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wanted to be buddies, then him and his buddies started giving be death threats. The frog next to me would croak and pause, and then one of his buddies would croak and pause. The whole group was giving us death threats. After several casts of getting harassed and death threats, I decided my frog and I had taken enough abuse. So I put him away and called in for back up. I grabbed my other pole and set up the trusty old weightless whacky rig. I mean what frog doesn’t like a five inch garlic smelling salty tasting green pumpkin worm, right? As I was getting the rig setup, the death threats were getting louder.
Just Having Fun Fishing!!
Once I had my rig ready to go, this evil little grin came across my face and I looked towards the frogs and said “Say hello to my little friend… frooooogs!!” Those frogs had no idea what was coming for them. I casted down the bank and my wacky rig landed on top of the moss. I gave the wacky a couple of jerks and sure enough that got the frogs attention. After a brief pause, I gave the whacky a couple of more jerks and BOOM! Frog On!! I tell you what that little guy sure tried to fight as I retrieved him in. Once I got him in, I did a couple of mug shots with him I whispered to him “Go tell your buddies that we are not going to be intimidated anymore” and then let him go. I did this a couple of more times and I was defiantly having some fun now, whispering different things to each one I caught.
Chris Gilpin
I brought my frog back out and wouldn’t you know it, we were not being bullied anymore by any of those Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time out of your territorial bullfrogs. So remember with a creative busy fishing schedule to read my little blurb. Have you imagination you too can have some fun fishing even if ever been bullied, or maybe someone you know ever been you are getting “Bully-ed” bullied while you are fishing? Well it can definitely take the fun out of fishing, right? Thanks everyone, A fisherman that likes to have fun!! Well just remember that you have the ability to change this opportunity to a more positive outcome with a little of what I would call “creative imagination”. So, I was bank fishing in the corner of a local lake, minding my own business. I am throwing a top water frog down the bank on my left side and working it around until I am throwing it down the bank on my right side. I’m doing lots of long pauses in between the jerks while I’m retrieving the frog back. And wouldn’t you know it, out of nowhere, I’m getting harassed…. well my frog was the one that actually was getting harassed. Every time I did a pause, my frog was getting jumped by multiple real frogs. It was like my frog wasn’t allowed to be in their territory or something. I mean come on, this is a free country, and we were fishing on a public lake. Matter of fact, one of them had the nerve to jump right next to me and was staring me down. At first, it wasn’t very intimidating and was thinking he
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Since that first opportunity to host the online bass fishing talk show, I have had the pleasure of hosting and co-hosting several different online fishing shows for other producers. However, I have recently started my own online talk show, “Wyatt on the Water” and it is definitely an amazing adventure! I have done shows with pros such as Bass Master Classic Champion Tommy Martin; local Sam Rayburn pros Keith Combs and Albert Collins; major sport icons James Watson, Kurt Dove, Chris Zaldain, Brandon Lester, Matt Herren, Lonnie Stanley, Rick Clunn and many more.
Wyatt Wimberley 17-years old.
Growing up in Broaddus, Texas has given me the advantage of being very near one of the greatest fishing lakes in East Texas, Lake Sam Rayburn. I started bass fishing when I was really young and, as time went by, I soon became passionate about the sport of bass fishing. With a love of fishing and wanting to learn all that I could to improve in the sport, YouTube and Facebook became some of my best friends. Thanks to YouTube and Facebook, I had at my fingertips access to some of the greatest anglers in the sport. I soon learned that fishing was much more than throwing a line into the water. My interest in the social media side of the sport developed and I started my own YouTube channel. I was proactive and started going to events and pro tournaments to do short interviews with the pros who, by the way, were more than willing to be interviewed for my YouTube channel. I was still only about ten or eleven years old at the time; and very blessed to have parents who would take me to the events (and still do to this day). When I was about thirteen or fourteen years old, I got an email from a producer who produced online fishing talk shows. He offered me a 10-day internship to be the host of his bass fishing talk show. We interviewed professional bass fishermen from organizations like Bass Master, FLW, and Major League Fishing. I soon began to build relationships with many of the people we interviewed on the show. Through my hosting of the show I started “catching the eye” of companies looking to sponsor younger anglers.
Through my social media, YouTube and Facebook, I have been regularly promoting and networking with businesses who have reached out to me by becoming sponsors of my shows, past and present. This has helped me transition to the business and marketing side of the industry, which I love doing in conjunction with my shows and tournaments. It really is a whole other part of the industry. One of the most asked questions I get, and a lot of people in the fishing industry get this question, “How do I get into the sport of bass fishing?” I tell people to find a friend or family member who bass fishes and go with them. If you don’t personally know someone who can take you then join a local bass club if you have one. Facebook is another avenue with many great bass fishing groups all over the country who are more than willing to help you get into the sport. Just remember, there are many sides to the sport of bass fishing. There’s the weekend warrior, the die-hard tournament fisherman, the pro tournament fisherman, and the marketing and social media guys. Either way, try out the avenues and see if bass fishing is for you before you invest in a lot of equipment. I can’t thank the following people enough for helping me get to where I am today. Tim and Liz Wimberley, jimmy and Kathy Wimberley, Ronald and Laura Kingsley, Tommy Martin. Ron Risenhoover, Brent shores. In addition, I want to thank my current sponsors. Jenko Fishing (Discount Code: WYATT20) Accu-Cull
Bryant’s Custom Jigs Kick’n Bass Attractants Gruv Fishing Blitz Lures Line and Lure Conditioner Rise and Rods Apparel Hook-Eze Harmony Fishing (Discount Code: wimberley10) Bass Baits Monthly (Discount Code: BBMWIMBERLY) P-Line 5
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Random Finds from the Woods by Victoria Tavares
Since the last light of the last day of whitetail deer hunting season 2019-2020, I have been on an adventure every chance possible to find shed whitetail antlers. I haven't tracked the miles but so far to date, March 7th, 2020, I have visited 6 different locations, one being my public hunting area, one a city managed hunting property, and one wildlife management unit (WMU), the others have been Pennsylvania county parks with no hunting allowed. I have found numerous rub lines, various scrapes accompanied by licking sticks, carcasses, dead heads, but not one antler shed. Some say it's too early, some say they are seeing bucks with shed antlers on their cameras. Either I'm doing something wrong or I'm just not looking in the right areas. These thoughts have me perplexed. However every location I have gone has produced something visually interesting or a treasure collected. My finds have ranged from footprints to huge metal signs, from spike skulls to full buck carcasses, from feathers to vintage glass bottles, from old dwellings to dwellings on a hillside I have no clue what they are. It doesn't matter where I go, something interesting is found. Even if that something is a sun setting or my first brown trout caught on a fly for 2020. So what's the point? I'm not finding antlers, why keep trying? Because I'm not a quitter, because I'm determined to put the pieces together. My thoughts, every chance I'm outdoors is a chance to appreciate the day, to be thankful for what I have, to be thankful for what is in front of me. Victoria Tavares Co-founder of Sunshine Women on the Fly
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and the birds would always be just below that line, with out fail year after year. Now people say the big duck organizations have water heaters, they provide food year round, blah blah blah. Yes some birds will stay behind when it all freezes up for the buffets that are provided but we are talking about millions of birds and people cannot provide for that many birds state by state and keep them away from the southern hunters. Cold air and freezing the feeding grounds in my eyes and experience moves the birds south of the Mason Dixon line, do you agree?
Waterfowl, and how they drive us crazy!
Mike Harrison Now that the 2019/2020 season has come and gone, what a miserable season for the hunters down south. This makes the third year in southern Mississippi we have had a terrible harvest overall. Of course there were those that found some pockets of birds but, most did not not have a decent season again however. I found my self taking guided trips in Arkansas and really did no better than right here at home. With the exception of our hunt with Delta Outdoors out of Lake Village,Ark. Those guys run a top notch operation but even there the weather drove us out of Arkansas 2 days early with tornados and just conditions not good to hunt in. My brothers in hunting in Texas, late season really stacked the big ducks up with 6 and 7 man limits of mallards, widgeons and even some canvas backs. Now, what is driving these results? I still say Mother Nature is behind it all and not pushing that bird driving cold weather down south? It’s been my experience over the many years I have chased the waterfowl that you have to have cold weather to get the big ducks, plain and simple. I can think back to the years we really stacked em up just how cold it was. I could still go daily and shoot wood ducks without fail. But in my years of hunting I have grown to look for quality over, just pulling the trigger. We must all admit, ducks are lazy and will not fly any further south than they have to in order to find love and something to eat. I learned to watch the weather and find that freeze line, 8
Over all it seems I need to travel more and spend uncounted dollars to find the one thing I love to pursue, the all mighty DUCK! Even the highly sought after Snow Goose or as we called them,”Sky Carp” now have their own season known as “ the conservation season”, even these guys that exist in the millions are not pushing south and providing the hunts I am accustomed to in Texas of shooting 200 to 300+ birds in one morning anymore. So, shall I bring up the hot topic of global warming? Have we as humans, brought this on our selves by raising the earth’s temperature and causing the sought after freeze line to move further north and keep the birds from their normal migration down south? God knows I am not that smart or educated nor do I believe any one else is? Look back at the channels of time and the millions of years the earth has been here and all the cycles the earth has been through from ice ages to droughts? In closing I am not wanting to start a huge debate over my ideas of what is going on, but I have heard so many explanations of why, from the magnetic poles have moved and changed the migration to water heaters and duck buffets, so I guess to each his own in deciding what has effected your area you hunt. Mike Harrison Pro Staff American Outdoor Revolution
kayak into consideration, it is difficult lift a hundredpound kayak onto the roof of a car so go lighter. Trailering is a popular option. You can find a lot of options for manufactured kayak trailers on the market, but a lot of people tend to get a jet ski trailer, or a utility trailer and customize it to their needs. My preferred method of transportation is in the back of a pickup truck with a bed extender this makes parking easier than having a trailer and is easier to load and unload than car topping.
Give a Yak a Chance Jason Jones
Kayak fishing has been growing in popularity over the past
decade and has yet to truly peak. I bought my first kayak, a Perception Patriot 12, ten years ago after seeing a couple of kayak anglers in action on Kent Lake. The first time I took my little plastic boat out, it became clear that I had started a lifelong obsession. Over the past three years I have committed to helping the sport grow, and hope that this will convince a few of you to give a yak a chance. As we all know, you can catch more from a boat than you can from the bank. Kayak real anybody that option. They are cheaper than traditional boats. They can be transported by any type of vehicle. They take up less space to store than a boat. Very little maintenance is needed.
We have a saying in the kayak community, “buy your second kayak first”. When you are ready to make that purchase, take your time. Go online and look at various companies, read reviews, and figure out what features are important to you. I highly suggest finding a paddle store, use their knowledge, ask questions, and attend a demo. Most of these stores also do installs. Used kayaks are a great option if you are in the market for a premium kayak, but don’t have a large budget to work with. After you buy a kayak, it time to rig it up to fish. I suggest taking it out once or twice with just one or two rods and minimal tackle to figure out what you need. Now a days you have a ton of options for accessories. Popular addons are electronics, rod holders, anchoring systems, and kayak crates. Make your kayak your own.
Kayaks have two basic styles, the sit in and the sit on. A sit in kayak is a popular choice among beginners. They tend to be the cheaper off three. They are also lighter and offer a dryer ride. The downside to the sit in is that getting in and out can be tricky and you don’t have as many rigging options. The sit on is the most popular style of kayak out there. They tend to have better stability than a sit in and getting on and off is a lot easier. The downside is the cost and the weight.
Time to get out and fish. I suggest getting one Facebook and finding your local groups and taking advantage of group get together's. Take full advantage of being able to reach spots others can’t. You only need a few inches of water to float, this opens a lot of opportunities. You don’t need a boat launch, which opens bodies of water that others can’t fish.
One other thing to consider is if you want to paddle or pedal. A paddle kayak is the classic kayak. Paddling forces you to slow down, which can help you see things that you may have missed if you were pedaling. In my opinion, for most river systems the paddle is the best option. Pedaling has three main advantages, speed, the ability to cover more water, and boat positioning. If you are planning on fishing tournaments, then I highly recommend considering a kayak with a pedal drive system.
For me safety is number one, I never go out without wearing a life jacket. If there is recreational traffic, I put up my visibility flag and I wear bright colors, I do everything I can to be seen. Don’t become a headline, be safe.
Another thing you must consider is transportation. If you are going to car top, you are going to have to take the weight of the
I hope this takes away the intimidation factor and helps you give kayak fishing a chance. For me kayak is not just fun, it is the definition of freedom. Give a yak a chance.
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Outdoors, it was a challenge to say the least, especially when it came to shooting a gun or bow and I couldn't get it down with my dominant right hand, so one day my Dad bent down beside me and told me to try with my left hand, I looked at him in discouragement and said "I can't" he told me "we don't use that word" he made me keep trying and it was way out of my comfort zone, I kept trying though and eventually it became natural, so now even though I'm right handed, I shoot all my hunting equipment left handed. I've gotten pretty good, I can split arrows and shoot bottle caps. I have overcame the obstacle that I thought would prevent me from doing something I would enjoy, I wanted to be a hunter so I kept trying until I became one. God made a way for me and gave me strength to keep going when I could have easily given up when the hard times arose. So with that I say, don't let anything stand in your way! I know others may have it worse but I really believe with Faith and if you don't use the word (can't) you can go as far as you push yourself.
DYMEE WOOTEN
It may look like I'm fine on the outside but I will always have this about me that makes me different, and it's ok to be different. Sometimes I still struggle with bumping into stuff and I have to protect my good eye but I don't let it slow me down. I give it all to God and I'm truly blessed that I get to be a hunter, something that makes me who I am. When I'm hunting and when I'm outdoors, I'm at complete peace and that is where my happiness is! Keep fighting ya'll and always follow your dreams, regardless of the bumps in the road!
My name is Dymee Wooten, I'm 24, born and raised in Oklahoma. Hunting has been a huge part of my life for a very long time and means a lot to me, although it has always been my passion I have had some stubbles along the way, I was born blind in my right eye and with no depth perception, I had to wear a black eye patch for a couple years to try and get my bad eye to function as it should. With me not having depth perception I would walk into walls and fall down a lot, I would pick one foot up before the other was secure on the ground and it would cause me to trip. I had bruises from smacking myself into a wall that I thought was 4 feet further from me than it was. The doctors said I could do surgery but it would only straighten my eye up, not allow me to see so it was more of an appearance surgery. I denied. I got into basketball and my Mom and Dad showed me I could still do what I wanted and to not get discouraged, my Dad would spend hours with me teaching me and showing me how to navigate basketball with one eye, it took a lot of practice but each day I got better and better and eventually I became one of the top players in my league, I was point guard and Hayden first 2nd grader to make a 3 point shot in a game, I also had high school scouts wanting me to be on their team in the 5th grade. Then my Dad introduced me to hunting and the
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The Fur & Fowl Barn LLC Evan Gersper
It is always refreshing getting to meet new people throughout the outdoor industry. Every now and then you get to meet someone that inspires others, or just wants to help others. Someone who makes a difference in the lives of those they meet and touch through kindness. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting such a person, Bill Capouillez, the founder of the Fur & Fowl Barn, LLC.
hunting birds, then you look across the meadow as a 200” monster buck is chasing a doe. Or seeing the white bucks feeding off of the hill. It is truly an amazing unique experience. I hope this article inspires you to help someone get into the outdoors. Also, I hope you get the chance to visit with Bill at the Fur and Fowl Barn, LLC. You will not be disappointed. You can contact Bill through his website below. I will share the stories of Cameron Yingling and SFC Glen Leighman in future articles.
https://furandfowlbarn.com/ Bill is a retired U.S. Army Major, a fine Christian and a great steward to his community. Evan Gersper He has made it his mission to help the youth of American Outdoor Revolution Magazine his community by opening the Body and Soul Community Center, a 501 (3)c. Bill is providing countless programs through the center. Bill has a drive that is unmatched. He soon he felt the need to help our great nations veterans get therapy through the outdoors. That is when Bill founded the Fur & Fowl Barn, a hunting preserve, and a world class whitetail deer breeding farm. Bill tries to take as many veterans, disabled hunters and youth out hunting every year. Bill devotes his time, money and resources to allow this to happen. A lot of the cost comes out of pocket. Bill does offer hunt packages for paid hunts to help supplement the costs. He also offers packages to rent the lodge for the week or weekend as well. The 5-star lodge is fully handicap accessible, and great for a family get away. All proceeds from the stays assist in taking out youth and disabled veteran hunters. My family and I have stayed in the lodge for a weekend, and the hospitality is unmatched. It is quite relaxing watching the deer in the breeding pens and preserve. There is a ton of different wildlife calling the grounds home as well, from fox, bobcat, turkey, etc.… Paige was able to experience the fawns playing in the field, this had her interest for the dawn and dusk hours. Since then I have been able to assist with filming and guiding on veteran and youth hunts. My first hunt was with SFC Glen Leighman. I was also fortunate enough to sit with the Yingling family as Cameron harvested his first deer, partridge and pheasant. That’s right! Upland bird hunting is available as well. Nothing like being in there 12
Out west, I prefer to use the mouth calls, as I can pack up quicker and move more readily if need be. My go to mouth call is the “FoxPro Smokin’ gun Adult Coyote Howler Diaphram”. This is all a personal preference though, so I recommend that you try different calls in every location and decide what works best for you. They now have e-callers that fit in a cargo pocket, or a small pouch of your hunting pack. The technology is evolving for sure.
Breeding Coyotes Evan Gersper
Now that deer season has ended, we are entering another favorite season of mine. Coyote breeding season! Since coyotes are normally territorial, this is the case seven-fold during the breeding season. This makes it all the more fun to hunt these wily creatures! Setup When I am choosing a setup, I am looking for good breakup cover. This can be green briars, red brush, evergreens, etc.… Cover is essential to your success in killing a mature coyote. I also try to hunt with a partner every chance I can, for this increases the odds that someone will be ready when that tricky old song dog appears out of nowhere. I will face my partner the opposite of me, this covers every possible travel route into the call. Good camo and patience also play key roles in coyote hunting success.
When calling, I almost always start with a coyote vocalization. Usually during the breeding season, I will start with a female challenge howl. This should pique the interest of any coyote within ear shot. The males will want to breed her, and the females will want to run her off. On the electronic call I will go with a volume of 14-17. Start at the lower end and work it up. I will run the howl for about 1-2 minutes, then be quiet for 3-5 minutes. Go back to the howl for about a minute and a half, then quiet again for 3-5 minutes. If I still don’t see a yote, I will give of breeding sequence for 2-3 minutes, again wait 3-5 minutes. Still nothing, go to the pup whines, run for 2-2.5 minutes. Then sit for 10 minutes and wait. Another option is to try the Challenge Howl, then go right into the pup whines. I feel like this sequence is just as effective as the previous. Most coyotes during February and March should be a bit more aggressive than normal, so don’t be afraid to try other options as well. I will call them in during mid-day with a rabbit distress or a kitten distress. Try out the arsenal of calls on your electronic caller, or the different mouth call combinations on the market. I hope this article helps with your success in your pursuit of coyotes. Feel free to message me with questions, or to share your success stories at emgersper85@gmail.com. Evan Gersper American Outdoor Revolution Magazine
I like to try to be as high as possible. When hunting where the terrain allows, I will sit on a hill or ridge. If the terrain is working against me, I will set up a tree stand and give it a few hours to calm down before calling. This is my preferred way to hunt in my home state of Ohio. Hunting from these elevated sites gives you an edge as the visibility is better. Coyotes will also expect the prey or opposing coyotes to be on the ground level. Calling As far as calls go, I use both mouth calls and electronic calls. I personally like my “FoxPro Wildfire” for my electronic choice here in Northeast Ohio. Since the woods and cover are so dense, and land parcels are so small, electronic calls are my go-to in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Every now and then I will change it up to a mouth call when a stubborn yote hangs up just out of range. More times than not though, just lowering the volume a couple of notches does the trick on the Wildfire.
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Western Maryland Giant Buck Encounter By Matt Fazenbaker
It was early Maryland archery season. I got permission to hunt a large farm close to my home town. I heard about a few good bucks on the farm that I wanted to hunt, so I got permission from the landowner to hunt under the condition that I help him take care of the farm. So the next day I went up and helped out for a few hours. A few weeks go by and as deer season started I saw a few small bucks coming into the fields in the evening but none of the giants that others were talking about. It was a Tuesday and a Beautiful day to be in a tree, slight breeze and still very warm out. The bucks were still coming into the fields together, with velvet still hanging high on their antlers. I took a buddy up with me that worked on the farm; he was just getting into hunting and wanted to give it a shot. So, we decided to hunt the field the farmer said he has seen the buck at. I pulled up into the field, my truck packed full of all our hunting gear. We had two tree stands, two bows, all of our camouflage, two back packs with some snacks, camera arms, and my brand new JVC camcorder. My friend and I set off into the woods around 2:00 pm. We walked a couple hundred yards and came to the field line. I told my buddy I would like to stay up top and that he could go down bottom. I guided him in the right direction and pointed out where he should sit, which was about 250 yards from my set up. So off he goes heading down the tree line to where I told him to go. It was close enough for us both to see each other and the entire field. About thirty minutes later, I was 30 feet up in my tree and starting to set up my bow hanger, camera arm, and got my camera ready to start rolling(This was my first camera and I had no experience with it what so ever!) I get settled in and look down the wood line about 250 yards and I see my buddy in his tree, only about 8 to 10 feet in the air! I’m thinking, “what the heck is he doing?” he looked like he was set up, waiting, and ready for action, but only 10 feet in the tree! I thought to myself, “this is his first time in the woods” I did go over a ton of stuff about hunting with him, like the “Do’s” and the “Don’t's”, what to look for, how fast to move, and so on but for his first time it was a lot to take in. The sun is setting, it’s about 7:00 pm, with a cool breeze in my favor, and it was heaven! Twenty minutes later I started to see some action coming into the field, first deer of the night yes!!! A big ole doe was heading my way but you could 14
tell she was awful antsy and that something was bothering her. As I was watching her movement and body language I realized there was more deer coming and that it wasn’t our scent that was making her all antsy. 10 minutes goes by and I see more movement behind her along the field edge, she was about 40 yards in the field and still working her way towards my direction. Then a small 8 pt came out and was heading straight for the doe and I thought well this is great! They both are going to walk right under my stand from the way they were coming. The small 8 point was even worse than the doe, he was constantly jumping, looking behind himself ducking like he was being shot at I thought to myself something is causing these deer to be jumpy and it’s not us. so as I was watching these two deer coming my way something rang a bell in my head, I remember when I was little my pap and dad would take me on the farm and watch deer come into the fields before sunset and they would constantly tell me what all the deer movements were and why they was acting the way they were when other deer was around them and then it dawned on me, something bigger or a more dominant deer was in the area! Could it be this giant of a buck that everyone has talked about? I mean not a single person had any pictures of these buck it’s just been all talk and everyone talks like they seen a giant in a small town, its I seen this deer and it was this wide and this tall while holding their hands out giving these mega giant world class measurements . All in the time I was thinking this and I’m not going to lie I was actually talking to myself in the tree. So a few more minutes go by and I’m looking at my new video camera wondering how the heck to work this thing something told me to look up and I did, as the sun was setting this mega giant western Maryland whitetail buck steps out into the field!!Now I have heard of buck fever but never experienced it in my life and I have been hunting for many years! My heart literally felt like it was pounding out of my chest! I couldn’t control my breathing at all, I was feeling very week and in shock that the myth is actually true! As I’m trying to control my breathing the doe and the small 8 point was only 30 yards and closing in. I looked back up and this mega giant of an 8 point was heading my way fast! I didn’t even have enough time to hit record and to be honest I totally forgot I even had a camera. I grabbed my bow as he was coming straight towards me, the other two deer had already went under my stand and headed to the other field behind me so I knew this big buck was following right behind them. Here he comes he is 40 yards and closing I took three god awful deep breaths and everything went black; I had hyperventilated in my tree stand and passed out! I’m not sure how long I was out for but I woke up and realized what had just happened I was still delusional at this point but thanking god I had my safety harness on. I looked around and this giant buck was 15 yards from me and I thought to myself he didn’t even see or hear me when I fainted. somehow my bow was still in my hand so I started to draw my bow back and got about half way maybe even more and my arrow had fallen off my string and hit the ground 15 ft in front of this buck, I was broken hurt it felt like my world had just ended as the deer looked up at me and then took off. I must have bumped my arrow when I had passed out and it the arrow wasn’t nocked all the way. The hunt was over my life had just fallen apart; I just missed the
chance to kill this myth of a buck everyone was talking about. I couldn’t stomach to tell anyone what happened I thought well ill just say I didn’t see a thing as I had a tear or three running down my face. I see a flash light coming my way and I thought crap I forgot all about my buddy lol, he got to my tree and I was getting out and he says, DID YOU GET HIM! Oh my gosh he seen it all shaking my head still hurt still in shock still in disbelief. Well I guess me telling everyone I didn’t see anything wasn’t going to work lol. So I told him what happened and well he didn’t even have a word to say at that moment in time. We walked out of the woods and got into the truck and drove home with not a single word being said. I think he knew I was an emotional wreck. So we get home I told my dad and the family what happened on my hunt and man I was picked on for weeks! hunting season had ended and no one has heard of any giant bucks being killed that year on the farm, then we had a guy come by and show us a giant buck that he killed in the area and I said that’s the buck I seen! My dad said no way that deer is massive and no way did that deer come from our area, I said dad I’m telling you the truth that’s him! The guy then said where he killed it at and my dad walked over and gave me a hug and said son I’m so sorry this deer was a giant and I can see why you were so upset and why you had passed out. Now that I seen the buck and got to hold him it up I said to myself that I would never get to see a deer like this ever again especially in western Maryland.
smile on my face that you couldn’t even smack off. A few things I learned in the 25 years of hunting is how to control my breathing, always wear your safety harness and never give up even when you get discouraged. I have taken lots of nice bucks in my years of hunting and seen plenty bigger (just not while hunting) but this tops them all off. God Bless and happy hunting.
My dad said son there are more deer like this you just got to hunt them, I said dad there will never be a buck like this in our area ever again and slowly walked back inside. Fast forward a few years later the stories started about another giant buck in the same area and I thought here we go again more stories! So I headed out mid season closer to rut and hung a stand. A week goes by I decided to take my chances and headed out to hunt. 2 hours in the tree I heard some branches breaking off in the distance about 60 yards, I grabbed my bow and got ready turned around and there he was! The buck people said they have seen heading my way. Everything was running through my head from the first time I seen a big buck in the woods, I thought I need to stay calm. He was heading my way, I felt great with no buck fever. I drew my bow back when he was about 45 yards and followed him as he hit a perfect opening at 25 yards and let that arrow fly, Bingo perfect shot! He ran 40 yards and started to crash and at that moment I got the buck fever for some reason after I had already made the shoot. I waited for 35 minutes before I got down out of my tree. I headed his way and the closer I got the bigger he got with no ground shrinkage. Finally I have the buck that everyone has talked about! I picked him up and he was almost identical to the buck I passed out on a few years back, same genetics same area almost the same size buck just a tad bigger. I called my dad and told him I got the big boy; I loaded him up and headed home with the biggest 15
Shay’s Take On A Walleye Tournament! Arielle & Quin Shay
This was one of our more memorable moments fishing for walleye on the Saginaw River….. and we have years and years of memoires on this river. From Cat fishing, to Bow fishing to Sturgeon fishing this river hold a special place in our hearts. The day started out really cold; like extremely cold. Chill to the bone cold. Cold as in the boat motor won’t start; the water pump was frozen. It was a stressful start to our first tournament, but the Shay’s never give up. We hear the gun shot and boats start flying away from the launch in all directions! As soon as the motor is thawed we dart off to our first spot. We go to an area where we were sure we could get some good walleye. Lines down, we are all jigging & already hooking into walleye! Both Quin and I started pulling in 4 and 5 pound walleye! Love hearing those reels scream!! Then, it happened; he hit a 10 pound, 30 inch walleye! This was the biggest walleye he has ever caught vertically jigging! Most times, I nets the fish. But as soon as I saw how big this fish was, I handed over the net to our buddy! He landed the fish and we quietly cheered as we didn’t want other anglers to know we were hooking into some good ones! Thought-out the rest of the day we landed keeper after keeper; getting all three of our limits! At the end of the tournament Quin finished with an 8 pound and 10 pound walleye! Overall, we placed 4 pounds short of first place. I also won a year launch pass to our favorite boat launch! It was a great experience getting to talk with other anglers and hear stories from the day’s trip! Its O-FISH-al were hooked on fishing and can’t wait to enter more tournaments! Check us out on YouTube @ ShaysSlayOutdoors or on Instagram @ ArielleQuinShay. Thanks & God Bless! 16
preserving the land and activities we all love so much.
Favorite Performers
Shawn Stafford of Huntingfit.com Over the years I amassed a library of books and magazine articles that have entertained, informed, and exposed me to outdoor adventures, opportunities, and products of all types. Tidbits of this information have impacted me to some degree or another and helped influence my actions to get me where I am today. Like all this information spread out over pages and pages of paper I’ve also collected a vault full of personal knowledge from the past 40 or so years that isn’t so formally documented. While I could go on forever about things I’ve done and seen (maybe I’ll write a book someday), there are a handful of products that have changed, and improved, my outdoor adventures over the years that I’d like to share with you. A couple things before I get started though. I do not get any kickbacks or benefits from any of these companies if you choose to buy from them. I have in the past received products to trial (you can find many of these reviews on huntingfit.com) but I have also spent my own hard earned dollars on their gear too. I am sharing with you because they have all had a positive impact on my hunting, fishing, and camping excursions. As I grow older and now have kids of my own, these small snippits in time are what truly mean the most to me. So why not give yourself an edge by stacking a few controllable items in your favor. Plus, most are involved in
YETI These guys revolutionized the cooler business when they hit the market. I don’t think anyone can argue that point. The thing is, they didn’t quit there. Now you can not only get the Tundra hard sided coolers but soft sided cooler, chairs, gear boxes, cups, and even blankets. It’s not only the quality and their products that draws me but also their continued innovation to make my (and yours) outdoor experiences the best they can be. There is also no denying that YETI gear isn’t cheap. However, if you’ve ever killed an elk, packed it miles back and forth to your truck piece by piece, a long way from any type of civilization that would have frozen water, ice retention is difficult to put a price on. Along the same lines, if you’ve never hunted and fished in coastal Texas, I can’t begin to explain to you how hot it is. Having not only cold water to drink, a cool place to store meat, and even a cold beer to celebrate with make the experience possible. I’ve went through cheap coolers in the past which either don’t maintain ice or simply broke at very inopportune times. YETI is yet to let me down after many years. A few other comments I’ll make about YETI is one of their latest offerings, the LoadOut GoBox 30. I’ve actually been waiting a while for something like this to hit the market and it finally did. If you’re like me you live out of your truck during the fall and haphazardly keep items stored in the bed the rest of the year as you fish, turkey hunt, and camp your way between deer seasons. The GoBox gives me the organization and protection my gear needs to keep me ready for whatever comes next. The other thing is their dedication to us, the sportsmen and women of this country. Its one thing to sell us products but it’s another to support us. I asked a YETI representative what, if any, organizations they partner with. I was astounded when I got the response. Just to name a few (because there was a long list); National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Quality Deer Management Association, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Wild Sheep Foundation, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Ducks Unlimited, Coastal Conservation Association, and many more. It’s these types of actions that help put YETI on my list of products and companies that have improved my outdoor experiences.
Sitka
Since it’s inception Sitka has been giving hunters high performance clothing options that were never before considered for our activities. Is it necessary to have a 3 layer GORE-TEX Laminate, Windstopper Technology, PrimaLoft Silver Hi-Loft Ultra Insulation, and Polygiene Odor Control in order to head afield? Quite 17
simply, no. I remember the days of wearing a pair of fatigues from the army surplus store and cotton waffle knit long johns dangling from a chain on treestand. Did I get cold and uncomfortable? You bet I did. Plus, I only hunted 10 minutes from the truck so just up and leaving was always an option. Having performance gear, like clothing from Sitka, now allows me to stay comfortable and longer in the woods. It also gives me confidence to venture further from the beaten path. Whether that be the Rocky Mountains or a day long sit in deer stand that started well before dawn and won’t end until well after dark. It’s no longer as much of an exercise in misery as it is an enjoyable experience. Look at it this way, why do you hunt? Generally, one of two reasons, meat or getting back to nature. If you could up your odds of filling the freezer by staying quiet, concealed, and comfortable and make the experience pseudo comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable, why wouldn’t you? Two experiences that stand out as truly memorable moments that being properly dressed happened in the last couple years. I say experiences because as I age that’s what really matters. Sitka gear isn’t cheap, but as you’ll see the monetary price, was inconsequential in my story of life. The first was a couple years ago elk hunting in Colorado. We had packed in several hours on horse to a drop camp miles and miles from anything. Having some experience in this location opening morning had a hunting partner and I in for a grueling hike to a honey hole of an elk spot. The thing was we had gotten six inches of fresh snow overnight and the temps were in the teens. Unfortunately, even though all I had on was my base layers, I was sopping wet and exhausted by the time we got to our spot. I’ll save you all the details but after an hour or so I was very concerned about my well being. I had my emergency fire kit in my hands and ready to go but worried I would ruin the hunt for my partner who ascended several hundred feet above me. I was dressed in the Jetstream Jacket, Timberline Pants, and multiple layers. I trusted in my gear and ended up finishing the morning hunt and meeting back up with my partner. Turns out I would have wasted his efforts had I 18
needed to leave early as he did have several elk nearby. The other time that jumps out was just this year in the Michigan woods deer hunting. I had the pleasure of hunting with my dad which hasn’t happened nearly as much as I would have liked in my life. As dad hunts really only because my brother and I do, his choice in clothing was less than adequate for the snow and temps he and I were experiences. Luckily I had a system of Sitka gear on and was able to shed my Fanatic Jacket to share with him. Thankful and prepared, I sat there with my dad for the rest of morning. I’ll never get that time back and I couldn’t have imagined a better way to have spent it. You may have found a brand that suits your needs and/ or budget that does not wear the Sitka label. Truthfully, I’m thrilled that we as hunters have options. For me though, Sitka has really allowed me to up my game to the next experience level and for that I’m very thankful.
OnX
I can probably say that OnX is the most revolutionary product that I use on a consistent basis. And when I say consistent basis I mean year round. Sure there are some really cool and nifty gadgets and products out there but if I look back over the last 10 years this has got to be the most valuable one to me. It has replaced my GPS, paper maps, plat books, weather apps, areal photos, topo maps, park maps, I mean everything. If you’ve never used it you’re missing out. If you’re not familiar with OnX I’ll try and summarize. It’s a mapping program that works on both your computer and phone and can be shared between both. It shows not only property boundaries, both public and private, it shows where you are with respect to those boundaries so you know if you’re trespassing or even if you are in the right GMU for the tag you hold. It gives you land owner names, acreage size, topo lines, trails, roads, access points, and many other features. You can turn layers on and off to accommodate your needs and mark waypoints wherever you like. Oh and the beautiful thing, cell service is not required to utilize the maps!! Clearly you could sense my excitement over OnX. Rather than ramble on about all the things it can do, I’m going to share some specific times I used and even some that I’m looking forward to. My first experiences with OnX came when I started heading West to hunt elk. Initially struggling with a multiple
mapping websites to do my areal scouting, topo’s, and understand where my public land boundaries were. Once OnX combined them into one my scouting efforts where stream lined. Next issue was waypoints on my GPS. How could I get them on my map? Honestly, I never figured it out. I just moved on to OnX where everything was right at my fingertips, at home or in the field. Lastly, as I previously mentioned, I eventually just quite carrying my GPS. OnX allows you to designate maps ahead of time to use on your phone where cell service is not available. My Western hunting experiences were now simplified and I was much more comfortable with my wilderness navigational abilities. So you deer hunt in the Midwest and wonder why you would need such a powerful tool? Well let me tell you how it served me. Just this year I drew a population control hunt at the local state park. I needed to know exactly where the park boundaries where and where I was with respect to various landmarks in the park.
opportunity to experience these lands. In that spirit, we firmly oppose any action that would transfer or sell federally-controlled lands. They then backed up their statement by working with the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership to identify 9.52 million acres of inaccessible landlocked public lands. They published a detailed report available on onxmaps.com detailing their findings. I would encourage all of you to read and take action to preserve and sustain what is all of ours.
Summary
I want to again reiterate that I do not work for YETI, Sitka, or onX and gain nothing whether you choose to purchase any products from them. I wanted to share some of the successes and advantages I have learned and gained from these companies that have heightened my outdoor experiences. My time is extremely valuable to me and hold my time afield in the highest regard. Anything that make it a better experience is worth a long look in my book. Regardless of how you’re dressed or what Some areas were designated as safe zones. The equipment you carry always be courteous to park borders where easy to determine with OnX and hunters and non-hunters alike in the field and do with the ability to look at my position on an areal everything you can to expose someone new to the view of the area I knew exactly where I was with outdoors. respect to the designated safe zones. I also used the apps in the weeks prior to scout out promising locations marking waypoints of trails, rubs, scrapes, other hunters stands, etc. With this information I was easily able to navigate to my predetermined locations in the darkness. I was also in the market for a piece of hunting property to call my own. My mother in law is a real estate agent and I find it hugely advantageous to use one when looking for property or even a home, but finding the level of detail in a listing I needed before spending time and effort to physically look at a property was impossible. Using OnX was able to find the exact property I was looking for, the shape, features, neighbors, access, and everything else you could want to know. After surveying the area with OnX then I would make my decision on whether to go look in person. It became a hugely valuable tool in my land search activities. One big picture item I really like about OnX is their fight for our public lands. They are adamant about public land access and opportunity. They clearly take this stance as I pulled this quote from their website: As a company that prides itself on providing a means to access public land across the country, onXmaps is adamantly opposed to any transfer, sale, or other action which would jeopardize the public’s
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work cut out for me with a new job, getting my family acclimated, and still trying to meet any personal goals I had on the docket. You’re probably still wondering what all this has to do with success and measuring it? Doing any hunting or fishing in an unfamiliar area could be considered a success in itself. How many times have you heard, I don’t have anywhere to hunt. Too many people. No lake access. I wouldn’t let those stop me.
Measure of Success Shawn Stafford
How do you measure success when in the hunting woods or wetting a line? There will be as many different answers to this question as there are people who read this. A 200” buck? 7x7 bull elk? 10 lb bass? Limit of geese? I could go on…and quite frankly, spoiler alert, there is no right answer. That’s the great thing about the outdoors and the pursuit of wild game. You decide the measuring stick. Just for clarification, and to be certain that you understand, I am not here to tell you what success is, judge your definition, or belittle your happiness. As a matter of fact I’d like to think this article is more to celebrate all of our successes no matter the scale. You’ve all read about the five stages of hunter development, and depending on where you fall within those stages, that will certainly influence your definition. I could write a whole article about the stages and my experiences with each. However, that is not the point of this article. As you will find out as you continue reading, you may never completely leave one stage for another and continue to find enjoyment from all stages. Rather than go all the way to the beginning I’ll focus just on this last year for myself. Before I continue I think it would be beneficial just to give you a little background about myself to keep this article in context. I’ve crossed the 40 mark but still feel young at heart. I’ve got a wonderful wife and three very special children (all 11 or under). I’ve lived in multiple states ranging from Michigan to Texas and hunted and fished the US North to South and from the Appalachians to the Rockies. While many have killed or caught more and bigger than me I still consider myself to have been very fortunate throughout my outdoor adventures. With that being said how do you think I measured my seasons this year? Let me tell you. It was a year of firsts, missed opportunity, redemption, lows, highs, giving back, and most importantly another year of memories that won’t be forgotten. These memories and experiences are what makes us who we are. See where I’m going with this article? To start 2019 I was living in Coastal Texas. By the end of January I was living in Northern Indiana. So the year was off and running at a very rapid rate. I’d be leaving behind liberal hog hunting, giant alligator gar, Texas whitetails, and some really nice blue cat fishing. I’d be starting from ground zero at my new location and had my
Utilizing the powerful internet I was able to locate a nearby state park and three fish and wildlife areas open to hunting and fishing. The state park borders a river and has a nice lake open to fishing. It took a while but eventually I figured out the ins and outs of the lake and what the preferred bait was and ended up with some pretty good hauls of catfish by the end of the summer. Starting from scratch, continuing to pursue my quarry even after many failures, ending with a fish fry, sounds like success to me. In the beginning I didn’t have a place to hunt either. After a fair amount of digging, as it was pretty well hidden in the DNR website, I found a population control hunt at the very same state park. I had to apply and the seasons were fairly limited but I drew the second season. You could even say that drawing a tag in this situation was some form of success. Fast forward to the actual hunt and I will have to admit I didn’t shoot anything. Does that mean this was an unsuccessful endeavor? Hardly. Leading up to the season I scouted the area and familiarized myself with a couple haunts that felt like they would hold deer. I set out on my own looking for sign and getting to areas other hunters wouldn’t venture. I had a tremendous amount of pride doing it all alone. Even though I didn’t get to show off a kill I learned a considerable amount of valuable information which will hopefully lead more success in the future. Along the way I even found access to a fishing hole along the river…bonus. Is that all the hunting I did? Nope. Through work I was able to meet a like-minded hunter who had some farm ground in the area. Fortunately for me I was invited to join him on several hunts. Even though everything seemed right and many deer were spotted multiple hunts never led to actually putting a dear on the ground. Disappointed? No way. The relationship I was building is one I will keep with me forever. To add to the experience, this gentleman has never killed a deer with his bow. I was called to aid with an early season tracking job that ended up in disappointment for my friend but reminded me how lucky I have been over the years. It also taught me that I wouldn’t be where I was today had I not stuck with it through those “hard” times. Lastly, it gave me the chance to be a positive influence on a hunter helping to keep him inspired and moving forward. Even when the gun season rolled 21
around he stuck to the stick and string even if it meant eating tag soup. Seeing this level of discipline in reaching a goal really helped put my season into perspective and maintain a high level of optimism. Did I kill anything? Nope. Did I make a new friend, inspire a younger hunter, and get to spend several frosty mornings in a tree stand? Sure did. Success once again in my book. The previous examples lean towards the method and sportsman’s stages of a hunters development. I was willing to challenge myself by hunting and fishing unknown public lands which would put me more in the methods stage. Helping another hunter stay at it and keep a straight head, I’d consider that the sportsman’s stage. Does that mean that didn’t make a stop at the shooting or limiting-out stage? Not a chance. Even through all my hunting adventures I had never killed a turkey. When I was growing up there just weren’t enough to hunt. They didn’t even issue tags. Now there are open seasons all over the country. Just buying a turkey tag this year is indeed a conservation success story. But I really wanted a little more than just a piece of paper this Spring. Fortunately I got an invite from an Uncle to come up to Michigan and hunt turkey on his property. Furthermore, another Uncle offered to set up the blind and join me with his decoys and even do the calling. So I grabbed my two youngest kids and we set off on a road trip to their grandparent’s house.
be leading you astray. The bigger picture, which I was quickly reminded of, was the views and the precious time I was spending with those I cherish the most. We ended up catching our limit that morning which is certainly one way of considering that trip as successful as it could have been. The other is that you could still ask my wife and kids about that day and they would relive it with tremendous joy. That may be the true victory. Up to this point I haven’t killed a deer, missed a big gobbler, and let my kids reel in most of my fish for the summer. Depending on your definition, this could be a year that you don’t want to remember. For me, I can’t remember many that could top this one! But just when you think it couldn’t get better it did. Through the years I’ve worked hard and put myself in a position to purchase a piece of land if it met my family’s criteria. Low and behold we found one in the right place for the right price. I was able to procure my own little piece of outdoor heaven for me and my family. The inaugural trip was made during the youth deer season with my two little ones in early September. While this was deemed a hunting trip, we would be camping and doing some exploring along the way. Providing this experience to my kids is the true measure of my success. While we technically only sat in the blind for maybe an hour and certainly didn’t see any deer, this was one of my best hunts ever. The camping, creek wading, campfires, and all other events of the trip culminated into one I won’t forget.
The last chapter of this story once again revolves around the property I recently purchased. This trip didn’t end in a big buck We had a wonderful time just the three of us heading North either. I was able to give a little back to my dad after all those talking and laughing. Sounds like a successful trip already years of his support. I invited him to join me for opening and it hadn’t hardly started. My Uncle met me with a smile weekend of gun season in Michigan. Simply him driving to my well before daylight as we caught up with one another with house and spending the evening with his grandkids was reason hopes of a enough to celebrate but we had gobbler come daylight. His calling worked to a T and more in mind. Spending time with him in the truck meant more to before long there was a big ole longbeard within range. I’d me that he’ll ever know. Then it kept getting better. We had a be lying if I didn’t just want to “shoot it” to get a turkey nice warm lake cottage to shack up in and brought just enough under my belt. Unfortunately I missed!! I couldn’t believe it. of our favorite meals to make your mouth water. We had How do you miss a turkey with a shotgun? Well, I did. struggles opening morning but ultimately I managed a doe. It Defeated, he urged me to get back in the blind as it was might as well been a Booner. We savored the moment from us still early. Much to my surprise, three jakes decided the texting back and forth all morning, to decoys looked enticing enough to pay us a visit. This time I me reliving the story with him, the side by side ride through the would get my turkey. The rest of the mud and snow to load the deer up, and the subsequent heart morning was spent visiting with the two uncles and and liver meal. My some measures of success, the trip could laughing about my poor aim. That afternoon I neatly have been considered a bust with all the time and money I had butchered the bird and shared some of the spoils with my invested just to come home with one measly deer. mother in law. Sounds like an extremely success Spring trip to me even though measuring the beard on my jake would That would be so wrong it wouldn’t even be funny. To share a certainly not gain me any bragging rights. blind with my dad is something that money cannot provide. It Spending time in and around The Great Lakes for many was my ultimate definition of success. To prepare that meal and years of my life I had yet to take a fishing charter on Lake sit at the table with my hero, there is not a greater success story Michigan. Nor had I given my kids that same experience. for me. How does my success ruler compare yours? In the end, it This past June I was able to do just that. doesn’t matter. You be you and I’ll be me. I had one of my greatest years yet with hopes of more to come. If this article Taking the entire family on a summer trip was certainly does anything for you, I hope that it shows you that the little exciting. It would have everything was wanted for both me, victories are the ones we should cherish and not overlook. While my wife, and the kids. Other than seeing the smiles on not old (in my eyes) I’m starting to get a little gray. Maybe I’m their faces the charter on Lake Michigan was certainly what getting sentimental but I wouldn’t trade this season for list of got me hooked on the idea. In this situation the limit was records. So get out there and be successful…whatever it means two lake trout per person. This only equated to ten fish so to you. if I said I wasn’t wanting to “limit out” I’d once again 22
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