I'm a Kid at Heart

So I know that I have got a little hung up on hunting for the past few weeks. I guess I was just got caught up in the spirit of the season! However, I am going to switch gears just a little bit this week. I know that this post contains a variety of different activities, but I believe that it does a fairly good job of summing up both my love for the outdoors and my love for my nieces and nephews. Here are some of the activities that we all enjoy doing together:

This is my horse, Crockett. We were born the
same year. Growing up together, we have become
very close. It hasn't taken the little ones long to
establish a similar bond themselves. This is probably
one of their favorite activities.

I may have been a pretty large influence
 in developing their love for tree climbing.

This picture was taken earlier this fall as we were cutting wood. In my family, all of the children were raised to work hard, but we still continue to have fun while doing so!

Hunting Stereotypes

So a few weeks ago this video came across my news feed on Facebook. I usually don't even watch the videos that people share, but for some reason I was drawn to this one. I have to say, I probably enjoyed it way more than I should have. I watched it several times and shared it with many of my friends and family members. Every time I saw it, I would assign the stereotypes to different people that I know, which made them even more humorous and memorable.

My Mom's Hunting Experience

So, I mentioned in class that I convinced my mom to go hunting with me on Monday. Seeing as she has not been since before she had children, it was quite the experience. She has never shot a deer, or any wild game for that matter. I took for granted that she lived amongst a family of avid hunters. I figured with her being a part of our household she would have a good idea of what to do, however, this was absolutely not the case. As we were getting ready she said several different things that I found humorous.

1. Mom: " I don't even know where to shoot a deer at."
     My Response: 30 minutes of kill shot diagrams and walking her through several different scenarios. "If the deer is quartering this way, you'll want to shoot here, but if he is broadside, you will aim here".

2. Mom: "Oh, I am not going to wear camouflage. I'm not going to get that into it. Camo is just a fashion statement anyway!"
     My Response: "Mom, you absolutely have to wear camo. It is not just a fashion statement, there is a purpose behind that."

3. Mom: Sprays perfume and begins lathering up with fruity lotion.
     My Response: " Oh my goodness, you're definitely going to have to take a shower before we go out. They will smell that from a mile away. Here is some non-scent shampoo/body wash. Wash up with this and no more smelly goods till after the hunt."

4. Mom: Getting her rifle ready- "What kind of gun is this? How do I work it?"
     My Response: Told her she was using a bolt action .243, then spent another 30 minutes teaching her how to load and unload her rifle, where her safety is, and how to work the bolt action.

5. Mom: During the hunt, I get a text message: "When are these deer supposed to come out?"
     My Response: "The past few nights I've been seeing them really start to move around 4:30 to 5:00pm until past shooting light. So that means now, time to quit texting and put your phone up."

I know that through these remarks, she definitely doesn't sound like an experienced hunter, and she is not, however, I have to say that I am proud of her. I never thought I would see my mom actually go out for a hunt. After a little training course on the night before, she went out, climbed up in the stand, and stayed alert and at attention for several hours. She didn't return to the house until 30 minutes after dark. Although we were both disappointed that she did not see anything and was unable to bring a deer home, she admitted that she enjoyed herself. Best of all, she is going out again this weekend with my dad. I think we've officially started something here.

Packing for the Hunt

Well with opening weekend of deer season only two days away, I am getting all of my hunting gear packed and ready to go! Here are a few of the things that I will be sure not to forget.

Of course, my camouflage attire!

Insulated Camouflage Boots

An orange vest and hat, for safety among other hunters. 

Wool Socks and Lots of Layers

A blanket, for the little girl left in me, I always get cold lol. 

A Variety of Scent-A-Way Products to ensure the deer don't catch my scent 

My call, to bring them in.
Ranges from young does to dominant male bucks. 

A rattle bag (old antlers work as well) to mimic bucks fighting.
 In combination with snorts and wheezes, it tends to draw in a larger, more dominant buck. 

My Rifle & Ammunition. I used a lever action 30.30. 

A blanket, for the little girl left in me, I always get cold lol. 

Twas the Night Before Deer Season...

As a Christian, I would never want to actually compare deer season with Christmas. I know that there is a great, incomparable difference between the two events; however with that being said, I have felt the anticipation of both seasons. The excitement that a young child experiences on the night of Christmas Eve is very similar to the thrill that a hunter gets the night before season opens.

I came across a poem that summarizes this experience quite well. Written on the Texas Hunting Forum, the Fish Charmer shared his story: 'Twas the Night Before Deer Season.

I don't want to spoil the story for those of you who are going to read it. But I can connect to a lot of the things that he talks about in his poem. The visions of Big Bucks, preparing the big camo bag, firing up the scent smokers, leaving your worries behind, the feeling of autumn, and discovering the reason a hunter lives and breathes, are some of the greatest parts of the hunting experience!

Preparation is Hard Work

I had every intention of waiting until rifle season officially opened to begin talking about deer hunting, but as the suspense and anticipation brews within me, I decided to begin a little early. There are a lot of things that a hunter typically does in order to prepare for deer season. Many hunters labor all year long in preparation of the hunt. They will plant and maintain food plots or dump grain or corn in order to attract deer to their desired location. They also set up trail cameras so they can see what kind of traffic they have passing through their range. This is the point where the trophy hunters will pick out the monster buck that they will spend all season chasing. I have seen some people go as far as naming the deer that linger around their property, and watch them grow throughout the years. In addition to the food plots and trail cams, a hunter may also walk through the woods looking for signs of the presence of deer. Some of the things that you may look for are tracks, rubs, ground scrapes, and droppings. It's essential that you check all of your equipment to verify that it is ready and your rifle or bow is sighted in and shooting on point. It's also a great idea to set your stand up early, climb up into your seat and make sure you have clear shooting lanes. You want to be able to make sure that if a deer does pass through, you have the ability to shoot it through the brush. If you anticipate a limb or branch getting in your way, now is the time to cut it out. It's easy to get caught up in all of the activities and forget about other critical elements; however, you can never forget to make sure you are up to date on the laws. The conservation department may change laws or regulations from year to year as they work towards managing wildlife. In order to keep yourself legal and avoid fines or offenses, you have to stay updated on these changes. Once all of the preparation has been made, you can climb into your stand and relax, feeling competent, and knowing that you are ready for a great season.

Reminiscing...

They say pictures are worth a thousand words. So I decided instead of trying to talk forever about some of my favorite fishing adventures, I would share some photos of a few of my most cherished memories. The picture of the road is the path you take to get to my secret honey hole, pictured in the lower right. This is near at my grandmother's house outside of Wheatland, Missouri. We will often go down there for the weekend and run trot lines. To find out what a trot line is check out this link: http://www.fishing-tips-bait-tackle.com/trotline_fishing.html! We will go fishing in the creek throughout the day, catching small fish to use for bait. This is where my honey hole comes into play. I always walk out on the fallen tree where I will sit while I fish in the deep pool of water underneath me. Possibly the most enjoyable part is that you are able to see the fish swimming all around you. I will cast my pole and watch the fish fight for and nibble on the bait. We will run the trot line early in the morning, restock it in the afternoon, and run it again late at night. The catfish that I am holding in the picture are our catches from one of our morning runs. 

Last but not least is the picture in the lower left. This little guy is not connected to the trot lines like the other pictures. I actually caught him at the lake just down the road from my house. We were fishing for perch when I reeled him in. It may be difficult to see in this picture, but this tiny little fish swallowed a big ol crawdad! You can partially see one of his pinchers if you look down the fish's throat. I was completely fascinated with  this. It was definitely a first time for me!