything but relax and think. A place away from negative news of riots, illegal aliens, wars, and all the other bad stuff going on in the world.

I have no problem being by myself. I enjoy it. As a kid growing up on the farm, I spent a lot of time by myself out hunting squirrels or fishing in the creek. I also had a special tree I liked to climb. In its comforting limbs, I would daydream.

One of my special, by-myself places was lying in the hay in the barn loft and listening to rain hitting the old tin roof. I also had a secret place deep in the woods where I built a tiny cabin with limbs and mud. The roof was an old piece of tin. I took my BB gun with me to fight off Indians or German soldiers.

When I got older, Fall was, and still is, my favorite time to be by myself outdoors. It was hunting time. I was in tree stands and blinds hunting deer, turkeys, and ducks. I marveled at the kaleidoscope of colors that surrounded me. I enjoyed the cool nip in the air.

I walked in the woods and fields by myself in the Spring while I searched for mushrooms and turkeys. During the Summer, I would find a creek that few people knew about and do some fishing. Sometimes I would take my clothes off and go for a swim or I would catch crawdads to fish with or boil up and eat. At night, I would go gigging for frogs along its banks.

When Winter came, I would leave the warmth of home and venture outdoors into a winter wonderland of freshly fallen snow. I loved to follow the tracks of the animals that lived in the fields and forests. I would hike through the hills and marvel at icicles hanging from the rock bluffs and beautiful frost flowers created by the cold air and moisture from weeds and plants. Once you see them, you will never forget them.

After I married, we had kids, and I passed on to them what I had learned and experienced from all the time I had spent doing things by myself. I told them that being with family and friends is very important. So is time by themselves. It is for all of you reading this. It can change and shape your life.

Our kids are married now and have grown kids of their own. They enjoy fishing, hunting, camping, and hiking together. They also know the value and importance of finding time by themselves.

I get up every morning, every season of the year, and go outdoors. I sit and watch the sunrise and talk to God. Birds come into our feeders. Squirrels look for acorns. Rabbits nibble on the grass. I sip my coffee and enjoy the show. When evening arrives, I am out there again enjoying the sunset or the moonrise. I thank God for how he has blessed me.

That urge to be by myself, I have done so many times in my life, is coming on again. It has been building for a few months, and I must go. To a valley, by a creek, surrounded by wooded hills. Maybe I will take my fishing rod. Maybe I will take my hiking shoes. Maybe I will take my camera. Maybe I will take my tent and camp on a hill where I can see the beautiful country around me. Maybe I will take a hammock and hang it between two trees. Maybe, I will take a book. Maybe I will work on a story like this one.

For breakfast, I will fry bacon and eggs in a skillet over a campfire. Lunch will be snack food. For dinner, I will take some potatoes to fry in that skillet or wrap in foil and bake in that campfire. I will catch fish to go along with some potatoes. If I don’t catch any fish, I will eat just potatoes.

None of that matters much. Each of us will have our own ideas of what we need and where we want to go to spend some time alone. We need to keep it simple for this to work for us. Most importantly, do not take too much of anything and do it alone.

I will fish a little. Lie around. Read. Gather some firewood. Go for a swim in the creek. Lie around. Contemplate what it was like when Indians or settlers were there. Look at cloud shapes. Lie around. Listen to the water flowing and wonder where it goes on its journey. Skip rocks. Look for arrowheads. Take a nap. Build a campfire. Look at the stars and thank God for what He has done in my life. Thank Him for my family, my church, and all that He has created for me to enjoy all these years, and what few years I have left.

My mind will be free to drift where it will, thinking about things that matter a lot. To think about things that matter very little. It is easier to do all that when you are alone, away from this crowded and broken world we all live in today.

It is much easier to think objectively about life, marriage, children, grandchildren, friends, goals, dreams, and God when you focus mostly on the sky, trees, the land around you, and flowing water.

There is much to be said about finding time in this busy world for a little solitary time away from crowded roads with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Time away from television screens, computer screens, and smartphone screens. It helps you get acquainted with yourself again. Get down to the essentials of life. Enjoy getting to know yourself again. Discovering who you are.

You will know when the time is right for you. A time when you need to escape somewhere. A place to get away to where your soul and mind can be free to roam for a while. It may not be the way I do it. It may be a quiet time at a park, on your porch, or in your backyard. Being outdoors when you do it is an essential factor in making this work.

Wherever it is, whenever it is, find a time to be by yourself.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

 I wondered why places are so much lovelier when one is alone. 

– Daphne du Maurier

 

 

Atomic Fishing Line – The GAMMA Connection

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Better fishing line through Science and Chemistry.
  • The Gamma process of extruded monofilament and fluorocarbon lines is “Molecularly Altered.”
  • The Gamma fishing line process provides Unprecedented Flexibility, Shock Resistance, Strength, Abrasion Resistance, and Low Memory. It’s all about Science.

By Darl Black

Besides the essential hook, what is the most important tool for fishing? Take a moment to consider the top possibilities: a super-amazing lure, one of the many outstanding rod and reel combos, or is it the vital connection between the lure and the rod tip? The fishing line.

Dale Black (the Gamma Guy) says his four most popular molecularly altered lines are Polyflex, Optic Yellow Panfish, Touch, and Edge.

“Without the fishing line, we simply would not enjoy the sport of fishing,” muses Dale Black, President of Black Knight Industries, home to Gamma Line. “In the extruded line category, which includes nylon monofilament and polyvinylidene fluoride fluorocarbon (PVDF). Anglers desire a line that receives high-performance marks for the best combination of break strength, abrasion resistance, and suppleness. We offer unique products that meet those parameters.”

It all started 20 years ago when Dale, an expert river angler, was assisting a small group of outdoor writers on a story-generating tour to the middle section of the Allegheny River at the invitation of the local tourist promotion agency.

“Tom Ferrence, one of the attendees, was talking about a relatively new fishing line on the market coming out of Pittsburgh, PA – Gamma was its name. I had never heard of it before,” Dale explains. “The company had a special process used on extruded nylon for tennis racquet strings, then expanded into the fishing line and leader business. Using a pull-test apparatus, Tom demonstrated that Gamma outperformed all competitors’ monofilament and fluorocarbon line products of the same diameter in the break-strength test. I had to try a spool! I was so impressed that I bought the fishing line division of the company when it came up for sale four years later.”

That was the “Cliff Notes” version, but between point A and point B, Dale had much to investigate—testing Gamma line under different fishing circumstances, talking to guides and professional anglers who had been using it, acquiring an education for fishing line production and spooling, and specifically learning how Nanotechnology used by Gamma Technologies yields an incredible finished product.

Dale explains, “Gamma’s extruded monofilament and fluorocarbon lines are molecularly altered, creating filaments with an unprecedented combination of flexibility, shock resistance, strength, abrasion resistance, and low memory when compared to filaments of the same or similar material composition. The patented Gamma processing breaks down the stiff, long-chain molecules created during extrusion and drawing while creating millions of intermolecular bonds to cross-link the structure, resulting in a stronger, more flexible line.”

At the time, Dale was the franchise owner of a local business with a reliable income, but his sight was set on something much bigger. Being part of the fishing industry was in his blood. Therefore, he convinced his wife, Heidi, that the opportunity to acquire the rights to a product requires considerably more investment in time, travel, and money than his present occupation would be worth it in the long run. This effort would create a family-owned business without the backing or involvement of a large corporate structure; instead, family members and a limited number of employees would need to spool, package, distribute, and promote Gamma Line.

Outdoor writer Marilyn Black and Gamma Guy Dale Black display a few smallmouth bass taken during a recent outdoor writer Fam Tour on the Allegheny River. Both anglers were fishing tubes; Marilyn (no relation to Dale) had her reel spooled with 6-pound Edge, while Dale had his spooled with 5-pound Touch. All the fish were released alive.

Once the deal was inked in late 2010, the specially-built spooling machinery, computers, and already-packaged stock were moved from Pittsburgh to a rented space in Rouseville, Pa., near his home. But Gamma Line outgrew that site rather quickly. In 2020, Dale acquired a larger building and moved the shop to nearby Franklin, Pa.

Dale Black is working with the multi-spooler that feed line to the various retail spools (Pony, Filler, Re-Fill and Mini Bulk).

Here is how ordinary nylon monofilament and fluorocarbon end up on the tackle shop shelves at Gamma Fishing Line. The line is extruded in Japan, and a specific supplier has been working with Gamma for years.

The line is shipped to Gamma Technologies in Pittsburgh, where it receives the Gamma Processing. The line skeins (large bundles of the same pound test) are then delivered to Gamma Fishing Headquarters in Franklin. The ties are cut, and the line is loaded on simple payoff machines. The line is then wound onto large “payoff spools” to feed “multi-spoolers” that wind the line onto smaller commercial spools for retail sales.

“I supervise the back of the shop – production, ordering, spooling of line, labeling, and machine maintenance,” acknowledges Dale.  “My niece, Shelby, manages the office and shipping. Heidi is the Chief Financial Officer, and we both do promotions at sports shows, tournament showcases and outdoor writer events.”

Gamma Line is one of those products that anglers may be skeptical about until they actually fish with it for a period of time. Dale says, “I know because I was one of those skeptics. It took an entire season of using 6-pound Gamma Edge on a favorite smallmouth/walleye spinning outfit to sway me. It performed much better than expected. For example, during fall trips for river smallmouth in deep current pools where snagging debris piles frequently occurred, I would accidentally snag debris and hold the boat in the strong current with my 6-pound Gamma. In contrast, others on board caught bass from all around the sunken cover. From then on, all my rods were spooled with Gamma, including daily use of 4-pound test Gamma Panfish Copolymer on a half-dozen customer rods during my stint as a crappie guide.”

The folks at Black Knight Industries are always excited to hear from anglers who are enjoying higher catch rates when they switch to one of the Gamma Line products. “Our customers tell us they are most impressed with the strength, suppleness, and low memory of our lines,” adds Dale. “Furthermore, they aren’t losing fish due to line breakage, and they find the manageability of Gamma’s Edge and Touch fluorocarbon to their liking compared to other fluorocarbons.”

Jeff Knapp with a few walleyes from Pymatuning Lake using blade baits with 16-pound Edge leader to reduce fouling of hooks on the line. 

Pete Cartwright of SmalliesOnTheYough guide service says, “Gamma Edge is the only line I will use. Its abrasion resistance and strength are up to any challenge faced on the river. The invisibility of fluorocarbon is a must during low, clear summer water. I have trusted Gamma Line with my guide clients for years – there is no other choice.”

Keystone Connection Guide Service owner Jeff Knapp spools various Gamma Lines on his wide selection of rods. One particular use is Edge as leader material with braided lines to fish glide jigs (Rapala Jigging Raps and Acme Hyper Rattlers) and the classic blade baits (Silver Lucky) for walleyes. “These lures are worked in an aggressive jigging motion that has the potential to foul a hook on the leader. To counteract this, I fish a 16-pound Edge leader between 12 and 24 inches long. This thicker/stiffer line dramatically reduces fouled baits and wasted casts.”

Multispecies angler Denny Beggs employs a 6-pound fluorocarbon Gamma Edge leader on his steelhead outfit, as well as his stream trout and panfish rods. “I use a 4-foot leader tied to my main line, which may be Torque braid or, in some instances, Polyflex monofilament. I rarely have a break-off when I hook an acrobatic, hard-fighting steelhead in the Lake Erie surf.”

Light tackle guru Brad Buchheit spools only 5-pound Gamma Touch on his ultralight baitcasting outfit, successfully landing everything from huge crappies to muskellunge and carp.

For more information on Gamma, visit the Gamma Lines website, email sales@GammaFishing.com or call 814-676-3474.

New Postage Stamps Capture the Essence of Fishing

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • The five stamps feature a popper, spoon, crankbait, spinner, and wake bait.
  • Each stamp is valid for one ounce of First-Class postage.
  • The stamps were unveiled at the Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, a location known for its rich fishing history and as a hub for fishing enthusiasts, on March 13, 2025.

By Forrest Fisher

There is something special about catching a fish with a carved piece of painted wood or metal with attached hooks. What was that fish thinking? Curiosity is a powerful element in life. Last month, on March 13, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued its new series of fishing lures stamps at the Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri – the stamps are beautiful.

The freshwater fishing lure stamp series features heritage lure designs, many with a historical connection.

“With these stamps, the Postal Service celebrates the beauty and ingenuity behind some of America’s most successful lures,” said John DiPeri, the Postal Service’s Western Region vice president, who spoke at the event held at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium. “Fish find each of these designs irresistible … and we think you will, too,” DiPeri said. Other speakers included Misty Mitchell, Director of Conservation Education at the Johnny Morris Foundation; Mike Webb, owner of Webb’s Guide Service; Pat Taggart, president of the Springfield Chapter of the Missouri Trout Fisherman’s Association; JP Sell, National Youth Fishing Association director; and Francis Skalicky, a media specialist for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “Fishing lures are more than just tools — they represent tradition, innovation, and a deep connection to the great outdoors,” said Lee Beasley, campus director at Bass Pro Shops, who served as master of ceremonies.

The Forever Stamps feature close-up photographs of five popular lure designs. From the earliest handmade wooden lures to modern swimbaits made of advanced materials, countless freshwater fishing lures are available, each designed to meet the specific purpose of the angler.

With all their colorful and prismatic variations, some of today’s lures are pretty good at catching the angler, not the fish, but these stamps reflect the heritage of age-old, time-proven fishing lures.

Crankbaits, or plugs, are popular among anglers because they are relatively easy to use. They attract a variety of fish, including bass, walleye and pike. A plastic lip and curved body create the lure’s unique swimming action, allowing it to dive and wiggle just by casting out and reeling in. Anglers run these lures along the bottom, bouncing them off rocks, logs, or other submerged structures.

The in-line spinner lure mimics the movement of a swimming bait fish, attracting predator fish with a spinning blade and a weighted body that creates vibration in the water. Spinners often have tails dressed with feathers, animal hair, or an undulating rubber skirt to attract bass, trout, pike, and other species in shallow streams, deeper rivers, and lakes.

Spoon lures, named for their concave shape, have a rich history dating back to the 1800s. It is believed that a blacksmith in Vermont created the first spoon lure by sawing off the handle of a tablespoon and attaching a hook. This historical connection provides special honor to the tradition of fishing.

Topwater lures float on the surface of the water and are extremely popular. Wake baits use metal or plastic wings to create a commotion like a boat’s wake as they skim the surface. A popper has a concave face that makes a popping sound when pulled across the water.

Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, meticulously designed the stamps using original photographs by Sarah Cramer Shields. As Forever Stamps, each freshwater fishing lure stamp in the series is valid for one ounce of First-Class Mail. Their work transforms these utilitarian objects that catch fish into miniature pieces of art in the stamps, highlighting the craftsmanship involved in fishing lure design.

The fishing lure stamp series celebrates the enduring allure of fishing, capturing the sport’s essence and place in American culture. I’m headed to the Post Office right now. Forever Stamps of every sort are now 73 cents each. I might not buy gas this week.

Gotta love the outdoors.

When EAGLES SOAR – they can make Long Distance Friends

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Mature bald eagles are numerous across the USA today. There are reaosns why.
  • Nature is as nature is, sometimes ruthless and uncaring. Volunteers and trained staff can help balance the imbalance when it happens. Read the story. 

By Forrest Fisher

Mature bald eagles are numerous in Western New York today. After reading the story, we might ask ourselves if their wonderful survival had something to do with Merganser Ducks from Dunkirk Harbor, NY. James Monteleone photo

No, not rock, paper, scissors! This was a serious story that ended well. In the hard, cold winter in Dunkirk Harbor, a historical protective eastern Lake Erie harbor located in Southwest New York. It was the year after the warm water discharge of the Dunkirk Power Plant shut down that I received a desperate phone call from a humble lady who was serving as the volunteer coordinator for a group called Messenger Woods. The group is a large volunteer Conservation Organization in Western New York that has tasked itself with helping nurse injured outdoor critters back to health at their Holland, NY facility. They also share their wildlife care processes at numerous home-care satellite locations in the Western New York area. It was on a 3-way phone call with a long-time NYSDEC biologist who was asking if my outdoor fishing friends and I might know of a way to find some minnows for feeding the half-starved Merganser Ducks dying in Dunkirk Harbor. I was careful to explain that everything from the Niagara River in Buffalo to Lake Erie in Ohio was frozen solid. The harbor had frozen over too, with the power plant closure, and the waterfowl birds could not feed on their usual minnow diet – which had been found there for decades annually. “The other concerning issue,” the biologist expressed, “Is that the some of the members at the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club near the harbor had counted a total of 27 bald eagles sitting around the harbor and decimating the dying duck population.”

It was not pretty, but nature does as nature does.

Of course, this occurred at a time when no one was allowed to net minnows because of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). However, the ducks could eat them and survive with no problem. Tough birds. As the conservation management groups (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation – DEC) did not want the disease to spread, the uncertified Lake Erie minnow curfew was on. Perch fishermen had to use certified minnows (emerald shiners) from a tested source.  It was costly and labor intensive – fishing efforts fell far away from normal fishing days on the water. Yet, on this day, we received official permission to catch minnows in any manner for the sole purpose of helping these starving waterfowl survive.

It was a race against time.

Sometimes we need to think outside the circle, we keep hearing from managers everywhere. So we did. We used chainsaws to cut large block holes in the ice, then used a home-made circular minnow net to drop down and raise quickly to bring the minnies up. With pounds of minnows and multiple 5-gallon buckets, many birds were saved. We did this for a few weeks. It was quite an eye-opener to realize how many minnows one Merganser Duck can eat in a day! The ducks were doing well in a few weeks and were all eventually released.

The real question I had for the DEC was simple. What about the Eagles? Will they be OK without this unexpected new food source of helpless ducks? The Eagles did OK, too.

In February 2025, DEC Wildlife staff received a report of a Bald Eagle banded in New York photographed alive and well in Georgia. This bird was rescued as a hatch-year male from the nearshore waters of Lake Erie in Chautauqua County in May of 2021, likely having fledged from a nearby clifftop nest. The bird underwent surgery for a fractured humerus at Cornell University’s Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital before being transferred to Messinger Woods Wildlife Care and Education in Holland, NY for rehabilitation, where it fully recovered. On Aug. 18, 2021, DEC Wildlife staff banded the eagle, and on Sept. 19, 2021, staff at Messinger Woods released it near where it was originally rescued. This successful rehabilitation is a testament to the effectiveness of our conservation efforts.

Bald eagle on the Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia, that had been banded and rehabilitated with help from Messenger Woods, Cornell University, and the NYSDEC in New York. Photo by Sarah Manning of Birds Georgia.

In February 2025, DEC received a report that this eagle was alive and well in Georgia. Staff from Birds Georgia, a chapter of the National Audubon Society, photographed the bird in October 2024 as it perched on a sand dune along the Cumberland Island National Seashore. While it is not unusual for an eagle to migrate south for the winter, we can’t be sure where exactly this bird has been since its release in 2021. It may stay in Georgia or migrate north each year.

Wildlife staff perform the task of banding eagles to help gather valuable information on movements, ranges, survival, and mortality. Each bird receives two bands, one on each leg: a state-color band with a field-readable alphanumeric code and a silver federal band with a unique nine-digit number. If this eagle had not been banded, we would have never known if it survived or where it went. Many thanks to the folks at Birds Georgia for reporting the band and to Cornell Wildlife Hospital and Messinger Woods for their invaluable contribution in nursing this bird back to full health!

Messinger Woods is dedicated to promoting community awareness, education and instruction, involvement, understanding, appreciation, and acceptance of our wildlife to conserve it. To co-exist and protect each other, our natural surroundings, and all the inhabitants of our earth by education. They promote quality care and medical attention for debilitated wildlife in a professional hospital setting, with the goal of increasing successful wildlife releases.

Visit them at https://www.messingerwoods.org/. To help effortlessly, you can also logon to https://Amazonsmile.com and choose Messenger Woods as your charitable organization. At no cost to you, Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of what you spend with them. Pretty cool. Thank you Lord for life-saving volunteers.

Gotta love the outdoors.

Angels without Wings

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

By Larry Whiteley

I saw a sign the other day that said – And God said, I will send them without wings so no one suspects they are angels. It also had a big paw print on it. Our family and most of you would agree that dogs are angels without wings. They are loyal, protective, and pure-hearted. They show us humans what unconditional love is.

Willie and Maverick love wearing costumes.

When commanded, they sit, then stay, then roll over. Their owners sometimes dress them up in costumes. They chase tails, fetch sticks, and lift spirits. They hunt, fish, camp, boat, and hike with you. They help you around the farm. They are your companion and love you without judgment.

With supportive eyes, they can lift the spirits of a broken heart and even lick the tears away. They remain patient and loyal. They do not care how rich or poor you are. They care and cuddle, snuggle and nuzzle. They cheer and charm, snore and slobber. They eat the trash and chase the squirrels or the neighborhood cat.

They bring us together as a family. A dog does not see your flaws. They do see their favorite person in the world. They bark, pant, and wag their tail when someone says something about going for a ride in the car. A dog will do all of that and much more. A dog will never break your heart until it is time for them to say goodbye.

I have said goodbye to many dogs in my life. Trixie and Blackie were both mixed breed dogs on Grandpa and Grandma’s farm where I was born. One of their jobs was to protect Grandma’s chickens from hawks and coyotes. They also ran off any other unwelcome critters, or humans, that came around.

As a kid, I explored around the farm. They were always there with me. Watching over me and showing me love and companionship, only a dog can give.

I remember crying when a rabid skunk bit Trixie. Grandpa had to shoot her. Blackie remained my buddy and was constantly with me around the farm. He died of old age. I cried again.

After Grandpa passed away, Grandma moved to town. Mom and Dad took over the farm. They were not dog lovers. I had no dog buddies except for my neighbor’s dog, Bo. He was a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Beagle with a snub tail.

Memphis sitting on his ATV waiting for a ride.

He loved to go squirrel hunting with me. He was getting old and had a lot of grays around his muzzle. On our last hunt together, he took off barking after a squirrel I had shot and wounded. The barking suddenly stopped. I found Bo lying motionless in some bushes. The squirrel was in his mouth. I buried him that way.

When my parents divorced, I had to leave the farm and move to town with Mom. I had no more dogs until I married, and we had kids. A German Shepherd named Buster was the first of many dogs in our family. What I remember most about Buster was how protective he was with our boys when they were little. When we walked along the road in front of our house, Buster always walked beside them to put himself between them and cars that came by.

He would sometimes wander around the neighborhood. One day, he never came home. Buster was a good-looking German Shepherd. My wife figured someone had stolen him. He finally did come home, but he looked like someone had mistreated him. We loved on him and nursed him back to health. Later, he would disappear again and never return. If he could have, he would have. We were his family.

Our oldest son came home one day with two Beagle puppies in the pockets of his coveralls. We called them Bo-Bo and Junior. Our middle son became especially attached to them. He went looking for Junior one day and found him in a trap. Somebody had shot him. He cried. Months later, Bo-Bo went exploring and never came home. We all have great memories of both.

Our youngest son also had a dog that was his buddy when he was still living at home. Hershey was a Chocolate Labrador and would be the first of many dogs in his life. We all loved that dog.

One day, a friend up the road gave us a blond-haired Poodle that became special to my wife. He was not afraid to fight any dog around. Buffy took on the oldest son’s Blue Tick Hound and several neighbor dogs. It did not matter to him how big they were. We broke up several fights he started.

A dog has a life expectancy of 10 to 13 years. Buffy was part of our family for 13 years. We buried him among the trees on the hill behind our house. A flat rock with his name carved in it marks his grave. It is a tribute to how much Buffy meant to us.

Then, there was our beautiful white German Shepherd named Jed. I love to read books and watch movies about the era of life when Mountain Men roamed the Rocky Mountains hunting and trapping. His name came from Mountain Man Jedediah Smith. One day, he left and never came home. We think a neighbor shot him because he thought he was chasing cattle. I still miss Jed.

The oldest son remained a dog lover after he moved away from home. At one time, he had seven different breeds of dogs of all sizes all at one time. His favorite dog was a mixed breed named Dingo. He had Dingo for eight years before he died of old age. He now has his buddy Stormy, another mixed breed.

When our middle son moved out and married, he had a mutt of a dog named Saspy that was special to him and us. He eventually died of old age. Then came Memphis, a Golden Retriever their two kids grew up with. We all loved Memphis.

He enjoyed our cabin with his family and riding around on our ATV. If we were in the cabin and looked out the window, Memphis would be sitting on the ATV, waiting for someone to take him for a ride.

Memphis developed a congenital heart disease. I went over to check on him when they were at work. I remember lying on the floor, petting and talking to him. He could not lift his head to drink out of his bowl. I would put water in my hand and hold it where he could lick it out.

I told him we all loved him, and his family would be alright. I told him he could close his eyes and go to dog heaven. A few days later, our son took him to the veterinarian to have him put to sleep so he would not suffer. Pictures of him are still on display around their house and our house. He was a special dog to all of us.

It took our son a while to get over the loss of Memphis and get another dog. Partly because they now had grand dogs to enjoy. His kids kept encouraging him to get a dog. They now have another Golden Retriever named Murphy. He says he is a goofball. He loves that dog like all the rest he has had.

Their son married a dog lover, too. His wife also grew up in a dog-loving family. Maverick is their Golden Retriever. Our grandson was into hunting ducks, so his wife got Maverick for him. Then, a little black bundle of energy named Willie joined their family. He is a Cavapoo, a cross between a Spaniel and a Poodle.

Dak and Max with their buddies.

Both dogs love to go out on the boat fishing or play in the water. Of course, they have their life jackets on. Our granddaughter-in-law even dresses them up in outfits for the holidays. Both are pretty special to all of us.

Our middle son’s daughter and her husband have two dogs, Max and Dak. Max is a rescue dog nobody wanted. She got him when she was still living at home. She says Max is her cuddle buddy and can turn anyone into a dog person.

Max is my buddy. I have fallen asleep with my arm around him while dog-sitting. He likes it when I or anyone else scratches his belly. We have also been on many walks together.

Dak is the newest member of their family. He is a German Shepherd/Malamute mix. She says he keeps them entertained. They never know when he will be a crazy man or a cuddle bug like Max. Dak always gives her a hug when she gets home from work. He is up for any adventure with his family.

Our youngest son, his wife, and our grandsons live in Wisconsin. The oldest is in college. The youngest is a Senior in high school. They are dog lovers like the rest of us. When the boys were young, they had Alex or Al Pal, as they called him. Our son called him a mutt. He was some special breed. They never found out what. At the same time, they also had Taylor, a Golden Retriever we all called Tatoes.

Later, they had two big English Mastiffs named Belle and Boulder. Then, a Golden Retriever named Harley. They are now gone. But there is now another English Mastiff named Apollo. He loves sleeping with Mom and Dad. He is a big goof and slobbers a lot. He is loved anyway.

Then there is the little yapper Rodger, aka Rodger Dodger, who likes to bark at anything. What he is doing is protecting his home and his family. Over the years, Rodger has become my buddy. I know he misses me when I am not there.

Dogs have all been a special part of the generations of our family. If you and your family are dog lovers, you can relate to a lot of this story because you also have dog stories of your own. Memories of them make you laugh or make you cry.

If you do not have dogs, I hope this story encourages you to become a dog family. You will be glad you did. It can change the lives of you, your family and your dog or dogs for the better.

We have great memories of all our dogs that are no longer here. We are thankful for those we still have who bring so much joy to our lives. They are family. They touch our hearts and our souls. They are blessings from God. To us, they are, or were, “Angels Without Wings.”

Henry Repeating Arms – Guns For Great Causes Program

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Gunmaker’s charitable branch, Guns for Great Causes, aims to give back and balance the narrative about firearm manufacturers
  • Henry Repeating Arms has donated over $3.5 million through Guns For Great Causes endeavors.

Compiled by Forrest Fisher

Henry Repeating Arms was started by Louis and Anthony Imperato in Brooklyn, New York, in 1996. The first model produced was the Henry H001 Classic Lever Action .22, and the first shipments were made in March 1997. Since then. their firearm products have become cherished collectibles.

In 2022, Henry Founder & CEO Anthony Imperato pledged to donate $1 million through its Guns for Great Causes charitable arm to celebrate the company’s twenty-fifth year in business. Today, Henry Repeating Arms, one of the country’s leading firearms manufacturers and a world leader in the lever action category, has donated so much more, adding hope and financial support for many causes.

Guns For Great Causes is the charitable arm of Henry Repeating Arms. Its primary focus is on pediatric cancer – providing financial relief to families of sick children and donations to children’s cancer hospitals. In addition, Guns For Great Causes benefits military veterans, law enforcement, and first responder organizations, particularly those assisting the wounded, injured, and the families of those who lost their lives in the line of duty. Wildlife conservation, preserving and promoting America’s shooting sports traditions, firearm safety education, and 2nd Amendment advocacy are all additional beneficiaries of Henry’s Guns for Great Causes program. 100% of all Guns For Great Causes firearms sales are donated. Since its inception, Henry Repeating Arms has donated over $3.5 million through Guns For Great Causes endeavors. CLICK HERE to read more about Henry’s Guns For Great Causes.

During the Silver Anniversary year, CEO Anthony Imperato said, “I am most proud of being able to look back on the last twenty-five years of business and say with conviction that we were able to make a positive difference in the lives of others. More often than not, our industry is vilified and left with a perpetual black eye by the media. We, however, are determined to continue leading the charge in counteracting that narrative by showing how much positive impact we have as responsible corporate citizens.”

In addition, Henry Repeating Arms manages an ongoing program to provide financial relief to individual families of sick children going through treatments. This program involves creating, donating, and selling limited edition runs of custom engraved rifles, with the family receiving 100% of the sales.

Military veteran organizations, including the nation’s largest, like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, and those specifically providing aid to the wounded and families of the fallen, like Disabled American Veterans, Building Homes for Heroes, and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. In addition, charities benefiting law enforcement, first responders, and their families received financial support, including the Border Patrol Foundation, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the First Responder’s Children’s Foundation. This support is a testament to our respect and value for their service.

Henry Repeating Arms also continued its unwavering support for some of the country’s most impactful wildlife and habitat conservation groups like the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and Quail Forever with funding to assist with their efforts in conserving land and preserving access for future generations of hunters to enjoy. This commitment reassures us of the bright future of hunting. Henry also supported Second Amendment rights advocacy groups, those working to preserve and promote America’s shooting sports heritage, and programs responsible for teaching firearm safety and responsible ownership.

Click here to visit Henry Repeating Arms online to learn more.

Hunter Safety Requires Common Sense – New York has a Great Record

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • When used correctly, a Hunter Safety System Harness provides Fall-Arrest protections to keep the hunter safe up and down. 
  • The best part of the day is when we return home to our family safe and sound and you say, “Hey guys, I need your help to clean this deer.”

By Forrest Fisher

The carabiner attaches the loop of the full body harness around the hunter to the sliding loop of the lifeline that goes from the ground to the top of the stand to keep the hunter safe going up and down when hunting from a tree. The cost is around $40. Hunter Safety System photo

Common sense is the cornerstone of hunter safety. The 2024-25 hunting season in New York saw a significant decrease in hunting-related shooting incidents (HRSIs) and tree stand/elevated hunting incidents (EHIs), marking the second lowest on record. Most hunters are aware of the line between safety and risk, but some may need a reminder. It’s all about using common sense to stay safe in the field.

Interim NYSDEC Commissioner Mahar said. “Thanks to New York’s exceptional Hunter Education Program and hunters adhering to New York hunting regulations, requirements, and firearm safety, hunting continues to be a safe and enjoyable activity for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and visitors each year.”

DEC documented 11 HRSIs in 2024, including four two-party firearm incidents and seven self-inflicted incidents. Tragically, one of these incidents resulted in a self-inflicted fatality. Two incidents involved individuals who were not legally hunting. The actual hunting safety statistics are available on the DEC website. DEC also documented 11 Elevated Hunting Incidents (EHIs) in 2024, though not all falls are reported. Of these incidents, nine involved hunters failing to wear a safety harness or failing to connect the harness to a tree. Two of the falls were fatal; the others resulted in serious injuries. It’s important to remember that these incidents could have been prevented by properly using a fall-arrest harness system, where the hunter remains safely connected to the tree stand and the tree.

Tree stand safety is a fundamental part of New York’s Hunter Safety Program, as EHIs continue to be a major cause of hunting-related injuries. Properly using elevated stands and stand safety equipment is key to preventing injuries and fatalities. When used correctly, a harness and fall-arrest system keep the hunter connected from the moment they leave the ground to the stand above and all the way back down to the ground. It’s a reminder that many, if not all, tree stand incidents are preventable when hunters follow the ‘ABCs’ of tree stand safety.

Without getting complicated, use common sense to always inspect the tree and the tree stand before use. Replace worn or broken parts and straps of the tree stand before the season. We were raised without ropes or harnesses if you’re a white-beard hunter like me. That’s from the days of Rin-Tin-Tin and Gunsmoke. Today, we are smarter. If you’re going vertical, always use a full-body harness with a fall arrest lifeline system that connects to the tree before your feet leave the ground and stay connected going up and down. Use a haul line to raise your firearm, bow or crossbow into the stand; this keeps both hands free for safety during the ascent or descent.

All first-time hunters, bowhunters, and trappers in New York are required to successfully complete a hunter or trapper safety course and pass the final exam before being eligible to purchase a hunting or trapping license. These additional efforts in New York State to increase public awareness about hunting safety have sharply decreased hunting-related incidents from decades ago. For example, 166 HRSIs were reported in 1966. Many lives have been saved, but it all starts with each of us and common sense.

The best part of the day is when we return home to our family safe and sound and you say, “Hey guys, I need your help to clean this deer.”

Gotta love the outdoors!

 

Special Kids, Special Parents, Special Outdoors

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Read the story – Despite their past, foster children raised with kindness, love, the outdoors, family and Christianity become very special children.
  • Special children are found through adoption and foster care – they grow together through campfires, family smores and the outdoors. 
  • Share fishing, archery, raising chickens and farm animals, target shooting, and hunting develops character, resilience and the growth of special children.

By Larry Whiteley

I remember Vicki and Penny from back in the 1950s. Gene and Estelle, my parents’ friends, brought them home one day. When I first met them, they were young kids. I grew up with them, not realizing until later that I had never seen them as babies.

 When I asked my mother about that, she explained that they were not born into their family. They were adopted into their family because their parents could not or would not take care of them. They were special kids.

Later in life, my cousin Nancy and her husband Gary adopted two young boys who were special kids. They were brothers named Shane and Sean. Our kids grew up with them. They spent many happy times together during holidays and family get-togethers.

When our youngest son Kelly and his wife Lexi married, they could not have kids. So, they adopted our grandson Ty from Guatemala. The following year, they adopted his brother Sam and brought him home to be with his brother.

Instead of a tough life growing up on the streets of Guatemala, they grew up on a farm in Wisconsin. They helped take care of the chickens and sheep. One of their favorite things with their dad was target shooting with pellet guns or bows and arrows.

Our Guatemalan grandsons grew up in our family.

They have fished, camped, hiked, and played in the water, both at their cabin on a Wisconsin river and when they visited us at our cabin in Missouri. Making smores around a campfire was a popular activity at both places.

Kelly, Lexi and the special Guatemalan boys have also visited many of our National Parks all over America. When Ty graduated high school, he wanted his mom, dad, and brother to go to another National Park together as a graduation gift.

They would have never done the things they have experienced in Guatemala. Ty is now in college, and Sam graduates from high school this year. They are young men now, but they are always in our hearts. I have no doubt they will pass on their love of the outdoors to their kids someday. Our prayer is that our son, who is battling cancer, will be there when the time comes to help teach his grandkids to enjoy the outdoors as he did their dad.

There are more of these special kids in my life. Greg and Jennifer from our church were also unable to have kids, so they went through the foster care system. Ado and Avayonna are brother and sister. When they got them, Ado was three, and Avayonna was two. They adopted them in 2014, and they are now eighteen and sixteen.

Feinoxx, Adonijah, Ashlynn, Avayonna. Mom and Dad on Christmas morning.

Ashlynn and Feinoxx came from different families, also through the foster care system when they were both one-year-old. They were adopted in 2013 and are now 14.

A few years ago, they sent me a picture of all of them for Christmas. It hangs on the wall in my home office. It says on it, “There are friends, there is family, and then there are friends that become family.” Sometimes, I look at that picture, and I have to wipe a tear away.

I have watched them grow up into fine young people. They are blessed to have grown up in America. They love the outdoors and have a great mom and dad who do things with them. They are all very special to me and always will be.

Ado plays in the band at one of our church services. He can play several musical instruments and loves cars and old trucks. He even has a car detailing business. Feinoxx posts the stories I write on my blog for me and likes to go deer hunting with his dad. Avayonna is quiet but still gives me hugs. Ashlynn has special needs and is non-verbal. Her eyes shine when she is around someone she loves. Her smile will melt your heart.

I cannot imagine what their lives would have been like without Greg and Jennifer. These special kids will also have kids one day. Grandma and Grandpa will be there for them.

Also, at our church, another family is a special part of my life. Austin and Ashton already had daughters, Emma and Arlie. They decided to try to adopt a boy. Instead of one, they took in four brothers from the foster care program. 11-year-old Aiden is the oldest, followed by nine-year-old Charles, eight-year-old Ryder, and six-year-old Jace. If I were to tell you how these boys had to live before Austin and Ashton brought them home, your heart would break. No kids should ever have to grow up like they were. But kids are going through things in their young lives all over America that they should not have to go through.

What they did for these boys changed the lives of four brothers forever. Because of Austin and Ashton, the boys enjoy and love the outdoors. They fish, hunt squirrels, target shoot, help build campfires, and more. Learning to enjoy the outdoors can change anyone.

They also have chores like feeding chickens, gathering eggs, feeding livestock, helping in the garden, and other things. They are learning life lessons and growing up in a family they know loves them.

The day Aiden, Charles, Ryder, and Jace were officially part of the family.

A new grandson named Beau recently joined the family. He will grow up with these special boys. I know all this because they call me Grandpa Larry. I am honored and blessed to have been adopted by them. I even got to help baptize Emma, Arlie, Aiden, and Charles. When Ryder and Chase are ready to make that decision, I will baptize them with their dad’s help.

Many children like these need what these kids have. Adoption and foster care are about stepping into the world of a child and promising you will love them, protect them, defend them, advocate for them, teach them, support them, actively listen to them, and absorb their hurt and pain. You can give them the comfort, safety, and stability they need, which are fundamental to their development and well-being.

The most important thing is to keep your promise no matter what. No matter if medical issues change how the child lives, reacts, responds, behaves, learns, and loves. No matter if they want to find their birth parents and leave you. No matter if they cannot give you emotionally what you give them. Keep your promise to them.

Our teenage grandsons on a Florida fishing trip with Dad and Uncle Daron.

Also, always remember that it is not about you. It is about a child deserving a home they did not have for whatever reason. You need to want to help and be committed to the kids. You will not only bless the lives of these kids, but also yourself. Your reward is when they put their arms around your neck and say thank you or, I love you!  As it says in the first part of Mark 9:37 – Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me.

Some of you have read this and would like to help. But you do not think you could ever do what these people have done and are doing. There are other ways you can help. Go online and search for organizations where you can donate money to help with what they do for kids. Or donate a little time to take these special kids outdoors to discover all it offers.  That can help change the lives of special kids.

Visit the National Foster Parent Association (national orgnabization for foster, kinship and adoptive parents) at https://nfpaonline.org and the National Council for Adoption (national non-profit adoption association) at https://adoptioncouncil.org to learn more and how to get involved.

From the editor: About the author – Visit https://www.storiesbylarry.com/ and https://www.sharetheoutdoors.com/tag/larry-whiteley/. Larry Whiteley is part of the The Great Ozarks Outdoors, Inc.; 417-830-9023; Philippians 4:13; “My profession is to always find God in nature” – Henry David Thoreau. 

It’s Winter – Time for Tasty Wild Things

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Ever try wild turkey curry sandwich, rendezvous stew, herb-marinated pheasant skewers, beer battered smelt tacos, or ginger catfish stir-fry? Here is how, read below.
  • Recipes derived by top chefs from across the world that teach readers how to make a variety of incredibly delicious meals and snacks.
  • Steve Rinella shares the how-to…visit https://www.themeateater.com and click on recipes.
Visit https://www.themeateater.com for more details on the recipes and the book.

By Forrest Fisher

For outdoor folks who fish and hunt, it’s time to check the freezer. Ground venison, elk or venison backstraps, pheasant breasts, rabbit legs, squirrel tenders, wild duck, goose, wild hog, walleye fillets and vacuum-packed steelhead. So many choices. And the best part? They’re all healthy. Many of us in Western New York and across the USA had fleeting thoughts that this rebuilding year for the Buffalo Bills was never going to get us so close to the big game in New Orleans, and for black-and-white reasons, it was easy for some to see, there is next year. In the meantime, most folks cannot miss watching the game. No matter the teams, the fun of the laughs with the million-dollar commercials and the goodness of tasty snacks keeps us in tune with the moment.

Now, we’re not talking about roasting rattlesnake tails, but a good supply of CWD-free whitetail deer, deep-water Lake Erie walleye, cold-stream steelhead, and lots of rabbits, squirrels, ducks and geese for a myriad of tasty concoctions. Cooking wild game not only provides a unique culinary experience but also offers nutritional benefits. These meats are lean, high in protein, and often free from the additives found in store-bought meats, making them a healthy and delicious choice.

Last Christmas, my nephew surprised me with a hardcover copy of a book entitled The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook (MeatEater is one word). At my silver-haired, try-to-act-young age, with social security income as my best friend, I’ve been cooking wild game for a very long time. One flip through the pages made me want to read more. The pictures are scrumptiously inviting, and the recipes are appealing with their short list of simple ingredients and directions to understand and do.

There is nothing like easy-to-do stew and chili using a wild critter that you took from the field.

There are recipes derived by top chefs from across the world that teach readers how to make a variety of incredibly delicious meals and snacks. Some of the recipes include venison dumplings, Bison Big Mac tacos, blackened fish with sweet potato fries, barbequed goose thighs, mushroom-rubbed roast venison au-jus, duck with spicy cold noodles, rabbit cacciatore, popcorn fish (walleye or crappie), wild turkey curry sandwich, rendezvous stew, herb-marinated pheasant skewers, beer battered smelt tacos, ginger catfish stir-fry, and the winning recipe for MeatEater’s chili cook-off. Each recipe comes with a difficulty level and estimated cooking time, making it easier for you to plan your meals. Those are just a few of the choices. The point is that this book is full of tasty choices, but you can also find the recipes for free online.

The MeatEater is a non-fiction outdoor television series that features hunting, fishing and fun outdoor adventures. The show runs in the United States on Netflix, and the star is host Steve Rinella. Rinella is an outdoorsman, writer, and wild foods enthusiast who is a passionate advocate for conservation and the protection of public lands. He is also the host of the “Hunting Story” on the History Channel. Rinella lives in Bozeman, Montana, with his wife and three kids, and he helps us all to better understand the wilds, especially the importance of hunting. And now, the simplicity of preparing wild game foods for such moments just in time for the Super Bowl. Visit https://www.themeateater.com and click on recipes.

Gotta love the outdoors!

Fang and Pit-Viper Boot Protection

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Snakes in Florida and elsewhere are part of life, if you hike, hunt or camp in wilderness areas – go prepared.
  • You’ll need comfortable, waterproof boots to insure your safety in thick brush and swampland.
  • Medical treatment for a venomous snakebite can exceed $100,000 – the cost of protective boots is an investment in your safety and financial security. 

By Forrest Fisher

When I approached retirement age in snow country, my better half and I considered finding warmer weather during the chilly, deep snow season of Western New York. We looked west, south, and finally, deep south, finding a rental we used for a few months each year for five years. We discovered that Southwest Florida offers a continuous supply of warm days and nights from January through April every year. These are the heavy lake-effect snow months of eastern Lake Erie landscapes; our house was only a few miles from ski resort country. Moving south unlocked new adventures and challenges, more than the sunny beach life, especially since I like to fish, hunt and hike in the bush country wherever we travel.

Thick-bodied eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are fairly common in south Florida and in many areas of the southern USA. Stay aware when hiking. Marvin Grant photo.

We discovered that the southwest Florida critters of the outdoors were to be respected, and we needed to learn how to be better protected when going into the wildland areas of the area. Poisonous spiders, lengthy alligators and crocodiles, flying insects, and heavy, thick snakes are relatively common when you leave the settled civilization areas here.  If you’re careful when walking a well-traveled hiking trail, you can see many of the larger critters, but the venomous snakes are so well camouflaged that they easily disguise their location as you travel the wilds. Especially when hunting in the jungle areas for deer or turkey.

These Irish Setter Terrain snake boots pull out easily when you step into muck. I like that for walking in Forida swamp land.
Stay out of the woods in snake and bug area without one of these kits in your pocket. They are carried at Walmart, Bass Pro, and other stores.

So, our first addition to outdoor gear was footwear. After a lengthy search for snake-tested boots, we settled on the Irish Setter Terrain boots. I like them for many reasons, but the biggest is that they are pit-viper tested, and the internal protective Snakeguard liner runs from the toe to the top edge of the boot. Many venomous snakes down here are enormous in physical thickness and length. Copperheads, eastern diamondbacks, timber rattlesnakes, pygmy rattelsnakes, water moccasins, coral snakes and others are among the common venomous snakes here. Nobody needs to worry about boot puncture from venomous fangs and sharp-pointed cactus-like palmetto brush with razor edges. The old phrase “snake in the grass” is not uncommon here for actual snake sightings. We carry a Sawyer Snake Bite kit with us whever we go because it works for bug bites on the beach too.

Next, the camo patterns they offer are perfect for all-weather hunts, we like the photorealistic 3D imagery of the Mossy Oak® Obsession camo.  The pattern has the best visual concealment for whatever species you’re hunting.  The boots are waterproof with their impregnated leather and fabric panels that combine to make them something I need for a long life.  I regularly walk in streams and swamp land, and my feet must stay dry. Above that, I’m abusive with my footwear because I have really big feet, and I often purchase footwear in a smaller size that is not nearly long enough for my clodhoppers.  I need a size 14 boot wide boot. Very few companies carry this size, but Irish Setter does. The boots also needed traction because I frequently amble around in these nasty, swampy areas. What’s cool about the Terrain snake boots is that they not only are waterproof and have traction, but when you step into a muddy creek bottom of silty muck, these boots pull out easily. I’m not sure how they did that, but these boots have the easiest “pull-out” force of any of my rugged boots, where I experience loving life outdoors.

In Florida, we hunt wild boars, too. These wild pigs are tough, and they hide in the thickest areas of the Florida underbrush. So do many varieties of snakes. Locals advise everyone here to come prepared to “dig around” when boar hunting on your own.

The old phrase “snake in the grass” is not uncommon here for actual snake sightings, especially when you’re hiking and hunting.

Wild boars, like Florida whitetail deer, have a good scent detection mode. If you smell like a human, the boars will smell you coming a hundred yards away, and you’ll never see them. If you’re sitting in a ground blind, you’ll wonder if any boars exist where you are because they will go around you. These Terrain boots come with an exclusive scent control formula that is added to the boot materials, killing the bacteria that cause odors. This feature ensures that your boots remain odor-free, reducing the chances of detection by animals with a keen sense of smell. Problem solved.

Among other ‘most important’things I like about these boots are two more things. I have worn knee joints from 30 years of jogging. I never missed a day, rain or shine. Jogging allowed me to control the pressure of daily business meetings over all that time, but my knees took a toll – six miles a day wore out those ball joints. These boots are made with a cushy, high-rebound material in the heel and foot that provides relief with every step. These boots were made for comfort, I should know.  Even the internal materials seem to stretch in every direction, providing a padded-like feel to them. With these boots, you can walk for miles without feeling the strain. The day becomes a comfortable and relaxed outdoor experience.

The initial dose of antivenom for a snakebite can be $40,000 to $70,000. The cost of medical care for a venomous snakebite can vary depending on the type of snake and where you are, but it is often more than $100,000. These boots cost $239 retail, less during hunting season sales. But who cares about the cost of boots when the other option to save your life is in six figures? With these boots, you’re investing in your safety and financial security. I like that.

After three years, I have almost worn out my first pair, but they have hundreds of miles on them. These boots are the Irish Setter Terrain 2746, if you go looking.

Honey, can I have the credit card?

 

Military Veterans honored at Cheeca Lodge All-American Backcountry Tournament

Posted on by David Gray
  • Islamorada Tournament benefits the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, an organization working to restore these and other species.
  • Cheeca Lodge & Spa event honors two U.S. Military Veterans in celebration of Veteran’s Day each year. 
  • The tournament runs from the Bass Pro Islamorada Marina and features backcountry fishing for 5 species of fish: Tarpon, Redfish, Permit, Bonefish, and Snook. 
Captain Mike Makowski guided two U.S. Military veterans to a runner-up finish in the Cheeca Lodge & Spa annual backcountry fishing tournament from Islamorada, Fl.

The Cheeca Lodge and Spa All-American Backcountry tournament kicked off in Cheeca’s Islamorada ballroom over Veteran’s Day weekend, 2024. Anglers from all over the United States gathered to participate in this three-day backcountry event, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared passion for this type of fishing.

To celebrate Veterans Day each year, two U.S. military veterans are hosted to fish in this prestigious tournament. Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Richard Myers from Key Largo, FL, and retired U.S. Navy Second Class Petty Officer David Barus, a resident of East Aurora, NY, fished in the backcountry islands of Florida Bay with Captain Mike Makowski of Blackfoot Charters. Invited to the podium to lead off the Cheeca Lodge event at the captain’s meeting by General Manager Bill Coteron, David Barus asked the audience to join him in the Pledge of Allegiance.  A rousing round of applause followed, reinforcing the sense of community among the participants.

The tournament features a distinctive format for backcountry fishing, targeting five species of fish: Tarpon, Redfish, Permit, Bonefish, and Snook. Anglers can use three different types of tackle: bait, spin, and fly, each earning points for the teams and individual anglers. Only 5 of each species can be counted for points each day, with bonus points awarded for releasing three or more species.  This unique format adds an element of strategy and excitement to the competition.  Anglers can fish alone or as a team of two anglers per boat.  In total, 155 fish were released with 11 on fly rod, 90 on artificial tackle, and 54 using bait. The winning anglers were awarded amazing hand carved trophies from local artist Doug Berry.

Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Richard Myers with his first-ever Tarpon caught while fishing in the largest island-filled expanse of Florida Bay.

Grand Champion angler Jim Bokor Jr. from Buffalo, NY, fishing with Captain Richard Black from Tavernier, won the top awards for his two-day total of 3350 points and accumulated an additional 2513 bonus points because he released four of the different species for a total of 5863 points. Jim released one bonefish, 10 tarpon, 10 snook and five redfish.  Jim also received the artificial (spin) division award for 27 releases on artificial tackle.

Runner-up Angler Jason Rubenstein, a resident of Bellaire, TX, would release four species as well.  Captain Jack Given led Rubenstein to three bonefish, eight tarpon, six snook and five redfish.  The team totaled 2550 points and 1533 bonus points for 4463.  Altogether, 15 of Jason’s fish were on bait, winning him the bait division.

Retired U.S. Navy Second Class Petty Officer David Barus with a nice tarpon caught under the direction of guide Captain Mike Makowski.

Captain Tim Klein, fishing with Steve Austin from Ponte Verda Beach, FL, and John Wilbur of Marathon, FL, took home Team Grand Champion Awards with a team total of 4598 points.  The team released three bonefish, eight snook and 18 redfish, amassing 3065 points plus 1533 bonus points for catching three different species.

Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Richard Myers and retired U.S. Navy Second Class Petty Officer David Barus, fishing as a team with Captain Mike Makowski, released three tarpon, nine snook and three redfish.  Each was a first species catch for Sergeant Myers.  The team totaled 1510 points over the two days with 755 bonus points for a total of 2265 points.  Each member of the team received beautiful Team Runner-Up Trophies.

The Cheeca Lodge Veterans 2024 Team included Richard Myers – US Army, Doug Berry – trophy artist, David Barus – US Navy, and Captain Mike Makowski – Blackfoot Charters. Tara Beth Photography

Christopher Jordan of McLean, VA, fishing with Captain Paul Ross, would release 11 fish on Fly.  He was awarded the Fly Division Championship with 10 redfish and one tarpon caught on a flyrod.  Charles Wright from Sebring, FL, won the Most Outstanding Catch award for releasing a 15-pound goliath grouper.  Charles was fishing with Captain Nate Blackburn. Best Photo Award went to David Barus and Captain Mike Makowski for a beautiful tarpon photo.

The giant mouth of the tarpon can inhale large forage. This is one of many awesome pictures that were taken by Captain Mike Makowski, Blackfoot Charters.

The awards party was gracious for all attendees, serving a deluxe surf and turf Cheeca Lodge dinner that included tenderloin steak and fresh lobster, with a choice of deluxe beverages. “This is a very special event with Cheeca Lodge and Spa bringing veterans to the Keys to fish every year,” stated General Manager Bill Coteron.  “Our commitment to this tournament and our veterans is heartfelt.  We hope you will join us to fish this great event next year.”  Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to conserve and restore the bonefish and tarpon and permit fisheries and habitats through research, stewardship, education, and advocacy.  In the Florida Keys and South Florida, the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is working to determine and address the causes of declining fish populations.  The group has defined a series of research steps for actions that will protect and restore habitats throughout the range of bonefish and tarpon and permit to return to healthy populations of these and associated species.

To learn more about BTT, visit https://www.bonefishtarpontrust.org/btt-mission/.  To see what is happening at Cheeca Lodge and Spa, visit https://www.cheeca.com/.

 

“Be Bear Aware” – Pamphlet offered by National Bowhunter Education Foundation

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • There is increased bear activity in many areas across the USA. Learn how to “Be aware.”
  • Negative outcomes can result when a bear is caught off guard.
  • Be safe, learn how to make your presence known when hiking or hunting in bear country. 
If you’re not attending the show, the NBEF Bear Aware Pamphlet is available at nbef.org.

By Kim Emery

At the 2025 Archery Trade Association (ATA) Show in Indianapolis this year,  the National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) extended a “Be Bear Aware” pamphlet to help others all around the country understand more about bears. This comprehensive guide, which can be ordered to supplement hunter education or bowhunter education classes, is a must-have for anyone venturing into bear habitat. The information provides invaluable advice, whether you’re hunting or simply enjoying the great outdoors. The pamphlet could also serve as a giveaway item at consumer shows and events.

NBEF Executive Director Marilyn Bentz said, “We look forward to connecting with old and new friends in Indianapolis. Please stop by and see our large array of educational products, including the new Be Bear Aware Pamphlet. People everywhere see increased black bear activity and an expansion of grizzly/brown bear territory. It’s imperative to be able to identify all the species and understand how to react when encountering a bear. Being educated and prepared increases the chances that a bear encounter will end favorably.”

It’s important to remember that the possibility of an encounter with black bears or grizzly bears should never be taken lightly. Most negative outcomes from such encounters occur when a bear (black or grizzly) is caught off guard. Therefore, it’s crucial to make your presence known when hiking or hunting in bear country.

If you often spot black bears in your backyard, it’s important not to get too comfortable with their presence. Remove any potential food sources, such as bird feeders or garbage containers from which they might be feeding.

If you’re not attending the show, the NBEF Bear Aware Pamphlet is available at nbef.org. Pamphlets are available for $10 for a package of 100 brochures, product #9070. NBEF helps bowhunters be safe, successful and stewards of the sport. NBEF offers bowhunting instructional items, books, videos, 3-D models, apparel and more at nbef.org.

About NBEF: The National Bowhunter Education Foundation offers instructional content and tools for bowhunter education and hunter education. Helping bowhunters become safe and successful hunters and stewards of the sport are important NBEF missions. NBEF provides the bowhunter certification curriculum and class content that some states and certain circumstances require to bow hunt. NBEF provides instructor training and certification. Visit nbef.org.

Armed Protection – Made in America

Posted on by Zach Smith
  • The character of New England’s rich tradition for all-American-made guns is distinguished by the Charter Arms Company.
  • The “Undercover Lite” is a 12-ounce revolver model in .38 special caliber that has become a highlight for ladies that need protection.
  • The Charter Arms Company mission: craft reliable, affordable revolvers for concealed carry customers, with more than 15 different revolver models chambered in 10 calibers.
Charter Arms classic .38 Undercover Family of popular lightweight protection with 2″ barrels and superior safety features make them ideal for concealed carry situations.

By Zach Smith

In 2025, the Ecker Family has charted the course to celebrate 60 years of American-made firearms. “Heritage” isn’t a word used lightly along New England’s Connecticut River Valley. Despite the recent exodus of some of the most famous names in firearms manufacturing, a few remain in business and the family.

At Charter Arms Co., now located in Shelton, Conn., the Ecker family was there almost from the beginning. Founder and gun designer Doug McClennahan formed Charter in 1964 after stints with some of Gun Valley’s original residents, including Colt, High Standard and Ruger. Doug’s friend, David Ecker, became Charter Arms’s business partner and later owner. The manufacturer made its mark on the industry with a .38 Special called the “Undercover” — a five-shot, 16-ounce revolver known for its lightweight, reduced number of moving parts and patented safety features.

Present-day president and owner Nick Ecker learned the family revolver business from the factory floor when he worked for his father in the 1980s. He spent two years on the production line running milling, buffing and drill press machines, which dated back to World War II. Even among the employees, a rich gun tradition was in the company’s blood. Nick recalls many of his coworkers were retirees of then Singer Co., which had converted from building sewing machines to manufacturing weapons during wartime.

“With firearms back then, there was a lot of work that went into any gun to get the finish right,” Nick recalls. “You see a lot of composites now, but even until the ’90s, a lot of labor was involved.”

Charter Arms video’s with assembly, disassembly and cleaning instructions for the Charter Arms revolvers are provided on YouTube. The cylinder video here is available at https://youtu.be/-EgSOYn3xJM.

Nick’s years spent learning the engineering and machining processes of gun-making served him well. He stayed with the new owners of Charter for a short time after his father sold the business but eventually, in a path not dissimilar to Doug McClennahan before him, worked as a designer with other companies, including Henry, Mossberg and Harrington & Richardson. Despite the time away, the legacy of Charter was never far from his mind.

With help from two business partners, Nick purchased the company’s dormant assets in 1999 and officially brought Charter Arms back to the market in 2000. Progress, he remembers, was slow, with production turning out only a few guns per day. “When we restarted, fighting back into the market was difficult because our reputation wasn’t there anymore.”

Despite outside offers to purchase the reborn company and the pressure of a bankruptcy filing in 2005, David instead bought out his partners, feeling he had to stay the course. In 2006, Charter Arms took its Undercover Lite — a 12-ounce model of its signature Undercover .38 Special revolver — and gave it a makeover, adding highly polished hardware set off against a pink adonized aluminum frame. Dubbed the “Pink Lady,” the finished product’s fall debut was laughed off by fellow arms makers at its first wholesale show.

“That was October,” Nick said. “By Christmas, our phones were ringing off the hook.”

The Chic Lady is another model in Charter’s exciting line of colored 12-ounce revolvers with an enclosed hammer double-action revolver and 2-inch barrel, ideal for tucking in a purse or pocket – the enclosed hammer will never snag.

The Chic Lady, as it is now known — Nic  found as the gun caught on with female customers that they wanted more color options than just pink — revitalized sales. Nick credits several factors to the resurgence. For one, the multi-colored selection of shining revolvers stood out at gun shows (to customers and, thus, dealers) against a sea of black polymer semi-automatics.

“At the same time, women were becoming more involved in self-defense,” Nick says, adding that the Chic Lady’s lightweight and safety features offered practical appeal to new firearms owners beyond the eye-catching paint job. “There’s still a need for that, especially today.”

Charter Arms notes that accuracy testing of a short-barreled hand gun at 25 and even 50-yards is not relevant to the firearm mission for personal protection. According to FBI data, life-threatening attacks rarely happen at ranges beyond 5 yards away. Charter Arms has tested their 2-inch barrels at 50 yards (hand held off a rest) and the rounds stay in a 6-inch circle. They stay in a chest size target at 200 yards! More than enough accuracy to protect your life.

The innovative approaches that inspired the patented features of Charter’s earliest successes, coupled with taking the pulse of the gun-buying public, remains. The company’s left-handed Southpaw revolver is designed with Nick’s youngest daughter in mind. Today, the company offers more than 15 different revolver models chambered in 10 calibers. These include Charter Arms revolvers offering powerful loadings in compact and lightweight revolvers that include: 32 H&R Magnum, .38 Special +P, .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Magnum and .44 Special calibers. Typically a 2” barrel will lose only 30-85 fps velocity over a 4-inch barrel, so snub barrels are not a significant velocity disadvantage. Revolvers are easy carry and provide a quick-to-action advantage.

What was once a production run of only two or three guns per day when Nick restarted his family’s business a quarter-century ago has grown to roughly 50,000 guns manufactured yearly. The focus on the company’s original mission of crafting reliable, affordable revolvers has kept Charter Arms relevant, particularly to conceal-and-carry customers.

The Charter Arms PROFESSIONAL is a 7-Shot .32 H&R Magnum with a Blacknitride+ finish, LitePipe Front Sight, Fixed Back Sight, 3″ Barrel and Walnut Grips.

“It wasn’t a lot of marketing research; it was simply listening to what people told you,” Nick says. He adds that this philosophy carries through to the company’s 40 employees and customers. “Our phones are answered by human beings and our techs are trained, ‘don’t email people, call them.’ You get to the bottom of the problem, No. 1, and No. 2, they’ll tell you things that aren’t in the email.”

Nick is also proud that the company his father once owned remains part of New England’s rich tradition of all-American-made guns.

“We’re still in Gun Valley,” Nick says. “Most of our part suppliers are only 25 miles from here, and that makes us unique in today’s firearms industry.”

Editor Note: Charter Arms does NOT sell firearms directly to consumers. This includes online and in person. The Charter Arms online store is strictly for the purchase of accessories. To purchase a Charter Arms revolver, you must visit your local dealer or a dealer’s website. For more information or any further questions, please feel free to contact us. Our physical office is located at: 18 Brewster Lane, Shelton, CT, 06484; Phone: (203) 922-1652; Toll free: (866) 769-4867; Fax: (203) 922-1469; Customer Service, Eric Wagnblas: csupport@charterfirearms.com. Their website is at Charter Arms | Reliable revolvers made in the United States of America.

Charming Giant Ohio Bluegills – No Magical Secrets

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Thomas Edison, Socrates, Sherlock Holmes and me – fishing for bluegills.
  • Magic baits are usually not magical, but how you use them can be.
  • Test, change, revise…and catch more fish.
  • Practice catch and release when it makes sense.
My delicate and aged split cane fly rod has an old-fashioned varnish top coat. I have to take special care putting it away each time, but, mercy, the action is so sweet and unlike graphite, perfect for panfish expeditions like this.

By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

It’s tough to behave in a manner equating yourself as an expert when you know you’re really not. Including angling. A lucky hack, yes, but a Socrates offering sage rod-and-reel advice? Not so much. Me included and likely, especially.

Maybe Thomas Edison put it best: “Success is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration.”

And when it comes to fish, I sweat a lot. Simply put, there are no short cuts to catching fish. No magic bait, no new pro-angler-endorsed fishing outfit, no spiced-up boat platform with a cornucopia of gear heralded as the latest and thus, the greatest.

So, what about those big bluegills I catch? The answer boils down to rolling up my sleeves along with trusting my instincts. And some luck in rounding it all out. Mr. Edison, thank you.

Right now, I am closing in on catching my 50th member of the sunfish clan where each fish measures a minimum of 9-inches. Several approaching 11-inches, too. None have come from fishing from a boat, either. Not one. If you want, I can repeat that fact. It’s important to remember.

I began my fishing quest – and will end it – from the bank. I started with a light, long, ultra-light rod that is no longer made, and a spinning reel plucked from a display hook at a generic tackle store.

Likewise, I prefer those foam plastic torpedo-shaped bobbers, or “floats.” Such bobbers, I have found, offer less resistance to the forces of a bluegill pulling it under than are those round foam bobbers. Excuse me, “floats.”

I did have to twist my arm for the late season bluegill bite by downsizing both the fishing line and bobbers. While my toolbox a few months back relied on 1/16-ounce jigs and 8-pound test main line, I have scaled back to 6-pounds test main line and 1/32-ounce jigs with minimalist strands of multi-colored hair and a brightly painted head. Not feathers, but hair. Personal choice.

As the season has progressed, I also moved from casting near the bank to lobbing the bait further out. I surmised the fish were suspending and not orientating themselves to the contour of the bottom. Just the opposite of what I was anticipating.

Similarly, I self-taught that an 18-inch strand of 4-pound leader material attached to a barrel swivel – which is also tied to the main line – beats the 8-pound test/6-pound test package I used all summer.

That’s the thing about us anglers: we seem to try different things when the fish are not biting. Thus, when the new lure, the new technique, the new whatever doesn’t work, we mistakenly blame that lack of success on the just-applied thingamabob or must-perform writer-approved procedure.

Case in point. Of course, live bait works better when the water cools. It doesn’t take a Sherlock to figure that one out. Yet even though I was doing just fine with tipping a jig with a trio of maggots, I got to wondering if this methodology could be improved upon. In short, I revisited my thinking in midstream for no other reason than because I wanted to test a thought.

Consequently, I hit on adding those small artificial products that come in those always leaking bottles of artificial “live bait” that Berkley makes. So, I began using Berkley’s pink-colored artificial grubs, two of them along with three real live maggots.

Before I forget, remember when I said no boats are required? That’s true. For my bluegill fishing I have a pair of walk-around ponds that are included in the membership of two sportsmen’s clubs I belong to. Neither pond is more than a few acres in size. And yet I fish the daylights out of them by strolling along their respective bank, driven by the blessed thrill of experimentation.

I’m not alone. I have a young friend who regularly catches trophy bass from a heavily fished pond in the center of our county’s largest city. And then in a place that everyone else says bass do not go. And with top-water lure models made popular back in Grandpa’s Day, as well.

But that kid and I do not give up. And, bluntly, neither should you. Before abandoning a particular body of water, given it a minimum of three tries, four if the waters are close to home.

And in the Before I Forget, Part II, neither that kid nor I keep any of the fish. We each figure that trophy bass as such are too valuable to be caught only once. But I digress.

In the end, scuttle the notion you can buy your way to successful angling. You really can’t. Maybe most importantly, don’t fret about failure. Such lapses reward you more than a successful fishing trip can ever do.

Rest assured, too, there will come a time when you have that “eureka” moment, discovering your own key has unlatched the fishing treasure box with no help from anyone else. Me included.

Giant Chautauqua County Deer – Southwest New York

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • As the firearm deer season moves from early to late on the calendar, deer move to hide in the thickest cover during the daytime.
  • Deer drives, leveraging the natural behavior of deer, using a group of safety-conscious hunters, is an effective hunting strategy.
  • Brock Windoft, after downing a magnificent buck with deer camp buddies, said, “There’s nothing like going back to our roots. The camaraderie of deer camp and deer pushes (drives) will never get old.”

by Forrest Fisher

Deer camp, a sanctuary away from daily distractions, is where friends and family come together in the heart of nature. The shared excitement of a successful hunt, the laughter over jokes, the thrill of card games, the fun misadventures, and the quiet moments in your tree stand or during a deer drive – these are the experiences that forge a bond, creating priceless memories that last a lifetime.

During a deer drive last weekend, Brock Windoft of Lakewood, NY, downed a magnificent 10-point monster buck that might have been the king of the Chautauqua County woods. Ryan McChesney photo

In Chautauqua County, with thousands of acres of grapes and farmland that are supplemented by thousands of acres of multiple state forest lands – deer (and black bear too) thrive among the diversity of cover types that allow a variety of wildlife species to thrive. Between 8,000 and 10,000 deer are harvested by hunters each hunting season here – in just Chautauqua County. Hunting is allowed on most state forest lands for big game.

Between the state lands and farmlands, hills and forests among the many privately owned lands provide cover for deer to thrive and grow all year. Many of these lands are never harvested for timber, and they are thick with underbrush and cover, even without leaves. The biggest deer find these areas and stay under such cover when the woods become busy during hunting season.

As the season moves from early to late firearm season, the deer hide in the thickest cover during the daytime. This is when deer drives with multiple hunters working together can increase the chances for success. The “drivers” push deer towards the “blockers,” safely positioned to intercept deer on the move. Teamwork helps cover more ground and creates more chances than a solo hunter might have.

During a deer drive last weekend, Brock Windoft of Lakewood, NY, downed a magnificent 10-point monster buck that might have been the king of the woods. Sharing the magical moments after the kill, Windoft said, “There’s nothing like going back to our roots. The camaraderie of deer camp and deer pushes (drives) will never get old. We created our own opportunities, and we can relish the moment when we capitalize.”

Hunting with a group of 10 others, Windoft added, “The 2024 season will be a hard year for us to beat. A huge thanks to Ryan McChesney and the rest of the group for making it happen. My biggest buck to date!” The other hunters in deer camp include Denver and Jeremy Morrison, Jason Preston, Travis and Nick Fisher, Zach Weatherlow, Chris Lanphere, and Craig and Don Hewes.

Deer drives are an effective huntingnstratgey that requires multiple hunters practicing safety to leverage the natural behavior of deer – the results can be impressive. Members of this deer camp included Brock Windoft (2nd from left), Ryan McChesney, Denver and Jeremy Morrison, Jason Preston, Travis and Nick Fisher, Zach Weatherlow, Chris Lanphere, and Craig and Don Hewes (not all are shown in this photo).

Deer drives, leveraging the natural behavior of deer, are an effective hunting strategy. However, it’s crucial for every hunter to prioritize safety, ensuring they only shoot when the target and beyond the target are known. This responsible approach not only ensures the safety of all involved but also upholds the integrity of the hunt.

Most of our state lands and wildlife management area properties allow hunting. For hunters with disabilities, specific roads on these lands can be accessed by motor vehicle after obtaining a special use permit. This easy access is a testament to our commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that all hunters can enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

Some of the Chautauqua County State Lands include Alder Bottom Wildlife Management Area, Panama State Forest, Watts Flats Wildlife Management Area, Chautauqua Gorge State Forest, North Harmony State Forest, Mount Pleasant State Forest, Hill Higher State Forest and several others.

When hunting anywhere, all hunters should remember to practice “Leave No Trace Principles” to enjoy the outdoors responsibly, minimize the impact on the natural resources and avoid conflicts with other users. To learn more about hunting and accommodations in Chautauqua County, NY, visit https://www.tourchautauqua.com.

The last day of the regular firearm season in the Southern Zone of New York State (includes Chautauqua County) runs from Nov. 16-Dec. 8, 2024. The late archery and muzzleloader season runs concurrently from Dec. 9-Dec. 17 and Dec. 26-Jan. 1. For online license renewals and license sales visit the NYS Portal Online.  Visit NYS DEC for regulation and licensing information, as well as specifics on other season dates.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Gotta love the outdoors.

Dazzled by Dipsy Divers: a MEMORABLE Lake Erie walleye and steelhead fishing adventure

Posted on by David Figura
  • Diving Plane colors do not matter to the fish.
  • Let the fish tell you what lure and what shape they want.
  • Multiple lines and multiple depths are simple with Dipsy Divers.
A Dipsy Diver and an assortment of stickbaits and a worm harness that veteran walleye angler Rob Oram uses when fishing on Lake Erie.

By David Figura

It was an October Lake Erie fishing trip that began mid-morning in Chautauqua County, New York, out of Barcelona Harbor, on a windy but sunny fall day.

It ended a couple of hours later with an impressive catch of walleye (we boated 23 keepers between 17 and 29 inches) and two nice-sized steelhead, all from using a fishing technique that blew me away by its effectiveness.

Having fished elsewhere for walleye, I’ve caught them drifting and jigging, trolling with downriggers and just plain casting.  Our guide, Rob Oram, a veteran walleye tournament angler of more than 20 years on the lake, introduced me to a piece of fishing equipment I hadn’t tried before – Dipsy Divers.

The best time to fish for walleye on the lake’s eastern shore, Oram said, was mid-summer through early fall,” Oram said. He’s found that Dipsey Divers tended to make fishing fun and easy on the lake during that time and others.

“I just think when you’ve located fish suspended at a certain depth – say 50 feet or more – that Dipsies are the most effective way to get your lure down there to the fish,” he said.

Judging by the morning’s catch, he wouldn’t get any argument from me.

A smiling Jim Proffitt, an outdoors writer from Ohio, holds up a nice-sized walleye he reeled in, caught on a stickbait using a Dipsy Diver.

I’m an outdoor writer from Central New York (Skaneateles). I was on Lake Erie in early October as part of the 2024 Chautauqua Outdoor Media Camp, sponsored by Chautauqua County’s tourism folks. That particular day, I was joined by Jim Proffitt and Jeff Frischkorn, two outdoor writers from Ohio, as we took off at around 9:30 a.m. aboard Oram’s 22-foot Olsen Brothers Marine boat, a Skeeter WX 2000.

A relative newcomer to the Lake Erie walleye fishing scene, I had popped a Dramamine shortly before going out as a precaution due to my long-standing inclination to get motion sickness on big waterways. However, once we got several miles out, the wind died, and the wave size decreased. And the fun began.

So, what is a Dipsy Diver?

It is a light, round disk-shaped device (slightly bigger than the palm on your hand) that attaches to one’s line. While trolling, it enables an angler to easily get a line and lure down anywhere from roughly 40 to 80 feet, which is ideal for targeting suspended fish.

It’s a cheap alternative to using a downrigger setup, which can cost hundreds of dollars. Dipsies range in price anywhere from $15 to $20, Oram said.

Another advantage to using Dipsies is that they allow an angler to get more lines in the water, experiment, and learn quicker at what depth and what lures/baits the walleye want to bite.

Outdoor Writer David Figura from Central New York, said this walleye, pushing an estimated 27-28 inches, was his personal best.

“Personally, I don’t think the downriggers catch enough fish,” Oram said.

Oram said that when fishing with Dipsies, there’s a dial on them with three settings. By using the different settings, an angler can have three lines out on one side, with Dipsies taking one’s lines straight back or off to the left or right without getting line tangles.

Thus, Oram added, he can have six lines out at once by fishing both sides. By having them all at slightly different depths, you can find out relatively fast what depth or lure works best.

“And once you start catching fish on one line (or one lure), you can quickly make adjustments,” he said.

When using Dipsies, Oram uses 8-foot rods and bait casting reels with line counters (which tell you how much line has been let out), a 20- to 30-pound braid line and about an 8-foot fluorocarbon leader on each. With a Dipsy attached to the line, one controls the depth of the lure by the amount of line let out. Oram says he has a chart aboard his boat that he refers to help with this.

Options for lures when using Dipsies, he said, include stickbaits, worm harnesses, spoons or worm burners (spoons that allow one to attach a worm to it).

Oram said his years of fishing with Dipsies have reinforced the fact that the color of the Dipsy has little effect on the bite. The color of the stickbait, spoon or worm harness — is more of a factor. Also, at times, adding a live night crawler to the lure can help.

Rob Oram, a veteran tournament walleye tournament angler, holds up a steelhead and a walleye, both caught using Dipsy Divers and stickbaits.

“I like to start with a variety of colors and let the fish tell me what colors they prefer that day,” he said. “Walleye are finicky. Some days, they want just a certain color, at a certain speed, at a certain depth.

“And when the school of fish is big, and the bite is on, the colors don’t really matter at times.”

The day we went out, Oram had us using stickbaits at around 65 feet down. We were over anywhere from 150 to 135 of water.

Oram said his biggest Lake Erie walleye to date weighed 12 pounds and measured around 31 inches. “I’ve caught lots weighing 10 pounds. They were in length anywhere from 29 to 32 inches.”

He said his past year was the warmest the lake has ever been and warmed the earliest on record. He said the fish travel where the bait (most often shad and smelt) are. “Where the bait sets up is often determined by water temperature and currents in the lake,” he said.

That can change each year. Where he caught lots of fish one year can be unproductive the next. Oram said the key is getting out fishing as often as possible to determine where the schools of bait are and what areas of the lake and depth the walleye that follow are located.

As for fishing with Dispy Divers for other species of fish, Oram notes that “you can run them for salmon and steelhead as well.”

“In the middle of the summer, I take my walleye gear on Lake Ontario, and the guys all laugh at me. I just run my walleye spread, and there are days I catch as many as the best charter boat captains there,” he said.

David Figura is the retired outdoors writer for The Post-Stand newspaper and the Syracuse.com and NYup.com websites. He’s also the author of “So What Are the Guys Doing?” – a book about how men are handling the mid-life years.

Outdoor writers, L-R, Jim Proffitt, David Figura and Jeff Frischkorn, pose with the morning’s catch of walleye and two nice steelhead — all caught on rigs using Dipsy Divers. Frischkorn reeled in both steelies.

 

 

Easy-To-Handle Narrow Crossbows NOT allowed in New York State. Why?

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Crossbows are easy-to-use deadly hunting tools. Narrow crossbows are easier to handle and safer to use when going vertical or when sitting in a ground blind. 
  • One disadvantage of standard crossbows is that they can be difficut to cock, requiring strength from the hunter – NOW an easy-to-use internal crank-style cocking feature makes it simple and easy. 
  • More power from advanced limb design has allowed shorter limb-to-limb crossbow width (less than 17-inches), but they are not allowed in New York. 

By Forrest Fisher

Across the country, many states have a strong tradition of fair chase big game hunting. As honest hunters, we all like that phase of the rules and regulations managed to maintain a healthy population of wild critters.

Ohio and Pennsylvania deer hunters enjoy the entire traditional archery season with the option for anyone with a hunting license allowed to use a crossbow of any physical size.

In some cases, sportsmen and women agree that there are too many restrictions with certain rules, especially on certain types of hunting gear, particularly in some states with regard to crossbows.

New York has a particularly complicated and comprehensive regulatory framework designed to manage the health of our fish and wildlife populations, it appears to many – at least to me, that the ecological impact and considerations for hunting ethics are fine, but the rules for crossbows should be revised for the interest of the majority stakeholders. The hunters. In particular, the aging hunters with archery on their mind. These guys, like me, are growing older faster than they like and would like to use a crossbow. In New York, very recently, reasonable accommodations were made via the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), allowing an unmodified crossbow useage. Your physician must certify that the individual is incapable of holding a bow or operating a mechanical device attached to a legal longbow for drawing, holding and releasing the bow string due to physical disability. In one sense, this type of documented accommodation can generate emotional distress for those already limited in their disability. Regardless of that, the new allowance will benefit many in New York.

Allowing such a change, why would New York limit the width of a crossbow, especially for those folks with the ADA accommodation in play? And for anyone else using a crossbow in the only two weeks of early archery season when crossbows are allowed. The early southern zone big game archery season (deer and bear) in NYS begins on Oct. 1 each year. In NYS, the lengthy early southern zone archery season restricts crossbow use until the two weeks just before the start of the regular southern zone big game firearm season (Nov. 16 – Dec. 8) this year. That means that hunters in New York can use a crossbow during the early southern zone archery season only from Nov. 2 – 15 this year. Except the crossbow width must be at least 17-inches limb to limb.

The crossbow physical size (width and length) and draw (pull weight) are limited. Since NYS allows crossbow use for such a short season, there is objection among sportsmen and manufacturers, particularly regarding the minimum width limb size restriction placed on the crossbow.

Advanced technology with this fully-integrated internal cocking feature allows easy cocking for youth and elderly hunters. This Centerpoint Sinister 430 delivers more than 160 foot-pounds of kinetic energy at more than 430 FPS. Easy to cock with an onboard cranking handle, I could only say, WOW!

And there are other restructions. Does the restriction of limiting the width of the un-cocked crossbow to 17 inches between the limbs, minimum length to 24 inches (butt stock to the front of the limbs) and restricting the draw to 200 pounds (maximum) somehow promote responsible hunting practices and protect the hunter and the wildlife?

Shorter limbs, revised pulley systems and state-of-the-art technology allow answers for all safety concerns. Yet, compound bows, recurve and long bows are not restricted to  maximum physical size and draw weight considerations.

Shorter bows (any bow type) make it easier for hunters to climb into their tree stands or ground blinds with extra safety and less effort.

So too, for the narrower physical size for crossbows available today. Some might argue that crossbows have a more extended range, but the range of unlimited-length long bows and high-end, high-power compound bows can be extra far as well. Some might argue that crossbows are more deadly and more efficient at killing deer. Yes, perhaps they are, as they are easy to use – but that is the reason for the season.

Crossbows are certainly more accurate in the hands of a novice hunter than compound bows. That means fewer wounded deer. It means more dead deer within the restriction of deer harvest numbers per hunter and safer roadways for everyone.

Compound bows and crossbows both have sights. Many crossbows have an optical scope with internal lighting, which reduces inaccurate shots, especially when legal shooting begins 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

Crossbows have a safety, a mandatory NYS rule—a good rule. We all need safety. Disabled and elderly hunters can use a crossbow with more confidence and ease than a compound bow.

To add additional cost to the distress of rules and regulations that seem unfait to many, in NYS, crossbow hunters must purchase a black powder (muzzleloading) license to use a crossbow. Some say this can only be argued in one direction: Perhaps New York wants to increase revenue in any way it can.

Crossbows generally shoot short 18 to 22-inch arrows called bolts, not bullets, at speeds of 225 to more than 430 feet per second (fps). Compound bow arrows vary from 22 to 32 inches in length, depending on the hunter’s size, and they travel at 200 to moore than 450 fps.

Should compound bow users pay an extra fee if their arrows are more deadly because the archer is physically more prominent, younger, and stronger and can accept the more significant challenge of using a compound bow? This seems like discrimination by any other definition. In New York, every crossbow hunter must carry a paper certification with their signature stating that they read and understand the NYS rules for crossbow use. Do we need one of these to use a rifle in New York? No. Hmmm. More crossbow discrimination? Every hunting implement is safe in the hands of a responsible hunter. That is why we carry a hunting license after passing a certified test. Why the extra paper?

After testing several crossbows this past year, I recognized that safety and affordability were high on my list. There is much stored energy in the limbs of a crossbow. Good design must be considered and verified through development testing and recorded field history. Ultimately, because I hunt in several states (you know the song…”Don’t let the old man in”), I settled on a Centerpoint Sinister 430. It’s a new bow.

The fully integrated silent cocking featrure on the Centerpoint Sinister 430 does not require a weightlifter to cock the bow.

The Centerpoint Sinister 430 has a fully integrated silent cocking system (good for old guys) and an adjustable butt stock to fit my long frame; it’s light and fast (430 fps), but for NYS, it’s too narrow at 14-1/8-inches un-cocked from tip to tip of the limbs. It does not meet the NYS 17-inch minimum width rule. BUT, from cam to cam, it is 19-1/4 inches measured that way! Hey, NYS, can we get one more silly new rule? I will kill many deer with this hunting tool, but not in New York. I refuse to disobey a Conservation Law, and I can’t afford two crossbows.

If crossbows were allowed during the entire early NYS archery season (6 weeks), it could open up more opportunities for youth hunters and potentially reduce the number of young people spending their time on video games. Limiting crossbow use by restricting the season, the physical size, and the pull weight of the crossbow is an unrealistic approach from the standpoint of wildlife management.

Is it political?

A recent NYS Senate Bill S5802 passed by a margin of 59-3, allowing crossbow use for all hunters over 60. It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. The companion bill A6815 stalled in the NYS Assembly, which is disappointing. As I approach 80, I’d like to see this bill get passed without the hassle of asking my doctor for special dispensation.

There’s hope that with a few small changes, New York could see a more inclusive and vibrant hunting community.

Thousands of others in NYS feel the same way.  It’s clear that more needs to be done to address the limitations imposed by crossbow regulations in New York. Let’s start with removing the minimum limb-to-limb width restrictions of 17-inches. The rest may take more legislative time.

Gotta love the outdoors!

Note:  Crossbow use is allowed during the 2024 regular southern zone big game firearm season (Nov. 16 – Dec. 8) and the extended southern zone black powder season (Dec. 9-Dec. 17 and Dec. 26-Jan. 1). Of course, by that time, deer populations are generally bedded down during daytime hunting hours from the noise of the regular firearm season.

 

A Man Among Men

Posted on by Dave Barus

By Larry Whiteley

Kentucky Lake fishing guide, Matt Carter, is busy all year around for good reason – he catches fish. Last week he said, “Between cold fronts and full moons, the bite can be finicky, but we still found a good mess of nice keepers.” The best catch was a 17.5 inch white crappie that came in at 2.9 pounds.

The phrase “A Man Among Men” means an exceptional individual who stands out as admirable among other men, and who possesses outstanding qualities, character traits, or achievements that make them a role model among their peers.

I recently spent some time with a man like that. Elena Blevins of the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau got us together at the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Conference they hosted. As a part of it, she planned a day of guided fishing on Kentucky Lake for all the writers. I told her I wanted to be paired with a guide who would be a story in himself. Elena did well. I came away from that fishing trip touched and changed by this man’s story. My hope is that it will also touch and change you.

Here is his story:

Every workday, when the men and women of the McCracken County Sheriff’s office in Paducah, Kentucky, come and go from the office, they pass a sign with this message: BE HUMBLE, BUT CONFIDENT, WALK WITH INTEGRITY. Sheriff Matt Carter put it there several years ago. He hoped this simple message would result in uncompromising service to the community they serve. It has done that.

Matt Carter was born and raised in McCracken County. He loves to fish and hunt. As a teenager, he started his own very successful lawn care business. In high school, he also worked in emergency medical services. When he was 21, he began a law enforcement career as a narcotics unit detective and worked his way up to captain.

Those who know Matt will tell you that he has been a success in everything he has done and is still doing because he is hardworking, humble, confident, and has integrity. That all came from the way he was raised.

Matt Carter is sworn in as sheriff by his father Pastor Wayne Carter.

His father, Wayne Carter, was a Baptist minister. He began at age 17 and served the spiritual needs of many churches in Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois for 46 years. His wife Beverly was always by his side. For 12 years, he was the chaplain and a special deputy for the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office. In 2018, 63-year-old Pastor Wayne Carter went to bed one night and never woke up. God had called His servant home. I would imagine when he got there, he heard these words – Well done thy good and faithful servant. He made a lasting impact on the lives of his sons Matt, Stephen, and Aaron, their wives, his seven grandchildren, and countless others. No one will ever know how many other lives he saved and changed through his Godly work.

Wayne Carter was a humble, confident man who walked with integrity. He was Matt’s biggest cheerleader.

When the previous sheriff, Jon Hayden, retired in 2019, Matt ran for office. Sheriff Hayden said, “I have watched and worked very closely with Matt Carter since he joined the agency many years ago, and I know him to be a hardworking and honest man. I have watched him many times in all sorts of situations and have always seen him do the right thing when he thought no one was watching.”  No one could contradict that statement. No one opposed him.

Sheriff Matt Carter and wife Melanie.

Because Kentucky state audits are mandatory when sheriffs take or leave office, the county incurs a significant cost. Sheriff Hayden decided to retire at the end of June 2018 and appointed Matt to take over the final six months of his term, saving the county the expense of the audit. Matt is most proud of being appointed six months early, as his dad got to see him as sheriff before he went home to heaven.

Matt is not bashful in telling people God is good all the time. He believes God blessed him with his wife, Melanie. His favorite Bible verse is also my favorite verse.  Philippians 4:13 says – I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me. There have been several times Matt has leaned on his faith to get him through things in life. He believes he should not be here in two of those incidents, but God was watching over him. One of those became an episode on NBC’s Dateline television series.

God was also there when their 20-year-old daughter Emily came down with HLH (Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis), which is a cross between leukemia and blood cancer. It is very rare, with only two places in America that do testing for it. She went through 49 weeks of chemo.  Today, Emily is recently engaged and plans on working in elementary education. Like Matt says, “Sometimes things seem bad but turn out to be good because God is in control.”

Matt retired as sheriff in 2022 after 23 years in law enforcement. Like his predecessor, he also left six months early to save the county money. Part of his retirement letter to the people of the county said – The community support that we receive is overwhelming and much appreciated not only by me but each one of our deputies and staff. You have no idea how much that means to all of us in these trying times. Please continue to stand behind and pray daily for the men and women that protect us day in and day out.”

While still working as sheriff, Matt and Melanie, along with his brother and wife, and his best friend and wife, bought land in the woods surrounding Kentucky Lake and started building what they called Sage Wood Campground (visit them on Facebook or email them at sagewoodcampground@gmail.com). It opened in 2019 and offers 32 annual long-term camping spots, a heated and cooled pavilion, a fishing pond, a playground for the kids, and more. It is also close to Kentucky Lake, where there is great fishing and other water activities. Matt and Melanie are blessed to live there year-round.

The author (left) and his humble Kentucky Lake mentor, Fishing guide Matt Carter, with a nice catch of crappies.

People from all over America visit Kentucky Lake every year. It is the largest lake made by man in the eastern United States.  At the maximum normal operating level, Kentucky Lake covers 160,300 acres. This area offers all kinds of family fun for young and old, including camping, hiking, biking, beaches, boating, golf, and some of the best fishing you will ever experience. My wife liked all the fun things to do for the ladies while the men were off fishing. Go to https://visitkylake.com or email fun@kentuckylake.org if you want more information about coming to this beautiful part of America.

Matt is living his dream after he retired from the sheriff’s office. Besides their Sage Wood Campgrounds, he competes in Major League Bass Fishing Tournaments and is also a well-known and respected fishing guide on Kentucky Lake. If you like fishing, I highly recommend a trip to Kentucky Lake and booking a fishing trip with Matt for your choice of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, striped bass, black and white crappie, sauger, redear sunfish, and more.

You can book a trip on his website, https://www.hookemupguide.com/, and you can also read these words from Matt: “I’ve been a fisherman and have loved this sport for as long as I can remember. It’s impossible to express the enjoyment and escape that the sport of fishing provides from the day-to-day stresses we all frequently encounter.”

After retiring from law enforcement after over two decades of service, I have truly learned and lived what “Striving for Excellence” means. As a fishing guide, I am committed to giving you the ultimate experience you deserve. No one will work harder than I will both before and during your trip to make it the most enjoyable experience while enjoying God’s creation. Whether you’re a novice or an avid fisherman, I take my job as your Kentucky Lake Fishing Guide seriously. Let’s put you on the fish and take a few hours to make some memories!

If that doesn’t hook you, then read all the positive comments on his Facebook page (Matt Carter Fishing) from people who have been on fishing trips with Matt.

He is a humble man, but through asking him questions while reeling in fish, talking with people who know him, and researching, I got to know who he is. He is a man that all of us men should strive to be like.

Matt has said, “If every one of us in our everyday lives would strive to leave things better than we found it, our world would be a much better place.” Matt has done that. His father would be proud of his son and the man he is. Matt Carter is a man among men.

Don’t Let the Old Man In

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • Jelly Roll said, “Toby inspired me to be a better American, a better human, a better songwriter and he inspired me to be a better father.”
  • Faith and family first, Toby Keith then he put love for his country and the men and women who serve or have served.
  • Toby’s daughter, Krystal Keith, said, “My daddy had a strong faith and relationship with Jesus.

By Larry Whiteley

My wife and I watched Toby Keith: American Icon on TV recently. It was a tribute to the country music star who died of stomach cancer this past February. I have always enjoyed listening to Toby. He was a country boy from Oklahoma that made it big, but he didn’t act like it. He was always just ole’ Toby.

Toby Keith at USO concert. Photo courtesy USO

The many country music stars that were there, performed their favorite Toby Keith songs. Some shared stories about him. Many tears flowed that night. I am not ashamed to say I wiped a few away.

I knew most of the songs they sang, but in the second half of the show, Jelly Roll sang a song I was not familiar with called, My List. He said, “Toby inspired me to be a better American, a better human, a better songwriter and, with songs like this, he inspired me to be a better father.”

The song, he said, was Toby’s “list” of things he wanted to get done. As he sang it, he would reflect on which things were important on his list, and which were not.

Under an old brass paperweight
Is my list of things to do today
Go to the bank and the hardware store
Put a new lock on the cellar door

I cross ’em off as I get ’em done
But when the sun is settled
There’s still more than a few things left
I haven’t got to yet

Go for a walk, say a little prayer
Take a deep breath of mountain air
Put on my glove and play some catch
It’s time that I make time for that

Wade the shore and cast a line
Look up an old lost friend of mine
Sit on the porch and give my girl a kiss
Start livin’, that’s the next thing on my list

It wouldn’t change the course of fate
The cutting the grass just had to wait
Because I’ve got more important things
Like pushin’ my kid on the backyard swing

I won’t break my back for a million bucks
I can’t take it to my grave
So why put it off for tomorrow
What I could get done today

Raise a little hell, laugh ’til it hurts
Put an extra five in the plate at church
Call up my folks to chat
It’s time that I make time for that

Stay up late, and oversleep
Show her what she means to me
Catch up on all the things I’ve always missed
Just start living, that’s the next thing on my list

Toby entertaining at Camp Victory in Iraq. Photo courtesy DVIDS

When Toby was growing up in Oklahoma, he loved to be outdoors hunting and fishing. His wife and family enjoyed and have many memories outdoors doing things together. Fishing was his favorite.

The outdoors was a stress reliever for Toby. It can be for all of us. It would have been a big part of his life after he retired from entertaining. He loved to be out in the nature that God created for all of us.

Even though many of his songs were about drinking, partying, and love for his country, Toby put faith and family first. Then he put his love for his country and the men and women who serve or have served.

Throughout his career, on his personal “list”, he put a priority on performing for our troops. He played more than 280 USO shows across 18 countries. He visited 132 military bases and locations to entertain more than 250,000 service men and women. He made more visits to active combat zones than the past four Presidents of the United States combined.

Toby’s daughter, Krystal Keith, also has her own career in country music. She said, “My daddy loved his family and friends. He also loved hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. You might not have known this by some of the songs that made him famous, but he also had a strong faith and relationship with Jesus. He got to a point in his battle with cancer that he told us, whatever happens, I know where I am going and I am at peace with that.”

Krystal sang the last song that night at her dad’s special tribute. It is my personal favorite of all of Toby’s songs – Don’t Let the Old Man In. What made it my favorite was that I too am getting old and doing my best to not let the old man in.

This is the true story about how he came to write the song. Toby was playing in a charity golf tournament in 2017. He was paired with legendary actor and Oscar-winning director, Clint Eastwood. They played their way through the course chatting about projects both were working on.

Eastwood said he was about to start directing and starring in a new movie called The Mule. Toby was amazed and asked Clint how, at almost 90 years old, he could remain as active and involved as he was. Eastwood thought for a moment, looked Toby right in the eye, and responded in that famous voice of his, “I don’t let the old man in.” Then he grinned.

Toby at Camp Courage in Iraq. Photo courtesy DVIDS

That same day, Toby begins writing a song inspired by his conversation with Clint. He was also inspired by something his grandmother had told him about a friend of who did not know her exact age due to her not ever having a birth certificate.

When Toby finished the song and recorded it, he sent it to Clint. When Clint heard it, he called Toby to tell him he loved it and asked if he could use it in his new movie about an old man. Of course, Toby said yes.

Toby Keith’s last television performance was last year at the People’s Choice Awards where he was presented the Country Icon award. Not many knew it then, but Toby was in great pain. Cancer was ravaging his body as he courageously walked on stage.

His wife of four decades and his kids were in the front row wiping tears. She knew that her husband was saying goodbye to his fans. Toby sang this song for the last time that night. Not only to his fans but to all of us, men and women, who are growing old. These are the words to his song –

Don’t let the old man in
I want to leave this alone
I can’t leave it up to him
He’s knocking on my door

And I knew all of my life
That someday it would end
Get up and go outside
Don’t let the old man in

Many moons I have lived
My body’s weathered and worn
Ask yourself how old would you be
If you didn’t know the day you were born

 Try to love on your wife
And stay close to your friends
Toast each sundown with wine
Don’t let the old man in

Many moons I have lived
My body’s weathered and worn
Ask yourself how old would you be
If you didn’t know the day you were born

When he rides up on his horse
And you feel that cold bitter wind
Look out your window and smile
Don’t let the old man in

“Don’t Let the Old Man In” is a song about how the time comes for all of us when we grow old. Garth Brooks’s song, If Tomorrow Never Comes, reminds us that we never know when our time on earth is through. Some of you may not live to old age. Tim McGraw’s song, Live Like You Were Dying, encourages us to go ahead and do the things we would want to do if we knew we were dying.

Toby at a concert for soldiers in Iraq. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army

Age is just a number. We cannot let growing old get to us. We should not worry that we could die at any time. We should live life to the fullest while we are here.

I will be celebrating my 78th birthday in a few months. I don’t know how many more years I have before the Good Lord Calls me home. Until then, I will continue to enjoy the outdoors any way I can and write about it to encourage others to get outdoors too. Doing that and other things will keep your mind and body active.

We should all work at always having a positive attitude whether we are young or old. Doing that, and having a strong faith in God is part of how to not let the old man or old woman in.

Like many of you, I have not always been who I am today. I messed up a lot, but God did not give up on me. I am still His work in progress. Like Toby, I know Jesus. I plan on being bold and telling as many people about Him as I can through words and actions before it is my time to go. I want others to have the peace I have of knowing where they are going when it is there time to go. How about you?

I encourage you to live each day like you were dying until tomorrow never comes. While you are doing that, don’t let the old man in.

 

America’s Great Outdoors

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

America the Beautiful

By Larry Whiteley

The opening line of one of my favorite songs says, “God bless America, land that I love.” Another line is, “From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam, God bless America, my home sweet home.”

I love America’s great outdoors. I grew up in Missouri and still call it my home sweet home. It is a state blessed with natural beauty and abundant places to enjoy outdoor activities. I have also experienced the mountains, prairies, and oceans in many other places in America.

Make a fishing memory. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

I have hiked and fished the mountain lakes and streams of Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Hawaii. I have also walked and fished the beaches of Hawaii, Florida, California, Texas, Maine, and Alabama.

I have enjoyed freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams while fishing in my home state of Missouri. Also, Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Illinois, North and South Dakota, New York, and Minnesota. I have made a lot of fishing trips to Wisconsin lakes to fish with our son and his family. I hope there will be more fishing trips there.

My wife and I have been to ten of America’s National Parks. Yellowstone, Glacier, Hawaii Volcanoes, Great Smoky Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, Mammoth Cave, Rocky Mountain, Acadia, Grand Teton, and Everglades. They were all wonderful places to visit.

The history and majestic beauty of these places will always be in our storehouse of memories. We would love to see all the National Parks before the good Lord calls us home. We better get busy, though. There are 53 more for us to visit, and they cover 85 million acres.

Still on my bucket list is a trip to Alaska to fish, see Mt. McKinley, and enjoy the culture of that area. We might go to a few more fishing or hiking places, but Missouri is home and like Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home.”

Family camping is fun. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

Wherever you live, I hope some of your most pleasant memories come from the great outdoors. If you can, I urge you to fish, hunt, camp, hike, and explore America with your family. Create memories that will last a lifetime.

May a memorable hiking trip always linger in your mind. May you go on a fishing or hunting trip you will never forget. May you forever remember a once-in-a-lifetime camping adventure.

When people from other countries come to America, they marvel at the abundance of our fish and wildlife, our National Parks, and all the places we can go to enjoy the great outdoors. Most surprising to them is the availability of these resources to ordinary people. In other parts of the world, only the privileged can walk to a stream and catch a trout, hunt deer, or pitch a tent in front of a magnificent view.

Grand Teton National Park. Photo courtesy NPS/David Restivo

We sometimes take our beautiful lakes, streams, oceans, mountains, prairies, and forests for granted. Thankfully, our forefathers knew the value of the Purple Mountains Majesty and the fruited plains and made natural resources the focus of their songs and lives.

Here in Missouri, we sometimes need to remember that we would only have the outdoor opportunities we do have with the continued efforts of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri State Parks, Army Corps of Engineers, and others. We need to thank them and support them in any way we can.

Whatever state you live in, you need to do the same for your state’s conservation organizations: the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service. These organizations use your donations and tax dollars to benefit your outdoor experiences.

Enjoy a sunset on a lake. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

In America, we have our choice of lakes, rivers, and streams to catch fish, paddle or boat around, play in their water, or relax on their banks and listen to the sounds of nature. We have many forests and prairies to make hunting memories. Campgrounds are waiting for you to come to enjoy sitting around a campfire and listening to a crackling fire and night sounds. Lots of hiking places with magnificent scenic views await your footprints.

They are all places you can go for at least a few days and relax from a hectic work week, either alone or with others. They are places to think and pray. Places to get away from traffic and all the screens you look at all the time. They are places to renew your mind or recharge your body.

The cost is either free or minimal. The physical and mental benefits are many.

It is better than a $100-per-hour psychoanalysis for putting our lives into perspective. I encourage you to get outside and enjoy America’s Outdoors every season of the year.

Take a hike. Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

One of my favorite outdoor quotes, among many, is one by Anne Frank: “The best remedy for those afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature.”

As bad as it may seem (at times), we must thank God we live in America. In America, among other freedoms, we have the freedom to become what we want to be, believe what we want, and worship as we please. I cannot imagine some cosmic explosion or evolution created America’s great outdoors. I believe God created America’s great outdoors for us all to enjoy and care for. I have the right in America to be bold in telling others what I believe. You have the right to do the same. It is up to each of us to accept or reject.

I love America’s outdoors, and I believe God inspired me to write this poem.

GOD’S MIGHTY HAND   

I have had people ask me just how I could believe in a God I do not see,

or his spoken words receive.

I smile and explain why I have no doubt.

It was God and his great power that brought the great outdoors about.

 

All I have to do is look around the times when I am there.

I see Him in the sunrise. That’s why I am so aware.

I see Him in summer rains that nourish the trees and wildflowers.

I see Him in a summer star-lit night. What a witness to his power.

 

I see Him in a campfire as the flames spark and dance.

I see Him as a deer sneaking through the woods and get a fleeting glance.

I see his beauty in the butterfly’s wings, the bronzed feathers of a turkey,

and the colors of the spring.

I see Him in the sparkling water as I make another cast.

I think of all He has done for me so many times.

I hear Him in the early light when the birds begin their songs.

I listen to Him when the thunder rolls and is so loud and strong.

 

I hear Him when the geese fly high in the sky.

I hear Him when an eagle cries. It is something you cannot buy.

I feel Him in a gentle breeze, and I say a prayer.

I know He is there when the sun shines warmly on my face.

 

His strength shows in the mountains and the ever-pounding seas.

The lightning bugs’ twinkling lights show his love for me.

If you will only stop, look, and listen when outdoors on the land.

You will see, hear, and feel that it was all created by God’s mighty hand.

Whether you are a believer or not, there is one more line from God Bless America that I want you to think about. “Stand beside her and guide her through the night with the light from above.”  We all need God’s light from above in our broken and divided America.

 

Too Much Screen Time!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Develop a plan to get yourself and the kids outdoors more often.
  • There are 958 million texts sent per hour: That’s 8.4 trillion a year!
  • Cyberbullying, stalking, and the spread of misinformation: all from uncontrolled social media. 
  • The mental health of kids and adults is suffering because of all the time spent on social media.
The beauty of nature is waiting for you outdoors. It’s all free.

By Larry Whiteley

If you grew up in the 1950s, 60s, or even early 70s, things were a whole lot different for kids. When you rode your bicycle, you wore no helmet. We even hitchhiked with strangers and did not worry about it. We rode in cars or trucks with no seat belts or airbags. There were no car seats when we were little. We stood up in the seat beside our parents. Riding in the bed of a pickup truck while it was moving was always fun.

Some drank water from a garden hose, not a plastic bottle. We shared a bottle of pop containing real sugar with friends. We ate lots of cakes, pies, white bread, and real butter. We weren’t overweight because we were always outside playing and doing things.

We would leave home in the morning and be gone all day. No one was able to reach us, and we were okay. As long as we were home for supper, our parents did not worry.

The feel of a fish on the end of a fishing line can change lives.

Girls made mud pies, jumped rope, played jacks or tiddlywinks, played with dolls, and played house. We boys dug up worms and went off fishing by ourselves or with buddies. Gigging frogs at night was a lot of fun, too. We took our single-shot .22 rifle and went off to the woods to hunt squirrels. There was no hunter education back then. We learned by doing. We became good hunters because we had to make every shot count. The frog legs, rabbits, squirrels, and fried fish helped feed our family sometimes.

Some of us spent hours building a go-cart out of scraps and then rode it down a hill only to remember we forgot the brakes. After running into trees and bushes a few times, we would solve our own problems. We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones and teeth without calling 911. There were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We spent hours building forts or playhouses. Some of us pretended we were fighting Indians or soldiers fighting a war. We also made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and even though we were told it would happen, no one’s eyes got poked out.

We rode our bikes or walked to a friend’s house, even if it was on the other side of town. We knocked on the door because there was no doorbell, or we just yelled for them. There were no security cameras.

We did not have video games, surround sound or streaming TV, and we did not have to pay to watch TV back then. There were also no smartphones, text messaging, personal computers, internet, or chat rooms. However, we had friends—real friends. We went outside often and found them.

Sitting around a campfire can recharge your soul.

Those generations of men and women were part of an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success, productivity and responsibility. We learned how to deal with it all. That was all before lawyers and the government regulated our lives, supposedly for our own good.

All of the above partly describes yesterday’s world, which many of us were privileged to have grown up in. Today’s world is a whole lot different, and not necessarily for the better.

Today, children and adolescents spend a lot of time watching screens, including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, and computers. On average, children ages 8-12 in the United States spend 4-6 hours a day watching or using screens. Teenagers spend up to 9 hours. Most adults spend almost 2½ hours a day, which adds up to almost a month every year. If social media is a big part of their job, it is much higher.

In the world, there are 958 million texts sent per hour, which equates to 8.4 trillion a year. There are 9.7 million Facebook messages sent every minute. TikTok posts 34 million messages a day. Some 93 million selfies are sent over social media each year, and the number is growing. Time spent on social media has become an addiction.

Get away from the screens and climb a mountain.

The mental health of kids and adults is suffering because of all the time spent on social media. Kids are growing up with more anxiety and less self-esteem because of harmful content. Cyberbullying and stalking are leading to kids and adults taking their own life. The spread of misinformation has destroyed the lives of some people.

There are good things about the technological world we live in today. I am using my computer to write this story. As I write this, I use it to look up statistics and other information. I use an app that checks my spelling, punctuation, and grammar. When this story is done, I will email it to my choice of websites, blogs, and online or print magazines and newspapers I write for. I do not use Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, or other social media. Every year, 4 out of 10 adults become victims of fraud attacks. I do not want to be one of them.

I get emails and texts on my smartphone. I can ask it a question, and it will take me to where I can find my answer. I make calls on it and answer calls if I know who is calling. If not, I do not answer because I do not trust it.

My smartphone also helps me take pictures I can use in my stories and family pictures. I look at pictures of kids and grandkids and think about all the memories of when they were little. So that is a good thing.

I will use my smartphone to get on YouTube if I want to watch a video on how to fix something. Or, if I want to watch what fellow Christian and country boy Buddy Brown has to say about what is happening in the world. Or, watch our church Sunday services when I cannot be there.

I do have a few apps I depend on. I use it most to check the weather app before going on hunting, fishing, or camping trips. Even if I need to mow or get work done around the house, I use it. I can see it day by day and hour by hour. Mostly, I scroll the radar across to see how the weather is going to be where I am going to be.

Sunrises and sunsets are better in person than looking at a screen.

I also use Missouri Department of Conservation apps for hunting tags, fishing permits, and seasons – and to find information about camping and hiking areas. My map apps help me get to those places and get back home again.

So, some technology is helpful. However, I do not consider most of the other technologies I have mentioned as personally good for me. I worry about what it is doing to you who are reading this, as well as to our kids.
Technology is making it more difficult for adults and kids to get away from their screens and outdoors into nature. Research has proven that outdoor time is essential for kid’s mental health, physical development, and overall well-being.
Spending time outdoors allows children to connect with nature and explore, which helps foster their imagination and creativity. It also promotes physical activity, helping kids develop their motor skills and maintain a healthy weight. In addition, it boosts their cardiovascular health and strengthens their immune system.

Too much time in front of screens can contribute to a lack of physical activity and an increased risk of obesity. It also hinders the development of motor skills. Children tap and scroll rather than being active outdoors. All that screen time also affects mental health because of less social interaction, poor sleep quality, and increased feelings of anxiety and depression.  Getting them and you out fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and other outdoor activities will help create a healthy balance between screen time and the great outdoors.

Make it a priority to spend time together as a family outdoors doing activities that everyone enjoys. Set an example for your children about the importance of getting outdoors for their well-being. Create limits on screen time. Make outdoor playtime exciting and engaging for your child. Prioritizing the outdoors promotes a healthy and balanced lifestyle for your family. You will also be benefiting yourself.

If you want to know more, all these statistics, facts, and other information are on your smartphone or computer. Just don’t take too much screen time doing it.

The soothing sounds of birds singing, flowing water, geese honking overhead, and wind blowing through the trees await you. The sights of majestic mountains, beautiful sunrises, sunsets, rainbows, butterflies, wildflowers, and eagles flying in the sky are all out there. The feel of a fish on the end of your line. The beauty of a night sky filled with millions of stars as you sit around a campfire watching the flames dance. All that and more is outdoors waiting for you, your kids, and grandkids.

Limited use of smartphones is acceptable on outdoor adventures, but only for taking nature pictures and recording the sounds of nature. They can enjoy these later and hopefully share them with friends and family to help get them away from screens and into the great outdoors.

As much as I would like to sometimes, I cannot go back to the simpler times of the yesterday I grew up in. I can limit my own screen time in the world of today. I can get outdoors to recharge my body and my soul. I hope you also learn to do that for your own sake and that of your family.

You will be amazed how your life, and your family’s, will change for the better when you reduce the time you spend in front of a screen and increase the time you spend outdoors in nature.

It’s up to us, parents and grandparents, to offer practical suggestions for encouraging our kids to spend more time outdoors.

The first line of defense (technology parenting) begins at home.

Summer Wild Boar Hunting in the Alabama Black Belt – FUN!

Posted on by Dave Barus

Wild boar in their natural habitat in the spring ** Note: Shallow depth of field

  • Overpopulation of wild feral hogs in many southern states NEED hunter help.
  • Choose hunting lodges carefully. Many provide full-service facilities, including meals, guides, and butcher services, at reasonable costs.
  • Thermal night vision rifle scopes are allowed for night hog hunting in Alabama – and they work.

By Forrest Fisher

Wild boar in their natural Alabama habitat are strong and always on the prowl for food, except during the peak of mid-day heat.

This summer, I enjoyed the most thrilling hunting experience of my life in the heart of central Alabama. Venturing into new territory, uncharted in my personal experience, I joined a group of four fellow hunter friends from across the country to hunt wild feral hogs. We planned and gathered at our destination, the renowned Great Southern Outdoors Plantation (https://greatsouthernoutdoors.com/) near Union Springs, Alabama. Nestled in the rich, fertile black topsoil sector of Alabama known as the Alabama Black Belt Region, this 23-county area supports a diverse range of wildlife, especially wild hogs and whitetail deer.

Great Southern Outdoors is a sprawling 6,000-acre private, unfenced plantation to accommodate hunters and anglers.

We arrived mid-week at the sprawling 6,000-acre private, unfenced plantation and were greeted by Hunter Pritchett, the owner, and Pam Swanner, the Executive Director of the Alabama Black Belt Outdoor Adventure Association. After completing in-process registration, we geared up for a mandatory pre-dinner orientation and then a new hog-hunting adventure—a first for me.

The anticipation of the hunt was matched only by the sheer beauty of the natural habitat here. The hardwoods and ground cover resembled north-country habitat. With accommodations that offered both comfort and luxury, we prepared for the post-sunset hunting wilderness on Day-1. Our hunting options included simple ground blind seating and elevated ground blinds, each strategically positioned near baited mechanical feeders on timers, offering the perfect vantage point for our pursuit of these elusive invasive wild hog creatures. Each feeder was equipped with a green light motion detector.

My trusty Remington 700BDL is one of my favorite 30-06 hunting firearms; I was using 165-grain Sierra Dovetail bullet hand-load ammo.

As I embarked on the hog hunting journey, I was a bit anxious about hunting in an unfamiliar area. I was sweating from the temperature, it was 90 degrees—but guided by Leroy Upshaw, a seasoned Alabama outdoorsman, I cooled down with his invaluable advice and confident encouragement. Each 10-15-minute trip to the stand was an enjoyable ride with Leroy.

Once at the stand, the sheer adrenaline flow from the anticipation of spotting wild hogs added to my sweat rate. Upshaw said the hogs would range in size and agility, and seeing them can be nothing short of electrifying. With Upshaw’s guidance, I planned to carefully select my targets – hogs or coyotes only; we could not hunt deer at this time of year. We were all mindful of the significance of the seasons. Each of us was captivated with expectation during each hunting episode. The thrill of the chase, the anticipation of a successful shot, and, for each of us, the satisfaction of knowing that we could contribute to the conservation of the natural habitat made this experience even more unforgettable.

As the sun settled over the Alabama Black Belt on day-1, I found myself immersed in the darkness of the Alabama night wild in a world of untamed beauty. The sights and sounds of this amazing region were bold and new. Each encounter with the majestic nightlife creatures here left an indelible mark on my soul, conjuring up that primal connection between man and nature. The after-dark sounds of the birds, chirping tree frogs, and snorting hogs in the distance, 17-year cicadas, and other wildlife – the Alabama nature music, kept me wide awake in the stand. I’m only a few years short of 80, and while sleep is a very welcome and good thing, I did not have to fight to stay alert and awake. I did forget my coffee thermos, but the water bottles in my backpack would help prevent dehydration in this heat.

In Alabama, boiled peanuts are a special delicacy to be savored. They are delicious.
Prior to hunting, lodge owner Hunter Pritchett provided hunting rules and safety.

My journey to the heart of the Alabama Black Belt was a transformative new hunting experience that deepened my gratitude for the great outdoors and added to my life-long appreciation for the importance of responsible wildlife management. The staff at the Great Southern Outdoors Plantation are part and parcel of annual controlled burns, reforestation efforts and healthy game harvest management. Each hunting episode was an adventure that will forever linger in my heart. This outing simply fueled my personal passion for conservation and the untamed spirit of the Alabama wild.

Over our three days of hunting, I spent a thrilling 17 hours in the stand, surrounded by the picturesque Alabama wilderness.

Prior to hunting, lodge owner Hunter Pritchett had provided a detailed firearm safety and wildlife awareness introduction. Hunter advised us to stay in the comfy and slightly elevated ground stands placed along trails leading to the baited food sources and bedding areas to realize the best odds for hog harvest success. This rule was in our signature agreements. He said, “Stay in the stand if you down an animal, text your guide, wait for your guide to arrive.” The reason? After dark, familiarity with property lines and unseen or unfamiliar critters that could be on the after-dark prowl. There are no rule-breakers in our group; safety comes first.

In the middle of the day, the hogs lie down in the shade, so it’s a good time to visit the activity center and check the refrigerator for a cool drink.

The wildlife sightings were phenomenal, as I witnessed over 40 majestic deer, mostly doe, and watched wild turkeys gobble up the sweet corn during daytime hunting stints. The anticipation of each hunt episode was electrifying, as I was eager for the perfect moment to take a shot.

The full moon during our visit illuminated the wild surroundings, offering a distant, seeable animal profile. However, it was too dark to shoot a glimpse of nighttime hogs and deer in the far distance. Despite this, it was still an exhilarating experience. I made sure to prioritize safety, following my father’s wise words, “Be sure of your target.”

The thrill didn’t end there. One of our group members, Serena Juchnowski, displayed incredible marksmanship, taking down a magnificent hog sow with a single, accurate shot. Her target expertise and the advanced firearm gear she was using left us all in awe. Her file was a Savage 110 Hog Hunter with a handsome GRS Bifrost stock chambered in .350 Legend, using Hornady 170-grain SP American Whitetail ammo. With the addition of a Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XL50 1.75-14x50mm Thermal Imaging Rifle Scope, Serena could see in the dark and could see long-distance thermal images in daylight. The scope is powered with two rechargeable batteries that provide up to 10 hours of continuous operating time.

The Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XL Thermal Imaging Rifle Scope allows viewing and recording mode with download to any Bluetooth-compatible device (your phone) to capture the exact moment of view desired. Serena Juchnowski photo.

Though not necessary in Alabama, the Pulsar Thermion scope provides an impressive 2,500-yard detection range and 875-yard laser rangefinder for pinpoint accuracy.

On the second night out, the air was thick with heat, a sweaty 91 degrees, as we settled into our individual stands two hours before sunset. The anticipation was palpable. About an hour later, I heard a gunshot in the distance, the sound echoing through the stillness of the evening air, and I couldn’t help but wonder if one of our group had made a successful kill.

A few minutes later, Serena’s text came through, breaking the silence with the exciting news that she had downed a nice sow. Thanks to the magic of modern technology with the thermal scope, Serena provided all of us with an exhilarating video recording of the entire episode as seen through the thermal scope optics. The replay was stunning, allowing us all to see her group of wild hogs approaching the feeder from over 100 yards out. At 70 yards, she took a shot and immediately downed the animal.

Using a Savage 110 Hog Hunter with a handsome GRS Bifrost stock chambered in .350 Legend, with Hornady 170-grain SP American Whitetail ammo, and a Pulsar Thermion 2 LRF XL50 1.75-14x50mm Thermal Imaging Rifle Scope, Serena Juchnowski, displayed incredible marksmanship, taking down a magnificent hog sow with a single, accurate shot. Leroy Upshaw photo.

Thanks to the video and sound recording, it was a moment that would be etched in our memories forever.

This adventure was not just about the hunt; it was about the camaraderie, the thrill of the chase, and the stunning natural beauty that surrounded us.

Every member of our hunter group had an opportunity to harvest a hog during this fully catered hunting outing, but only Serena took home the bacon. Girls: 1, Guys: 0. The Great Southern Outdoors Plantation provides deluxe breakfast and dinner meals for camp attendees and munchies and beverages (water, cola, and juice) for hunting stand time.

Whitetail deer are prolific in this Alabama area.

If you travel to hunt here, pack deer tick protection to be extra safe. Deer ticks live everywhere these days. Three of my grandkids have had to fight Lyme disease delivered by deer ticks. We use Sawyers Permethrin spray for exterior clothing and boots (not for skin exposure) and Sawyers Picaridin lotion for exposed skin. Deer ticks are repelled upon contact. The Picaridin formula is people-friendly. Visit https://www.sawyer.com/product-categories/insect-repellent. Using this choice for bug protection is key since wild hogs are VERY sensitive to human odor; the Sawyer products are scentless. As an option, you can choose to wear a Rynoskin suit if you prefer the no-chemical approach. Rynoskin is a skin-tight full-body suit (uppers, lowers, socks, gloves, and head) that protects from deer tick penetration, no see-ums and other invisible insect critters. Visit https://rynoskin.com/. Beyond bug bite protection, I wore ultralight camo clothing, Irish Setter MUDTREK snake boots (https://www.irishsetterboots.com/) and a camo backpack with lots of water bottles.

To learn more about the Alabama Black Belt Outdoor Adventure Association, the region, and the certified outdoor professionals that form a part of this hunting-fishing-hiking-birding-camping group, visit https://alabamablackbeltadventures.org/.

Our expert guide, Leroy Upshaw, with a green motion detector light typically suspended at the bottom side of the feeder.

About Great Sothern Outdoors Plantation: The cost to hog hunt at Great Southern Outdoors Plantation at this time of year is affordable for every hunter. During the post-winter and summer months, the “Hog Wild Blowout Special” includes meals, lodging and guide service with no limit on the number of hogs harvested. The 2-night lodging fee is $600, a 3-night stay is $900. GSO hog hunts run from late February through mid-September. There are no hog limits, no cleaning fees, no trophy fees, semi-guided to stand locations, and you may choose your hunting implement of choice – firearms included. With your license, coyotes and bobcats (daylight hours only) are also fair game. For info or booking at Great Southern Outdoors, call 334-738-5066 or visit https://greatsouthernoutdoors.com/.

Alabama License fees: Add the cost of a license, and you’re good to go. As a nonresident, my small game license ($54.30), bait privilege license ($59.95) and nighttime feral swine and coyote hunting license ($58.30) added to the total cost for a 3-day hunting privilege: $172.55. Worth every penny. Visit: https://www.outdooralabama.com/licenses/hunting-licenses.

Go get ‘em!

Discover Secrets of Landing Giant Summertime Crappie at Lake Eufaula!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Summer Crappies are hungry, big, fight hard, and are tasty on the dinner table.
  • The key to finding summer crappie is using a hi-tech sonar process.
  • Minnows or jig tail baits work; there are secrets to working them for a strike.
Plastic jig tails fished on red jig heads was the hot ticket for one of our Lake Eufaula fishing trips. Some jigs resemble minnows, others appear as bottom creatures, still others as nymphs hatching from the lake bottom to escape to the surface. The retrieve sets the tone. Any and all, it’s food for crappie. Jigs work!

By Forrest Fisher

Get the fishing rods ready! Join us as we embark on an adrenaline-pumping adventure into the heart of Lake Eufaula, where monstrous crappie roam the depths, ready to put up a fierce fight. We share the thrilling tactics uncovered by seasoned anglers to hook up with limits of these behemoths. Learn how to outsmart these cunning creatures for the ultimate slab crappie conquest.

When the water warms up in the summertime, warmwater fish species seek the comfort of deeper water and shade – crappie included. In the Black Belt Region of Central Alabama at Lake Eufaula, the summertime crappie eat more and get bigger each day. They become tasty rod-benders!

From heart-pounding battles with rod-bending crappie to the tranquil beauty of the Alabama wilderness, a visit to Lake Eufaula is not just a fishing trip – it’s an expedition into the wild unknown. Get ready to witness eagles soaring overhead, encounter other majestic wildlife, and immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of Lake Eufaula and the beauty of nearby wilderness.

Yours truly with a Lake Eufaula crappie; they are so wide and hefty, making for a great tussle at the boat and a tasty meal at the table. Imagine 30 of these in the live well.

Also called Lake Walter F. George, Lake Eufaula is an impoundment on the Chattahoochee River, created in 1963 by the Army Corps of Engineers behind the lock and dam at Fort Gaines, Georgia. The reservoir is a primary fishery for anglers from near and far, forming the southern boundary between Georgia and Alabama. While fishermen frequently target bass and channel catfish here, the village of Eufaula is a visitor-friendly Alabama destination. Located west of Atlanta, Georgia, and south of Birmingham, Alabama, anglers meet here to find the biggest crappies in the country all year long. There is major bass tournament action-from Eufaula too. Hotels, motels, campgrounds, fish camps, great diners and restaurants, and many bait/tackle shops and taxidermy shops sweeten the surprise for visitors.

Lake Eufaula fishing guide, Eddie Whitehead, with one more slab from the Eufaula deep near Lakepoint Resort State Park.

In short, if it’s your first time here, it pays to rent a guide service. Experience the thrill of exploring 45,000 acres of open water, teeming with life, while enjoying the comfort of top-notch accommodations. We stayed in a cabin on the water at Lakepoint Resort State Park. Each morning and evening, I didn’t fight the adrenaline rush as we teamed up with expert guides who led us to the hottest fishing spots. They explained how they were using cutting-edge sonar technology (Humminbird Helix 12 and Mega-Live FFS) to pinpoint the elusive crappie lurking beneath the surface. We searched for fished in 8 to 28 feet depth of water.

Despite the popularity from the bass fishing tournaments that come here, I feel that this area in Alabama is something of a well-kept secret, as the number of boats on the water is minimal.

I can’t help but reminisce about our incredible adventure at Lakepoint Resort State Park! The 2-bedroom cabin was nothing short of amazing, equipped with all the comforts of home, air conditioned, and with a stunning view of the lake. Upon arrival, we were greeted by warm-hearted Jalissa Jones, Lakepoint Resort Hotel Administrator, who shared details, directions and fascinating stories about the State Park.

Our days were filled with thrilling fishing excursions led by legendary guides such as Tony Adams, Eddie Whitehead, and Mayor Jack Tibbs. These experts took us on a whirlwind tour of the lake, using their hi-speed boats, top-notch equipment, and expert knowledge to guide us to the best fishing spots. It was incredible to witness their use of advanced sonar technology to locate the perfect fishing spots. Their simple, yet effective, fishing techniques left us in awe.

GUIDE SERVICES: Tony Adams (334-695-3003) of “Gone Fishing with Tony Charters,” Eddie Whitehead (334-530-8878) of “Eufaula Lake Guide Services,” and Mayor Jack Tibbs (334-695-3765) of “Fishing with the Mayor” fishing services.”

B’n’M Fishing rods for crappie range from 6 feet to 12 feet in length, most with a 100 series open-face spinning reel loaded with 6-pound test monofilament in chartreuse color.

From the breathtaking views of the lake to pulse-pumping fishing expeditions, our time at Lakepoint Resort State Park was nothing short of extraordinary. It was an adventure that filled our hearts with excitement and left us with unforgettable memories.

In addition to using simple live minnows lipped hooked to a size 2 gold-plated Model 202 Eagle Claw hook with a split-shot a foot above, we used plastic-tailed jigs too. Using 1/32 to 1/16 ounce painted jig heads with a size 4 hook, these were also quite effective. In one area, I cast my jig about 20 feet from the bottom structure and let it slowly fall to the bottom and sit there for 10 or 15 seconds; then I ripped the jig up a foot or so swiftly and let it settle again, briefly, only a second or two. Then followed with a gentle lift of the rod to slide the jig slowly on the bottom, and many times (four times in a row in one case), a fish had sucked up the jig for a meal, and it was…Fish On! Fun times! Some of the jig-caught fish checked the scale at over 2 pounds.

Each of the charters costs $350 without tip, and let me tell you, that’s a bargain! They were worth every penny. The daily bag limit of crappie is 30 per person, and the guides usually toss back anything under 10 inches, and you

Fishing guide Tony Adams with a usual half-day crappie stringer of crappie, placed on a stringer for this picture. They usually go into the live well and into the cooler filled with ice in the truck. Richard Simms photo

often have a limit is less than 3 hours. These crappies are wide, chunky, and beautiful. The best part is that there are so many crappie here. I’m happy we fished with a guide to learn about presentation and gear and to share some incredible Southern jokes.

The warm Southern Hospitality and the friendly local people made the whole experience unforgettable. I can’t wait to return; it may be tomorrow!

About Eufaula, Alabama: Mayor Jack Tibbs, a fisherman and hunter, believes the town should be considered the “Fishing Lure Capital of the World.” The village is home to numerous fishing lure companies, including Strike Zone Lures, Manns Bait Company, Big Bite Baits, Southern Plastics, and others, and it is the home of Humminbird Electronics. Many say it should be called the “Bass Capital of the World” because of the number of world-class bass tournaments held here. The area is historic, with southern plantation-style homes along Main Street and adjoining areas. Visit https://www.eufaulachamber.com or call 1-800-524-7529 for information and a guidebook on the region. Learn more about fishing in the Alabama Black Belt region through the Alabama Black Belt Adventure Association. 

Turkey Hunters, Deer Ticks, Lyme Disease – What to do?

Posted on by Dave Barus

Pic 1 of 1: Comparison of Deer Tick life stages over a dime: (L to R) larvae, nymph, adult male, adult female. Photo courtesy of Chautauqua County Health Department

  • Deer tick bites are painless. You must look to see if you have a tick embedded in you.
  • Deer ticks carry Lyme Disease. Lyme can mimic more than 300 other diseases, frequently causing misdiagnosis.
  • Use Permethrin on your clothes and Picaridin on your exposed skin for protection. 
Comparison of Deer Tick life stages over a dime: (L to R) larvae, nymph, adult male, adult female. Photo courtesy of Chautauqua County Health Department

 

By Forrest Fisher

Lyme disease has more than doubled in several parts of the country since 2014. Three of my seven grandkids became unfocused a few years ago, fatigued, and complained about aches, pains, and headaches. They were 7, 14 and 16 years old. Too young for the usual rites of arthritis passage and similar ailments.

In short, we eventually discovered that all three had Lyme disease. Identifying and finding a remedial cure took three years and $2,000 per month. The mysterious cause of the sickness was Lyme disease. Lyme can mimic more than 300 diseases, allowing patients and untrained medical staff to misdiagnose this killer disease before it is diagnosed correctly.

The disease is caused by a bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi) and can be spread to humans when an infected black-legged tick (also known as a “deer tick”) attaches to a human. Deer ticks are so tiny through all four stages of their 2-year life cycle that people may never see them or recognize them as a threat to their health. But these little critters are seriously dangerous.

Deer ticks typically live in shady, moist areas at ground level. They cling to tall grass, bushes and shrubs, usually no more than two feet off the ground. They also live in lawns and gardens, especially at the edges of forested areas and around old stone walls. Ticks cannot jump or fly onto a person. They usually wait in vegetation and cling to animals or humans that pass by.

Deer ticks can also be found on your moored boat at the marina! I have seen this occurrence twice now. They cling to seagulls and birds, then drop off when the birds stop to rest on the gunnel of a moored boat at the marina. Stay aware.

Once a tiny tick gets on the skin, it climbs upward until it reaches a warm, protected body area. Under arm areas, the groin, behind the ear or on the nape of your neck, then burrows in. Their bite is painless. You have to look to see that a deer tick has made entry. Look for a little bump in your skin that wasn’t there yesterday. If you go outside, check yourself every day. Moms and dads, a word to the wise to check your kids. Shower off after coming inside.

Warmer weather is upon us, and it is an excellent time of year to get outside and explore the natural beauty of your community. Be prepared if you are a fresh mushroom picker, wild onion seeker, woods hiker, camper, turkey hunter, or gardening enthusiast.

Permethrin is a synthetic molecule similar to those found in natural pyrethrum, which is taken from the chrysanthemum flower. It is available at Cabelas.
Picaridin delivers a similar effect as DEET, repelling troublesome insects for up to 8 hours. Reapply then. It is available at Cabelas.

My family and I have learned to depend on Permethrin spray to coat our exterior clothing and boots. One application of permethrin on clothes lasts six weeks, even through the wash. Not only does it repel insects from clothing and other fabric products, but it will actually kill ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, mites and more than 55 other kinds of insects. Permethrin is a contact insecticide that is non-toxic to humans.

We also use Picaridin on our exposed skin areas, which is applied each outing. Picaridin needs to be reapplied every eight to 10 hours. Picaridin effectively repels mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, stable flies, black flies, gnats, chiggers, and sand flies.

Bass Pro, Cabelas, Walmart and drug stores everywhere carry these inexpensive Permethrin and Picaridin products made by Sawyer Labs.

For non-chemical protection, purchase and wear a Rynoskin suit (www.rynoskin.com). The whole suit weighs about two ounces. It is thin, light, and breathable, but deer ticks and similar 8-legged arachnid critters cannot get through. A suit consists of socks, lowers, uppers, gloves, and a head cover. The suit eliminates worrying about spending too much time outside, especially for turkey hunters. Rynoskin protects against mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, no-see-ums, black flies, sand fleas, gnats and many other biting insects. Rynoskin is safe and chemical-free; It is designed to be worn underneath clothing, providing comfort and stealthy movement. It is machine washable and dryable

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. To prevent disease, promote wellness, and protect the health and safety of the community, health departments across the country recommend checking for and properly removing ticks, understanding Lyme disease symptoms and knowing when to call your doctor. If you spend time outdoors, here is one website video to learn more about being outside at this time of the year: https://chqgov.com/environmental-health/news/video-protect-yourself-against-ticks-and-lyme-disease.

My American Freedom met a 2nd Amendment Firewall – I needed a New Bank! 

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Should the government mandate American banks to share private transaction surveillance?
  • Where do we draw the line on privacy protection? See the interview below.
  • Dr. Ben Carson says, “Banking should be concerned with banking, not with politics.”

By David Gray

Earlier this year, I watched news reports about our government requesting banks share transactions about customers who purchase firearms or ammo. I was looking for a new trap gun then, so I went to my bank to ask that question. Was my bank going to send information to the government if I purchased a new 20 gauge clay target shotgun and paid for it with a check from the bank? Politely, the bank employee said they would find out and get back to me. They did not get back to me! On the news, I saw a new bank that would value and protect customer privacy and financial freedom, regardless of who they vote for and what they believe. The website for Old Glory Bank holds that big banks should not dictate who gets to use America’s financial institutions, but I wanted to know more. I called Old Glory Bank to see if they would answer the question I had asked my old bank. I wanted to talk to the President. I wanted to learn about this bank that would not cancel you for what you believed in or how you voted. I met Mr. Mike Ring, the bank president, who said I could ask any questions. I did, and this is what I learned.

Interview with Mike Ring, President of Old Glory Bank, on March 28, 2024

Question:  Tell us about the first thought or discussion that led to establishing Old Glory Bank.

Answer:  My involvement with Old Glory Bank involved two important moments.  The first was a call in late 2020 from a longtime friend and former client, Eric Ohlhausen. During that call, we talked about our growing concern about banks starting to take sides and de-bank customers who disagreed with them.  He then suggested to me that we “need a bank that serves everyone.  A bank for America.” 

Old Glory Bank President Mike Ring says, “Finally, a bank that values my values. Finally, a bank that cares about what I care about.”

Question:  On that call, did you discuss Old Glory Bank?

Answer:  I told Eric that this was a big idea. Actually, it’s a brilliant idea.  However, I was not at a spot in my life where I wanted to stop what I was doing and help start a bank.  However, his idea stayed with me.  In January 2021, the second moment occurred when I was listening to Sean Hannity’s radio show.  Hannity interviewed Mike Lindell (the My Pillow Guy), who had just been canceled from most retail stores.  At that moment, I started yelling at the radio – Lindell, they are coming for your banking next.  They are coming for your payments.  It then occurred to me that Eric’s idea was the answer.  I was being called to help start a bank for America that would not pick sides and would not cancel law-abiding customers.   It then took about a year to build the team, raise the money, and create the structure for owning and running a cancel-proof bank.   A bank that would serve all Americans and would not cancel persons because of what they believe.    

Question:  What were your personal reasons for participating in the effort to start and create this cancel-proof bank as a viable business?

Answer:  Although I knew starting a bank would be a daunting task, I felt strongly that I was being called to pursue this important project and that we would find a way.  With hard work and God’s will, I knew we could help save America, one account at a time.  

Question:  Was it courage that drove you to be involved? 

Answer:  No. Ignorance! Everyone told me that what we wanted to do was impossible and that we could never build a 50-state pro-America bank.  I can now confirm that three years later if I had known what I know now, I would have done Old Glory Bank.  Fortunately, my firm belief that God was calling me, calling my wife, and calling our co-founders to create Old Glory Bank blinded me from all logic and risk analysis.  I had a great life as a lawyer, a business person, and a family man.  If any client had approached me with this idea, I would have told him it was ridiculous and not to do it.  However, I could not stop thinking about this calling. Old Glory Bank consumed my life, which then became infectious and drew in the people we needed, starting with our brilliant co-founders John Rich, Secretary Ben Carson, Larry Elder, Bill Shine, and Governor Mary Fallin.  Also, it became clear that during my 30-year legal career, God put certain people in my life who had been prepared to be a part of Old Glory Bank.  This was not an accident.  

Question:  Once you knew this was your calling and that people were joining your mission, how did you actually get it done?  

Dr. Ben Carson says, “Banking should be concerned with banking, not with politics.”

Answer: Certainly, it’s more fun to talk about the “big idea” than actually execute the “big idea.”  I represented start-up businesses for 30 years.  I knew definitively that “ideas” are cheap, but “execution” is expensive.  The team and structure of Old Glory Bank were coming together in my mind. Still, because I was so busy with life, I failed to slow down and actually get the plan and structure down on paper.  Months were slipping by, and I was not doing what I knew I was called to do.  Then God showed his power again and put me in a situation that caused me to stop working and focus on Old Glory Bank.   I came down with Covid. I couldn’t travel, and I couldn’t go to meetings.  I had to stay at home and limit my activities for a week. I was a complete slacker for the first two days and binge-watched Netflix. But I kept falling asleep and waking up, knowing I was ignoring my calling.  So, on day #3, I got my slacker self out of bed, went down to my desk, and built a Deck to lay out the brand proposition, the essential products, and the legal structure of Old Glory Bank.  In all my life, I have never had ideas and words come so easily to me.  Today, when I look back to that original deck, which is now three years old, 99% of what came out of me and was put down on paper exists today at Old Glory Bank.

Question:  If a bank could have a personality, what is the personality of Old Glory Bank?

Answer:  That is easy. It would be the personality of Dr. Ben Carson.  I don’t say this lightly because we have many brilliant co-founders. Still, if I had to pick a personality, it would be Dr. Carson. Like him, we are stoic, humble, understated, smart, and passionate about putting others ahead of ourselves. 

Question:  How did you select the name Old Glory Bank?

Excerpt from the Old Glory Bank website page. Click the image above to see additional info.

Answer:  That is a great question.  One of my longtime clients and friends, a brilliant media guy, suggested this.  I loved it immediately.  Of course, many smart “marketing people” told me that was silly because you can’t have “Old” in the name of a brand. Fortunately, I trusted my instinct and ignored the “experts.”  These three words, Old Glory Bank, describe precisely who we are, what we believe, and what we do!  It is one of the great brand names of all time, and our customers love being part of the Old Glory Nation. 

Question:  What has been the most rewarding part of your participation in creating Old Glory Bank?

Answer:  We read every e-mail and every post.  It is so rewarding to me and the team when people say, “Finally, a bank that values my values.  Finally, a bank that cares about what I care about.”  Our employees hear that, and it motivates them to work even harder to earn the customers’ trust each and every day.  We are solely driven to serve our customers and their needs.  

Question: If you could sit down, in person, with a couple of American Citizens anywhere in the country and share one thing or one item of information that is not on the bank’s website, what would it be?

Answer: I wish all of America knew what I knew. I am the luckiest Head Coach in history because I get to lead the most brilliant, passionate, and caring team ever—especially in banking. I wish everyone knew that the team members at Old Glory Bank truly put our customers, community, and country ahead of themselves. 

Question: Has the growth of Old Glory Bank met pre-opening expectations?

Answer: Our growth has exceeded all expectations. We did not think we could grow this fast, so we now offer accredited investors a pre-IPO ownership opportunity.  Check it out at https://own.oldglorybank.com/. We are coming together to keep Old Glory Bank owned by Main Street, not Wall Street.    

Question:  Where are most of your customers currently coming from?

Answer: We have depositors from all 50 States. Currently, our largest number of depositors are from Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and California.  

Question:  Now for the best question.  Mike, what is your favorite Outdoor activity? 

Answer:  I was not born into an outdoor family, so I did not get to experience outdoor activities as a youth.  But recently, our Chief Security Officer, Steve Paganucci, who spent 22 years in the FBI, took me and my family target shooting, and we are now hooked!  We quickly assembled a respectful collection of firearms and frequently go shooting.  

Question:  Mike, this is the final question:  List the business goals of Old Glory Bank.

Answer:   Instead, I would like to answer that question by telling you both our goals and our mission. First, our mission – it’s the US Constitution.  Simple, but spot-on.  Next, our goals – to offer banking products and customer service that exceed all other banks, regardless of size, plus, to protect our customers from corporate and government overreach by never canceling a law-abiding customer and never sharing the data of lawful customers.  Oh, by the way, unlike the big banks, we actually love our customers!    

 

CMP’S 2024 Talladega D-Day Event will now Feature Shotgun!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • CMP: Civilian Marksmanship Program – their Mission: Promote marksmanship through firearms training, competitions and youth programs.  
  • CMP awarded 142 scholarships, over $300,000 in value, to Marksmanship athletes for 2024-2025.
  • The CMP 2024 Talladega D-DAY Events are set for June 6-9, 2024.

By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer

Mark your calendars as the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) hosts the annual Talladega D-Day event, set to be held June 6-9, 2024, at Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. Registration is currently open, so sign up now to join this commemorative occasion!

This year, the Talladega D-Day event will honor the 80th anniversary of the Allied Forces landing at Normandy Beach in France. Guests will be able to celebrate the heroes of the World War II generation through diverse marksmanship competitions and activities scattered throughout the 500 acres of Talladega Marksmanship Park.

Talladega D-Day Costume. CMP photo.

The 2024 Talladega D-Day Match will honor the 80th anniversary of the Allied Forces at Normandy.

New for 2024 – D-Day will include a special shotgun tournament on Talladega’s 15-station Sporting Clays Loop! The competition will take place on Saturday, June 8, and will include 200 clays for two-person teams. Register for the D-Day Shotgun Tournament at https://app.scorechaser.com/tournament-PAKQN0CJWGM0X1.

The 2024 D-Day event will also include the return of contemporary rifle match favorites like the Roosevelt Commemorative and Garand Iron Man EIC Rifle matches, as well as a Rimfire Sporter Rifle Benchrest Match and Benchrest Vintage Match—both ideal for those just beginning rifle competition or those with ailments eager to get back on the range.

For the first time, the 2024 D-Day event will feature a shotgun team event. CMP Photo

Along with a variety of educational courses, CMP’s traditional Games events, such as the GSMM, Carbine, and Vintage Sniper rifle matches and pistol matches like the 1911 As-Issued and Military & Police, will round out the full schedule. Those competing in the John C. Garand Match with As-Issued M1 Rifles will have the chance to earn a GCA (Garand Collectors Association) Master Marksman medal based on their score.

Come be part of the festivities on this special date in U.S. history. For more information on Talladega D-Day, visit https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/talladega-d-day-matches/.

Talladega 600 Range Rifle events will be held on Talladega’s outdoor electronic target line.

Talladega D-Day Pistol Competitor Like rifle and pistol events are open to individuals of all competitive experience levels.

About Talladega Marksmanship Park: Talladega Marksmanship Park, “The Home of Marksmanship,” hosts rifle, pistol, shotgun and archery opportunities for guests to enjoy. The park Club House consists of 13,000 square feet of useable space and includes CMP’s Pro Shop, which is loaded with firearms, ammunition, shooting accessories and CMP memorabilia. Don’t forget about the Pro Shop’s Commercial Gun Sales, which will be available beginning June 1, 2024!

The facility is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, all year long. The CMP website has a list of monthly events and other happenings at Talladega Marksmanship Park: https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/.

Stuffed Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe, Easy with Hi Mountain Seasonings

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • This recipe produces a moist and tender breast that’s absolutely scrumptious.

By Karen Lutto

With spring turkey hunting season kicking into high gear all around the country, successful gobbler getters looking for a delicious new way to prepare their turkey breast should try this Stuffed Smoked Turkey Breast recipe from Hi Mountain Seasonings. It’s easy.

“A lean wild turkey breast can be difficult to prepare without it coming out on the dry side,” said outdoor writer Bob Robb, an accomplished turkey hunter. “That’s why they’re often turned into fried turkey nuggets. This creative recipe from Hi Mountain Seasonings is a game-changer. It produces a moist and tender breast that’s absolutely scrumptious. It’s easy and sure to please family and friends.”

The recipe is centered around two popular Hi Mountain Seasonings products – the Hi Mountain Seasonings Game Bird and Poultry Brine Kit and Hi Mountain Seasonings Rib Rub. The Game Bird and Poultry Brine Kit is a mixture of salt, sugar, brown sugar, sodium nitrite (.85%), maple syrup, caramel color, and less than 2 percent glycerin added to prevent caking. Each brine package contains two packets of the mix, which make one gallon of brine, for a total of two gallons of brine (two brine bags are included), and easy-to-follow instructions. It has a suggested retail price of $9.99. Hi Mountain Seasonings Rib Rub features a blend of paprika, dehydrated garlic, salt, dehydrated onion, honey granules (refinery syrup, honey), black pepper, mustard, silicon dioxide (for anti-caking), cayenne pepper, and soybean oil (refined to be allergen free). It comes in a 10 oz. bottle, with a suggested retail price of $10.99.

Stuffed Smoked Wild Turkey Breast Ingredients:

  • 2 skinless wild turkey breasts
  • 1 packet Hi Mountain Seasonings Game Bird and Poultry Brine Kit
  • Hi Mountain Seasonings Rib Rub
  • 1 apple, peeled and cubed
  • 1 onion, peeled and cubed
  • 4 tbsp butter in four 1-tbsp slices
  • Olive oil

Directions:

Brining: In a non-metallic bowl, mix one pouch of Hi Mountain Seasonings Game Bird and Poultry Brine with one gallon of water. Add six cups of ice to the brine. Place the brine bag in a large pot and add the turkey breasts, breast side down, to the brining bag. Pour the brine mixture over the turkey, then place the turkey breasts in the refrigerator to brine for 24 hours.

Roasting: Remove the turkey breasts from the brining bag, rinse under cold, running water, then pat dry with paper towels. Air dry the turkey breasts for at least 30 minutes.

While the turkey breasts are air-drying, cube the peeled apple and onion. Lay the turkey breast flat on a cutting board. With a sharp knife held parallel to the board, cut a pocket into the turkey breast, leaving a section uncut – like a hinge – on the thicker side of the breast. Stuff half of the cubed apple and onion inside the pocket of the first turkey breast and season the mixture with Hi Mountain Seasonings Rib Rub.

Place two 1-tbsp slices of butter on top of the apple/onion cubes inside the turkey breast pocket. Fold the turkey breast over to seal the pocket. Brush both sides of the turkey breast with olive oil, then season all sides of the turkey breast with Hi Mountain Seasonings Rib Rub.

Repeat with the second turkey breast.

Preheat a wood pellet grill that has a smoke/grill option to 200 degrees. Smoke the turkey breasts for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes of smoking, increase the heat to 350 degrees and continue grilling until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove the turkey breasts from the grill and let them rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Please note: A meat thermometer is an essential tool for this recipe.

This mouth-watering recipe is just one of the many free recipes found on the Hi Mountain Seasonings website, www.himtnjerky.com. HMS is America’s premier manufacturer of kits for homemade jerky and sausage, Western-style seasonings, bacon cures, snackin’ stick kits, dressings & dips, delicious recipes for meat, fish and fowl, and much, much more. Why not check it out today?

More about Hi Mountain Seasonings: Located in the heart of Wyoming, Hi Mountain Seasonings was founded in 1991 and is America’s premier manufacturer of homemade jerky and sausage kits. Hi Mountain Seasonings has successfully captured distinct, traditional Western flavors in its jerky cure & seasonings, Western-style seasonings, bacon cures, snackin’ stick kits, dressings & dips, and much, much more. The company also offers field dressing and prep and cooking tools. For additional information, write Hi Mountain Seasonings, 1000 College View Drive, Riverton, WY 82501; call toll-free 1-800-829-2285; or visit the company website at www.himtnjerky.com.

 

Wild Turkey Pastrami

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Have you tried making your own wild turkey pastrami?
  • It’s easy and delicious.
  • You just need a smoker or pellet grill and the simple Hi Mountain Seasonings noted below.

By Karen Lutto

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Mix one pouch of Hi Mountain Seasonings Game Bird & Poultry Brine Mix with 3 1/2 quarts of water. Add the wild turkey to the brine and refrigerate for 7 days.
  2. After refrigerating for 7 days, remove the wild turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Soak the wild turkey in a water bath for two hours, changing the water once during this process. Remove the wild turkey from the water bath and dry it with a paper towel.
  3. Place the wild turkey on a rack to air dry for one hour.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the Hi Mountain Seasonings Garlic Rub and coriander. Liberally coat all sides of the wild turkey with this mixture.
  5. Set the smoker or pellet grill to 200 degrees F and place the wild turkey in it. Once the turkey’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, remove it from the smoker.
  6. Place the wild turkey on a large piece of tin foil. Pour the beef stock on top of the wild turkey and seal the foil tightly around the wild turkey.
  7. Place the wild turkey back into the smoker and steam for another 30 minutes.
  8. Remove foil-wrapped wild turkey from the smoker and carefully take the roast out of the foil.
  9. Let the wild turkey pastrami rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Note: Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal cooking temperature has reached 165 degrees F.

 

Spring-Summer Adventure: VISIT a Sustainable Dairy Farm!

Posted on by Dave Barus

Dakin Dairy Farms is a sustainable farm with a focus on Made-In-America business for many years to come.

  • See and learn where milk comes from, cow to bottle – then taste the real deal.
  • Enjoy breakfast or lunch at the farm kitchen and store.
  • Kids can play in the 5-acre picnic area and dig for shark teeth there.

Sunny days in Florida offer a chance for new wild adventures, especially now with alligator mating season in progress (you might find them under your car any day of the week).  My better half and I like excitement, but this time, we took a short and peaceful sort of adventure road trip to Myakka City in Manatee County, Florida. Arriving there, we discovered Dakin Dairy Farms – a sustainable family dairy farm of about 1,200 acres. It’s a place where kids can learn learn where milk comes from, how milk travels from the cow to the bottle, and then taste the difference of truly fresh milk from Dakin.

Sustainable dairy farming is a new way for farming to continue in America, and Dakin Farms is on the leading edge.

They process and sell their own milk and cheese products, and offer tours to the public. In their Farm Market Store, you may purchase delicious cheeses, milk, and butter. The Farm Market Café is open year-round and serves delicious meals that are sure to leave you feeling happy.

The Dakin Dairy Farm occupies more than 1,200 acres near Myakka City in Southwest Florida.

At their farm site, visitors can find a 5-acre family picnic area/petting zoo with tables, baby cows (more than 30 baby cows are born each month!), goats (2 baby goats were born on Valentine’s Day), and a not-so-big earth hill where kids can dig for ancient shark teeth. Everyone is looking to find a Megalodon tooth, the biggest of fossilized shark teeth from whale-eating sharks that roamed the seas about 10-20 million years ago.

The picnic area includes tables for family seating and much more for kids to enjoy while exploring a dairy farm.

The best part? Their kitchen nook! A lengthy breakfast and lunch menu at really affordable prices for VERY generous portions. We tested some of the items out for taste – try their Reuben Sandwich, it was delicious!

We met the general manager, Courtney, who explained the operation of the farm, their large number of cows and other farm animals, their roadway dirt-fill provision capability for county highway crews, and the function of the kitchen, gift shop and children’s picnic area.  We then met the chef and storekeeper, Russell, who explained some of his cooking secrets not to be shared in this venue, but you could stop in there and see for yourself.

It was a very relaxing morning! Their delicious products are carried in Publix, Detweiler’s and many other South Florida area stores. Learn more about Dakin Dairy Farms when you visit this Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/DakinDairyFarm.

The famous Dakin Dairy Farm Tours are the most fun. 

Grand-Slam Turkey Hunting Secrets – a quick chat with Wild Turkey Grand-Slam Record Holder Jeff Budz

Posted on by Dave Barus

Budz has shot more than 500 wild turkeys and completed more than 120 grand slams of all four subspecies (Eastern, Merriam’s, Rio Grande, and Osceola)

  • Budz has shot more than 500 wild turkeys and completed more than 120 grand slams of all four subspecies (Eastern, Merriam’s, Rio Grande, and Osceola).
  • Budz travels light because he covers a lot of ground. He always has two mouth calls in his mouth,
  • When Budz needs to reach out a long distance, on a windy day, on a ridge, or in a deep swamp like where he lives in Florida, he relies on a Rafter Box Call from 4-Play. See details in the story. 
Jeff Budz with one of the more than 500 wild turkeys he has taken in his 35-year hunting career. Photo courtesy of Jeff Budz

By Dan Small

To call Jeff Budz a turkey-hunting fanatic is a serious understatement. He has more than 35 years of hunting, guiding, writing, and filming hunts all over the world. To Budz, who lives in Okeechobee, Florida, hunting isn’t just a hobby or––in the case of guiding––a paycheck; it’s a way of life. 

Budz has shot more than 500 wild turkeys, completed more than 120 grand slams of all four wild turkey subspecies (Eastern, Merriam’s, Rio Grande, and Osceola), and recorded a self-guided super slam of longbeards (one in each of the 49 states with wild turkeys.

We caught up with Budz as he was preparing to launch into another spring turkey season.

Q: When did you start turkey hunting, and how did it become such an obsession?

Budz: I shot my first turkey in 1989 during my junior year at Southern Illinois University. My friend Jim Lynch took me out. Two jakes shock-gobbled to his calling and came running in. We each shot one, and I was hooked right there. What I love most is the interaction between the hunter and the gobbler. It’s like a chess match. Turkey hunting changes through the season, and you have to stay one step ahead to connect with a bird.

Q: For many turkey hunters, a grand slam is the Holy Grail, something they hope to accomplish once in their lifetime, yet you have done it more than 100 times. What drives you, and how were you able to record that many?

Budz: I shot my first grand slam in 1994, and then in ’95, I got two because you can legally take two Osceolas each spring. Osceolas are the bottleneck since they’re found only here in southern Florida. Not many people had done it back then, and I was curious to see who had taken the most grand slams. So I checked the (NWTF) record book and learned it was Dick Kirby, founder of Quaker Boy Game Calls. I thought he hung the moon, but he was ahead of me, and that just drove me nuts because the view from second place never changes.

Click on THIS LINK to visit 4-Play

We each got two grand slams in ’95, ’96, ’97, and ’98. Then, somebody told me you could shoot two Osceolas in the fall, too, so in 1999, I shot two in the spring and two in the fall. Along with other birds I had shot, I had four grand slams that year. When the records came out in June, I learned that Dick had also figured it out and had taken four grand slams that year. I got mine on November 29th and 30th, and he got his on December 30th and 31st, so at least I had beaten him to the punch!

I didn’t know how many slams I was behind Dick at the time, but I wanted to catch up with him. Then, a Seminole tribal member told me about a place on the reservation where non-tribal members could buy permits, so I bought one. That year, I shot five grand slams. Then, I learned you could buy as many tags as you want. The following year, I went back there and here came five Osceola gobblers all in a line. I fired one shot, and four of them dropped stone-cold dead.

I was actually aiming for five, but I was beside myself because with all the other birds I had shot over the years and not yet recorded, I had just picked up four more grand slams. That deal isn’t available anymore. Many states are cutting permit numbers, so the opportunity to do what I did is slipping away.

Q: So, your record may stand, then?

Budz: I don’t know. My son is 5 1/2 now. He hasn’t shot a turkey yet, but if anyone’s gonna break it, I hope it’s him. I’ll do everything I can to help him as long as he wants to.

Q: What advice do you have for beginning turkey hunters?

Budz:

  1. Spend as much time in the woods as you can.
  2. Scout areas you plan to hunt before the season opens.
  3. Talk to mail carriers, UPS drivers, school bus drivers, and anyone who drives around in areas where you want to hunt.
  4. Knock on doors.
  5. Don’t be bashful.
  6. Get as much intel as you can. If I see a tom strutting in the same place two days in a row, I can usually get him.

Q: How important is calling, and what calls do you carry?

With the 4-Play box call, a hunter can sound like a flock of turkeys, which can fool even a mature old gobbler. Photo by Dan Small

Budz: I would never win a calling competition, but some competition callers can’t kill a bird because they are not good woodsmen. I travel light because I cover a lot of ground. I always have two mouth calls in my mouth, but when I need to reach out a long distance, on a windy day, on a ridge, or in a deep swamp like here in Florida, I rely on a Rafter box call by 4-Play. The rails are made of four different kinds of wood: walnut, poplar, sassafras, and cedar. Each makes a distinct sound, so you essentially have four calls in one. “Rafter” is another word for a flock or group of turkeys. It’s the perfect name for a call that sounds like a whole lot of hens.

When I’m calling, I try to sound like a flock of turkeys, like a party. I want to get inside that tom’s head and make him come check us out. It says a lot when the Rafter is the only box call I’ll carry. When I call, I’ll add to the variety of sounds by turning my body left or right. I might step behind a tree or go over a little lip. Even older gobblers who have heard it all can’t resist that difference in pitch, tone, and movement.

Q: You completed the super slam in 2014, and you also took a grand slam of bearded hens with a bow. What challenge is left for Jeff Budz?

Budz: I want to get a slam with every legal hunting tool. So far, I’ve done it with .410, 28-, 20-, 16-, 12-, and 10-gauge shotguns, a rifle, a crossbow, and a muzzleloader.

I just got a recurve, and I’m practicing with it. I also want to go real old-fashioned with a musket–maybe put some nails in there or whatever they used back in the day. I’ve got a couple of other ideas I can’t talk about right now, but you’ll hear about them eventually.

For more on Jeff Budz, visit his website: www.tagitworldwide.com. To order a Rafter box call, visit https://4playturkeycall.com/partner/13/. 

c. 2024 by Dan Small Outdoors, LLC; https://www.facebook.com/dansmalloutdoors/ 

Watch Outdoor Wisconsin every week on Milwaukee PBS and other stations around the Midwest. For information, go to www.milwaukeepbs.org. Listen to Outdoors Radio with Dan Small on 22 stations in the Upper Midwest, including Newstalk 1130 WISN, Milwaukee at 6:00 a.m. Saturdays and 24/7 @ www.lake-link.com/radio

A Man Called FISH

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • As the sun reflects on the water, his wrinkled, arthritic hands struggle to tie on a crappie jig.
  • He smiles and thanks God for his last day on the water.
  • On Memorial Day, take time to thank God for those veterans who gave their lives so you can have the freedoms you have.

By Larry Whiteley

His name is Joe, but everyone who knows him calls him Fish. He is in his 90s and still goes crappie fishing as much as possible.

It is early on a Memorial Day morning. Not many others are out fishing yet. The sun rises once again over the forested hills surrounding the lake. Birds begin to sing. Crows are cawing. Deer are at the water’s edge for a drink. A turkey gobbles on a distant hill.

He still misses his wife and son, who are both in heaven now. He doesn’t see his kids and grandkids much; they are busy with their own lives. A younger crappie fishing buddy in his late 70s is with him. It is me. Most of the time, it is just Fish.

We sit in his dented, scratched, and patched 1960 aluminum boat. The 25-horsepower Evinrude outboard that he put on it all those years ago still runs and powers the boat. It has no LiveScope or any other modern technology. That boat is like family to him.

As the sun reflects on the water, his wrinkled, arthritic hands struggle to tie on a crappie jig. I offer to help. He says no. It takes him a little longer, but he gets it done. He still uses that same rod and reel his wife bought him long ago. He knows where the crappie will be. They have always been there. His first crappie of the day is clipped to his fish stringer and hung over the side of the boat. It is not long until he is putting another crappie on the stringer.

By 10 am, we both have our limit of crappie. Fish looks up and sees an eagle sitting on a limb watching him. He tells me it is there every time he goes fishing. He smiles and thanks God for his last day on the water. He also thanks me for coming with him. A tear runs down his cheek and mine. His doctor has told him his heart is getting weaker. He has, maybe, six more months to live.

He sits in his boat and tells me that if it is time to leave this world, he wishes it could be right there on the water rather than some hospital or nursing home. I assure him that I will be there to help him in any way I can.

He wanted to talk some more before we headed to the boat ramp. After all the years, he still wonders why he got to come back home from war when so many of his buddies did not. He has never talked much about what it was like fighting for all of us over there. No one knows what he saw.  The blood. The wounds. The bodies. They do not hear the bombs, the bullets, or the screaming. It is all hidden. Another tear rolls down his cheek. He wipes it away and thanks me for listening. Then Fish starts the old motor for the last time.

When we get to his home and pull into his driveway, Fish stops to look at Old Glory proudly flying on a pole in his front yard. It is there every day, not just on Memorial Day. He only takes it down when there is bad weather or replaces it with a new one.

We clean the fish and fry a few of them for lunch. He tells me that you cannot beat fresh, fried crappie. The rest will go in the freezer with all the other crappie he has caught. He will share them with me and other friends from our church.

On Memorial Day afternoon, Fish put on his Army Veteran cap, and I put on my Navy Veteran cap. We go to the graves of his wife and son. He sits and talks to them both for an hour or two. I bow my head and listen. He tells them he loves and misses them. He also tells them that he will be joining them soon. I get a lump in my throat and try not to let him see the tears in my eyes.

We spend the rest of the afternoon at the local military cemetery. We are there to honor those who served and those who gave their lives for our country. Standing in front of the graves of those he knew, he salutes each one. Then he says thank you and God bless you. He wipes another tear from his eye. He looked at me and said it was his last time doing that. I assured him I would continue his tradition until the Good Lord calls me home to join him up there.

He smiles because he knows I will take his place and do the things he does to honor our veterans on Memorial Day. He wonders how long it will take people to thank Veterans for serving when they see them wearing their Veterans Branch of Service cap. He asked me to speak at his funeral. I agreed to do that. He wonders if anyone will come to his grave but me on Memorial Day. I told him I would be there talking to him. I know he will be listening.

Thomas M. Smith once said, “This country has not seen and probably will never know the true sacrifice of our veterans. We all owe an unpayable debt to all our military. In the future, let us not send our servicemen and women off to war or conflict zones unless it is overwhelmingly justifiable and on moral high ground. The men and women of WWII were the Greatest Generation, Korea veterans the Forgotten Generation, Vietnam veterans the Hated Generation, Cold War veterans the Unsung Generation, and Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan veterans the Underestimated Generation. Every generation has proved itself worthy of standing up to the precedent of the Greatest Generation. Since the American Revolution, American military men and women have been the best in the world. Let us all take the time to remember all veterans who served or are serving, peacetime or wartime, gone or still with us. May God Bless America and all veterans.”

I agree with every word Mr. Smith said.

What will you be doing on Memorial Weekend?

Will you be fishing, camping, playing in the water, or enjoying a backyard cookout? I ask you to please take time to honor the men and women who served or are serving. Take time to thank God for those who gave their lives so you can have the freedoms you have.

Pray for those who fought for us, got to come home, and still remember it all in the recesses of their minds—men like my fishing buddy, who just went on his last fishing trip. A man called Fish.

 

The POWER In Your Hands

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • There is so much more to old, wrinkled hands than stories can share.
  • Guiding, caring hands of inspiration and love are all around us if we look.
  • “Take it one day at a time and put it in God’s hands.”
My old wrinkled hands typing this story.

By Larry Whiteley

I recently read a story titled Grandpa’s Hands. It reminded me of my Grandpa and Grandma’s hands. They were old and wrinkled like the story I read. They used them to survive and raise their family on the farm where I was born and spent my early years. Their hands guided me into being the man I would become. I learned by watching them use their hands to go about their daily lives on that farm.

Grandma’s hands changed and washed my diapers. Her hands showed me how to tie my shoes or put on my boots when I was young. They combed my hair for a trip to town. They held my face when she told me that she loved me. They taught me how to fold my hands in prayer. Those same hands lay me down to sleep.

Her hands showed me how to feed the chickens, gather eggs for her from their nests, and butcher them to feed us. Those same hands taught me how to gather vegetables for her from the garden to can and cook. She also taught me how to use my hands to haul water from the spring for cooking, washing dishes, and washing hands.

Grandpa’s hands were sometimes sticky or wet, other times dried and raw, or bent and broken. This was due to all the work he had to do around the farm for us to survive. He took my hands in his and showed me how to milk the cows and feed the pigs. His hands spanked me when needed.

He used his hands to pass down his old fishing equipment and squirrel rifle to me. Then, those same hands taught me how to use them. Doing that formed the foundation for my love of the great outdoors and what I would do with my life.

Grandpa and Grandma have been gone for many years. I am now older than they were when they went home to heaven. I still remember their wrinkled hands.

I look down at my hands as I write this. They are now wrinkled like theirs were, but not from doing work like they endured. It is from years of trying to take care of my family and enjoying and writing about the great outdoors that God blessed us all with.

Two special boys and three hand-squeezes!

My hands helped teach my kids and grandkids to fish, hunt, and camp under the stars. They have reeled in and helped other kids reel in countless fish. I have placed my hands on many deer and turkeys as I thanked them for giving their life to feed my family. These hands have built many campfires and taken countless pictures of kids and grandkids with their first squirrel, deer, turkey, or fish.

These hands held a son close as he cried when his dog died. They hugged another son when he got his first deer as a grown man. My hands wiped away my tears when I was the Best Man at both of their weddings. They wiped away tears again when I found out our youngest son had cancer.

My hands held a granddaughter close when she was missing her mom and dad. Those hands wiped away her tears and told her that Grandma and I love her to God and back. When a grandson won a basketball game, baseball game, or fishing tournament, my hands gave him a high five and hugged him.

Maybe the most powerful thing I have ever done with my hands was when our youngest son and his wife adopted a little boy from Guatemala. A year later, they adopted his brother. I would tell them I loved them. I felt like I needed to do something different than say the words so they would better understand.

Our family enjoying a day on the river.

One day, I reached over, and their hands were in mine. I squeezed them three times. I told them it meant I love you without saying the words. That simple gesture became our special thing throughout their years of growing up. Every time we traveled to Wisconsin to visit them or they came to see us, they would squeeze my hand three times. I would squeeze their hand back three times. There was no need for words. They would smile, and so would I.

As they got older and we would text back and forth, we put three hand squeeze emojis at the end of our text. When they got to be teenagers, my son told me, “Do not expect the boys to do that hand-squeeze thing with you anymore.” They do not even give us hugs anymore.

Not long after he told me that, my wife and I drove to Kansas for our oldest grandson’s wedding. When the boys, excuse me, the teenagers saw us, they ran across the room and jumped on me. Then they reached down and grabbed my hand and squeezed it three times. They are now seventeen and eighteen. Sometimes, the three-hand squeeze emojis are still at the bottom of their text to me.

Our son keeps positive as he fights his battle.

Our son is now battling cancer. When I first heard about it, I called him. He said, Dad, we will take this one day at a time and put it in God’s hands. His positive attitude has helped us and those who know him. He has been an inspiration to everyone who has heard his story.

Many hands are folded in prayer for him. He is remaining positive and trusting God through it all. His battle with cancer continues. His hands still hold a fishing pole when he and his family go fishing together. His hands make things in his workshop, and he plays with the family dogs.

Sundays at our church, I stand before everyone and make announcements. I also give them what I call “Something to Think About.” It is usually a short story that I hope will touch the hearts and minds of people there and prepare them to hear the message our pastor is about to preach.

After I lead them in prayer, I look out at the crowd and say, whatever you are facing in your life, as our son says, take it one day at a time and put it in God’s hands. I then raise my right hand and squeeze it together three times. They know the story of our grandsons and the three-hand squeezes. They raise their hand and squeeze it three times back to me. Many have also told me they now do the three-hand squeezes with their family.

Our services are also on YouTube and Facebook. I am always amazed at the number of people from all over America who find a way to contact me and tell me the story of our son’s expression, take it one day at a time and put it in God’s hands; it has helped them. The story of our grandsons and the three hand squeezes has also touched and made a difference in the lives of others.

As life goes on and my body starts to wear down, my hands still hold me up and lay me down. My old wrinkled hands continue to fold in prayer. When my time comes, my hands are what God will take to lead me home. I like to think my grandmother will be there to put my face in her hands and tell me she loves me.

Until then, my old wrinkled hands continue to help me get out to enjoy nature. My old wrinkled hands help me write stories encouraging others to get out in God’s great outdoors. They will continue to hold my wife’s hand and squeeze it three times. I will continue to shake the hands of as many people as possible to welcome them to church until I am no longer there to do that. I hold the hands of some as I tell them about Jesus.

I hope our grandsons pass the tradition of three-hand squeezes on to their kids and grandkids. Hopefully, our sons and our other grandkids will one day have good memories of what their parents and grandparents did with their hands. I pray they will all continue to pass it on to future generations of our family.

Whatever challenges come your way, remember to Take it one day at a time and put it in God’s hands. May you also discover there is such power in your hands.

Good morning, Happy Easter!

Posted on by Jennifer Johnson

Looking for that "Perfect Pairing?"

We sincerely hope that you and your families are well and that you have enjoyed this unusual Easter weekend more than expected. Yesterday, here in Western New York, it was a gorgeous spring day. As you can see, the daffodils at the end of the vineyard rows are celebrating.

A PERFECT PAIRING – The Dry Rose of Pinot Noir is delicious with Reverie Creamery’s Black Garlic Chèvre (made with locally-grown and produced black garlic from Ramm Garlic Farm) and home-made bread. Yes, this pairing celebrates our “sense of place” with both wine and cheese from Chautauqua County. Reverie Creamery is a small batch artisanal cheesemaker on the west shore of Chautauqua Lake – it is open (SEE website for their hours) and can provide pre-order curbside delivery.

We appreciate, with gratitude, all of the interest and support we are receiving from our customers. Thank you for serving our wines at your tables.

Going forward, we can send periodic updates of activities on the farm (pruning is finished and trellis repairs have begun) and in the winery (secondary in-bottle fermentation has been started for the Sparkling Traminette and our new estate-grown Chardonnay-Pinot Noir Cuveé!) – for neither the vines nor the wines in the tanks understand that there is a pandemic.

We are confident that by the time these sparkling wines are ready to be released that we will be free to enjoy them together.

Need a fresh taste of Spring?

Dry Rose of Pinot Noir 
​Traditional “French provençal” rosé – perfect with dinner, especially when served not-too-cold.  She doesn’t usually pour a second glass, but Jennifer did with this one!

Ruby Dry Rosé
Made from Maréchal Foch grapes and bursting with fruity flavors.  Don’t tell anyone, but Jennifer said that this wine is the first one that ever made her think of the word “gulp”!

Please know that our FREE Shipping Programs continue for all of our customers – details here.

Warm Spring Regards,
Jennifer & Fred Johnson, Johnson ESTATE Winery

To receive our emails to your inbox, please add this email address to your contact list – admin@johnsonwinery.com – as some email providers may divert our emails into your spam folder.

Johnson ESTATE Winery, 8419 West Main Road (Route 20), Westfield, NY 14787; Tel: 716-326-2191 or 800-374-6569; Email: admin@johnsonwinery.com

Total Solar Eclipse Coming April 8!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • A total solar eclipse will be passing through about one-third of NYS.
  • The darkness will begin on Monday, April 8, starting just after 3 p.m.
  • Remember to protect your eyes with specialized solar viewing glasses!

On Monday, April 8, starting just after 3 p.m., a total solar eclipse will be passing through about one-third of NYS, from the southwest corner near the PA border through to the northeast corner up by VT. While this total solar eclipse travels over NYS, the entire state will be able to see at least 88% of a partial eclipse: Albany is 96%, Catskills between 90-95%, NYC 89%, and Montauk 88%.

Fun Facts: The last total solar eclipse in NYS was in 1925, and the next ones are expected in 2079 and 2144!

The eclipse will begin shortly after 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Full totality, or as close to it will begin about 3:20 p.m., and locations in the path of totality could experience total darkness for up to 4 minutes. With the entirety of the eclipse wrapping up about 4:40 p.m. Check out the NASA Map of percentage of the eclipse.

To view the eclipse safely, remember the following tips:

  • Remember to protect your eyes with specialized solar viewing glasses or pinhole projectors or even a colander!
  • Check traffic before heading out for this epic event. Consider using 511NY for current travel conditions. But also remember that with lots of people comes slow and limited cell signal so you may want to have an atlas or maps in the vehicle.
  • Speaking of limited cell signal, if you can’t get a call out, remember texts with no emoji or images will generally get out when calls when a lot of people are using cell signals.
  • Prepare for the weather: April can bring sun, ice, snow, rain, and mud!
  • Remember NY statewide annual burn ban is in effect from March 16 through May 14. Do not park on dry (yellow/brown) grass to avoid sparking a wildfire.
  • If camping, know the regulations, bring the proper gear, and watch out for ticks.

For more safety tips, check out I Love New York’s Eclipse website. DEC will also be posting eclipse information on Facebook leading up to April 8.

Two Boaters Disqualified At Toyota Series Harris Chain, Suspended For One Year

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • An MLF boating accident occurred during the competition, but no serious injuries were reported.
  • Upon investigation, MLF determined both boaters intentionally violated a no-wake zone.
  • A collision between the boats resulted. Both boaters were disqualified.

By The Fishing Wire

WHAT:
A boating accident occurred Tuesday, March 19, during Day 1 of competition at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series on the Harris Chain of Lakes. No serious injuries were reported, but upon investigation of the circumstances surrounding the accident, MLF determined that both boaters intentionally violated a no-wake zone, which resulted in a collision between the boats.

WHERE:
Ski Beach at Venetian Gardens
201 E. Lake Harris Drive
Leesburg, Fla.

NOTES:
Boater Mark Succi of Cataula, Georgia, and his co-angler Jeff Cox of Saline, Michigan, along with boater Douglas Reed of Bridgeton, New Jersey, and his co-angler Mitch Hayes of Chipley, Florida, were involved in the accident. Both boaters were in violation of MLF Toyota Series Rule No. 9. Specifically, Succi and Reed operated their boats in an unsafe manner and violated a posted no-wake area. Succi and Reed have been suspended from all MLF tournaments for at least one year.

Eric Panzironi was captured before and after the incident – watch here.

About Major League Fishing

Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and live streams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Toyota Series, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

What can Georgia Turkey Hunters expect in spring 2024?

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Looking back, Georgia’s statewide turkey reproduction averaged 1.5 poults per hen.
  • Poults/hen was on par with the average over the past 10 years but lower than the 10-year record high.
  • Get your license at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com,  at a retail license vendor or by phone at 1-800-366-2661.

By Georgia DNR

The statewide Georgia turkey hunting season opens on private land on Sat., March 30, 2024, and on public lands, including Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and National Forest land, on Sat., April 6, 2024. Turkey season ends statewide (on both public and private land) on May 15, 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

MORE INFO:

“Looking back to 2022, statewide turkey reproduction averaged 1.5 poults per hen, which was on par with the average over the past decade, but lower than 2021’s 10-year record high,” explains Emily Rushton, Wildlife Resources Division wild turkey project coordinator. “While that will likely translate into fewer adult birds this spring compared to last year, the number of available gobblers will likely be comparable to the past few years.”

What can hunters expect across state regions this spring? All regions of the state had decreased reproduction from 2021 to 2022, but the Coastal Plain regions in the southern half of the state had the biggest dip due to the high production in 2021. The Blue Ridge, Ridge & Valley, and Piedmont regions had slight decreases but have still hovered around the same 1.5 poult-per-hen average.

According to Rushton, “I often have hunters ask if there has been a change in poult production since the season dates and bag limits were adjusted in 2022. The short answer is that it is still too soon post-regulation change to know. Many factors, including weather, mast crop, and insect availability, all affect poult production from year to year, so to provide a better, science-driven understanding of the turkey population’s trajectory, we will need quite a few years of data.“

The daily and season bag limits are one gobbler may be taken per hunter per day and a season total of two gobblers. On WMAs and National Forest land (outside of WMAs), the bag limit is one gobbler per area.

All turkey hunters, including those under 16 years of age, landowners, honorary, lifetime, and sportsman license holders, must obtain a free harvest record each season. Before moving a harvested turkey, hunters are required to immediately enter the date and county on the harvest record and complete the reporting process through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours. More information is available at GeorgiaWildlife.com/HarvestRecordGeorgiaGameCheck.

Resident youth hunters under age 16 will not need a license.  Hunters age 16 years or older (including those accompanying youth or others) will need a hunting license and a big game license unless hunting on their own private land.  Get your license at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com,  at a retail license vendor or by phone at 1-800-366-2661.

Hunters, did you know that each time you purchase a recreational license or equipment used to turkey hunt, such as shotguns, ammunition and others, you are part of the greater conservation effort for wildlife in Georgia? Through the Wildlife Restoration Program, a portion of the money spent comes back to states and is put back into on-the-ground efforts such as habitat management and species research and management. So, thank you, hunters!

Find more hunting information at GeorgiaWildlife.com/hunting/hunter-resources and visit Georgia Wildlife at georgiawildlife.com.

Long-Life M.T.O. Plastic Baits are NEW for Saltwater Fishing  

Posted on by Forrest Fisher
  • Here is a long-lasting, cost-effective, highly robust soft plastic bait to endure the razor-sharp teeth of saltwater fish.
  • Save money, increase effective fishing time, and enjoy more moments reeling in fish.
  • Imagine catching 54 toothy saltwater fish on ONE plastic tail bait! I did this myself. It’s true.
M.T.O. lure inventor Bill Alexander with a new plastic tail bait that is more durable than anyone could have imagined.  Alexander developed the robust new product in conjunction with partner Paul Williams.  

By Forrest Fisher

Saltwater fish are fun to catch but are brutal on fishing lines, reels, fishermen, and fishing lures. Sharp fins, sharp teeth, big fish, sharks – you name it. There are many opportunities for broken lines, fractured leaders, seized reel drags, and the endless need to replace fishing lures.

This is especially true for soft plastic baits fished on the inland fisheries across the southeast. Florida is a favorite wintertime stopping area for tourists, where thousands of miles of inland fishery habitat are dominated by multiple species of saltwater fish. They eat often, adding value to anglers’ interest in fishing here.

Speckled trout, pompano, flounder, Spanish mackerel, Snook, redfish, tarpon, and many other species are common. The one thing that many of these fish have in common is razor-sharp teeth, which are found inside the jagged jaw edges of these fish. These teeth will cut up braided lines and soft plastic jig tails in a microsecond.

My fishing partner and I have often run through a dozen plastic tail jig baits in 30 minutes or less when fish are on the feed. Soft plastic baits are highly effective in the inland fishery, and sales skyrocket at local fishing bait stores, especially during the post-winter (snowbird) season. The problem for many of us is that we need to have $50 or more to buy soft plastics with little durability that can get torn up in one cast by a single fish, often making these baits a single-use item.

As manufactured, the baits are supplied in 4-pack units that need to be trimmed and fit onto a jig head. We used NED-style jig heads.

After five years of fishing in Charlotte Harbor, Florida, with plastic tails or live bait (shrimp), I switched to hard baits. They last longer, and they work, too, but I caught fewer fish, and their per-piece cost ($10-$15) was much higher than a bag of 10 plastic tails ($7-$8). A bit frustrated, I called a friend – Bill Alexander, who manufactures plastic tail baits at his MTO Fishing Lure Company in Sylvan Beach, NY (MTO stands for Made-To-Order). I asked if they could produce a small but very durable shrimp-sized plastic bait that could be used with a NED-rig style jig head. The standard MTO baits are known to be super durable, and using just one of their plastic worms last year, I caught 11 black bass at a Florida lake to verify their durability. But these were freshwater bass with no razor-sharp teeth like saltwater fish have. So, I explained the big bad tooth fairy detail to Alexander, who is an ex-pro bass tournament trail angler. He said, “Let me see what we can do. Three weeks later, I met with Alexander – he came to Florida and handed me a package of specially made NED-rig-style plastic baits. He made them only about 3 inches long in off-white and solid pink colors. They looked real good.

The lures were made of specially formulated rubber-like plastic with impregnated mesh. The baits are semi-soft and medium-pliable, with a double layer of the patent-pending MTO mesh product process buried inside their shape.

They resemble shrimp-sized lengths and appeared to be a reasonable lure that could work, especially in the off-white color.

Bob Hookham’s fishing boat is safely stored at Burnt Store Marina in Charlotte Harbor, Florida, near Pine Island.

Bob Hookham (pronounced Hook-Em), invited Bill Alexander to join us on a fishing trip aboard his 24-foot sea-worthy fishing boat. It’s a deep “V” hull but allowed us to float over 2-foot-deep sand bars. A “flats boat” is not necessary to fish the open waters of Turtle Bay. Bob’s boat is spacious and comfortable, with an open bow and live well, offering adequate storage and built-in cooler-like spaces for our gear.

We motored West from Burnt Store Marina to a small embayment called Turtle Bay, near the Cape Haze Aquatic Preserve and Island Bay Wildlife Refuge. This unspoiled bay is surrounded by mangroves, and there are no houses on the protected shoreline.

The boat trip to Turtle Bay, a small embayment off Charlotte Harbor near Boca Grande and the Gulf of Mexico, was smooth. Charlotte Harbor offers more than 200 square miles of waterway for fishing.

The water level and current flow in Turtle Bay are subject to tidal changes and can rise or fall about two feet in 24 hours, depending on wind direction changes, moon-sun phase relationships and time of year. Today, the tide was low, with a slow rise of about 6 inches over our fishing period. The winds were from the East, which meant the water levels were even lower than usual as the water in the Gulf of Mexico was pushed toward Texas a bit by the wind. That meant we would be fishing the sand flats and not the mangroves. The boat draft was too deep to head into the shallow water mangroves. Fishing the flats meant we could concentrate on trout but would likely not find any redfish or Snook. We would save fishing for those species for another day.

Bill Alexander (L) and Bob Hookham (R) prepare their rigs for casting from a slow-wind drift over the sand flats in Turtle Bay. Many fish species in the bay seek feeding areas near the sea grass and oyster beds found here.
We caught all sizes of Speckled Sea Trout from 12 to 20 inches.

The new and untested lures came right off the MTO prototype manufacturing line, and we were all excited to test them out. Using a 1/8-ounce NED-rig style jig head with an oversized 1/0 hook shank, I carefully threaded on the new plastic bait. I chose the off-white color to start, while Bob and Bill chose pink. Little did I realize how effective this bait was, not to mention how tough and robust these new baits would prove themselves to be.

Fishing from 10:30 AM through 1:30 PM that day in March, we each caught limits of speckled sea trout. I was in the front of the boat in the foredeck area, so I often had the advantage of first cast to new water. There was no electric bow motor, so we used the wind to drift over the sandy flats and sand bars typical of Turtle Bay. When we would find a likable edge area of seagrass and sand or an isolated oyster bar, I would drop the anchor, and we would all enjoy a few casts before moving on with the wind-driven drift.

Over the fishing time noted earlier, I caught an unbelievable 54 speckled trout using just one MTO NED-rig style plastic tail. Bob suggested to Bill in jest that he might name this lure the MTO-NED-SW54X (SW for saltwater and X for who knows how many you might catch on this lure?). It caught 54 fish before we decided to head back! Bill was getting tired of reeling in fish. The more surprising conclusion is that I could probably catch another 20 fish on that same bait before replacing it. We decided to keep one daily bag limit of these tasty trout for the dinner table, but we carefully released every other fish brought to the boat. We caught several different species of fish, as well.

This is my NED-rigged plastic tail bait, which had brought 54 fish to the boat at this point. The tail offers incredible durability. The NED[style jig head with it’s built-in bait-keeper is helpful to keeping the tail in place on the hook. 
The fish would inhale the bait, which had a slow finesse action imparted by the combination of the jig head and prototype tail in the moving tide.

Next to the flawless durability, We all liked the simple retrieve and action required to hook a fish. I have previously done very well fishing with spoons and hard baits in Turtle Bay, but these lures require frequent casting and rip-rip style of a retrieve. I’m getting a bit older these days, and that style of fishing is an excellent workout for many of us. With the MTO-NED-SW54X, you embrace the finesse of fishing with patience after the cast. Using a 10-pound Yozuri braided main line with a 30-inch, 20-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to a 1/8 ounce NED-rig style jig head, I was casting with a St. Croix Avid class 7-foot saltwater rod (VIS70MXF; medium power-extra fast tip). We let the lure rest at the bottom after the cast. Sitting motionless, it imparts a gentle rocking action from the rounded style head that can entice the most hesitant fish to hammer the bait. If no hit or no pick-up after 5-6 seconds, we lifted the jig straight up with a quick snap of the rod tip, reeled in two cranks with our 30-series open-face spinning reels, and let the jig and tail settle again. Wham! It was a fantastic day of fishing to prove the toughness of this unique prototype lure.

Alexander says, “We can make these up in several colors to match what folks in any part of the saltwater world might ask for.” With a grin, I shared with Bill that I like simple off-color white! The proof is in the unending rod bend, Bill! My rod (and I) needed a rest, too! Bob and I agreed that this bait-jig head combination was robust and effective, and we ordered additional numbers and colors of these incredibly durable baits.

These tough lures will be very effective for kids fishing with mentors—you never need to change the bait. They are suitable for the entire trip. I can’t wait until the tide is higher to test these on Snook and redfish in the mangroves. This was a memorable and exciting fishing day.

Alexander said anyone who would like to try these baits can contact him at MTO Lures, PO Box 286, Sylvan Beach, NY, 13157, call him directly at 315-520-9820, or email him at walexander2@twcny.rr.com.  Alexander said the price for a pack of eight would be fair. Call for multiple-pack deals.

Tight lines, everyone!

Silent, Wind-Proof Pants to Warm your Bottom!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Prepare early for the next chilly season.
  • Hard to find comfy-warm pants that are silent too and provide safe storage zipper pockets in 8 places.
  • These pants have a waistband that keeps them there.

By Forrest Fisher

When you’re hunting or fishing where frigid air temps can be expected, you need your gear ready at a moment’s notice. Savvy outdoors people know that comfy-warm pants that can carry gear are hard to find. These new SKRE Kodiak Pants have 8 zippered pockets. They allow for the ultimate organization of small gear items with 100 percent containment.

The interior grip waistband on the Kodiak keeps the pants in place, even when climbing up a hillside or treestand. When temperatures rise, dual hip vents open for maximum airflow. The Kodiak pant features 4-zippered cargo pockets, 2-zippered rear pockets, 2-zippered hand pockets, and the wind-resistant technology of MTN-X2 soft-shell (silent) face fabric is bonded with microfleece on the interior skin-contact surface. Add YKK Zippers – the kind you find on boat covers, zippered side vents, and a durable, water-resistant outer shield layer.

These pants are durable but light in weight (1 lb., 11 oz.) and are available in men’s standard sizes online at www.skregear.com.

Additionally, the SKRE products are backed by the company’s True Lifetime Warranty – an industry-best unconditional warranty for quality and workmanship. If, for any reason, you are unhappy with any SKRE gear, return it for a full refund or exchange. SKRE Gear also makes hardscrabble jackets and pants and their complete line of innovative outerwear, base layers, and accessories for all seasons.

About SKRE Gear: SKRE Gear, founded in 2016, was forged in mountain country with the quest to craft the best extreme hunting gear utilizing the finest technical fabrics with zero compromise in craftsmanship and materials. Visit https://skregear.com/. 

Key Facts About Hunter and Shooter CONTRIBUTIONS to American Society

Posted on by Dave Barus

DID YOU KNOW?

✔ Sportsmen contribute nearly $9.4 million every day, adding more than $3.4 billion every year for conservation.

✔ Hunters and target shooters have paid $11 billion in excise taxes since the inception of the Pittman-Robertson Act in 1937.

✔ Hunting in America is big business, generating 680,000 jobs in the United States.

✔ For more than 80 years, sportsmen have paid more than $20 billion for on-the-ground projects in every state, protecting our natural environment and our fish and wildlife.

✔ The $6.4 billion in annual federal tax money generated by hunters’ spending could cover the annual paychecks of 210,000 U.S. Army Sergeants.

Hunters Pocket Fact Card – get one to talk knowledgeable about hunting with non-hunters and other groups.

At some point, nearly every hunter will be called on to point out the merits of hunting. Will you be up to the task of defending this great tradition by citing well-sourced facts in your discussion?

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, can help you make your points with its newly updated Hunter’s Pocket Fact Card. The card can be downloaded in PDF format free of charge.

 

 

2024 SHOT Show Concludes with Record-Breaking Success

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • All-new Archery Pavilion

    The firearm industry has partnered with over 15,000 law enforcement agencies to distribute over 40 million free firearm safety kits.
  • Education Sessions 
  • Dedication to Firearm Safety
  • Off-Site SHOT Week Highlights

By Forrest Fisher

SHOT ShowHeld in Las Vegas, the 46th Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade ShowSM (SHOT Show®), owned and operated by NSSF® — The Firearm Industry Trade Association — concludes with resounding success, setting new benchmarks for industry innovation, collaboration and engagement.

NSSF works to keep guns out of the hands of prohibited persons at the retail level through its Operation Secure Store®, Don’t Lie for the Other Guy™ and FixNICS initiatives. These programs are collectively known as Real Solutions for Safer Communities® and are helping to save lives.

The SHOT Show attracts buyers from all 50 states and 115 countries. Some 13.9 miles of aisles lead to displays of firearms, ammunition, gun safes, locks and cases, optics, shooting range equipment, targets, training and safety equipment, hunting accessories, law enforcement gear, hearing and eye protection, tree stands, scents and lures, cutlery, GPS systems and other electronics, holsters, apparel, leather goods, game calls and decoys.

With an expanded show floor, a record-high number of exhibitors, and an array of new features and networking opportunities, the 2024 SHOT Show was the largest to date.

More than 55,400 industry professionals packed the 13.9 miles of aisles over four days at The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum, eager to view new, innovative products used for target shooting, hunting, outdoor recreation and law enforcement.

NSSF and the firearm industry leads the way in creating safer communities through proven partnerships with law enforcement, elected officials, and community leaders. Photo courtesy of https://www.nssfrealsolutions.org/.

“The energy on the SHOT Show floor this year was off the charts,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. “The feedback we’ve received from our exhibitors and attendees has been amazing, and we can’t thank them all enough for helping us make the show what it is: the greatest trade show in the world.”

This was the largest SHOT Show ever, marking the third year of expanded exhibit space at Caesars Forum, in addition to The Venetian Expo. More than 2,600 companies displayed products and services in booths covering more than 821,000 net square feet and attracting attendees from 117 countries and all 50 states.

Sentiments from the Show Floor

“When we’re here, we’re able to network with our customers; we’re able to see all of our dealers. There really is no better place for us to be during this time,” said Shaundi Campbell of Browning.

“SHOT Show 2024 was filled with tremendous excitement that our industry needs,” stated Kevin Paulson, Founder of Huntinglife.com. “When talking with companies and individuals on the floor, the energy was palpable from the moment the show opened all the way through Friday afternoon. As the publisher for Hunting Life Magazine, it is great to see new companies coming into the show floor and the industry growing together.”

“It’s been a great show with a great return for us,” said Aaron Deckert of Infiray Outdoor. “We keep coming back for the connections and great attendance at SHOT Show.”

“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen that are familiar, but I hadn’t had the chance to connect with yet. So, getting numbers, making those acquaintances, and just driving my business forward, that wouldn’t be there without this venue,” said Risky Chrisky of Leviathan Group.

“This was my first SHOT Show,” said Jordan Zwart, President of RubLine. “It was absolutely awesome, absolutely overwhelming, but in the best way possible. Everything that you can think of, you are going to find here.”

“SHOT is really beneficial to law enforcement. Every year I come back there is new equipment, new optics, new gear to try out,” said Kevin Boyd of C&G Holsters. “It’s great for networking, providing us the opportunity to meet with multiple different departments and agencies.”

“I could not even recap all the amazing people I saw, conversations I had, and relationships that were built. A very productive week for me, and just feeling really motivated and hungry for this next year,” said Marissa LaRen, Staccato Brand Ambassador.

Government Officials and the Outdoor Industry

The 2024 SHOT Show facilitated dialogue and collaboration between government officials and outdoor industry professionals at both the State Attorneys General Forum and the 3rd Annual Governors’ Forum. The first-ever Attorneys General Forum was a resounding success. One of the most well-attended special events, the 3rd Annual Governors’ Forum was standing-room only, where seven governors discussed the importance of firearm businesses to their economies and their efforts to attract firearm- and ammunition-related companies to relocate to their state. Across America, the $80.7 billion firearm industry supports more than 393,000 jobs.

All-new Archery Pavilion

This year, the SHOT Show introduced the all-new Archery Business Pavilion, featuring exhibits from leading manufacturers and suppliers in the archery industry. The new area of the show provided a focused environment for archery retailers and industry professionals to explore the latest trends, products, and business opportunities in the archery sector.

“This is our first year here; the floor traffic has been great,” said Eric Griggs, Owner and President of GAS Bowstrings. “It’s been great to see a lot of crossover folks who are thinking about adding an archery department or already have one. Everybody comes to SHOT, so having an archery-specific section provides a level of convenience. I imagine this section will really take off in years to come.”

Honoring Industry’s Leaders

NSSF announced its 2024 Hall of Fame inductees, honoring three industry leaders who left indelible marks on the industry and shooting sports. The NSSF Hall of Fame was launched at the 2020 SHOT Show to honor industry leaders for their contributions to NSSF, SHOT Show and the heritage of target shooting and hunting in America. This year’s inductees were Don Gobel, Grits Gresham and Bob Morrison.

NSSF presented its highest honor — the Ken Sedlecky Lifetime Achievement Award — to Steve Hornady, President of Hornady Manufacturing Company, for his long-term commitment to the success of the industry and his support of NSSF’s mission to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports.

SHOT Week Supplier Showcase

The SHOT WeekSM Supplier Showcase, a two-day event and a key component of the SHOT Show garnered widespread acclaim for its success in connecting suppliers with manufacturers, fostering collaboration, and driving efficiency across the supply chain. This year featured over 560 OEM third-party suppliers meeting with exhibiting manufacturers and exploring their needs for extrusions, fabrication, fabrics, machinery, metal, plastics, software, logistical support and tools.

“Having suppliers available is a big deal because I have different options for the product now that I didn’t have yesterday,” said James Mark Busbee of CSAT Tactical Shooting Supply.

“You need to come to SHOT Show to see the latest and greatest technology, new designs and what people’s needs are so you can provide them a nice solution to get their product launched,” said Ron Natale, Precision Laser Technology.

“We came to find potential new suppliers, meet up with all our current suppliers and get new ideas and insights into industry trends. It’s one of the most important shows for us,” said Petra Polson of Benchmade Knife Co.

Education Sessions

Education sessions for firearm retailers, shooting range operators, exporters and law enforcement professionals continue to be an important segment of the SHOT Show. With SHOT University™, Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) – in partnership with American Cop – and Export Training Sessions offering in-person classes on compliance, marketing, training, exports, operations and much more.

Dedication to Firearm Safety

The topic of suicide prevention had high visibility at this year’s show, with NSSF’s Have a Brave Conversation booth and the announcement of the all-new BraveConversation.org website. NSSF’s Project ChildSafe® also exhibited, along with NSSF’s partners, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The photo is courtesy of the all-new BraveConversation.org website. Click the photo to visit website.

Many official show events cluster around the four days of the SHOT Show, creating SHOT Week. Among them was the NSSF/Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Golf Classic in support of HAVA, a firearm industry-run charitable organization that helps the healing of disabled combat veterans through participation in hunting and shooting sports.

Also, Industry Day at the RangeTM on the day before the SHOT Show gives invited media members and buyers a truly exclusive opportunity to preview and test the latest guns, gear and gadgets before anyone else in the industry. This year featured over 120 exhibitors and over 2,300 media and buyers, a record-high attendance.

Expanded Networking Opportunities

Networking took center stage at the show, with the return of the popular SHOT After Dark, All-Star Jam Concert and nightly industry networking receptions. This expanded lineup of events and opportunities facilitated meaningful connections and collaborations among industry stakeholders.

“We are thrilled to see the tremendous success of the All-Star Jam Concert at SHOT Show. The energy and enthusiasm from all who attended was phenomenal, and we’re proud to have been a part of this fantastic experience alongside NSSF,” said Matt Hutchings, President and CEO of Outdoor Sportsman Group.

Recognizing the Show’s Sponsors

Major sponsors of this year’s show were Daniel Defense, USCCA, C&H Precision, Outdoor Sportsman Group, SAR Firearms, Silencer Co., Silencer Shop and TrueTimber.

Preparations have already begun for next year’s 47th SHOT Show, which is slated for January 21-24, 2025 in Las Vegas.

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About NSSF
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

New Edge for Fishing – in so many ways!

Posted on by Dave Barus

 

  • Catching fish is a lot about knowing how….there’s one source to check in the future if you are heading to Florida: Darcizzle Offshore TV.
  • Keeping and eating your catch requires training and a sharp knife: Check out the Darcizzle fillet knife from Smith Products in Arkansas.
  • Keeping the blade sharp is no easy task, until now. See about the “2-Step Tool” in the story. 

By Forrest Fisher

When Florida cold fronts approach, thick-scale saltwater Sheepshead go on the hot bite. Catch ’em and discover that they are tough to fillet with an ordinary knife blade. The Smith Darcizzle fillet knife simplifies the deal.

Fish on! The Pompano are running! The Sheepshead are biting! Anglers everywhere share a common goal to catch fish when the fishing is hot. Putting fish on the line is pure passion for so many, me too. Except I did not know a thing about catching Pompano or Sheepshead. I’m new to Florida. When you need to learn, I do what everyone does today, I check YouTube.

Scanning the YouTube channel for “How-To-Catch,” you can type in pompano or sheepshead, or anything else. I hit the brakes when I watched a bright-eyed young lady in a bikini screaming “Fish On!” As she reeled in the surf of the Atlantic Ocean near Miami, another rod went off that was set in a beach rod holder. Excitement! 2-hook line sets, snag-wire weights, dropper loop knots, Fish-Bite baits, all were there. Great show. Her TV show is called Darcizzle Offshore and features Darcie Arahill and her boyfriend mentor, Brian, nicknamed Puddin’. They visit a variety of waterways using a multitude of tactics that always end up in their kitchen. Watching the videos allows the viewer to learn from top to bottom, start to finish. Of course, before the kitchen, there is a clean-the-fish job that needs to be completed.  The next show featured sheepshead. Learning in the modern world can be simple.

With each show, Darcie demonstrates how to clean the catch. The eye-stopper for me on this recent show was the EASE with which she cleaned their recently caught sheepshead. The tasty sheepshead is no easy task to fillet. They offer tough, heavy scales and a structural, thick-boned rib cage. Darcie provides easy-to-watch videos that simplify the process.  While she did not mention the name of the fillet knives she was using, it aired at the end of the show. I watched for it. Identified as the Darcizzle 6-inch and 8-inch curved-flex fillet knife, the knives come from Smith Consumer Products in Arkansas, USA. After Darcie quickly transformed the half-dozen tough-skinned sheepshead into delectable fillets, they moved to the kitchen at their house where Puddin’ shared how-to cooking secrets for the meal that followed.

Never thought I would purchase yet one more knife for my cleaning drawer, but this one made a difference. Even my wife likes it for everyday kitchen work.

There is nothing like a great knife that holds its edge. Every fisherman I know is always looking for another “best knife.” So, I had to do it. Did I need another knife? NO. But…yes, I got online and found the Darcizzle knife products at https://smithsproducts.com/knives-9.  In a moment, an invisible force pushed my mouse pointer to “BUY.”

2-Step knife sharpening tool with 3 adjustable blade angles all on the same tool. Gotta love innovative products!

The 2-Step Tool: A few pages later, I also found the 2-Step Diamond Adjustable Knife Sharpener that features two diamond rods and two ceramic rods with 3-preset sharpening angles of 15, 20, and 25 degrees. The first time I have ever seen this idea. This is an uncommon kitchen gadget innovation in my eyes, and it fits in a pants pocket. Just switch the tab to match the factory angle on your knife blade, and achieve a razor-sharp edge in no time. Three or four strokes through the carbide sharpening slots will restore the edge on a very dull knife in seconds. Follow that with two or three strokes on the other side of the stone, where the matched angle ceramic rods provide a quick-touchup finish of the knife edge.

After having used the Smith Product Darcizzle knives for about 5 weeks now, the edge retention is great, they are corrosion resistant in saltwater use (3Cr13 Stainless!), the non-slip ergo-friendly handles keep you safe, and the slip-on sheath that has a locking sheath (it never falls off until you take it off) that allows this sharp tool to stay within easy reach when kept in your kitchen drawer.

Once or twice a day, my wife says, “Where’s my Darcizzle knife!?” OK, so I borrow it every now and then. The point is when my better half for the last 53 years likes a new knife that much, there is something special about it.

I learned more about catching Pompano and Sheepshead, cleaning each of these species, a surprising new knife product and how to keep it sharp – all in an hour or two of flipping through the Darcizzle Offshore Fishing channel on YouTube…and my wife loves me more.

Hard to lose with all that going on. Just saying…you might wanna try one of these new blades.

Saltwater Fishing Fun – Placida Harbor, Florida

Posted on by Dave Barus

Paddletail jigs with a wiggle and wobble catch fish in Placida Harbor.

  • Fishing Islands and Embayments in Southwest Florida
  • Speckled Trout, Snook and Snapper…Catching Fish
  • Topwater Plugs, Paddletail jigs and Lightweight Fishing Rods
Marty Poli with a healthy Placida Harbor Speckled Trout that was taken on a surface Mirrolure.

By Forrest Fisher

The morning radar was threatening possible rainstorms when my phone beeped. It was my friend Marty Poli, a retired master tradesman from New Jersey. “Hey Forrest, it’s a go! Just bring a rain jacket, we might get wet, but I’m in for at least a half-day if you’re good with the chance of getting a little wet.” It was still dark outside as I pulled back the curtains. It was a bit before sunrise. I answered, “Of course I’m in, let’s go!” My heart rate went up a bit. It’s always exciting to know you’re going fishing to a place where you might catch a 10-inch fish on one cast and a 30-pound fish on the next cast. Saltwater fishing is exciting!

I hurried through the shower and thought about what to put in the backpack, then grabbed two inshore fishing rods, a small cooler with bottled water, and I was out the door. As I reached the truck, I glanced up to see stars everywhere. The sunrise glow from the east had just started. Wondered who was running that weather radar station. It was a beautiful morning.

The Placida Harbor boat launch at Gasparilla Sound was deserted. Other fisher folks must have been watching that same radar. The sun was clearly above the horizon now, and the orange cast across the water was simply incredible.  I parked my truck and walked to the ramp to wait for Marty. A few minutes later, he was there. A 15-year old youngster hopped out of the truck too, “Good morning, sir!” Marty jumped in to share in the greeting. “This is Phillip Sokolov, a great young fisherman neighbor from the Chicago area. He is visiting his family folks down here. This kid is someone that might just show us up today, my friend.” We grinned and laughed.  Everyone was beaming with the morning sunshine glow. In about 2-minutes, we were off.

Marty knows Placida Harbor and Bull Bay islands area very well. He headed for a fishing area that catches a cross-current with the tide flow while watching the wind direction. The wave action and current mix create undulating bumps between the sandgrass and oyster beds in the sand bottom. Devilfish Key was just a short rock throw away. As the wind came up from the south, large bait schools of pilchards swimming near the surface became noticeable. Their surface riffles highlighted their location. You know what they say, find the bait, and you find the Fish.  The cormorants and feeding predator fish helped us to find the exact area to fish.

Johnson Sprite spoons in gold color are another good option for hooking up with many saltwater species at this time of year.
When we found the trout, they were hitting as they had never eaten before! Fun time.

Marty started out by tossing a Zara Spook saltwater version near one side of the bait riffles. It didn’t go 5-feet when something attacked from beneath. “Fish on!” Marty yelped. “Feels like a good one.” A moment later, Phillip hollered, “Fish on! I think it’s a trout.” Marty answered, “I don’t know what mine is, but it’s huge.” Phillip landed his Fish, a nice 16-inch speckled trout. Just then, Marty grimaced a bit, “Ugh, he’s gone. He tossed my hook. Darn!” Things got even better in the next 45 minutes as we caught 12-15 fish on assorted lures. Surface lures, spoons and plastic-tailed jigs. Color didn’t seem to matter.

We moved to Bull Bay next, inside Cayo Pelau, in 3 to 8 feet of water. We could see emerging seagrass and mudflats too. An excellent area of the bay structure that everyone looked for to find Fish. There were bait schools hereto. Marty used his electric bow motor to keep in position, then dropped his Talon pole anchor to hold on a good spot. Before we were set, Phillip had hooked and landed two trout. The kid was hot. Using a turquois-colored St. Croix Avid Inshore model fishing rod, a Daiwa Saltist Back Bay 30-series fishing reel with 15-pound Power-Pro braid and a 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, Phillip was catching 3-fish to each one that Marty or I had hooked up. “OK, so what’s the secret Phil? Is it a special bait your tossing?” Phil grinned, “Nope, it’s just a light line and leader with a 1/8 oz chartreuse-colored lead head.” I looked at it and mentioned that I couldn’t tell what color the head was. “Well, it had a color when I started!” He grinned. “I just thread a Z-man flapper tail with gold flecks in it – but it needs to be perfectly centered, and then cast it out and jiggle it once in a while as I reel it in. You know. I give it some action. They just seem to be wrecking it! I’ve used this lure before, and it has always worked. My uncle told me about it.”

Phil Sokolov fooled dozens of fish using his soft-touch fishing style and a plastic paddle tail lure attached to a lead head jig. cast out, jiggle, yank, reel, jiggle…the kid might be known as the “fish-whisperer” in future stories. 

Phil’s excitement and energy level were contagious. He is a meticulous angler for a youngster, tied good knots and didn’t mind sharing his fishing prowess with others. That makes him humble and unique in my book, especially during this day and age. Together, we might have brought about 75 fish to the boat in this morning of fishing fun. Phile probably hooked up with about 50 of those. With Speckled trout back on the keeper list again, Phil took home a meal for his family.

As we headed back into the boat harbor at Placida, our conversations covered everything from the weather to fishing gear to lunchtime just ahead. We had caught snook, trout, grouper, ladyfish, redfish, blowfish, lizard fish and other species.  In the middle of our angler talk, Phillip stood up and asked Marty if it was OK to cast a line as we approached the bay with the boat ramps. The kid had eyes on the Mangrove overgrowth on the shoreline. “There are no boats around, so sure, Phil, looks OK,” Marty said. Phil hooked and landed a nice snook on the first cast, then another and even one more before Marty returned with the trailer. He returned all the snook unharmed.

Some fishing days are just exceptional! This was one of those that reminds us that good fishing is always about friends and fun. Catching Fish adds to the fun, and we had lots of THAT fun on this short fishing day. Tight lines, everyone.

Anglers’ Best Tool Kit, and Where to Keep It – 3 Essential Tools No Angler Should Be Without

Posted on by Dave Barus

Can't find your Clippers? Not anymore.

  • 3-Tool Package: Scissors, Needle-nose Pliers/Crimpers, Hook Remover 
  • Cut wire, mono, braid easily…and will cut off hook shanks when required
  • High-Quality – priced under $45
Today’s fishermen are gearheads, no doubt about it. There are a myriad of specific rods, reels, lures, terminal tackle, and accessories to help them be successful in freshwater and saltwater, no matter the targeted species. Regardless, there are three tools all anglers should always have – pliers, scissors, and a hook remover. The Anglers’ Best Tool Kit conveniently combines all three, each of the highest quality designed to last a lifetime. All for under $45.
The scissors are razor sharp, with a non-slip handle and are perfect for trimming everything from line tag ends to jig skirts and more. The needle nose pliers are designed as a multi-purpose tool, ideal for everything from crimping to removing lure hooks of all sizes. To accommodate the different types of lines, the pliers are crafted with a special place to cut braided line. A non-slip handle provides a perfect grip at all times. The hook remover in this kit is an oft-overlooked tool that not only makes hook removal quick, safe, and simple, it also helps you remove the hook from fish without hurting the fish itself. It creates less wound and increases the chance of the fish survival rate in water almost significantly. Thus, a fishing hook removal tool helps you to save fish and enjoy the fun of angling at the same time. The Anglers’ Best Tool Kit is sold individually, suggested retail price – $44.99.
Best of all, every tool in the Anglers Best Tool Kit is designed to fit in the Lazy Joe, Anglers’ Best’s patented-designed tackle box and accessory holder that fits around your boat seat pedestal. It keeps your baits and accessories within reach without having to leave your seat or trolling motor. It saves valuable deck space and rotates around the pedestal for easy access to all your tools and accessories.
Tool storage is easy. The Lazy Joe pedestal tool and accessory holder comes standard with three Bait Boxes. Suggested retail price is $149.99.  The weather resistant, angled body keeps the Lazy Joe out of your way while keeping your tools and accessories within reach.

For more information, visit www.anglersbest.com.About Anglers’ Best: Headquartered in Danville, Ala., Anglers’ Best is a designer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art fishing accessories. For additional information on Anglers’ Best write to: Anglers’ Best, 8237 Danville Road, Danville, AL 35619; Call: (833) BAS-SNET or visit www.anglersbest.com.

Jake’s Lost Life: Gun Safety is #1 – for ALL Hunters, for ALL Ages

Posted on by Jim Monteleone

Remember that Gun Safety is #1 at ALL TIMES. James Monteleone photo

  • With a profound passion, Jake loved to hunt for deer, turkey, waterfowl.
  • Does a deep passion for hunting and familiarity with firearms contribute to a lack of discipline for firearm safety? Keep safety rules in mind….always.
  • Shooting a firearm MUST INCLUDE THE COURAGE  TO CORRECT A FRIEND for any lack of gun safety: Where are the bullets? Where is the gun pointed?  
  • Read, learn, share with others – GUN SAFETY FIRST!

By James Monteleone

Jake, to my immediate left, was interested in the outdoors and hunting from a very early age. 

Dear Mr. Average Teenager – I turkey hunted once with a kid named Jake. Yes, I know there is a strange connection to the young hunter’s name and a young turkey. Jake’s real name is Jacob, and other than Jake, he is called “Spud” by those in his close circle of family and friends. I was introduced to Jake by a friend, and our paths crossed when I was co-hosting a Youth Day seminar. It was easy to see that Jake had the benefit of some good instructions when it came to using a friction call. His notes and cadence on both a box call and a slate call were better than the average man, much less a young teen.
The day we hunted was pretty ordinary as turkey hunting days go. Chuck Tiranno (my friend) and Jake headed down to the far end of a long field. I split off to the left to cover a long stretch of woods that bordered the same field. There was some gobbling from my left and I was set up in a great place to intercept the birds as they closed in on my position. I called in and saw four “jakes” that morning. They did their usual hard-gobbling routine and put on a little show for the decoy, but they were not my intended target that morning.
After 8am, I heard three shots coming from the spot where Jake and Chuck had set up. The timing of the shots led me to believe that someone may have missed. When we met up at about 9am, I found out that Jake had, in fact, killed one of several birds that came in to his calling. His shots were an attempt to anchor the bird that was a little farther out than the effective range of his shotgun. Chuck, who lives across the street from Jake, has been a mentor to Jake and wasted no time putting the teenager in his place for shooting at what he considered an extreme distance.
Jake, who developed a proficiency for trap shooting and archery hunting for deer, loved waterfowl and turkey hunting too. His ability to call in ducks, geese and turkeys gave him a unique ranking within his peer group and allowed him to compete with adults in pursuing these sports. Chuck always insists on youths like Jake patterning and sighting in their firearms. In addition to these steps, Chuck stresses the need for practice and safety. These are all part of the collaborative effort on which we focus during Youth Day seminars and lectures to all age groups.
In some ways, Jake is just an average 15-year-old boy. Although his hunting and shooting abilities are comparable to an adult level of participation, he, like many 15-year-olds, thinks he is a “top dog”. I think it’s great when a youth has an outlet for his energy and takes an interest in the outdoors. Jake won’t see his 16th birthday. Jake won’t be out for the deer season, and we will never know what Jake may have been able to offer the youth of future generations.
Jake lost his life to a terrible accident. Not an accident that you would have foreseen in his future. He died due to a gunshot wound that came while he and a friend were handling a gun before a waterfowl hunt. The other details are not necessary. But these young men have been drilled at almost every opportunity in the safe handling of firearms. I will not speculate as to the actual events other than to state the obvious. If you question why I would state the obvious, then think about what any and all of us could do to avoid situations like this in the future.
It’s too late for Jake. It’s not too late for the rest of us to take a lesson from a situation where a young boy who grew up around guns may have failed to take charge of a situation where his friend was not being safe. There was an adult in the home when the accident occurred. Could there have been a stricter approach to the firearms being handled that day? Of course, we can all use hindsight to say “Yes” emphatically. But that time has passed, and we need to honor Jake’s memory and the other people who have lost their lives in firearm-related mishaps. How do we honor those people?
We never miss a chance to reinforce the need for safety in handling guns and other weapons. Those basic rules like “treat every firearm like it’s loaded” and “always point the muzzle in a safe direction” and “be sure of your intended target” and “supervise all young and new shooters in the use of firearms.”

When more than one hunter is in a group, firearm safety becomes the ultimate consideration. Muzzle direction, chamber open, safety position. National Shooting Sports Foundation Photo

This has been difficult for the parents, Jake’s young friend and the community in general. I saw and heard the grief yesterday as I stood in front of the casket of a 15-year-old boy. He was dressed in camouflage, and the pictures displayed at the entrance showed a young man with a passion for the outdoors. He posed with his turkeys, some geese and several of the deer he had taken. The pride of competing in a man’s game and winning was etched on his face. Ironically, Jake had taken a deer with his bow only days before this tragedy took place.
Having had Jake as one of the participants in my presentation at the Youth Day seminars and seeing him in death was a painful reminder that nothing should be taken for granted no matter how many times we preach the safe handling of firearms. We cannot over-emphasize safety. No one is invincible or immune from a lapse in judgment. Don’t be embarrassed to remind people (and insist if necessary) that safety is an absolute part of our sport. It doesn’t matter how long you have hunted or how proficient and knowledgeable you are about firearms. Danger doesn’t take a day off. Yes, people can be dangerous; guns are only a part of the equation.
Put safety first. I have said to Jake and many others, “There is no deer, turkey, elk, bear or any other animal that is more important than coming home safely.” We all stress that “you can’t take a bullet back once it’s fired. You have lost any control that you have over the outcome of that shot once you pull the trigger”.

Hunt in pairs to stay safe, but always remember that guns are dangerous when safety rules are taken for granted. National Sports Shooting Foundation Photo.

There are no “do-overs” where guns are concerned. I doubt that anyone among us has not witnessed the poor and unsafe handling of firearms. Are you embarrassed to remind the offender of his duties to protect himself and others? Jake’s parents wish someone would have done that for him. If you appreciate this reminder, don’t thank me, thank Jake. He gave up his life to a lapse in judgment. His father said to me yesterday, “I hope something good can come from this,” and I told him then, “We have to be Jake’s voice now”. That’s my objective in writing this the day Jake will be buried. I want to be Jake’s voice. Not just today, but every day when there is a firearm present.
Will you join me and honor Jake by being his voice? It’s so much more important than “Good Hunting and Great Memories.”

From my friend, Tony Tiranno: May Jake rest in peace.  I pledge to be “Jake’s Voice”.

THE 12 GOLDEN RULES FOR SAFE GUN HANDLING:

  • Always treat the gun as if it is loaded.
  • Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
  • Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
  • Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
  • Never point the gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy.
  • Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
  • Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
  • Always use proper ammunition.
  • Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
  • If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds, then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
  • Don’t rely on the gun’s mechanical safety to keep it from firing.
  • Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don’t trip, lose your balance or accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.

Snake Boots FIGHT the SWEAT & the BITE

Posted on by Dave Barus

Lightweight Snake Boots that eliminate sweat! Irish Setter Boots.

Not many folks think about snake boots for hunting with sweat and scent control, but if you hunt or live in areas where the heat index soars to above 110 degrees, you really do need to consider this primary element for a successful hunting experience.

On this note, I found the MudTrek snake boots from Irish Setter to accomplish scent and sweat control for your feet while staying protected from venomous eastern diamondback rattlesnakes and cottonmouth water snakes that we have in Southwest Florida.

The Irish Setter TempSens technology helps regulate the temperature within the boot to maintain constant foot comfort. The system reacts, so moisture is hyper-wicked away from the foot in hot conditions, allowing for evaporative cooling. This helps keep feet cooler, drier and comfortable. In colder conditions, the system also pulls moisture from the skin but traps it to create a thermal barrier that helps maintain a constant, comfortable temperature inside the boot. Warm or cold, the ScentBan™ antimicrobial scent control helps eliminates odors within the boot. I found all-day underfoot comfort with these “safety boots” and excellent traction in slick or tough-walking terrain. The self-cleaning lugs help remove mud and dirt with every step. The vulcanized rubber upper design makes them waterproof and durable.

Also important, these snake boots are light, and they offer a traditional, roomier full fit with a wider leg and ankle openings. And, there is a convenient side zipper for easy on/off. I need that (I have big feet!). They are 17-inches high and are vulcanized rubber in a brown color boot design that features foot and lower leg comfort with resistance to fangs and thorns. These elements make the Irish Setter SnakeGuard boots the essential comfort tool for hunters and hikers in snake country. They cost about $230; visit www.irishsetterboots.com to learn more.

America is Rediscovering the Outdoors – RV Sales set New Records

Posted on by Bob Holzhei

FLORIDA KEYS, LOWER KEYS — Beach-front camping can be found throughout the Florida Keys. Campgrounds vary in size, with some capable of accommodating recreational vehicles, others only tents. Some sites offer lecture programs and guided nature walks conducted by park rangers. Photo by Bill Keogh/TDC/NewmanPR

  • Family Campfires set new pace for outdoor fun as RV Sales Skyrocket during Pandemic

By Bob Holzhei

Sales of recreational vehicles (RV’s) have skyrocketed during the pandemic, as people discover a safe way to embrace nature! Enjoying the outdoors while camping is a safe way to travel while social distancing during the post-coronavirus pandemic era.

There are a lot of first-time buyers as well as veteran campers wanting to upgrade and travel. Folks are tired of being “locked down.” Camping provides one safe way to maximize family time while controlling the environment. And yes, RVs are becoming harder to find, with companies on lockdown.

Each morning and evening, I went to the Manistee Lighthouse to capture the many moods of Lake Michigan. Bob Holzhei photo

According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), recreational vehicle sales were up more than 75 percent in May of this year. Many folks are discovering the joy of tent camping while cooking meals over a campfire. There’s something intrinsically worthwhile about enjoying the outdoors and getting back to nature. The RVIA adds, “The median annual usage of RVs is increasing from 20 to 25 days per year. This increase is indicative of the changing attitudes towards remote work and the ability for more people to be able to work from a destination more frequently than traditional vacation days afforded in the past.”

The author admits, that having a fresh fish for supper is an added bonus to camping.

Outdoor activities offer many benefits. A 40-minute walk each day reduces stress and calms people. 

I’ve camped in my backyard to experience a change of scenery. Camping at home allows me to think about things I need to take along on the first camping trip of the season. A picnic around a campfire in the backyard is a great way to wind down and discover a new perspective on life while slowing the pace of life down.  

Take a walk or hike as part of your daily routine, capture the memories by taking photos and share them later with friends and family.

Our family started camping with a nine-by-nine tent, eventually upgrading to a used pop-up camper, then a used Del-Ray pickup camper, which had a foot of floor missing by the entrance door. The $600 cost of the camper was affordable, and I repaired the flooring with a piece of steel and plywood. We owned this camper for 16-years before selling it for $400 to a gentleman who wanted the furnace and stove to place in his horse trailer. Tales can be told about that stove!

Eventually, a 26-foot new trailer was purchased, which had a bathroom in it. My wife was finally pleased to have indoor plumbing. The following RV was a 34.5-foot fifth-wheel followed by a drive-around 26-foot motor coach, which now allows us to explore the Wild West.

Many healthy outdoor opportunities await discovery while slowing down the pace of life.

 

Informational resource: https://www.rvia.org

Rare Gulf Sturgeon caught in the Surf – near Orange Beach, Alabama

Posted on by David Rose

David A. Rose with a rare Gulf sturgeon caught in the surf at Orange Beach, Alabama.

  • Weighing 120-130 pounds, the rare fish fought for 40-minutes, was landed, then was carefully unhooked, and safely released alive and well.
  • Gear: Penn Battle II – 5000 series spinning reel, 8-ft Penn Battle II surf fishing rod, 20-lb Silver Thread mono, 40-lb test shock leader, and a Dusty Hayes Pomp Rig w-1/0 Circle hooks.
  • Secret: Live ½ shrimp bait, wrapped to hook w/Atlas Mike’s Spawn Net & Magic Thread.

Story by the angler, David A. Rose

When it comes to surf fishing the freshwater beaches of the Great Lakes and inland lakes near my home in the Traverse City, MI area, I can usually hold my own. On the other hand, when it comes to casting and proper fishing in saltwater, I’m an apprentice.

Ever so slowly, though, I learn something new about surf fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The sugar-sand near Orange Beach, AL, provided the fun. The date was March 6, 2021, and my regular morning catch included the usual whiting, croakers, flounder, Gofftopsail catfish, and the like. Then at about 11:35, one of my two rods signaled another tell-tale hit. The day was about to change! About 40-minutes later, after coming close to spooling me twice, this fish, a Gulf sturgeon over 6-feet in length – a fish with prehistoric roots – was tailed, beached, and released.

This particular fish—one of the rarest species on earth and protected by the Endangered Species Act–would likely have been the all-time world-record catch for hook and line. No one on hand recorded any official length or girth before the behemoth was unhooked and freed to swim away, no worse for wear. I didn’t want to take any chances of injuring the fish.

To get an idea of the sturgeon’s length, I spread out my arms—which have a span of about 6 feet. The nose and tail of the fish were both well beyond my reach. I tried rolling the fish over to remove the hook from its mouth, but it was too heavy. The fish was on the sand, it was impossible to move the fish without possibly harming it, and I estimated that it weighed 120 – 130 pounds. It wasn’t until a large rogue wave rolled in that I was able to gain enough leeway to swing the tail so it could swim out. It still had the hook secured in the mouth, but thankfully, it could swim out, taking about another 100 feet of line with it. I reeled the giant in once more, this time to water about 2 feet deep. That’s when the fish could be turned belly up, and I was able to finally remove the hook.

The rig I used was a hand-tied “Dusty’s Pomp Rig – 2/Drop,” with multi-colored floats made by Dusty Hayes of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, of Orange Beach, AL. The fish ate half of a live shrimp that I purchased from nearby Lost Bay Tackle & Guide Service and I had wrapped with Atlas Mike’s Spawn Net & Magic Thread in orange color.

The fish ate half of a live shrimp purchased from Lost Bay Tackle & Guide Service in Orange Beach that I had wrapped with Atlas Mike’s Spawn Net & Magic Thread. It’s a neat trick that kept the bait tight to the hook during the cast, allowing the scent and sight of the bait to work as it should. The rig was a hand-tied “Dusty’s Pomp Rig – 2/Drop,” with multi-colored floats made by Dusty Hayes of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, also of Orange Beach. The rig is comprised of 20-pound-test Momoi Diamond monofilament and size-1/0 Mustad circle hooks. I fished the rig in the building surf with a 4-ounce pyramid sinker.

The rig is comprised of 20-pound-test Momoi Diamond monofilament and size-1/0 Mustad circle hooks. Mamoi photo

As for my gear, the reel was a 5000 Penn Battle II spinning reel spooled with 20-pound-test Silver Thread AN-40 monofilament, tied up a 20-foot shock leader of 40-pound-test Berkley Big Game mono. I used a Uni-to-Uni knot to bring those lines together. The rod was an 8-foot graphite moderate-fast-action Penn Battle II surf spinning rod rated for 12- to 25-pound mono. As a combination rig, it was enough to subdue the goliath.

Before getting a good look at the fish, there was no doubt in my mind that I had hooked some species of shark. But when its back broke the surface, there was no dorsal fin. By the time the fish was reeled in, over 100 spectators had gathered. When the fish started to tire, an onlooker—who, it was obvious, had some knowledge of fishing—tried tailing it for me. The armor plating of the fish was too slick. So, I asked my wife, Carol, to hand him my Rapala Fisherman’s Gloves. These allowed him to get a firm grip. That’s when the Sturgeon was able to be beached.

An educated guess, at the time, had me thinking the fish was an endangered species. So, I made sure the head and gills stayed in the surf while I posed for a very quick photo and checked for any tags. None of the latter were found.

Earlier that day, I had chosen my casts in the 2- to 3-foot surf along a section of a riptide that was flowing into the Gulf, thinking it would be an area fish would congregate to forage on bait wafting out with the current. My guess was correct. This particular fish was hooked out front of the Phoenix VI condominiums, about ½ mile west of the Perdido Pass jetty.

Gulf Sturgeon reside in the Mississippi Delta and east along Florida’s Gulf side. Via social media, a few people stated they’ve seen Sturgeon breaching at the mouth of Perdido Pass. After another post about this catch on the Alabama Gulf Coast Surf Fishing Facebook page, I hoped that local biologists might become aware of the catch. The ploy worked.

I discovered that the Gulf sturgeon is an anadromous fish (living in saltwater but spawning in freshwater). “Overall, these rare fish spawn in the freshwater rivers of the Gulf region in spring,” says Jeff Powell, assistant field supervisor from the Alabama Ecological Services Field Office for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Powell added, “Our studies are showing there may be a few that migrate and spawn in the fall, as well. The Gulf sturgeon you landed is most definitely a once-in-a-lifetime catch.”

The one thing I love most about fishing saltwater? You never know what species you’ll hook next. This fish, a species so rare to even see let alone catch, is proof of that.

Wes Logan, Local Pro, Gets First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory At Neely Henry Lake

Posted on by Dave Barus

Wes Logan, of Springville, Ala., has won the 2021 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake with a four-day total of 57 pounds, 9 ounces.  Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

In Gadsden, Alabama — Wes Logan said memories came flooding back to him throughout the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake.  That’s bound to happen when you’ve fished a place since you were 5 years old.

Logan now has countless new reasons to think fondly of his home water after claiming the tournament title here on Championship Monday. The 26-year-old from Springville, only a 30-mile drive from the Gadsden City Boat Docks, caught a four-day total of 20 bass weighing 57 pounds, 9 ounces. He capped the competition with a 14-1 limit Monday, the third-heaviest of the day.

Logan earned $100,000 for the win, his first in 26 B.A.S.S. events.

The second-year Elite Series angler charged into the lead on Day 3 with a 16-15 bag that tied for the heaviest of the tournament. That made him the last man to weigh in Monday and the only one with a chance to knock Connecticut pro Paul Mueller from the hot seat.

Logan peeked silently at the scale while his bass were weighed. When his winning total flashed on screen, he let out a victorious yell and pumped his right fist over his head. Then he hugged Mueller and hoisted his first blue trophy for his home-based fans to see.

“I started tournament fishing with my dad when I was 5,” Logan said. “We’d come here, Logan Martin and Weiss … I went into practice trying to not put pressure on myself. I wanted to fish like I’d never seen the place before. I wanted to figure out a pattern.”

Having an open mind, even on water he knows so well, was critical this week. Neely Henry was a difficult read for most of the 98 anglers who started the tournament on Friday, postponed by a day because of heavy rains earlier in the week. The storms sent the water table rising and shot sediment throughout the lake. The Elites scrambled to find stable water, many relying on junk fishing to see which lures and techniques produced the best bites.

A trio of lures worked best for Logan — a 5/8-ounce Dirty Jigs Matt Herren flipping jig (black/blue skirt) with a Zoom Big Salty sapphire blue Chunk; a Dirty Jigs No Jack swim jig with a Zoom Super Speed Craw trailer; and a frog, which he used to fill his Day 3 limit.

Logan started the tournament strongly, putting 14-1 on the board Friday, good enough for ninth place. He caught 12-8 on Day 2, climbing to eighth and surviving the cut to 48. He made his move on Day 3 with the 16-5 haul, pointing to a pair of unusual catches as the turning point.

“I caught two bass under a bridge right by the Gadsden City Boat Docks on a crankbait,” he said “I’m not a crankbait fisherman. It was about 11:30, and I only had two keepers at the time. But I caught a 2 1/2 there, and then two casts later, I caught a 5 1/4. I only got one more bite that day.

“When you get that kind of bite when you’re not supposed to, that let me know I had a chance to win. Stuff like that just doesn’t happen all the time.”

Logan didn’t divulge specifics on the crankbait, other than to say it’s specially painted, similar to a black/chartreuse combo.

“I keep that one in my hand around here,” he said. “It’s a confidence thing.”

Logan planned to fish down-lake from the start, but low water in that area made him choose otherwise. Each of the 20 bass he weighed was caught between Cove Creek and Minnesota Bend — both only a 10-minute run from the Gadsden City Boat Docks.

Mueller, meanwhile, went straight for the lower end of Neely Henry and found success. He seized the lead after Day 2 and was in second place going into Day 4, trailing Logan by just more than a pound. Mueller caught the heaviest bass of the tournament Monday, a 6-6 largemouth, but his 13-13 closing weight wasn’t enough to overtake Logan.

“My pattern went away today and I knew that would be the deal,” Mueller said. “I had to fish new water. I was able to catch some fish, and I had a good day. I’m glad at the way this turned out. As short as the morning bite was, I could have been sitting in sixth or seventh right now.”

Mueller caught his best bass, including the 6-6, on a Deps Evoke 2.0 squarebill crankbait (chartreuse/brown back). He earned an additional $2,000 for having the Phoenix Boats Big Bass on Day 4 and overall.

Alabama native Gerald Swindle caught the second-heaviest bag on Day 4 (a 15-0 limit) and finished third with 54-2 overall.

Mueller took home an additional $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and fourth-place finisher Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Logan earned $4,000 for winning while Christie claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

Minnesota pro Seth Feider finished 12th in the derby and didn’t qualify for Championship Monday, but he still left Gadsden with a commanding lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. His season total of 525 points gives him a 41-point cushion over Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., (484) with three tournaments remaining.

Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., is third with 464, followed by Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with 462 and Christie with 457.

Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., is leading the Rookie of the Year standings with 372 points.

The City of Gadsden and the Greater Gadsden Area Tourism hosted the event.

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala

2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partner: AFTCO

About B.A.S.S. – B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk

Sandbar Pompano at Sanibel…During Spring Break!

Posted on by Dave Barus

Sanibel Island sandbar Pompano. Shelley Crant Photo

  • The tide flow is key for picking WHEN to fish.
  • The place WHERE to fish can change from day-to-day. Newly formed sandbars and emerging weed flats hold both – baitfish and predators.
  • Fish often hold to the current boundaries- FIND them, find the feeding fish

Shelley Crant shares, “Fishing lightweight jigs with the right retrieve, the right place – that my husband seems to able to find on every trip, can result in tasty Pompano near Sanibel Island.” Forrest Fisher Photo

By Forrest Fisher

There is nothing so fun as going fishing with friends when the fish are biting! When chilling inshore winter waters begin to transition to their annual warming trend in spring, coastal species of many saltwater varieties take note. On the incoming tide, it’s feeding time! 

Fishing near Sanibel Island and Fort Myers, a slow boat ride at low tide with polarized sunglasses will often reveal newly-formed grass flats and sandbars. Holding hotspots for baitfish and predator species know that. The island and beach areas are constantly changing with winter wind and the related current flow changes. As March begins, new grass is growing on the flats, and that draws even more baitfish.

We were rigged with lightweight jigs targeting Pompano on this day. Add a 7-ft medium-action spinning rod, 30-series open-face reel filled with 15-20 pound braid, and a short 3-ft length of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader – we were set for inshore fishing magic of any sort. The new YoZuri TopKnot Fluorocarbon leader has proven it is tough and abrasion resistant, and it’s essentially invisible to the fish. 

Heading out to fish, Dan said that there are several places where all boats are required to slow down to allow Manatee safe passage. There are so many more boats today than 30 years ago, it’s a good idea.” Forrest Fisher Photo

With the Sanibel Lighthouse in the near distance, our drift started in just 2-feet of water. We were within casting distance of small slots and caverned hollows in the sand where the water looked about 3-5 feet deep. The water was crystal clear.

Dan dropped the bow motor down and kept the boat angled. All four of us would have a primetime chance to cast alongside the depth break line and into the swift current edge occurring with the onrushing tide. We could hear beachgoers enjoying the clear water and warm sand in the far distance.  

Shelley took the first cast, and before the lure went 5-feet, she smiled and said, there’s a fish! Using a ¼ ounce silly jig with a little sparkle fly that Dan had added to the rig, we all watched as the rod bend seemed to dance to the music from the beach. A minute later, Shelley was smiling with an ear-to-ear grin as she brought aboard a 2-foot long Ladyfish. “Oops, guess they’re here too! They’re fun to catch!” She unhooked and released the fish that many consider an excellent baitfish for other saltwater species. 

All the fish we caught, like this beautiful speckled trout, were carefully handled and safely released alive and well. Forrest Fisher Photo

A minute or two later, Dan hooked a beautiful speckled trout of about 25-inches. We were releasing all the fish today, except for Pompano, the one legal species we had planned to keep for the day.

In the next hour, among the four of us, including my better half, Rose, we had caught 18 fish among five species, but no Pompano yet. A local expert, Dan whispered in his ever-humble voice that we might have to move out just a bit, but not too far – a few hundred yards or so, to find the Pomp’s. Finding a similar bottom area with subtle drop-offs that went from 4 to 7 feet along several sandbars, we started a new drift. In the next hour working that area, we caught another 20 fish. Among these were Spanish Mackerel, Jack Crevalle, Speckled Trout, Lizardfish, two different species of Blowfish, and, yes, Pompano. 

Dolphins – not a usual friend of anglers, seem to chase predator fish away as they feed on baitfish in the same areas we fished. Didn’t affect our catch rate! Forrest Fisher Photo

Jigs from 1/4 oz to 1/2oz were among our best artificial baits for the day. Forrest Fisher Photo

Dan was casting a ½ ounce chartreuse color jig, Rose was using a 3/8 ounce in solid pink, Shelley was tossing a ¼ ounce in pink/white, I had a two-tone chartreuse/white jig in the 3/8 ounce size. We all caught fish. Rose said, “I’ve never seen so many fish caught in such a short time! This is fun,” and grinning while she added a new whining joke-tone, “But now I’m getting sore arms.” We all laughed. Shelley said, “That means this has been a great trip!” Dan said, “Well, it’s almost noon, about time to head back. Is everybody up for one more pass?” Indeed, we were.

Shelley’s pink/white jig was the hot bait for the day, including for the Pompano. Her finesse method allowed the lure to sink slowly to the bottom of the deeper edge areas, then flipping her rod quickly upright about 1-foot or so, in vertical jig motion, then reeling in a few feet of line to let the jig drop again and repeating the action all the way to the boat.

The lightweight braid allowed for long-distance casting, and the heavy-duty leader allowed for surprising durability as we caught fish after fish. It was a blast!

Coated with choice of sour cream or mayonnaise, then covered with a mix of bread crumbs and spices, 4-minutes in the microwave is all that is necessary for a perfect, healthy, fish dinner. Forrest Fisher Photo

Inland waterway charter fishing trips are not expensive here in Lee County, Florida. We had used lightweight lures, fishing specifically for the sight-feeding Pompano. Still, we had also caught so many other species – that is a testament to the clean waters found here. On one drift, we were treated to watch surface-feeding Tarpon – that happened on two separate occasions with two different fish. It was amazing. Such big fish! Then on another pass, a 10-foot long Manatee came in, swimming right under and alongside the boat in the shallow water we were fishing. That was another thrill! 

There is nothing like a healthy ladyfish for a lady fisherwoman to add some fighting fun to the end of your fishing line! Forrest Fisher Photo

Fishing, sunshine, clear-clean water, giant Tarpon, Manatee, beach sounds of fun in the distance. Sound good? It was! If you’re looking for a place to stay, a guide to fish with, or a pristine beach to visit for the fun of finding the treasure of seashells and fossilized shark teeth, check this link: https://www.fortmyers-sanibel.com/order-travelers-guide, or call toll-free, 1-800-237-6444. Ask for their free guidebook. The pictures in it are amazing.

Invite yourself and your family to this party.

Carefully releasing fish we caught was part of our conservation-minded fishing trip. The future is in our hands. Forrest Fisher Photo

 

Ducks and Gators forge new Wetlands Preserve Partnership

Posted on by Dave Barus

Photo by the Late Joe Forma, a life-long supporter of wildlife conservation.

  • Ducks Unlimited and the University of Florida work together for conservation at the DeLuca Preserve
  • Land donated to the University of Florida by Elisabeth Deluca

Photo by the Late Joe Forma, a life-long supporter of wildlife conservation.

Thanks to the tremendous generosity of Elisabeth DeLuca, more than 27,000 acres of iconic Florida prairie and wetlands habitat have been permanently protected through a unique partnership between Ducks Unlimited (DU) and the University of Florida.

The land was donated to the University of Florida by Elisabeth Deluca, and a conservation easement was set up through DU’s land trust – Wetlands America Trust. The easement will protect important wildlife habitat and natural values on the property in perpetuity.

“This Kissimmee Prairie landscape is in the Everglades headwaters, yet at the edge of central Florida’s tourism and development core and is now a permanently protected piece of the conservation puzzle,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “For generations to come, students and researchers will make new discoveries alongside migrating waterfowl, endangered red cockaded woodpeckers and grasshopper sparrows on this massive outdoor laboratory. Future ranchers, water-fowlers, nature lovers and wildlife scientists will be able to apply what they’ve read in textbooks to what they’re observing on the landscape, thanks to Elisabeth DeLuca. This partnership between the University of Florida and Ducks Unlimited benefits waterfowl, wildlife and millions of Floridians who value clean water and the protection of the natural landscape.”

This property will continue to be grazed using sustainable methods, thereby protecting its grasslands, one of the most threatened ecosystems in the country. Rates of grassland conversion in the U.S. have continued at a rapid pace, with a significant portion lost to non-agricultural uses.

“Elisabeth DeLuca’s generous contribution of such a significant property is a gift to all Floridians and really, to people everywhere,” said UF President Kent Fuchs. “The preservation of this land and what it will enable our scholars to learn, teach and achieve will reverberate around the globe.”

Through a multi-faceted partnership, DU and the University of Florida will utilize the property for education, outdoor engagement and working-lands conservation, including the training of future generations of natural resource and agriculture professionals in a living laboratory. The easement serves as a perfect launching pad for Ducks Unlimited’s expanding conservation programs in Florida. While this is the first conservation easement held by DU and WAT in Florida, DU has conserved more than 33,000 acres in the state through other programs. This easement is also the largest in the history of Ducks Unlimited.

“Located between a global tourism destination, with the Turnpike as a boundary, the DeLuca Preserve is an epic win for conservation, and an international model for research, education and outreach,” Putnam said.

This property, along with other state and federal lands, comprise 250,000 acres of protected areas of the Northern Everglades Headwaters which is an important ecosystem for wildlife corridors, watershed protection, flood mitigation and endangered species habitat. Livestock grazing is a highly compatible and economically important management strategy on this landscape.

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund provided critical funding via the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to help endow Ducks Unlimited’s permanent conservation easement and other costs associated with this once-a-generation gift of land.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Ducks Unlimited and the University of Florida to help conserve this outstanding habitat, which will serve as a national model showcasing how wildlife management, water conservation and ranching can thrive together,” said Bob Ziehmer, Senior Director of Conservation at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. “We are grateful to our customers who, by rounding up purchases in our stores and online to the Outdoor Fund, directly support key conservation projects like this.”

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved almost 15 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

Shipwreck Fishing in Southwest Florida – Red Grouper and Snapper Fun

Posted on by Dave Barus

Red Grouper fun in Southwest Florida. Rod, reels, rigs and how.

  • Fish: Red Grouper, Lane Snapper, Vermillion Snapper….30+ miles out
  • Rig: 200# test braid, 80# fluoro leader, 10-oz slip-sinker, 9/0 Gamakatsu Circle Hook
  • Bait: live shrimp, live sand perch, frozen squid, frozen ballyhoo

Nick Weaver with one of the healthy red grouper we landed while fishing not far from a sunken offshore shipwreck.

By Forrest Fisher

The hi-energy growl of the 400 Hp Mercury Verado coming out of the hole is a beautiful sound. As we departed the Placida boat launch, Nick Weaver brought the flared high-bow of his 26-ft Caymas (boat) up to plane quickly. We were soon skipping along at a humble 25 miles per hour in Lemon Bay and then made the turn west as we slid past Little Gasparilla Island into the Gulf of Mexico.

Controlled boat positioning is among primary keys to offshore bottom-fishing success.

It was a relatively calm day. The open seas forecast of one to three feet looked good as Nick moved the throttle forward and kicked the boat into high speed. I looked over to fishing partner, Marty Poli; he had a broad smile on his face as we both reversed our hats, rims to the rear. The boat came to cruising speed as Nick set the Raymarine electronics to autopilot for the destination 36 miles out: the Bayronto shipwreck. After surviving a U-boat torpedo attack in 1917, the 400-foot-long Bayronto ship went down during a hurricane while traveling to Tampa in 1918. In our modern times, more than 100 years later, the fuselage has become a fish-attracting magnet for anglers (and divers) that make the offshore trip. Forage and predators abound! Nick still had to consider the gently rolling swells that were about 200-feet apart on this calm day, so he slowed the boat down to 35 mph. Even at that, it didn’t take long to get there.

We all talked on the way out. Nick shared rig details, gear options and what we had for bait selections. Then he offered the fish plan to identify our goals.  We were going to first focus on the wreck for yellowtail snapper, after that, the bottom-feeding, reef-dwelling, red grouper. If time allowed, we would then target amberjack after that. We all grinned a bit as he said,” Why not? We have the whole day!”

The plan was to stop short of the wreck to catch live sand perch, known locally as squirrel fish, for bait. In 88 feet of water, Nick deployed the MinnKota Ulterra, and we zeroed in on the bottom for a bait school. Hitting anchor lock, the boat stopped and stabilized, maintaining our location. We delved into the bait well, where there was 18-dozen beautiful live shrimp (TNT Bait & Tackle, El Jobean, FL). Cutting the shrimp in half, we used lighter Penn rods equipped with open-face Penn Fiarce II 5000 series reels, 65# braid, 35# fluoro leader, 3 oz hot-pink hog ball (Captain Chappy).

After we caught some bait, along with some vermillion snapper, lane snapper, and other species like blowfish and remora, we moved onto the wreck. It was time to the Penn Battle II 6000 series rod and reel, 80# braid, 40# fluoro, 6 oz slip-sinker, 3/0 Gamakatsu circle hook (Fish’n Frank’s Bait and Tackle, Port Charlotte, FL).

On a sunny day without shore in sight, we enjoyed many fun moments of “Fish On!”

On the first drop, I had removed the shell from half-a-tail of shrimp – an old friend told me that the fish will eat that no-shell shrimp bait faster – from pure scent attraction. It hit bottom in short order. Not 5-seconds later, I held the rod in my hand when the rod tip dipped swiftly into the water from a vicious strike. I yelled, “Fish on!” The reel drag was pretty tight but was screaming. The fish was swimming so fast, going away in the opposite direction. It was a throbbing, bobbing action on the rod tip. My hands were wet from the shrimp and I was worried about the rod slipping away. I gripped the rod tighter as this fish was massive in strength. Nick hollered, “You got a big mangrove snapper! There might be amberjack here, you might have one of those.” A few moments later, the line snapped, my fish was gone. My heart was beating so fast! “Ugh,” I groaned. “I lost it.” Nick said, “Reel in Forrest, let’s see what she did.” The brand new Spectra braided line was sheared and was ragged at the breakpoint where the fish had apparently headed for the safety of the wreck on the bottom. “Whatever you had, it was huge,” Nick added.” We’ve got lots more hooks and sinkers, tie one on.” This was going to be a fun fishing day!

We moved from that spot to stop at three different places before finding what Nick called “live bottom.:

Here we discovered a rock-hard bottom (w/coral-like caves) surrounded by bottom growth all around the spot, and, of course, this was home for a large school of red grouper and various multiple snapper species.

After you locate a “live-bottom,” maybe the most challenging part of the fishing plan, enjoy the catching. Once you find such a spot, save the GPS location to your electronic memory.

We switched fishing rigs to level-wind Penn Fathom II line-counter reels (FTHII30LWLC) with matching Penn Carnage II rods (Fish’n Frank’s Bait & Tackle, Port Charlotte, FL). Our connection to the fish was not fragile. The reels were filled with 200# test braid, with a 10-ounce slip-sinker to a 200# swivel, then a 5-foot long 80# Yozuri fluorocarbon leader, all terminating to a 9/0 Gamakatsu circle hook. Nice rig. So powerful. We would discover that this rod-reel rig was such a powerful workhorse set up as we hooked and landed more than 50 fish in the next 3 hours.

A 10-ounce slip-sinker, 200# swivel, and a 9/0 Gamakatsu circle hook…that was the hot rig.

The target fish (red grouper) were big, were plentiful, and the best part, they were hungry. It didn’t take long before we ran out of our live bait perch, but Nick’s emergency backup planning paid off with his last-second find of frozen ballyhoo (10-12 inches) at the bait shop. These worked as good as our diminished supply of live sand perch.

We each kept our fish limits, and thanks to Nick’s knowledge and investment in an air bladder venting tool (www.oherofishing.com) and a descending device called a SeaQualizer (https://seaqualizer.com/product/seaqualizer-descending-device/), we also safely released everything else to live another day. With the fish we kept, Nick provided colored plastic tie-wraps to identify whose fish was theirs and make it easy to remove the harvested fish from the fish well – it saves the fingertips. Saltwater fish have big sharp teeth.

The venting tool allows the angler to simply expel the fish’s air bladder so it can swim back to the bottom. The SeaQualizer is equipped with a jaw clamp that connects to the fish and allows the fish to be securely descended and safely released at a predetermined depth of 50, 100 or 150 feet using a secondary fishing line rig with a heavyweight. All that without venting the air bladder. Conservation at its finest!

The venting tool was used to exhaust the bloated air bladders to allow the fish to swim back to bottom in the deep water.

As the sea winds began to change direction and kick up a bit, we decided to stow the Ulterra and head home for a fun time of fish-cleaning. We had a healthy supply of fish to fillet. Nothing can replace the fun (and sweat) of reeling in these hard-fighting red grouper. Our legal grouper limits of fish ran from 23 to 27 inches in size and were quite heavy.

Vermillion snapper, lane snapper and other species were among the catch.

The grouper fillet slabs were about two-inches thick, and my wife suggested we slice them in half to make grouper sandwiches. We vacuum-packed the slab harvest of grouper and snapper to keep them unspoiled for future delicacy meals.

The moral of this story is simple: Use adequate gear (rods/reels/line/MinnKota Ulterra) without disturbing the bottom.

After you locate a “live-bottom,” maybe the most challenging part of the fishing plan, enjoy the catching! Once you find such a spot, save the GPS location to your electronic memory. Tried and true deep holes are usually repeatable all year long. Some of the best spots are rocky, snag-filled and rough in structure content. Use new leaders and replace them often. Remember that fluorocarbon leaders are much more durable than braided line. Don’t believe that? Ask Josh Olive, charter captain and publisher of the weekly Sun-News Waterline Newspaper Magazine (https://www.yoursun.com/coastal/boatingandfishing/), to demonstrate. I was surprised too. We never stop learning.

Visit the brand new Fish’n Franks location (4425-D Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, FL, 33980, 941-625-3888, https://fishinfranks.com/) for advice and gear. Don’t forget to carry a sharp knife, pair of needle-nose pliers, hook-remover, sunscreen, sunglasses, a wide-brim hat and lots of bottled water. Dehydration is common on offshore trips.

One last note, Marty and I never stop learning from Nick Weaver. The deep waters we fished were probably never fished by anyone else ever before. Imagine that?! Nick has a passion for healthy water, healthy people, working hard, sharing knowledge and natural resource conservation. Let’s all never stop fighting for clean water. Might be good to start that all of us learn about and understand more about the outflow of Lake Okeechobee, maybe put it back to the way nature wanted it. The Everglades depend on it.  There’s so much more to know.  Visit Captains for Clean Water, please: https://captainsforcleanwater.org/.  We gotta save and restore our ecosystems.

Tight lines, everyone!

Marty Poli enjoys the red grouper fishing fun in Southwest Florida. 

Firearm Industry Economic Impact RISES 232% since 2008

Posted on by Dave Barus

National Shooting Sports Association Photo

  • Total economic impact for the USA firearm and ammunition industry increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $63.5 billion in 2019.
  • Some 342,330 full time jobs are supported by the firearm industry, averaging $56,400 each, in wages and benefits in our economy.
  • Over 100 hundred million law-abiding Americans rely upon the firearms and ammunition industry to  to safely enjoy the recreational shooting sports, as they exercise their right to keep and bear arms.

National Shooting Sports Association Illustration

St. Patrick’s Day 2021 brings us stunning data regarding positive economic news from the firearm industry. Just released in a report from the National Shooting Sports Association (NSSF) – the total economic impact of the firearm and ammunition industry in the United States increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $63.5 billion in 2019, a 232 percent increase! The total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose from approximately 166,000 to over 342,330, a 106 percent increase. The data is according to a report released by the National Shooting Sports Foundation®, the industry’s trade association.

On a year-over-year basis, the industry’s economic impact rose from $60 billion in 2019, to $63.5 billion in 2020. Total jobs increased by more than 10,000 in the same period, from nearly 332,000, to over 342,330. The broader impact of the industry throughout the economy, supports and generates business for firms seemingly unrelated to firearms, at a time when every job in America counts. These are real people, with real jobs, working in industries as varied as banking, retail, accounting, metal working and printing among others.

The firearm and ammunition industry paid nearly $7 billion in business taxes, including property, income and sales-based levies.

“The firearm industry has demonstrated amazing resilience and these economic impact figures are the result of every man and woman who comprise our industry,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “These professionals are the reason our industry continues to grow and contribute to our communities, states and nation. These workers and our member companies produce the highest quality firearms and ammunition that over a hundred million law-abiding Americans rely upon to exercise their right to keep and bear arms and safely enjoy the recreational shooting sports. This growth equals more jobs that add to our local economies, averaging $56,400 in wages and benefits. Since 2008 we increased federal tax payments by 170 percent, Pittman-Robertson excise taxes that support wildlife conservation by 89 percent and state business taxes by 125 percent.”

Data supplied by National Shooting Sports Association

The Firearm and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report provides a state-by-state breakdown of job numbers, wages and output covering direct, supplier and induced employment, as well as federal excise taxes paid. Access the full report here.

About NSSF: Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide.  NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry.  Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. For more information, visit nssf.org.

Overpopulation of Deer?

Posted on by Bob Holzhei

Photo from the late Joe Forma deer picture collection 

  • Warm winters, High summer nutrition, Fewer hunters = TOO MANY DEER
  • Do we need DNR to consider additional expanded seasons?
  • Farmers need help, Home Owners have property damage and deer disease concerns (Lyme, CWD, etc.)

Wintering deer herds salvage food from all available sources, but there are concerns for overpopulation in many parts of the country. Concerns for spread of Lyme disease via deer ticks is one more concern. Photo from the late Joe Forma deer picture collection 

By Bob Holzhei

Within a one-mile radius of our farm in Clinton County, MI, I counted over 40 deer. They were traveling in two different herds on our property, woodlot and an adjoining property.

This population of deer was much higher than in previous years, increasing by about four times what I had witnessed in the past.

What factors accounted for the high numbers? A mild winter this past season was possibly one factor. The immediate question is, do the high deer numbers have consequences as apparent overpopulation occurs?

“Overpopulation is more deer than the habitat can support.  This numbers growth occurs simply by having survival exceed mortality. We may be witnessing the survival theory that may have occurred for a more prolonged period of time than thought.  “The distribution of deer can vary throughout the year,” according to Chad Stewart, a Biologist and Deer/Elk Population Specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“During the spring-time is when deer are clustered on the landscape, primarily around food sources. As green-up occurs, deer numbers redistribute themselves to more normal levels, and the concentration of deer in large numbers is likely to diminish,” added Stewart.

One way of looking at it might be that a reduction in hunter numbers means an increase in safe spaces for deer to evade hunters. Add high summer nutrition to high winter survival rates and mild winters, we might expect the trend to continue. For farmers, I am a farmer, crop damage occurs when deer numbers are high. The field edges are hit hard, but damage can extend into field centers as the deer numbers increase.

Healthy deer numbers are increasing rapidly with fewer deer hunter numbers. Photo from the late Joe Forma deer picture collection 

“Clinton County, MI, has seen increasing trends in populations over the past 6-8 years,” stated Stewart. “Research has shown that about 20 deer per square mile is the threshold for detecting deer damage to forests.  Keeping deer numbers below that threshold is ideal for forestry management.”

“The Michigan DNR, in an effort to manage deer numbers, has liberalized the license structure by offering more flexibility for hunters to take antlerless deer with a combination license during the firearms and muzzleloader season.  The antlerless licenses are also transferrable between counties and properties.  A late antlerless season has also been extended in southern Michigan,” concluded Stewart.

If you enjoy healthy, high-protein venison steaks and burgers, this coming season could be a very special time for you and your family. AND, you could be helping the farmers with your harvest.

About the author: Bob Holzhei is a published author with more than 450 published outdoor adventure stories from across the United States. He has authored four books, including Canadian Fly-In Fishing Adventure, Alaskan Spirit Journey, The Mountains Shall Depart and The Hills Shall Be Removed. The latter was nominated for Pulitzer Prize consideration. His books are available at Amazon.

Fish-Catching, Beaches, Baseball and Sunshine. A GOOD Winter Day!  

Posted on by Dave Barus

Fishing for Saltwater Gamefish near Fort Myers, Florida, in the Winter.

  • The conjunction of natural creeks and man-made canals in the Fort Myers saltwater canal system are where big fish can hide.
  • Circle Hooks allow for easy presentation of live forage bait and quick release of gamefish.
  • After you hook a few trees, then catch a few fish, the positive state-of-mind begins to form for the next fish. The fun begins!

Rich Perez with a young snook taken from a canal waterway off the Caloosahatchee River near Fort Myers, FL. The fish was held gently and carefully released a few seconds after being out of the water.

By Forrest Fisher

Within the bustling livelihood of Fort Myers in Lee County, Florida, the Caloosahatchee River and its many tributaries form a network of lush vegetation and age-old mangroves within the fertile canal systems found here.

The eddy currents formed at the conjunction of natural creeks and man-made canals often allow the tidal flow to create deep pockets where big fish can hide. The constant tide reversal and related current changes beckon to schools of forage stocks to find relative safety among the mangrove roots, with the occasional live oak tree acting as a mangrove bundle anchor. The big fish in the area know the forage is among the roots, as snook, redfish, speckled trout, tarpon, and other species often spend feeding time here. There is magic to be found in this silent and peaceful water flow system.

For the fish, it’s breakfast and dinner with a menu. For the anglers that can learn the secrets of tidal flow profile, consistent fish-catching adventures await them.

A power-pole makes anchoring in the canal system easy and silent – that makes fishing more fun.

A decades-long Floridian, humble Rich Perez shared with me that he is new to saltwater fishing, but with a confident voice, added that he is learning more from savvy fishing friends each day he can make it to water. A busy family man, when time allows, he explores new fishing areas and generally reverts to time-tested live bait methods. Using Circle Hooks to present wriggling live shrimp or live forage minnow bait, such as pinfish, he knows it’s easy to verify that a spot may or may not hold fish with live bait. With the minnow bait, he carefully threads the Circle Hook through the hard-nose area to keep the bait alive and in the free-swimming state. Perez says,” I’ve learned that this is the ultimate live bait meal method to use for roaming gamefish, sometimes, really big gamefish.” He catches fish often.

First, though, besides learning to be a perceptive fisherman, he is a hard-worker. He believes that good fishermen should catch their own live bait. They don’t go the easy way and just buy it. So he has practiced hard and learned to throw a 12-ft cast net. Of course, succeeding in this native art form of bait-catching is not painless. It takes time to practice, with a skill developed over time. He’s been doing it for 3 years now and is tossing near-perfect circles to 15 feet from the boat. He admits that he visits the local live bait supply shops on some days with his busy work schedules.

“With a full baitwell, you can ensure your bait is fresh and enjoy perfect live bait presentations no matter where you explore new areas. I like to invite friends and family out fishing too, so I try to make sure the baitwell is well-stocked. It’s not always easy to find the forage, but eventually, with some patience, you do find ’em. I look for diving birds or surface ruffles to find the forage schools, that’s the easy way.” 

With a 7-ft semi-stiff fishing rod, medium power, Perez uses Penn 40-series open-face fishing reels loaded with 20-pound braid and a 2-ft long/30-pound fluoro leader tied to a 2/0 or 3/0 Circle Hook. He doesn’t lose fish, day or night. “The hardest part for most newbies like me is casting precision. You really gotta get the bait right alongside the edge of the mangroves, especially during daytime. The fish are usually there with an incoming tide current,” Perez adds.

Perez continues, “Sometimes we catch yearlings, other times we catch old fish, big fish, all with this simple, uncomplicated live bait system. We release all the gamefish to live another day. It’s great fun and even more fun to watch my dad or friends land a nice fish…or catch a big mangrove treetop. We laugh a lot. We joke about who caught the biggest tree for the day. With the fish, we take a quick picture and watch the fish swim back home. It’s a good feeling.” 

Perez throws a 12-ft cast net to catch live forage bait, though this native art form takes time and practice to develop effective skill.

Over the day, Perez shared that good fishing is really a matter of gaining enough confidence to make that perfect cast every time. After you hook a few trees and then catch a few fish, the positive state-of-mind fun begins to form for the next fish, even the next trip.”

I could not agree more that good fishing is a state of mind. When it happens to you, it’s a sure thing that the next trip is not too far away.

This Fort Myers area is home to a fleet of charter captains and fishing guides that share their skills in the nearshore waters and far offshore. To discover more about the outdoor adventure and pristine beaches found here, or to just rest for a few nights between fishing fun, you can request a free guidebook from the visitor’s bureau online at https://www.fortmyers-sanibel.com/order-travelers-guide, or call toll-free, 1-800-237-6444.

There’s more than fishing too. During March, near Fort Myers and Sanibel Island’s Beaches, the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins are back for spring training and competition in the Grapefruit League. I love baseball! The Lee County Visitor Bureau also has a free mobile savings passport for locals and visitors with access to exclusive deals on attractions, restaurants, and experiences here. Sign up at https://explore.fortmyers-sanibel.com. The passport will be delivered to your mobile phone via text. Redeem it on your mobile phone at participating businesses. Pretty cool.

Fish on!

Extraordinary Fun Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico

Posted on by Forrest Fisher
  • Fishing sunrise to noon, we caught 8 species of saltwater fish, and well over 150 fish total, as a 3-man group.
  • Captain Terry Heller, Fish-On Sportfishing Charters, was savvy, funny, and deadly serious about having fun – we laughed a lot out there! So good for our pandemic souls!
  • We experimented with Circle-hooks vs. J-hooks. The circle-hooks hooked and landed fish 80% more effectively…a lesson for all.

Vietnam Veteran, Randy Baugus, retired minister from Burlington, KY, with a hard-fighting Gag Grouper that was released to swim another day.

By Forrest Fisher

It was dark when I left the house in Port Charlotte, Florida. The stars were spectacular, gleaming brightly above, but there was a warm orange glow on the eastern horizon, the sun was about to rise, suggesting a nice, warm February day – a sunscreen day. A great winter day.

About 30 minutes later – it was 6:25 a.m., I joined the right-hand turn signal line to enter the Placida Boat Launch area, a state park-like zone with a boat launch, ice-filling station, and restroom facilities that can accommodate about 100 cars and boat trailers. There is a frozen bait and live bait tackle shop (Eldred’s Marina) right next door, wonderfully convenient for boaters and anglers heading for Gasparilla Island shore fishing spots.

Affable Captain Randy Heller, Fish-On Sportfishing Charters, with another  nice porgy we caught, a tasty fish for the table.

Not long later, I met my fishing guide for the day, Captain Terry Heller of Fish-On Charter Sport Fishing, an ever-friendly source of fishing knowledge. He made catching fish easy and fun and seemingly transparent – like you’ve had the necessary skills all along, even with newbies and veteran anglers alike – young and old, no matter. Onboard, I met 70-years-young Randy Baugus from Burlington, Kentucky, a minister and Vietnam veteran, and his brother-in-law, 78-year-old Gary Barnes, originally from Columbus, Ohio, but now a happy southwest Florida native who is enjoying his retirement years in the Sunshine State.

Captain Terry started up his nearly silent 225Hp Yamaha as the wide, spacious and sturdy 24-ft Polar (fiberglass boat) gently idled away from the dock. As we moved into Lemon Bay toward the Boca Grande Causeway Bridge, a bald eagle showed her head on one of the nearby island treetop nests. The tide was at a complete low as we came up to plane in the channel in Gasparilla Pass.

With Captain Terry using the navigational GPS map technology onboard, he marked safe passage for us. It wasn’t long before we were at 35 mph cruising speed on the way to secret offshore spots that Heller has identified over his years of local fishing here. About 20 minutes later, we slowed, shore was no longer visible, and after making a few circles into an area seemingly in the middle of nowhere, Heller dropped a marker buoy for boat position reference. Settling his electric motor into the water (with a 7-foot long shaft), he used blue-tooth technology to move away from the buoy toward one of three spots that we would eventually fish. All of them were within 200 yards of the brightly colored marker. “The marker is for letting others know that this is our fishing area for the moment. Other guys usually honor the courtesy of staying away from your fishing zone,” he said that with a half-smile.

Heller opened up two of his three live bait wells to show us that if we wanted to keep any fish, they could go in there and that he would let us know what fish was legal and what was not. “Now for the fun, guys!” He passed out a fully-rigged rod for each of us with a small bucket of cut-bait ready to rig. The rods were 7-ft long and were equipped with open-face Penn fishing reels. The 30-pound test braid mainline was attached to a 2-ounce egg sinker, then an 18-inch long leader of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, and a size 3/0 or 4/0 circle hook.

Randy Baugus with the second Remora that we caught that day, a nice 25 inch specimen. Remora usually are attached to the skin a shark. We released the fish to find a new shark buddy down below.

Heller is a happy sort of guy as he quipped, “Now guys, listen, you’re gonna catch a lot of fish out here, so if you get tired of reeling ’em in, don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of beverages onboard, and you can rest up.” We all looked at each other and sort of rolled our eyes a bit. Randy said, “Sounds like your pretty confident Captain!” Gary said, “I wanna drop my line.” A moment later, Heller showed us how to slide the cut baits onto the hook. He rigged all the lines for us.

“The water is 48-feet deep here, guys, so it won’t take too long for your baits to reach the bottom. When they do, reel up two turns or so and watch closely for a bite. When you get one, start reeling to set the hook. One more thing, there is one rule on board here, for good luck, you gotta yell, FISH-ON! You all know that’s the name of my charter. It’s for a good reason.  Our adrenalin flow talks to the fish!”

About 10 seconds later, Randy hollered,” FISH-ON!” His rod enjoyed a healthy bend toward the water. A few moments later, Gary shouted, “FISH-ON!” Before both lines were not yet in the boat when I, too, shouted out the same. A 3-Fer! Half-giggling and laughing a bit, Captain Terry said, “Are we having fun yet?!” We all agreed.

We moved around to a few other fishing zones on the bottom. They were configured sort of like the moon surface with craters and high points, next to cavernous hollows a few feet deeper around the crater edges. “The fish come out of those little holes down there to test your baits. They’re always hungry out here in this secret place.”

Gary Barnes, originally from Columbus, OH, is now a Florida resident and enjoys fishing in his retirement years. He released this small grouper.

We moved to other spots a few times, and in each location, we caught at least 50 fish among the three of us.

The live wells were getting crowded with good-eating reef fish. These included Porgy, Squirrel Perch, and some Key West Grunts., some were nearly 2-pounds each. We also caught Blowfish, Remora, Gag Grouper, Red Grouper, and Spottail Snapper. My shoulders and arms were getting sore as Heller said, “C’mon guys, let’s reel up and go try one more spot where there might be some bigger snapper and grouper.

About 10-minutes later, we motored northward, we arrived about 1/2 mile from the 9-mile reef. The electric motor came down, and we were fishing. Wham! “FISH-ON! Randy hollered. A few seconds later, Gary screamed out too, then me. Four hours into our trip, it had been a fantastic day on the water. The sea was smooth, the water so clear, and the fish were definitely biting.

Our cut baits consisted of octopus, shrimp, squid, and sardines. All of these worked.  One of the cool things about fishing with Heller, his charter – Fish-On Sport Fishing, provides all the licenses, all the gear, and all the bait you need. Plus, you are welcome to keep your catch, and Heller will clean and fillet it for you. Maybe the most significant part not mentioned with “things provided” is Heller’s precision savvy about where to drop your line. That part is priceless!

Happiness is! Fishing dreams are made for days like this. I met new friends, caught lots of fish, laughed for about 5-hours! So fun. We released this small, hard-fighting grouper. Terry Heller Photo.

As we motored back to the Placida boat launch, it was 1:30 p.m., and the air temp was 87 degrees. A slight sunburn on all of our faces, I joked to Gary, “Pinch me, I think I miss shoveling my driveway back home in East Aurora, NY.” He groused back, “Yea, me too, NOT! I love it down here.”

Captain Heller asked us to follow him back to his nearby home, and he cleaned 81 keepers. It was probably about 1/3 of the number of fish we actually landed, as we had to release all the short gag grouper and red grouper. We had caught dozens of them—an excellent sign for the future of Florida fishing. We split ’em up, and there is only one or two choice words for the meal that followed later at my home. Scrumptious! Delicious!

There is nothing quite like a fresh caught fish fry! My better half does these up with four, egg and crushed crackers coked in olive oil…healthy!

I fell asleep that night with my ears ringing a bit. It was that tune from earlier in the day…”Fish On!” Can’t wait for the next time out. To fish with Captain Heller yourself, you can check schedules and open dates at: Fishing Booker.com 

National Deer Association (NDA) has Solid Plan to Empower Deer Hunters

Posted on by Dave Barus

NDA Photo

  • Education, Biology, Legislation, Recruitment included in the new plan.
  • Karlin Dawson named as Deer Outreach Specialist to Work with Missouri Conservation (MDC)
  • Special focus on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Field-to-Fork Programs

NDA Photo

During July 2020, the National Deer Alliance and the Quality Deer Management Association joined forces to merge their two groups, combine the strengths, resources and core initiatives to better serve deer and hunters more effectively when the need is greatest. Then in November 2020, they announced their new group name: the National Deer Association. They are a non-profit group and beyond a name and a logo, they also assembled a unified team, created a new strategic plan, and announced a Board of Directors. 

The National Deer ASSOCIATION is planning to focus on four critical areas: (1) education and outreach, (2) recruitment, retention and reactivation, (3) policy and advocacy, (4) deer diseases. Teaching the non-hunting public about the keystone position of deer in all wildlife conservation (success or failure) will be among new goals. Similarly, the new group will empower hunters to be more informed, and hence, more successful and engaged stewards of deer and wildlife, including mentoring young hunters. Deer diseases, including the invariably fatal chronic wasting disease (CWD), present a severe threat to all deer species’ future and related wildlife conservation/health. Wildlife policy and legislation are part of that new goal, at the same time bringing hunters, the non-hunting public, and wildlife managers together with a common education and realization theme. The new group includes memberships across all 50 states and Canada.

The National Deer Association (NDA) is pleased to announce that Karlin Dawson has joined the organization as a Deer Outreach Specialist in northern Missouri. A Missouri native and lifelong deer hunter, Karlin comes to NDA from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), where she served as the naturalist for the Runge Conservation Nature Center.

Highly qualified Karlin Dawson has joined the National Deer Association (NDA) organization as a Deer Outreach Specialist in northern Missouri. Photo courtesy of NDA

“I am honored and excited to be joining such a wonderful organization,” said Karlin. “I cannot wait to continue my work in conservation and supporting our natural resources.”

As a Deer Outreach Specialist, Karlin will assist MDC staff with the facilitation of the state’s Deer Management Assistance Program (DMA). Among mission objectives will be to provide guidance to landowners and deer hunters conducting deer population surveys and other data collection efforts, host local habitat management training, work with private landowners to establish and support Wildlife Management Cooperatives, coordinate and assist with chronic wasting disease (CWD) sampling training, and organize hunter recruitment and mentoring initiative – like NDA’s Field to Fork program, in northern Missouri. She will also serve Missourians by helping promote numerous private land assistance programs alongside MDC staff. 

Karlin’s duties will include helping increase NDA awareness by recruiting new members and publicizing NDA’s national programs and conservation partner programs.

“I am excited to have Karlin join the NDA staff,” said Matt Ross, NDA’s Director of Conservation. “Her past experience working as a public educator and naturalist for the state of Missouri, her enthusiasm for wildlife and the sustenance it provides, and her general knowledge and passion for the outdoors make her a perfect fit for this position.”

Karlin received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Westminster College, where her study emphasis was in conservation, ecology and field research. In addition to her recent position as a naturalist with MDC, Karlin worked as an assistant manager and whitetail guide at Safari Unlimited LLC, a Missouri-based commercial outfitting business specializing in worldwide hunting and fishing adventure travel and offers a free-range deer and turkey hunting service in the Show-Me state. She is a certified Hunter Education instructor, a certified CWD sampling technician and has substantial experience in virtual and interpretive conservation programming, including a unique content series about wild edibles, game recipes, and cooking. 

Landowners and deer hunters in northern Missouri who want to learn more about DMAP, deer management, or with interest in establishing a Wildlife Cooperative can contact Karlin at karlin@deerassociation.com.

Special Thanks to Brian Grossman and the NDA for details regarding Karlin Dawson.

Firearm Industry Embraces Real Solutions Over NEW Gun Control Call

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Demands that Congress ban the modern sporting rifle (MSR).
  • Call to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law passed with wide bipartisan support.
  • Reality of crime is that more murders are committed with knives, fists and clubs than all rifles combined.

With a reminder note from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) in Newtown, CT – the anniversary of the tragic and senseless murders in Parkland, FL, three years ago remind us why the firearm industry is committed to Real Solutions. Safer Communities®. The loss of innocent lives because of the unthinkable acts of a criminal defies explanation but deserves our efforts to try to prevent them from occurring again.

President Joe Biden’s call for his gun control agenda is not working to address the shared American goal of reducing criminal misuse of firearms. His demand that Congress ban the modern sporting rifle (MSR), which he knowingly mislabels an “assault rifle” and “weapon of war,” denies the reality that more murders are committed with knives, fists and clubs than all rifles combined. Over 20 million MSRs are in circulation today, used daily for lawful purposes.

President Biden’s call to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law passed with wide bipartisan support, panders to the radical base of his party. Rolling it back would be akin to allowing activist lawyers to sue Ford for the wrongful deaths caused by drunk drivers.

The criminal responsible for the horrors thrust on Parkland, and the nation, must be held accountable for his crimes. Anything less is a whitewash of the failures of local, state and federal authorities to act on any of the 45 instances of warnings, tips and police responses prior to his final terrible crimes.

The firearm industry has been willing to take on this hard work. It has not waited. The firearm industry provides Real Solutions, including partnerships with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and local law enforcement to include:

  • Partnering with 15,000 law enforcement agencies to distribute 40 million firearm safety kits, including locking devices, for safe firearm storage through Project ChildSafe®.
  • Fixing the FBI’s background check system by changing the law in 16 states and in Congress to increase reporting of disqualifying adjudicated mental health records, resulting in a 266 percent increase.
  • Partnering with the ATF to prevent illegal firearm straw purchases and warning it is a crime punishable by 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
  • Improving security at firearm retailers, with ATF, to deter criminals from stealing firearms.
  • Matching ATF reward offers up to $5,000 to bring criminals to justice that steal firearms.
  • Preventing firearm suicides with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Department of Veterans Affairs.

The firearm industry is committed to the shared goal of reducing and ending criminal misuse of firearms, as well as accidents and suicides. That is the common ground. These are the proven answers to achieve this goal. Click here to learn more about Real Solutions®.

About NSSF – NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

Finally, a GUN SAFE made in the USA

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • WAY TOO HEAVY to carry, but this safe assembles in pieces easy to ship and move
  • 21 million NICS checks were conducted for the sale of a firearm in the past 12 months
  • NSSF estimates that 8.4 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2020

By Forrest Fisher

Anyone that owns a firearm, one or more, is concerned about safe storage of their ammo and guns. Especially now. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Americans have registered record-setting firearms stats earlier this month.

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported that 21 million background checks were conducted for the sale of a firearm in the past 12 months. That’s a 60% increase from 2019 with 13.2 million background checks, and it shatters the previous record of 15.7 million in 2016. NSSF estimates that 8.4 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2020.

Outdoor friend Kim Emery says, “It’s a good time to share gun safety information with new gun owners as well as those increasing their firearm collections. Gun safes are an essential component of this training.” From my perspective, what could be better than protecting your firearms with a fire-insulated safe made in the USA? There is such a company: Steelhead Outdoors.

The best safes are big and hard to move, so Steelhead Outdoors makes their safe products modular. Modular gun safes are easily moved and assembled by two people. You will not need to hire a specialized safe-moving company, which is costly, or enlist your family and friends on a dangerous do-it-yourself heavyweight moving adventure each time you move.

In a recent interview, Steelhead Outdoors co-founder Corey Meyer says, “Don’t wait until you have found your “forever home” to invest in proper protection and security of firearms and valuables. We created Steelhead Outdoors to solve the problem of fitting a safe into your lifestyle and home space. Modular safes can be moved into spaces that a traditional safe cannot. Plus, at Steelhead Outdoors, with our custom-designed options, we can literally create your dream safe.”

The classic Steelhead Outdoors Nomad series offers ceramic fire insulation rated to 2300 degrees and is non-moisture trapping. That means no dehumidifier is required (and will not release steam into the safe in the event of a fire). How cool is that?!

Size: Model 26: 26” x 18” x 54” assembled. The Nomad Model 26 is the perfect safe for smaller gun collections and small spaces. It is perfect for apartments, townhomes, temporary living situations and fits beautifully into most closets. The assembled safe weighs 375lb, every panel is easily moveable and weighs less than 100 lbs. The interior can be configured from 6 to 15 long guns.

The Model 38, size: 38″ x 24″ x 60″ assembled. The Nomad Model 38 is the perfect safe for larger gun collections and can be assembled in places a traditional safe could never get to. The assembled safe weighs 600lb, every panel is easily moveable and weighs less than 150 lbs. The interior can be configured from 10 to 34 long guns.

Both safes are available with a mechanical dial lock or a push-button digital lock. Custom color options and configurations available. To learn more about modular gun safes and the best options, visit SteelheadOutdoors.com. Follow on Instagram.com/SteelheadOutdoors, on Facebook.Com/SteelheadOutdoors, and watch how-to videos on their YouTube channel.

About Steelhead Outdoors: Founded in 2016, Steelhead Outdoors is an innovative safe company offering the only American-made, modular, fire-insulated gun safe available currently on the market. Longtime friends, engineers, and avid outdoorsmen, Charlie Pehrson and Corey Meyer, searched for a gun safe made in the USA, was adaptable, and offered a respectable level of fire and theft protection. Still, they soon realized this product didn’t exist. Since they couldn’t buy it, they decided to build it. Learn more at SteelheadOutdoors.com

Turkey Hunting: Making the Box Call Sing

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • My favorite Turkey Call is the Box Call, it can make turkey music.
  • The type of wood can make a huge difference, reasons why some turkey hunters carry more than one box call
  • The 4-Play call is single box call that can make more notes, at more different pitches, than any 2 to 4 standard box calls combined!

By Mike Roux

I give dozens of game calling seminars and demonstrations each year.  Every single time I pick up a call, I explain to the folks watching and listening that the device in my hand, although it is described as a game call, is really no more than a musical instrument.   I also tell them that game calls operate on the same two principles as do all musical instruments.  Those principles being, rhythm and pitch.

If you can master the rhythm and pitch of a given call, you can be successful in the field as you use that call.  And, like a musician, practicing their instrument alone, imaging what it would sound like with the full orchestra, you must practice your calls imaging what they will sound like outdoors, at some distance.

Over half of my seminars each spring deal with calling and hunting the wild turkey.  The spring gobbler is still one of the toughest and most sought after game trophies to collect and his popularity grows each year.  Mastering the turkey call can make you a hero in your hunting group.

My favorite turkey call, by far, is the box call.  I have had lots of professional experience calling turkeys.  For over 40 years I served on the Pro Hunting Staffs for a couple of national call companies.  So, my box call is like an extension of my own hands.

Not all box calls are created equal.  You must be very selective when choosing this call.  Not only does the type of wood make a huge difference, but also the workmanship itself is critical to the performance of a box call, just like any other instrument.  Box calls that are made of plastic, or stamped-out mass-produced wooden calls will not give you the sound or the success you desire.  Pay the extra money, up front and get a custom-built box call that will drive the toms crazy.  That is why my box call preference is now the 4-Play Turkey Call.

Until recently I carried 2 box calls in my turkey vest.  One of these makes the sweetest yelps on the planet.  But its clucks leave a lot to be desired.  Likewise, the box call I cluck with is not worth a plug nickel for yelping or cutting.  That is why the 4-Play Turkey Call is the ONE box call I carry now.

The 4-Play call is made of different woods within the same call.  It has four sound rails, all of which can be different wood types, instead of just two.  By rotating the paddle around one end of the call you put 2 different rails into play.  This single box call makes more notes, at more pitches, than any 2 to 4 standard box calls combined.

Once you have decided upon and purchased your box call, you must learn how to play it.  I do like the box call because it is so easy to use.  But do not be fooled by that statement.  It still takes lots of practice to “master” all the sounds that this call can make.

All too often, turkey hunters fail to operate, or play, this instrument correctly.  Pressing the paddle onto the box may help increase volume, but will likely cause you to loose the desired pitch.  Quality custom-built box calls are designed for the weight of the paddle to be sufficient pressure to make the box play.  Most paddles will have a sweet spot.  Find this spot and you have found the key to your spring success.

Yelps are easily reproduced on a box call by dragging the paddle over one of the box lips.  At this point you are looking for, and listening for, pitch.  I will remind you that if you practice indoors, the pitch will sound profoundly different outside.  Practice outdoors as much as possible.

Once you have mastered a single yelp, line-up several yelps into a short run of calls.  At this point you are working on rhythm.  Combining rhythm and pitch will give you a very accurate imitation of a wild turkey.

There are a couple of different ways that you can hold this instrument as you play it.  My preferred method is to hold the box upright in my left hand and operate the paddle with my right hand.  This allows the weight of the paddle to do its job correctly.

Another variation that I have seen, but do not subscribe to, is holding the box upside down with the paddle in your left hand, striking the paddle with the box, which is held in the right hand.  To me, this method is cumbersome and eliminates the true resonance that the call can produce.  Either way, learn to play your box call with the method that is most comfortable for you.

By laying the paddle on the lip and popping it sharply upward, you can make an excellent cluck with your box call.  Putts can be made in much the same way.  By slowly dragging the full width of the paddle over the lip, a very seductive purr can be accomplished.

One of the most exciting and effective sounds the box call can reproduce is cutting.  To do this, hold the box in your left hand, paddle up and laying on the lip.  Use your left thumb as a “bumper”.  Tap the paddle with your right hand allowing it to rebound off your left thumb.  Practice this until you get the pitch, then work on the rhythm.  This call can really fire-up old tom and vastly improve your chances for success.

The key to this turkey call and to all others is practice.  There is no substitution for listening to live birds and reproducing the sounds you hear them make.  I would like to recommend a specific box call for you to try this spring. The 4-Play Turkey Call is the most versatile and productive box call I have seen and used.  Get one.  You will not be disappointed.

About the 4-Play Turkey Call: This innovative call is hand-manufactured by Cutting Edge Game Calls, a forward thinking company intent on creating and bringing to market innovative alternatives to help hunters be successful. Among their hunting products is the 4-Play Turkey Call. The company is staffed by creative-minded people who love hunting and whose innovative ideas are brought to life by talented craftsmen. To remove all risk about the 4-Play Turkey Call, they offer a 30 day trial! We realize the 4-Play is new and different, but that shouldn’t stop customers from trying it out. Order one today, try it, love it, or return it within 30 days for a full refund! For more visit: https://4playturkeycall.com/.

About the author: Mike Roux is an award-winning outdoor writer. He freelances more than 100 outdoor magazine and newspaper articles each year. Adding to his list of talents, he is also an accomplished speaker who annually books several speaking engagements nationwide – including banquets, game dinners and other outdoor events. Mike Roux has been a professional guide and game caller for over two decades. He has worked with the Pro Staffs of several outdoor products manufacturers. He is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of American, as well as the Missouri Outdoor Communicators. For more, please visit www.mikeroux.com.

Winter Contest Idea…to Increase Fish Line Recycling – $30,000 in CASH PRIZES!

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • $30,000 in cash prizes on the line for best solutions

Ever wonder what happens to the discarded fishing line you put inside this recycling tube? It’s not pretty, according to BoatUS Foundation. But maybe you have a solution.

Winter is annual maintenance time for many anglers. Re-spooling with new line is a must-do task. Ever thought about what happens once you dispose of the old line in a fishing line recycling tube?

It’s not pretty. Turning fishing line into new products is labor-intensive, requiring a series of workers to manually comb through, sort, clean, remove hooks and weights, and separate out miles of encrusted debris in entangled fishing line. So as you pile up a few reels of line to be recycled this winter, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is asking for your ideas on how to help grow the volume of line recycled each year.

Teaming up with fishing tackle company Berkley, the BoatUS Foundation’s Recast & Recycle Contest seeks out new ideas and improvements to the process, new ideas for recycled products, or technology breakthroughs for the current process that will increase the volume of line and soft baits that are recycled. Entry is simple – all you have to do is send a short video or one-page summary explaining your idea. Thirty thousand dollars in prize money is at stake for the three best ideas submitted through May 14, 2021.

“It’s great that anglers recycle,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Outreach Alanna Keating. “Now we need to ask for help with scaling up recycling with a greater volume of line, whether it’s a time- and labor-saving process improvement or creating a new market to fully sustain recycling efforts.”

Judges will add weight to contest submissions that actually work, are practical, innovative, and have the potential to have a significant impact.

The first-place prize is $15,000, second place receives $10,000, and $5,000 will be awarded for third place. Contest submissions can address any part of the process (or multiple parts) of taking discarded fishing line and soft plastics from end of life to a new beginning. Professionals, amateurs and students alike are encouraged to apply, as are school teams and groups. Contest entries can be submitted with as little as a link to a video demonstration of the idea or a one-page graphic summary. Videos are limited to 4 minutes.

Contest rules and conditions, details on the current recycling process and videos on how various plastics and soft baits are recycled can be found at the Recast & Recycle website BoatUS.org/Contest.

Browning Maxus II – Autoloading Rifled Deer Shotgun

Posted on by Dave Barus

This new Browning shotgun has a number of features that elevate it above run-of-the-mill deer hunting shotguns. For 2021, the evolutionary new Maxus II sets its sights on whitetails with a Rifled Deer model.

The Maxus II is a fast-handling autoloading shotgun designed for hunting deer with a fully rifled barrel for accurate use with slugs.

A 22″ long, thick-walled rifled barrel includes an attached, cantilever Weaver-style sight rail that makes attaching optics and cleaning the shotgun without affecting zero a snap. Always important to accurate shooting, the Maxus II Rifled Deer features the precision Lightning Trigger that offers a lighter, crisper pull with less overtravel than other designs. Hard-hitting 12-gauge, 3″ slug ammunition is ably cycled by the proven reliable Power Drive Gas System.

The Maxus II Rifled Deer also includes a new stock design with a straight heel buttstock that allows for customizing the length of pull by either adding spacers or trimming the stock down. The 1 ½” thick Inflex recoil pad features directional deflection and is coupled with the new SoftFlex™ cheekpad, both of which are designed to soften recoil against your shoulder and face. Rubber over-molded panels on the pistol grip and forearm improve grip and feel. Enhanced operational features include an enlarged trigger guard that is ramped for fast loading, oversized bolt handle and release that are easier to use and a traditional threaded magazine cap. The raised rib sight picture and flat point of impact puts shooters on target faster and more consistently. To learn more about the features and specs and to access downloadable hi res images please visit:

Maxus II Shotguns

Maxus II Rifled Deer

Features:

  • Mossy Oak® New-Break-Up Country® camo finish
  • 22″, thick wall, fully rifled barrel for use with slugs
  • Cantilever, Weaver®-style scope mount for easy optics attachment
  • New SoftFlex™ cheekpad increases shooting comfort
  • New oversized bolt release and bolt handle
  • New composite stock can be trimmed and is shim adjustable for cast, drop and length of pull
  • New rubber overmolding on stock and forearm add grip in all conditions
  • New trigger guard is ramped for easier loading
  • Nickel Teflon™ coating on the bolt, bolt slide, shell carrier and bolt release
  • ABS hard case included

For more information on Browning products, please visit browning.com.

Winchester SX4 Hybrid Hunter Woodland Shotgun

Posted on by Dave Barus

Gotta love the new durable camo coverage and protected metal-part finish on the new Winchester firearms in this modern world.

The Winchester® Super X4 Hybrid Hunter Woodland features a classic Woodland camouflage paired with a Cerakote Flat Dark Earth finish on the receiver and barrel. The is combination is an functional eye-catching performer. Rain or shine, fast cycling is never an issue with the proven Active Valve Gas System. Adding an extra level of durability is the chrome-plated chamber and bore.

This model includes 3 Invector-Plus choke tubes – including a choke wrench, TRUGLO® fiber-optic sight, reversible safety button, larger opening in trigger guard, and larger bolt handle and bolt release with a Nickel Teflon coating on carrier and bolt release button, .

To learn more about the features and specs, as well as access downloadable hi-res images, please visit:

Super X4 Hybrid Hunter Woodland

Super X4 Shotguns

Features:

  • RECEIVER –  Aluminum alloy; Flat Dark Earth (FDE) Cerakote finish
  • BARREL –  Chrome-plated chamber and bore; FDE Cerakote finish; Ventilated rib
  • ACTION –  12 gauge – 3 1/2″ and 3″ chamber; 20 gauge – 3″ chamber; Gas operated with Active Valve system;
  • STOCK –  Composite; Woodland camouflage finish with an Inflex® recoil pad
  • FEATURES –  Three Invector-Plus™ choke tubes (F,M,IC); TRUGLO® fiber-optic sight; New Inflex® Technology recoil pad; Length of pull spacers; New larger bolt handle, bolt release and reversible safety button; New larger opening in trigger guard; Sling swivel studs

MSRP is $1079.99. For more information on Winchester Firearms, please visit winchesterguns.com.

One Man – His Fishing, His Family, His Favorite Boat

Posted on by David Gray
  • 64-year-old Polar Kraft Jon Boat looks and works even better now than it did in 1957!
  • Memories are one key to future fishing fun, make them with your family
  • Humble Pat Richardson has won 43 fishing tournaments, his story follows

Humble, but savvy angler and friend of the outdoors, Pat Richardson, is ready to cast a line from his age-old Polar Kraft Jon Boat. 

By David Gray

One thing can be said about the sport of fishing, it doesn’t take long for extraordinary memories to start. Pat Richardson, a fisherman from Louisiana, will be a young 80 years of age in April this year. Like many of us that enjoy a passion for fishing, he remembers his early start with squirming fish from a very young age.  His introduction to fishing came at age 5 when he participated in an annual family tradition.  Pat’s Dad fished, but it was his Mom who really got him started as a fisherman. “Mom liked to fish, and she always used a cane pole.” Every Good Friday, the family would gather at the Bayou with cane poles, lines, hooks, and worms.  The fishing fun started upon arrival, and after catching enough Bream, everyone headed for the traditional family fish fry.  Delicious.

While Pat has enough fond family fishing memories to fill volumes, he went ahead from those early years to make new ones.  Pat used his cane pole to fish until he was 14, that’s when he got his first store-bought sport rod.  It was a fly rod.  When asked why not a casting rod? Pat said, “Back then, casting reels and glass casting rods cost more.” The fly rods and reels were in his price range.  Pat noted that first fly rod is gone, but he still has that fly reel in the original box with a price tag that says $1.05.  The whole rig, 8-foot rod, reel, line, and tippets went for $7.50.  It was easy to catch Bream on the fly rod, but catching Bass on it was another thing.

It wasn’t long before some Fenwick casting rod blanks became available. A friend wrapped them up and Pat went in search of Bass with casting gear. The challenge, then, was that Bass were not as easy to catch as Bream.  So Pat began paying attention when and why he caught them on some trips and not on others.  With special consideration to details and conditions, he learned more.  The more fishing logic he acquired, the more Bass he caught.  Pat said, “Dad was a kind of fair weather fisherman, but when the bite was on, he liked to go, so I would take him.”

We were fishing in old wooden boats back then.  You know the type—paddle some, bail some, fish some – the whole day.

One day Dad surprised us by saying, “You boys (3 brothers) love to fish, and I am going to buy you a good boat. They are making boats out of metal now, and we are going to get one.”  Off they went to the Western Auto Store in Gonzales, La.  Dad negotiated for a new 14-foot Polar Kraft Bateau, a 12Hp Wizard outboard, 2 life-preservers, and a paddle.  All for $300 – the year was 1957. For those not blessed in the language of the Louisiana Bayou, a Bateau is a flat bottom Jon boat.

Following the initial clean-up and restoration process, the Polar Kraft Bateau (Jon Boat), is ready for paint and new gear.

That Polar Kraft Bateau served them well.  The boat helped Pat learn more about how to catch Bass.  Pat got quite good at catching Bass, so he decided to try fishing tournaments.  At first, they were “Fruit Jar” tournaments.  All the anglers gathered at the launch ramp Friday evening and put $10 in the fruit jar.  They launched, and the tournament weighed in at midnight. The winner got the jar.

Pat needed a boat upgrade to fish bigger tournaments so a bass boat with a 45hp outboard was purchased. The Polar Kraft Bateau was retired to the back of the backyard.  Pat won 43 open tournaments in the next 8-year period.  Pat also joined a Bass Club and took first in 11 tournaments and second or third in 7.  Pat said, “At one of those tournaments, I took first place, big Bass for the tournament and big Bass for the year.  Then the club switched all their tournaments to Sunday.  I never fish on Sunday, and the club knew that, so I guess it was a polite way to ask me to look for another club. I got my son, Patrick Wayne, fishing and at 14 he fished his first tournament with me.  I like fishing tournaments, but it was never about the money. It was the competition and camaraderie that made it fun for me.  Because it was fun, I kept entering open bass tournaments and did pretty well. Well enough that it caught the attention of some sponsors.  My last tournament rig had a 225HP motor. Quite different from the 12 HP Wizard on the Bateau from which I learned so much about Bass fishing.

One day I got to thinking about the Bateau.  We had caught thousands of fish, literally tons and tons of fish out of the Bateau.  Bream, Gar, Bass, and when not fishing, we used it for pleasure cruising.  The Bateau was a family heirloom, a part of our family, and I thought about it lying in the backyard with junk piled all over it.  So in 2019, I decided to pull this 60-year-old Polar Kraft out of the pile and see what shape it was in.

I took it to the welding shop and was sure it needed a new wood transom board.  I asked them to check the entire hull and fix everything and anything needed to get it back in the water.

When I went to pick it up, the shop said, “This was a well-built boat.  We only had to replace 3 rivets and tightened 6 others.” That was all it needed.  The 60-year-old Polar Kraft Bateau was ready to fish.

But Pat decided that was not enough.  He would totally upgrade up. “I decided I wanted to convert to bass boat style and dedicate it to Dad, who took us to buy it.  The family approved of the dedication idea to Dad. We added fishing decks, Bass Boat seats, a new 20Hp Merc 4-stroke electric start, Xi3 trolling motor, bilge pump, and a Lowrance sonar with map. My Dad’s name was Clyde, he died in 1976, so we all agreed to name the boat after him and to honor his US Navy military service. So we added Mr. Clyde and Pacific Theater 1944 and 1945 to the new paint scheme.

At 64-years young (old for a boat!), the famed childhood Polar Kraft Jon Boat is restored and ready for the water – the high hand rail is an aid for access and exit at the dock for Pat Richardson.

This 63-year-old Polar Kraft Bateau is not only seaworthy, but it was ready to help us catch thousands and thousands more fish. I added a hoop hand-rail to help me get in and out of the boat, at my age, when I’m at the dock.”

Pat added, “It is those fond old memories of family tradition and fishing competition that helps me share that love for squirming fish and free fun on the water with family and friends, and others. Remember this, if you don’t have family, you don’t have anything.”

Author Note: Special thanks to Kristen Monroe for details and interviews noted in this story.

Frog Fshing! Time for BIG Summer BASS

Posted on by Forrest Fisher
  • Summer is here, frogs are breakfast food for big bass
  • Not all frog lures are created equal, learn about differences below
  • Heavy frogs, light frogs – when to use each of these

Plastic frogs have come a long way as an angler bait and they catch fish, big bass, when the summer weeds seem unfishable. LiveTarget photo

By Forrest Fisher

Did you know that bullfrogs never sleep? Some say that’s why big bass never sleep either! With summer water temperatures following the countrywide heatwave this year, the weeds in our waterways are thick and matted. The result is shade for massive bass that wait in ambush for critters that share use of the matted weeds for ease of movement, including frogs, bugs, mice, and the like. So it makes sense that fishing with an artificial frog bait might be a good idea to catch some of the bass hiding in their new weed shadows. Truth is, the biggest bass seem to always be in those weedy shadows.

I discovered “frog fishing” with artificial surface frogs about 60 years ago. As a kid, at first, we baited real frogs, but after we ran out we would head home and try to find more. Into the early 60s, plastic frog lures were invented and we learned how to use them. It was much easier than trying to catch live frogs. Our light rods were flimsy for what was needed, that’s all we had, but the explosion of the fish making their way through the weeds to engulf our plastic frogs was exhilarating. So we used our flimsy rods anyway!

Fishing with fake frogs was noisy, even spooky fishing, but most of the time we lost the fish because of our gear. As we grew older into our teens, my brother and I transitioned to start fishing the frogs with short deep sea fishing rods and wide-spool, open-face fishing reels loaded with 40-pound test Gudebrod braided line tied direct. Those old plastic frogs were very basic and most were only hollow, air-entrapping, plastic caricatures of frogs that floated. They sank after a while.  Today, there are new “super frogs” out there, with many offering a popping action and you might say they are sophisticated frog lures. The new frogs are more durable and are “killer-effective,” the fish seem to love ’em.

Scum Frog designed the shape of the original Trophy Series with single focus to create Topwater Froggin’ perfection. Scum Frog Photo

Among the top choices in frogs, the age-old Scum Frog. At the Scum Frog factory (Southern Lure Co.), they do nothing but design and manufacture hollow-bodied frogs. They are among the originals in the industry and are among the true innovators in the design and development of frog fishing from way back when. They offer a painted trophy series that features 10 new hand-designed colors relying on a proprietary system that digitally patterns the frog color. The Scum Frog Painted Trophy Series is durable too, and was designed to give anglers all of the benefits of many high dollar frog baits at an unbeatable price (under $6). The Scum Frog displaces water, an excellent attractant quality, and is available in 1/2 and 5/8 ounce options (solid brass weights), so casting is easy. The new skirts are made from silicon, they float higher and accentuate the movement action of a live frog. DEADLY. Best yet, these Scum Frogs come with a pair of tough, sharp Owner Hooks perfectly fitted for big bass dentures.

Many pro anglers say that summertime bass yield to the white color frog more than any other. Why? The difference between oatmeal and hominy grits is what I think. Very little, but it seems to matter if you live down south, not sure why. Plus, white frogs allow the angler to see the bait a little better while working it. I like ‘em for visual identification of where they are.

Most frogs offer a two-hook design with extra strong hook points that cozy up to the collapsible plastic frog body, making them weedless. The only thing between you and the fish is your line and if you fish these in thick cover, you will need to check your line often. Use a good, modern, braided line and a positive knot with an extremely stiff rod that will allow you to haul the fish out of the thickest weed cover you might imagine. I like the 60-pound Gamma Torque braided line, you simply cannot break it. Other brands work too, but I think you could tow a tree with Gamma and it is thinner and slicker to cast than most others, this allows greater casting range. Visit: http://gammafishing.com/.

Another favorite is the “Signature Series” frog from LiveTarget Pro Angler and TV personality, Scott Martin. It features a hollow body frog popper that has become a favorite in the topwater tackle box for many anglers. The frog has a narrow profile with a cupped face that makes this bait unique when you walk it across the surface.

With either of these two frog brands – there are many more, the popper face creates a unique sound message below. “Hello, I’m food, c ‘mon, get me.” It offers a different sort of visual splash attractant message to join with that sound message.

I tried several colors over the years and while I like the white for ease of sight, the natural green frog colors seem to get the biggest hits, especially in heavy, super-thick cover. It is still a mystery how the fish can even see the bait in really thick summer weeds like we have this year.

The acid test for your frog gear? Here it is. Drop a 5-pound anchor in the thickest weeds you can find, then move your boat 30 feet away and see if you can rip that anchor up and out without breaking your line, your rod or the gears on your reel. That is your goal. This is tough fishing for really big bass, but that’s how I measure the gear. If you can’t put a rig together like that, go fish a frog anyway. It is unbelievable fun!

For the frog, don’t forget about frog size and frog weight. The thicker and heavier frogs are for working extra-thick matt and the lighter frogs are for thinner lily pad cover.

If the bass don’t wack it in the weeds themselves, they seem to panic and inhale the lure when the popping action occurs at the weed edge. They don’t want that easy meal to get away. To learn more, see additional color offerings or to buy the frogs described, please visit: https://americanbaitworks.com/pages/scum-frog and https://livetargetlures.com.

Have fun fishing!

Spring is an active time for wildlife!

Posted on by Amanda Nalley - Florida FWC
  • Be prepared for encounters, do your best not to disturb them

Springtime is an active time for wildlife in Florida, with sea turtles beginning to nest on beaches, manatees leaving their warm-water winter refuges and gopher tortoises starting to stir outside their burrows.

Sea Turtles are laying eggs along the sandy beaches in spring. Florida FWC Photo

With warmer weather, a variety of species around the state are following their internal biological clocks that tell them to move, mate, feed and nest. These species include black bears and their cubs, nesting waterbirds and snakes.

Florida Blackskimmers on the beach. Florida FWC Photo

Because of heightened wildlife activity in springtime, people are more likely to see and encounter all kinds of animals, both adults and their young. Florida’s residents and visitors can help by being aware of how to avoid disturbing wildlife during the rites of spring.

“Viewing wildlife is one of the pleasures of being outdoors during spring,” said Kipp Frohlich, who leads the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). “It helps if kids and adults know the importance of not disturbing wildlife. Keep your distance, so you don’t startle a sea turtle, gopher tortoise, manatee or nesting bird that you happen to see during your outdoor adventures.”

Tips on how to enjoy and help conserve Florida wildlife during spring:

  • Sea turtles – Help sea turtles by keeping beaches dark at night and free of obstacles during their March–October nesting season. Bright artificial lighting can disturb nesting sea turtles and disorient hatchlings, so avoid using flashlights or cellphones on the beach at night. Turning out lights or closing curtains and shades in buildings along the beach after dark also will ensure nesting turtles aren’t disturbed as they come ashore and hatchlings won’t become disoriented when they emerge. Clear away boats and beach furniture at the end of the day and fill in holes in the sand that could entrap turtles.
  • Manatees – Look out for manatees when boating. Chances of close encounters between manatees

    Injured wildlife are common finds by outdoor adventure folks. Call for help. Florida FWC Photo

    and boaters increase in the spring, as manatees leave their winter use areas and travel the intracoastal waterways along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and other inland waters. For boaters, it is a critical time to be on the lookout for manatees to avoid collisions with these large aquatic mammals. Boaters should follow posted speed limits as many areas have seasonal zones in spring that reflect manatee migration patterns.

  • Gopher tortoises – Spring days are a good time to spot a gopher tortoise, as Florida’s only native tortoise becomes more active, foraging for food and searching for a mate. If you see gopher tortoises or their half-moon shaped burrow entrances, it is best to leave them alone. You can help a gopher tortoise cross a road by picking it up and placing it in a safe location along the roadside in the direction it was heading. But only do this if it is safe for you to do so, and Remember the tortoise is a land animal, so never attempt to put it into water.
  • Nesting birds – Keep your distance from birds on the beach or on the water. If birds become agitated or leave their nests, you are too close. Disturbance can cause birds to abandon their nesting sites, which exposes their eggs and chicks to predators, sun exposure and other harm. Because shorebirds and seabirds build well-camouflaged shallow nests out of sand and shells on beaches, their nests, eggs and chicks are vulnerable to being stepped on unless people look out for them. Wading birds, such as herons and egrets, and pelicans also are nesting now on mangroves and tree islands.
  • Bears – As spring temperatures warm, bears become more active, increasing the opportunities for conflicts with people. Don’t give bears a reason to stay in your neighborhood. Remove anything that might attract bears, such as unsecured garbage or pet food. If they can’t find food, they’ll move on.
  • Snakes –

    Scarlet King Snake. Florida FWC Photo

    Watch out for snakes in your yard or when hiking. What should you do when you come upon a snake? Just stand back and observe it. Snakes don’t purposefully position themselves to frighten people. They’d much rather avoid encounters and usually will flee.

  • Injured and orphaned wildlife – If you find a baby animal, it is best to leave it alone. Baby animals rarely are orphaned; a parent may be nearby searching for food or observing its young. Instead, report wildlife you think may be injured or orphaned to the nearest FWC Regional Office.

It’s illegal to disturb or harm wildlife, so if you see someone not following the rules – or spot an animal in distress – call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline: 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a cell phone.

Learn more about where and how to view wildlife at MyFWC.com/viewing.

Rocky Mountain National Park – EXPLORE the Amazing and Unique Alpine Tundra Ecosystem found here

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Elk, Moose, Black Bear, Birds, Fish, Mountains – Great Views…Bring a Camera!
  • Take note of National Park Entry Permit Requirements, VISIT www.RECREATION.GOV
  • One memory here can last for All Time, especially when you stand on the Continental Divide, located here. East to the Atlantic, west to the Pacific. Wow.

Black Bear in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo and story, courtesy of National Parks Service at Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado, USA

Compiled by Forrest Fisher

Our bears are searching for something scrumptious!

With a nose 280 times more sensitive than humans, they are world champs of food hide-and-seek!

This time of year, Rocky’s black bears (there are no brown bears in the park) are especially hungry as they prepare for hibernation—a phase called ‘hyperphagia.’ Rocky has seen an uptick in bear-related property damage in the past few weeks. There are many ways our visitors can help keep our bears wild as well as protect themselves!

• When visiting by car: Store food properly in LOCKED cars with all windows ROLLED UP during the night and day. Do not store coolers (even with only water in them) in truck beds. Clean dirty dishes before storing.
• When backpacking: Store all food and scented items (deodorant, toothpaste, chapstick, sunscreen) in a bear canister. When sleeping, place this canister at least 200 feet (60 m) from your tent.
• When camping in campgrounds: do not cook or eat in your tent. Do not bring food inside your tent. Lock all food in provided food storage lockers.
• Dispose of trash promptly and appropriately (in bear-proof bins when available.)
• If you see a bear, act big! Yell and clap, and it will likely move away. Do not run from a bear, and do not abandon food in a hasty attempt to leave.
• Report any bear-related incidents to a ranger.

Rocky Mountain National Park is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

It’s also home to some of the most fragile. While only 0.2% of the US land area is alpine tundra, Rocky is lucky to say that almost 1/3 of the park is comprised of this amazing ecosystem. Because of its fragility and susceptibility to changes, it provides a canvas for scientists to explore change over time through long-term monitoring.

Sunset on the Alpine Tundra at Rocky Mountain National Park. NPS/C Hernandez 

Since 2015, Dr. Sarah Schliemann, a professor of environmental science at Metropolitan State University of Denver, has been investigating the release of carbon dioxide from alpine soils, also known as ‘soil respiration’ (#ParkScience).

We are celebrating the amazing alpine tundra this year at Rocky Mountain National Park! As part of that, we are sharing Dr. Schliemann’s work through a 4-part series of posts. This is the first in that series. Visit Rocky Mountain National Park on Facebook to learn more about Dr. Schliemann’s work and other park research. See more here: https://www.nps.gov/rlc/continentaldivide/research-highlights.htm

Elk enjoy feeding on fresh growth on the unique Alpine Tundra in Rocky Mountain National Park. Kiley Voss photo.

From NPS Park Ranger, Kiley Voss, “I’m beyond excited as a Park Ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park this summer season! I’m overjoyed for the opportunity to spend a summer living in the mountains on the west side of the park, for a moose study, for a town surrounding an alpine lake, for search and rescue training, for the headwaters of the Colorado River, for helping update signage and photographs, for a Colorado October full of aspens, for wildlife watch programs and tundra stewardship, for historic site talks and ranger-led campfires.”

Reservations are required to enter all areas of Rocky Mountain National Park from 6am to 5pm. Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/fees.htm or simply visit www.Recreation.gov.

Florida Youth Hunting – First Deer for Kingston, 11-years old

Posted on by Jeff Liebler
  • Learning to shoot well, whisper in the stand, control our scent and be there at the right lucky time…made it all happen.
  • Face camo adds to the youth hunting fun, making that first shot good sure makes it unforgettable.
  • The crossbow allows a friendly introduction into accurate shooting potential at the very young age of 11 for my son.
  • An unbelievable experience, for dads and moms too!

That first moment of deer hunting success is hard to capture, but my son Kingston overcame the odds (trembling) to make an accurate shot on this healthy 7-point Florida buck in south Florida. My heart rate might have been a bot elevated too! 

By Jeff Liebler

Kingston, my 11-year old son, has always been in love with the outdoors. Fishing, hunting, campfires and more. So this summer, I made a deal with Kingston – if he completed his Florida Hunter Safety Course, put in some serious practice dialing in his crossbow – from the ground and in the treestand, we could hunt deer together and he could try for his first-ever deer. I was excited that he was excited from the get-go! Together with his cousin (Hunter), we needed to rebuild the old tree platform at his grandmother’s house where we hunt. It was a big chore, but Kingston was all in.

Last year, when he was just 10, we hunted the same stand together and he became familiar with watching for deer and using the range finder for yardage. He was my lucky charm, he helped me take a beautiful 11-point archery buck from that stand. It was fun, sharing with him in whisper-tone things about scent awareness and sound control.

Our trail cam allowed to understand there were some good bucks in the area, and lots of doe as well.

This year, he completed his hunter coursework and after practice shooting his crossbow dozens of times, checking trail cams, replenishing food sources, and hours of tree stand bonding, Kingston made it happen. 

Here’s how it went:

On Saturday, Oct. 3rd, two days after the harvest moon, we decided to try our luck in the light rain. We’ve actually spotted more deer together on rainy days than we do on dry days. We knew that day we had a chance for good luck if we could ride out the afternoon precipitation. We threw on some light camo gear and scent blocker, then snuck into the stand at 3:20PM. The black-bellied whistling ducks were sounding off above us, and eastern gray squirrels scurried around the tree trunks below us. We were crunching down on our treestand favorites, red apples, and cracker jacks. A quiet first hour, then another quiet hour, and I was becoming doubtful. Then suddenly, just before six o’clock, a doe and her yearling came by to sniff out some corn but didn’t hang out long. This was a fortunate opportunity to study their reaction to our scent and position. With optimism, we adjusted and used their presence to prepare for a shooter buck to come by. The woods went silent for a bit, the light rain kept on, and we finally ran out of things to whisper about as we approached “buck time,” usually about 6:30-sunset this time of year. 

We were right this time, and just two minutes past seven o’clock, the usually nocturnal antlered king of the swamp used the damp woods floor to silently creep into our whole corn and apple buffet feeder area. The northwest wind was on our side as the brute showed us his target zone long enough for Kingston to set his crossbow for a good shot. I picked up my phone to record the action as I watched Kingston’s elbows tremble. I mumbled, “30-yard shot, breathe, exhale, hold, then take your shot.” He squeezed the trigger.

Taking the shot in the rain, and then Kingston’s reaction. Unforgettable!

THUMP! Then a massive kick from the buck as Kingston sent the most perfect bolt home. We watched the burly buck hit the turf only 40 yards from us, and we cheered with each other.

Kingston was still shaking as he properly approached his downed deer from behind.

We celebrated his life and shared that special bond and heartfelt feeling of harvesting his first deer together. Ecstatic would be an understatement at this point, so we took extra precaution and waited a bit while we gathered our gear to safely climb down from the tree stand. When we aren’t in the woods together, Kingston and I enjoy watching Buck Commander and other hunting videos on YouTube. I took out my phone again for a video of our own. I was able to record Kingston walking up (from behind, like he learned in his hunter safety course) on his first harvested deer, a beautiful buck. The excitement on Kingston’s face as he wrapped his hands around the chocolate-colored antlers and burst out with, “It’s the 7-point!” It’s a moment I will never forget. After talking about shot placement and recording our official Florida harvest report, we snapped a quick interview to talk about how it all came together. He was so excited! Then the work and after-celebration began. Kingston’s cousins, who have also been hunting since they were kids, came by for moral support and heckling too, with his first buck, and they helped us field dress and quarter the deer and into the cooler. The rituals and shenanigans were flowing. Some of those stories are better left at deer camp with the guys if you know what I mean.

Days after a successful hunt, the work is still ongoing, but there’s something about it that doesn’t feel like work at all. On Sunday, “Mama”, as Kingston calls his mom, cut up and vacuum-sealed a little under 10-pounds of backstrap butterfly steaks and tenderloins from this Florida stud buck. Yesterday I surprised Kingston by signing him out of school early so we could go back and walk the footsteps of that first-deer memory at the tree stand one more time. Then we stopped to drop off some critical cargo, the deer head, and rack, to JC Taxidermy in Lithia. Kingston was overjoyed to now be “one of the boys” with his cousins and have his very own trophy on the wall coming soon. To complete the hunt and harvest, we drove to Riverview to stop at Al’s Wild Meat Processing, where they will be packing up roasts, maple venison sausage, and ground meat, that we will eat and share over the next year. Now that my little guy took down his big guy buck, I’m hoping to look for similar good fortune with my compound bow, as I set my sights on adding to the freezer with more local organic deer meat.

We shared that special bond and heartfelt feeling of hunting together, and sharing the outdoors.

As you know, hunting and sharing the outdoors is a true gift from our Creator.

We thank God for hunting, fishing, and wild animals every day during dinner grace. I’m happy to have a next-generation hunter as the numbers of hunting support enthusiasts are in decline. Indeed, I have high hopes that there will never be a food shortage in our family. 

Family Hunting Background:

I am fortunate enough to have my Uncle Dave, Forrest Fisher, NYS Hall of Fame Outdoorsman (and many more titles) teach me everything I know about archery hunting, starting with ethical hunting. “There’s no better way to do it than the right way – we follow the rules,” he would say every year as we walked the woods together, then we would discuss how to stay quiet, movement control, safety, how to stay warm, and more. Numerous years hunting with him have taught me about patience, silence, scent block, and how/when to let an arrow fly. Thanks to my favorite Aunt Rosalie Barus, for providing years of lodging, meals, and hugs of encouragement while I came up to visit East Aurora, NY. It’s where I could slow down and learn to hunt with arrows. I always picture her great smile in the mornings before hunting, when she would say, “Go get ’em Jeff-waa! I can’t wait to see your text that brown is down!” Graciously, I want to thank my good buddy Michael Garrido for sharing his hunting knowledge with me for the last 10 years and providing hunting opportunities to experience and ultimately pass down the tradition. I’m blessed to share our hunting enthusiasm and appreciation for harvests. Cheers to many more, Mike! 

Huge thank you to Kingston’s Granny Lois Johnson, for providing our hunting spot and her encouragement each year for a successful hunt. Granny always reminded Kingston, “I love venison, get me some.” Kingston said he knows his late Papa was with him on this hunt, and I told him I was sure Kingston made him proud! Venison steaks headed your way soon, “Granny”! Lastly, to my amazing wife, Tiffany, who does so much to help make it possible for us to spend time in the woods together? Her excitement and “you got this” texts, while we hunt are always encouraging and makes this proud dad moment event sweeter (I needed to turn off the beeper). Her venison chili is out of this world, too! 

It takes friends, family, the right equipment, and shared passion to carry out successful hunts, especially with youngsters. Learn more about the Florida hunting rules at MyFWC.com/Deer, including the new deer harvest reporting requirement.  I’ll leave you with some product knowledge of the gear we used.

Our Gear: CenterPoint Archery, crossbow – 20” bolt with 100gr G5 Outdoors, fixed broadhead; Quaker Boy, doe bleat; Thermacell Hunting, Sawyer permethrin spray for deer ticks/bugs; Fyland UV tracker flashlight; Vortex Optics, Diamondback HD binoculars; HALO Optics, XL600-8 range finder; Wildgame Innovations, trail cam; Under Armor Hunt boots; Hunting-Made-Easy truck hitch game hoist; Wildlife Research Center, Scent Blocker; Outdoor Edge Knives & Tools, swing blade skinning knife.

2020 Renegade Bass Classic Championship, TEAMWORK and LURE SELECTION was key

Posted on by David Gray
  • Drop Shot Rigs with finesse soft plastics was the secret bait key
  • Scented tubes, high-floating drop-shot baits and creature critters were most effective
  • Tough weather dictated our fishing plan, the rigs we used, and boat-positioning tactics

Lenny Devos is a finesse fisherman – his new secret fishing baits have helped him and partner, Jeff Deslodges, win fishing contests all over the Canada and the USA. 

By David Gray

Lenny Devos is a fisherman’s fisherman.

He loves to fish. Fishing is his passion.

Lenny loves to talk about fishing and loves to think about fishing, and he loves to tournament fish. Lenny is very successful at it and, at my humble request, he is willing to share some secrets with us ordinary fishing folks that toss lines for bass.

We might all learn a few things from Lenny and his teammate. His tournament winning formula is simple: use the team approach.

It works and is easy to do. Lenny and his tournament partner, Jeff Desloges, are very competitive by nature. They complement each other as a team. Lenny says, “We make a great team, we think similarly, we like to fish the similarly, and we can often fish the same cover more effectively using different, but similar, tactics to figure out the fish.” Style, lure types, colors, size – all these things can make a difference. 

The Teamwork approach has produced three Renegade Bass Classic Championships, including their most recent win: the 2020 Renegade Bass Canadian Tour Championship.  

Winning the 2020 Championship did not come easy. Day 1 of the two-day Championship delivered good weather and a variety of patterns were identified. Lenny and Jeff weighed in 22.51 lbs for third place but were more than 3 lbs behind the first-place team of Scott Lecky and Steve Bean. They had weighed in an impressive 5 fish limit of 25.66 lbs. On the St. Lawrence River, where giant smallmouth limits are the rule, making up more than 3 lbs would be a challenge for Lenny and Jeff.   

Two happy anglers, Lenny Devos and Jeff Deslodges, add one more championship to their wining streak.  

On Day 2, the weather took a significant shift with a front produced heavy rain and very high winds. The combination made boat control challenging. Precision deep-water bait presentation was, therefore, also difficult to achieve. The 30 to 40 mph winds also increased the river current (speed) and added to boat control difficulty. The extreme weather change played havoc with the shallow water patterns learned on Day 1 and challenged the precise bait presentation needed for the deep-water bite. 

The “STH-Drifter” is only 2.75 inches long, and has proven deadly for finesse applications like drop-shot, jig head and the bottom hugging Flatty Jig (shown above). The drifter floats, is super-soft, salted and scented, so it moves freely off a drop-shot without having to shake it.  The “3D eyes” add to life-like appearance. 

Lenny and Jeff continued to throw the Netbait STH Finesse Series of soft baits, including the Crush Worms and STH Drifters (American Baitworks), that’s what worked on Day 1. But the heavy wind did not let up. Lenny said, “It was difficult to present our baits the way that the smallmouth wanted it.” Then teamwork kicked in. Lenny says, “Jeff and I know how each other fishes, so I concentrated on boat control to allow Jeff to focus on lure presentation.

That teamwork strategy paid off, and despite the adverse weather, we had a good day. Our Day 2 bag of 23.06 lbs gave us a tournament total of 45.57lbs, and our 3rd Renegade Bass Championship win. It took a team to win as precise bait presentation was the key.” 

The Finesse Series Tube are 40% body and 60% tail, to deliver a new undulating action, quite improved when compared to other tubes, as the slightest twitch of the rod allows a fully exposed hook in the tail section. The 60% feature allows you to trim your tail to match feeding activity. Results mean improved hook ups with hard-mouthed smallmouth bass.

Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Lenny loves his job as a Fire Fighter because part of the job is helping others when they need it. When he is on duty, he thinks about being a Firefighter, but Lenny thinks about fishing the rest of the time. Lenny says he is always thinking about lures, techniques, reading the water, and figuring out new lakes. Lenny was not born into a fishing family but remembered “the Day” he became a fisherman. Even though his Dad did not fish, Lenny had a driving urge to go fishing and kept asking Dad to take him.

So Dad got a crash course on how to fish from a friend, borrowed a rod and reel, and took Lenny, his 6-year-old son, fishing. Lenny recalls, “All we had was that one rod and reel, a bobber, a hook, and a worm.” That was all it took to unlock Lenny’s lifelong passion for fishing and his drive to compete in tournaments.  

Lenny credits his tournament fishing success to several things. One is planning by thinking about an upcoming tournament. We like to make a plan based on how far or close the lake is on either side of the spawn. 

Knowing that helps you target where the fish will be. Also, there is no substitute for time on the water, which is crucial for success. We use that time on the water to tell us where we will fish and what we will fish with. To quote Lenny, “A day on the water with nothing learned is a wasted day. I usually learn the most on the worst days, especially those days when you are marking fish or seeing fish, and nothing seems to be working.”

Another plus is a great tournament partner. Since Jeff and I fish the same way, we both contribute to tournament planning and strategy. Lenny started tournament fishing in 1990, and a lot of anglers are calling Lenny Devos the best bass jig fisherman in Ontario.  

Robert Greenberg, who owns the innovative American Baitworks company, and is himself an accomplished tournament angler, says Lenny could be called the “Best Bass Angler in Canada.” Quite a compliment to be called the best bass angler in a country where some say the national sport should be fishing!

Questions and Answers

Question:  What lures did you use to win the Renegade Bass Championship?

Lenny: On Day 1 we used STH (Set-The-Hook) Drifters, Finesse Tubes and the Net Bait Kickin-B Chunk off a drop-shot rig. On Day 2, after the weather change, we used Carolina Rigs with a fluorocarbon leader with the Net Beat Kickin-B Chunk. 

Question:  Lenny, what are your favorite “GO-TO” baits and techniques?

Lenny: For Smallmouth, I like to throw tubes with Green Pumpkin as a favorite color. For Largemouth, a Flipping Jig is my favorite.  

I use a stout rod, but with a more flexible tip than most guys flip with. The softer tip really helps with good hook sets. My favorite is the Halo 7’5″ KS-II Elite with 50 lb braid tied directly to the jig. I do not use a leader. I also enjoy throwing topwater frogs. The Scum Launch Frog is one of those baits that just catch fish. When conditions are right, it is hot.  

The new KSII ELITE is light, balanced and built with a custom two-finger reel seat that exposes a portion of the blank to heighten the transition of the bite to the hand. The handles are triple grade-A cork for greater comfort and sensitivity. 

Question:  What is your favorite body of water to fish?

Lenny: In Canada, my favorite is the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario. In the US, I really like Stick Marsh in Florida.

Question:  What are you looking forward to in 2021?

Lenny: I always look forward to the start of the open water season and, of course, the first tournament of the year. I have been working with Freedom Tackle this year to develop several new bass jigs that work really well, and I’m excited about fishing the first production models in 2021.   

Question:  Do you have sponsors you can recommend?

Lenny: I have some sponsors that I am very proud to recommend as they do a great job taking care of customers. Hunters Bay Marine in North Bay, Ontario; Triton boats and Mercury motors; Ultra Tungsten Weights; Vigor Eyewear; American Baitworks Brands. 

 

 

American Baitworks catches Doug Minor!

Posted on by David Gray

Doug Minor has a passion for fishing and sharing his expertise in building award-winning, fish-catching lure teams. 

By David Gray

Doug Minor just embarked on his latest fishing adventure.  Although this is a business adventure, it is very much about fishing.  It took some talking to get Doug, who led Strike King lures through 37 years of innovation and growth, to consider coming out of retirement just weeks after retiring. But American Baitworks, a new and innovative tackle and lure-manufacturing business, was doing the talking. After every call with American Baitworks, Doug said he came away with a smile on his face.

Doug was honored for the opportunity to join the team. Their commitment to providing the angler with excellent products of superior quality at a fair price is exactly what Doug Minor believes in.  As an angler, Doug knows that understanding lure performance provides an advantage in helping to create new fish-catching lures.  As a business manager, Doug knows that combining manufacturing quality control with fish-catching passion is a philosophy that creates satisfied customers.

An angler from a very young age, and after many years in the outdoor industries, Doug says, “The most important thing about every product is that it delivers consistent performance.” As anglers, we have all experienced that on occasion, when one crankbait out of 5 or 6 of the same lures will catch more fish, they all should be the same. Doug and American Baitworks aim for the manufacturing of their lure products to consistent standards.

For Doug, fishing and hunting are everything. He was blessed to have a father that introduced him to those outdoor sports at an early age. Doug remembers being taught how to skull a small Alumacraft boat from the front seat.

Paddle in one hand, never disturbing the water and rod in the other.  Dad also instilled in Doug a love of waterfowling at an early age. So early that Doug sat in the waterfowl blind in diapers!   Doug said his Dad’s philosophy was “no baby sitter no problem,” a change of diapers and Doug went to the blind with Dad.

A passion for fishing and hunting served Doug well when it came to his work in guiding lure makers.

It is essential to design and develop new lures that work.  Many companies put more physical movement into a lure that includes life-like images with more color, but fail to spend the time to thoroughly field test the product before releasing the product for sales. According to Doug, the action is the most critical part of a lure.  And that does not mean just more movement that the angler sees.  Bass are ambush predators and the action that the bass responds to is what is essential.

An angler only sees the action from above; a fish sees the action differently. Lots of field testing is needed to make a quality product with the type of action that interests the fish.

Take one of the American Baitworks lures the NetBaits – Paca Craw. Doug knew, like so many bass anglers, that the Paca Craw is an excellent weighted hook and jig trailer that outperforms many similar types of baits. The first time Doug looked at the Paca Craw in the technical test tank, not just an angler view from the surface, he was amazed at the action and knew why it was so effective.

The deadly action of the Net Bait Papa Craw is unique, effective, deadly. 

Another passion for Doug is serving the angler well. Doug got his first tackle job in a small hardware store in Dixon, TN.  His knowledge of fishing and hunting prompted the store owner to task Doug with setting up a fishing tackle department and then expanding to hunting and firearms.  They were the only store in the area that took guns on trade, so Doug learned a lot from trading and how to treat all customers fairly. After his 37 years at Strike King, we asked Doug what his fondest memory was.  Doug said, “The team spirit. No one was the star, and there were no heroes. We were a group, a team working all together to create great products and great service collectively.”

We asked Doug, “What got him to come out of retirement and join American Baitworks?” Doug said, “The consistent striving for excellence in product performance and quality by the American Baitworks team, and selling it at a fair price.  All on the team are committed to superior lure performance with consistent quality lure to lure.” Most anglers have had the experience of a soft plastic that comes out of the bag with a bend or twist that is not part of the lure.  Doug says, “The customer paid for a bag of lures, and every lure should be consistent and perform the same.  The customer deserves that.” Doug added, “The commitment to quality is so great at American Baitworks that if one toe on a soft plastic lure is not working right, we will not sell it until we fix it. Then we know it will catch fish.”

We asked, “Why did American Baitworks acquire ScumFrog and SnagProof who have the oldest of surface frog lures on the market?” Doug answered, “There are many frog bait lures available, but none have exceeded the fishing-catching performance of these original designs.

The new painted trophy series of ScumFrog patterns are attractive, affordable and fish-catchy!

These frog baits caught so many fish when they first came out, and they still do. They represent pure perfection in frog lure-making, they have great action. The action is the most important factor to a fish and these frogs deliver that. We manufacture each of these great baits in a new Trophy Series now, to a consistent performance quality that delivers performance and value for the angler.”

Anglers can expect new lures from American Baitworks soon; they are in development.  As soon as they are thoroughly field-tested, and we know they deliver fishing catching performance, we will be offering them to anglers at a fair price. What’s next? The Freedom Tackle Mischief Minnow will be available soon. Michael Tamburro designed it, the Einstein of evolutionary and competent lure designers, urging perfection with every wiggle, waggle, sound, movement, and fish-attracting feature.

New ideas from master design experts are among notable trademarks for Doug Minor.

Each of the American Baitworks brands is managed with quality by skilled people that share a passion for fishing.

Doug said, “The new NetBaits Flex Worm is a finesse bait made with injection molding that is second to none. It has tantalizing action, and the quality of manufacture, bait-to-bait, is perfect. That’s one of our goals.”

Doug shares, “It took me a while to get used to the weekly American Baitworks staff meetings. Instead of jumping right into business, each person starts talking about the fishing trip last weekend. Things like they caught a 4-pound smallmouth and were so excited.  After that, I realized it is the embedded fishing passion that drives this company to make fish-catching products at the highest measurable quality levels and sell them for a fair price. Maybe good for an angler to know the best part.  We offer great lures with great action that catch fish, and they are made in the USA whenever possible.”

That says it all.

Recreational Red Snapper Season open in Gulf State and Federal Waters

Posted on by Dave Barus

Photo courtesy of Brice Williamson

The recreational Red Snapper Season will opened on June 11 for Gulf state and federal waters, and will remain open through July 25, closing on July 26.

“I’m excited to announce the beginning of Florida’s recreational Red Snapper Season in state and federal Gulf waters beginning Thursday, June 11,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World and we are proud to welcome Floridians and visitors to participate in Red Snapper Season as our state moves forward with the safe re-opening of our economy.”

“Red Snapper Season is one of the most anticipated and exciting saltwater fishing seasons that contribute to Florida being the Fishing Capital of the World,” said Eric Sutton, FWC Executive Director. “The years of collaborative work with stakeholders and partners has resulted in a significant increase in the number of fishing days over the past few years, from just a few days to 45 red snapper fishing days in Gulf state and federal waters this year.”

For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit may also participate in the season but are limited to fishing for red snapper in Gulf state waters only.

If you plan to fish for red snapper in Gulf state or federal waters (excluding Monroe County) from a private recreational vessel, even if you are exempt from fishing license requirements, you must sign up as a Gulf Reef Fish Angler or State Reef Fish Angler when signing up after July 1 (annual renewal required). The Gulf Reef Fish Angler designation will be expanded statewide and renamed State Reef Fish Angler starting July 1. To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” then “Gulf Reef Fish Survey” or “State Reef Fish Survey” under “Reef Fish” tab. Sign up at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

Gulf Reef Fish Anglers and State Reef Fish Anglers might receive a questionnaire in the mail regarding their reef fish trips as part of Florida’s Gulf Reef Fish Survey and State Reef Fish Survey. These surveys were developed specifically to provide more robust data for management of red snapper and other important reef fish, and have allowed FWC the unprecedented opportunity to manage Gulf red snapper in state and federal waters. If you receive a survey in the mail, please respond whether you fished this season or not.

When catching red snapper and other deep-water fish, look out for symptoms of barotrauma (injuries caused by a change in pressure) such as the stomach coming out of the mouth, bloated belly, distended intestines and bulging eyes. When releasing fish with barotrauma, use a descending device or venting tool to help them survive and return to depth. Learn more about fish handling at MyFWC.com/FishHandling.

To learn more about the recreational red snapper season in Gulf state and federal waters, including season size and bag limits, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Snappers,” which is under the “Regulations by Species – Reef Fish” tab.

The federal Gulf season for for-hire operations with federal reef fish permits is June 1 through Aug. 1.

Best Binoculor NAMED for Spotting Birds…German Precision Optics (GPO-USA)

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Waterproof and fog-proof, tough aluminum eyecup tubes
  • Lightweight and compact, custom-molded hard case
  • Lifetime Warranty from German Precision Optics (GPO)

GPO USA PASSION™ 8×42 ED Binocular Wins Best Birding Binocular Award – Best Binoculars Reviews (BBR) has awarded the GPO PASSION 8×42 ED binocular with its 2020 Best Birding Binocular. Now in its tenth year, BBR awards the very best binoculars they have fully tested and reviewed in the past 12 months in a range of categories.

BBR website publisher commented about the quality of the GPO 8×42 binocular: “For just about all uses, but especially important for birding, an image that is of excellent quality and true to life is a critical feature. This is because it not only ensures you can fully appreciate the beauty of the birds in all their glory but sometimes, tiny differences in plumage colorations can make the difference when trying to positively identify one sub-species from another.

“As most birders will know, having a wide field of view is another extremely important feature as it enables you to more easily find and then follow your subjects, this is especially true of the small faster-moving ones at closer ranges! At 426ft wide at 1,000 yards, these GPO binoculars have an extremely wide view that ranks up there with the very widest 8×42 binoculars currently on the market and which is why I would certainly describe them as being a wide angle binocular.

“As with the predecessor, another reason I chose these over the other contenders is down to them having an excellent build quality level and with it a performance that was well above what I would expect to find in just about every area.

“Indeed I would go as far as to say that these GPO binoculars have no major weaknesses, which makes them a very versatile instrument that will not only stand out in most types of birding but also many other areas and thus I feel they rank up there with the best binoculars for 2020 overall.”

To be eligible for a BBR Award and be considered one of the best binoculars for 2020, it has to have been fully reviewed and tested by BBR. According to the website, BBR reviews are written after thoroughly researched, used and then tested and compared to other binoculars in its class.

To read the extensive review on the GPO PASSION 8×42 ED binocular, visit https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/binocular-awards2020.php#bestbirdingbinoculars2020.

About GPO USA: German Precision Optics was founded on the premise that design, engineering and quality management is 100 percent controlled in Germany to its strictest standards, yet products can be produced at some of the largest production facilities worldwide. This unique corporate structure allows GPO to offer the highest quality products with better features at a significantly better price. The company is 100-percent confident that all its products will not only function perfectly but also exceed all expectations. Therefore, GPO USA has created an industry-leading Spectacular Lifetime Warranty™. With outstanding professional service, GPO USA will take care of its products before, during and after the purchase at no charge— EVER. Founded in 2016, GPO has its U.S. headquarters in Richmond, Va. For more information on GPO USA, visit www.gpo-usa.com or call 844-MY-BINOS (844-692-4667).

Shooting Range…Building Out Your Kit, Go Prepared

Posted on by Blake Tabb
  • Want to have a more successful and safe shooting range trip? Make sure you’ve got the right gear
By Blake Tabb
  Do you want to have a more successful and safer shooting range trip? Make sure you’ve got the right gear! Preparation for range day begins with the right range bag and ends with it being filled with all the things you need to have a fun and productive day.
  The right range bag is the Ulfhednar UH010 Long Day Range Bag. It’s designed in Norway from ultra-tough Cordura nylon, with best-in-class YKK covered zippers and an ergonomic carrying strap with a non-slip material, so it will stay snugged up against your shoulder no matter how far you have to walk. A large exterior side pocket has a fold flat “table” with a soft pad for small cleaning/repair jobs, and there are even more, well-padded exterior and interior pockets. The Molle system on top and on one side makes attaching and removing extra pockets and accessories quick and easy. The bag measures a generous 23.6 x 15.75 x 9.85 inches, and is Ulfhednar’s signature grey. It’s built Viking tough to last a lifetime.
Being steady is a must for long-range precision rifle shooting, which means you need a support from which you can rest both the rifle’s forend and buttstock. Properly resting the buttstock is best achieved with a squeeze-type pillow, which is placed under the buttstock and slightly squeezed to allow it to expand to fine-tune the elevation position of the rifle on the target. Ulfhednar’s UH105 Squeezy Support Pillow is perfect for the task. Measuring 3 x 4.3 inches and weighing just 12 ounces, it’s made from a soft, yet rugged, neoprene material, and has easy access to customize. It’s the choice of many serious competition shooters around the globe.
  How about a sling? The Ulfhednar UH303 sling is so much more than an inexpensive rifle carrier. This sling features PRS non-elastic web and adjustable cam-buckle so you can adjust the sling length quickly; one of the two solid plastic clamps adjusts the total length of the loop, the other locks the loop around the arm. Together they ensure that once an adjustment has been made, it will stay there until you physically change it. The sling is also so light that it is not felt on your arm. It’s been designed to help keep you steady in all shooting positions.
  To carry ammunition and stack it next to your shooting position for quick and easy access, the Ulfhednar UH110 Versatile Ammunition Folder is made from water-resistant Cordura nylon. It features a durable carrying strap and holds up to 40 rifle cartridges. It can be set up in a triangle and locked with Velcro. There’s also an exterior waterproof table pocket that can be removed and replaced with the four included cartridge strips, each holding 10 rounds each. Two and two cartridge strips can be mounted together so that you get two cartridge strips with 20 shots in each.
You also need a rifle case. Usually, a rifle case is a rifle case, but how about a gun case that doubles as a top-end shooting mat? That’s what you get with the Ulfhednar UH040 BASE CAMP. Sporting backpack straps on the underside in addition to a top carrying handle. The UH040 is easy to sling on a shoulder and tote to the range or into the field. Once there, the bag folds out to reveal a full-length shooting mat measuring 41 x 79 inches. While an integrated shooting mat is pretty useful on its own, Ulfhednar takes it to another level by utilizing a rubber material (like you’d see in car tires) on certain surfaces of the mat to add friction. The rubber is laid specifically on the mat to give shooters a little resistance while shooting, so shooters’ elbows and/or the firearm itself doesn’t slip when firing. The product also has a lot of storage pockets, Molle web for attaching extra pockets or other equipment, a zippered inner storage pocket, a channel for storing your cleaning/push rod, and a detachable pocket for tables, and it also comes with a two-foot extension lower leg mat and extended bipod mat. It’s made from Cordura nylon and features covered YKK zippers.
 
About Ulfhernar – Ruggedized Norwegian produced precision shooting gear. Founded and managed by a
40-year champion shooter, Ulfhednar is producing a line of products that are incredibly innovative, durable, and exactly in time with the growing PRS market in the US. Long Range/PRS are the largest shooting sports in Norway boasting 6,000 registered competitors. 
For more information, please visit WWW.ULFHEDNAR.NO.

Firearm Industry in support of HISTORIC Senate Passage of Great American Outdoors Act

Posted on by Dave Barus

Rules, Regulations, NICs check - all required for legal firearm ownership in the USA. Photo courtesy of NSSF

NSSF®, the firearm industry trade association, praised the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, (H.R. 1957). This historic legislation, which received overwhelming bipartisan support, is among the most meaningful legislative measures for sportsmen conservationists ever. The Senate’s approval is a major step forward toward delivering on the promise of sustained wildlife conservation, public land hunting and recreational shooting on behalf of current and future generations of outdoorsmen and women.

Safety above all. Photo is courtesy of National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)

“This is a monumental achievement that demonstrates a continued legacy of bipartisanship on wildlife, public lands and outdoor recreation issues,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “When enacted, this legislation will fulfill a promise to future generations that conservation, access to public lands and outdoor recreation including hunting and recreational shooting will be safeguarded well into the next century.”
The Great American Outdoors Act, introduced in the Senate by Sens. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), would ensure full, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address the maintenance backlog of public lands and water projects across the United States. Those projects include wildlife habitat conservation, road and trail repairs and increased recreational access to our public lands and waters.
The legislation next heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for approval before it goes to the White House for signature, for which President Donald Trump has already indicated his support.
NSSF is especially grateful for Sens. Gardner and Daines sponsoring the legislation, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for placing this as priority legislation in the Senate and for Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) for their bipartisan leadership. The legislation was introduced with 55 bipartisan co-sponsors.
The legislation builds upon the success of the NSSF-supported John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, which also enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Trump in 2019.
GAOA will provide $9.5 billion over five years for deferred federal public lands and waters maintenance projects, with $3 billion set aside for infrastructure restoration on hundreds of millions of acres for increased access for America’s sportsmen and women. The Great American Outdoors Act will also provide $900 million annually for permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The legislation would also ensure that a significant portion of LWCF funding is dedicated to increasing public access for hunting, recreational shooting, fishing and outdoor recreation.
Sportsmen and women play a critical conservation role in the nation’s wildlife resources and to date, hunters and purchasers of firearms and ammunition, collectively, are the single largest source of wildlife conservation funding, contributing more than $13 billion since the enactment of the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act.
About NSSF – NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

Bow Spider: The Ultimate Solution for Packing Compound Bows Afield

Posted on by Dave Barus

The product is proudly made in the USA and gives one percent of all sales to conservation. The company also offers veterans a 15 percent discount on all products.

  • You see the Buck, the Elk, the Moose…but your bow is somehow unreachable. Now, a proven solution.
  • Reduce FROM a the game of CHANCE…TO a game of CHOICE. 
  • Mount on your hip, on your treestand, on your backpack while hiking in. The Intuitive design makes bow retrieval fast and easy in any situation.

One of the big hassles of hunting with a compound bow is figuring out how to securely and safely pack and carry it afield, yet keep it handy enough that you can immediately spring into action should an unforeseen opportunity arise. The solution is simple: Bow Spider — the quickest and easiest bow retrieval system on the market. Whether you are a backpack hunter, spend your time up a tree, or need both hands free when crossing a field while carrying decoys, blinds, and other accessories, Bow Spider is the answer you’ve been looking for.

The concept is simple and revolves around a lightweight, roundish bow holder that comes with a sturdy belt and long bolts, allowing for multiple ways to secure your bow. Use the belt to attach your bow to your pack, hip, truck headrest, blind, or tree. Bow Spider can also be easily attached to a binocular harness or backpack. In fact, it can be mounted to any sturdy flat surface for secure and easy storage – even a wall.

Here’s how it works. An aluminum arm attaches to the bow’s riser, and slides into a slot on the lightweight, injection-molded receiver, which can be worn on the included belt or attached via long bolts to other objects. The bow is held securely in place via a gravity-locking system, yet slides out with minimal effort. You have to either pull it out or turn it upside down to get the bow out. With Bow Spider, you can:

  • Mount on Your Hip: Use the straps provided to mount the Bow Spider to your side using a belt or on your pack frame belt. Or you can attach it to your pack frame waist band. Both of these options provide for easy access while hiking or exploring for game as well as during professional archery shooting competitions.
  • Mount in Your Tree Stand: Use the Bow Spider to secure your bow when hunting from a tree stand for quick, quiet access. Carry it up securely on your back and cinch to the tree! This eliminates the need for a pull rope to pull your bow up after you are already in the tree stand. Once in the tree stand utilize the provided strap to attach the Bow Spider to the tree for quick access.
  • Use on Your Pack: You can choose either to temporarily or permanently mount Bow Spider to your pack. By using the provided straps it can be mounted temporarily. For a permanent or semi-permanent mount you can use the provided bolts. This is a true game changer for those long backcountry hikes.
  • Safe Storage for Home or Travel: Use the provided strap to affix the Bow Spider to your seat while driving. You can also screw the Bow Spider to the wall for long term storage in your home.

The Bow Spider is available in green, tan, or black, and has a MSRP of $84.95. To see how it works, check out this short YouTube video quick access: Click Here

When every second counts, quickly swing your bow into action thanks to the amazing new Bow Spider. For more information, and to order visit www.bowspider.com.

About Recreational Archery Development LLC (RAD, LLC): Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kinnear, WY – RAD, LLC is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative products for the outdoor industry, including the Bow Spider brand of products. Bow Spider’s intuitive design makes bow retrieval fast and easy in any situation. The product is proudly made in the USA and gives one percent of all sales to conservation. The company also offers veterans a 15 percent discount on all products. (To take advantage of this offer, orders need to be called in directly to the company at (307) 438-9290.) For additional information on RAD, LLC and the Bow Spider brand of products write to: RAD, LLC, PO Box 171, Kinnear, WY 82516; call (307) 438-9290; email info@bowspider.com; visit www.bowspider.com.

Newborn Wildlife, You Can Look but Don’t Touch

Posted on by Jason Houser
  • Be careful, view animals from a distance and do not touch

By Jason Houser

In the next several weeks, wildlife throughout the country will be bearing young. This is an awesome time of year and is a chance to see newborn elk calves, deer, pronghorn fawns, as well as many others. At the same time, I hope you know that when you come across young animals, please leave newborn wildlife alone and keep a distance.

It is so tempting when you see a young, fragile animal, to want to step in and help. It is the instinct of many people to feel compassion for the animal, but that animal was more than likely put there by its mother for safekeeping.

It is an amazing experience to get the chance to see the splendors of the outdoors, but please view animals from a distance and do not touch. Spring is an important time in a newborn’s life, and interference from humans can put their life at risk.

Most mammals hide their young and return periodically to nurse. People finding young animals with no adult around often assume the newborns have been abandoned, but this is rarely the case. The mother knows where her young are and will almost certainly return to care for them.

Young birds sometimes fall out of or leave their nests before they can fly. The parents continue to care for the young bird while it is on the ground, bringing food and trying to protect the youngster while it is in this vulnerable situation.

Getting too close to newborn wildlife can be very dangerous. The mother to the newborn animal will display very aggressive behavior when humans get close to their young. Leave the area immediately if you encounter aggressive wildlife with young. Yes, even whitetail doe’s that look so harmless can be aggressive. It is in their nature to protect their young, just like human parents will do anything to protect their children from harm.

The best option for people who come across newborn wildlife is to leave them alone. I had a case just last spring when a curious whitetail fawn that I did not know was in the area decided to go for a walk. The newborn was just born hours before that same day, we later learned through eyewitness accounts. The young deer left her hiding spot in the fencerow behind my home and entered my yard. As cute as the animal was, and even odd to see it in my yard, we left the baby to be. Watching it out the window of our home it was not long before its mother found it. Never assume the baby is an orphan unless you see the mother dead.

Most state and federal laws forbid possession of game and many nongame animals, so adopting newborn wildlife is illegal. Citations can be issued for possession of newborn wildlife with a possible penalty of up to a $1,000 fine.

Venison Meatball Rigatoni Mug

Posted on by Kitchen Kate

A tasty deer camp “Cup of Energy.”  Recipe by “Kitchen Kate.”

Makes 8 Servings, what you’ll need:

Noodle/Cheese Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 jar marinara sauce
  • 1 box (12 oz) rigatoni pasta, cooked
  • 1 tsp chopped basil
  • One 12-ounce coffee mug for each serving
  • Olive Oil

Meatball Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground venison,
  • 1 TBS garlic
  • 1 TBS oregano
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Let’s Get Cooking!

Step One – Prepare and Cook the Meatballs:

  • Add all meatball ingredients (in order) to a mixing bowl and mix
  • Shape into evenly-sized balls
  • Place in the frying pan with 2 TBS olive oil to brown over medium heat until all sides are lightly brown and oil is relatively absorbed.
  • Add ½ cup water or organic chicken or vegetable broth
  • Bring to boil, turn to simmer, cover, 20 minutes.

Step Two – Bake Noodles/Cheese:

  • Pre-cook your noodles, as per box instructions
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  • Add a few drops of olive oil to the bottom of each coffee cup
  • Place ¼ cup mozzarella on the bottom of each 12-ounce oven-safe coffee mug
  • Cover the cheese with 1-2 heaping TBS of marinara sauce, then add an inch or two of rigatoni noodles.
  • Add a 1-2 heaping TBS of marinara sauce to cover noodles
  • Add 1 or 2 meatballs.
  • Cover with marinara sauce.
  • Add a small sprinkle of parmesan cheese
  • Add a small sprinkle of mozzarella cheese
  • Bake the mugs at 375 degrees for 20 minutes (The cheese top should be melted).

Step Three – Eat from mug OR invert onto a plate and add another meatball or two.

Enjoy!

 

Mother’s Day Gifts for the Outdoors Woman

Posted on by Jason Houser
  • Significant Gifts for that one Significant Other, Outdoors Mom’s are special
  • Colorful 3-season and 4-season quilts, comfy outdoor footwear, bacteria-safe cutting board, a unique Wok w/ burner system

By Jason Houser

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and significant others and children are not always the best at picking out gifts. Flowers die and chocolate is gone way too soon. This year get her something she can use and will last for years to come.

Cutting Boards and More

Mothers are great cooks (most mothers). Instead of letting her use the same old cutting board that is an eyesore, get her a cutting board that will last a lifetime and looks good in the kitchen. John Boos & Co. located in Effingham, Illinois, has been manufacturing cutting boards since the late 1800s. These boards can be found in kitchens across the country and on the sets of your favorite cooking show.

Cutting boards should last and that is exactly what a properly cared for cutting board from John Boos will do. It is not just cutting boards though. John Boos offers a wide selection of butcher blocks, countertops, worktables, and stainless-steel products.

If you can think of a need for it when it comes to this type of product, John Boos has probably already thought of it. Whether it is a block designed for cutting fresh herbs, holding your I-pad or your fresh loaf of homemade bread and everything in between, you will find it at John Boos.

If a durable and attractive board isn’t enough for you, then consider this. A scientific study conducted by Dr. Dean Cliver, Ph.D. has proved that maple cutting boards inhibit bacteria growth, while plastic boards have been scientifically proven to harbor bacteria inside the cut grooves. Also, wood cutting boards are known to be easier on your expensive knife blades.

Durable WOK with BIG KAHUNA Burner

Who doesn’t like cooking with woks? Eastman Outdoors is home to the best wok and outdoor burner on the market. Ideal for stir-frying, deep-frying, boiling, steaming, braising and simmering, this deep wok + powerful burner combination delivers versatile cooking, to decks, patios, backyards and campsites alike.

This outdoor wok kit is complete with accessories for styles of cooking. The 22-inch stainless-steel wok is 50% deeper than most traditional woks, allowing your favorite cook room to make your plenty of your favorite foods.

The propane burner has adjustable legs (18″ to 26″) making it perfect for not only the Wok, but the top surface flips to accept skillets and small pots but also tall pots.

Included in the kit are a stainless-steel wok spoon, spatula, 12-inch AccuZone (TM) thermometer, and an instructional DVD with recipes.

Boots

Every lady needs a good pair of boots. I bought my wife a pair of Vaprtrek from Irish Setter Boots.  We recently returned from a turkey hunt in southern Illinois.  To say that good footwear was important in the uneven terrain is an understatement.

I can only guess how many miles we walked on the days it took for us to scout and to fill our turkey tags. And, it was no walk in the park either. On this hunt, we both chose to wear the Irish Setter Vaprtrek. Walking over uneven terrain, crossing small streams, and experiencing mild temperatures, these boots were perfect.

Normally, we like to break our boots in before trekking through the wood’s miles from another pair of boots.  Not doing so is only asking for sore feet and blisters.  After trying these boots on for the first time, my wife felt comfortable enough to wear them hunting the very next day.  These waterproof boots proved their weight in gold as we were on our feet all day long, day after day.

So, how does Irish Setter explain the Vaprtrek? VaprTrek™ boots were designed with the athletic hunter in mind.

Whether your deer hunting, scouting, searching for sheds or chasing that spring gobbler, you’ll appreciate how light yet rugged these technically advanced, high-performance boots are. Their innovative RPM™ sole, ScentBan™ scent control, and sleek profile combine to meet the demands of the most active hunters.

Quilts

These are not your grandma’s quilts. Quilts by Zenbivy are manufactured with the outdoorsman and woman in mind.

If you’re better half enjoys camping, she will enjoy one of these quilts. Unlike a sleeping bag that has a zipper to deal with when laid flat, these quilts do not have the extra weight to contend with. And, many people would rather not sleep in a sleeping bag that constricts their movement. It is much easier to cover up with a comfortable quilt for a good night’s rest.

Available in a variety of colors, it will not be a problem to find one just right for her.  With three temperature ratings to choose from, there is one for every season. The 40º version is just as soft, just as light and just as packable as their 25º down quilt, but is built for warmer nights and tighter budgets. Built for 3-Season use, the 25 Degree down Light Quilt is one of the softest, most durable, lightweight quilts you can find. The buttery-soft 20º fabrication sets the 10º down Light Quilt apart from its more “purist” 10º competitors. Built for the widest range of temperatures, it’s a true 4-season ultra-light quilt.

The quilt is great, but be sure to check out the pillow, mattress and dry sack from Zenbivy to complete your sleeping comfort.  These might not be the traditional Mother’s Day gifts many think of, but I am sure she would enjoy them for years to come.

Target Plinking: Mutual Disrespect for .22 Caliber Ammo

Posted on by Collin Voss

 

  • The Good, the Bad, the Ugly…Identify the “right” (best) ammo brand for your firearm before hunting
  • Federal Champion .22LR 40-Grain Ammo
  • CCI Hollow-Point .22LR 40-Grain Ammo
  • Winchester .22LR 40-Grain Ammo

Sandbags helped me eliminate holding variation when target-testing different ammo brands. Dieter Voss Photo

By Collin Voss

I am not wise in this field, but I experienced this first hand and have enough facts that can end an ongoing debate in the firearm world. Does .22 Caliber LR rimfire ammunition matter?

My immediate answer would be yes, but that would not settle this case. I recently became a full-time adult member (I turned 18) at West Falls Conservation Society in West Falls, New York. My whole life I had been a junior member – it is where I grew up and a big reason why I have a welded relationship with the great outdoors.

One of the benefits of being a member of this organization is the private rifle range. Last July, the summer of 2019, I had used my privilege to open that big red gate with my key to the range! With me, was my guest and very good friend Alex. Alex had his Savage MKII .22 caliber bolt-action rifle with iron sights and I had mine, a .22 caliber Rossi single-shot, break-action, youth rifle with a 3-9x32mm Bushnell Sportsman riflescope.

I had sighted my rifle in once a few years ago, except I received a bit of help from my Grandfather. Knowing the rifle had not been shot in so long, I purchased Federal Champion .22LR 40-Grain ammunition. Packaged in 50 count boxes, I bought four.

Federal Champion .22LR 40-Grain Ammo

We set up our targets 50 yards out. Mine was on the left and Alex was on the right. Before shooting we both went over the range rules posted on the back wall and our own firearm safety precautions. Which were basic and included keeping the barrel pointed downrange, always have the safety switch on (if there is one) and the action open when handing the rifle to one another, both of us would go to check targets with the rifle in hand, and most importantly ALWAYS treat the rifle as if it were loaded and live.

It’s Time to Shoot

Alex begins shooting and I begin the sighting process. I grab three sandbags from the range cabinet and stack them in a pyramid-like shape, the bottom two are parallel with one another and the third sandbag lays across the bottom two in a perpendicular manner. I used this setup as a rifle rest to eliminate any human movement and achieve the greatest accuracy possible. The most proper way to sight in a rifle is to use a gun vise, which I do not have available to use, so the sandbags were my next best thing.

Officially, to start the sight-in process, I rest my rifle on the sandbags, put the crosshairs directly over the center of the target, slowly let out my breath, and gently squeeze the trigger. To my amazement, I hit the target, but not where I was aiming. To tell whether it was my scope or my excitement of taking the shot, the bullet hole was two inches to the right and 3 inches low. Hmmm, I thought. To see if it was me or the ammo or something else, I decided to take 5 more shots identical to the first. Immediately there was a grouping of 6 holes on the light cream-colored target, all within an inch of each other – perfect.

This let me know that my rifle was shooting straight and I needed to adjust my scope. I unscrewed the elevation and windage adjustment caps. I gave 10 clicks counterclockwise on the elevation adjustment (up) and 7 clicks clockwise on the windage adjustment (left). I took my next three shots at the target and to my surprise, they had all hit the bullseye.

To clarify my observations of the target sighting and gun and ammo, I took 10 more shots. – all in the bullseye. I was thrilled! First time ever sighting in a rifle on my own and I did it perfectly? I couldn’t believe my own eyes. From there it was a great day of target practice.

CCI Hollow-Point, 22LR 40-Grain Ammo

It was now March of 2020, I had no more Federal Champion .22LR 40-grain ammunition. Instead of taking the long drive to Cabelas, on the way to West Falls, I stopped in at The Valley Gun Shop in West Falls, NY.  I had never been here, but I thought it was time to say hello, introduce myself, and to check it out. The gentlemen who owns the shop only carried CCI hollow-point 40-grain ammunition for .22 caliber rifles. I decided to purchase those and see how they shot. I figured they would probably not shoot the same as the Federal ammunition, but wanted to try them and compare anyway.

As I took my first 3 shots on the target. They all shot to the left 2-inches and 1- inch high, creating a nice small group. I concluded to compensate for the change rather than adjust my scope due to how nicely it was sighted in with the federal ammunition. 100 rounds and 2 trips to the range later, I was out of ammunition once again. I acquired some Winchester .22 LR 40-grain ammo, four boxes.

Winchester 22LR 40-Grain Ammo

The Winchester .22LR 40-Grain ammo was simply not consistent for the first 100 rounds fired. I then cleaned my rifle hoping that removing the usual spent powder and metal fragments the other two ammo types would provide a better bore for the bullet to travel through. Again my first 15 shots were inconsistent, as much as 3-inches high, low, left, or right. All over the place.

Now, on the 16th shot after the barrel had been cleaned, to my disbelief, I see nothing more than a hole in the dead center of the target. I thought my luck had changed with this ammunition, but that was not the case. I would have to say every 2 to 3 shots, I would have one round that would shoot straight at 50 yards. What surprised me was that at 100 yards these bullets were landing exactly where I wanted them to with very little pattern change. The only difference I had to adjust for was aiming about 3 inches above the target to hit the bullseye. Hard to analyze.

Best Ammo (for my Rossi)

Testing the ammo types was educational and fun. While these ammo brands might perform differently in other rifle brands, I would have to conclude from live-fire testing that for my break-action, single-shot Rossi, the best (most accurate and repeatable) ammo out of these three brands was the Federal .22LR 40-Grain. Not only does the gun powder smell fresh (hard to describe), the crisp sound of the shot was consistent and the ammo performed consistently. Above that, I never had a misfire in those 200 Federal rounds fired.

Lessons Learned

Before going hunting with any brand of ammo, make sure you test it and know what it does in your firearm.

Hindsight and Future Thoughts

It was especially enjoyable to use the range as a regular member and share it with a friend. In summary, think I’m ready for squirrel season!

Sharing the Light of Fireflies…for Everyone affected by COVID-19

Posted on by Radim Schreiber

Sharing the Light of Fireflies…for Everyone affected by COVID-19

I hope the fireflies can shine their light and bring us hope, love, and joy. Radim Schreiber, https://fireflyexperience.org (website)

I created this video to help people during these challenging times and I feel sad knowing that many people are suffering right now. So I hope the fireflies can shine their light and bring us hope, love, and joy.

Let’s help each other and our planet Earth.  I appreciate it if you share this video.

Love you all.

Radim Schreiber, https://fireflyexperience.org (website)

Great Lakes Water Levels at Record Highs…Should we Sell to Fix the Problem?

Posted on by Mike Schoonveld
  • Ideas to tap the Great Lakes water were essentially stopped in 2008, when the Great Lakes Compact was made law
  • Instead of cities and states around the lakes worrying about keeping enough water along their lakefronts to float boats, they are now concerned about lakeside parking lots becoming marinas.
  • Who is going to crack first?

Lakeside parking lots becoming marinas, is there a solution?

By Mike Schoonveld

The water levels in the Great Lakes have cycled from high to low to high and back, countless times in the 10,000 years since the glaciers gouged the land, then filled the trenches back up with their melt water. High and low water periods are still happening in response to the amount of precipitation in the Great Lakes watershed and the gallons of water that ultimately flows down the St. Lawrence River (minus evaporation).

Containing twenty percent of the unfrozen freshwater in the world, the remaining 80 percent of the world would like to have some of the water – whether the lakes are low or high. Over time, some innovative schemes have been devised to get it.

One company was going to fill ocean-going tanker ships with Great Lakes water and haul it all the way to Australia.  The multi-national company, Nestle, made plans to haul Great Lakes water away, one plastic bottle full at a time.

These and other ideas to tap the Great Lakes water were essentially stopped in 2008 when the Great Lakes Compact was made law. By unanimous consent of all the states and provinces bordering the lakes, the compact essentially disallowed commercial use of Great Lakes water if that use would remove the water outside of the Great Lakes watershed.

It was an easy regulation to pass back in 2008 when the water levels in the Great Lakes were approaching near record low levels. “Experts” were pinning the low levels on climate change and predicted no end to the ever dropping lake levels. The “Compact,” they said, was just one of many regulations governments would need to take to save the lakes, human civilization and most other life on earth.

Except now, the Great Lakes are brim full and each additional centimeter added to the Great Lakes water level sets new records. The same experts espousing theories of ever-dwindling Great Lakes water levels in 2008 are now claiming high water levels are the result of climate change and predicting no end to lakeshore flooding.

Now, instead of cities and states around the lakes worrying about keeping enough water along their lakefronts to float boats, they are worrying about lakeside parking lots becoming marinas. Something has to be done to get rid of the water before the Great Lakes become 25 percent of the world’s freshwater.

How soon is one of the states (or provinces) going to break the compact? There are none of the states or provinces bordering the lakes which don’t have their own version of money problems. Each one of those governments have budget struggles every fiscal year and each one fights for every nickel they can scrape up to squander.

All of these states are spending money right now, hiring climate change experts, planners, engineering firms and forming commissions to figure out how to cope with high waters along their lakeshores. How soon will one of the governments realize they can sell it?

Former ploys and ideas to tap into the Great Lakes were devised with the idea the water was free. The tanker ship hauling the water to a far away continent was expensive, but the cargo was free. What if it wasn’t?

Is the current high water levels something which will reverse itself or will water levels continue to rise? I don’t know. Ask an expert.

Do you think Illinois, which is hundreds of billions of dollars in debt, would balk at selling a trillion gallons of Lake Michigan for a penny per gallon?  Do you think drought-plagued Texas wouldn’t pay that amount, or the Nestle Corporation?

What about Michigan?  A trillion gallons of Great Lakes water at a penny per gallon would put 10 billion bucks in Michigan’s treasury.

Would the other signatories to the Great Lakes Compact object? In the past they’ve certainly objected to water withdrawal proposals brought up through out the region. Would they object again, or would the legislators and administrators think, “Great idea! Pump away the problem. It’s like selling air. It’s free money!”  Soon pump stations would be going up in every state.

If even one state broke away and the others objected, what could they do? Michigan isn’t going to invade Wisconsin – other than with lawyers. The federal government is unlikely to step into the fray. The states are now begging the feds for financial assistance to fight the high water, just as they did when they hit up the feds for dollars to dredge channels and harbors when the water was low. From the point of view of the feds, the problem is a solution.

Is the current high water levels something which will reverse itself or will water levels continue to rise?  I don’t know. Ask an expert. I do know, once the pumps are installed, the water starts flowing out and the money starts flowing in, it will take more than a compact between the states to stop the flow.

THE END