Category: How To Reviews

Calling ALL Professional Outdoor Communicators   

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Conference Event for Outdoor Storytellers: June 12-15, 2023 – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
  • Learn “How-To” create Social Media links that generate Effective Distribution Relationships
  • POMA members “Network with Industry” at this Annual Meeting/Learning Session

By David Gray

The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) is a vibrant group of communicators that share content-creation ideas and foster teaching moments about the modern, changing world of the outdoors.

The POMA Conference is a networking and friendship-making opportunity for Writers, Bloggers, YouTubers, Videographers, Website Contributors, Podcasters, Radio Show Hosts, Outdoor Industry Brands and Social Media Influencers who create and share stories, information, and content about the wonders of the outdoors and outdoor sports recreation. It’s a modern, changing world of outdoor communication, POMA has become a solitary leader in the new world of outdoor communication. Register Here.

Come visit with members from SharetheOutdoors.com who will be at the POMA Business Conference, June 12 – 15, 2023, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Industry veteran Whitebeards, Larry Whiteley and David Gray, would like to meet and visit with you. Check out www.sharethoutdoors.com to learn more about their outdoor outreach.

At the annual business conference, seminars from talented communicators share tips, ideas and how-to information on how to do what you do to develop greater impact and reach.  All this takes place at the Professional Outdoor Media Association business conference from June 12 – 15.  The largest prize for attendance may be to network with representatives from Outdoor Brands and communicators from other regions of the country. Try new products, learn about new products and gather desirable information to share with readers, listeners and viewers. Check out the POMA Social Media Tool Kit.

If you are a communicator with many years in the business, or if you are just starting out, the POMA business conference is an event made for you. Make friends, and new contacts, and learn tips while you participate in a relaxed, enjoyable, effective business conference. Leave with helpful knowledge and new contacts that will help your purpose.

The Keynote Speaker this year is Col. Nick Nichols of Folds of Honor. Folds of Honor provides life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of fallen or disabled U.S. service members and first responders. Toyota is a cornerstone ingredient and manufacturer for powered adventure in the form of flawless adventure vehicles and engines. Toyota is sponsoring the POMA Pinnacle Awards for best content creation among POMA members.

The POMA business conference is all about the POMA mission.

POMA Mission: To foster excellence in communications at all levels, help members build their businesses, connect media and industry, promote fair and honest communication of traditional outdoor sports and conservation stories, and mentor the next generation of traditional outdoor sports communicators.

Check out information about POMA or register to attend the business conference at www.professionaloudoormeda.org.

“Age-Old” Goldfish Lures outsmart “Modern Day” fish!  Win Some FREE! See the story.

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Al’s “Age-Old” Goldfish Lures are proven irresistible to hungry fish.
  • Al’s Goldfish Spoons are Made-in-America! We need more of this.
  • Al’s Goldfish Spoon is a tested and true fish-killer lure since 1952.
  • Al’s Goldfish Spoon is available in multiple colors and 3/16 to 1-1/4 ounce sizes.
  • Al’s Goldfish Lures are affordable (great holiday gift).
The Saltwater Goldfish has a 1/2 to 1-1/4 ounce weight choice and comes with a tough saltwater hook to match. Cast it, Troll it, Jig it. Deadly on a moving tide over emerging grass beds and harbor entrance sand bars for Pompano and Speckled Trout. 

By Dave Barus

Some of the best lures made for fishing were invented long ago and were made in America, too.  In 1952, in a small town near Eliot, Maine, a prototype spoon lure known as Stuart’s Goldfish hit the angler market big time, selling nearly one-million lures a year way back then.  Inventor Al Stuart renamed his flagship lure, Al’s Goldfish, and the company became Al’s Goldfish Lure Company in 1954.  Along the way, other Al Stuart lures became angler-famous, including the “Forty-Niner” and the “Helgy.”

The Forty Niner is a good casting lure and doubles as a trolling lure. The flatfish-style head creates vibration and flutter as the flat face helps it dive. Check out the videos posted Al’s Goldfish website product page of how this lure swims, and you’ll see why fish strike.

Using Al’s Goldfish lures in a recent fishing contest on Lake Tanneycomo in Branson, MO., I was lucky enough to win the event. I was fishing between two seasoned pro’s, Bass pro-Jimmy Zaleski from Parsons, KS., and Charter  Captain Mike Schoonveld from Lake Michigan. Proof positive once more time that these traditional lures are fish killers.

All of them are still Made-in-America!  Present-day owners Jeff and Mandy DeBuigne are admittedly “fish-heads” and want to share some of the famous good fortunes of catching fish with their fishing followers and customers.  They are celebrating the 70th anniversary of Al’s Goldfish Lure with a freebie contest open to everyone.

Al’s Goldfish Winter Promo Giveaway – To enter, simply go to Al’s Goldfish Lure Company Facebook page and click on the promotion or visit Al’s Goldfish Lure Company Giveaway.  When prompted, fill in your name and email address, and you are entered.  One entry per person.  Do it today!  All entries must be completed by midnight on December 15, 2022.  When prompted to join the Outdoor News America mailing list, additional entries can be made.  The lucky winner will be randomly drawn and notified via email.  Many of Al’s Goldfish products and lures are included in the prize package.

The “Classic” Goldfish lures represent a core selection of colors and patterns that are most popular with anglers.

Today the company still makes and markets the original Al’s Goldfish and much more.  These include tried and tested fish-catching lures, ice-fishing jigs, Sebago trolling rigs, bottom jigging rigs, and accessories.  Treble hook bonnets and other lure accessories were added to the company’s list of American-made products.  In 2015 the line was expanded to include the Saltwater Goldfish series.  For a complete look at Al’s Goldfish Lure Company’s entire line, visit https://www.alsgoldfish.com/ or call them at 413-543-1524.

Al’s Goldfish Lure Company PRIZE PACKAGE

The company’s American-Made core values will keep it strong and vital for this and the next generation of anglers.  Mandy DeBuigne says, “We value Jesus for our blessings and the example of unconditional love.  We value our veterans and active duty service members for our freedom and their sacrifice.  We value our friends and customers of all backgrounds, races, orientations, and abilities – we don’t care what you look like, where you came from, what your gender is, who you love, or what you can/can’t do – what matters is: Do you like to fish?  We are committed to making our products right here in the USA, which keeps Americans in our supply chain employed.  And we value an honest sale.  If your purchase fails beyond the normal wear and tear that happens to a product you are literally throwing as far away from yourself as it will go – to fish, let us know.  We will make it right.”

For more information on Al’s Goldfish Lure Company, visit www.alsgoldfish.com.

Al’s Goldfish Lure Company PRIZE PACKAGE – Al’s Goldfish Lure Company has teamed up with Outdoor News America and Wolf Premium Oils to put an excellent fishing package together for anyone that likes to wet a line.  This giveaway package includes Al’s ice jigs, a trolling rig, a bag of hook bonnets, Kenny Kieser’s Christmas Kit filled with Al’s top freshwater spoons, Al’s Goldfish top Saltwater Series Goldfish lures, Al’s Goldfish Limited Edition 70th Anniversary Buck fillet knife, and a bottle of Wolf Premium Oil.  All combined, this “Al’s Goldfish Lure Company Winter Promo Giveaway” has a suggested retail value exceeding $250.

Must-Have Tools For Every Deer Hunter

Posted on by Kristine Ostertag
  • Here are some tools that I have found helpful and recommend that everyone review.
  • The tools mentioned below are reliable and of excellent quality.
  • If you are a first-time or veteran hunter, I hope this helps you decide on tools to consider for your hunting season. 

By: Kristine Ostertag

Your alarm goes off, you step outside onto the frosty ground, feel the cool morning breeze on your face, and gaze up at the stars in the sky. The smell of fall is in the air, and you are gearing up to head out to your favorite deer stand. You start your trek into the woods, adrenaline pumping, surrounded by darkness and the sounds of animals in the distance. You tiptoe your way through the crunchy leaves, hoping not to bump anything, and FINALLY, you arrive at your stand. You climb the tree, get situated, knock an arrow, and sit in the peaceful silence of the woods, waiting for the sun to rise. You have been waiting for this moment all summer, and it’s finally here.

Every fall, millions of people head out into the woods to chase whitetails. You sit around telling stories, laughing and joking about the one that got away. A lot of work is involved in hunting, and having the right tools for hanging deer stands, clearing trails, and processing your harvest will make things a little less stressful. Here are some tools that I have found helpful and recommend everyone have.

Folding Limb Saw

Trying to trim brush and clear shooting lanes with a dull, cheap saw is very frustrating and usually ends with me swearing and throwing it. However, I prefer to work smarter, not harder, so I recommend the Smith’s Folding Limb Saw. It has an aggressive tooth pattern and comes with a built-in tooth sharpener. So you can sharpen it while out in the woods. In addition, it has an 8-inch blade that works fantastic for medium-sized branches and limbs. Smith’s Folding Limb Saw MSRP: $21.99

Edgesport Gut Hook Combo Kit

After the adrenaline wears off and you’ve tracked down your deer, it’s time to get to work gutting your deer. The gut hook is designed to split the skin of the deer without cutting into the meat or nicking the guts, which usually leaves an unpleasant smell. Some people prefer not to use the gut hook and simply use the regular blade. I like this kit because it comes with a 4-inch folding lock blade knife and a sharpener. It also comes with a knife case that goes on your belt, so you always have it handy. It’s a great go-to hunting kit for any hunter. Having a knife with you is always essential when you are out in the woods or climbing mountains, as you never know when you might need one. Smith’s Edgesport Gut Hook Combo Kit MSRP: $59.99

EdgeSport Field Dressing Kit + Jiffy PRO

If you want to make quick work of processing your deer, I highly suggest you invest in the Smith’s EdgeSport Field Dressing Kit+ Jiffy PRO. It comes with everything you will need. It comes with a skinning knife, two boning knives, and a sharpener. If you are anything like my family, we process multiple deer a season, and having reliable knives is vital. Skinning a deer can be daunting with a dull knife, but Smith’s skinning knife is designed to make this process easy. It is also not uncommon to sharpen your blade a couple of times during the skinning process, which is why you must have a sharpener nearby. Once your deer is quartered, you have to get the meat off the bone, which is where the boning knives are ideal. They are long, thin, flexible blades designed to run along the bone and around tight places. Stiff blades are not suitable for processing your game. Smith’s EdgeSport Field Dressing Kit + Jiffy PRO MSRP: $84.99

Edge Stick Knife and Broadhead Sharpener 

This is a fantastic tool to have with you when hunting in the backcountry or deep in the Northwoods. It sharpens knives and broadheads and has multiple sharpening surfaces for different needs. The carbide blades are used for quick sharpening, and the diamond stone is used for final edge honing. Diamond stone can be used with or without lubricant and does not wear down like a natural stone. You never want to be stuck miles from camp or lost in the woods without a sharp knife. Always go prepared! Smith’s Edge Stick Knife and Broadhead Sharpener MSRP: $24.99

You can purchase many tools, but these are some of my favorites. These tools are reliable and of excellent quality. I hope this helps you decide what you need for your hunting season.

 

When Technology and Purpose meet Steelhead Angler Passion…at G. Loomis

Posted on by Dave Barus
  • Loomis unveils new Steelhead Rod offerings with IMX-PRO STEELHEAD Series.
  • Blending different modulus materials was one key to dynamic rod development.
  • Light in weight, sensitive, durable, affordable, warranty protection.
Lake Erie tributary streams in Chautauqua County, NY, offer easy angler access to big stream fish. Matt Nardolillo photo

By Forrest Fisher

If you’re among the lucky ones chasing chrome in a Great Lakes or ocean-bound tributary stream, you already know that we anglers are only as good as our tools. Rod, reel and line are among these. Having the right rod in hand provides distinct advantages. At the ICAST 2022 new product show, G. Loomis introduced the IMX-PRO STEELHEAD rod. Loaded with technology and purpose, this new tool will enable anglers to maximize their effectiveness on the water with exacting standards.

Steelhead fishing isn’t a pastime for most steelhead anglers. It’s an obsession. Forged from experience, passion, and often a healthy pinch of optimism, hardened steelhead anglers in the Great Lakes Region often slog through extreme weather swings from autumn through winter and into spring, when the fish are in those tribs. As you might expect, no two steelhead streams fish the same, as each tributary can require a unique application of tactics, techniques, and specialized tackle to slide the odds of fish-catching into the angler’s favor. The rod is perhaps the most important tool in collecting steelhead-catching tools.

Steelhead anglers find the new IMX-PRO STEELHEAD rods offer ease of handling and improved sensitivity on the water. The rod series is offered in multiple stream gear options, including center-pin rods. 

The new IMX-PRO STEELHEAD is a collection of cast, spin, float, and center-pin action options built to meet the exacting requirements of modern steelhead fishing. The Loomis technology exclusive multi-taper design yields a lightweight library of steelhead-specific rods with precisely-defined lengths, powers, and actions that strike the perfect balance between durability and performance. With MSRPs of $365 to $635, this rod series provides anglers with the specific tools needed to secure success on the water.

IMX-PRO STEELHEAD fishing rod features:

  • Multi-Taper Design
  • Fuji Alconite Guides
  • Premium Cork Handles
  • Fuji Reel Seats
  • Handcrafted in Woodland, Washington, USA
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

About G. Loomis: We exist to heighten angler experience through creating tools that expand tactical opportunity, boost effectiveness, and enhance natural ability. We develop solutions for experienced hands designed to complement capability. We strive to expand what’s possible to achieve the unattainable. Our DNA is comprised of three equal parts: Technology, Innovation, and Design. Since 1982, we’ve contributed innovative materials and manufacturing technology to the angling community. Examples include early graphite construction, advanced guide trains, Multi-Taper Design and advanced resin systems. Visit https://www.gloomis.com/.

Lock Horns with the Sun and Win 

Posted on by Forrest Fisher
  • Hot Beach Day, 107 heat index…YOU NEED to chill with a cold beverage.
  • Avoid sunstroke and heat exhaustion by staying hydrated.
  • We found a lightweight carry-along friend to help ensure fun in the sun.

By Forrest Fisher

At 2 PM on July 2nd on a busy holiday weekend on a beach in Southwest Florida, the air temperature was 97 degrees, and the heat index was 107. That’s a hot day anywhere in the USA. The water in the Gulf of Mexico was crystal clear with a slightly bluish hue and a gentle surf, perfect for a treasure hunt walk. The goal is to find some unblemished sea shells and prehistoric shark teeth for which this beach is noted.

There were four of us, so two stayed back to sit on a blanket, hoping their twice-applied sunscreen would protect them but still allow a sun tan. Using a UV thermometer, the surface temperature of the sand measured 116 degrees. Ouch! Sandals were among the required beach gear. Finding a cold drink on a public beach at Stump Pass State Park (Florida) is impossible. No vendors are allowed, so you need to bring your own. A week before, we searched the web and found a hand-carry bag that allowed cellphones, wallets, and ice in one product gizmo. It is called the “Grizzly Carryall.” 

This soft-sided product is 32 liters big in volume and is very light when empty: 1 pound-14 ounces! Some of our other hard-sided coolers in that size weigh as much as 20 pounds when empty. They work well, but they weigh so much when adding ice and beverages, even with wheels that do not work well on sand. We loaded up the Grizzly Carryall with 8 cans of pre-chilled 12-ounce Coca-Cola’s, 6 pre-chilled 16-ounce plastic bottles of water, 4 pre-chilled 12-ounce bottles of V8 vegetable juice, and one 24-ounce jar of Margarita’s. We also tossed in two 6” x 6” x 2” frozen blue ice packs and a 4-pack of unbreakable cups. The Carryall has side pockets for phones, wallets, and car keys, and a spare inside pocket for an extra set of socks, sunscreen, sunglasses, underwear – or whatever. All the compartments are sealable with durable zippers to open/close.

The chilled beverages stayed ice-cold for the three hours we enjoyed the sweltering beach – on the hot sand, with no umbrella and no shade. True test. Honestly, we were all amazed. The ice-cold drinks tasted so good when we needed them. 

Also, the walk from the car to the beach with the Carryall is comfortable with a dual-locking handle strap above the main bag YKK zipper that brings tight closure to tote on your shoulder. It was still light, even with all those goodies on board. The Grizzly Carryall is leakproof, insulated, water-resistant, and handsome. The reflective, attractive, glacier blue outer cover helps maintain the chill inside, and the Carryall is guaranteed for life. Imagine that. It has a small retail price tag of $125 (we found it for $100) and a significant 32-liter volume with 4 YKK zipper pockets. One more time, it all weighs in at only 1 lb. – 14 oz. UNREAL. For physical size, it measures 14H x 18L x 8W in inches. 

This is one useful (fantastic) keep-me-cold, quality product with convenient minor storage for families that enjoy short trips anywhere when it’s hot or cold. I like this product. Visit https://www.grizzlycoolers.com/insulated-drifter-carry-all-totes/. 

Grocery Shopping with My Best Friend

Posted on by Dave Barus
Just how fresh is the fish in the grocery store? I know one place, maybe more than one, where they are very fresh!

By Larry Whiteley

Have you been to the grocery store lately? I went with my wife the other day and was totally shocked. Usually, I don’t pay much attention to what she spends on groceries. Since it was just the two of us, I always figured it couldn’t cost too much. The grocery cart was not anywhere near full, and it was almost $200. It would have been a lot more, but they were out of some of the things she needed.

I thank the good lord for my morning coffee each day.

We would have also spent even more money than we did if I had been willing to pay $14 for a small bottle of pancake syrup that I used to like when it cost $8, or $12 for a box of granola bars I always took hunting and fishing with me when they cost $7. Those are only a few examples. Meat prices had gone up more than anything. The only thing I was looking for that had not increased in price was my favorite Guatemalan coffee beans that I grind myself and enjoy every morning. They had plenty of it, so I bought a bag, and I didn’t even need it. I told my wife to buy a bag or two every time she went grocery shopping as long as the price remained the same, and before they didn’t have any of it on the shelves anymore. She is more than willing to do that because she knows how cranky I get when I don’t have my coffee.

On the way home from the grocery store, I already had my coffee, but I was cranky anyway because of our grocery shopping experience. She just rolled her eyes and humored me as I went on about Washington politicians, government waste, supposed shortages, price gouging, disruptions in the global supply chain, adverse weather, rising fuel and energy prices, and a few other things I said about certain politicians that aren’t printable. I don’t know how some families make it. I don’t know how my wife made it listening to me go on about everything all the way home. I think she was glad we didn’t have to stop and get gas because that would have really set me off.

Since there weren’t that many groceries, it didn’t take very long for me to bring them into the house. I offered to help put them up, but she declined my help and told me to go cool off for a while. Well, that’s not exactly what she said but what she did say is not printable here either. I have a feeling she won’t want me to go grocery shopping with her again. I am also betting I will never know what she spends to feed us again. That is probably a good thing.

I went to my man cave, and she was glad I did. I was glad I did, too, because I was here, surrounded by my deer, duck, pheasant, turkey and fish mounts, that a brilliant idea came to me. To save my wife and me a lot of money, I needed to go hunting and fishing more! That way, I would bring home more fish and game to put in our freezer to help offset the cost of groceries. My kind of grocery shopping would be done outdoors in nature, rather than in a building surrounded by crowds of people pushing carts around and spending too much money.

A little more shopping in the woods and streams might just reduce our grocery bills, whaddya think?

I am retired and have accumulated a vast amount of the outdoor gear I would need. I reasoned that there really wouldn’t be much cost to do this kind of grocery shopping. The only cost would be a license and tags, plus gas to get where I was going. I could even stay out several days doing grocery shopping. My wife would really like that. I could just take my tent along and camp where I didn’t have to pay a fee. That would save on gas too.

As for food, I could bring the deer jerky and summer sausage I make for snacking. I could fry up fish from the freezer or some of what I caught for my meals. Grilling a deer steak would be really good too. I could also fry up potatoes since they aren’t costly. I could even boil up a pot of my Guatemalan coffee over a campfire. Isn’t this idea sounding good?

For my grocery shopping, I should be able to tag two deer and two turkey hunting. The turkeys won’t give us much meat, but they will be good in soups or cooked in my smoker or deep fryer. The deer I would skin and process myself to save money. It would mostly be made into venison burgers since my wife likes those. I enjoy the steaks, jerky and summer sausage. I like deer heart too. She definitely will not eat that.

As for more grocery shopping, there are ducks during the open season, and I should be able to bring home plenty. Maybe I can develop a good recipe for baked duck and wild rice she would like. I forgot about dove season. I might get her to try a grilled bacon-wrapped dove. Did I mention that I have to cook all the wild game at home because my wife won’t? That’s just another reason she will like this idea.

Smoked venison is among our favorite ways to enjoy the delicious wild bounty of Mother Nature.

She likes to eat fish, so she will definitely approve of grocery shopping via fishing. This is where the meat could really pile up in the freezer and save us money. If I can catch my limit of several fish species every day while shopping, can you imagine how many fish I would have in the freezer even if I make sure I don’t go over my possession limits? I can fry them, bake them, grill them, can them, and smoke them. I can also go grabbing and gigging for sucker fish. I love fried suckers, and so does my wife.

When the frogging season is open, I could go fishing during the day and get a limit of frogs at night. I love frog legs. I could even catch crawdads and boil them up. They say fried snake tastes like chicken, so I might even try that too. I don’t think I will be able to get her to try any of that. While I’m doing all my grocery shopping out there, I can also gather wild mushrooms, berries and nuts. I’m telling you, my idea of grocery shopping could really work.

In the little time I would be home and not out grocery shopping, I would care for our garden. We would also have a good supply of tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables to go along with the fish and game and everything I bring home from my grocery shopping. This idea of mine is sounding better and better. Now all I need to do is convince my wife how much money I can save us with my kind of grocery shopping. Wish me luck on that.

Shark Tooth Hunting – Peace River near Arcadia

Posted on by Forrest Fisher
  • Look for gravel on the bottom, shovel in, dig, lift, drop into a floating sifter, shake out the sand. Place your hand underneath the sifter and lift up slightly, look for the teeth. There they are!
  • Place the teeth into a collection jar, get on to the next shovel-full. 
  • It’s not unusual to find several hundred shark teeth treasures in a single outing of just a few hours n the right spot. The right spot can be anywhere there is gravel on the bottom. Dig there. No teeth? Move on a few feet away, try again. 

By Forrest Fisher

Buck called me in the afternoon. It was a Tuesday. He said, “Hey dude, I was thinking about taking my rig out of Arcadia and heading upriver for a shark tooth dig. Wanna go?” Of course, I said, “SURE! What time?!” He said, “Can you be at my house around 830ish? Then we’ll head out.” He added, “Just bring your big sifter and a shovel.” I said, “I’ll pack us some water and a sandwich for when we take a break; sound OK?” Buck replied, “Yea, that’s great.”

Buck was waiting at the door when I arrived, but I asked, “Can I see your teeth collection one more time?” He said, “Sure, come on in.” Inside his living room, there are two giant glass cases, each standing about 6-feet tall. Each has several glass shelves, and each shelf has several mounted picture-style frames of Megalodon shark teeth. Some are shiny, others are dull in color, some are black, others gray, others brownish. I could only simply say, “Wow, these are fantastic.” Buck said, “OK, let’s go.”    

Buck has a handrail built onto the boat to provide balance for standing. Note the campground in the back of the picture. Shark teeth abound here, and usually get renewed with every large rainfall.

Buck is an 80-year-old man who thinks and acts like a 40-year old. Buck is a cancer survivor, doesn’t smoke or drink. Still, he occasionally shares colorful word expressions, especially when he is driving. He says, “Florida drivers just don’t follow the rules. No turn signals. No stopping at stop signs. No common sense, for the most part, they pass on the right! Speeding too, and the sheriffs must be blind or lazy. They let it all happen right in front of them. I’ve watched it. I make up new words when these things happen, so please forgive those moments.” He smiled. “Really bugs me when folks here don’t follow the traffic safety laws. I’m from New York near Albany, but I’ve been here more than 10 years now, and it is worse than ever.” I changed the subject and asked how far it was. He smiled again and said, “OK, I get it. Time for me to stop walloping new words. Sip your coffee.” No kidding, I was laughing so hard. This was honest fun.  

Buck is a tough old guy that doesn’t shirk his responsibilities to get the job done, whatever it is. He welded up a trailer to hold his 14-foot shark tooth hunting boat, then equipped it with a homemade 4-stroke air-cooled engine from Harbor Freight and attached a custom-made 10-foot shaft and propeller. Buck added a steel guard for the propeller after the first time out a few years back, so the prop could move the boat over very shallow water at high speed. He said, “I prefer to stay in the boat until I get to where I’m going. Hey, I’m getting a little older and getting into the water in the shallow rapids. You know, there could be potholes in the phosphorous bottom around the river. I could twist an ankle – that would hamper my digging style.” Yea, he was grinning all the way. He likes the power of that homemade boat engine sounding loud enough to scare the gators on both banks into submission. 

The boat is in the water at the Arcadia boat launch site, above, but note there are no dock or handrail facilities here. Just you, your boat, a rope, and your launch skills.

We launched on the steep bank at Arcadia Park near the American Legion Post. The Peace River was really low. The gauge at the bridge said 1.3 feet. Check the gage online at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/02296750/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D.

As we headed upriver, we waved to campers set up along the river on the west bank at Peace River Campground (https://peacerivercampground.com/). Just before that, we noticed one long gator that liked to sit in the sun on the eastern bank. He was there on the glistening, hot white sand, about 25 feet up the bank from the river. A beautiful critter. That gator just continued his sleeping lesson as we headed on by. Never even opened his eyes. “He’s tired,” said Buck. “Hope he stays up there, but no matter, we are going upriver another mile or so.” Then we came to an ancient railroad bridge, a trestle, with logs, all jammed along the structure’s base in several places. At relatively high speed, we skimmed over the tree branches with Buck throttling the motor down as we crossed the spot where the prop had to be lifted out of the water. It was a manual effort to do so, but Buck had no issue with it. He was grinning and talking to me at the same time. “Darn branches! No snakes to ward off, though. That’s good.” No fear in this guy.

In about 10 minutes, we slowed up and pulled over near the base of a large swamp oak that had fallen into the river. The bark was mostly worn off from the current, but the tree was more than 100 feet long. “You’ll like this spot. It has been a treasure finder place for me and my girlfriend.” Buck smiles and grins a lot for good reasons. He is an example of an age-old, golden-era American that is hard to find these days. He will address any issue just for a friendly talk based on what he understands about it. A fun guy. Someone who never stops learning from common sense and he builds on it with every hour of the day.

Using a shovel, sifter and his heavy-duty drag-style sea-flea rake, Buck probes the gravel bottom for shark tooth fossil treasures.

We moored the boat to shore and stepped into the river. It was about waist deep at the start but shallowed up as we moved back toward the middle of the river. I was using a square-ended shovel, he was using a sharp-nose shovel and a large, heavy sea flea rake that he bought at Bass Pro. He said, “I dig a few spots in the gravel bottom areas and sift each dig. Then, I rake that same area and hope to drag in anything that fell off or couldn’t fit onto the shovel blade. You know, that’s my method. I have found many, many Meg’s in this area here. I’m hoping you find one today.” I was still looking for my first Meg after 3-years of digging the Peace River and scouring the Gulf Coast beaches. I did not have a drag device, though. Next time.   

Over the next 3-hours, we talked to about 10 kayakers paddling upstream and downstream. We were about two miles from the campsites mentioned earlier. We found new gravel areas in the spot where we had stopped and probed with our dig and sift gear. We watched one water snake cross the river, and off he went, wanted nothing to do with us people. Buck said, “That’s the way it is most of the time, with gators too, unless it is mating season. The critters leave us alone. We like it that way.”

There were no Megalodon teeth this time, but we brought back several hundred beautiful, sharp-edge shark teeth. Primarily Bull/Dusky shark teeth, though several Mako, Tiger and Snaggle-Tooth (Hemipristis) shark teeth fossils were in the treasure pile too. A good friend and shark tooth expert and his wife, Tim and Jeanie (https://www.ebay.com/usr/sharkartguy?_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2559), have shared that most of the shark teeth in the Peace River originate from the Miocene era (5-25 million years ago). They are genuinely ancient fossils. One reason why going on these river adventures is so exciting. We are looking at history from so long ago. Tim says, “We retired in SWFL to golf and fish, which we did for the first six weeks. Then we discovered shark teeth on the beach. The first thing we did was sell the golf clubs and spend less time fishing so we could collect shark teeth. WE LOVE SHARK TEETH! There are a lot of us out there like Tim and Jeanie and Buck. Me too. Buck is not a guide, Tim neither, but they love to share the fun of shark tooth hunting with folks they meet wherever they are. I was lucky to meet both of these folks through casual circumstances. Tim will give away shark tooth necklaces to the kids looking for teeth in the surf on the beach. Quite a “hello traveler” gesture.  

With his dig, sift, and drag method, Buck has done well.

The railroad trestle is quite old and is a navigational deterrent for power boaters, but kayakers make their way through with little trouble.

A boat journey in any float craft will provide a beautiful experience, as giant cypress trees, colorful birds, and butterflies abound. The moments afloat are unforgettable.

That handsome 10-foot alligator was still in the same elevated sand spot as we neared the boat launch on our way back. Not more than 300 yards upstream, several dozen camper folks were sitting in the river, on the bottom of 1-foot deep water. They were sifting gravel in the river near the spot locals call the “cliffs” with tiny shovels. It is a shallow area where the water in the river drops about 2-feet from the upstream to the downstream side of the rapids. They said, “We’re doing great!” Happy shark tooth hunters are a good sign to try that spot next time.

Of course, anyone can hunt for shark teeth in the Peace River. Access is mostly near the boat launch areas (https://myfwc.com/boating/boat-ramps-access/). Besides Arcadia, there are several other boat launch access areas including Brownsville, Zolfo Springs, Wauchula and others.

For our efforts, I weighed our shark tooth finds to realize we had nearly 14 ounces of shark tooth treasure in the jar. Not bad for a 3-hour effort.

Good luck to all.   

Shark Tooth Hunting in the Peace River – Florida

Posted on by Dave Barus

Shark Teeth Anyone?! Ancient fossils that share a story of evolution.

  • Take a good cooler for food and beverages – protect yourself and friends from dehydration.
  • Gear includes a 15” x 24” gravel sifter, shovel and shark tooth collection jar.
  • Wear sneakers or beach shoes, pack a cell phone, emergency toilet paper, venom-extraction kit – and tell someone where you will be for the day. 

 

When carrying a sifting screen, shovel, sunscreen and food supplies, it was a VERY nice surprise to learn that our Grizzly cooler would float and was waterproof to internal storage!

By Forrest Fisher

Ever take a river-bound shark tooth hunting trip? It’s a treasure hunt adventure, but unlike any other hike you might ever take. Why? Because it’s a challenging hike – over logs, through cattails and swamp grass, through slimy mud, it’s a swim, and it’s a dig. It’s a sweaty workout, but it’s authentic deep south fun!  

A shovel used to spank the water surface to notify alligators and critters along the river that an apex predator is now on the scene, please go home. It works. We are rarely bothered.

There is something to be said for trusting one day of your life in sweltering Florida sunshine with a heat index of 109F, crossing a river with too much gear in hand, only to discover one special, sweet surprise. The beverages and food are ice cream cold in the cooler, and you learn that your GRIZZLY cooler is so durable and dry that you can drag it in the water – or use it as a float to take you safely downstream! It has an elastomeric seal to seal the exterior from the interior in a groove around the cover. Nothing outside gets in (including river water), and the cool ice stays inside, mostly un-melted, as we discovered. 

When I ordered the Grizzly 15, I looked for something not too big, but large enough to hold supplies stable and chilled for a one or two-day trip for two people, and light enough when fully loaded to be an easy carry. The Grizzly 15 is the perfect answer. At 12-pounds unloaded, it is lightweight and yet has a rugged, padded, adjustable shoulder strap that is actually comfortable. The rubber-like latches assure compartment integrity, and I found that the cover will not unsnap if you drop the cooler along the way on rocks or anything else. I liked that since I dropped the cooler about three times on our slippery hike through swamps and down the Peace River in Southwest Florida. We went in search of ancient fossilized shark teeth treasure. 

The worst part of the trip was discovering my wide-rimmed shovel weighed more than the cooler. The best part of the trip was finding out that the cooler would float high and dry when fully loaded for a day-long adventure. It made walking down the river easy! In bright orange color, it was also a potential life-saving color beacon. So on our short trip to this never-never land of Florida jungle with critters among us (a few snakes and gators), we found lunchtime security with our Grizzly. 

As we made our way in and out, we carried two gravel sifters, two shovels, a dry bag with our wallets, cell phones, a sidearm, a backpack, our cooler, shark teeth collection jars, a venom extraction kit, sunscreen, emergency toilet paper, a knife/plier tool, and we each had a Florida fossil collection permit from the Florida Program of Vertebrate Paleontology. Visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/vertpaleo/home or call 353-273-1821 to obtain such a permit ($5 fee). 

Shoveling bottom material of sand/gravel into the sifting screen (1/4 inch mesh) allows identification of shark teeth…and lots of rocks too!

We collected over 1,500 shark teeth during our one-day trip. The teeth gods looked were favorable upon us! Finding where to dig for teeth involves walking the river and searching out the bottom with your feet for an area that offers a sand-gravel mix. A few shovel scoops and a quick sift will reveal if we should spend more or less time at that spot. It’s fun, it’s a workout, and it’s always an adventure. Tim Snyder is an expert at shark tooth hunting; he runs a business entitled Shark Art by Clark. You can find him on eBay or Etsy with prices so low that it amazes me (about $5 for 30 teeth, which can include a shark tooth necklace!). Snyder says, “All of my teeth for sale are real fossilized shark teeth. They mostly come from the Miocene Epoch (5 million to about 25 million years ago), and orders can include teeth from Hammerhead, Lemon, Tiger, Whaler sharks. Whaler sharks include Bull, Reef, Dusky, Black Tip and Whitetip sharks. Whaler shark teeth are difficult to identify as their teeth are very similar, but most people just call them Bull shark teeth. They’re all pretty cool looking.”

Placing your hand beneath the sifter will allow for easier finding of the shark teeth. Can you find the 2 in this picture?

Besides the pride we took in finding so many shark teeth, the other best part of the trip was using the Grizzly 15 cooler product.

Better yet, the cooler is made in the USA, and if it ever does break, it carries a lifetime warranty.

We thought that was pretty cool, too. Find them online at www.grizzlycoolers.com. We had filled it with six water bottles, four beers, two sandwiches, and two bags of chips—no dehydration or starvation in the day plan. 

We also carry a Sawyer Extractor Kit in the event we need it for a bee sting, wasp encounter, snake bite, spider bite, or the rest.

The kits are small in size, affordable (around $15), and can be used with one hand; no razor blade is needed.

Get out and enjoy the outdoors! 

 

 

 

 

These were about half of the shark teeth we discovered on this one trip to the Peace river near Zolfo Springs, Florida. Fun times!

GRABBIN’ SUCKERS…Fun from the Old Days

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • A story about fun times from way back when I was a kid and nothing was complicated, nothing was new – and people were people through and through.
“Grabbin’ suckers” was so popular in Nixa, MO –  it became a longstanding local tradition. In 1957, the town folk organized a special weekend to celebrate with the “Nixa Sucker Days.” It still goes on today.

By Larry Whiteley

Grabbin’ suckers is age-old fun, nothing complicated, nothing new. Just ask the folks from Nixa, MO. It goes back to a time when families lived from the land. They raised pigs, fattened and butchered them. They milked a few cows by hand and drank the milk, and they kept plenty of chickens for their eggs. When they wanted fried chicken for Sunday dinner, they would just grab one, cut off its head, pluck the feathers, then fry it up on the old wood stove in lard made from the pig,

     They always looked forward to April and May when sucker fish would school together in great numbers on the shallow shoals of local streams and rivers to spawn. Fish from the sucker family include yellow suckers, white suckers, blue suckers, and redhorse. They were a special treat to the hard-working local families, and they caught them any way they could.

     In later years both farmers and city folk started using fishing rods with 20 to 30-pound test lines, heavy sinkers, and big treble hooks. A small white cloth was attached above the hooks, so they always knew where they were in the water. When they saw a sucker swim past the white marker, they would jerk hard and hope the hooks sunk into the fish.

     Fishermen would stand on the gravel bars or elevate themselves on trees, rocks, and even ladders to better see the fish in the water. Some even used stable flat bottom boats. Polarized sunglasses became popular because they could better see the fish. There was no limit on the number of suckers you could keep back then.

     Suckers are delicious, but they are filled with tiny, thread-like bones. The fish were scaled and fileted, leaving the skin attached, to prepare for eating. Cuts were then made through the filet about 1/8 inch apart to cut the tiny bones into small pieces. The filets were then covered in a flour and cornmeal mixture, making sure to get the mix down between the cuts. Then, on to be deep-fried at 325 to 350 degrees for some of the best eating you could ever experience. Some locals canned or pickled sucker filet chunks to enjoy all year long.

     Grabbin’ suckers was so popular and was such a longstanding local tradition, the local town folk suggested they have a special weekend to celebrate this fish and the fishermen. The first “Nixa Sucker Days” was held in May 1957. Businesses closed, and so did the school. Main Street was lined with booths and games. Fishermen in their boats and floats of all kinds came parading down the street. There was musical entertainment, awards for the biggest sucker, a Sucker Day Queen was crowned, and, of course, fried suckers were served along with all the fixins. You could even have a bowl of ‘sucker soup’.

   I was an 11-year old Nixa boy at the time, and I loved it. I wanted to be a sucker grabber, too, someday. My uncle was Rex Harp, who won many of the awards for biggest sucker fish. He was considered “King of the Sucker Grabbers” and always took his vacation when the suckers started their spawning runs.

     When I was older, I worked to save money to buy everything I would need to be a sucker-grabber. By then, I was married with kids and my weekends were spent grabbin’ with friends. We enjoyed it because there was always plenty of action compared to regular fishing and having to wait and hope a fish took your bait.

     When my sons got older, I started taking them. We have some great memories of sucker grabbin’ together. By then, suckers were a 20-fish limit per day, instead of all you could catch. I fried a lot of suckers back then. The egg sac found in female suckers was a special treat when fried up, just like I did the suckers.

     For many years we went as a family to Nixa Sucker Days. It was an excellent time to see old friends and family, have fun, enjoy music, and eat suckers. Sucker Days was always on the local news and was even featured one year on the national news.

     As my sons and grandkids got older, we fished more for crappie, walleye and bass in the spring, as well as going turkey hunting. The desire to go sucker grabbin’ faded.

     There doesn’t seem to be as many folks sucker grabbin’ anymore. Nixa Sucker Days has changed too. Most of the old-timers are gone. This year the event will celebrate its’ 63rd year. It is now known as the Nixa Sucker Days Music, Arts, and Craft Festival. Visitors can still get a chance to taste real fried suckers, they say, along with other fried fish. There’s even a parade and music, but it’s mainly an arts and crafts festival now and not like the good ole’ days. 

     I have fond memories of grabbin’ suckers with friends and family. I remember great times spent at the old Sucker Days. My grabbin’ rods are stored in the barn, and grabbin’ suckers is back on my bucket list. I keep telling myself I am going to go one more time. I am getting old. I need to do it while I still can.

     A few years ago, I was in Minnesota for an outdoor writer’s conference. During an interview with the local Visitors Bureau, I asked what fish species were in that area. They gave me a sheet showing and talking about all of them. They wanted to talk about the walleye, pike, crappie, and yellow perch. I wanted to talk about the fish that was at the bottom of the list – suckers.

     I asked them if people actually fished for them. They said, “No way! It’s a trash fish. Nobody eats them. They sometimes catch them when fishing for other species and just throw them out for the eagles to eat or take them home and grind them up for fertilizer for their gardens.”

     I smiled and said, “Let me tell you a story about grabbin’ suckers and a special day a town has every year in their honor.” I even told them I would be willing to come back and teach them how to fish for them, show them how to cook them, and pass out samples to the locals. I told them it could start a whole new fishing industry for them. They had no idea what they were missing. I’m still waiting for their call. 

Author Note: Be sure to check your local rules and regulations before trying this where you live.

Tim “The Tool Man” Would Love This

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

This easy-to-use tool makes anyone look like they know what they are doing when it comes to sharpening.

  • I’ve had lots of knife sharpeners in my life, but thanks to my new Work Sharp…I don’t need them anymore
  • It has 4 different sharpening angles depending on the type of knife and 5 flexible belts from extra-coarse to extra-fine
You can sharpen almost anything with the Work Sharp.

By Larry Whiteley

My favorite TV show of all-time is “Home Improvement” from the 1990s. Thankfully, through re-runs, I still get to enjoy it almost every night. My wife just loves it when I do the Tim “The Tool Man” grunt (not really). My oldest son Daron also loves the show. He likes to say he is like Tim’s sidekick, Al, because he knows tools and how to use them. Then he says, “Dad is Tim because he is an accident waiting to happen.”

I recently got a new tool that Tim would love and so will my son if I let him use it. It’s a Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Knife and Tool Sharpener. Like most men, I have a lot of knives and of course, just like Tim, lots of tools. I have also had lots of knife sharpeners in my life, and still do, but thanks to my new Work Sharp, I don’t need them anymore. This probably isn’t a surprise, but I wasn’t very good at sharpening knives with them anyway.

Just follow the easy instructions.

It took me a little while to figure out how to use it, but unlike Tim would do, I read the instruction book and watched videos before I even attempted to sharpen a knife. It has 4 different sharpening angles depending on the type of knife and comes with 5 flexible belts from extra-coarse to extra-fine depending on the dullness of the knife.

The cool thing about this amazing machine is that you just plug it in and you can sharpen a lot more than knives.

So far, with easy adjustments for speed and blade angle, I have sharpened all my hunting knives, fish filet knives, pocket knives, clip knives and kitchen knives, even serrated knives, sharper than they ever were. Then I sharpened my wife’s scissors, my pruning shears, and even my lawnmower blades. If I can do that, anyone can do that. Al, I mean…my son, will be proud of me. I can’t wait to tell my neighbor Wilson about it.

Go to www.worksharptools.com and check it out. You can order more belts and accessories like a blade grinding attachment which gives you, like Tim would say, “More Power” to do even more.

 

Slime, NOT a nasty green word!

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • Slime is a green tire repair product to keep you on the road
  • Slime is non-toxic, non-hazardous, free of carcinogens, and non-ozone depleting
  • Slime products make great gifts, they last for years in storage

By Larry Whiteley

A great rechargeable portable compressor, good for when you are in the hills and away from help.

Halloween’s not even here yet and Thanksgiving is still over a month away but when you walk into some big-box retailers the Christmas decorations are already out and have been for a while. Don’t wait until someone gives you a Christmas gift. Go buy yourself a gift that you could really use right now! You deserve it don’t you?

Between now and Christmas you’re going to be driving your vehicle a lot to go fall fishing, camping, hiking, mountain biking, hunting, trick or treating, Thanksgiving get-togethers, and even Christmas shopping. You are probably going to be using your lawnmower for a lot of fall clean-up around the house. If you are a farmer or rancher that tractor is going to get a lot of use. If you’re a deer hunter you’re also going to be using your ATV or UTV a lot. Does your utility trailer, boat trailer or your truck have a good spare? Did you know that one in three cars do not even have a spare?

If you have a flat, AAA or some other kind of road service will come to take care of it but they are not cheap. You can also call a good friend or family member or do-it-yourself but that can take a lot of time when you could be working or enjoying the great outdoors. Or, you could make sure you always have Slime Prevent and Repair Tire Sealant with you.

If you can say that you have never had a flat count yourself very lucky because odds are you will someday. As someone that has had numerous flats during my lifetime, I never go anywhere without having my Slime with me in my truck, boat, and ATV. I even keep some in my barn and garage in case I need it.

Slime has been in business for over 30 years. It is a bright green, thick liquid that coats the inside of a tire as it rotates. When your tire gets a puncture, the escaping air pulls the Slime tire sealant toward the hole, where physical particles and fibers build up and intertwine to form a long-lasting, flexible plug.

Slime tire sealant continuously seals for two years, stops slow leaks and includes non-corrosive properties to keep your wheels safe. It is also great for not only repairing but also preventing flat tires on almost everything you use.

Besides having several bottles of their sealant I also have several of their tire compressors, tire repair kits, and tire gauges. I have used them all and they are great products that last a long time.

Small tires or big tires, my Slime is my friend and is always ready to go when I need it. Larry Whiteley photo

I also can’t say enough about their customer service people. One of my Slime air compressors was several years old and the air tube had deteriorated and fell apart. I called customer service to see if I could buy a replacement and got a very nice lady who understood what I needed and sent me one at no charge. When I received it, it was the wrong one, so I called again and got the same lady who apologized and sent the one I needed. That ladies and gentlemen is great customer service!

Slime’s green color is not the only thing that is green about them. They are also dedicated to creating green products that are safe for the consumer, safe for the tire, and safe for the environment. Every year, 27 million scrap tires end up in landfills. Using their tire repair products to repair a flat enable a tire to be cleaned, professionally repaired and remain in use rather than tossed in a landfill.

Their sealant formulas are environmentally friendly and wash up easily with water. They are non-toxic, non-hazardous, free of carcinogens and non-ozone depleting. They even contain chunks of recycled rubber, further reducing tires in landfills.

Slime products may not be the gift you had in mind when you started reading this article. It may not be a gift you can use right now or you ever thought about giving as a Christmas present but it is a gift that will always be there when you or they need it and someday you or they will.

I am thinking about telling my wife I got her something for Christmas that is a beautiful color of green, is something she will love and is very valuable. You don’t suppose she will think she is getting an emerald ring or necklace do you?

Wow! Why didn’t I think of that?

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • New Gear for Outdoor Sportsmen

By Larry Whiteley

Have you ever seen a new outdoor product come out on the market and think to yourself, I wish I had thought of that? I sure have! Here are several innovative products that companies have developed to help make your outdoor adventures even better.

No Spilled Baits with TakLogic’s LureLok Tackle System

Lure Lock Tackle System

Lure Lock by TakLogic came up with a really innovative approach to protecting your favorite lures. It is 100% made in the USA and that gets a lot of bonus points with me. What makes it innovative is the proprietary gel that locks lures, hooks and terminal fishing tackle into place and keeps them from banging together or falling out which dulls hooks and chips paint. They come in small, medium, and large and with the option of how many compartments you want. My grandson Hunter fishes for the Kansas State University Bass Fishing Team and loves them. I use their retro kit that fits into my old tackle boxes and they work great!

Their Lure Locker is pretty innovative too and helps transport and store your boxes. They also offer a Lure Pad that you attach to your boat dash or any other place on your boat to hold your cell phone, lures and tackle to keep them from bouncing around all over the boat or bouncing out. I use one in my truck as well as my ATV, UTV and even riding lawnmower to hold my phone, keys and anything else I don’t want bouncing around and falling off.

Check them out at your favorite outdoor retailer or go to www.lurelock.com.

Great Day Power Loader makes it possible to hunt by yourself.

PowerLoader

After many years of deer hunting with family, I will be mostly hunting by myself this year. Grandkids are away at college and my son is busy working trying to pay for their education.

I love my deer hunting but a big question had to be answered if I was to continue. At 72 years old, if I get a deer, how am I going to load it in the back of my truck by myself? The answer came from an online search, a click on www.greatdayinc.com and reading about their innovative PowerLoader.

I attached the PowerLoader to the front of my ATV and hooked the cable to my winch. All I have to do now is pull up to the deer, lower the PowerLoader with my winch, roll the deer onto it, strap it down and then push the up button on my winch to raise the deer off the ground for transportation.

When I get to my truck I will drop the tailgate, pull up to the back of my truck, push the down button on my winch to lower the deer, undo the straps and roll it into the bed. My problem is solved as simple as that.

Hunting alone won’t be so bad now and I will have some great memories to keep me company. In the meantime, I am using it to move retaining wall blocks and lumber from my barn to the house. I love this thing and I do wish I had thought of it myself!

No Sprays, No Insects, No Worries

ElemiTick Insect Shield Camoflage Clothing

Mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers and flies are usually still active during early archery deer season. There are sprays you can use on your clothes and on your skin but you need to be really careful because the smell of most of these can be detected by the amazing sensitive nose of the white-tailed deer.

If you’re like me you don’t like having to spray down. This year I am going to be wearing Gamehide’s ElemiTick Insect Shield camouflage clothing that has odorless insect repellant embedded right in the clothing so I don’t have to worry about the smell.

It will keep ticks or chiggers from crawling all over me. I also won’t have to worry about my movement spooking deer either because I won’t be swatting at those stupid mosquitoes and flies. All have to do is put my hunting clothes on. Now, you’re probably thinking that after a while it has to wash out but you would be wrong. It is guaranteed to work for the lifetime of the clothing.

So if you don’t like being bugged during early fall hunting season, spring turkey season, or even camping and hiking for that matter, you have a decision to make – spray down or just put on your Gamehide ELemiTick Insect Shield hunting clothes. Now that’s a great innovation. Read all about it and their other great products at www.gamehide.com.

The Innovative Primal Ladder Stand

Primal Treestands

There hasn’t been a lot of innovation in the ladder stands in recent years, but there is now! I got a new ladder stand from a company called Primal and what it has other stands don’t is a patented grip jaw system that engages from the ground and secures the stand solidly to the tree before you leave the ground.

Their innovative truss stabilizer system allows the stand to be used in trees where other ladder stands can’t which will give me more options of trees to hang it in.

The innovative Standz Up Ladder Aid and Standz Up Ladder Hoist will make it easy for my son and me to set up, or we can raise it with our ATV.

They also came up with more innovation with their Descender Device with friction braking technology that hooks to your full-body harness so if you fall out of any treestand it provides an automatic, hands-free, controlled rate of descent that lets you down easy if you fall. And, it works with the safety harness you already have. It is estimated that 1 out of every 3 hunters who use treestands will be involved in a fall sometime in their life so this is a device all hunters should use.

I am really impressed with their innovation. You’re going to like their prices compared to other stands on the market too. Check out all their stands and accessories at www.primaltreestands.com.

You just never know who will come up with a new outdoor product that’s different than anything else being offered. It could be some fishermen sitting in a boat and has an idea that he thinks would work. It could be a hunter in a treestand waiting for a deer to come by and as he waits he wonders if something different wouldn’t be better. The person that comes up with the next great innovative product could even be you!

 

These BOOTS are made for Walking, “They Give Me HAPPY FEET”

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

These Boots are made for walking - "My Happy Feet!"

  • My hunting boots go to church with Me
  • So comfy, I have to Look Down to see if I have them on
  • Life has changed, I have started singing in the Shower…some Boots!

By Larry Whiteley

The Zephyr GTX TF Hi

I couldn’t begin to count how many different pairs of hiking and hunting boots I have had in my lifetime. Since I have been enjoying the great outdoors for a lot of years, it has to be a bunch though. Most have now gone on to that great boot camp in the sky, passed down to kids and grandkids or donated to clothing banks.

In an effort to cut down on the number of boots I still have I decided to try and find a good boot that would work for all the hiking I still like to do, as well as serve double duty as my deer/turkey hunting boots.

You may not remember the song “These Boots Are Made for Walking” from the 60s by Frank Sinatra’s daughter Nancy, but it became the #1 song in half the countries in the world.

This article doesn’t have anything to do with that song except that when I started writing, it I kept singing it in my head. You don’t want to hear me singing it out loud that’s for sure. I did sing it in the shower a few times, but that is – as my grandkids say – TMI (too much information).

So anyway, I got online and started doing research on boots and came across a company that I had never heard of called LOWA. They’ve been around a while as they were founded in 1923. I was looking for a boot made in the USA and these were 100% handcrafted in Europe. Always a but, right? But they were really a nice looking boot, so I did more research on them and became really impressed with the quality put into their boots. LOWA supports many non-profit organizations that work to make the outdoors more accessible to everyone, so that was a plus in their favor. They also support the U.S. Biathlon Team, so that was another plus. I also liked the way they treat their suppliers and employees, so they got one more plus for that.

Like the song, the boot I ended up getting is a #1 seller too and is made for walking as well as hiking, hunting and every other outdoor activity you might enjoy. LOWA’s Renegade GTX® Mid has been the company’s best-selling boot for over 20 years.

The Renegade GTX Mid

I have been wearing a pair of these since spring turkey season last year and I do mean almost every day since. They are very comfortable and I absolutely love them. They are the lightest boots I have ever worn weighing at a little over 2 pounds total, plus they give great support, they’re cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather, as well as having a GORE-TEX® lining to keep my feet dry.

My wife heard me going on so much about how I love my LOWA’s, she decided she wanted a pair too. She got the Ladies Renegade GTX® Mid, but of course, in ladies colors. She loves her LOWA’s too, but she refuses to sing the song.

I like mine so well I decided I wanted a pair of LOWA’s in a high top boot and settled on the Zephyr GTX Hi TF® boots, which has all the same great features as my other LOWA boot. They were exactly what I was looking for.

My wife loves her LOWA hiking boots!

They also only weigh a little over 2 pounds per pair, so I have to check sometimes to make sure I have them on. If feet could smile, mine would be every time I put them on. They feel more like I am wearing a tennis shoe than a boot. They’re good looking too and because they are so comfortable I sometimes wear them to church and around town. So I guess I should call them my hiking/hunting/casual wear boots.

I could go on and on about both my LOWA boots and my wife’s, but why don’t you just go to www.lowaboots.com and check them out for yourself. You can order online or find a dealer near you. Your feet will sure be glad you did and if you love being out in the great outdoors, there’s nothing much better than having happy feet.

Hey, that reminds me of the popular movie “Happy Feet” about the dancing penguin. Great! Now I’m going to be going around dancing and singing “These Boots Are Made for Walking.”

SIGHTMARK is on Target with Affordable Scope Quality

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • Sightmark riflescopes include a lifetime warranty
  • Multicoated Optics for Max Light Transmission in all conditions
  • Etched glass reticles, in red or green, are illuminated to deliver optimal shot placement
  • Easy-to-use Elevation and Windage Adjustments
  • Durable, Handsome, Affordable


By Larry Whitely
I was asked to do a review on the Sightmark Core TX 4-16×44 MR rifle scope, but I was a little hesitant since I definitely do not consider myself to be any kind of optics expert. I do however know someone that I feel is.

My son Daron does research and tests all kinds of outdoor products for our company, so he was more than happy to help his dad out in testing and reviewing this scope product. He loves doing this kind of thing, so he was smiling as he put it on one of his rifles and we took it to the range.

The other scopes he normally uses are fairly expensive models from some well-known companies. After looking through the Sightmark Scope, his first comment was, “Dad, this scope is clear as, or clearer, than my other scopes.” When he asked me how much it retailed for and I told him less than $300, he didn’t believe me until I showed him the MSRP in their catalog.

Here are some of his comments after putting the Sightmark Core TX 4-16×44 MR through some pretty extensive testing that made his Dad proud:

  • This scope is definitely worth more than what it sells for
  • The eye box is the perfect size and the eye relief is excellent
  • The lighted reticle is nice and performs very well in low light conditions
  • I really like the elevation and windage turrets
  • It has great looks that make it look like a lot more expensive scope
  • With practice I could shoot 500 to 700 yards easily with it.

He does say he recommends using their better scope rings. My optics expert son really liked the Sightmark Core TX 4-16×44 MR and says he would recommend it to anyone, including me, for long range tactical shooting as well as hunting.

The “MR” stands for Marksman Reticle.

In fact, after putting it through numerous rounds at the range, he liked it so well he left it on his rifle and took it deer hunting the following week. He said he needed to do more testing. Go figure.

Go to www.sightmark.com and check out all the other great scopes and shooting products they offer.

To learn just a bit more about these brand new affordable scopes, click the picture below to visit with Sightmark:

WATERFOWL SEASON…Effective Gear that Works

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • Decoys, Calls and Dry Gear to Bring Home the Birds
  • Get a Waterfowl Shotgun that is Dependable

 

By Larry Whiteley

Waterfowl season is here or almost here depending on where you live. If you are addicted to waterfowl hunting like my family, here are some of the products my family and I use and depend on. You might want to go to your favorite outdoor store or hop online to check them out for yourself.

AVIAN-X

No matter how good you are at waterfowl calling, if your decoys are old and beat up they probably don’t look like the real thing and if waterfowl don’t feel comfortable with what they see they will probably flair off and not come within range.

The life-like detail and quality of Avian-X decoys is amazing. Because of the marine grade foam they use in their new Top Flight Foam Filled Fusion Mallard decoys we got for this year they are never going to leak even if I accidentally shot one. Yes, I will admit that has happened.

Is it real or is it AvianX?

We also have their Topflight Pintails with weight forward swim keel design and they look so real they even fool me but so do all their other decoys. During teal season we used their teal decoys and had a great season. You don’t have to worry about chipping their decoys when you bang them around either and that’s a big bonus.

There are plenty of other species in lots of poses for you to choose from besides those we use. I guarantee that you are never going to regret using Avian-X decoys. www.avian-x.com

ZINK CALLS

If you haven’t already done it, you need to clean your calls and inspect the reed. If you intend to buy new duck calls and haven’t done that yet either I highly suggest getting the best you can buy.  The difference it will make in your success is worth the expense.

Hunter Whiteley in his Frogg Toggs rain suit and waders making duck music with his Zink Calls.

Our personal favorites are Zink Calls Power Hen PH-1 Open Water Single Reed especially for windy days, Zink’s Green Top Rocker because of its top end volume yet we can still do soft chatters, and their Nothing But Green Single Reed Acrylic call when we want to make sounds of multiple hens plus it has a huge range of tones but they have plenty of other calls for you to choose from.

Find a place outdoors where you can practice calling at normal volume levels and record yourself, comparing your calling to recordings of live ducks. When you practice, call as if you are working a flock of ducks and just ignore your wife and neighbors yelling at you. www.zinkcalls.com

FROGG TOGGS

Waterfowl season is nearly always cold, nasty and wet so you need a really good rain suit. We are kind of partial to Frogg Toggs so all the guys wear their Pilot II Guide rain suit during waterfowl season. We also wear their Co-Pilot Insulated Puff Jacket zipped into the rain jacket to give us an extra layer of warmth during those duck days with cold rains, snow and sleet. My 18-year old waterfowl hunting granddaughter uses their women’s Pro Action rain suit.

All of us wear their Grand Refuge 2.0 camo chest waders except my granddaughter and she wears the Grand Refuge 2.0 Jr. Both have a liner system you can zip in and out according to weather conditions and lots of other great features.

When we are hunting and don’t need waders we wear their men’s and women’s lightweight Grand Prairie Mudd boots. www.froggtoggs.com

BENELLI

When I bought our waterfowl shotguns I wanted the best, most reliable guns I could get for us without spending a whole lot of money. It’s just pretty hard to beat Benelli and it’s nice to know they will still be downing waterfowl for many years to come as we pass them down from generation to generation.

A gun to be passed down for generations, the Super Black Eagle II.

We use the Super Black Eagle II semi automatic which has now been replaced by the Super Black Eagle III and the SuperNova pump. www.benelliusa.com

Comfortable, quality clothing and dependable equipment mixed in with a bunch of water and lots of waterfowl can make your hunting trips a lot more successful and enjoyable.

 

How to Be a Better Deer Hunter

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • Stay dry, Stay Still, Stay Safe – Here’s How
  • Smell like the woods, Know Where You Are and Want To Go, Bring the Deer to You – Here’s How
  • Deer Down, Time for Venison Jerky – Here’s How
Big deer on the scale are a prize and this young hunter was mentored by a savvy whitebeard from another generation that was using the right stuff.

By Larry Whiteley

Deer hunting season is here if you are a bow or crossbow hunter and the firearms season will be here before you know it. I hope you are properly outfitted so you can enjoy your time and be successful in your pursuit of the white-tailed deer.

Here are some of the products my family and I use and depend on when deer hunting that you might like too. Don’t just take my word for it though. Go online or to your favorite outdoor store and check them out.

FROGG TOGGS

Most rainwear is not quiet and even slight movement’s causes sounds that can spook deer. The folks at Frogg Toggs solved that problem with their new Dead Silence rainwear. They took brushed camo material and made the quietest, driest, yet breathable jacket, bibs and hoodie I have ever owned in my 50 some years of hunting. I actually use it even when there is no chance of rain.

I really like all the pockets that help me put things I need where I can get to them. I don’t like being cold out in the deer woods so I just zip in their insulated Co-Pilot Puff Jacket and stay comfortably warm waiting for a deer to come by my secret hiding place. www.froggtoggs.com

Controlling human scent will make every hunter “rut ready.”

SCENTLOK

I have been wearing their clothing and using their OZ Chamber Bag since archery season opened this year and I also spray exposed skin and equipment then re-spray everything once I am in the stand to keep myself scent free. I have not been busted and have had plenty of opportunities to take deer but it’s still early and I am being picky.

Just in case you didn’t know it, deer have 297 million scent receptors in their nose and they even have a scent gland in their mouth as well as 2 large scent processing areas in their brain. If you’re not doing everything you possibly can to eliminate your scent you will get busted no matter how good you are. www.ScentLok.com

HUNT COMFORT

I don’t know about you but the number one thing that causes me to squirm around and move too much in my stand or blind is my butt getting uncomfortable.

This year I’m using a cushion called Fat Boy made by Hunt Comfort that is made with Gel Core. I can’t explain how it works but I do know it does and that’s all I care about. My butt is very happy! I’m also using it in my office chair as I write this and in my truck for long trips. www.huntcomfort.com

HUNTER SAFETY SYSTEMS

According to statistics, nearly one out of every three hunters who hunt from an elevated stand will fall at some point during their hunting days. That scared me after I read that so I now use their Ultra-Lite Flex safety harness and their Lifeline that keeps me safe going up and down my stands.

I also will not allow any of my family members that hunt to ever get in a tree stand again without both of these lifesaving items. I hope for your sake and your loved one’s that you will do the same. www.huntersafetysystem.com

There are ways to bring those rutting deer to you for a close shot, false scrapes can help – here’s something that works for me and my friends.

ScrapeFix

Bucks make scrapes in clearings or fairly open areas like old logging roads, power line cuts, field edges and edges of timber clearings. So, I make mock scrapes using their products for early season and right before the rut in these same areas but where they are in good range of my stand, blind or game camera.

I make the scrape by clearing out debris in about a 2 foot area under an overhanging tree branch about head high to a buck because they lick and chew branches at a scrape and won’t make the scrape without them. I then put a small amount of their product on the licking branch and the ground. If there is a place I really want to put a scrape but it doesn’t have a limb at the right height I just use their Vine and make my own. Believe me folks making your own scrapes really works in helping bring in the bucks. www.scrapefix.com

onX HUNT MAPS

I have this app downloaded on my smart phone, tablet and computer. Boy does it help with my deer hunting.  It gives me maps for all fifty states, with detailed public and private boundaries, landowner names and even hunting districts. I can even put tracks to and from my stands. I can’t believe that even when my network is nonexistent, which is often, my GPS in my phone still works offline. You sure get a lot of helpful information with this app.

Hunting app’s with maps can be a very useful tool, especially on state lands or extra large tracts in your new hunting areas.

You can go online and sign up for a 7-day free trial to see if you agree with me. It is one useful tool to put in your deer hunting arsenal. www.onxmaps.com

OUTDOOR EDGE

When it comes to field dressing a deer I have their Swing Blade series of knives and I highly recommend them. I don’t know who came up with this idea but with a push of a button the Swing Blade changes from a drop point skinner to the best gutting tool I’ve ever used.

They have a jillion styles of knives to choose from and I really like those that come with replaceable blades so I don’t have to sharpen them. Plus if you process your own deer they’ve got everything you need for that too. www.outdooredge.com

HI MOUNTAIN SEASONINGS

If you eat a lot of venison like we do, these folks have a great selection of all kinds of seasonings for grilling your deer steaks and burgers, making deer fajitas and tacos, marinating your venison and more. I use a lot of their jerky and snack stick kits in several different flavors. My grandkids at college and their friends love it when I make up a big batch for them the deer we harvest.

If you don’t have the time to make your own jerky they are now also offering jerky bagged and ready to eat.  www.himtnjerky.com

IT MAKES NO SCENTS

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

Deer can Scent us Humans from Far, Far Away. Reasons why are part of this story.

  • Modern Secret for Seeing More Deer
  • When to Use Cover Scent
  • Why Deer can Smell Us

By Larry Whiteley

Don’t get busted this deer season! Jim Monteleone Photo

My wife has what you might call a “sensitive nose”. She smells odors a lot of times and I don’t. When I get in her vehicle it smells like a rose garden or an ocean breeze because she has these little scent things clipped to her visor and air vents. If I ran into any of my hunting or fishing buddies after riding with her, they would probably smell me and look at me kind of weird.

When she rides in my truck, she can tell if I ate a bowl of beans the day before or if my friend that smokes cigars has been in the truck with me, or if I left a pair of dirty socks under the back seat.

She knows I don’t like my hunting/fishing/camping truck smelling like a flower so she bought me one of those little pine trees to hang from my rearview mirror. I would rather not smell anything than have fake smelling things in my truck, so I started searching the internet for a solution that would make us both happy.

During my search, I clicked on www.scentlok.com and learned about their OZ20 small ozone generator unit. It plugs into the dash of your car or truck and doesn’t cover up smells, it gets rid of them so you smell nothing. I ordered one, plugged it in and turned it on when I parked the truck for the night and the next morning turned it off and let it air out. No smells!

OZ20 Generator keeps my wife happy. Photo by Anna Whiteley

It’s as simple as that. Without going into all the technical reasons as to how this thing works, other than saying it destroys organic scent-containing molecules, I can tell you it definitely does. My wife is happy and that’s good because as the old saying goes, “When momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

To make her even happier and so I don’t have to smell flowers or ocean breezes around the house, I also got ScentLok’s® OZ100 ozone generator unit for small rooms and OZ500 ozone generator for big rooms and just plug them into a wall outlet when we are leaving. We come back to a scent free house. She especially likes me to use the small unit in the bathroom after I have been in it. I can’t understand why!

OZ100 Generator plugged in and eliminating smells. Photo by Anna Whiteley

While I was on ScentLok’s® website, I also read about their hunting clothing and accessories with their Carbon Alloy™ technology that helps keep you free of scent in the deer woods. It also has NeverWet™ technology that repels water, mud, blood & other liquids. I ordered their full season Taktix jacket and pant combo with lots of pockets, and in my favorite camo pattern, True Timber Kanati. The jacket also has an NRA approved conceal carry chest pocket to carry my pistol. In this crazy world we live in you never know when you might need it, even in the deer woods.

After every 30 to 40 hours of hunting in them, I just need to reactivate the carbon by throwing them in the dryer. If they’re not muddy or bloody I don’t need to wash them. They will be stored in the ScentLok® OZ Chamber 8K Bag, which I also ordered, that includes the OZ500 generator and plug it in to keep them scent free for the next hunt.

My granddog Max is unable to detect any odors on my hunting clothes. Photo by Anna Whiteley

Now even though I will be doing all this, I still need to make sure I am not wearing the clothing I hunt with while in my truck or on my ATV to where I park, and then on to my stand. I still need to use scent cover sprays on any clothing that is not ScentLok®. Also use the cover spray on my pack, gun, bow or any other equipment, plus the deer stand or blind. You better do the same if you don’t want to get busted by the amazing nose of a deer.

Deer have up to 297 million scent receptors in their nose. In comparison, dogs have 220 million and humans have just 5 million scent receptors. I think my wife has around 10 million at least. Not only do deer have a huge number of scent receptors in their nose, they also have a secondary scent gland called the vomer nasal organ that is located in their mouth.

Above that, deer also have 2 large scent-processing areas in their brains. These processing areas are 9 times larger than a human’s scent processing area. So a sniff test of yourself or your clothing is nothing compared to what a deer can do.

Us deer hunters need to remember that no matter how much scouting we have done or how many food plots we have planted. Our best chance of taking a deer this year is making no scents.

 

PARTLY CLOUDY AND A CHANCE OF RAIN

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

Pilot ll Rain Suit

  • Be Ready and Be Prepared for Undivided Outdoor Fun
  • The ONE THING I carry everywhere I go, maybe not what you Might Expect
  • Cold or Hot weather, How I stay Comfortable

By Larry Whiteley

Dead Silence Hunting Rain Suit

We all want to know what the weather is going to be like if we have outdoor plans for the day. So we check our local forecast on TV, computer, smart phone or even smart watch and notice it’s going to be partly cloudy with a chance of rain.

But what does it mean when they say a chance of rain? Is it going to rain or not? Should you cancel your camping plans, hiking adventure or fishing trip?

Your local weatherman or lady will tell you that summer is the most challenging time of year for them to forecast what will happen. There is typically plenty of moisture and instability during summer that helps bring scattered showers and thunderstorms, particularly in the South and Midwest.

The things that cause rain development can be really hard to pinpoint in the summer. Rather than distinct warm and cold fronts, summer thunderstorms just sometimes flare up for many different reasons. Because of this, the warmer months are difficult for forecasters to provide a yes or no answer for rain where you are going to be.

If there’s a 30 percent chance of rain, that means there’s a 70 percent chance of dry weather where you’re going and you don’t know for sure it’s even going to happen. So you think those odds sound pretty good and are certainly not a reason to cancel any plans. Then, when the fishing, camping or hiking begins, so does the rain. You’re wet, your family and friends are wet, and no one is happy.

Pilot ll Rain Suit

That’s exactly why, no matter what time of year it is, I always have rain gear with me. I keep my frogg toggs® Java Toadz™ lightweight rain suit rolled up into a stuff sack and under the seat of my truck. It is in easy reach just in case one of those pop-up showers hits just as I am ready to go into a meeting, church, or getting ready to go into my favorite outdoor store to do some important shopping.

Co-Pilot Zip In Insulated Liner

It is also an important part of my gear no matter what kind of outdoor adventure I am going on. When I am packing to go camping I take it out of the truck and put it with all my camping gear. If I am going hiking it is always in my pack. I don’t go fishing without putting it in my tackle bag just so a little rain doesn’t stop me from catching fish. The fish don’t care if it’s raining and they don’t stop biting because of it. I just keep fishing in my rain suit unless, of course, it starts lightning and then I am off the water.

Since my Java Toadz™ is camo pattern, I even keep it with me in my game pouch when I am on early season dove hunts and all my other gear during the early teal season. During spring turkey hunts, it’s in my turkey vest. During deer season, it’s always in my hunting pack. To me, it is as essential as just about any outdoor gear I have. A pop-up shower or thunderstorm is not going to keep me from enjoying the great outdoors.

Now at the risk of sounding like a commercial for frogg toggs®, I have to tell you I also have their camo Pilot II™ Guide rain suit that I wear when fishing in early spring or fall, which is exactly when chances are best for rain most of the day.

On winter fishing trips and during waterfowl season, I wear their Co-Pilot™ Insulated Puff Jacket zipped into the Pilot II™ rain jacket to give me the extra layer of warmth during those cold rains, snow and sleet.

Java Toadz Rain Suit is also available in women’s

Frogg toggs® has just come out with a new rain suit for deer hunters called Dead Silence™. This suit is what all deer hunters want when out there waiting on that buck of a lifetime. I love deer hunting, so I didn’t hesitate to order one for this season. Besides being quiet and very waterproof, it has all kinds of hand warmer pockets, plus zippered pockets for valuables like your wallet, cell phone or radio, and other gear you need to keep safe and dry. The fabric breathes, so I won’t get too hot, but it also won’t let the cold air in. Plus, I can even zip in my Co-Pilot™ Puff Jacket that I also wear with my Pilot II™ rain jacket mentioned earlier.

No, I am not on the frogg toggs® Pro Staff and they don’t pay me for writing about them, but I do believe in their affordable, quality products designed for folks like you and me for any outdoor activity when there is a chance of rain. Go to their website at www.froggtoggs.com.

 

 

 

STRONG AS AN OXX…Camp Coffee when You Want It

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

 

  •  Like Coffee? Get Camping Much? You Might Need This.
  •  Portable TOUGH Coffee Maker that Takes Any K-Cup.
  • My Search is Over!
The family firepit – camping with OXX, the aroma and taste of fresh coffee to honor those sacred moments we share among dancing flames.

By Larry Whiteley

A recent Harvard School of Public Health study showed 54% of Americans drink coffee and you can count me into that percentage.

I enjoy my coffee as I sit at my desk in the early morning hours writing articles and piloting radio shows. It helps keep my mind clear as I craft the words I need to write.

A thermos of coffee warms my hands while sitting in a treestand waiting for a deer to come by my hiding place or in a blind waiting to hear a booming gobble as the sun starts peeking over the hills.

Steam rises from my coffee as I sit in the boat, in the darkness, listening to the water lapping against the sides and watching the colorful morning sunrise reflecting in the water.

Ready to travel with OXX for my hot coffee.

I sip coffee as I sit around the campfire by myself in the morning darkness, watching the flames dance, and listening to owl’s talking to each other.

I have always made my coffee at home and took it with me in a thermos or insulated mug on my outdoor adventures. Sometimes I just stop by the local convenience store, but they don’t always have the flavor of coffee I like. Besides, according to the same Harvard study I mentioned earlier, the average price for a brewed cup of coffee is a $1.38 and I’m kind of a frugal guy, but my wife says a better word is “cheap”.

I knew I couldn’t take my single-cup coffee maker with the fancy name “out there” because it would have broken in no time with water and coffee all over everything.

So, I have been searching for a coffee maker that I could take with me on fishing, hunting and camping trips where I was staying in an RV, cabin, lodge or motel.  It’s been a long search for years, as I enjoy making my own coffee instead of the usual watered-down variety you get in some places.

Workhorse coffee pods, I’m a dark and bold guy.

In my search, I found out that most public and private campgrounds across America now have campsites with electrical hook-ups. So I can brew my favorite coffee even when I’m camping out if I could just find the right coffee maker.

To be able to travel with it, I knew I wanted it to be like the old saying goes “strong as an ox,” as well as impact-resistant, durable, spill-proof and portable, and if it had its own travel bag that would hold everything needed, that would be nice too. I also wanted to be able to use it on my kitchen cabinet at home or take it out to my workshop when I wanted. Ask for the sky! Why not?

During my continued search, I was surprised to come across a coffee maker called “OXX,” just like the saying, but with an extra “X”. I then did more research and found that in the wagon-based settlement of the American West before the railroad, a team of oxen were preferred over horses to plow fields, bust sod, remove boulders, stumps and other heavy tasks because they were stronger and tougher than horses.

The OXX COFFEEBOXX was designed for construction workers who needed something strong and tough enough to make coffee on their wild jobsites. A lot of construction workers also enjoy all the outdoors has to offer and they soon discovered, since it was tough enough for work, they could also use it for all their outdoor adventures. AND, it was everything I was searching for.

The OXX travel bag carries everything you need.

They also offer single cup “Workhorse Coffee” which is very good. I like the “Dark & Bold,” but I have tried the “All Day Smooth” and the “2X Caffeine,” and I like them too. But if you still have to have your own brand, any coffee pod will work in the OXX and they even have reusable pods for your favorite ground coffee.

Now if someone would just come up with a small, reasonably priced, portable power unit I could plug my OXX COFFEEBOXX in and brew my favorite cup of coffee when I am completely off the grid and deep in the wilderness, I would be one happy man.

Go to www.oxx.com and check out the “strong as an ox” OXX COFFEEBOXX.

 

 

College Team Bass Fishing – Lake of the Ozarks is “On-Fire!”

Posted on by Hunter Whiteley
  • Kansas State Collegiate Bass Team
  • A Day in the Life of a College Angler
  • Tournament Planning in Calculus Class
My Partner, Tyler Nekolny (left) and I weigh in 14-15 on Day 1, was exciting for our Kansas State Fishing Team.

By Hunter Whiteley

My partner and I took 11 days to fish the B.A.S.S. Carhartt College series Midwest regional and the FLW regional.  At Lake of the Ozarks, all I can say is, “The lake is on fire.”  The lake is fishing hot, better than I have ever seen it fish.  

Every single day, we landed a fish that went 5-pounds plus, with multiple days producing more than one.  Breaking down the lake was a handful.  We found the pattern to be secondary points that had the channel swing up against them with a flat on the other side.  It didn’t matter what type of rocks were on the flat.  Then for bigger bites we would back off to long tapering points that had structure on them.  These didn’t produce the numbers we needed but when you got a bite it was a good one.

Understanding these patterns had us feeling comfortable going into the B.A.S.S. regional which was a three-day event.  The first day we caught our limit early and moved out to find the bigger bites.  Culled once and lost a big one.  We weighed 14 pounds-15 ounces, good enough to put us in 20th place and good enough to put us inside the cut-line, but we needed another good day on Day 2.

Day 2 rolls around and we had a cold front move through and shut down our fish.  At about 10:30 we go to move and have motor issues.  This put a damper on our fishing and we only weighed two fish for 7 pounds-7 ounces.  This cut our tournament a day short due to not making the cut, but on the other hand – the bright side, this gave us a day to go over our plan for the FLW Regional and catch up on some sleep and school work.

Hunter Whiteley and Tyler Nekolny on the run to their next spot. Ronnie Moore Photo

The FLW started really well.  We roll into our first stop and put two fish in the box. On our next stop we fill our limit and cull three times. This is when I knew it was going to be a special day.  Then, surprisingly, the day got tough.  We didn’t have another bite till an hour before weigh in.  

We moved to key in on the bass pushing shad up against wave breaks.  We culled two more times before we had to weigh in.  Good stuff.

We walk up to the tanks and were listening to weights and knew that we had made the prize-cut, but not sure how high we would finish.  We weighed in 18 pounds- 2 ounces, good enough to put us in 4th place and make the cut to fish the national championship.

I would like to also congratulate two other teams from Kansas State:

Sheldon Rogge and Travis Blenn, on qualifying for the B.A.S.S. College National Championship.  

Quinn Fowler and Josh Schraad for qualifying FLW National Championship.

My next tournament is a club tournament on Milford Lake in Kansas.  It will be a tournament that is dominated by smallmouth bass and will help us learn more about how to compete using different fishing tactics.

Our Kansas State College fishing team members (left to right): Sheldon Rogge, Grant Srajer, Travis Blenn, Tyler Nekolny, Hunter Whiteley, Josh Schraad, Quinn Fowler, Payton Miller, Adam Fuchs, Shaun Finn.

SAVING OCEANS, SAVING PEOPLE, SEEING the LIGHT

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • Vision Clarity, Eye Protection, Seeing All Things Better
  • About Sunglasses, Don’t Leave Home without These – Learn Why
  • My Old Eyes Have Been Opened! …By a Company that CARES.

By Larry Whiteley

The author in his camo Costas.

I have owned a lot of sunglasses in my lifetime.

Most of them were inexpensive, made in China sunglasses that didn’t protect my eyes from harmful UV rays and sure didn’t help me see any better.

That all changed last year when my grandson who fishes on the Kansas State University Bass Fishing Team won a certificate for a free pair of Costa sunglasses in a tournament.

He kept telling me, “PaPaw you can’t believe how comfortable and how much better they are when it comes to seeing fish.”

He was right!

I would have never believed that a pair of Costa sunglasses could make such a difference in not only my ability to see fish, but everything outdoors has a totally different perspective when I look through them.

I like them so much I even got a camouflage, non-reflective pair to wear when I go hunting.

Costa makes it simple and easy to find the right pair of sunglasses that match your outdoor activities, whether it’s fishing, hunting, hiking, biking, boating, driving or anything else. Each lens color has a different purpose to keep specific spectrums of light out of your eyes and focus on certain conditions that will enhance your clarity and visibility.  Made in both glass and polycarbonate, every lens is polarized and gives you 100% UVA, UVB, and UVC protection.

Best of all, they are made right here in the USA.

Fishermen love their Costas.

I could go on and on about Costa sunglasses, but instead I invite you to go to www.costadelmar.com.  Click on this link, then go learn all about the different styles and find a retailer near you to go try them out for yourself.

My Costa’s are much more than the best quality sunglasses I have ever owned.

Costa is not a company that just cares about their bottom line. They care about our world’s environment and they are actively involved in doing something about it.

Kick Plastic

Through their Kick Plastic campaign, Costa is working with organizations to reduce the impact of plastic on our environment. Even Costa frames are made of a bio-based resin rather than petroleum-based plastics. Almost all plastic that has ever been produced is still around. We use millions of tons of plastic just once and then throw it away.

The equivalent of a garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute.

By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean (by weight).

Sadly, in today’s world, one in four ocean fish tested have plastic in them.

Costa is actively taking their Kick Plastic campaign across the country to educate people on what is happening to our environment. Costa is inviting all of us to challenge ourselves to Kick Plastic!

OCEARCH

Costa is proud to be a long-term supporter of OCEARCH, an At-Sea Lab led by explorers and researchers who generate critical data and put science on the side of sharks.

You may not live near an ocean, but you should be concerned that 190 sharks are killed every minute.

Sharks are the lifeblood of our oceans, and they’re disappearing.

If the oceans lose their top predator, the entire ocean ecosystem is in trouble.

The Costa+OCEARCH Collection features new sunglasses and gear, inspired by the sharks that keep our oceans balanced. Your purchase of these products helps fund future OCEARCH expeditions and their mission to protect sharks. You can also help spread the message at #DONTFEARTHEFIN.

Project Guyana

Arapaima are the world’s largest freshwater fish.

Costa sees sport fishing itself as conservation and is on a mission to protect the world’s waters by promoting sport fishing.

In the waters of the impoverished nation of Guyana’s unspoiled rain forest in South America, Costa found a place where sport fishing could preserve the country’s natural resources and culture.

Costa appreciated their efforts not to pillage their natural resources and was especially interested in the opportunity to bring in fly fishermen and give them a chance at catching the world’s largest freshwater fish, the Arapaima.

Arapaima grow up to ten feet long and can weigh over 800 pounds, they are known as living fossils.

Today fly fisherman all over the world are coming and helping tourism in Guyana to grow.

Because of this, schools are receiving more resources, the country’s infrastructure has improved and their natural resources have been protected.

Costa hopes this success will continue to grow throughout Guyana and spread to other countries.

Bluefin-on-the-Line

After many years of over-harvest, Costa is helping to bring back the tuna.

Commercial overharvesting and other factors have all but wiped out the Bluefin Tuna population from the waters around Bimini and Cat Cay islands to off the coast of Florida.

Now, Costa through their Bluefin-on-the-Line program, along with the legendary Merritt family, is on a quest to revive an island, a sport, and a legacy by bringing back the Bluefin Tuna.

There are getting to be more companies like Costa who are giving back for conservation and our environment.

We need these companies, we need more of them and we need to support them by buying their products.

 

 

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE OUTDOORS

Posted on by Larry Whiteley
  • Make Your Own Jerky, Easy and Tasty
  • Oh Say, Can You See Below the Water?
  • Chow Line…Call the Fish to Feed!
  • Send the Flying Bug Critters AWAY!
  • Fishing Games for the Young…and the Elder Kids Too
  • Keep Warm in Chilly Weather, Clothes to Last Forever

By Larry Whiteley

I work with many outdoor companies throughout the year to test their products in the field and on the water. Here are some of those companies I have worked with, and will be working with again in 2018, that I am proud to recommend their products for Christmas gifts or a gift you give yourself.

Hi Mountain Seasonings

With Hi Mountain’s jerky seasonings and kits, I have made many different flavors of delicious, easy-to-make venison, fish and turkey jerky, as well as snack sticks. My grandson’s roommates at college and people at my church, will attest to how good they are.  In 2018, I will be doing more on their other great products to help you discover all the ways you can better prepare your fish and game.  I’m getting hungry just writing about it.  Their products are available at your local grocery, outdoor store, or go to www.himtnjerky.com.

Costa Sunglasses

Costa sunglasses are by far the best eye shades I have ever owned and I look really good in them, although some might argue that point.  I use their Tuna Alley for driving and fishing, and their Fantail for hunting.  You can check out their great selection of sunglasses at www.costadelmar.com, plus find out all the many ways Costa is involved in doing things to protect our environment.  One of those is using bio-based resins in their sunglasses, instead of plastics as part of their “Kick Plastic” initiative to protect our planets waters from all the plastic products that pollute them.

HydroWave

95% of professional bass anglers use the HydroWave system because it takes catching bass to the next level.  When it is turned on, it sends out vibrations to a fish’s lateral line, that causes them to feel there are smaller fish around and other fish are feeding on them. Their natural competitive instinct drives them to want to feed as well.  It is something that you have to see to believe. They also have units for crappie, walleye, catfish etc.  My grandson, Hunter, uses it fishing for the Kansas State University Bass Fishing Team and he says, “This is a game changer for every angler.”  He has qualified for the college national championship in 2018 and he believes HydroWave can help him win it.  Learn about how to use it from Kevin VanDam at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qc1hy88VD8.  Check it out for yourself at www.thmarine.com.

ThermaCELL

I hate mosquitoes and mosquitoes hate ThermaCell products.  Their portable repeller units, lanterns, and torches are all powered by a tiny butane cartridge. Heat is generated and a small mat saturated with a natural repellent is inserted on top of the metal grill the heat disperses the repellent from the mat into the air, creating a 15 ft. x 15 ft. zone of protection around you.  Mosquitoes and other flying critters don’t want anything to do with it.  It is so much better, and healthier, and easier to use, than those messy sprays and lotions.  Learn more about how and why they work by going to www.thermacell.com.  I hate ticks too, and if you have them in your yard and on your dogs you might also want to check out their easy to use Tick Control Tubes.  I love ThermaCELL!!!

Rapala Pro Series Video Game

I received an e-mail from Bob Ringer on behalf of Rapala back in October wanting to know if I would like to test Rapala’s new Xbox One/PS4 fishing video game.  I suggested sending it to my 20-year old grandson, who also writes and does social media for us, so he and his college roommates could give it a real test.

After a few weeks of trying the game here are some of their comments: “This is the best fishing game that I have played. It’s a good way to beat the winter blues when the boat has been winterized and it’s too cold to get out.  The selection of lures and different kinds of fish you can catch is awesome.  This is better than any fishing video game out there.”

Not much more I can say except, it’s a lot less expensive than most video games. Do an internet search to watch samples and teasers of the game, see You-Tube reviews and find places to buy it.  Amazon carries it and has offers for free delivery.

Filson

The year was 1897, the place was Seattle, Washington.  C.C. Filson Co. started making quality, durable, clothing for local miners, prospectors, lumbermen, hunters and anglers.  Filson’s philosophy has never changed in over 120 years: “Make sure it’s the absolute best.”

My Filson work shirt shown underneath the Christmas tree is the most durable, best quality shirt I have ever owned. I wear it for everything from cutting firewood in the fall to layering underneath a jacket in the cold of winter.  It’s even my favorite shirt to wear to church on Sunday’s.  Two other things I like about Filson products are – they are made in the U.S.A. and they help support outdoor organizations with the mission of sustaining and promoting outdoor recreation. Take my word for it and go to www.filson.com if you want the very best.

I will be doing testing on a lot more products in 2018 and writing about them. Frogg Toggs rain suits and waders will be one of them.  Go to www.froggtoggs.com and check them out.  While you’re there you can save up to 35% on your order, but be sure you do it by December 15th.

Have a Merry Christmas and don’t forget the reason for the season!

 

Christmas Gift recommendations for those who Love the Great Outdoors

Posted on by Larry Whiteley

By Larry Whiteley

Christmas is almost here! If you’re still shopping for a gift for someone who loves to get out and enjoy all kinds of activities in our great outdoors, here are some items that my family and I personally use and highly recommend as Christmas gifts.

GPO BINOCULARS

Binoculars are invaluable for anyone who gets out and enjoys our great outdoors. I don’t go anywhere without them and even have a binocular holder mounted in my truck, so they are handy whenever I need them.

For the past four months, the binocular that has been with me everywhere I go is German Precision Optics (GPO) Passion 10×42 HD binocular. I am very pleased with how clear and easy to focus they are compared to those binoculars I have used that sell for much more.

Best Binoculars Reviews (BBR) awarded them their 2019 Best Binocular. You can read all about that in their extensive review at https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/GPO10x42PassionHD-197.htm.

They also have what they call their Spectacular Lifetime Warranty™ and will take care of their products at no charge to you, ever. They are headquartered in Richmond, VA and you can find out more about all their products by going to www.gpo-usa.com.

LOWA

Another idea is a really good boot that they can use for every kind of outdoor activity. To me, personally, there are none better than LOWA. They have been 100% handcrafted in Europe since 1923 and I am impressed with their quality.

I wear their Renegade GTX® Mid and their Zephyr GTX Hi TF®, and both are by far the most comfortable, lightweight, and durable of any boots I have ever owned and I’ve owned a bunch of boots. They’ve also got a new men’s leather boot called the Nabucco Evo GTX that you might want to check out. It’s a rugged cold weather model that’s great for everyday use, on the hiking trail, camping adventures, and in the woods or fields after a deer or turkey. MSRP on this boot is $260 and that’s a great buy considering the quality you get with LOWA boots. Go to www.lowaboots.com to see their selection of boots for yourself.

While you are on their site, read about their social commitment, how they treat their employees, what they do for the environment and nature protection as well as the non-profit groups they support. If you are like me and finding out what else a company is doing besides manufacturing and selling products is important to you, then you are going to like what you read about LOWA.

HUNTER SAFETY SYSTEMS

If the person on your list is a deer hunter and you want to show them how much you care about them, this is a gift that will make sure they are around to enjoy many more Christmas days for years to come.

Get them a Hunter Safety Systems tree stand harness, which will cost you from $60 to $140 and a Lifeline for every tree stand they have.

The Lifeline starts at $39.95. That is a small price to pay to ensure they come back home after every deer hunt.

Their gift to you then can be a promise that they will always use them when getting into and out of a tree stand.

Go to www.huntersafetysystem.com and order today or stop by your local outdoor retailer, and they will be glad to help you.

CUDDEBACK

Trail cameras are an important tool for every serious hunter. There are hundreds to choose from on the market but we did our research and went with Cuddeback and we are sure glad we did.

We use their CuddeLink system, which is a proprietary wireless mesh network. It allows from 1 to 15 cameras to communicate with each other and transmits images from remote cameras to a home image collection camera. It has been invaluable to us this deer season in helping us to know where deer are moving through and for inventorying bucks. They can also work as a security system around the hunting cabin or house. Go to https://www.cuddeback.com/cuddelink

and learn how it works.

onXmaps

This is the one gift that no matter if you or your friends hunt, fish, hike, camp or anything else outdoors, they can use this and they will love it. It is the most useful app they might ever own. My grandson used it on a couple of our new hunting properties this year and it helped him figure everything out. This app can also be used for a lot more than hunting.

The onX Hunt App is a mapping application to download onto an iPhone, iPad or Android device and this app turns the phone into a handheld GPS unit that works with or without cell service. Their Elite Membership is $99.99 a year and covers the entire nation. It includes access to onX’s proprietary basemaps, property lines, landowner information, GPS Mapping Tools (Waypoints, tracking, line distances, area measures, and more), Wind and Weather, Offline Map capabilities, Sharing capabilities and many additional Layers. You can also get it for one state only at $29.99 a year. They will also get a 7-day free trial and they have a great customer service department that is very helpful.

There’s no way I can tell you about what all onX does in this small amount of space, so go to www.onxmaps.com. If you decide to give onX for Christmas, you can get them a gift card at https://www.onxmaps.com/shop?category=gift-cards.

OUTDOOR EDGE

I would bet that the outdoor enthusiast on your gift list has lots of knives, but if they are like me, they can always use another one and especially one like this.

As outdoor folks, you know this, we are always needing a good sharp knife, and they don’t get much sharper than this one.

Here’s a true story for you from this year’s deer season. I had shot a deer with my crossbow during archery season and was preparing to field dress it. I dug through my pack and found a bone saw but had neglected to make sure my other field dressing knives were in there. As I dug deeper, I found a small Outdoor Edge RazorLite EDC clip pocket knife that truthfully I had never used much. It was as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel and I was able to field dress that deer and another deer during firearms season faster and cleaner than any knife I had ever used. I am now a believer in and have ordered their RazorPro™ Saw Combo that will always be in my pack. Outdoor Edge’s Razor-Lite Series of knives are the sharpest, strongest replacement razor-blade knives available, with safe and easy blade changes at the push of a button. Outdoor Edge has a lot of other great knives and tools and you can browse their entire selection at www.outdooredge.com.

 

HAVE A MERRY OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS!