Pete Rogers Outdoors

Rock Island Armory 1911 in .22 Magnum - A Review

2019-11-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, when I first saw that the gun Rock Island Armory sent for me to test was a 1911 in .22 magnum I was disappointed.

What would someone want with a 1911 in .22 magnum I thought to myself. But being true to the process. I went to the range, pulled the RIA A1 in .22 Magnum from the case and was blown away with its feel, accuracy and the quality with which it was made.

The weight of 2.5 lbs. it is a good fit for a rimfire. Being in the 1911 frame, it should be heavy and should be robust as it is. The top eject was not something I preferred, but I quickly dismissed it once I began shooting and seeing the groups I was able to obtain in short order.

Shooting with the top eject did take a minute to get used to. I am not accustomed to seeing the cases eject from the top, so target acquisition took some getting used to, but was quickly obtained.

Not only was the RIA 1911 in .22 magnum accurate, it was plain fun to shoot. Like all .22 magnum pistols, they are loud and the energy generated from the rimfire is impressive.

For decades I have been a big fan of the .22 Remington Magnum cartridge. The energy this little bullet generates is so much more than the .22 LR that it makes it a fine all around rifle for small and medium game. Many feral hogs have met their demise to the .22 Magnum, as has a few alligators and other critters.

This version from Rock Island Armory is one of the finest .22 magnum pistols I personally have tested. Solid frame, adjustable trigger (from 4-6 lbs.), balanced and a magazine that holds 15 rounds makes this an excellent pistol for small game hunting and for concealed carry. The rubberized grips prevent slipping with wet hands, and the parkerized finish is a breeze to keep clean.

In conclusion, I found the RIA A! XT 22MRF pistol to be one of the more enjoyable pistols I have tested in a while. Easy to load, fun to shoot and the fiber optic sights are a blessing for aging eyes. This is definitely one 1911 you need in your collection.

Rock Island Armory A1 1911 - A Review

2019-11-18T09:25:00.001-05:00

Honestly, I have never been a fan of the 1911 framed semi-auto pistol. I am sure I will get a lot of flack for that comment, but that is ok. There are a lot of fans who carry nothing else and that is great. But for me, I have always preferred a smaller framed pistol, especially for concealed carry.

But recently I was fortunate enough to get a chance to test the Rock Island Armory A1 1911 in 9mm. And I have to admit, I may just be a convert!

First impression of the RIA 1911 in 9mm was impressive. It fits my hand beautifully and is balanced extremely well. Weighing 2.56 lbs. empty this 1911 is exactly the right weight for this full size framed pistol.

A single stacked magazine holds 9 rounds which is ample for the range or self defense. As a pistol owner of many styles and frames, I have always been a fan of the Rock Island Armory quality. Made in the Philippines, these pistols are some of the finest you will find in this price point.

At the range, the A1 1911 handled excellent. Target acquisition was fast, recoil easily manageable with the weighted frame and target re-acquisition was a breeze. I found it to be accurate right out of the box. Able to hit 8" steel targets at 20 yards with ease.

After a few hundred rounds through the RIA 1911, I found nothing that it would not handle. Extreme rapid fire, slow fire, and using the Armscor 9mm ammunition, it cycled flawlessly and handled everything I threw at it.

The parkerized finish is one that personally is preferred over a shiny finish. Disassembly was not as easy as some other brands, but was certainly not anything that was difficult either.

The Rock Island Armory A1 1911 in 9mm is in my estimation the perfect 1911 available. While I know there are many who prefer the 1911 in either a .40 or .45 caliber. I find the 9mm to be about right for what most people use and carry for.

In a defense situation, few human beings can withstand the impact of a 9mm. And with the rapid fire capabilities of the RIA 1911 in 9mm, they certainly cannot handle multiple shots.

When owning several handguns, pistols or revolvers, keeping ammunition straight is a big safety factor. By keeping your options limited, it lessens the chance for a mixup. For that reason alone, I prefer to keep my carry guns in the same calibers, and not expanding beyond those two. The same is true for my hunting handguns. By limiting the caliber options to a few, I lessen the chance for a mistake.

Without hesitation, if you are looking for a good solid 1911 for your personal carry gun, or just want one for target shooting. The Rock Island Armory A1 1911 in 9mm is one you should strongly consider.

Ten Point Titan M1 Crossbow - A review

2019-11-12T09:11:00.001-05:00

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Ten Point Titan M1 Crossbow is Worth the Investment

In the fast-growing world of crossbows, one brand stands out above the rest. Ten Point Crossbows are the elite brand in the market. And with seven models to choose from, there is no shortage of options for the first time or experienced crossbow hunter.

Whether you are new to the thrill of hunting with a crossbow, or a veteran of many seasons. There is a style and model for you. Placed right in the middle of these models is the newest version of the all-time-best-selling model from Ten Point. The Titan M1 is completely redesigned and is now incredibly 9.5 inches narrower than the predecessor. Why is this important? Crossbow hunters know that one of the drawbacks of the weapon is its shape and maneuvering it in the woods and stands. The new narrow design makes the Titan M1 eliminates this issue all together. The more compact, easier to carry and maneuver design, is balanced in the hands which translates to better feel and accuracy when it matters most.

The Titan M1 crossbow is, in the opinion of many the perfect weapon to introduce new hunters to the lifestyle. Easy to use, accurate, and efficient. The Titan M1crossbow is ideal for young, small framed and even mature hunters who are new to the sport. The lack of recoil, absence of report, and accuracy make this the ideal introductory weapon for new hunters regardless of age.

Upon receiving my Titan M1, I couldn’t wait to get to the range and take some quick shots and see how it shot. To my surprise, the optics only needed minor tweaking to achieve precision shooting accuracy. Once dialed in, the shooting was so much fun and enjoyable to shoot.

Powered by the VX-5 inverted cams, The Titan M1 cams are designed to elongate the power stroke and increase rotation while achieving 30 feet per second more speed than the predecessor. Another advantage of the Titan M1 is that it comes with or without the ACUdraw cocking device, a must have in my opinion. The ACUdraw cocking device makes cocking the Titan M1 efficient and safe. The Titan M1 is the best value on the market today for crossbows.

For hunting the Titan M1 is capable of using a variety of broadheads designed for crossbows. Mechanical or fixed. Choose one that flies true from the start and you will not go wrong by taking the Titan M1 into the stand with you this or any season.

A complete package comes with

Optics: TenPoint’s 3x Pro-View 3 Scope mounted on a machined aluminum 7/8-inch Fixed Dovetail Mount
Cocking Device: ACUdraw or Rope-Sled
Quiver: 3-Arrow Instant Detach Quiver; Ambidextrous Side-Mount Quiver Bracket
Arrows: Three TenPoint Pro Elite carbon arrows with 100-grain practice points

Another Mass Shooting

2019-08-05T17:38:00.000-04:00

The TV was littered with more horrible news of another mentally ill person shooting innocent people as they shopped and enjoyed some time with their friends.

It is a sad situation, no matter how you look at it, or what side of the aisle you are on. When evil strikes, everyone looses.

It is in times like these that we seek to place blame. It is natural, I believe it is part of the human condition to try and explain the unexplained. To try and make sense of things we cannot make sense of. Some have said the blame is on the semi-auto rifle. Others are blaming the gun laws, the 2nd Amendment, some idiots are blaming the President as if he walked into that store and started firing the rifle.

The reality is that blame is a scapegoat. Blame is an excuse, when what we need are reasons.
I have told my children for years, there is a big difference between and excuse and a reason. We need to quit looking for an excuse for the killing of Americans, and look for the reasons.

I am not an expert by any definition, but I do have an opinion. First and foremost, we didn't get to this point in our history over night, and we will not fix it over night. We got here one generation at a time.

When a generation of Americans refused to stand on principle and straddled a fence on morals. It began. When common decency was replaced with chips on shoulders and when "leaders" used people for personal monetary gain it began.

As a person of faith, I believe that healing begins with God. A relationship with Jesus Christ will change the hearts of these calloused people and begin to soften the pain they feel.

We have become an "anything goes" society. And then we wonder why some things go awry. We promote behavior that is contrary to decency and values, and are shocked when someone actually behaves in a contrary manner. We cheer things that only a few years ago were decried as not only taboo, but mentally ill.

We support the murder of full term babies by doctors who carry out the wishes of mothers who don't want the responsibility of rearing a child. Here's an idea. If you don't want the responsibility of a baby, - close your legs!

Then we are appalled when someone walks into a store and shoots people. Do you see the irony?

There is no excuse for these things, but there are reasons. The reason we kill babies is because we embraced evil as "choice".

The reason people drive airplanes into buildings is because they are evil. The reason people walk into stores, churches or any other place and shoot others is because of evil.

These killings are not the fault of President Trump, Nancy Pilosi or even the fault of the guns. Just as it wasn't American Airlines fault when those planes were flown into the World Trade centers, it isn't the guns fault. It is the fault of evil.

Blame is an easy way to push responsibility onto others, rather than accepting it where it belongs. Blame belongs with me, and it belongs with you. All of us who have sat silently by and not done anything to change the atmosphere of our country. Every Christian who has not rallied with others to change the culture of sin and evil - we are to blame. We as Christians, and as Americans need to stop pointing fingers and fold our hands in prayer. We should accept the responsibility to stop evil, even if it is legal!

We need to unite together. Baptist, Wesleyan's, Methodists, and Lutherans. Catholics and Non-denominational people all need to unite in one voice and cry out to God to save our country.

Mass shootings are similar to airplane crashes. They stir the soul because of the randomness and sheer number of people impacted at once. Truth be told, Chicago and New York see more killings every day than occurred in El Paso. But those don't bother us.

638,000 babies are killed every year by doctors. That is 1,748 babies are killed EVERY DAY and there is no outcry.

It is all bad. It is all evil. It is all senseless.

Excuses do not have solutions only more excuses. Reasons have solutions.

The solution?

Often the simplest solution is the best. And in this case it is simple indeed. The best solution to the evil happening in our country? Is a relationship with your God. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ will heal our land and will soften the cold hearts of the self absorbed and the ill.

Let's pray that the leaders of our churches, and our government will commit themselves to a relationship with Jesus Christ and to behaving like Godly people and lead our nation to the throne of Grace.

Let's all commit to praying for God to heal our land and to touch the heart of every American.

Opening Day is Closing In

2019-08-02T12:26:00.003-04:00

Here in South Carolina, we are only 13 days away from opening day of deer season in some parts of the state. The traditional August 15th opening has a long history. Going back to the colonial period, August 15 has been the opening day of deer season in the coastal plain for centuries. No one really knows why this date was selected, but for the low country those traditions die hard.

Many of the areas where August 15 is the opening day also has a long tradition of running deer with dogs. The coastal plain of South Carolina is loaded with thick, impenetrable swamps these deer call home. And for much of the area, the dogs are used to push the deer from these thick confines and in front of waiting hunters.

Typically large blocks of timber are selected with standing hunters armed with shotguns and buckshot only are positioned to intercept deer trying to escape. The dogs are tuned loose on the opposite side of the block of timber and the deer attempt to escape the dogs who are chasing them.

Deer usually choose one of three methods to escape the dogs. They run very far ahead and try and escape often a half mile or more from the dogs. Others will stay right in front of the dogs and circle and circle and cross paths confusing the dogs scent trail and escape that manner and still others simply double back on the dogs and escape. Many of the biggest bucks are killed in this manner while they are doubling back on the dogs.

Having done this a few times, I must admit, it isn't my cup of tea. For me, it just sounds like a bunch of dogs barking in the woods. I don't understand the excitement others gain from this kind of hunting. But I fully support their right to do so, as long as its legal.

Other hunters on opening day will pour into ag fields in the afternoons and wait for bucks to emerge for evening feeding. Summer patterns for bucks are very predictable. They have had no pressure for six or seven months and they are easy to pattern. Setting up downwind along a soy bean field almost feels like cheating it is so easy. Scouting these bucks a few weeks in advance will confirm they enter the field at the same location at the same time every day. Positioning your stand within range makes for a quick and easy kill.

For hunters who do not have the benefit of food plots or ag. fields, resorting to intercepting bucks along travel corridors is best during the early season while they are still in bachelor groups.

For one thing, you cannot hunt the early season and ward off the hordes of mosquito's without a ThermaCell. This one appliance has changed hunting forever. It actually allows you to hunt the early season and not cover yourself up with deet. It completely eliminates the need for bug spray.

The biggest challenge in hunting bucks in August is dealing with the heat. With temperatures often in triple digits with high humidity. Staying comfortable in stand is a real challenge. Several years ago, I began taking a small battery fan with me to the deer stand. This small 8" fan uses two "D" batteries and will run for 40+ hours on a set of batteries. The gentle breeze this fan makes is a game changer. It allows me to tolerate the heat. I have not noticed any ill effects from the fan. I have had deer within feet of the fan and they do not seem alarmed at all.

Another tip, is to bring frozen bottles of water with you. Placing the frozen bottle on your neck will lower your overall body temperature and help keep you cool. It also give you good cold water to drink as it melts.

Lastly, I cannot emphasize enough is hunting the wind. If you go into your stand in early season with the wrong wind, you are educating your herd quickly.

Personally, I avoid this part of the season. It is just too hot for me. I will wait until mid September into October to go. When the temperatures begin to drop, I get excited and want to go every day! I just cannot enjoy it when it is so hot.

But for those who cannot wait. Get out there and get after them. Keep us posted on how it goes and get you some velvet bucks.

Best of luck.

South Carolina Bans Natural Urine and Attractants for Whitetail Deer

2019-07-24T09:26:00.000-04:00

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources announced that effective immediately, natural deer urine and attractants that use any natural bodily fluids from whitetail deer or other cervids is illegal for use in the state.

The Language is strong and the intent is to make an effort to prevent the introduction and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from entering into the deer herd.

The statement reads in part;

"It is illegal to possess or use, for the purpose of hunting or scouting any wild animal in S.C., any substance or material that contains or purports to contain any excretion collected from a cervid (deer) including urine, feces, blood, gland oil, or other bodily fluid. This does not prohibit the use of synthetic products or substances collected by a hunter from a deer legally harvested in S.C."

The alert goes on to state some of the reasoning for this, which is sound science. Let's face it, natural deer urine is collected from captive deer herds that are within fences. If any of these deer are infected with CWD, it is likely its urine or other bodily fluids will become mixed with the others, thus increasing the chance of spreading the disease.

CWD is a devastating disease that has attacked vigorously herds of elk and deer all across the nation. Some hot beds of the disease have been discovered in Wisconsin and Illinois among others. And while little is known about the disease, this is known; "CWD is a transmissible or contagious, always fatal, neurological disease."

Already there is an outcry from hunters within SC who have already purchased deer urine for the upcoming season. Some are crying for refunds, others are dismissing this action by the SCDNR as crying wolf. Most of those who are in such a camp are not concerned about the overall health of the deer herd in SC, rather they just want to kill deer when and how they want.

CWD is a disease that is confusing science in some ways, the spread is somewhat a mystery, other than the fact that it is highly contagious among deer. How is it transferred is believed to be through bodily fluids. Saliva, urine, feces, and sexual secretions. This knowledge has led to states with CWD to take some drastic measures to attempt to stop or prevent the spread of the disease.

Recently, Michigan, a state with a long history of legal b
aiting for deer, banned all baiting for deer within the state in an attempt to stop the disease. The thought is that bait congregates deer to specific areas, and the bait can become contaminated from one deer, and spread within the herd. Other states are considering this measure as well.

Will the SCDNR go that far in the coming years? It is a possibility for sure, this first step into preventing the spread of the disease through the legislation of urine and other bodily fluids that are natural is a step in the right direction. Let's face it, we killed deer long before it became popular to use deer urine and sexual attractants. We can again.

Personally, I seldom use any deer scents while deer hunting. Other than the fox pee on my boot while walking into my stand, I have never seen any benefit from the deer urine and other scents as an attractant. I know others have, and they will have to adapt.

I support and applaud the SCDNR for taking these measures to attempt to try and prevent this disease from ever reaching our borders. Let's hope all ethical hunters abide by these rules and support the stance of the SCDNR.

If you want to read the story in its entirety, follow the link here to the release.

The EVISCERATOR Broadhead A Total Game Changer

2019-06-11T15:35:00.000-04:00

The Eviscerator

An all new design of Broadhead for the Hunter

Are you tired of tracking your animals? Does following blood trails at night become a burden? Do your television fans complain because they cannot see the animal fall after the shot? Are you a terrible shot and need help killing animals you shoot? Look no further, the EVISCERATOR is here and will revolutionize how you hunt.

It wasn’t that long ago when broadhead brands were touting a 1” diameter cutting surface, then they began to grow to 1 ½”, 1 ¾” and now there are dozens that are over 2” of cutting surface. These larger cutting broadheads proudly announce large blood trails and fewer lost animals.

Well, today, we introduce a totally revolutionizing way of killing animals with a bow and arrow. No more are you going to have to kill the animal, follow a blood trail and recover your animal. No longer will it be necessary to field dress your buck. The all new advanced technology of the EVISCERATOR does it all for you!

The engineers at Disembowel Inc. have designed a mechanical broadhead that will change the way you hunt. The ENVISCERATOR flies like a true field point but on impact releases 7 deadly razor blades that slice through your game with precision and tenacity. Each of the seven surgical steel blades are made of stainless steel and each one measure 9 inches long! Giving you a total of 49” of cutting surface! Your buck will not only die almost instantly, but the EVISCERATOR will disembowel him before he hits the ground! No more field dressing, no more bloody hands and smelly knives. The 49” of the EVISCERATOR does it all for you.

To ensure the effectiveness of the broadheads, each of the broadheads in the three-pack are one-time use. The blades lock open permanently and cannot be retracted – even with a hammer! The magnesium, stainless steel and corrugated polymer cutting head begin the penetration before the seven blades are released. As the EVISCERATOR enters the animal, each blade is released in a precise order predetermined by the archer. using his smart phone. This precision release of the blades allows it to slice in the exact direction desired for the maximum disembowelment.

Larger game will want a counterclockwise release, while smaller and thinned skinned game may prefer a clockwise release of the seven blades. This precise release angles are one of the many ways that separates the EVISCERATOR from the competition.

Hunting with a bow and arrow will never be the same!

Get your three pack of EVISCERATOR broadheads from a dealer near you for an unbelievable low price of $799.99. And not only be the envy of hunting camp, but put fear in every animal in the woods.

Are Cell Game Cameras an Unfair Advantage?

2019-06-11T08:24:00.000-04:00

As game cameras have gained popularity over the last decade or so, technology has increased from the old archaic battery draining cameras to cameras with battery life that lasts over 12 months and produce 14+ megapixel. The quality of the pictures and video are of the highest quality.

A few years ago, game cameras advanced to wireless technology where the camera takes a picture, and instantly sends the picture to your mobile device or computer. As this technology has grown, and the cell plans have gone down in price, more and more people have adapted to this technology.

Recently, some states have studied these cameras and determined they offer an unfair advantage to hunters and have begun to make them illegal to use. One case in point is a water hole in Arizona where a wildlife officer documented over 30 cell cameras on one water hole on public land. As pictures were taken hunters were flocking to the water hole.

Other incidents are of individuals who are looking for a particular buck, and when the buck finally appears, they ditch their job and head to the woods. DNR officers, conservation officials and wildlife biologists all agree that the use of cell game cameras offer an unfair advantage to the hunters.

What is the compromise? Hunters spend millions of dollars annually on game cameras and lately cell cameras. Both wireless providers and camera companies are making millions off of these cameras. But the question remains, do these offer an unfair advantage to hunters.

Many hunters who travel out of state to hunt, spend thousands of dollars on these hunts and many of them, (that I know personally) are setting up cameras in the spring to monitor game hundreds or thousands of miles away. Does this offer an unfair advantage? Or is it a good use of their time, to monitor areas before driving several days to arrive at their hunting land?

Are these cell cameras offering public land hunters opportunities they otherwise would not have had? In reality, when the picture is taken, and the hunters arrive can be many hours or even days apart. Yet some states are still saying the hunters are using technology to avoid fair chase.

Frankly I am not sure where I fall on this. I see both sides very well. But as an absentee landowner, I value the wireless cell cameras for security and monitoring. If I saw a buck, it would still take me a day to get there. I use them mostly as a security camera to monitor my gates, cabin, and access areas. But I also use them to monitor game. I guess, like a lot of things it is up to you do determine where you fall on this topic. If it is legal in your area, and you want to use it? Use it. If you deem it is an unfair advantage then, by all means don't use them. But be certain before you spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on cell game cameras, that they are legal to use in your country, state or province.

Court Rules in Favor of Crow Nation

2019-05-21T09:41:00.001-04:00

The Supreme Court ruled, somewhat surprisingly to uphold an 1868 treaty that allows members of the Crow Indian reservation to hunt "unoccupied land" with no restrictions. The 4-3 ruling was split along party lines with one exception Gorsuch sided with the more liberal side of the court.

The Safari Club, Wyoming game and fish and other groups that regulate hunting and support hunting rights opposed the treaty and felt that the treaty should be ignored.

NOTE: The Treaty of Laramie with the Crow May 7, 1868 can be found here.

As I read this news, I was struck with two concerns. My first concern was for the Crow people and all other Native Americans who have been denied, abused, and restricted by our federal government ever since white men first landed on the continent. I have an admitted proclivity to stand with Native Americans and to defend their sanctity of culture and way of life that was stolen from them by our government.

For generations, the federal government entered into treaties with different tribes and nations with no intent of keeping these treaties. False promises, hopeful insinuations and out right lies were told to Native Nations in a guise to get their land. While promising excellent land and living conditions as long as they all would relocate to reservations. A government term for concentrations camps.

Here, a member of the Crow people exercised his right under the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and was arrested, persecuted, and find for doing what the federal government told him he was allowed to do under the treaty agreement. Once again, showing the government had no intention of allowing the Crow Nation to exercise its rights under the treaty.

If the state of Wyoming, feels the treaty is unjust, request the Bureau of Indian Affairs investigate and re-negotiate the treaty. Otherwise, follow its mandates and allow all of the benefits of the treaty to be upheld.

Does the Court upholding this treaty put wildlife in jeopardy? Probably not. Did the treaty in 1868 put the Crow nation in jeopardy? Most likely. It is safe to say the US Government would never enter into a treaty that was one sided in the favor of the government.

It just seems, that with all of the mistreatment the government has historically contributed to the Native Americans, it seems fit and proper that this decisions should go in their favor.

It Really is Possible

2019-04-24T09:31:00.002-04:00

Several years ago, I was like a lot of outdoorsmen I know and felt that some of the big adventures I had always dreamed of were out of reach.

Buck killed in Illinois 2018

Being a working class man with a modest job and even more modest writing career, I always felt that hunting big game and upland birds was something relegated for the rich and the well off.

That was until I made the decision years ago to "try" and go on at least one hunting trip or fishing trip every few years. My first real trip was to Pennsylvania to hunt whitetail deer. It was through the now defunct North American Hunting Club. They offered a unique to the time idea of "swap hunts". Where one hunter would offer hunting with him or her at their place in exchange for hunts at their your place. It was great concept and it led to many awesome adventures.

Three trips to Pennsylvania for archery whitetail. A trip to Alaska for moose, and a trip to Texas for desert mule deer. All of these trips established friendships that opened even more opportunities to travel and hunt on a slim budget.

As an example, the Alaska moose hunt was the biggest and most expensive. But, I was able to save vacation days, and save money and the entire unguided three week moose hunt cost me - $1,400. You read that correctly. A $680 plane ticket and $400 license and the rest was food and misc expenses.

A 10 day trip to Idaho for mule deer a few years later cost all total - $1,100. Granted this is unguided on public land. But it was affordable and memorable.

On both of the hunts mentioned above, I was able to take an animal. I took my moose on the 9th day and the mule deer on the 6th day.

A trip to Texas for desert mule deer resulted in memories and friends made and a great experience. Same is true for elk in Colorado, three trips, no elk. But I have made great friends and learned a lot about hunting the Rockies.

This year, I have planned a pheasant hunt in South Dakota, a fly-in-fishing trip to Canada with Kashabowie Outposts, and if I get drawn for my Antelope tag- an antelope hunt in Wyoming.

I have come to learn that the biggest obstacle to taking big game or upland hunts is intimidation of the process. And it can be intimidating. But it doesn't have to be expensive or impossible. Here are some tips to making the trip of a lifetime come true.

1. Start with your budget. Set a budget and do not go over it. Surprisingly, in most cases your biggest expense is the hunting license and tag. Learn what those costs and then build your budget accordingly.
2. Select an animal and location. This is especially true if the tags are lottery or over the counter. If you have to apply for a lottery tag, the process is daunting and can be difficult to manuver. We will do a full blog post on that shortly. I would recommend starting in places where over the counter tags are available.
3. Build a team of friends to share it with. It is amazing how sharing the expenses can help offset the burden of paying for a trip. Five of us driving to Colorado (30 hours in the truck!) is a lot less expensive than going alone and it adds to the experience. The fuel bill is split 5 ways, the food bill is split, and the work is shared.
4. Decide if you want to camp or stay in a hotel. This can really add to the expense, but also make it easier or more doable for some folks. I prefer to camp, it gets me closer to the hunting and the overall experience is enhanced by sleeping on a cot in the high country.
5. Plan for success. I have seen several hunters who take the trip and never expect to kill anything and then are overwhelmed when it happens and they don't know what to do to get the animal home. Plan for success. There are several options for success if driving. People haul freezers and generators to keep game fresh. You can have it processed and frozen for the return trip.
If flying, I have mailed my clothes home and checked the cooler with meat as luggage. I have also, done both. Mailed my clothes home and shipped meat home. But being prepared can save you a lot of money and headache.

The 7 day elk hunt in Colorado cost me $1,000. That was $618 for the tag and license and the rest in fuel and food.

It takes a lot of planning for sure, but many of these trips are very affordable and achievable if you plan it. Don't let your dream hunt or fishing trip pass you by because you feel you cannot afford it. Often it more possible than you realize.

Lastly, many years ago an elderly gentleman and I were discussing this topic and he instilled in me the premise - "don't let the fact that no one wants to go with you, stop you from going."
Granted it is cheaper and often more enjoyable if you have someone to share it with. But even when I cannot get someone to go with me, I do not let that stop me. Some of my best trips have been alone. And meeting the people along the way was the highlight of the experience.

Dreams Do Come True

2019-04-15T09:46:00.000-04:00

As a young lad growing up in rural South Carolina, my adventures were, how do you say, small. Wandering through the cow pasture to the creek was about the extent of it. But when I got out of sight of our house, I "felt" like I was in the wilderness. My imagination could only take me so far.

Then on day, I grabbed an outdoor magazine from the local country store. I am not sure the title, but I remember reading story after story of men climbing mountains for sheep. Wading streams for steelhead, and flying into remote lakes to catch limitless fish on every cast.

I still have not climbed a mountain for sheep, and at my age, I am not sure I ever will. But I have waded for steelhead in the Lewis river in Washington. And I have flown into remote lakes in Ontario to fish for giant northern pike and trophy walleye.

I remember reading, of paddling boats through glacial lakes as crystal clear as the air itself. Watching as pike the size of your leg tearing towards your large top water lure and nearly ripping the rod from your hands. Of casting curly tail jigs and walleye pushing 30 inches being the norm on almost every cast.

When the day arrived for me to finally travel to northern Ontario to fulfill this dream, the excitement had been building for months. All I had dreamed about and imagined was finally coming to fruition. And the best part is it wasn't nearly as impossible as I had thought.

Like so many other sportsmen and women, we dream of hunts and fishing trips and just assume they are out of our reach. When in fact they are not. With careful planning, some research, most of the hunts and fishing trips we dream of are within reach of all working class people and above. It just takes some planning.

For my dream fly-in-fishing adventure, I chose Kashabowie Outposts from Atikokan, Ontario. Their sea hanger is a mere 2 hours from International Falls, MN a short 1,000 mile drive for me. My first trip to Kashabowie was with some friends we strung together at last minute. But by sharing the expenses, it was very affordable. They tailor trips to your desires and budget. With 10 cabins to choose from, there are several available for most of your group sizes.

When we boarded the Havalon Beaver float plane the reality was setting in. We would be off into the boreal forest of the great north and left there for four days in total isolation. As the plane took off (at a mere 50 mph) we flew for forty minutes into the wilderness. Nothing but lakes and forest below us the entire time. It was surreal. The Pilot did a fly by of our cabin so we could get a look at the lake from above and then turning south, he pointed the nose of the plane into the breeze and with the gentleness of a mother hen and her chicks, he set the plane on the calm water as smooth as a new jar of peanut butter.

Idling to the floating dock, we moored the plane and unloaded our gear. A short instruction on how to use the 2 way radio and he was off.

Standing there on the dock watching as the plane taxied down the lake was a feeling like I've not experienced. As the engine roared and he began his stretch down the lake to take off, I marveled at the ability of the pilot to maneuver this ancient plane into the air. Barely clearing the water, he tipped his wing at me as he went by and soared over the trees. I stood watching and listening until the stillness and silence overcame the surroundings.

For the next four days, we would not see another soul. The amenities at Grew Lake are superior, especially for a cabin so far from anything. 14' Lowe semi-V boats. Each with a 9.9-hp four-stroke Yamaha engine and all the gas we need. There was one boat for every two people. Since this cabin slept 8, there were four boats and engines available for us to use along with a canoe.

Over the next four days we fished about 8 hours a day and caught over 50 fish per person per day. We explored the lake. 6 miles long and about a half mile wide at its widest point. Beaver were everywhere. Loons, bald eagles, gulls, all were abundant.

During the evenings, after a meal of walleye and some extras, we sat around a campfire and listened as the loons cried. There is something unique and special about the cry of the loon in the boreal forest of the north. The echo of her cry carries for what seems like miles. Her cry causes the mind to wander, to be perplexed by the nothingness. All stress is released, all worries of life are faded, if for only a few days as the soul is refreshed.

This summer, I am taking my two sons to Kashabowie Outposts for a father-son week of serenity and fishing. This time at Piche Lake. My eldest son is getting married in September, and my youngest is heading off to college in August. So for four days, it will be just us. Driving for over 1,000 miles to spend some time in the wilderness.

My dream was to fly into adventure and fish pristine waters. Now, it is to pause and capture, if only briefly a few days with my sons before life gets in the way. I know the folks at Kashabowie Outposts will do all they can to make this a trip they will remember forever. I am hopeful, in years to come we will tell stories of this trip, and hopefully, one day find a way to repeat it.

Until then, remember that dreams can come true. In fact, I have come to believe that our dreams are God's way of showing us our true potential. Dream big, chase them and they can come true.

The Battle for Our Guns

2019-03-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

As an outdoor journalist I receive a lot of information from the outdoor community. Some of it is just junk mail, others are alarming and convicting. Over the past few months, it seems there is an influx of information pouring in regarding the legislators push to tighten gun ownership laws.

If you watch the news at all, you have probably heard of some of these proposals. Many of which are advertised on the news and in press conferences by left wing leaders who grandstand to the anti-gun owners of this country. While these are alarming, very alarming. What concerns me (along with many other journalists and gun CEO's) is the apathy from the gun owners.

In many conversations around campfires and tailgates I have heard comments like; "its in the Constitution, they can't take our guns". Or, "let's see them try and take my guns, they will have a fight on their hands." When in all actuality, the majority of gun owners are law abiding citizens, and if the law changes, they will surrender their guns BECAUSE they are law abiding citizens. And if the law says we cannot own guns, they will turn theirs in. Secondly, if it came to an actual fight where people are dying because of gun ownership, I question how many people will actually start killing one another over this topic. I pray it never comes to this.

In America today, recreational shooters comprise roughly twice as many gun owners as hunters. You read that correctly. Most of the gun owners do not hunt, but shoot recreationaly or have them for personal protection. All of the hunters who profess to be able to withstand an all out attack on confiscation of guns are out numbered by people in their own ranks.

Today the hot topic is modern sporting rifles, also known as AR style platform rifles. Semi-auto rifles in various calibers that are designed for high capacity and fast shooting. If you have ever shot one, they are fun! But mostly, they are accurate and dependable. One of the best selling features of the AR rifles is their simplicity, accuracy and dependability. While they are the hot topic today, tomorrow it is your grandfathers Browning A5 semi-auto 12 gauge. One of the ploys the politicians are doing is lumping all similar style or action guns into large categories.

A ban on semi-auto guns, that is being presented as assault guns, covers ALL semi-auto guns. Shotguns, pistols, hunting rifles and the AR style of guns. This type of law would virtually make illegal every personal carry gun, every pistol, most shotguns and many rifles in America.

Similar in action are the new magazine capacity bans. While it is targeted towards high capacity (over 5 rounds) used primarily in AR style rifles. Included in these bans are virtually all pistol magazines! Even the small .380 pocket pistols hold 9 rounds of ammunition in many cases. This new magazine capacity ban would make every pistol with a magazine capacity over 5 rounds illegal.

The angles the anti-gun groups are using are impressive. Magazine capacities, action styles, and even purchasing methods. In a recent resolution (HR 8) the congress is trying to pass what is known as universal background checks. What is pronounced as simply making it tougher for criminals to get guns, it is really an attempt to halt all gun transfers between individuals.

On the surface this sounds fine. But let's break this down into practical implications. With the universal background checks, I cannot legally buy a gun for my son and give it to him without a background check. My fathers gun that was willed to me would be illegal because I did not get a background check to receive it. The friend from out of state who is visiting and wants to go shoot some squirrels with me cannot borrow the gun for the day, without a background check!

What can you do? With the all out assault on gun ownership it is time for gun owners to speak up. Quit talking around the tailgate and start calling your congressmen and women. Let them know you oppose this bill and all others like them. Join forces with groups like the NRA, SCI and others who are fighting to protect gun ownership and hunting opportunities. Participate in gun training and let it be known that the 2nd amendment is not negotiable and we will not allow our rights as American citizens "...The Right of the People to keep and bear arms SHALL not be infringed."

What Happened to Outdoor Literature?

2019-02-27T09:54:00.000-05:00

As a teen growing up in the Piedmont region of South Carolina, I often found myself wandering over hill and dale in search of adventure. My father did not care for the outdoors unless it involved chasing a white ball around manicured lawns. That meant, that for me, adventure was a solitary activity.

When I was twelve we moved to rural Saluda County, SC. It was really my first time living in the "real country". We were twelve miles from a town of only a few thousand and the closest neighbor with anyone remotely my age was several miles away. It was during this time, I learned to enjoy my own company, and the company of nature.

The middle 1970's was by no means "the good old days" of hunting. Animal populations in our area were dismal. In fact, I distinctly remember discovering my first deer track and having to go to my Outdoor Life Book Club field guide to see what it was.

Which leads me to a point of this story I want to convey as clearly as possible.

As a teenager growing up with a passion for the outdoors and nature, I had no mentor. No one who took me under their wing. My father didn't care for it at all, both grandfathers were deceased and the neighbors were busy farming and rearing their own children. It was then, that I discovered outdoor literature. Specifically outdoor magazines. Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, South Carolina Wildlife and Game and Fish publications were my only source of instruction into the unknown. Reading the stories of adventure from Jack O'Connor, and the simple essays of Gene Hill lit a fire in me to discover. To wander into the unknown and find adventure. It may simply be wandering to the creek for the first time and imagining Native Americans and fur trappers here a century ago.

But they got me out there and looking, it got me out there living. One of the keys was the Outdoor Life Book Club. This book club was a launching pad for me and others into the world of the outdoors. In those days, the advertisement was, "For one dollar, you get these ten books as long as you purchase two books at full price within two years." What a deal! Even in those days. As a 13 year old, I mailed in my one dollar bill (yes I sent cash through the mail) and shortly I received my ten outdoor life books (these tattered books still grace my book shelves today). These books on Small Game Hunting, Big Game Hunting, Tracking and Finding Game, Field Care for your Trophy, The Outdoor Eye, How to Call Wildlife, Deer Hunting, and a few others were the map I needed to get outdoors. And to top it off, I purchased two books that became classics. Jack O'Connor's Shotgun book and Tom McNalley Fly Fishing book. What a deal!

In addition to these books were the simple instructional stories from Pat Robertson, Jim Casada and Terry Madewell who taught me how to read the woods. What a scrape was, how rub lines mark a bucks territory. They taught me how a turkey responds to clucks and yelps. It was these men, with pen in hand who brought the outdoors to me and sparked a fire that is burning still today, some forty five years later.

It saddens me, as an outdoor writer that this type of writing is gone. It saddens me that periodicals are only concerned about reviewing this gun, or that blind. That magazines cut out the adventure story in favor of how-to stories. There is room for both, and there is a need for both.

As someone who was brought into the hunting lifestyle through the writings of Hill and O'Connor, I say with a loud voice, we need more of these writers in today's periodicals. We need more stories of climbing mountains, descending into jungles, and traversing glaciers. We need for hunters to live vicariously through these writings. And, we need the writers to be hunters. Men and women who actually go out and participate in the activities they write about.

Outdoor writing is hard work. For those men and women who know how to do what they write about they can testify, it is difficult work. Yet, sadly, I have shared camps with outdoor writers who couldn't tell the difference between a whitetail and a mule deer. Some who were not sure what a bob white was, and others who couldn't tell you what the difference was between a rimfire and a centerfire rifle.

They may have excellent grammar and outstanding sentence structure. But, in my opinion, if you are not capable of doing this activity without a guide, you shouldn't write about it!

I realize this puts me in a predicament. I have written stories about activities I have not participated in myself (but I could and would if I had the chance). I have interviewed those who have, and gotten their stories and written the article based on their experience. But in doing this, it is always their experience and not mine. That is journalism, not outdoor literature.

Good outdoor literature is fading fast. It is fading, not because we do not have some excellent scribes. On the contrary, it is fading because we do not have outlets for them to publish. Grey's Sporting Journal, Sporting Classics, and a few others carry the burden for the rest.

But these publications are geared towards the experienced and affluent sportsman. Oh, to have a collection of magazines that would offer an invitation into the outdoors. To have a publication that celebrated the deer camp, or campfire. One that taught young boys and girls what it felt like to bag your first squirrel, crow, or cottontail. How glorious it would be if there could be a publication(s) that centered on stories designed to bring new hunters into the fold. Adventure, instruction and enlightening essays. Stories that focused as much on why we hunt as how we hunt. Stories that would tug at the repressed passion in people and drag them outdoors to seek and to discover.

These publications are there already, they exist, they just need the courage and fortitude to look into the future of hunting and outdoor lifestyles and rekindle the dwindling spark. Perhaps, a nudge from the readership and writers? Alas, as more of these publications have fallen to conglomerate publicly traded companies, the desire for increasing profits supplants the need for quality literature.

Until then, I will do what I can to enlighten, broaden and encourage more participation into the outdoors that I love so passionately.

Archery Trade Association Best Finds

2019-01-24T10:19:00.002-05:00

Two weeks ago I attended the best trade show of the year. The Archery Trade Association trade show, also known as the ATA, or the Bow-Show. This show is closed to the public and is open only to buyers and the media. At the ATA, manufacturers bring out their new offerings for the year and display them for people to order for their stores and for media to write about.

Each year, there are new bows, new arrows and new accessories. Few times does something really stand out as "I really need to try that." But I can usually come up with four or five items that stand out. But before I get into that I would like to say something that has been resonating for some time and was the talk of the show again this year and that is the pricing on new bows. Bow manufacturers seem to be pushing the price of new bows further and further above the $1,000 mark. And it seems the technology is not keeping pace. All of the major manufacturers have bows that sell for well over $1,000 and for the life of me, I cannot see the difference between their 'high end bow' and their 'mid-range bow'. At least not five hundred dollars difference. Whether it is Mathews, Hoyt, Bear, Bowtech, PSE, Prime, etc. they are all in the same boat. Hunters are carrying models longer and longer before buying a new bow because the price is so high. I hope these manufacturers begin to see the trend and lower prices to a more reasonable level soon.

Now that the rant is over - here are some items (not in any order) I did see that are worth the money you spend on your bow hunting for 2019.

Releases:

Trufire Synapse - marketed more for tournament archers, I have long been a proponent of using the best equipment for hunting. And few things are as important as your release aid. A few years ago I made the switch to a thumb release from the traditional finger release and have not looked back. I LOVE the thumb release for comfort, accuracy and adjustability. The Trufire Synapse is a thumb release with a lot of adjustments for comfort and shooting styles. It comes standard as a three finger but a fourth finger attachment is standard with the release. Two tension screws are independent and adjust the thumb trigger travel distance, and the tension on the trigger. The trigger is adjustable from 1 ounce to 20 ounces of pressure. (I don't know why anyone would want only one ounce of pressure, but it is there if you are that guy). The thumb lever can rotate to your hand. It is available in five colors. I cannot wait to get my hands on one!

Arrows:

In the world of arrows, can anyone compete with Easton and their brands of arrows? For 2019, Easton launched the T64. The first truly tapered arrow in a carbon/aluminum arrow. The tip begins its life as a 6mm arrow, and the gentle taper covers the length of the arrow to finish as a 4mm arrow at the nock. This design, borrowed from outside target archers, enables better fit for most broadheads, better weight forward balance and deeper penetration on impact with less resistance on the trailing end.

Blinds/Stands:

Summit has long been the leader in tree stands for climbers and others. But 2019 marks their entry into the ground blind market with four blinds to fit all needs. The four blinds cover all price points and needs. With two, three and even four person blinds available on an array of camouflage patterns. The Cobra, Viper, Goliath and Viper blinds will fit every need and they are built with the same excellent design and durability Summit is known for.

Crossbow:

Technology has made its greatest advancements in the crossbow market. With both Ravin and TenPoint leading the way. At this years show, the TenPoint Nitro XRT with its reverse limb design demonstrated arrow speeds pushing 470 fps!. That is blistering fast. Along with this bow, their forward limb Turbo M1 at 370 fps, is a great bow at a lower price point and fits the need for traditional crossbow fans. All of these are excellent choices.

Yeti:

After visiting the Yeti booth, I was introduced to some products that are not new to 2019, but were new to me, and so I figured if I didn't know about them, maybe you didn't either. Their Panga line of bags and packs. These duffel bags come in three sizes and there is a complimentary back pack as well. As someone who travels a lot, duffel bags are essential to my needs. The Panga bags are 100% water proof! an EVA molded bottom, laminated nylon sides and the patented Hydrolok zipper keeps everything completely protected from anything nature throws at it. The duffel bags are available in a 50, 75 and 100 size and the backpack 28 comes with the same materials as the bags with the comfort of a backpack. Nothing better to throw in the boat for a day chasing Northern Pike than the Panga backpack.

There are other great products available for 2019, and it is exciting to see where the industry is going. Innovation is happening at blistering speed. I hope this brief list will help you find something new for you this season. I will be posting more product evaluations soon.

NEW PODCAST AIRS TODAY

2019-01-07T10:03:00.000-05:00

BIG NEWS - - BIG NEWS -- BIG NEWS -- BIG NEWS

Beginning TODAY January 7, 2019 Ralph and Vicki Cianciarulo of Archer's Choice Media and Pete Rogers of Pete Rogers Outdoors is teaming up to produce on of the best PODCASTS in the industry.

Long time television hosts, Ralph and Vicki Cianciarulo and I have merged our experience and talents to launch what we believe will be the best PODCAST in the industry. Discussing topics near and dear to the hunting industry and outdoor lifestyle.

Each Podcast will air on iTunes, Spotify, and Google play as well as, Waypoint TV and YouTube @ralphandvicki.

Please tune in and Subscribe to Ralph and Vicki's OffGrid Podcast.

Passing it On

2018-11-18T14:15:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, my oldest son and I had the chance to spend a weekend together hunting. It was a great weekend, and one that I will cherish. At 22, he is fast becoming his own man and getting ready to venture into the real world making our schedules difficult to align.

During this weekend adventure, conversations roamed. It was this weekend he shared with me his intent to propose to his longtime girlfriend, one whom we all adore! I was elated at the opportunity to gain another daughter! As we talked about the responsibility of becoming a husband, one thing emerged and that was the importance of insurance and a will. I am always shocked to see how people neglect to take a half hour out of their life to write a simple will.

Unfortunately one of the things I have done as a pastor is sitting with families who are struggling through death and are faced with the legal nightmare of handling the estate of an individual who did not have a will in place before they died. All it takes is a few minutes to write it down and sign it.

As Alex and I discussed this, I brought up some of the provisions in my will. I also asked him if there was anything of mine he especially wanted when I died. Without hesitation he said he would love to inherit my Remington 700 .30-06. I must admit I was surprised at this request. Of all the guns I have, why this one? He said, "that is the gun I remember us hunting together with."

That particular rifle is my second 'deer rifle', and my most favorite. I have taken hundreds of animals with that rifle. It is dependable, scratched and well worn. For over thirty years, I lugged that rifle into the field, over mountains and have brought to the table. Only missing a handful of times, (all my fault) and never wounding any. I have lost count on the number of optics that have sat on top of that rifle. From the very cheap to (by my standards) expensive scopes have all brought game to their demise. As I told Alex, "when I pull the trigger on this gun, something dies. Every time"

His request resonated with me for a long time. I pondered the request and my mind raced with reasons, and memories of us hunting together and me using that gun. My first 10 point buck, he was 10 years old and sitting with me. Bobcats, coyotes, mule deer, countless whitetails and pigs have all fallen at the report of that Remington 700.

Two weeks later, Alex and his friend came over for me to help them dial in their guns for hunting. At the range I took the old Remington 700. "Why are you taking that to the range?" Alex asked, "I jsut want to verify that it is still dialed in." I said.

We shot the Remington 700 first, and sure enough, a dead on 200 yard zero. I let Alex shoot it for the first time. He held it and looked it over. "Is this really the gun, you have hunted with my whole life?" he asked. "Yes it is." I said.

Watching Alex look at the rifle, I looked at him and said, "there is no need in you waiting until I die for you to enjoy that rifle."
Alex looked at me - shock on his face. "Daddy!"
"I just don't think there is any reason for you to wait until I die, I would like to see you enjoy it now."
"Are you giving me this gun?" Alex asked.
"Yes, son. If you still want it, it is yours."
The rest of the conversation is a blur. But I knew it was time to pass it on. I have other guns to use. He now has one. Admittedly, when I see the void in the cabinet, I am somewhat sad, but I am comforted in knowing that he has it, and with it, he has a part of me. Each time he ventures afield with his Remington 700, he will know I am with him.

I am glad I didn't wait. I am glad I got to give it to him, instead of leaving it to him.

Have You Ever Wondered?

2018-10-24T08:48:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered? Have you ever sat, breeze against your cheek as dawn breaks through the horizon, and wondered? Have you found yourself holding your breath, mesmerized at the light that transforms fear-ridden darkness into familiar comforting surroundings? Yellowish rays slicing through barren trees, grey mist rising from some hidden water source, and the scurrying of some unseen animal ushering in a new day. Have you ever wondered what those rays bring with them? Do they bring heartache or joy? Do they bring sorrow or happiness? What does the mist carry with it as it wafts into the morning air?

If you are like me, you find yourself wondering. You wonder about those whose cup is always empty, and those whose cup seems too overflow. You wonder about those whose dreams are only a nightly occurrence and whose imagination is their only hope of discovery. You wonder about those who cannot find the joy in anything and those who seem to find joy in everything. You sit motionless as your breath finds its way into the morning air, and wonder. If you are like me, you sit and wonder as the squirrel buries another acorn and ask yourself, “Will he remember where it is when his stomach growls?” And as the sun climbs higher in the morning sky, you find your mind trying to absorb the majesty as you wonder about…it all.

As a sportsman, I often find myself in places many others dream about. Places where the wilds engulf the soul. I find myself wading forgotten creeks in unnamed valleys, and I wonder about those who have gone before me. I wonder about the Indian or trapper who forged this creek. I have found myself standing and staring at glaciers fifty miles from another living soul and wondered about their progress. As the world elsewhere whirls around, this river of ice trudges along an inch at a time, year after year, century after century. What has it seen? Where has it been? Was it here when . . . ?

I have stood, watching and listening, as a creek gurgles along sculpting land and stone, mesmerized by the tranquility and power of the shallow flow. And I have observed raging torrents that move boulders and carve canyons. And I have seen the northern lights as they dance across arctic skies. But I find that I do not have to travel to distant places or foreign lands to see and wonder. No, there is plenty of wonder right here where we spend most days. The loyalty of a dog. The softness of a down pillow, or the “crack” of an egg, all bring wonder to those who watch and listen. The wonder of creation is all around us. Fledglings leaving a nest for the first time, the crowing of a rooster, or lowing of cows. Orange and pink sunsets, cloudless days, full moon glowing in the night sky. For those who are willing to pause, and gently listen and look, the wonder is all around us. And for those who do so, we are able to enjoy the radiance of it all.

Of the many things I have seen, I marvel most at old abandoned homes that are being consumed by time. Homes that were everything to someone so long ago, and now mean nothing to all who stumble by. I have sat on the porches of shacks nestled in the

hills of Appalachia and cabins along the tree line of the Rockies. I have sat on logs hewn by hands hundreds of years before and wondered. I wondered about those he loved enough to spend weeks making this home. And I wonder about those he buried in unmarked graves. I wondered about his life, his struggles and his dreams. Did his children scamper along these ridges? Was this fireplace where they hung their stockings?

Have you ever wondered? Have you ever sat with friends around a fire and wondered? Have you stared wide eyed into the flames, and wondered about the meaning of it all? Have you gazed at the star-filled sky and wondered how many stars there are? Where are they from, where are they going? Have you wondered as you gaze into the heavens, who else is looking at these heavenly lights?

I have, and I bet you have too. I bet you have sat and watched as flames consumed

the wood to bring warmth and wondered about the tree. You have stared at the stars and wondered, did Columbus see these same stars as he sailed into the unknown? Did those whose name I carry sit long ago and stare wondering about me, and what I would become?

Through all of this I find delight in the wondering. The pondering of this and that brings a smile to my face as I imagine. Wonder is a wonderful thing. It invites imagination, complexity and simplicity. It brings with it an awe that the ordinary is magnificent. It brings with it the certainty that what is, will always be. That there is order in the chaos. It brings with it the confidence that what is now will be again, and what has been is now. The ordinary is marvelous. The ordinary is breathtaking.

When the rays of the sun change and the shadows shorten as the warmth of the day begins to overcome the cool night, I am reminded that just like centuries before, the sun will rise again. A new day will emerge among all of the heartache and joy. I am reminded that this new day brings with it the hope that today is new; it is a fresh start, and with it are all the possibilities we could ever imagine. I am reminded that each blink is revealing and each breath refreshing. I am reminded as I wonder that today is full of anticipation; today is full of promises. I am reminded that today is exactly what I make of it. So I will wonder; I will marvel at all there is and continue to be captivated by the ordinary.

Hunting Ethics

2018-09-28T09:17:00.002-04:00

I have to admit, I have been struggling with this story for some time. It has been spinning in my head, and wanting to come out, but exactly how it will come out is quite a different story.

In spinning it around, I really do not want the story to come across as flippant, arrogant, or 'preachy' but rather as a simple reminder to us all, that what we say and do as hunters affects not only our perception to the public, but also to other hunters.

Ethics defined is; "moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity." This is a reminder to us all to conduct ourselves in a manner that is above reproach.

As someone who cares deeply about the present state of hunting and the future of hunting, I am adamant about protecting the privilege of hunting for myself and my children. To this end, the amount of unethical comments, statements and practices being done while hunting in recent years are alarming.

I am now in my middle fifties, and I can remember a time when hunters were revered. Hunters were seen as sportsmen and women who cared deeply about all wildlife. We never over shot a field, or covey. We always protected the resource. Whether by planting food for them during difficult times of the year, building watering holes, or simply not hunting a specific area because of a poor hatch that year. We supported other hunters and encouraged them to carry themselves in a particular manner.

What I am seeing today is a degradation of values. I see infighting among fellow hunters, bow hunters condemning fellow hunters who choose to use a crossbow. Rifle hunters calling out someone because of their caliber choice or worse, brand of rifle. I see on a daily basis comments on social media encouraging hunters to break game laws, and those who brag about doing so. I see comments from some whose sole purpose is to tear someone down because they shot this animal, or hunted a particular way.

Hunting ethics is a compass by which we all should be measured. It is not negotiable, it is not something that is good for one and not for another. It is a standard by which all hunters and hunting in general should be measured. As my daughter says, "you know what is right, just do that." It really is not that difficult. Let common sense, morals, and a reverence for game laws and the animal dictate the decisions you make.

A lot has been written in recent years about the decline in hunter recruitment. As more and more hunters demonstrate a disregard for wildlife, game laws, and ethics that govern our conduct, it is no wonder people do not want to take part. I know many people who are not opposed to hunting, but do not want to be linked with some of the people who call themselves hunters.

Do all you can to promote ethical behavior among yourself and others. Remember, just because something is legal, or effective does not make it ethical.

So, as a reminder, here is a list of five things not to do;

1. Do not practice or promote unsafe methods.
2. Do not promote taking questionable shots at animals. i.e. Texas heart shot, head shots with archery gear, gut shots, shooting at distances you are not proficient at shooting.
3. Do not break game laws or promote the breaking of game laws.
4. Do not condemn other hunters because their methods are not your methods (as long as they are legal)
5. Do not over harvest your resource. (Just because the limit is 12 does not mean you have to kill 12 every time you go out)

Now here is a list of things you should do

1. Always put safety first! Handle your gun in a proper manner, wear safety harnesses when ascending and descending trees, wear blaze orange when required, etc.
2. Promote hunting in an ethical and positive manner.
3. Congratulate fellow hunters and encourage them.
4. Hunt within the laws and boundaries
5. Take someone with you.

Whether you hunt for the trophy, the experience, or for the thrill of the chase. Or maybe you hunt for the meat it provides. Whichever it is, do it with passion, and above all else, do it safely and with a moral compass leading your decisions.

Do you Field Dress your Kill?

2018-08-13T10:12:00.000-04:00

A debate has recently emerged - again, from a hunting forum I follow concerning those who field dress their deer, vs those who prefer to pay someone else to do it for them. It is a debate that has raged for at least the past forty years I have hunted whitetail deer in South Carolina, and it continues to this day.

In certain parts of the country, it is common, and even expected to field dress your kill immediately, or as soon as possible. Hunters from the midwest, can be found slicing open the middle of their deer and removing the entrails before loading it into a truck, UTV or other mode of transport from the field. Hunters in the west, due to the remoteness of the hunts, tend to not only field dress, but also skin and butcher the entire animal for removal. Usually having to pack out the animal on their back, or the back of livestock.

In the southern states, it seems to be an anomaly to field dress your kill. The practice is even fraught with old wives tales about the practice. Case in point, about fifteen years ago, I was hunting some new ground with a buddy of mine. I was fortunate enough to kill a decent eight point buck. Upon recovery of the buck, I field dressed it and got it ready for removal. While I was walking to get my truck, my buddy showed up and offered his assistance. - What follows is as close to reality as I can remember it is not embellished at all. When he saw my buck with the entrails removed, he went ballistic - I mean ballistic -flailing his arms, screaming and cussing like I had never seen before. "What in the he%$ did you do?" He screamed. Me, looking puzzled at the question said, "I gutted the deer." "Why in gods green earth did you do that?" he said. "Uh to remove the guts." I answered.
"You have ruined this spot for the next two years, and probably killed every turkey on the place."
"What in the world are you talking about?" I asked
"No deer will come near this place for at least two years." He said. "And if any turkey finds that gut pile, they will get 'limp neck'" and die.
"What?" I asked. "What is limp neck?"
"If a turkey finds that gut pile, and eats any maggots that are in that, the maggots will get in his craw, and paralyze his neck and he wont be able to hold his neck up."
Trying not to laugh at his obvious conviction in this. I knew I would not get anywhere with this logic. So I offered to get a garbage bag and remove the guts before he had a stroke. Which I did. He hasn't spoken to me since.

Contrary to his belief, since that occasion I have field dressed dozens and dozens of deer, and never found a single turkey walking around unable to hold his head up. Not only this, but I have killed a deer in the morning, field dressed the deer, and killed again from the same stand that afternoon. Field dressing has zero effect on the deer in the area. For those of you who believe it does, here is my question. When a deer dies to a predator, or of natural causes, his carcass decomposes and feeds the animals. Does this cause deer to evade that location for two years? Does every turkey in the area get 'limp neck' if they happen upon a naturally dead deer?

Another example involves a buddy of mine who went to Colorado on an elk hunt. While there he killed a bull. He immediately called me and said, "Pete, I killed a bull elk! -how do I clean it?"
While he was there, I talked him through cleaning his bull elk from here in South Carolina. Had he field dressed his deer here, he would have learned how to properly field dress his elk. The process is the same regardless of the animal. Field dressing whitetail deer is the same as field dressing a moose. I have done both, one is much bigger and takes longer, but the process is the same.

Field dressing, skinning and general care of your animal is the responsibility of the hunter. Some hunters prefer to do it themselves, others opt to pay someone else to do their work for them. It comes down to a personal preference and misguided beliefs.

In the forty three years I have hunted, I have cleaned 100% of the animals I have killed. I believe it is part of the experience. Hunting, cleaning and processing my game is my responsibility. Granted, until recently I paid a processor to cut up my deer because I didn't know how and didn't have the equipment, but I always gutted and skinned my game. Now I do it all myself. I believe everyone should.

There are those who will disagree, I have seen those comments and have had those conversations. The fellow who lives in a subdivision says, "I don't have a place to clean my deer." Most subdivision homes have garages, use your garage. The guy living in an apartment says, "I don't have anywhere to clean my deer." The woods have trees, a little bit of pre-planning and you can hang your deer from a limb in the woods and clean it. I have done that dozens of times. Gut it where it lays, and skin it from a limb. There are also winches and gambrels made to fit inside the receiver hitch on your truck to make cleaning easier.

In reality, it comes down to a simple - "I just don't want to do it." as some say, "why go through the hassle when I can pay the processor to do it for $20 more dollars?" My answer is - because it is your responsibility as a hunter to care for your animal after you have killed it.

I strongly believe it is your responsibility to care for your animal. You took the animals life, for food, sport, or whatever reason you chose. To drop it off for someone else to gut and clean, seems to me, to remove yourself from the fact that you killed it. When you gut and skin your kill, you gain a better understanding of the process of hunting and feeding your family. Moreover, you now control what your family will eat.

Regardless of what any game processor tells you, you never get your deer back. When these places make deer burger, they throw deer into the hopper and grind away, you are getting yours, Bill's and Susan's deer all mixed together. For me, I want to know that I am getting my deer. So I control every aspect of it.

When I kill the deer, I field dress it - usually- take it to my home or cabin and hang it to skin and butcher. Then I let it hang and age for 7-10 days depending on the weather. (If it is early season, I age it in a cooler) Then I butcher and process the meat myself.

A few years ago, I made a video on how to field dress your deer. There is one flub in the video where the camera fell, but it picks up and shows the process. With practice, you can field dress your deer in under five minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4TRk5-8pvk&t=19s

Take the time to learn how to do this, it will save you a lot of headache and give you a greater appreciation of the whole process of the hunt.

Are You Out of Peanut Butter?

2018-08-06T14:36:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, a friend of mine who is now deceased and I were having a conversation about why some of our mutual friends had stopped attending church with us. She said, "I guess they must be out of peanut butter." I was confused by her comment, and I guess she could tell by the look on my face so she followed it with - "That excuse is as good as any." Her point was - there really is no good excuse.

In today's world I am still amazed at the number of hunters I talk to who refuse to wear a safety harness. Each year as an outdoor journalist, I receive reports of hunters who fell from a tree stand. Either while hunting, climbing or descending. Far too often, those hunters who fall do not live to hunt another day. Instead, they leave a wife and kids without their husband and father. (No offense to the women out there - but statistics show that women hunters are five times more likely to wear a harness than a man is) The DNR does not track treestand accidents that occur while hanging a stand or removing a stand. Only accidents that occur while in the actual act of hunting. This dramatically skews the data. There are far more accidents that occur in hanging and removing stands than while hunting.

As a warning, I am not officially on my soapbox.

I have had a lot of conversations with hunters who do not wear a safety harness and the response is either - "They are too expensive" or "I am careful."

In the dozens of people who I have personally interviewed who have fallen out of a stand at some point, not one of them ever told me they intentionally fell. Each time, it was an accident. Four individuals lost their footing, slipped or a limb they were trusting suddenly gave way. Seven fell while hanging or removing a stand. Five of these said it never occurred to them to wear their harness while working on the stand.

Six individuals, four of whom are either paralyzed or permanently disabled fell because the tree stand broke in some fashion. (I couldn't interview the dead ones, but investigations showed - old frayed straps on climbing steps and strap on stands, homemade climbing stands with broken welds, and one poor soul, just fell out of his stand. Three times, I talked with hunters who admitted they fell asleep and fell out of their stand. Anyone who says they have never fallen asleep while hunting is lying.

Two years ago, I made it mandatory on the property I own and manage, if you are going to hunt with me, you will wear a full body safety harness. If I catch you not wearing it, you will not hunt with me again. I care too much about your safety to let you climb a tree without a harness.

Honestly, with the bevy of brands out there that offer safety harnesses, there is no real reason not to wear one. I like Hunter's Safety Systems (No I am not paid by, nor sponsored by them). I like them because of the simplicity and I like the vest that holds my rangefinder. I love the multiple hook points for using a lineman's belt while hanging the stand, and the lifeline that will secure me from the ground up. I just clip in and start up my climbing sticks and never have to change, unhook or anything. At around $100 dollars it is cheap insurance.

Other good harnesses include Muddy Outdoors, and Summit, Gorilla Gear

One of the other elements that confound me is the same guys who complain about a harness being too expensive, drive up in a $40,000 truck pulling a $12,000 UTV, wearing $300 camouflage and toting a $1,200 bow. All while hunting on a lease that costs him $2,000 per year not to mention all of the extra stuff that goes into it. But they cannot afford a $125 safety harness?

I tell my children all of the time. There is a big difference between an excuse and a reason. There is absolutely no good reason that hunters are not wearing a safety harness. They only have an excuse, and none of them are good enough. "I guess they must be out of peanut butter."

Be an example for your kids and your fellow hunter. Wear your safety harness.

Sitka's New Early Season Whitetail

2018-07-23T08:41:00.003-04:00

Hunting in the south is at times, unbearable. Our season here in South Carolina opens in mid August, during what is known as the "dog days" of the summer. Relentless heat and humidity that is so thick, that as we say, "you don't breathe the air, you swallow."

Sitting in a deer stand when the temperature is triple digits, humidity pushing 90% is just plain miserable. But in order to have the chance to kill a velvet buck, you have to endure the torment.

For over forty years, I and other hunters have sought clothing that could help with the heat. In the early days, there was only denim and cotton. It was tough trying to get a short hunt before the morning sun made it unbearable. Afternoons were worse, with the hottest time of the day being between 3:00 and 5:00, getting into the stand was not possible without leaving a strong scent trail and being comfortable.

Thankfully, technology is advancing and clothing is getting better and cooler to wear. For over a decade now, Sitka Gear has turned the hunting garment world on its head with the technology they are introducing to the industry. Today marks a new launch into a new direction for Sitka Gear. With the introduction of their Early Season Whitetail (ESW) line, Sitka has listened to hunters and designed the lightest weight clothing available for those early season jaunts.

“For the early season, it was important to design something that not only allows for quiet movement in the stand, but also maximizes breathability and odor control,” said Chris Derrick, SITKA Gear’s Whitetail Product Manager. “In addition to lightweight fabrics and body mapped mesh ventilation, we add Polygiene® to prevent the build-up of odor on the garments, significantly reducing the odor profile.”

The new Early Season Whitetail Series is the lightest line SITKA’s created in the whitetail realm. It is optimized for ventilation, stealth and odor control in warm weather. With complete Polygiene® odor control and durable, quiet fabrics that are body- mapped for absolute breathability, ESW works hard for the hunter sweating it out on warm weather hunts.

Like all SITKA systems, the ESW system is designed for layering. Streamlined cuts allow users to add insulation over the top of ESW gear as temperatures cool. It is available in the GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Elevated II™ pattern

Here is a breakdown of the new ESW line.

ESW Pant:

A technical hunting pant ready to go to work in the whitetail woods. The durable four-way stretch polyester stands up to the brush but offers great breathability and stretch to make getting in and out of the stand a breeze while body-mapped mesh ventilation in the gusset and pockets keeps your scent and body temp low. For added stealth, we incorporated Permanent Polygiene® Odor Control Technology throughout plus cargo pockets that feature silent snaps and divided panels to prevent gear from rattling around.
- Key Features:
  - Mesh Pockets & Gusset for Ventilation & Odor Control
  - Cargo Pockets with silent snaps and gear dividers
  - Permanent Polygiene® odor control technology
  - Durable water repellent finish
  - Fabric Details: Quick Dry 4-Way Stretch Woven Polyester
  - Colors: GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Elevated II Concealment Pattern
  - MSRP: $149

ESW Shirt:

Optimized for warm weather performance, the ESW Shirt features a lightweight stretch polyester in the body and arms for a quiet draw, silent snaps for quiet layering, mesh pits for ventilation, and complete Permanent Polygiene® Odor
Control Technology throughout. The ESW Shirt will be a reliable tool for the whitetail hunter and can be worn on its own in the heat or as a foundation for layered insulation as autumn sets in.
- Key Features:
  - Button-up front with silent snaps for stealthy layering
  - Mesh pit panels for ventilation and odor control
  - Tall collar for added sun & bug protection
  - Permanent Polygiene® odor control technology
  - Durable water repellent finish
  - Fabric Details: Quick-Drying 4-Way Stretch-Woven Polyester
  - Colors: GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Elevated II Concealment Pattern
  - MSRP: $129

ESW Glove:

A technical shooting glove for the discerning bow hunter. A durable Cordura nylon back and synthetic leather palm will withstand many seasons of abuse while the exposed and reinforced thumb and forefinger design enable an accurate and
unhindered release to help you arrow the monarch you patterned all summer.
- Key Features:
  - Exposed & Reinforced thumb/forefinger for precision shooting
  - Permanent Polygiene® Odor Control Technology
  - Fabric Details: Nylon Cordura with Ax-Suede Leather Palm
  - Colors: GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Elevated II Concealment Pattern
  - MSRP: $79

ESW Hat:

Streamlined and featherlight, the ESW Hat features a rounded brim, breathable mesh back and Permanent Polygiene® Odor Control Technology to keep the sun and
sweat at bay.

Key Features:

Breathable Mesh Back
Low-Profile Closure
Permanent Polygiene® odor control technology
Fabric Details: Quick-Dry Bi-Component Polyester Knit Front Panels, Mesh Polyester Back Panels
Colors: GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Elevated II Concealment Pattern
MSRP: $30

I am anxious to try the new ESW. Our season is right around the corner. I will be bow hunting in August, hoping for that elusive velvet buck, and then turn around and head to Florida for some pigs at the end of August. Both of these hunts should be a great test for the Early Season Whitetail line from Sitka Gear.

Is Perfect Scent Control Possible?

2018-07-05T10:02:00.001-04:00

A recent discovery of mine are Pod Casts. I have found a few hunting and outdoor related Pod Casts that I really enjoy. And when i find myself traveling, which is often, I tune into a Pod Cast to listen, learn and pass the time on the long road trips.

At the end of last week, I was listening to a Pod Cast (I will not name it here) and the guest the host was interviewing is a well known outdoor writer and accomplished hunter. During this interview about how to hunt and kill big mature whitetail deer on high pressure ground, the guest made the statement; "My scent control is perfect, I don't pay any attention to the wind."

When I heard this, I pulled the truck over, rewound the sequence and listened again, and again and again. Was I really hearing what I thought I heard? Did he say, his "scent control is perfect..."? Indeed he did say that, and throughout the interview he kept eluding to the fact that he does not pay any attention to the wind - because his scent control is so - well....perfect.

I know I am not the most accomplished hunter out there. Not by a long shot. There are throngs of hunters who are far more successful than me. So once I heard this, I began to poll many of them. I called, texted and emailed a dozen or so world class hunters and asked them this simple question. "Do you think it is possible for your scent control to be so perfect that you can ignore the wind when hunting mature whitetails?" 100% of those I polled said - "No I do not think that is possible."

Frankly I must concur. The whitetail deer has a nose that has been well documented. His ability to smell, and detect unnatural odors are so keen, I personally believe it is impossible to completely hide your human odor enough that he cannot smell you under the right conditions. Meaning, if he gets down wind of you, regardless of how good your scent control is, he will smell you.

Killing mature bucks is difficult even under the best situations. Totally ignoring the wind is something you do to your peril. In places of high pressure or low. Agriculture fields or big woods, small parcels or not, ignoring the wind results in an enjoyable sit in the woods with little activity.

To kill big bucks, or any bucks for that matter, the number one thing you must pay attention to is the wind direction. You must hunt with the wind in your favor - 100% of the time.

Scent control sprays, soaps and laundry detergent all help - a lot. But they do not take the place of woodsmanship and hunting the wind is lesson number one.

Taylor's & Company Ridge Runner Lever Action Rifle

2018-06-26T10:05:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to get to test a lever action rifle that is manufactured by Chiappa and being distributed by Taylor's and Company. Their 1886 Ridge Runner in .45-70.

At first glance, it looked like any other lever action rifle with a few exceptions. The first thing I noticed was the matte blued finish. The matte complimented the rubber covered wood stock perfectly. The stock being covered in a rubberized finish was black and felt good in the hands. It provided a good grip without over doing it.

I really liked the big loop. Too many lever guns have a loop that does not fit bigger hands, and certainly not any hands in gloves. The Ridge Runner covers this with its generous loop. Lastly, I noticed the large muzzle brake on the end. Being a lover of big bore lever guns, I can appreciate any attempt to reduce recoil. It also comes with a thread protector if you want to take the muzzle brake off. Though, I do not know why anyone would.

Following the 1886 Winchester design, the Ridge Runner has a top eject, something I personally do not care for, but it is in keeping with the original design. To compensate for this, the Ridge Runner comes with a tactical rail mounted in front of the action to accommodate long eye relief optics. It also comes with a Skinner peep sight that is fast to acquire and pretty accurate from the factory. Minor adjustments were needed to get it on the steel targets, but it was simple enough.

Picking up the Ridge Runner the rifle just felt like a carbine big bore rifle should feel. Balanced, sturdy and well built. All of the fits were tight and well made. The action was tight at first, but after firing some rounds through it and working the action, it loosened up a bit, but not too much.

Proceeding to the firing range, I opened a box of Black Hills Ammunition's 405 grain .45-70 bullets. what a beast of a bullet! Made for their Cowboy action shooters, the Black Hills ammunition was the perfect fit for the Ridge Runner. This ammunition is the perfect companion for this style of rifle. I really like the vintage packaging that fits with the old style rifle. I will certainly shoot more Black Hills ammunition in the future.

I have shot and tested a lot of big bore lever guns, from all of the major manufacturers and I can say without hesitation that the Ridge Runner is the best shooting one of them all. The only draw back is the top ejection - which as I said earlier I am personally not fond of. But the feel, weight, balance and accuracy out of the box were extraordinary.

I had no way of testing the recoil difference. But when I removed the muzzle brake in favor of the thread protector it felt more like shooting a twelve gauge in 3 1/2" steel shot! With the muzzle brake on, it was a light 20 gauge. The difference was extreme. As a comparison, I shot fifty rounds of this rifle with the muzzle brake in place. Something I would never consider in any of my other lever guns. The most I have shot of my other .45-70 lever guns was ten shots before it becomes uncomfortable. Being able to shoot this rifle over and over is a thrill and the time on the range is extended due to the muzzle brake. I really wish other manufacturers offered this option on their big bore rifles.

MSRP on the Ridge Runner is $1,830. A bit steep for this market but a gun well worth the price. If you are looking for a big bore rifle that will put a smile on your face each time you shoot it, the Ridge Runner is the gun to choose. In the world of lever action rifles, the venerable 1886 action is a classic design that has proven the test of time. Marry this with a modern manufacturing process, muzzle brake and rubber coated stock, and you have the makings of a great rifle. The Ridge Runner, by Taylor's and Company is a great gun for your next purchase.

Recycling into Quality Deer Stands

2018-06-25T13:25:00.001-04:00

Old Playhouse converted
into a tower stand. Picked up
for FREE.

More than twenty five years ago, I began an experiment in my deer hunting. Being somewhat financially challenged and staring poverty right in the face I tried to get as much out of a nickle as I could. Some have even said that in my prime, I could get $10 out of a nickle. I am not sure if I was that talented, but I have been known to be more cheap than frugal.

During this time, (and to some degree still do) I had an addiction to yard sales. I learned early on that at the right yard sale I could get a dollars worth of goods for a penny - or less. On more than one occasion I negotiated a package deal that included me hauling off all of the left overs for free if I could get a deal on this one item. Often in the "left-over" items is where I would find a gem. Finding an old ladder is common, and these are perfect for fabricating ladder stands. Outgrown playhouses are also common at yard sales. Who wants to go to the trouble of dismantling the whole playhouse, or play-tower? Umm I do! Because I see a perfect deer stand where the children used to play.

Tower stand wrapped in an old
artificial Christmas tree.
Paid $5 for Christmas tree at a
Yard sale.

Another item I look for with abandon at yard sales are artificial Christmas trees. For some reason, people throw these things away or practically give them away in yard sales. I have never paid more than $5 for an artificial Christmas tree. Man the uses of the Christmas tree! I have reassembled them right next to ground blinds. Used their branches to hide ladder stands and rungs of climbing sticks. I have donned their decorations on box blinds and anywhere else I can find to use them. The strong wire is easily bent or shaped to fit the items. On wooden stands, I drill 1/4" holes at a 30 degree angle and just place the limbs into the holes - fluff up the limbs and viola you have instant camouflage that will last seven to eight years. If it is not in the sun, it can last over a decade easily. The sun will eventually deteriorate the "needles" and they begin to fall out.

Ground blinds have a bad reputation of fading. I know here in the south where the sun is more than brutal, my blinds seldom last two seasons due to the sun. As they start to fade, I use the loops to wrap Christmas tree limbs into them to hide the outline of the blind.

Shipping pallet blind with Christmas tree
wrapping and a full tree on Front Right Corner.

I have also made ground blinds out of free shipping pallets. Placing them in a "U" shape I fasten them to one another with "L" brackets and some "T-Posts" to hold them in place and then cover with Christmas tree material. The only expense are the posts and brackets. Usually less than $10 I have a ground blind.

As stated before, I have also erected the entire tree - usually more than one around my blind to make it appear more natural. This works especially well when the blind is in open country. Rather than have an odd square standing out in the field or CRP, I erect two or more Christmas trees next to the blind to break it up. One on each front corner is usually enough. If I need a third, I place it in the center of the back. Trees usually around 7 feet are adequate for this.

When using the trees on ladder stands or chain on stands - one tree will cover several stands. I will wrap the limbs around the legs of the ladder or climbing stick to cover the outline of the ladder. On the stand itself, a few limbs wrapped on the bottom of the stand help to break it up, and keep them out of your way.

Scavenging old playhouses, play towers, shipping pallets and Christmas trees will help you make some quality deer stands and blinds for very little money. Pictured above is a play tower I scavenged from a friend that was throwing it away. I got it for free, modified it some without using any additional materials, hauled it to the location, stood it up (Using the winch on my UTV) and covered the top with Christmas tree material. I will finish the rest of the stand at a later date, but the support arms and legs will be covered in the tree material.

My next items is going to be a "Hay-bale" blind. I believe I can make one out of a few old Christmas trees shipping pallets and some fence panels. Who said a hay bale blind had to be beige? I'll make mine green with Christmas trees!

2018-06-05T19:52:00.001-04:00

BOOK SIGNING UPDATE:

My Book “So, You Want to Hunt Turkeys” is selling very well.
I will be conducting a few book signings in the next week. Just in time for Fathers Day.

Thursday June 7th at Books on Main in Newberry, SC from 11-1:00 and again from 5-7:00.

Monday June 11th at Edisto Island Book Store from 3:00-5:00.

If you are in the area, please stop by and get a personalized copy and let’s talk turkey.