Up North Journal Pro Staff Chico

What a season!

2010-12-06T16:15:00.000-08:00

So its been another long lapse in time since I sat here typing on my laptop for my blog. Believe me it's not that I haven't wanted to but sometimes you have to try and make hay when you can as the old saying goes. So here I am. Staring at this screen and trying to decide where to begin.

The season has been crazy just like my life has been this past year. Just when you think you have things figured out, another curve ball comes your way. So you just have to roll with it and do the best you can with what you got. For those that have had the chance to be around me you know my saying "I'm doing the best I can with what I got which ain't much but I'm doing it anyway." Funny but true.

I have actually been able to get out this season more than I thought I would. I have spent many days in the deer woods, some in the duck marsh, a few in the goose fields and even was able to get out and smoke a turkey in the spring in my one day of turkey hunting!

I must say that I have definitely learned a lot this year and have had the good fortune of meeting some really great people that have done so much for me. I would like to say thanks to our sponsors PSE, G5, Leupold, Dead Down Wind, Dragonfire ThermoGrip, Mossy Oak, America's Best Bowstrings, LaCrosse, Mike's Magic, Spot Shooter Archery and Joe Segler Wildlife Taxidermy. Without their support and great products the time spent in the field wouldn't be as enjoyable. Knowing that when I got my trophy I had the best taxidermist around to take care of it is incredible. I would also like to say thanks to some of the people that went out of their way to help me this year. My team who have stood by me this year and being there for me to lean on when I needed them. Wendy Williamson who did a ton of behind the scenes work. "Thee Ron Dore" and his family for having me out at Scronnie Acres and the karaoke concerts in the truck. Eric "Sleepy E" and his wife Melissa for having me down to the great state of Indiana and treating me like family. Chris, Casey, Jay and my great friend Mattias for another great hunt and camp that I look forward to every year for many reasons.

So with that being said I wanted to say that I have met some really great kids this years as well. To me that is the best part hanging out and listening to the kids tell their stories. No matter how bad things may be they always put a smile on your face and bring you back to whats fun. So Kile, Jacob, Arron and Kyle thanks for hanging out and sharing your stories and well just reminding me what this is really about.

I was fortunate to hunt some great properties and see some great game this season. I just wish the camera could have gotten them when I could have and vice versa. I still dream about the big 12 point drop tine from Indiana that we couldn't get on camera because he came to the party before we got set up. That's ok I will have that memory for the rest of my life and that is ok with me. Ok you got me, I wish I would have just shot and dropped him like a bad habit! They say it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission right? Who cares that it wouldn't have been on video he would be on my wall! Right Mike?

I have been reminded that I do this because it's fun. Going out and spending the day in the field is a privilege as well as blessing. It's not how big the rack is, how long the beard is or whether it has a band but about how much fun it is and to be able to enjoy it. It's not that your name is mentioned or your in a dvd or video it's about sharing the experience with those in camp or hearing a child tell you their story about the one that they got or the one that got away. It's about shooting some does and being just as excited about them as I am about the big buck. It's all about having fun and if you can't do that then you should probably stop doing it!

The season is still going and there is still a lot of unfinished business to take care of. So remember to just get out and have fun and the rest will fall into place. Nuff Said!

Here They Are!

2010-11-07T08:07:00.001-08:00

Well it has been a while since I posted my last blog. This being the busy time of year and being fortunate enough to head out in the field as much as I do, my writing has taken a back seat to chasing game. There has been many twists and turns to the season so far. Some great and some not so great.

You sit back and can sometimes focus on the negative things that go on in your everyday life as well as the hunting or fishing trips that may have not ended the way you would have liked. I think they call this human nature. Well recently I got down but then remembered someone special Brady. This little guy has touched so many people including myself and most of these never had the opportunity to meet him. It didn't take long for me to regain focus and remember not to take anything or anyone for granted in my life.

I had asked in my last blog to put his name on your arrow or shells. You responded like I knew you would and would like to thank each and everyone of you for taking the time to send them in to me. I couldn't post them all but I have included as many as I could. I know there were a few emails sent from some that were doing this but weren't able to take pics due to tech issues. Thank you. So here they are.

The Begining of My Brady Hunt A Success

2010-09-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

Well as most of you know the past couple days I had the opportunity to go out in the woods for Michigan's early doe season. I was set to hit the woods with my good friend Ron Thursday morning. I couldn't wait. So I made the journey out to Ron's and got settled into my new home. Welcome to "The Trailerhood"! My man has more trailers stored at his property than a Jayco factory.

We sat up and talked for a while about the hunt and it's new meaning. It was something we were both looking forward to. We sat around the campfire and talked about the issues going on in our lives. We joked about our previous hunts and made fun of each other just like hunting friends do. It was getting late and as much as we wanted to talk about past hunts we knew it was time to turn in. We wanted to make sure we were on top of our game come the morning.

I made my way to the trailer stopping by my truck for my Pringles. Hey I gotta eat. I get hungry once in a while. I unpacked my gear in preparation for the mornings hunt. I hung up my gear and tucked it in so to speak so I would be ready to go and prepared come morning. I sat down on my bunk and took a look at that single arrow on the left side of my quiver. I quickly said a prayer and answered emails and text messages til about a little after three. So much for getting my good nights rest. I set the alarm for 4:30 and turned out the light.

Well 4:18 rolled around rather quickly and I woke up and was ready to go. I immediately walked out the door to see the weather. Perfect I thought cool a little breeze but dry. Maybe the weather man was wrong again. I get my hunting clothes on and grab my gear. Ron is driving over to "The Hood" to pick me up. We roll film and talk about this hunt and off we go.

We arrive at the spot and well this would be the one time the weather man would get the forecast right. We waited for a few minutes and the storm rolled in. Thunderstorms were on the breakfast menu and we didn't like it. So back to "The Hood" we went and went to sleep.

Up around ten we hung out in the house had coffee and watched the radar. It looked like we were going to get a break around four. So we ended up watching some TV had lunch and then it seemed like a nap was in store.

The time came and we were off. In the stand we went and settled in. I knocked Brady's arrow in hopes to make a shot. I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little pressure. We had rain off and on the whole time we were out there. Then we heard a branch break and out popped a small doe. We watched her for about fifteen minutes waiting for the big one to come out. We knew she was there but couldn't see her. Then she stuck her neck out and looked right up at us. She was wise which is why she was one of the biggest I have ever seen. She new the game and made a quick spin to go back the way she came. We watched the little one for another five minutes before she left too.

The morning of day two came and went with not a single deer seen. Unfortunately it was time to head home. I packed up and down the road I went. It was a long ride home and I didn't feel good right away. I so badly wanted to put that Brady arrow to use and didn't get to this time. I didn't like that feeling at all. As the trip went on I started thinking about what has transpired over the past week. The fact that many people were made aware of Brady and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, all because of a simple request by my friend Eric. To know I may have helped him get the word out changed the way I felt. I am glad and honored he asked me that simple little favor.

There have been many pictures coming in of arrows with the name Brady on the vanes or fletchings. I want to thank all who have done so and encourage the ones who haven't to do so. For those who are viewing this who don't archery hunt or hunt at all post the yellow ribbon pic on facebook or even wear one on your shirt. Say a prayer for not only Brady's family but the other families who are experiencing the same tragedy. Prayer is a powerful thing. I have witnessed that what may seem like a small thing to you at first can mean so much more to someone else.

So this was only the beginning of my hunt with Brady. I learned a lot and was reminded that I need to not take for granted the opportunities that I have. Even when I think I have problems, no matter how bad they are, there is always somebody that has it worse. We may not have gotten our doe but we learned something and we still have many days ahead to put it to good use.

Please check out http://www.goldribbons.com/ and learn more about this deadly disease. Thank you and God bless.

My Focus Has Changed

2010-09-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Well as I sit here tapping these keys on this laptop, I am thinking about this early doe season and my focus has changed. It's funny how you can be going through your normal routines or rituals if you will and have something happen that will totally change the way you view your upcoming hunt. Let me explain.

You see I have this ritual before the season starts to name my shells for duck hunting, slugs for deer hunting and of course my arrows for archery season. So as I was going through and naming my arrows I was daydreaming about the early doe season starting in a couple days. Visions of a well placed shot and good footage for the show made me smile. As you know I like to share what I am doing and decided to take pics of my newly named arrows and posted them on a networking site. Then my hunt changed.

Soon after I got a message from a friend of mine in Indiana. He asked me if I would add the name Brady to one of my arrows. I said absolutely, and did so and posted a pic of the arrow. It was then when he told about the persons name who will be gracing my first arrow of the year.

He replied with a story about friends of his who lost their four year old boy to cancer. He told me that it would mean a lot to him as well as the family. I was flattered that I was asked to do this as well as honored. I stared at that arrow for a bit and it had a new look to it. It's purpose is now more and the significance of it is greater.

I could not imagine having to go through this as a parent let alone a child dealing with this wicked illness that does not discriminate against anyone. I selfishly thought about my son who is only three. I cried when he went home Sunday and it would be only two days before I seen him again. I couldn't even imagine the pain and sadness this family went through in dealing with this. My thoughts and prayers immediately went out to this family.

I asked my friends wife for a picture of Brady if it was ok with his family. A few minutes later I received it and I don't know if I can really put into words the way I was overcome with emotion. I guess to make it easy I will say I was overwhelmed. It was a whole new ballgame after I seen this picture.

Well I can safely say that this hunt has taken on a whole new meaning for me. My focus is that much greater and I can't wait to call and tell of the success Brady and I have. There will no doubt be some extra guidance when that arrow leaves the string. I will be honored to have had him along with me. So with Superman riding shotgun with me there is no doubt our hunt will be successful.

I am asking all who read this to please in honor of Brady put his name on your first arrow you will use this season. Send me the pics and I will post them for all to see. Please let this little Superman guide your first arrow this season. Stay tuned to see how this hunt turns out. I am sure it will be a great one.

Success Is What You Choose It To Be

2010-09-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

As I was trying to decide on what to write for this blog, it hit me. It is time to share what I have considered my secret to my hunting success. This has worked for me since I discovered it. I learned it quite a few years ago and glad that I did.

I am a reading fanatic. Let me rephrase that. I am an outdoor reading fanatic. I have hunting and fishing magazines that cover the past 18 years that take up quite a bit of room. I also have a pretty good selection of hunting and fishing books that I have collected over the years. I will read these magazines and books whenever an opportunity arises. This is actually how I have gained a lot of the knowledge I use on all my hunting or fishing trips. I am a self taught hunter. I can't deny however, the many writers that have given me the knowledge to become a better hunter.

I am a competitor at heart. You get that when you compete in sports most of your life. I have the strong burning desire to be the best at anything I do. Hunting is no different. When I hunt, I pride myself on making sure that I set up in the right spot. The X if you will. Making sure that I give myself the best opportunity to take the animal I am hunting. I believe whole heartedly that if I do the proper scouting and home work and get to the X, I will be successful in my hunt.

Along with scouting I make sure that I become one with my weapon of choice. Whether it be a bow, rifle, slug gun, shotgun or muzzleloader. I practice throughout the year not just a few weeks before the season. This gives me confidence, and that my friends is the secret to my success. Confidence. Pretty simple huh?

You see when I started hunting years ago I spent a lot of time in the deer woods. I hunted almost as much as I do now but just couldn't seem to close the deal. I would get close and then it just seemed as though I would always find a way to question the shot, my ability etc. I became frustrated and down right furious. I mean I see the guys on t.v. do it on a daily basis with no problem. Why can't I?

Then one day I bought Peter Fiduccia's book "Whitetail Strategies". That is when I discovered what has been my secret to my hunting success. I read about his C+PT X C=CS Theory. Concentration+Positive Thinking X Confidence = Consistent Success. He explains that "you must believe in yourself as a deer hunter to be most effective when hunting whitetails." So with that I took the pact on the following page and it has helped me become successful in not only deer hunting but hunting in general. I would like to share with you this pact from his "Whitetail Strategies" book:

I am a good deer hunter.

I am confident that I make sound decisions about the hunting strategies I use.

I know my quarry's strengths and weaknesses.

From this moment on, when I think about deer hunting I will do so with confidence and a positive attitude.

When I am in the field, I will totally concentrate on the hunt. I promise myself that I will not let any other matters interfere with my thoughts when I am deer hunting.

I WILL MAINTAIN A POSITIVE AND CONFIDENT ATTITUDE EVEN WHEN I DON'T SEE DEER DURING A HUNT.

I will trust my judgement about the location and tactics I have chosen to use.

Most importantly, from this day on, I will remind myself that I am as good a deer hunter as anyone else -- and will hunt that way.

Well there you have it, the secret to my hunting successes. I have this printed and have one in my gun safe and my gun cases in case I start to lose focus on a trip. I can pull it out, read it and use it like a pep talk from one of my old coaches. It has helped me and maybe it can help you. This can be used for not only hunting but fishing as well. I highly recommend this book it provides a lot of great info that you can use. I plan on using this mindset once again in a few days for Michigan's early doe season. Try this and I know it will work for you too.

Early Goose Day One

2010-09-02T04:42:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a while since I was out hunting. Even though it seems like an eternity, it really has only been about 3 months. Funny how when it's something that you love a day seems too long let alone 3 months! The season was finally here and well it was time to get after it.

Opening morning came and went without me going to the field. I woke up and spent time with my son Drake before I was off to class. It was definitely a different type of opening day. I sat there listening to whatever the professor was saying, which triggered me to start day dreaming of geese locked up and committed. Class couldn't get over soon enough!

I managed to be able to keep Drake one more night and decided I was going to take him on his first ever goose hunt! I got home and told him the good news and he was more excited I think than me. High fives and off to his room to get into his camo. Once that was taken care of he was on his way to get the blind bag. Funny how for not ever doing this before he sure knew what we needed! Mike arrived and we threw the dekes in the truck and off we went.

Well we knew the deck was stacked against us due to incoming weather but we gave it the old college try. We met up with my buddy and continued on to our destination. We weren't able to drive onto this field so we all looked like a bunch of mules loaded with gear heading out into the field. We brushed in our blinds and set the deke's up and were ready to go.

Now I have to tell you and be honest that hunting with a three year old can be a little bit trying. Especially on the very first time out of the year. Reality is he wanted us "to shoot them geese" so bad he couldn't stay still no matter how hard I tried to get him to or no matter what I bribed him with! He was a trooper though. He made it through the first part of the rain before him and I went back to the truck.

We did however see some geese and had plenty of ducks in our faces. He loved that. Even though we wouldn't shoot any geese this hunt, he was still fired up on the way home and said "daddy that was my best hunt ever, now can we go shoot the deer?"

This opening day was definitely one to remember for many reasons. There were many firsts. It was the first time in ages I wasn't out in the morning. I am learning to juggle being a full time student, a single daddy and taking care of my hunting and fishing obligations. A lot more planning is going into this season for sure. The biggest first though was being able to take my son out hunting for his first goose hunt. It really doesn't matter that we never fired our gun. We were able to be out and spend time together and have fun even if it was trying at times.

All in all it was a blast and I can't wait to get Drake out in the field again. By far my most productive hunt to date and one I will remember forever. Someday we will be able to look back at this and laugh and he will realize just how much his daddy loves him and how proud he was to be able to be able to spend that opening day in the field with him. This is what it is all about and I wouldn't trade this experience for the world.

Nuff Said!

Fall Is Upon Us

2010-08-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

Well it has been one heck of a year so far. It has also been three months since I have been able to get out and hunt anything. There were a couple fishing trips that came and went but I have still been dreaming about hunting.

It has been hot and humid for so long that hunting season seemed so far away. Then one night while sitting outside and watching the stars in the sky that it hit me. That cool air slowly wrapped itself around me and let me know that it is almost that magical time of year. The air just had that different cool feel to it. You know the feeling.

Like a buck going into rut or birds being triggered to start the migration I started to think about the seasons that were about to commence. So the first thing that hit me is the Michigan early goose season. Once again I will be hitting some dark golden wheat fields and some sweet corn silage fields in hopes of downing some Canada geese. (No spelling error here kids that's how it's said even when in it's plural form) It's always fun to get out with the fella's and have some good laughs. From the rusty shooting to the jokes and pranks that get pulled on each other. There is nothing better than kicking the hunting season off sitting in my layout blind with a nice cup of coffee and watching the sun rise.

The reality is that this early season is a total crap shoot. You will see geese hit a field one day and go back the next and it looks like Cris Angel was there and made them all disappear into the crisp air. They are tough to scout because they don't really have any set patterns so you can only make your best guess and go with it.

So hear I am, less than a week away and the phone tag going on with the guys about what they are seeing in the fields is making the anticipation great. Visions of geese working to the calls and locking up fully committed with landing gear out against the morning sky is getting my blood flowing again. The sound of widow makers going off with nicely placed patterns hitting their mark and giving the dinner invitations to these unsuspecting geese. I am so excited I started watching last years footage of early goose season on Beyond The Wild Episode 4. I just hope we can omit the DNR and Police issues we had last year!

The first season is here!

Nuff Said

Back In The Stream

2010-07-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

With all that has been going on lately, I haven't been able to get out on the stream like I would have liked to. It seems like whenever I would plan to go the weather wouldn't cooperate or something would come up. It was starting to really frustrate me and put me in a fowl mood and no I don't mean waterfowl either.

Well thank God I have surrounded myself with some great people. Sometimes you can start to loose focus and they come in and help you regain that focus. After a few talks this week I realized that I was doing just that and needed to get back to what it is I do. So after a few conversations I decided that I needed to hit the stream and cleanse my mind so to speak. People ask me why I love to trout fish. After today I realized the true reason I do. Being in a stream and enjoying nature, the fight of a feisty trout but my main reason is that it always calms me and allows me to think clearly and focus on what is important to me.

So as I said off to my favorite trout stream. I threw my gear in the truck and headed down the highway with my man Johnny Cash singin' to me all the way there. I was a little worried with it being the holiday weekend and with it bringing one of the biggest aluminum hatches of the season. Well as fate would have it the big guy upstairs cleared the stream for me so I could have it by myself.

The stream was a little different than normal. A few logs were in places that they weren't in the last time I was there. The rains had changed the stream a bit but it was still the same or so I thought. My third cast I thought that I hit a small branch but as I reeled it in there was a small rainbow on the end of my line. All of maybe four inches of rainbow! So as I let him go I kept hearing a ringing in my ear, then I realized it was more of a buzzing sound. You guessed it mosquito's. A dozen or so thought it was dinner time and I was the buffet. So I lathered up in some of the finest DEET cologne I had and made my way upstream.

I started noticing that the fish were not in their usual hideouts. They must have moved and I didn't get the change of address notice. So I began to work the stream more than normal to figure out where they were and then my rod bent over and I heard a "zing" as my line started to peel off my reel. It is so much fun fishing for trout with an ultra light and 2 pound test. I fought the fish and managed to get a pic of it underwater as I brought it in. Another bow! I gotta tell you that they put up one heck of a fight and get my blood flowing as much as any hunt does.

I released the fish and continued on my way watching the wildlife around me. After a few more fish, all of them rainbows i decided that I would just sit and reflect on life. Man I tell ya there is nothing better than listening to the water gurgling and the wildlife carrying on their conversations while you reflect and collect your thoughts. Well it's time to write that next chapter of my life, one that I am really excited about and looking forward to. Well what can I say other than it was time to continue on my journey.

I moved on and finally caught my first and only brown of this trip. He was a little ornery and it took me a bit to get him in my hand to remove the hook and send him on his way. The one thing that was becoming clear was that my brownie stream has turned into a bow stream and done so in about a months time. Either way it was still a productive night. I ended up catching seven trout, six bows and one brown in about a three hour period.

I originally planned on night fishing but the skeeters were thick and my Thermacell decided that it doesn't want to light anymore. So I got back to my truck thanked God for letting me enjoy the experience one more time and made my drive home. The drive home felt so much better than the drive up and that weight on my shoulders wasn't there anymore. The best part was my therapy session was free! You can't beat it. I can't stress enough, that if you get an opportunity to get on a stream and do some trout fishing do so. You will be glad you did.

Nuff Said.

A New Tool For Your Tool Box

2010-07-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

It has been a weird summer for me this year. I have had so much non outdoors going on that I haven't been able to get out into the field as I would like. So one day I found myself cleaning up around the house and started picking up some of the hunting stuff that I had laying around when I came across one of my favorite tools while hunting, the Leupold RX 1000 TBR rangefinder.

I started thinking about the last time I had it out in the field which was when Mike and I were hunting devil dogs. This little piece of equipment is one that I will always make sure is with me in the field. Let's just say that yours truly has a hard time judging range while hunting and this right here has leveled the playing field.

A quick rundown of what this thing offers, True Ballistic Range for rifles and bows, bright OLED Display, Armoured Aluminum Housing, Fully Multicoated lenses and a cordura holder. This is definitely one rugged rangefinder. I beat this thing to death and it has performed unbelievably.

My favorite part is the True Ballistic Range for gun and bow. It shows you the true distance and the distance you should be shooting for taking in to consideration your elevation to your target. This comes in handy when your hunting and want to make the most ethical shot you can. You will know exactly what distance to aim for. No more guessing. This can be set up for bow or gun allowing you to get specifics for each so that you will be as accurate as you possibly can.

It has a bright OLED display that increases light transmission and display contrast. Roughly about 3x higher than LCD models. You can even choose from three different intensity settings to match lighting conditions. It has three selectable reticles the Plus Point, Duplex or a combination of both. With it's 2 button design it makes it very easy to use. Even for me!

Bottom line is this thing is highly reliable when it come down to judging the distance between you and your quarry. If you have problems judging distances or are even looking for an extra advantage this is something to put on your must have list. Simple easy to use and gets the job done. All this backed by a great company with unmatched customer service. I highly recommend if you are in the market for a rangefinder you check this one out.

Here are the specifics:
Magnification: 6x
Field of View (ft. @ 100 yards): 31.0
Field of View (m @ 100 meters): 10.5
Angular Field of View: 6.0
Weight: 7.8 oz
Objective Aperture (mm): 22.0
Twilight Factor: 11.5
Exit Pupil (mm): 3.6
Eye Relief (mm): 14.0
Dimensions: (LxHxW): 3.8"x2.8"x1.3"

So there you go. Just another tool for your hunting tool box and it will help make you a more accurate shooter.

Nuff Said.

So Give Me The Free Stuff!

2010-06-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ok well let me start this by saying I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. I also pray you thanked the men and women who defend or have defended our country. With that said I wanna give a big THANK YOU to our service men and women who defend our country and allow me the freedoms I so enjoy.

This isn't going to be one of my normal blogs. This may actually offend some people and they will know who they are when they read this. So with that being said "Give me the free stuff."

While I was able to kick back and relax a bit this weekend I started to reflect on many different things. One of them is how many times people ask for "free" stuff. It never ceases to amaze me that people I know, hardly know, do not know and just met always love to ask for the "free stuff." I always laugh on the inside because it kills me that people think products are actually "free".

Let me give a couple recent examples. The first one is when I was asked on a website if I could "hook up" someone with a "free" site for this guys bow. Really? I don't even know you or ever met you. Or how about when you get asked about being on a pro staff. When you ask why someone wants to get on or be a part of a pro staff nine out of ten times you get "man I wanna get all that free stuff." I had a really good friend ask me for some "free" stuff and I finally asked if he could give me the equivalent in the form of cash from his paycheck. He looked at me and had a blank stare. Reality set in that because it is free to him doesn't mean that I didn't work for it.

Let me just say that there are many perks to being on a pro staff. I will not deny that at all. Yes the perks are nice. I will not deny that as well. The reality is by the time you figure out what you get and what you spend to do the work to fulfill your contract the "free" stuff isn't really so free. There is a lot of work that goes into it.

I was asked on a trip this past winter what I get out of being on a pro staff. Wow, I couldn't believe it. Finally an open invitation to say exactly how I feel. So this is what I get and how I feel about being on a pro staff.

First and foremost it is because I have been given an opportunity to be a part of an organization that I believe in. Then it is because I believe in the product they produce. I like to interact with people and hear their stories when doing an event. This is the best part because you get to listen and see the faces of the individuals as they tell you about a hunt, an animal they took, a trip they had or a fish they caught. Just being able to help get others involved in the outdoors that may have never experienced it in their life. That is what it means to me.

So as far as the "free" stuff, well I don't think when you add up the time on the road, gas, benefit tickets, donations at benefits, days spent working events etc. it really is "free". At the end of the year if I were to sit down and figure out expenses versus the "free" stuff, I bet it would actually cost me money. The reality is, that is perfectly fine with me because once you get someone involved in the outdoors or see a child's face light up when he or she catches the first fish or takes their first animal that is what makes it all worth it. That right there is what its all about my friends.

We should all know by now that nothing in life is free.

Nuff Said.

Taxidermy Is Art

2010-05-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well last week I was very fortunate to take a nice turkey that was destined to become a star. He definitely wanted to come for dinner and hang out afterwards. I can't get that hunt out of my mind. It was just one of those hunts I guess. Memorable in every way. Which brings me to another passion of mine. Taxidermy.

You see taxidermy to me is an art. One that there is no way I have the patience for nor do I have the time for. An artwork that I can appreciate. The taxidermist is an artist and takes your animal, brings it back to life just the way you remember it. I look at my mounts as artwork just like the people that collect pictures in frames with paint everywhere that to me makes no sense. I like my mounts to be unique and not just a fish on a wall, a typical duck mount and deer mount etc.

I remember my first mount a drake mallard and I was so excited to get it back. The problem was that when I got it back it was not what I imagined it would be. I was rather disappointed to say the least. That's when I decided to try and look for a real good taxidermist. It has been some time and a few mounts later but man did I fall into a great one.

His name is Joe Segler. I was introduced to Joe by Wendy a mutual friend who told me I just had to meet him and check out his work. It would be about a two hour drive but I was reassured he was the real deal. I was told how awesome his duck mounts were and that I would go nuts. So on the road I went. It's tough when you take somebodies word but you just never know.

I will never forget the first time I walked in his shop. There were duck mounts everywhere. Not just your hang on the wall average mounts but the kind that makes you drool. He had all kinds from puddle ducks, divers, sea ducks, deer, turkeys, fish and the one that told me I was dealing with a Van Gogh of taxidermy, a recreated Labrador duck. Oh yeah the one that was last seen in Elmira New York December 12, 1878 and last shot in 1875 in Long Island. That's right he recreated this duck out of seven different species of ducks!

Man I felt a bit intimidated by this guy. He was an avid duck hunter who travels all over to collect ducks in perfect plumage to mount. Truth be known he is an avid outdoors man who hunts and fishes. I hung out for a while when he offered to go to lunch and I really didn't wanna go as hard as that is to believe as I like to eat as much as I do hunt and fish. It was great we talked business and I picked his brain some more. An amazing guy who knows his craft well. The only thing I could come up with bad was that he ate salad! No salad for me since that's what my dinner eats!

Up North Journal decided he was a perfect choice to be our official taxidermist. So almost a week and a half later I was fortunate to take a gorgeous turkey in a hunt that I will remember forever. (If you didn't read my last blog do so because it's worth the read) I called Joe immediately after I shot it and found out when I could get it to him. Sunday was the day and man I watched in awe at how meticulous and surprisingly quick he was at getting the bird skinned. We sat down and looked over the video footage of the hunt and I wanted him to look the way he was standing and acting when I gave him a serious headache. We looked at a picture and now it's time for him to do his magic.

This guy has gotten awards in the World Taxidermy Championships in the Waterfowl Masters Division and many more. He judges taxidermy and is an all around great guy who knows his craft. If you have a trophy of a lifetime do not let someone ruin your animal. Make sure you let a experienced knowledgeable taxidermist take care of it for you so your not disappointed. If you don't have one give Joe a call. He can help you get the animal to him, whether you live in Alaska, Central America or Maine. He has clients all over the United States as well as some outside the country. You won't be disappointed.

I will be giving updates on the process of this mount in further blogs so stay tuned to see how it turns out. Check back as I just realized I don't know what happened to the pic of the Labrador duck recreation. Also watch the future episodes of Beyond the Wild for some video updates as well. Joe can be reached at:

Joe Segler Taxidermy
734-487-6767 Shop Phone

734-523-6767 Cell Phone

Nuff Said!

Turkey Hunt Gone Wrong?

2010-05-16T21:13:00.001-07:00

So you ever have an idea or plan about a hunt that just never seems to go as you planned? Well let's just say I thought that the plan I had was fool proof. Unfortunately it didn't turn out as I planned. So with that said let's get down to business.

I had a tag that was good for private land only for the month of May. It is the last hunt and usually pretty tough. I choose this just because of the amount of time I have to try and get the job done. Well I was looking forward to hunting with a "friend" but for some reason just before season came I was told we wouldn't be hunting at the "honey hole". So time to come up with my own plan. I knew there was a reason I don't like to have to rely on someone else.

Well what ya gonna do? Play the hand you are dealt is what I have heard recently. So that is what I did. I actually ended up talking to a great friend of mine and he invited me out to his place to hunt turkalito's. (another Chicoism meaning turkey) I jumped at the gracious offer and checked my schedule and knew that I only had one weekend where I would be able to do it. Plans were made and the excitement was building as the weekend approached.

Since I had gone back to school to finish my degree I was busy trying to get all the work done in advance to make sure I could just concentrate on my hunt. Things were going well right up until Thursday. That's when my sister decided she was having her baby. That meant my mom was on her way up from Tennessee and my schedule was about to change. So much for planning!

Thursday night came and with it came the invitation to have breakfast with my mom for the following morning. Well that meant I wouldn't be hunting in the AM as planned. No worries though as I don't get to see my mom much anymore. We had breakfast and I was thinking about the turkalito's for most of it. It didn't help that I received two text messages from Ron telling me about the turkey's strutting in front of where I was supposed to be set up! We went to my sister's to wait for her to come home with the baby, and we waited and waited and waited. Finally a phone call that said she wouldn't be home for a while and there was my opportunity to get out to hunt.

Off I go driving like a mad man back to the town where I live. I am making phone calls to try and get this set up. I called my good friend Ron to let him know I would be there in a while. Then talked to Art to let him know I was on my way and make sure he had all the camera gear ready to go. I make it home grab my vest do a quick run through of inventory and realize I didn't have my striker. Grab my gun and go to change choke tubes and well, it wont come out and I can't find the wrench to assist me in this. I grab my backup gun remove the choke tube out of it and install my turkey tube and on my way to the store. I ended up buying a new glass call since it was just easier and off I go.

I make it to Art's house and after listening to him give the business about how this hunt isn't going as planned, we were on our way. We started laughing about our big day turkey hunting and hitting the road at 1:30 PM. Who in their right mind starts turkey hunting in the mid afternoon with wind gusts of over 20 mph? We do I guess. I just went in with the mindset that it was the first time we were gonna see the property and it would be more or less a scouting trip for the next mornings hunt.

We arrived at our destination and after talking a bit we decided to hit the field where we were told the tom's had been strutting earlier. Off we went gear in tow out to the spot. We start setting up and Art goes to set up the pop up blind and well you guessed it another hurdle we needed to cross. The wind caught the blind as he was opening it and snapped a fiberglass rod! Oh yeah fun times. Well after a little redneck ingenuity we got it rigged up to work for a little bit at least.

Then came the next hurdle. The ground was really soft, the stakes were pulling out and the blind was blowing away. Well it just so happened there was a tree stump where we wanted to be so since the blind had no floor we decided to put the stump on the inside to help stop the blind as well as took the extra turkey stakes and drive them as far into the ground to hold it. That obstacle was out of our way.

I go out and set up the decoys and they are blowing all over. I finally get them in the ground far enough and at least the stakes aren't falling down. Back to the blind I go. I start handing Art the camera gear and bags. This is where another slight problem occurred. I forgot my stool! I was however thankful that I had my Quaker Boy Vestablind and the stump that was sitting inside the blind that I could lean against.

Ok so I grab my Dead Down Wind color wheel and start to apply my war paint and start laughing because nothing about this hunt is going right. Good times. We have been out here about 20 minutes at this point. Well I realize the zipper is open and I go to zip it up and well yeah you guessed it. It was broke! We take the screens from the windows and use them to cover up this huge opening all the way down the blind. Then I look out at the decoys and see the jake decoy staring straight up at the sky. No worries as Art says it just looks like he's trying to impress the hen by showing off his little beard. Oh, ok it works for me.

Well I break out the new call and off I go. We hear a couple behind us and start laughing because we say that they are just laughing and saying thanks for the comedy relief. I wait for five minutes and hear the clucks again. I go ahead and call. Then we hear some geese coming from behind and to our right that decide they want to tease me as they are cupped and float into our field out front and to our left at 50 yards. Grrrr I wish it was September 1st. I grab my call and am told to let it go and give it a bit. I looked at Art and explained that I don't think it much matters right now and start to cluck and purr. I watched the geese keep looking to my right but don't pay attention.

All of the sudden Art in a very loud voice says there he is at 12 o'clock!!!! I begin to scan the sky for more geese when he smacks me and says to your right! His twelve o'clock was my three o'clock which I later explained to him. I look to my right and I see a big brown thing with a bright red head. Oh what is wrong with this picture? Something is actually going right? Could this really be happening?

At the corner of the field where we were told by Ron that they come out of stood this turkey in full strut. The corner was 30 yards away from us. The only problem is he read the script but unfortunately wanted to do it in fast forward. He decided that he was tired of his girlfriend being with the other guy and was a bout to let him know about it. He did something that I have never witnessed while turkey hunting. He ran in full strut in a matter of ten seconds to the decoys. He was only slowed down a bit by a big gust of wind that looked like it was gonna blow him over. Well he made it to his girlfriend and started telling her how upset he was when all of a sudden he got a head ache! That's right Art called the shot and I did what he asked. The "Chico Layin' The Smack Down Tour 2010" had continued and it was lights out.

He was about 15 feet from the blind and I was in shock. Art and I laughed high fived and couldn't believe that we were only hunting for 20 minutes! It was the most incredible turkey hunt I have ever been a part of. After all the obstacles and mishaps this was just meant to be. We were happy and I was thankful to be blessed with the opportunity to be able to hunt Ron's property. It all worked out just not as originally planned.

The worst part was I almost didn't go out. I had actually questioned myself about not going and spending more time on homework and other things. I was so close to giving up my spring turkey hunt because of this. Fortunately for me, there was footage needed and that almost forced me to go out. I am thankful for that because there was a moment when it was all said and done, that I truly realized that this is my passion and I will always do this as long as the good Lord allows me to. There is nothing better than a great hunt with great friends and whether or not I got the bird I would of still loved to have told the story about the hunt that went all wrong.

Nuff Said!

MI Trout Opener

2010-05-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

Well I am sitting here thinking back on what has transpired over the last week. Being able to look back it doesn't seem as fast paced as it was when it was happening. Go figure. So with that being said let me get to it.

One of my favorite trips of the year is the Michigan trout opener. It is like a deer camp but only in the spring. You meet up with guys you don't normally get to see throughout the year. The food is always something to write home about. Stories always seem to be more funny when told up at camp than anywhere else.

It was Thursday and we were set to leave at ten bells. Dave had showed up at 7:30 and decided he wanted to take a nap since he worked all night. (You will see a pattern here) I decided to finally pack my clothes since it was only a couple hours until our departure. This is not really a tough task or a long one since the gear is always ready to go. Just a matter of getting it into the truck. Gear is at the truck and waiting on Art to show.

Art shows up and sleeping beauty awakes to a nice Sharpie mustache. Just my way of saying thank you for falling asleep on my couch and welcome to our weekend of fun. We load the gear up and and realize that Dave may end up having to ride on top of all the gear in a rocking chair ala the Beverly Hillbillies. We were able to clear out a cubby hole for him and off we went.

There is nothing better than getting out of town and knowing that you are gonna be doing your thing with no worries. The ride up was hilarious as usual. Nothing but stories joking and a very pathetic rendition of Country Road by Art and myself. Let's hope that it doesn't make it to any of the footage shown from the week.

We arrive and unload the gear into the cabin. Let me tell you it is as rustic as rustic can be. No running water, electricity and is at the end of a two track out in the middle of nowhere a few hundred yards off the Big Mannistee river. There is no signal for your cell phones so there really is no interruption except maybe a bear that may get hungry and wants to see if we have anything as far as left overs. Now its time to turn on some Bocephus and Johnny Cash and sit back and relax and enjoy the surroundings.

Well Cy showed up a little while later as well as my brother in law. Like I said before it is great to see these guys. The joking and stories immediately get going and the good times start. As everyone settles in we decide that we should go into the local town and grab a bite to eat. It was good to unwind and just relax without the cameras around. Don't need anymore blooper shots. We discussed our plan of attack and decided to do some scouting when we woke up before the rest of the crew showed up.

Well we woke up and once again Dave looked like he got into a fight with a Sharpie. Man when he sleeps he sleeps hard! Off to scout and put in the last bit of work before the fun begins. We split into to groups to check out more streams. With that behind us we made our way back to camp to wait for the other guys to show up. More hanging and telling stories. Then the rest of the crew showed up and game on let the festivities begin.

Can't fish til midnight so what are we to do until then? Grab the PSE's and start letting the arrows fly! I just wish Mike wouldn't have been so cheap and picked up the Sasquatch target at the sporting goods store on his way up. Who cares it was almost $700. Help some brothers out and spread the wealth. It was great to shoot the new rigs and try and get them dialed in. Man I can't wait til bow season, because I am about to hand out some dinner invitations. If that wasn't enough fun we decided since we always have the guns with us we might as well shoot some clays in preparation for duck, goose and whatever else flies through the skies that we can shoot. So we burned through a ton of shells and ridiculed whoever missed and called it good because it was time to fill the gas tank with food. Big boys gotta eat.

Once again Cy outdid himself with the dinner. Over 20 lbs. of ham in this boiled dinner! Then used it for tomorrows lunch to make bean soup. I will put this guy up against any camp cooks in the world. He is definitely the bomb dot com. With the gas tanks full it was time to load the gear and head out to our night spot.

Midnight came and lines went in the water and the anticipation began. Other than more talking and stories not much really happened. Well Dave fell asleep in his chair after about a half hour fishing. I had to wake him up to tell him he had a fish on. then it was off to the truck for him so he could continue to sleep. (Remember the pattern thing I mentioned earlier?) That was pretty much it. Very cold and the fish weren't biting and so it was back to camp at 3:00 AM.

5:30 came quick and we were off to another stream. One of the coolest things for myself and Art was the fact that it was Mike and Mikey's first time doing this. I love to get people out and experience new things. My goal for the trip was to get them their first trout. We caught some fish except the two guys that we wanted to have catch them. Not a bad morning but the rain had put a damper on things. Off to the cabin for brunch.

24 eggs, 5 lbs. of taters, 2 loaves of bread and a whole ton of bacon and all eight guys in camp were happy. Then Dave needed to go to sleep. (pattern?) We went out in the evening to the "Drop Zone" and i enjoyed running camera when the boys made their way down the steep hill. Especially catching Art loosing his footing and sliding quite a ways down. (This can be seen in the latest episode of Beyond the Wild)

We had a great time and enjoyed the pristine scenery. I worked with Mike for about two hours and finally we got his first brownie! That made my weekend a big success. To me that was more important than getting all the video footage, pics and personally catching all the fish I caught. We all had a great time that evening and caught quite a few fish. The thing I will remember most though is the time spent on the stream with these guys and enjoying the peace and quiet.

Well unfortunately that was the last time for the weekend we were able to be in the stream fishing due to bad weather. We ended up having breakfast with the crew and then made our way home. Art mentioned that everyone we saw driving didn't look so happy. Of course not, they were heading back home and already thinking about the stress of everyday normal life. For me I started thinking about the next trip five days later.

Nuff Said.

The Game Has Changed!

2010-04-11T17:56:00.001-07:00

Well it has been a couple weeks and I have finally settled down a bit. The Easter weekend was a great time spent with my son Drake, sister Jaime, Barb and Bill. We had the normal Easter dinner and Drake go to eat him some candy. It was great and I really enjoyed it almost as much as a cup of coffee from Starbucks.

Then came the day when the game changed. I had finally received all my goodies to set up my new PSE Super Short. This bow was originally shot at this years ATA and after the first shot I knew it was going to be in my hand very soon. It is 27" axle to axle, with a 6-3/4" brace height with an IBO speed of 348 fps. The bow weighs in at 3.6 lbs. Mossy Oak Treestand is the pattern that graces this beauty. It is set at 72 lb draw weight and 28" draw length.

The next piece of hardware to go on it was the G5 XR sight. This weighs in at only 6 ounces. I decided on the .019" Smart-Pins. It has 3x micro-adjustments, third axis tuning, harmonic dampner and is corrosion resistant. The sight offers 3 fixed pins and one floating pin.

Next up was the rest. The rest is from Mid Atlantic Archery and is the TriVan Multi-Adjust Pro. I also saw this product down at ATA and was impressed at how this thing worked. I spent some time with the president of the company who demonstrated and showed how it worked. You get the best of both worlds with this thing. It's like a capture rest and a drop away rest had a child and this is what happened! It has 3 solid all metal launcher arms with Vanishing Arm Technology. It comes with independent windage and elevation adjustments, Vibra-Shield Damping Technology, no friction resistance and you can gain up to 12 fps more. The main thing is that it works flawlessly with fast bows.

On to the stabilizer part of the rig. Dragonfire ThermoGrip is what is on the the rig. It is a stabilizer that tested out against the industries best and performed in the top. This stabilizer is unique in that it also has a heated grip incorporated with two heat settings. I will never be caught with my bow on the hook again due to cold hands. It is truly an innovative product that is well worth looking at.

America's Best Bowstrings is what is helping launch the lasers from this rig. This company has produced a string with some of the tightest tolerances in the industry, in fact they guarantee a length tolerance of +/- amazing 0.010"! They offer a written warranty against peep rotation and creep. They are also featured on 8 PSE bows. The color of choice is Flo Green and White with the matching D Loop and peep.

Well this was all set up by Jim Beasley of Spot Shooter Archery. This guy is no joke! Jim currently has 9 state championships, 4 state records, and is a 2009 NAA North Region champion. He won 2nd in the Badger Pro-Am in Wisconsin this year and set a NAA national record for the Star FITA Outdoor Compound Master 50+ at Single 70 meters in Renssaeler, IN during the July 2009 tournament. Having him set this rig up and give me some tips is something that I cannot put a price tag on. He spent a lot of time with me along with another member of his staff Dan. There is nothing better than having an awesome rig, than an awesome rig that has been set up and fine tuned by a great shop.

Well now that we know what this rig is about, I will tell you it shoots great. I couldn't be happier with the rig except for having two! Seriously though, i would definitely recommend any of these products. They are great by themselves but combined they make this set up dynamite. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to send me an email. If I don't know the answer I will find it or point you in the right direction.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

Back To Being A Metalhead

2010-03-28T15:47:00.001-07:00

As I sit here and stare at this computer, I wonder what my week holds. Will it be less stressful than the previous one? Will I get outdoors? Will I even be alive? Who knows. I don't, but I can tell you that I am going back to being a metalhead! That's right boys and girls a metalhead and I'm not talking about music either.

I have been sitting and listening to people talk about turkey hunting. Right now I can only dream of doing that because my tag isn't good til May. Coyote season is quickly drawing to a close. So I sat and wondered what I was gonna be able to do. Uh yeah hello, go and chase the silver torpedo's, chromers, go steelhead fishing!

I love to be in the stream and hook into these fish. There is something about the way these fish fight with such aggression, that makes me get amped up. It is really hard to explain to someone that has never fished for or caught this species how much fun they are. You are really lucky if you can land over 20%. They will break you mentally. They make you fish in conditions that most sane people would be at home. Then when you finally land that steely, you remember why you fish for these gorgeous fish.

Steelhead are a lake run rainbow trout. They get big and enter the river system in the fall behind the salmon. They stay in the river throughout the winter and spawn in the spring. The longer they are in the system the darker they become. Going from silver to a grey color.

So this week I will make the trek to my favorite river that holds these fish. Taking my metalhead friend Art with me. I will fish all day and most of the night. I will sleep in the truck when we get tired and get back to it when we wake. I will be a bum, a metalhead and enjoy every minute of it. If you have a chance to ever chase these fish do so. If you are fortunate enough to have fished for them, then go get after them again and take someone with you.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

Spring Fever. Perch Fishing With Drake

2010-03-21T17:36:00.001-07:00

Well the weather had gotten up into the upper 60's and brought with it my urge to go perch fishing in the small cuts coming off the big water. I ususally only fish for perch at this time of the year because it is the best time to get them for me. Year after year UNJ staff member Art Lopez and I hit it after ice goes out. This year would be different though. The first trip would be with my son Drake.

I only get my little man every other weekend and two days during each week now. So I have to make the most of each opportunity. He is two and a half so I figured since he went on his first deer hunt this past season he is more than ready to fish for perch.

Off we went Wednesday morning after he came over. The place we fish is roughly an hour from my house so we started on our way. We make the stop at the bait store and man did he love getting the minnows. Then he says "Daddy I have to show you sumpin" thats code for I want something. Then he shows me his bag of Cheeto's and to the register we go. After he said goodbye to the employees we were on our way to the fishing destination.

We arrive and pick out our spot we get rigged up to fish. He grabs the rod and starts reeling it in after I set it up. "Daddy theres no fish." I explain how we have to wait til the big fish bite the hook. Now he is ready. Fish on! He reels in his first ever perch. He was excited and I was proud. He fished for a while threw rocks in the water for a while and just really had a good time. Then I noticed a perch flying by my head. I looked and he says "Daddy have to throw them back. It's fun." Well there went dinner. It didn't matter though as we were having fun enjoying the day together.

It was time to go and he didn't wanna leave. "Daddy let's go to another spot." Man was I excited. We went to another spot and nothing was happening so we went home. He made sure though that we would go out the following day. "I wanna go fishing tomorrow." Thats all I needed to here We went and caught our fish and had a blast.

I ended up going with Art Friday and Mike, Mikey, and Kevin joined us Saturday. What a great week and fun times but none as fun or special as the two days Drake and I spent fishing.

So until next time be safe, appreciate what you have and get out into the great outdoors.

Walleye on Soft Water

2010-03-08T06:51:00.001-08:00

It is getting close to spring. With it comes the loosening grip of 'ol man winter. No more ice covered rivers. No more snow storms. (I hope) Just the remaing week and a half before the walleye season shuts down.

I had the opportunity to go out this past Sunday with Dave Hagan another Up North Journal staff member. We decided when I got back from my coyote
trip we would go get us some "Marble Eyes." Well I got back home late Saturday and got a good night sleep and was determined to be ready for the following day.

Sunday came and with it brought a beautiful sunny day and balmy upper 40 temps. We made it out on the water around 2:30. In the river we went with our favorite walleye rods and armed with an arsenal of different color jig heads in different weights. We were going to be drifting while vertical jigging. We would be using shiners on this trip.

It wasn't 5 minutes and I had the first one on. After 20 minutes I had hooked 3 and got one to the boat. The walley were starting the migration up stream to get to the spawing areas and I was glad to be there to greet some of them and invite them over for dinner. Our buddy Chad showed up and we went to shore to pick him up much to our displeasure because as soon as we left the run we were fishing a dozen boats moved in. Grrr.

After picking him up we jumped into the fray and started consistently catching fish, and a lot of them. We caught a bunch of walleye and Chad and I even caught a couple nice catfish. Chad even caught a sucker and a smallmouth bass. It was a great day and we had a great time.

A side note never let someone tell you that the trolling motor is good to go. If you do this make sure you have 2 paddles and not just 1. Make sure the paddles you have arent cracked either! Dave's motor died just as we were heading back and Chad ended up having to row with one oar back to shore. Another adventure was had that we all enjoyed.

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

Getting Started Choosing Your Fly Rod

2010-03-08T05:05:00.001-08:00

Getting started I will let you know that this will be for people who are thinking about or just getting started fly fishing. This will be a series that I will do that will cover getting started in the sport. I will try to get you geared up and give you the foundation so that you will feel a little bit more comfortable. Hopefully this will help get you out on the water and enjoy what may be a new way to catch fish. I want to stress I am not implying I am an expert and a no it all but can get you started in a sport I enjoy. So with that being said let's get to it.

Getyting started in fly fishing you will need the basics. Fly rod, backing, leaders, tippet, fly line and flies. Depending on what type of species you are gonna chase, you may want to add some extra gear such as waders, boots, jacket, hemostats, thermometer, vest, net and floatant. There are many gadgets that you can buy but these are the basics.

First things first, let's get started with a rod. The main thing when looking at a rod you will notice that it has a line weight. This means that you will match that rod up with the same weight fly line. They come in different lengths and come usually in two sections or four sections. In spinning rods we associate the rod with Ultra Light through Heavy action. With a fly rod it is 0 thru fifteen. Zero being the Ultra Light and fifteen being the saltwater species rod. So for panfish you would use say a 0-4 for trout 4-6 etc.

Depending on where you will be fishing you will want to consider whether you want a two piece or a four piece rod. With the way rods are made now, I pesonally feel you do not loose sensitivity in a four piece versus a two piece. So look at it as a convenience or transportation factor. Your four piece will obviously break down smaller than a two piece and thus make it a little easier to pack and take with you on your fishing trips. It also makes it easier if you have to hike to where you are gonna be fishing. The two piece usually cost a few dollars more but are worth it in my opinion.

Generally speaking rods are anywhere from seven to ten feet long. There are also rods called spey rods that are longer but since this is for the beginner crowd we will save that for another day. The longer the rod is the better control you have of your line generally speaking. It makes what is called loading a bit easier. That is when you swing your line behind you and your rod bends backward before bringing it forward. Think about where you will be using this rod at. I fish in some pretty heavy cover and when on these streams I use a shorter rod. You may also have to cast differently than if you are in a wide open area. A roll cast works well in this situation.

Remember starting out you do not have to spend a fortune. There are many good beginner setups out there and available. Some come in species specific packages with everything you need to get started. Some even have flies. The better you get and the more you like it then you can start mortgaging the house! The reality is that some gear is very expensive. I have always told people that the fish don't know whether the rod is a Sage rod or a combo package rod. If the fly is presented to them right they will take it. Use your local fly shop to get all your questions answered. You will find that they are usually very eager to help and talk about the sport they love.

I will be going over fly line in the next part of this series. After that I will go over the knots and how to set up your fly rod to get it ready to fish. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me.

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

Good Friends Good Times Few Fish

2010-02-25T19:55:00.000-08:00

Well here I am sitting at the keyboard again. I figured that I haven't wrote much about my outdoor experiences lately, with all that's going on in my life. So here I go.

I had the pleasure of being part of the "IceOut 2010" this past weekend. We were headed up to Houghton Lake in the northern Michigan. Joining us would be quite a few members from the UNJ team as well as some great friends from down south. Not southern Michigan but Alabama, Kentucky and Indiana. Boy were they in for a treat.

We arrived at our destination and unloaded our gear onto a trailer. It was going to be towed out to our home for the weekend. Yeah buddy we were sleeping out on the ice in a sleeper shanty. Once we got to our "home", I walked in and realized that my bed didn't have any cushion other than the extremely soft particle board! Yeah brother Mike forgot to tell me about that one. So I throw my sleeping bag on the top bunk and stake claim quickly. Heat rises you know and since it was going to drop down to 15 degrees I needed all the heat I could get. We had a propane heater but lets just say that there was a few drafts.

Once settled, on went the stove and the chili was on. Man were we hungry. It didn't take long before it was ready. Then there was a knock on the door. None other than Hunt Master himself. For those reading this that don't know his real name is Robert Householder and is the founder of the great forum Talk Hunting. We exchanged stories about his trip up and threw down on some of the venison chili. When we were done we had a few more visitors. Mike from Indiana, Jody and Ron from Kentucky. We all sat around told stories and laughed for hours. Man did I need that.

Time for bed. Well kinda. I fell out at about 12:30 but back up at 3:00 to use the facilities. Man it was all of 15 degrees out! For some reason the shanty doesn't feel so warm anymore. Well thank God heat rises.

Morning comes and so does the realization that the heater was accidently turned on low when everyone was over for a visit. Thanks Jody! I think he was playing a joke to see if we could take it. Out came the stove and I got to cooking some breakfast burritos for the crew. After breakfast we all set out to get us some fish.

With about 20 plus people now here we split up and go separate ways to find fish. It didn't take long to realize we were in for some tough fishing. The crew I was with did manage to catch 3 pike and a perch. The others caught a rock bass and some other pan fish. Not much to show for our effort.

Evening came and with it came the get together at the southern boys cabin. We had more jokes and laughs and a couple younger members got some new mustaches (Sharpies do wonders). Not to mention some great venison stew and some wild hog BBQ. Man was that food great. I was glad to be the official taste tester. Then it was off to bed to get a good nights sleep. With the heater on high I was actually able to sleep with my sleeping bag open.

Morning came and we packed up to head for breakfast with he crew. Once again we had a great time and enjoyed each others company. Unfortunately we all had to head back home and get back to reality. We said our goodbyes and off we went.

Looking back on the trip, it was said that it was "the best time fishing without catching a lot of fish." The reality is we had all met on the Talk Hunting website and had we not met there we would have not shared each others company at the "IceOut 2010." I feel fortunate to have met these people and was able to share the ice fishing experience with them. I look forward to to our next outdoor adventure together and hope it happens sooner rather than later. It just goes to show that you don't always have to catch a limit to have a good time.

Sorry for not having pictures. I was just lazy and enjoying not having to worry about it.

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

My How Time Flies

2010-02-11T18:16:00.000-08:00

Well I really don't know what else to say. The last month has been a whirl wind. At times I felt like a dog chasing it's own tail. First off to Columbus to check out the ATA show. Then to the Benefit 4 Kids banquet. Throw in the filming and editing of the latest Beyond the Wild episode. As well as finally getting out on the hard water for some walleye fishing. Oh yeah all while having a phone stuck to my ear.

Well let's start with the ATA show. Man all I can say is that I have never seen so many great products as well as meeting some great people. The UNJ crew spent all three days checking out the latest and greatest that manufacturer's had to offer. There was some pretty cool things to see. One of the coolest things that I saw for archery was the DragonFire Thermo Grip. For you archers that hunt when it's cold, you definitely need to check it out. Definitely something you want to seriously consider. Then there was finally the unveiling of the Mossy Oak Break Up Infinity pattern. I had been able to see this a while before the show and couldn't wait to see it on fabric. It was just as great as I expected it to be. (OK maybe a little biased but I'm being very honest here) America's Best Bowstrings definitely showed that you can still get some pride and high quality in bowstrings today. The G5 booth was one I wanted to check out for sure. I used the Tekan broadheads this year with great results and wanted to see the new T3. Very nice. Dead Down Wind came out with some great products this year. A Waterless Hand Sanitizer that's totally odorless in seconds. Which is great hunting as well as fishing. Totally Odorless Hand & Body Lotion which took them 2 years in formulation and testing to get it to market. A Camo Color Wheel with the only colorants that meet both FDA and EU requirements. Another cool product came out of the Quaker Boy booth. It is one of the most functional turkey vests I have ever seen with a built in guille system.

Now for the Benefit 4 Kids dinner and auction. Let me start by saying that the people involved with this orginization are top notch caring people. They deserve so much credit for all the good they do. My hat goes off to them. They put their heart and soul into this event and it showed. The stories that were told of some of the children they have helped, made you realize just how fortunate you are. When the stories were being shared there wasn't a dry eye in the place. This is definitely a benefit that I will have penciled in my planner for as long as they have it.

On to the latest episode of Beyond the Wild. It started as a crazy idea of mine to do something we haven't done in any of our previous episodes. After bribing Mike to let me put my neck on the line and try it, the plan was put in motion. After talking and bouncing ideas of each other we set the date to shoot the footage. Well I didn't pick the warmest day for sure. We woke up to it being a balmy 9 degrees out! We started filming at about seven in the morning and didn't wrap up filming until 10:48 that evening. We had a blast like always with everyone being a comedian throughout the day. It wasn't until we were at the house and started filming the cooking segment that I really felt the pressure. I came to the realization that I hope they like what I was cooking or we could be in trouble. Thankfully it went over well since there wasn't any left. Whew!

I then got to try my hand in the editing arena. Grrrr! It was a Saturday and we were supposed to go hunt some devil dogs. Unfortunately I woke up and got Mike on the phone and well let's just say I was sick and went back to bed. I was a bit disappointed since I was given some great new 'yote calls and wanted to put em to work in the feild. (Keep looking I will talk about them in the not to distant future) I finally drug myself out of bed and made my way to Mike's editing "palace". Well it only took over fourteen and a half hours and Mike still ended up needing another six more! I don't think that I wanna do that again. I will leave that to the professionals. I will however sit in when the pizza is delivered.

Finally I was able to get out with my buddy Art for some river walleye relaxation time. We hadn't been out together for a while and it was nice to just relax and hang out without a camera. We caught up on each others lives and solved the worlds problems. (Man do I wish I could solve my own) We caught some fish and enjoyed being out in the outdoors. It's funny how just getting out can totally recharge your battery.

Speaking of battery....stay tuned for the reason why I had a phone stuck in my ear in my future blog.

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

This Is Public Property Right?

2010-01-12T18:07:00.000-08:00

So as I sit and reflect on some experiences this year, I keep coming back to the same situations. It is happening so much more frequently and is starting to irritate me to no end. I have had the same issues now happen more than a few times and thought I would bring it to light.

Have you noticed that more and more so called "sportsman" are trying to act as though "public" "state owned property" is their own. I have had several encounters this year with this type of "sportsman".

The first one happened to be on a river at a very busy section. I was there with a friend and we got ready stream side and watched a guy bring to shore a nice walleye. After about 20 minutes of him playing on shore with his walleye, i ventured out in the vicinity of where he was at. I said hello to the gentleman next to me and he just gave a blank stare. Oh well first cast. As I made my second I noticed this gentleman staring at me. I turned to him again and he sternly explained, "see that guy there?"

"Yeah sure the one who caught the walleye 20 minutes ago?"

"Yeah well he is fishing this spot."

"Oh really? So you made reservations for this spot right here? Can you tell me where I can make these reservations? Because I would love to reserve this whole public river for myself next weekend."

He didn't really like that. Since this is a public waterway we were fishing. I hollered back to my friend who was still on shore 5 feet from the guy who was still messing with his walleye. And asked him if he knew that we could make reservations for a stretch of river. With an odd look he said no and I walked over to him and explained that these two guys had done so and we couldn't fish it. The guy on the bank quickly went out next to his buddy who was a little upset because I called him out in front of all those fishing.

These people should be called out in these instances. Right wrong or indifferent I will not let this slide anymore. I am not saying I want to fight people but I will remind them that it is a public waterway and then move on.

Then this past week I heard the same comments from another kid. Who was upset that his buddy had invited us to fish and we fished the same spot he did the day before. Can you believe this. He was upset that we were fishing in "HIS" spot. Never mind the 20 or so guys in shanties all around us. This kid not only felt that we shouldn't be there but then got jealous when people in our group started to catch fish and he wasn't. The fish hoarder got so upset at this he took his toys and went home because he just couldn't take the fact that others were catching fish and he wasn't.

These people should not be tolerated. If you are on a public piece of property you have just as much right to be there as anyone else. I am not saying go cuddle up next to someone while hunting or fishing, but I am saying that with common sense you can use the same piece of land or water. Know your rights and never be intimidated by these people. Ask them the question,

"This is Public Property Right?"

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

Reflections for 2009 The Good Bad and Ugly

2009-12-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

Well here we are. 2009 is just about over, and what a year it has been. If I could sum it up with one word it would have to be "Hysteria" (behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess). Emotional excess being the key part of that definition. For me emotions ran wild during 2009.

It started with some ice fishing in January. I was working over 70 hours a week and pulling double shifts. I would go in at 4:00 A.M. work til 4:00 P.M. go ice fish for a couple hours and work til midnight and do it all over again the next day. It was tiresome but I am always told by older and wiser people "your young, you can do it." Well I did it until I was permenantly laid off in February.

I took up fly tying in the winter to add another weapon to my fishing arsenal. Talk about getting addicted. I learned to tie from Jac Ford who guides on the PM (Pere Marquette) as well as Montana. This is one heck of a guide who isn't afraid to share his knowledge with anyone. He is a great teacher and I was thankful to learn from someone like him.

Then came the spring and I was on the road all the time. I was chasing spring steelie's (steelhead) and getting ready for the trout opener. Well the trout opener came in April and started off just like years past. WET! It always seems to rain when the opener gets here but oh well you just have to put on your big boy drawers or for you ladies reading, big girl panties and play the hand your dealt. I had a guy come up that wanted to catch his first brook trout so I was on a mission. After letting the rain subside we got after it and by the grace of God he got it.

Hunting for trout continued throughout the summer. I had a buddy Art who was able to go with me and man it was a blast. I caught a nice trophy brown trout one June evening that came in at just shy of 22 inches. What a great time. We had a newbie (someone new to the game) along who didn't believe that fish got that big in this small a stream. Well we proved it to him as Art also caught a nice 19 inch brown before dark.

I was able to get my wife her first pair of waders so she could get out and see what makes me tick. The day we went the water was gin clear and low. This makes for some tough fishing. We gave it a shot and only had a couple hours before we had to go get our son so we moved at a brisk pace. At the last bend we were going to be able to fish I told her to cast under the the log and "Fish On!" Her first brown came to net and was sent back to catch another day.

Then we took our vacation up to Burt Lake. We go the same time every year. The hexagenia limbata (hex hatch, big mayfly) happens at this time and there is nothing better than seeing those things. Except if your fishing for something other than trout. We fished for some walleye and pike and managed to catch enough for some tasty dinners. I didn't get the big pike this year. That honor went to my wife.

Well summer went on and fall was here before I knew it. September first I was in the field for some early goose action. That week was total chaos. We hunted all over the state. This is when I hooked up with UNJ. We filmed non stop for the two week period and got no sleep. I wrote down that I got about 18 hours in that first week. Whew! We had a great time and got a lot of new people out in the field. All I can say is a good time was had by all.

Then came the early doe season. I was able to have my compadre (n. Chiefly Southwestern U.S.A close friend or associate; a companion.) Art along to video my first ever doe harvest on camera. What a great feeling that was and to be able to have a great friend along for the ride was even better. (You can check it out at http://www.upnorthjournal.com/ Episode 5) It was his first time running a camera and he did a great job. Maybe next time he will turn it on sooner when I tell him I hear deer coming!

Then we segway into October and the start of archery deer and duck season. I was fortunate enough to take a ten point with my bow. This was the first one taken with my bow and it was a rush. I thought I missed him when he acted as if he wasn't shot but he only went 15 yards before he piled up. Then came the worst duck season I have ever had. It seemed as though the ducks we hunted day one we were still hunting at the end of the season. They all were schooled (educated) at the game we were playing and let me tell ya they all seemed to have Ivy League degrees for sure. All but 3 days in the field the UNJ crew and I had someone either new, a youngster or cameras over our shoulder. Let me tell ya we put in our time. I also had my ten year anniversary opening weekend of duck season and well ya guessed it, I kinda lost focus. On my anniversary. Yeah not a wise move at all.

November came and with it came the opening of Michigan's gun season for deer. I was able to harvest another buck and video'd it myself. It was quick and let me tell ya I still don't remember hitting the record button. That was something I will remember forever. Stay tuned to see if it makes the cut for one of our episodes. I also was able to take my son Drake out for his first ever deer hunt. At 2 years old. That was by far my most memorable hunt. We saw some deer but decided not to shoot and just enjoy watching them. I don't know that I will ever top that hunt.

Thanksgiving came and with it came the bombshell that rocked my world.

I left the following day to chase some chromers with fellow UNJ crew members Mike, Mikey and Jurgens. We had a great time until my ride home. That is when I got the voice mail. My wife told me she left me and we were thru. Yes folks I came home and the realization had hit me that the message was true. I am sure that there was a lot of thought that wnet into her decission and can understand some of her points. It doesn't help but at least we can talk about it. 10 years about to go down the drain with only having 2 possible fights. What an eye opener. The saying is true though people. "You don't know what you got, til it's gone." Let me tell ya it was a hard month after. A lot of thinking time for sure. She is a great person, a person I hope not to lose. Only time will tell.

Christmas came and I was able to have my daughter up from Illinois to celebrate this joyous holiday. Well I wished the circumstances would have been better but the family time was great. Then came another blow when I had to explain her grandfather had passed away. We talked and I let her know he is in a better place. We celebrated on the 26th and my sister Jaime was able to come over. My sister Jodi and her family came and so did Angela and Drake. It turned out to be a pretty good day. I enjoyed that as much or more than anything else this year.

Well as I look back at the year there were a bunch of high's and some low's. If you have learned anything from me and my life this year, I sincerely hope that you remember to never take anything for granted because you might wake up and not have it anymore. I hope you have seen that I am a real person with real emotions who doesn't hide how I truly am or feel. I am an open book. I try to give an insight as to what goes on in lives of people who do this and some sacrifices that are made. It can be a tough task and we sometimes loose sight of trying to keep family time and outdoors time in balance. We all have choices to make.

So there you have it, a view in my rear view mirror from this past year. I am looking forward to a lot of cool things that are gonna happen in the first quarter of this year. I am also looking forward to working on my personal life as well as my outdoor life. I am pumped up about the opportunities that I will have this year. I can say this that thru all of this I have learned that I have some great friends and have surrounded myself with good people that have been there in the good times but also in my hard times and for that I am thankful.

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

So I Got Interviewed

2009-12-16T20:02:00.000-08:00

So I am sitting in my family room and thinking about my chores when all of the sudden I have someone show up and ask about doing an interview. I was stunned. Me? Are you sure? "Well you are Chico? Right?". "Uh yeah actually I am." So next thing I know we are sitting down and I am being interviewed. So here it is.

Chris - "So Chico how did you get that name anyways?"

Chico - "Well I actually got it from a friend of mine when I was about 16, and it just stuck with me. My mother doesn't even call me by my real name. So if I hear my real name I know that it is someone who really doesn't know me."

Chris - "How did you get started hunting and fishing?"

Chico - "Well I had a step dad who kinda started me but it wasn't until I was old enough to drive that I really got into it. The freedom of going when I wanted to and not when someone else wanted to made it easier. I learned how to duck hunt on my own and man was that tough. I remember when I went out for my first early goose season, man was my calling horrible. I was trying to learn but I didn't learn quick enough. I went out by myself and the first flight that came my way I started to call the birds didn't flare but didn't come for a closer look either. Then I hear from a group down in the section next to me start yelling and telling me to stop calling and that I was horrible. Man did I feel lower than an ants you know to the ground. I remember that and that is why I will never tell someone they are bad unless they ask. I won't say they suck but I will try to lessen the blow a bit."

Chris - "So you were self taught in hunting and fishing?"

Chico - "I had a little help along the way with some things but for the most part, yeah pretty much."

Chris - "So what is your favorite game to hunt?"

Chico - " Well I do not like to be labeled with deer, duck, goose, upland etc. I would like to think I am not a one trick pony. I am a sportsman and I hunt it all. It provides food and that is the main reason I do it. The adrenaline rush is another. I do love waterfowling just because of the interaction that goes on with the waterfowl but the hunters as well. I would say waterfowl."

Chris - "Would you label yourself a trophy hunter?"

Chico - "I said I do not like labels. I can't eat horns if that's what your asking."

Chris - "What types of fish do you fish for?"

Chico - "I have a passion for trout fishing. There is just something about it. I love to be in the stream and not in a boat. Something about trying to hunt these fish. It is awesome. I say I do that most of the time but I still like to fish for walleye, pike, panfish, salmon and steelhead. I will be trying fly fishing for carp this year. They say it is the freshwater bone fish."

Chris - "So man, your season never really ends then. Does it?"

Chico - "No not at all. In fact I am planning to be out this weekend ice fishing and maybe trying to get after some coyotes. The season is never over if you have the passion. There is the prep season and then the actual hunting season and then when that is over, you start the prep season all over. I laugh when I hear people say the season is over because it never is, they just aren't looking at it the right way."

Chris - "How did you get started doing this?"

Chico - "This interview? Listen to your question brother, you started it."

Chris - "No I mean getting involved in the outdoor industry. I guess."

Chico - "Oh I got ya. I met a cool cat from IL. Who had invited me to a campout in Holly, MI. I met some of my brothers from Up North Journal and we talked after quite a bit and the rest is history. I have met a lot of cool people since. Can I give a shout out to them?"

Chris - "Uh yeah sure."

Chico - "What's up Mikey, Mike, Jurgens, Matt, Red, Kenster man forget it the whole family at UNJ, Snort, WV, Ron man everyone at http://www.talkhunting.com/ . Make sure you have that link when printed if ya could."

Chris - "Yeah, sure. Anyways what is your take on photos of game?"

Chico - "Not sure where your leading me."

Chris - "I mean whats your thoughts on the way game is portrayed after it's been harvested?"

Chico - "Well what your saying in reality is what is the right and wrong way. I'll say this about that. I do not personally take a picture with an open body cavity. That's just me. Is it wrong? Who am I to judge. I do however like to have my pics authentic. When I say that I mean the deer may have blood on it. I will try to tuck the tongue in but if it falls out well, it falls out. I am not going to take it to a local car wash hose it down and try to make it look like it is still alive because it's not. I go with the philosophy right wrong or indifferent that to each there own. If you don't like my pic well don't look at it. If you don't like my video don't watch it. I mean I am not going to show the worst side but c'mon it is what it is. So is there a right way? Yeah, the way you do it. Is there a wrong way? Yeah I guess it depends on who doesn't like it. Ask them they are always quick to point out things that are wrong. I call them cookie cutters."

Chris - "Cookie cutter's? Can you explain?"

Chico - "Yeah they are the people that loose sight of their own thoughts and views because they want to appeal to the masses. They may not agree with the masses but they sure don't want to go against the grain. You know, be different and true to themselves. What they actually believe in and how they personally feel. They start to drink the Kool Aid so to speak. I wish people would just do what they believe in and not do something just because they think others will like it."

Chris - "Okay then, so my last question for you is, if there is one thing you could change right now what would it be?"

Chico - "Right now the thing I would change would be that I wouldn't be going through......"

"Thanks Greeny." "So the Cowboys are in another slump in December and we'll be back after this to tell you how they aren't gonna change that anytime soon. Sports Center will be back after this."

So now I am awake and realize I was just interviewed by none other than myself Chris "Chico" Lopez. Now you have a sense of what I really think!

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

A Trip of First's

2009-12-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

It started out as an innocent trip to get fellow Up North Journal members out for a new kind of fishing experience. I had planned to take Mike and Mikey on their first ever steelhead fishing trip on one the best steelhead rivers in Michigan. What happened over the course of this weekend will stay with me for the rest of my life.

It was Friday and we were set to meet at my house. Dave shows up first and is a little antsy as it is, but as the time went on as we were waiting for Mike and Mikey he really got fidgety. The Mike's made it finally and we realized we were going to have to take two trucks up to our destination. It wasn't what we wanted as we were all looking forward to the usual jokes and ribbing that always happens when we are together. Oh well off we went.

We arrive at the cabin and unload our gear. The boys check out the cabin and get geared up for our evening on the stream. It was really a great night for fishing. A temp hovering at about 42 degrees and very little wind to speak of. I helped get the boys rigged up and watched the action unfold. There is nothing better than getting to watch people do something that they have never done before. Seeing them concentrate so hard and want to learn all they can is an awesome experience. The fishing was slow.

I grabbed my rod and started to do my thing. I was aggressively fishing this area with spinners and spoons. I like to be different and try different techniques and not be so cookie cutter as I see with a lot of people. (That's a whole other blog, but look for it shortly) I make a cast then then rod snapped down toward the water. Tight line and bent rod with a silver torpedo on the end. Man it doesn't get much better than this. I played this one for a bit and walked up the stream toward it. I knew there is a boulder in the vicinity where it was and wanted to keep it away as much as possible. Then just like clock work snap! All done, but man was it a rush.

We fished into darkness and then decided to call it quits so we could go laugh back at the cabin. Man did we. I do not think that I laughed so much in my life, ever. We carried on until the wee hours of the morning. When I finally awoke my chest hurt from laughing so much. It kinda felt like you do when you are in a smoke filled bar and wake up the following morning. For those of you who do not do this, let's just say it hurts.

We packed our gear up and leave to hit the stream. We fished until dark and called it a great experience we were able to share together. No fish landed but a great time was had by all. A very enjoyable trip to say the least. I was glad that I was able to get Mike and Mikey out for their first time and pass on some tips and pointers to make them successful in the future. It doesn't matter how many fish you catch or take home, it matters how great the memories you make while doing it.

Let's say I have a lot of great memories from this trip. Then came the ride home and a first for me....

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

Drakes first deer hunt!

2009-11-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

Well I decided that my two year old son Drake was gonna go out into the deer woods with me for an evening hunt. Many people said that I was crazy. They gave me all kinds of reasons on why he shouldn't go. With many more excuses than legit reasons.

I decided that the weather was going to be pretty warm and he would be ok inside my box blind. I kind had an idea that he was at least interested enough to go. How long he would stay out would be a different story. You see I am in the field about four to five days a week. When I come home I get to hear him say some of his favorite phrases:

"Daddy did you shoot the deer?"

"Daddy did you shoot the ducks?"

"Daddy did you shoot the bow?"

"Daddy did you shoot the gun?"

That is usually the first part of our conversation when I walk through the front door. Usually after that,it is a big hug and kiss for daddy. Man I look forward to that.

I ask Drake if he wants to go "shoot the deer", and he answers "YES!". Kinda what I expected. So we get ready and gather our things. This will definitely be a different "hunt" for me so I have to remember a whole different set of gear. Crayons, coloring book, snack sticks, milk and well you get the point. So we load up the truck and off we go.

We get to the woods at about 3:00. Get our gear on and off to the blind we go. He was pretty excited to be going. Although I think I was more excited than him. We get to the blind and we take a seat. Then out comes the goodies. We laugh and have a good time and I am wondering just how long he will be able to stay out. It gets dark at 5:30 so if we make it til 4:00 it will be a great start to his hunting career.

Well 4:00 comes and goes and he is still having fun. Man this boy is destined to be a sportsman. Then there it is the first doe of the evening. Drake spots her walking and let's me know. "Daddy deer!" The deer looks and keep on going. I was looking for a doe since I have already used my buck tags, but she was a little on the small side. It was starting to rain and Drake wanted to touch it so he starts to put his hand out to feel the rain. He thinks it is the coolest thing. I let him know everything in the outdoors is cool.

Well 4:45 comes and there is the doe I have been looking for! I point her out to Drake and he reminds me to be quiet. "Shhhh daddy. Deer." I now have a dilemma on whether to take the shot.

If I do and the deer takes off, I will have to track it with Drake in the rain. How cool would that be though to get a deer with him on his first trip. Do I really want to take the chance of possibly having to track it in the rain? It would be pretty cool to get a deer on his first trip.

Well I let her walk and we sat and finished off the milk and snack sticks and watched the woods get dark. He made it through the whole evening without complaining at all. I made the right decision on letting the deer walk because we were having a great time just seeing the deer and maybe having to track one in the light rain would have put a damper on a great day. We packed up and headed home. He was so happy and excited to tell "Grandpa Great" on the way out he saw the deer in the woods. He talked about it all the way home and all night and all morning and all evening and on and on. I think it is safe to say I have a new hunting buddy.

I look forward to getting him out more and more. He keeps asking to go so I am going to keep taking him as much as I can. My only problem is, what am I gonna do when the season is over? Well I guess we can "shoot the bow" until the next season!

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get in the great outdoors.

Put Me In Coach!

2009-11-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

So I am toasty warm and dreaming of duck hunting when I hear my cell phone ring.

"Hello." "Chico are you in the mood to go out in the morning to get after some ducks?" "Mike? What time is it?"

"It is a little after midnight and I know you had been talking to Kevin about getting out and he happens to have tomorrow off and well I am able to so....."

You see Kevin isn't a waterfowler. He has never been, but to his credit he had already went out and bought a waterfowl shotgun and bought his license. He has been after us to get him out and after hearing us swap stories with George on Sunday I know he was itching to get out.

"Put me in coach. Meet me at the house at 4:15."

Man am I easy! I got up and got my stuff together which isn't too hard since it is almost always in the truck. Just for moments like these. Set the mud timer and back to bed I go. I slept for what seemed like an eternity. Yeah right, it was more like a commercial break! The alarm went off and I was promptly greeted with a nice push in the back from my wife with the encouraging words of "GET UP!"

I poured myself some mud and got ready. I walked out the door and was promptly greeted with a "morning" from Mike. Whoah buddy, take it easy up here in the city that will get you hurt sneaking up on people like that. We loaded up Kevin and Mike's gear and Uh Oh! Chico can't find his license.

Have no fear ladies and gentlemen after 20 minutes of making a bunch of noise and turning on numerous lights in the house I remembered where it was. In my blind bag from my last trip and I forgot to put it back in my wallet. Off we go to the flooded maize field.

It was pretty foggy until we got to the field. We were able to set up without issue. At first light we saw thousands of duck and geese. Then the fog rolled in and wasn't leaving anytime soon. I thought Kevin was gonna go nuts. I mean after seeing all those birds and now we are covered in fog and can barely see our decoys. I know it was driving me nuts hearing the wing beats, quacks and honks and not being able to see the birds making that noise.

Then I heard a drake mallard over my shoulder and he is circling into the decoys. Well you guessed it, Kevin shot his first mallard or duck for that matter on his first ever duck hunt AND it had jewelry! That's right, it was banded. Go figure. I have hunted for a long time and I have never got a banded duck and this joker comes out and smacks one on his first hunt. Kevin was excited and Mike and I were excited for him.

That is what is special about getting people out to do something they have never done before. This was the second banded bird that I have seen taken this year and both were the first bands for the hunter. I think it is safe to say that I am sure I will be getting another call very soon from a very excited and proud waterfowler to go out and chase some birds. I just want to say Congratulations to Kevin on his day of firsts. I was glad I could be a part of his special day.

As for Mike and I, well, we couldn't see much to shoot until it was time to go home. I guess if your only going to get one bird in the group it might as well be a banded one!

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

What a season!

2009-10-20T09:50:00.001-07:00

So I started to think of how lucky I have been this year. I have been fortunate to hunt with many people and chase a variety of game. I was able to harvest a ten point with my bow, which is my personal best. The following is what I feel I am most lucky for though.

Mike Adams Jr. was able to shoot his first banded goose during Michigan's early goose season. I was able to see how excited he got when he realised what had happened. The look on his face was priceless. It was great to listen to him tell the story to family and friends.

I was able to see Jake take his first ever duck on his first ever "Big Boy" hunt. What a blast it was to see him get so excited about it. He was on cloud nine. I am sure it will be something that he remembers for the rest of his life. I know I will remember it.
Getting out with a couple of new friends from http://www.talkhunting.com/ . Al and Ken were able to get out and do some early goose hunting and it was great to get to hunt with these guys. It was definitely fun in the goose blinds while they were along.

Receiving a phone call from a very excited Mikey after he shot his first deer with a bow. I truly felt honored and privileged that he thought enough of me to call me either first or second to tell me about it. Pretty cool.

Having Dave give me a call screaming in the phone in the early morning "SIX POINT DOWN". Then stopping by to show me his trophy. Man was he excited, as well he should be.

One of my favorite things though has to be seeing my 2 year old son Drake shooting a bow for the first time. Maybe I am a little biased but I am a proud poppa. I will never forget helping him as he actually stuck a 3D deer target in the vitals at 5 feet! Then see him running down the range to give the UNJ team high fives. Priceless.
I enjoy my own experiences in the outdoors but it is always more enjoyable when I can take part in getting out with new friends, experiencing a child's first duck, archery deer or seeing my son shoot a bow for the first time. I definitely have a lot to be thankful for and I appreciate the experiences the people in this blog have provided me with.

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

MI 2009 Archery Opener

2009-10-02T05:37:00.000-07:00

Twas the night before archery opener and all......OK really let me just get to the story!

I awoke on opening morning and was ready to go. I had been eagerly waiting for today to the point of making myself sick. I know go figure, but it is the truth. I had prepared for this day like never before. I put in a lot of hard work and effort and now it was time for it to pay off.

Before I go any further one small detail I forgot to mention is that I wouldn't be hunting out of a tree because my "friend" finally told me he "lost" my tree stand in a move. Yeah, I can see how that would happen. NOT! So I will be using a borrowed ground blind from my brother in law. Thanks D, I really appreciate it.

So as the morning goes I arrive to the property and get my gear ready for the hunt. I slowly make my way out to the blind that I had set up about twelve hours earlier. I make sure to walk as slowly as possible to not spook anything in the area. So far so good.

I get settled in the blind and go to pull back my bow and come to realize that it is smaller inside than I thought. I will have to draw back diagonally from corner to corner or I will not have enough room. Glad I figured that out now. I get comfortable and begin to watch the deer woods wake up. I wouldn't have to wait too long to see a deer.

7:50 I spot movement from my right 40 yards out. I expect this in the morning as because the deer are on their way back from eating in the field. I notice that it is a buck and I get ready for the shot. He made a left turn and came down to the actual runway they travel and I let my arrow fly.

I wait a half hour and go check for my arrow. I find it and it is covered in sign letting me know I had hit it good. I go about twenty yards and don't see it so I decide to wait. I decide to get some assistance from my father in law. Hey why not, I don't want to have to drag by myself when I can get help. Almost four hours later we pick up the trail and then are stunned when we see a ton of sign and then everything including the deer vanished into the forest air. (Another blog another day) At this point I am sick to my stomach again. I go home and shake it off and refocus.

I head back out into the woods at 4:00. I am ready to go with great anticipation. I see a couple does early on in the hunt but it wasn't what I was after. So I waited and waited and played poker on my blackberry, and waited some more. I started posting on a website about my hunt in real time and waited some more.

Then at 7:00 some movement gets my attention from out front and left 50 to 60 yards or so. It looks to be a nice deer and I start watching as intently as one can watch. It is coming from left to right and on it's way out to the field. Finally I notice that my speed beef has head gear. I slowly fold up my chair to give myself all the room the blind would allow. I draw back and am ready to take the shot. The buck continues to make his way nibbling on branches and taking his time. He has no clue I am even there. At 7:20 he makes his way into an opening and I released the arrow.

The deer turns and goes back left fifteen feet as though nothing happened! Uh oh. He stops and looks back to the right. What is going on I heard it hit didn't I? He then continues left and now between he and I is a thicket and I can no longer see him. I nock another arrow and look to where he should be coming out and wait and wait. I don't see him and I now feel like I just want to crawl into a hole.

I hear a couple of snorts and some upset deer but can't see 'em. The noises weren't in the direction of the one I shot at. I decide that I would get out and check for my arrow. I go to where I shot and the it was just laying there. I pick it up to find only a little bit of sign. I walk to where I last seen the buck and on my way I see sign a lot of sign! I only have on my green headlamp and turn on my flashlight and see not 20 yards from where I shot him, my trophy laying there.

I walk up and take the time to appreciate him. I give thanks and then I inspect the head gear. I just shot my first ten point. My G5 Tekan had done it's part and my Bear Lights Out did it's part. I call and let everyone know what is going on. My father in law arrives about a half hour later and helps me get it to the truck and up to the barn. Pictures were taken and flashes going off left and right. I felt like I was a rock star and was on cloud nine.

I have always wanted to take a ten point in my hunting career. Always dreaming about what it would be like. Well now I know and I hope it doesn't end anytime soon. The rack wasn't as big as the one I had always envisioned but it is my trophy and I wouldn't change a thing.

The crazy part in all of this is, I used to shoot on a archery league and really enjoyed it. So much in fact that I never really hunted with my bow because for some strange reason I just enjoyed the league. So this year I decided that I was going to take my first deer with my bow. So there you have it. My first deer with a bow. The only way you will know this tidbit is from reading it here because I purposely have left it out of all the conversations I had late last night. Cheers.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get in the great outdoors.

Bird Hunting with Ken & Scott

2009-09-26T14:32:00.001-07:00

Well a while back I received an offer from Ken to go hunt Woodcock. I have never went out and specifically targeted these fast and acrobatic birds, so I said I would definitely be in. I looked forward to this day for a change of pace. You know something different.

Well I met up with Ken,his buddy Scott and the star of the show Duke at the gas station. I threw my gear in his truck and off we went. Ken had informed us he was out a tad late the evening before, due to his wife's class reunion. Well you know what comes next. He took a little nap on the way to our destination.

Ken pulls in to our spot and we get our game faces on and prepare for battle. Ken get us lined up and off we go. The terrain was great, hills, thickets of aspen, stumps, holes, ferns, tall grass and other obstacles to make the walking pleasant. After a while you just get used to it.

We flushed over thirty five birds and were able to take five. Those things know just where to go and what tree to get in front of. I even had one come right at me then finally decided to turn about three feet from my face. It was so close I could feel the wind of its wings. It was a rush for sure.

I couldn't shoot today and my buddy Ken let me hear about it every chance he got. What can I say, other than I cut my trigger finger while cleaning my gun the night before. Okay maybe that didn't have much to do with it. It had to be something other than me. Right? I mean my mechanics were perfect!

Ken was a gracious host. He had lunch with all the goodies you could want. I definitely had a great time with him and Scott and hope to get to do it with those guys again. It was kind of special to have hunted with Ken's chocolate lab Duke. Some of you that know me, know that my chocolate lab named Duke passed away a few months ago. So it was kind of wierd to be talking to Duke again if only for a morning. I was glad to have him along. If you have never tried woodcock hunting give it a shot. It is as challenging as anything I have ever hunted.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

The Season's Last Trout Trip?

2009-09-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well the Michigan trout season will soon come to an end. It has gone by so fast, that it seems like the opener was just yesterday. Man how time flies.

I called up Art to see if he wanted to give one of our favorite streams a try and he was more than willing. We decided to leave town at 5:30 and make the trek to our stream. He met me at the house we loaded his gear and off we went.

We hit the stream at around 7:00 and decided that we were going to go fish an 8 mile stretch by water. The smoke hovered over the stream like the smoke hovering in a bar. The temperature was a balmy 49 degrees. The sunrise was bright and started to bring some warmth our way.

Art had his game on and quickly landed to respectable trout in the nine to eleven inch range. I was happy for him. Even though I was frustrated beyond belief as to what color spinner was going to be the ticket. You see it had rained the night before and the river was up and had a nice stain to it. I like to go away from the normal way of thinking and decided to use a silver blade with lime green body Panther Martin. Normal logic told me I should use a dark color instead of bright color because it is easier for fish to see a dark color than bright in stained water.

Well I was right on with the color and I started to catch a couple fish. The second being a nice one over 13 inches. It felt good to finally get on the board but it really felt good to get a trout that size. Still when it came to numbers Art was out fishing me.

At around eleven I tossed my line under a cedar tree and SMACK! There was a loud splash and my rod bent as the brown headed for every stump he could find. I sounded like a fisherman with an unlimited amount of cash at the local tackle store. I worked the fish out of the cover and into the center of the stream. He jumped and the colors were unbelievable, picture perfect. Art netted the pig and we gave the celebratory high fives and admired the catch. Then came a problem. The waterproof camera isn't so waterproof and the screen wouldn't come on. No problem look through the old school lens. Sorry. Batteries are dead. So unfortunately no pics of this beauty.

All in all a great day. We waded a little over eight miles of stream and then made the walk back to the truck by walking the road. We reflected on what a great season we have had and relived the memories. Today Art out fished me in numbers but he said I out fished him in quality. In reality I wouldn't have cared if I caught a fish. Just spending time on the stream in peace and quiet with a great friend is good enough for me. Catching fish was a bonus.

We made it back to the truck and realized we do have a few days left. So maybe one more time out. If not it was a great end to season filled with great times.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get in the outdoors.

MI Early Doe Season Part 2

2009-09-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

Well it was the last day for the MI early doe season. I had decided that I was going out for the mornings hunt. 5:00 came and brought with it the smell of fresh brewed coffee. Which makes it easier to get me out of bed. I really wanted to stay in bed and be lazy but my mind trumped my body and forced me to get out of bed.

Driving out to the property I started wondering if this coffee was going to kick in. I was pretty tired and wasn't sure if I was going to be able to stay awake during the hunt. Just about the time I got to the property the coffee kicked in. There is something to be said for the waking up power of coffee that pours like mud.

I made my way to the blind and got settled in. As I wait for the sun to rise, I started to reflect on how lucky I am to be able to do this. I realized that there are some people that haven't even been in the woods to watch the sun rise through the trees. It was a magnificent sunrise and I was eagerly anticipating the opportunity to see some deer.

Well unlike the previous time they came through early. 7:45 brought in the first doe and then the train of deer behind her. In fifteen minutes I saw fourteen deer! Ten does and four bucks. I was caught up in seeing all the deer that I almost forgot what I was doing there. I seen a nice doe who was by herself sneaking through the trees. I got the gun ready and took the shot.

Well needless to say I found no blood and even though I believed 100% that I hit her I found nothing. I searched and combed the area and not a sign of the doe. I got way ahead of myself in my celebration. I always tell myself if you can't see it hold off on the celebration. Well I felt about as silly as a guy wearing pink leather while riding his Harley. I quickly regained my focus and decided that I would hunt the stand again in the evening.

I went home and replayed the shot in my mind well over one hundred times. My competitive nature always gets the best of me in times like this. I beat myself up over this all morning and early afternoon.

I met up with my father in-law and we made our way out to the blinds. We talked about the Lions losing, the Tigers finally winning a game and other sports news of the day. It seems all of our conversations revolve around sports or the outdoors. To me that is a good thing. We make it to his blind first and I give him our traditional good luck gesture and off I go. In my blind and ready to go at 5:12.

6:17 rolls around and I feel my cell phone vibrate. It is none other than the "other Mike Adams". He wanted to know where I was and started telling me about his Mojo decoy problems. We decided it was best to talk about it and compare notes later. I no more than set the phone down and here comes two does down the trail before me. I watch them eat my food plot of Whitetail Institute's No Plow for about three minutes and off they went.

7:16 rolls around and I am interrupted by two does coming through the timber. They stop and start feeding on some fallen acorns five yards closer to me from where I got my first doe three days earlier. I readied my gun and waited for the right shot. Unfortunately it took a lot longer because it seemed like every time a good shot presented itself the other doe was in front or right behind the one I wanted to harvest. Finally the other doe started for the food plot and I was presented with a clean shot. 7:18 my Marlin model 512 barks and off the doe went.

I waited for about twenty minutes and went to scope out the scene. I got to where she last stood and no blood no hair no nothing. It was like deja vu all over again. I knew I heard her crash but after the morning hunt I was a little leery. I pulled out and met up with my father in-law. We decided to go up front and grab the truck and drive it back. My wife and son were there waiting and wondering what was going on. After explaining and grabbing some bigger flashlights back to the area of the shot.

We went back to where the doe was standing when I took the shot. I marked where we ran off and we combed the area. Finally I hear right here. I shine my light in the direction and see the doe laying at my father in-laws feet. I was filled with some serious emotions. My son was there and was going to see his daddy bringing back the deer that he asked me about in the morning. Wondering why I didn't "shoot the deer".

Well no pics due to both cameras having dead batteries. I took one with the camera phone but in reality, I don't need them. I know what I shot, when I shot it and what time I shot it. How beautiful the animal was and how excited I was. Something that a picture could never do justice.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get in the outdoors.

MI Early Doe Season

2009-09-18T10:16:00.001-07:00

So it was Wednesday night and the Michigan early doe season would start Thursday morning. I was like a kid before Christmas and getting more excited with each passing minute. I can't help myself I just love to hunt. I went through my checklist to make sure I had everything I needed. With everything crossed off my list I proceeded to set my gear at the door so I wouldn't make too much noise when I left in the early morning.

I sat down to unwind and I started thinking about all the work I have done to prepare for the season. I had definitely put in a lot of time and effort throughout the spring and summer months. All in hopes that it would make me successful when the season rolled around. Although I have to admit a little nervousness because I would be using some different products which takes me out of my comfort zone. I am using a different slug and had used a new seed for my food plot I had put in. This all made me a little uneasy because it wasn't what I was used to.

Wanting to be well rested, I made sure that I went to bed early. In bed by 9:30 and back up at 11:20! My son Drake had woke up and wasn't feeling well. Knowing my wife was overloaded with work I took Drake to the couch and tried to settle him down. We ended up staying there all night. 5:00 came quickly and Art, who would be filming the hunt called to let me know he was in the driveway and ready to go. I put Drake into bed, grabbed my coffee and gear and out the door I went.

We arrived in the blind in complete darkness and got situated. As the darkness gave way to daylight the woods started to come to life. Birds started chirping, chipmunks scurrying and squirrels started searching out breakfast. They must have all gotten full because the woods got pretty quiet. Well up until the turkeys showed up.

Art quickly got my attention and pointed them out. They were walking around and moving from left to right. We watched as they meandered through the woods and then they stopped in front of us at 50 yards. They started feeding on the food plot that I had planted with No Plow from the Whitetail Institute. It kept those turkeys in front of us for over 15 minutes. The best part of it all was I didn't need any expensive implements to plant this. The product really lived up to it's name. Just a couple of rakes and a broadcast spreader is all I needed to plant it. After seeing this I can't wait to see what it does with deer!

We started seeing a lot of activity again and started to feel good about our chances of harvesting a doe. Well it wasn't too long after the turkeys left that I heard a noise coming from the right. Then I caught a glimpse of a doe walking through the trees out in front of us from that direction. Art got the camera rolling and then 2 more does followed. I quickly decided that the first one was the one I was going to try and harvest, if and when I got an opportunity. My heart started racing. I could feel the rush of adrenaline go through my body. The doe made it about 35 yards from the front left corner of our blind and stood behind a tree and stared in our direction. I whispered to Art that I would take the shot as soon as it presented itself. She took a half step to her right and I pulled the trigger. She dropped right there.

I couldn't help but feel satisfied and thankful. Earlier I had talked about using new products and well, one of them was my slug. I was using the Hornady SST 12 ga. shotgun slug and was glad that I did. Man that slug is unbelievable and I highly recommend trying it out. The knockdown power is awesome. The proof is on the video and the venison in the freezer.

What a morning and a great start to my deer season. All my hard work and effort paid off and for that I am thankful. This was my first hunt on video and we captured a lot of footage. I thank the good Lord above for allowing me the opportunity to harvest a nice doe. My family and I will eat well and I look forward to having some tenderloins real soon.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get in the great outdoors.

Sunday With George Lynch

2009-09-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Well it all started with my phone ringing and Mike on the other end. "Chico we are heading down to see George. Can you make it?" So I thought about it for a half second "Yeah. When we leaving?" It was a no brainer for me. I mean Mike just had to tell me when we were leaving and I would have been there. So I am going to make the trek down to Lynch Mob Calls shop and couldn't wait. I was looking forward to meeting the man behind the calls.

It is always great to meet new people in this industry. The only problem is, some are what you think, some don't come close to what you think and some just exceed your expectations. The industry is funny that way. You meet great down to earth people who it seems like you knew your whole life and some who have totally forgotten where they came from. I immediately started to wonder how George was going to be. Was I going to be impressed or disappointed? Let's just say he exceeded my expectations.

We started down to the shop in the early afternoon. It seemed like it took forever but the conversation was great the whole way there. As we pulled into the driveway my eyes were greeted with a fully decked out Suburban. It had ducks and geese on it with other sponsors stickers. It was definitely C to the OOL! I got out of the truck and was greeted by the star of the video. No not George, but none other than Buck. That Chesapeake is one beautiful dog. Buck made sure I felt welcomed by letting me pet him for a while. Then out of the shop came his sidekick, George. He greeted us with a smile and a firm handshake. Then into the shop we went.

Since we were down there to shoot footage for the Lynch Mob Calls, Science of Hanging 'Em Low volume 2 dvd, we went to work. Okay maybe I didn't work that much. I did however go to the George Lynch University and took Gooseology 101. Man he conveyed a passion for the heritage and tradition of his craft. I watched and listened intently, hanging on every word. That way when I get out in the field, I can pass my exam. I think my brain went into overdrive as I started trying to process all of the information that he was sharing. I began thinking of how lucky I was to be getting what was not only a preview of the next dvd but a personal private seminar as well.

George did a segment on tuning a call that was incredible. I really don't know if you can put a price tag on that. The tips he shared were great. Then he broke out into the calling sequence and blew the doors off the shop. All I can say is if you are serious about getting better at improving in the field, I would highly recommend you check this dvd out. The calling tips, tech tips and decoy placement tips are priceless.

What a great day. I left the shop and can say that I left with more knowledge then I came with. I was able to meet a great person who is no different than you and I. As well as someone who has a passion and drive to make sure our heritage is passed on to the next generation of hunters. I couldn't help but laugh recalling George in between takes getting on my phone and giving my buddy Dave the business. Reminding him to not flag when the geese are already in the spread. This truly was way better than watching the Lions lose for sure. Now I just hope I remember everything.

So until my next blog, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.

First Blog for Up North Journal

2009-09-11T10:31:00.001-07:00

As I sit here writing my first blog for the Up North Journal, I have decided to tell you a little bit about myself. We can get to the fun stuff next time.

First my name is Chris "Chico" Lopez. I am an avid outdoorsman. I am married to my very understanding wife Angela and have a 2 year old son Drake. They are my support staff. When I come home from a hunting or fishing trip that didn't go as planned, they are always there to lift my spirits. In order to do what I do I need their support. I am hear to say that I have it 100%. My family means everything to me and I appreciate their sacrifices so that I am able to follow my dream.

I am a down to earth person, city boy turned country. I love country and southern rock, my blue jeans, cowboy boots, baseball caps, southern and cajun food (who am I kidding, I love all foods and deserts!) who has been blessed to have the opportunity to be in the outdoors industry and for that I am thankful.

Hunting and fishing are my passion. I have been doing so for over twenty years and good Lord willing I will be able to do it many more. I love to hunt waterfowl, deer, turkey and small game in that order. Fishing small streams for trout, river fishing for steelhead and salmon, fishing for walleye and panfish in open water or hardwater is on my list as well.

I hope you will sign up to follow my blog. I look forward to sharing my adventures and misadventures in the outdoors. Feel free to contact me anytime and I look forward to your comments. Please check out our podcasts and episodes of Beyond the Wild, you won't be disappointed.

So until next time, be safe, appreciate what you have and get into the great outdoors.