Lee and Tiffany of “The Crush” TV Show
VOL 1 ISSUE 3 May/June 2015
INSIDE Tiffany Lakosky: From Bucks to Booties for Baby Product Reviews and Waterfowl Hunting Tips
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Welcome to Huntress Life Magazine Articles
Heals and Haunts Candace Hubble..............................................................................................4 Florida Osceola~Never Give Up Kristi Lynn Hair............................................................................................8 Tiffany Lakosky: From Bucks to Booties for Baby Judy Erwin Branham....................................................................................12 Humbled
Nancy Rodriguez...........................................................................................26
Waterfowl Hunting: Field/Gear Tips 101 Kimberly Snyder...........................................................................................31 “A Girl and Her Dog� Harmony Kulikauskas...................................................................................36 Along The Hunting Trail Candy Yow..................................................................................................40 I Just Want a Buck Christy Turner.............................................................................................42 Lyman Lures Stacey Urbshott............................................................................................44
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Product Reviews Broadhead Confidence Teresa DePalma..............................................................................................6 Judy’s Reviews
What to Choose
*Mystery Tackle Box *Gobbler Guage *Qalo *Slumberjack Women Boundary Sleeping Bag *Slumberjack Strider Day pack- Tactical Hunting Gear Line Judy Erwin Branham....................................................................................23
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Heals and Haunts By Candace Hubble
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s a hunter or huntress the kill is just a small part of a hunt but it can bring about extreme emotional responses; to understand the highs, the lows must also be felt. In honor of the pure unfiltered bliss and bluster a hunter’s journey travels through I present this‌I hope you can relate. Hunting; a consuming love triangle between me, my mind and the woods where learning how to fail is a staple of the journey. It is a sickness that heals and haunts me, that brings me to the peak of my being and plunges to the depths of my soul. Before reaching a culmination of supreme perfection I press my face against the foundation of rock bottom where the cold, hard reality of heartbreak in the woods exists. Unfortunately this is not truly failure but a necessary moment each must turn and face at some point; however, in my mind and many like it,
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these are logged as failures long before a retrospective view is forced that ultimately leads to another scratch on the experience tree. There are moments where the bridge is burned solely to force a turnaround to face what you may have been avoiding or failed to see. There goes my heart falling, falling, falling to the chasm created inside from a mistake, a misstep, or an uncontrollable moment only Mother Nature could create. When it hits, it hurts. It wrenches inside a pain that burns me, crushes confidence, ignites doubts, and envelops every thought. The world stops as a glimmer of self-pity sneaks in and weakness threatens to haunt me. I stagger and stumble through my mind in a cloud of disbelief, ambiguity, and empathy for any affected by this moment. It is a battle; it is hell on my mind, body and soul. Words cannot rectify it, comfort is out of reach and it is my solo internal struggle. Time, determination, dedication, and the inability to deny the fibers of my being will regenerate me and harmony will be restored; even if only briefly to carry on to witness the perfect moment we all seek. Unfortunately the return to heartbreak is nearly inevitable but it is the challenge, the moments, and the indescribable feelings inside that will always bring me back. After pure suffering through the dark moments of defeat, there comes a light that will shine brighter than ever before and blind the doubt that existed in my mind. With success comes renewed ambition, promise and confidence that the path I am on is deserved, honest, and merited. A successful shot is followed by a complete adrenaline release, uncontrollable shaking, tears, and a constant replay of the matter at hand. If the reward does not fall within sight all elation is stifled, just barely, by questionable ambivalence teetering on the brink of insanity followed by prayer. My heart is on the line, living in danger. Yes, no, good, bad, what if, please Lord. But when that moment of confirmation arrives there is nothing, I mean nothing that can contain the passion, intensity and spirit of seeing the animal down. Typically I freeze in disbelief as my heart leaves my body and soars to the Heavens with gratitude and the tears continue to drain all logic from my mind leaving only emotion. It is raw, pure, unfiltered euphoria; a high like no other. As I move to feel the concrete evidence of my success and sustenance, the smile spread across my face can be seen for miles and is broken up with intervals of laughter as enthusiasm continues to exude from my body; in all forms of tears, laughter, dance, and embrace I am there in that moment and nowhere else. It, all of it, has come together. Perseverance, affliction, endless days and nights, Mother Nature, the intellectual warfare, physical complaints, and barraging battles unique to their own, all have collided in that moment and it cannot and will not be taken away‌at least until the next meeting with the foundation of rock bottom starts its vicious cycle again. It heals and it haunts‌
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Broadhead Confidence – Review By Teresa DePalma
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hen I think about how many broadheads are on the market now compared to when I first started bow hunting it makes my head spin. I have definitely tried my fair share of brands and styles. I am in no way an expert when it comes to saying what the best out there is, all I can speak for is what makes me feel confident when drawing my bow back. There are a lot of amazing heads on the market but as every hunter knows, the confidence in your weapon is extremely important when it comes to making that perfect shot in the heat of the moment. The confidence in my broadhead is no less the confidence in my bow itself. When I first started bow hunting years ago, it was spring turkey season. My first broadhead was a fix blade, a G5 Montec to be exact and not only got the job done but my confidence as a new bow hunter was high. The first turkey I ever shot with a bow went about 20 yards and went down. I took another long beard that spring with a Montec with no tracking necessary. I was convinced I had the right equipment to take down a whitetail come that fall. However when it came to deer hunting I struggled for a few years with trust in not only a fixed blade but most mechanicals as well. Back then I had a low draw weight and felt that was a little of my lack in confidence. Yes I did take down many deer and turkey over the year
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with a variety of broadheads but the confidence in my choice, when it came to whitetail didn’t come until 2 season ago with a Rage Hypodermic. While filming 2 of my husband’s hunts and watching him drop 2 deer in their track with this broadhead I was gung-ho for trying them. With not having a very large draw weight with my bow… a perfect shot along with a good broadhead was needed in order to have a short tracking job. The first buck I shot with a Rage Hypodermic dropped 30 yards from impact with a blood trail that wouldn’t have made a difference how far it went. Although a liver shot the size of the opening the hypodermic generated shot my confidence through the roof. I was so proud that I changed and couldn’t wait for my next opportunity to fling them again. A few hundred miles away and a few weeks later, I made another great shot, dropping another great giant in my sight. The difference between this harvest from any others, was my confidence in all aspects in my weapon. With the Rage Hypodermic I have not only retrieved every buck I have drawn on but have tracked with an amazing visual blood trail. The Rage Hypodermic has by far met all my expectations in a broadhead and although I pull a draw weight in 52 pounds now they have exceeded my expectations even when I was pulling less weight. I will continue to shoot them in order to keep my confidence strong when out in the wild. The G5 Montecs are still my turkey head of choice and even love the fact they come in pink now. Like I said before there are many amazing broadhead companies out there, its finding the one that works best for you to keep your confidence strong when drawing back at that crucial moment. Good luck to all the bow huntresses out there and may your arrows fly straight and you make that ethical shot you can be proud of. Teresa DePalma- Through Camo Eyes
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Florida Osceola ~ Never give up! By: Kristi Lynn Hair
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t’s that time of year. When the sound of a gobble makes your entire body quiver. My turkey season began the weekend of March 7th, 2015. I left my home state of Tennessee and headed South to Martin County, Florida on my quest for an Osceola, a very coveted bird. I shot my first Osceola last year. However, he was a Jake as I just wanted to get an Osceola under my belt. This year, I was determined to shoot a mature bird. Please read along and follow me on my journey. Day one ~ It was a beautiful morning to be in the woods. I love just sitting there and hearing them come alive. Today was an exceptionally quiet one. We were located close to where we thought the birds were roosted, waiting on the first gobble before making our move. Nothing. No gobbles. Not a single solitary sound. Therefore, we decided to spot and stalk, call a bit to try to locate the turkeys. Nothing. Unbelievably quiet in the woods opening
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morning. We finally spotted a hen, my husband and I called her right in. Unfortunately, she was alone. Up & at it, once again, making calls, listening, being patient, moving slowly & stealthily. Finally we SPOT a nice gobbler. Our Serpent Skin Camo worked great as he saw us but could not determine what we were. Once he settled in, we hunkered down and belly crawled to a clump of grass with a few small bushes and one lone tree. We worked this bird for over 2 hours, coming close on several occasions. However we just couldn’t seal the deal. That’s why they call it hunting, not killing. Day 2 ~ It’s dark, we slowly stalk into our designated location approximately where we believe the turkey’s are roosting, we patiently wait for a gobble. We hear one very close by, we close the distance, set up & start calling. The turkey is responding like crazy from the roost, gobbling his head off. I’m shaking & full of excitement as I just knew this was going to happen. I felt confident. I felt empowered. I felt deadly. Then the moment I had been waiting for arrives. The turkey pitches down and is heading directly to our call. I take the safety off, wait for him to get to about 20 yards. I place my hand on the trigger. I am fixing to squeeze and smoke this bird. BOOM! A gunshot goes off & it is not mine. Completely confused at what just occurred, I am in a state of disbelief and shock. Then I see another hunter running after this bird. Furious was I. He killed that bird. I came home empty handed, feeling defeated, upset & at the time, mad. Once I had time to sit back & reflect, I realized, I never knew that other hunter was there. Therefore, I’m quite certain he did not know we were there. Nobody was hurt. I had an angel watching over me that day. My anger turned into joy, hope and my faith was renewed. Tomorrow was going to be my day. Day 3 ~ We go in way before dark, set up along a well traveled corridor with tons of sign. We build a blind out of palmettos, set up the decoy & begin to call softly & not very often. The birds were lighting up today. Gobbling like crazy. It was maddening to have to sit there. I wanted to GO TO THEM. You see it is not in my nature to sit it out. I much prefer to run and gun, stalk em down. However, we stuck to the game plan. We heard the gobblers pitch down and once they hit the ground they gobbled a few times, then went hush mouth.
We sat it out for several hours, heard a few hens, but saw nothing & decided to run & gun.... YES, my kind of hunting! We begin to walk, mile after mile on the vast Florida terrain. It’s very open, there is not much cover, so you must be very stealthy. We call, nothing. The birds have shut down. We continue our walk. My
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husband spots a gobbler surrounded by 8 hens in an open field about 85 yards away. We are exposed. There are no trees around us & only grass about knee high (I’m 5’2 for reference). Once again, our Serpent Skin camo was working in our favor. They spotted us, but did not know what we were. Quick lesson here, NEVER, and I do mean NEVER let your guard down when hunting turkeys. Always leave your gloves and face mask on, remaining completely concealed at all times. Otherwise, you WILL get busted. Back to the story....... We slowly & I do mean ever so slowly hunker down, so slow it hurts..... Once upon the ground, my husband and I come up with a game plan. The ONLY way to get to this gobbler, surrounded by very alert hens was to literally belly crawl, extremely slowly through the grass, trying to stay in the shade & close the distance. Our journey begins. We very patiently, slowly & carefully belly crawl. We get to about 35 yards and that is the closest we would be able to get. I’m shooting a youth model 20 gauge & there is plenty of sticks and grass obstructing my view, but nothing a shotgun shell couldn’t penetrate through if I lined my beads up perfectly on that birds head. I ever so slowly pull my knees up underneath me. I then get into shooting position, resting my gun on my right shoulder and my barrel on my left knee. The gobbler is in full strut, surrounded by hens & the hens were getting nervous. My time was limited. Once I had a clear view, I squeezed the trigger. He looks like he’s hit, he stumbles a bit and then gives me another shot. I take it. He attempts to fly off then nose dives into a pile of thick brush. The search begins. We diligently search the thick
grown up field looking for my bird. We cannot find him. Devastation sets in. I knew I hit him without a shadow of a doubt. Where was he? My husband & I went to lunch, regrouped, then we reviewed the footage. We realized this thunder chicken was most definitely hit. We needed to go back. We needed to search harder. We owed this animal due diligence. Clay & I head back to the woods. We circled the field where we looked all
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morning & there was one lone clump of trees that we did not search. My husband looks up & finds my bird lodged in the tree. Yes he was hit, yes he was dead & my oh my was he ever a dandy. A fine Osceola! Beyond elated. I had prayed about this all day & I do believe the good Lord lead me to my bird. I owe all the glory to Him & am thankful to have been able to harvest a mature Osceola. I took out my Gobbler Gauge and measured his beard & spurs. His beard was 10 inches & his right spur was an inch, the left was an 1 1/4. Moral of the story. Never give up. If I had not gone back and gave it every ounce of effort I had within me, as tired as I was, as defeated as I felt, I would have never recovered this fine animal. I want to thank the good Lord for giving me the ability to hunt. I also want to thank my wonderful husband, Clay Hair, who pushes me beyond my limits, makes sure I never give up, stands by my side when I’m feeling down & whispers, let’s give this one more try! You can watch this story unfold on our show Cross Hairs with Kris and Clay Hair. It airs every Sunday morning @ 7:30 a.m. (Central Time) on The Hunt Channel (266 DISH) or on Roku (The Hunt Channel) or streaming live at huntchannel.tv. You may also go to our website & view previous shows ( www.crosshairstv.com ). Peace, Love & Gobblers, Kristi Hair
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Tiffany Lakosky: From Bucks to Booties for Baby By Judy Erwin Branham
Tiffany Lakosky - Deer harvest - Gun
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hether “The Crush” is a metaphor for the natural love between Lee and Tiffany or for their way of harvesting game, it has become a popular icon not only for their TV show but also for their newborn baby boy known as “Baby Crush” until his recent birth when they revealed his given name as Cameron Lee Lakosky. Contests on social media revealed the people’s choice for “Baby Crush’s” name according to their Facebook page: “Your responses were amazing and while it looks like Cameron Lee was the most popular re sponse with Marcus Lee second, we may just take these last few weeks to decide and will let you all know! Thank you for being the best and most supportive fans, you have made this special time in our lives even more amazing!” Running into Lee and Tiffany at the 2015 ATA Show became a special conversation about baby plans, hunting plans and arranging a later phone interview to talk about Tiffany’s life and how she became a huntress. During the interview we talked about how she and Lee met, her shopping techniques, what life will be like after baby Crush is born and much more. Her sweet disposition and fun-loving personality made for a wonderful laid back conversation where she revealed her fondest wishes for their son’s future and how they plan on including him in everything they currently do without slowing down their schedule; raising him to learn the outdoor lifestyle. She also shared her desires for encouraging other female huntresses. Golden Moose Awards We began talking about the Golden Moose Awards which had just transpired in Las Vegas during the Shot Show 2015. “The Crush” won the same awards they had the previous year for Best Bird Hunting and Best Deer Hunting film categories. Their awesome bird hunting footage showed their black lab, Tank, running slow motion through a body of water away from Tiffany after she gave him a command. The low position of their camera man along with the slow motion tactic gave pause to the audience as Tank ran towards the camera joyfully splashing water everywhere. Seeing his excitement and her joy in the clip gave pleasure to all watching. It was a natural hunting moment and a well-deserved award. Benelli Lee and Tiffany joined forces with Benelli last year which she described as an awesome partnership for them as they were able to launch Benelli’s new Over/Under 828U Shotgun. This is a huge deal for them; especially for Lee as he was an upland hunter previous to deer hunting. Tiffany explained with pride: “You know what is funny for us now? I am sure it will be ten times more exciting when we actually have a baby, but for us the biggest thing about winning the award for best bird was how I was so excited we used Tank, our first Lab. He’s four, and I was so excited to see this, I’m just so proud of him! We worked so hard with him, and they work so hard when they’re out there; it’s like at the Golden Moose Awards, I wish I could bring him! He is so well trained and will hold anything if we gave him the command. He literally would have picked up that trophy and held it! It would be hilarious. We have another female Lab, her name’s Mattie May; she’s two.” Question: Do you have any special plans with the new Benelli Over/Unders; perhaps certain game that you are going to go after? They are definitely taking them Pheasant hunting. “The gun is absolutely beautiful, but the main thing about being partners with Benelli is they tell us, “We want you to use them,” she explained.
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With a beautiful gun like the Benelli a person hesitates to take it out because not desiring to scratch it; however Benelli tells Lee and Tiffany to “take it everywhere; we want you to Duck hunt, Pheasant hunt, goose hunt with it…we just want you to use it”. They plan on pheasant hunting next year and according to Tiffany, Lee says, he wants to duck hunt next year also. http://www.benelliusa.com/828u-shotgun
Wally Tiffany shot a 190 inch buck on New Year’s Eve 2014 while 7 ½ months pregnant! Her initial reaction was quoted on Whitetail Overload’s Press Release on January 2nd, 2015: “What a way to end the year. Lee, Baby Crush and I closed out 2014 with a BANG! http://whitetailoverload.com/tiffany-lakosky-shootsmonster-190-buck-new-years-eve-pic/ Her largest buck harvest to date, she had been hunting him for three years. She and Lee think he is eight years old! They named him Wally due to his “wall” of tines. They scored his 23 scorable points at 190 inches. What a hog! Congratulations Tiffany! You go girl!
Tiffany Lakosky - Elk harvest - Archery
Inquiring Minds Want to Know: What Tiffany Carries in her Day Pack Tiffany shared she carries the normal items such as: binoculars, a range finder; all those normal items. However, she explained while hunting in Iowa they hunt all day but do not necessarily stay in the same stand all day. “If we hunted all day long we would kill ourselves by the time the season’s over because we hunt every day from August15th through January 10th. Normally we are not out all day long, but a lot of times we are moving stands and all of that, trying to check trail cameras, trying to figure out where we are going to hunt that afternoon. Even during the rut we have specific spots for our morning stand and afternoon stand, so a lot of times we are down for an hour or two and then we are back in the stand, especially during the rut.”
As far as what Tiffany takes out there every time; she described her daypack items:
“Well I think all of us are attached to the cell phones anymore. When you are at our house if you are not texting Lee back he thinks you either shot one or you are not where you are supposed to be. So all day long we text, “What do you think? Well, what about the deer? Did you see this one yet? Has one come out yet?” So your cell phone is your life line anymore. And really, to keep you out there all the time for 8 or 9 hours a day, of course I always have my cell phone.” Tiffany also always carries a buckeye for luck. She is superstitious about items for hunting; if she has something that has brought her luck previously she always carries it with her. This year she had her friend’s daughter’s lucky horseshoe in her bag, she had shot her first Elk with it. Tiffany ended up shooting the biggest deer of her life with it in her bag. Now if they go on a trip somewhere Tiffany buy some trinket and give one to Lee and one for herself and it’s kind of a joke, she said.
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Her Love Story Interesting Facts about Columbia Heights, Minnesota: the 2010 census shows 19,496 people; 3.52 sq miles; Hwy 47 and Hwy 65 run through the city; and it is a suburb of Minneapolis. Tiffany shares about their romance: “Yes, we grew up in Columbia Heights, Minnesota and I used to hang out with one of Lee’s sisters, he has five of them. I met him a long time ago and we didn’t start dating until we were in college.” Question: You took a long time to become friends then?
“Oh yeah!”
Question: So your hunting mentor basically was Lee?
“Yep, still is.”
Question: How did you get started in hunting? Did your family hunt; your dad or mom? “No, actually I 100% grew up in a non-hunting family. It’s not like we were against hunting, we just didn’t hunt. We grew up fishing up north in Minnesota, that’s where I’m from. I actually didn’t start hunting until I started dating Lee. At the time he was working at an archery shop, so to see him I would have to go up to the archery shop and hang out with him. Then I started like fletching arrows and he’d put me to work when I was up there. After about two years into the relationship he asked, “Do you want to learn how to shoot a bow?” and I was like, yeah that looks like a lot of fun. It wasn’t like it is now; a woman can walk into an archery shop, pick up a bow and be able to shoot it, but back then it wasn’t like that for women. It was fortunate he was a bow tech and grew up to be tinkering with all that stuff. So he ordered a bow for me and had to short string it and had to put different cams and limbs on it because of my short draw length. To this day he still sets up all of our bows and for many people actually. He’s a bow tech and he just loves it.
I just remember I loved to be up there shooting while he was up there working. I would be up there shooting all the time and I shot with a lot of the pro shooters there. That went on for a couple of years and then I still never hunted. He was still hunting and I was a flight Attendant at the time. He would be like, “I’m going to Kansas for three weeks”, and I would be like, “I’m going somewhere for two weeks, have fun!” We’d see each other when we came home. So it was another year or so after that he said do you want to try hunting? And I was like, oh, I don’t know if I could shoot anything. He said that’s okay, if you don’t want to that’s fine. You don’t have to shoot. And then we were out there and the first night out three bucks came out, and the third one I was finally ready to shoot it and it took me that long to get my composure together and my bow together, the yardage and everything, and I like smoked it and have been hooked ever since!”
Archery
Do you have a specific Archery company you use?
“We have been partners with Mathews for a long time and actually that was from years ago because it was hard to find a bow for me. He always said you are not going to shoot anything I wouldn’t shoot myself. Back then they had kid bows and then they had adult men bows. And Mathews was actually the first that came out with a bow that went down to my draw length and was a bow he would shoot too. We have stuck with them from the very beginning.”
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Do you ever shoot traditional archery?
“I have never shot traditional. Lee used to but Lee is more into being able to shoot a far distance. We practice every day at 100 yards and he shoots even farther than that. I can’t get more than 100 yards out of my bow. I wouldn’t be opposed to shooting traditional by any means, but I just never have. Of course Lee grew up shooting traditional but once he got his compound he hasn’t turned back. Fred Eichler does both traditional recurve and compound which is pretty amazing but there are not a lot of people who do that. When we have our nieces and nephews over and we have the Genesis bows here I’ll shoot at the target and Lee is like, “Tiffany, look where Tiffany Lakosky - antelope harvest - Archery your sight is and look where you are shooting,” and I totally miss the target. It’s hard to pay attention to that. It’s a totally different ball game I know. I never had to do that so I would probably be horrible at it. I guess that even our bowfishing bows are compound now.
We bowfish for Carp, Alligator, and Gar; I think we are going to go on a bowfishing trip this year for big Alligator and Gar. We have actually hunted gator before with our bows, but we pretty much do everything even when we are not filming our show. It is what we do for fun, it is what we enjoy to do, you know?” Camo “We are with Realtree and have been with them from the very beginning. And actually that’s kind of how we got our start; it was David Blanton who put Lee on the back cover of Monster Buck’s 10 DVD.
As far as my hunting clothes I wear Under Armour. And they have been awesome because every year they are like, “What do you guys like, what do you not like for women and men?” And we go through each item and they make the changes; which is awesome because they actually listen to us.
Plans for Baby Crush “In all honesty we will start turkey hunting right away in April. My due date is actually March 20th. I will start turkey hunting in April and we whole heartedly plan on totally having him in the blind with us with our bows and shoot a turkey with him out there. It’s like already he’s been all over the world. I’ll tell you, I’ve had the best years of my life while being pregnant.
In May we have a bear hunt to Vancouver Island; he will be only a couple of months old and we will have to get him a passport right away, but my mom will be going on that trip also. The main thing about us is we are so lucky with all the hunts we do because all the places we go are all so welcoming. People would flip out if we did not have our baby along. They would be mad at us. Oh yeah, he’s already a number in a hunting camp next year and everyone is planning on him being there. Lee will be there, my mom, and we have one camera man who has a wife who can help watch him too while we are hunting. So we are definitely planning on hunting the exact same as we always have just taking him along with us. My mom is the only family who lives here in Iowa with us. Lee’s sisters have never been on any of our hunting trips so they will probably really enjoy that. All of a sudden it occurred to me I have to have him, and I am like wait a minute, this has been really nice so far, and I’m not so sure about giving birth. Six and ½ weeks to go, he already is our whole world and lots of people are very excited to meet him. It has definitely been a blessing for us and has worked out well, and it’s something we enjoy doing.”
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Baby Crush won’t be Gun Shy “We have had Tank in the blind with us shooting turkeys and that’s one thing I think that is so fun already being pregnant with our little boy. I found out we were pregnant in Argentina, so he is definitely not going to come out gun shy because we shot 800 thousand things over there already. My whole early season and everything he has been with us for all of our hunts and I think we are already starting the hunting tradition with him, you know? And it’s funny, during season here he would move so much more when I was hunting. I was 71/2 months pregnant when I shot my last deer and every time I would see a big one you could just feel him move and he could just feel my excitement, you know? He has gone to sleep with the sound of turkey calls and duck calls. Lol! Even now we will be going out shed hunting with my mom and the dogs.”
Domestic Qualities “I love the garden; you see, we are so different because for the last ten to twelve years we are on the road so much, very rarely are we actually home long enough to do a bunch of stuff like that. Especially this year with now having a baby, we plan on growing a garden which was never done before, which is funny because we plant like 800 acres of food plots. I guess that’s a big step; we have never had our own garden because we are not usually home to take care of it. But I love the garden.
I love to run outside and am doing a half marathon in July that I am looking forward to. I also love to cook when I am actually home but when we are busy my mom cooks a lot for us.”
“You know honestly what I love to do most when I am home, I love to clean.”
Question: So you are domestic, and it’s born and breed in you?
“Oh yeah, 100 percent! It really is. My mom and Lee’s mom were stay at home moms and that’s what we were raised with. I take pride in having my house clean and we are having guests over. Fortunately I have a mom that can help us out when I can’t do it.”
Question: Do you and Lee both cook?
“Lee grills and I cook. But Lee is a chemical Engineer so if he decided he wanted to be the new Julia Childs he could totally do it. If he decided he wanted to be a gourmet chef, 1000 % if he put his mind to it he could be a gourmet chef. I think that is what I admire most about him, it doesn’t matter what he is going to do, he is going to do it right and he is going to do it good. He definitely makes me step my game up,” She said with pride in her voice.
Question: Do you guys eat a lot of home cooking?
“Oh yeah, when we are home that is how we eat. Like I said, I cook venison a lot, but my mom mostly cooks; like last night we had venison tacos. We own property with six different partners and we also have guests come and hunt with us. We don’t take hunters but between our partners and us and our landowners my mom and I do all the cooking during hunting season. This year was the first year, because we had a lot of guests, she actually said I need one of you to shoot a deer because we are out of deer meat. It was funny because that was the first time all the Elk was gone and we had already eaten the deer early on. So we of course obliged her and shot a deer and had it processed. Yeah, everything we eat is venison, elk, or turkey. My favorite was a couple of years ago we went goose hunting and it made the best jerky ever. We were out in Montana and I am like, we have to get back out there to get some more jerky; those boys ate that for weeks. A lot of people don’t like goose but I think it is delicious. It is how you cook it just like anything else; hamburger can also be bad if you cook it wrong.
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We have my mom do a new recipe every month on our website and last month she did taco venison pie. It’s like now I don’t even like the taste of beef because we are so used to eating venison. You get used to it and it is way healthier. The wildlife eat corn, beans, alfalfa, clover and turnips on our farm.” http://thecrush.tv/news/crush-kitchen-recipe-venison-taco-pie The Crush TV Show Question: Your TV presence is just wonderful the way you tease back and forth with Lee, it’s just good homey Americana…just good TV. “Well, I appreciate that, you know the thing is, it’s not made up and we always try to be respectful to one another and if you film us 365 days a year you are going to see some of that stuff.”
Questions: Your personalities show through, you are just the sweet American gal, everything you’ve told me just all falls together. I can see your show is such a good example for younger people wanting to hunt. Some of the shows are a little too gory for me. The younger crowds are drawn to different things, and I’m kind of old school and drawn more to the homey, laid back family oriented type shows and I am not drawn to the newer younger verbalizing they do with game. “That is why we show what we show; we try to always be respectful to each other and to the animal that we are hunting. I’m younger and I don’t like to see that, so there are certain things we make sure we never show on our TV show. Hunters, if they are out there having fun that is great. You try to be respectful, it is definitely not for everybody and I can respect people not liking hunting as that is their choice, but I feel like hunting is also our choice to be out there doing what we are doing. I also respect they do not want it shoved in their face, you know?”
http://thecrush.tv/ Tiffany on Setting an Example “It’s interesting how one person sets an example and others come along and say, it looks like she is having a lot of fun, maybe I ought to try that, you know? It kind of opens the doors to try things they might not necessarily have tried before,” says Tiffany Lakosky of the Outdoor Channels TV show “The Crush”. Ironically she seems to be the one setting that example for other female hunters these days. Many women such as Eva Shockey have good things to say about Tiffany: “Tiffany was the first person in the hunting industry to welcome me with open arms when I was getting started years ago. Not only did she make me feel welcome, but since then we have become great friends. She has been inspiring to me and so many other female hunters over the course of her career; the hunting world is lucky to have her,” Eva stated.
Tiffany’s mom stated:
“There are so many areas that I have pride in Tiffany’s accomplishments. Probably what I’m most proud of though is that she still is just Tiffany. No changes with all that they have been awarded in who or how she is. She has stayed true to herself and believes totally in what she and Lee do and how they live. She is a kind and loving person and so very grateful for everything they have. I have two granddaughters, so I am super excited to add a grandson to our family! Grandchildren are the best gift in life!!! They bring such pure joy to my heart!”
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Favorite Hunting Choices – Climbing the Ladder of Success She hesitated thinking…”That’s a tough one because we came from Minnesota without a dime to our name and literally I have to hand it all to my husband, he created just a dynasty down here of property, partners, land, deer; I mean it’s pretty amazing with what we started with and what we have now, so my favorite game to hunt has definitely got to be deer in Iowa; however, we love Elk hunting. You know how they say there is no place like home, but we love it when we get to go Elk hunting too. We have Elk hunted in Colorado, Yukon, Mexico, and Montana last year. It is like turkey hunting where the enjoyment will shake you to your core. You should try to do it sometime if you have never done it.”
Iowa- Home Sweet Home “We love Iowa, they still have the Bethlehem in the yard at the schools and still say the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning, and it is just so nice and still kind of unaffected by a lot of the happenings of the world.” Question: What kind of things do you enjoy? Shopping with girlfriends or your mom? “No, I really don’t, I love it when we are finally home. Any shopping I do is up in a tree Tiffany Lakosky - Deer harvest - Archery stand on a cell phone; it’s Amazon and I have it delivered to our house. But for me the closest place to go shopping is like an hour and a half away, so by the time I drive an hour and a half and shop for an hour, then drive an hour and a half, back I’m like, Oh my gosh, I could be outside or I could be helping Lee on the tractor…there are so many other things I would rather be doing than being in a Mall. I used to enjoy it a lot but now my favorite thing is going shed hunting this time of year every day. I love just being outside; it is a joy.”
Community Service Done “The Crush” Way “In July I am doing a marathon after the baby is born to get back into shape. As far as community service, straight up not really. We don’t have a schedule that is good for that, just a straight up volunteer. Now this summer I might. There are some things I would like to do to help around the community. We help in a lot of other ways in our community, but normally we are not home enough consecutive days to plan that into our schedule. We donate a lot of items to our local 4H and our local Hunter Safety Classes, and the Mayor of Salem looks to us for a lot of donations and a lot of things we do for our community and our Police Department. We have also taken a couple of kids hunting that have had cancer in the past but a lot of times our schedule isn’t great for that. When you think of the number of appearances we do normally we would be going to Harrisburg right now which is a nine day show. So you have a day on either end of that for travel, two days if we take the bus; so your talking two solid weeks out and by the time you get home it would be right on the ball straight up to Pheasant Fest and NWTF and all those shows. You really only have a day or two home before each time you’re right back out on the road.
I still feel good and as long as I feel good they say that is probably why I have had as good of a pregnancy as I have because I have stayed active and doing the same things I have always done and the more I move the better I feel. And they say it will be easier to come back right after I have the baby.” (Well, we now know she and baby Cameron are both doing fine. He was born March 26th, 2015 at 4:43 p.m.; weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz, and was 21 inches long)
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I would say marathons, donating to 4H, Hunter Safety Classes, local Police and community, taking sick children hunting and more is great community service. Tiffany’s humbleness about these actions made it seem like it is just part of their everyday lifestyle and was not considered doing anything extra. It just seemed an everyday way of life to them. Great work Lee and Tiffany! Tell me something nobody else knows: Life’s Trials “A lot of people don’t know I had open heart surgery twelve years ago and I had a stroke, that’s how they found out I had a hole in my heart. It was a little hole I was born with that never closed up. And we were at the ATA Show seven days after my heart surgery. A lot of people don’t know about that, that’s kind of crazy”.
Question: That is something other female hunters will be interested in because it shows how tough you are.
“That is contributed back to my mom, my toughness,” Tiffany said.
Mom Crush Tiffany’s mom discovered she had stage 4 breast cancer in October 1994. Most people would say that diagnosis would change your life forever. Her life would really change ten days after hearing that news her husband, and love of her life died suddenly in their living room from a massive heart attack at the age of 47. “Cancer seemed like a small hiccup compared to dealing with the loss. Four weeks after burying my husband I had a mastectomy, then 6 months of chemotherapy and then 12 weeks of radiation. I am cancer free today and blessed in so many, many ways,” Tiffany’s mom described this trial in her life.
It is understandable why Tiffany describes her mom as tough.
Question: So your mom does hunt some?
“Oh yeah, my mom shot a great buck with her cross bow this year, she shot a turkey last year (2014) on Mother’s Day, yeah she goes out. That meant so much more to us than either Lee or I shooting one.”
Kindness from “The Crush” Question: You guys take so much time with everybody that comes through the line. You are relaxed and pleasant, and you look right into people’s eyes and let them know you care about what they want to ask you. I am really appreciative of that as there are some celebrities who rush you through. “Well, those people are who allow us to do our job and so if people want to take 30 seconds or they want to take 5 minutes with us we are going to give them that time because: A: We enjoy listening to what they are talking about and B: They allow us to do what we do. They are basically our boss so we try to be as gracious as we can and we know we are super fortunate to be able to do what we are doing and we don’t take it for granted.”
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Encouraging Other Female Hunters
Question: What would you tell a young female hunter to encourage her?
“When people are in line and they say, I am so nervous to try it, I say just go ahead and try it you might like it. I think so many people are just kind of scared of the unknown so I am like, “Just try it, look at me, I never tried hunting and now I am a diehard hunter.” So it might be something that is life changing. Look at my mom, she had never hunted before until she went down here in Iowa and now I look at the confidence it has given her, the comradery with people it has given her; you guys just try it, take a chance you might like it.”
Question: You are such a great role model for other female hunters, are there certain things that you are particular about being in the eye of the media? Or what means the most to you reference being a role model to other female hunters? “Yes, actually the way I dress, I always think, would I want my little girl to see that? So anytime I am on film it’s like, what I might necessarily wear to the beach normally or what I might necessarily wear bowfishing might not be the same thing. But I realize that there are a bunch of little girls looking up to me and I take it very, very seriously. Anytime we are out, even at concerts and stuff I always try to conduct myself in a way realizing that there are people watching, especially now when there is social media. A lot of times we might be on a date or something but I am still going to be dressed appropriately because there are so many fans out there and so many people watching all the time that I just don’t want to be taken in the wrong context. So I have always tried to conduct myself with that in mind thinking, okay, if my mom were here would I be wearing that? If the answer is no then I do not do it. We have always tried taking that seriously, and Lee is no different. Years ago on our show they deleted all the swear words and we thought was that really necessary? Yes, there are kids watching let’s delete that out. Obviously we get some of that stuff sometimes because we film all of the time, so we make sure that does not enter the show. Our film guys are so great that they never portray us in a light that we do not want to be portrayed in.”
What is the Weirdest Fan Question Ever? “I have more things people say to us rather than a question they have asked. I remember one time I actually got offended by this because I do take pride in saying that Lee and I plant every one of our acres. We work our entire farm, we set all of our own tree sets, more so him than me; I help him, but we do everything. We don’t have a bunch of people working for us; we work our butts off day and night. I remember a couple of years ago there was kind of an older guy and he said, “Can I shake your hand?” We had a big line of people and he kind of did it across the people and I shook his hand and he was like, so you do have callouses on your hands and your hand looks old, and I was like, really? You know what these hands are, they are working hands. We don’t have somebody else doing all our stuff, these are hands that actually every morning and every night get dirty and we work. It struck me so funny about that because I was like, what do you think my hand would feel like? Do you think I just sit at home and eat Bon Bons all day long? Lol So I have more weird things people say to us than questions they ask.”
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Concluding Tiffany is an everyday down to earth person with a sweet persona. She has risen from a humble background with her husband, Lee, to create their dynasty of a Whitetail Deer farm in Iowa. Their lifestyle is a dream life to most hunters in America. Although they have a line of jewelry, apparel, DVD’s, books and novelty items they sell, their life parallels most American’s with family, friends and co-workers. While in the limelight with their TV Show, The Crush, they remain everyday people enjoying living their dream. Life’s trials, joys and hardships affect them similarly as other hunting families. The only difference is they work from home outside in diverse weather conditions doing something they both enjoy. Their fortunate lifestyle is not taken for granted, but greatly appreciated by both of them. Baby Crush is Here! Welcome “Baby Crush!” We are all looking forward to watching you grow into a young man and seeing what life has in store for you. Here’s wishing the best to the Crush family and their future endeavors. (Photos courtesy Tiffany Lakosky)
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Judy’s Reviews
What to Choose
Mystery Tackle Box – Great Gift Idea
By Judy Erwin Branham
While at the ATA Show this product was introduced to me as a great possible gift idea for the avid fisherman or woman. Costing $15 per month if paid monthly or can be purchased annually for $165 per year making the cost $13.75 per month, the consumer receives approximately $20 worth of fishing product each month. Mother’s or Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays or even Christmas this would be a welcomed year round gift for any person who loves to fish. My box included 7 items, a decal, and a Digest with interesting information for fishermen, and a card explaining each product included and how to use it. Also the websites for each product are noted. Item #1. Star Shiner Action First Series by Sebile. This suspending jerk bait can be purchased from $5.59 to $7.99 at: http://www.sebile.com/ Item #2. The Innovation Award Winning “Zero Gravity Jig” The world’s most universalCustom Lures Unlimited can be purchased for $5.49. http://www.customluresunlimited.com/inc/sdetail/4284 Item #3. Buckeye Spot Remover 2 pk. by Buckeye Lures for deep water and bedding fishing can be purchased for $5.50 for a pack of five. http://buckeyelures.com/spot_remover.shtml Item #4. Missile Craw 4 pk. By Missile Baits now has a big hook slot all the way down the belly for better hook sets. This bait can be purchased for $4.39 per 8 pk. http://missilebaits.com/index.php/missile-craw.html Item #5. Crazy Craw 4 pk. by Bruiser Baits is great for pitching or flipping and can be used at any depth for success and much more. This bait can be purchased for $4.29. http://bruiserbaits.com/?product=cycling-pack-steel-blue Item #6. GrubZ 4 pk. by Z-Man can be used as spinner bait, jig or fished on its own. This durable lure can be purchased for $5.49 per 8 pk. http://zmanfishing.com/store/categories/elaztech/grubz Item #7. 5536 Sureset® Treble 2 pk VMC Hooks (red #4, #6) With a new design for better crankbait hook-up rates these hooks can be purchased at Cabelas for $4.49 per 2 pk. http://www.cabelas.com/product/VMC-reg-SureSet-Treble-Hooks/ All these products in my Mystery Tackle Box are top notch fishing products. Partial sample packs of product allow the consumer to try more types of products each month. Look for Mystery Tackle Box on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. http://mysterytacklebox.com/gifts/
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Gobbler Gauge – Turkey Measuring Device for Field or Home Use Made in the USA this product was developed to measure your turkey beard and spurs. The gauge is fast and easy to use as well as accurate and convenient either in the field or at home. This 100% water proof gauge has a tape measure inside for beard measurement up to 15 inches long, and the barrel measures up to 2 inches or 50 mm for the spur measurement. It comes in two colors for $14.99 + $2.00 flat rate shipping. www.gobblerguage.com
QALO – Wedding Rings for the Outdoor Couple and more Quality Athletics Love Outdoors These very functional 100% medical silicon wedding bands come in camo and diverse colors. They range from $15.99 to $64.99 for a group of five colors. They even have a pink “breast cancer” ring for men and women. After getting married these guys discovered their traditional wedding rings were sometimes a nuisance during outdoor activities, working on cars, etc. Although they loved being married they searched for a solution that would “allow them to show their commitment of marriage, and wear a comfortable wedding band that could withstand their active lifestyle,” they explained on their pamphlet. http://qalo.com
Slumberjack Women’s Boundary 20 Sleeping Bag Listed for $59.95 the Slumberjack Women’s sleeping bag is a real deal in my opinion. With a temperature rating of 20°/-7°, weighing 2 lbs 15 ozs, and fits to size 5 ft 6 inches this bag is perfect for me. The bag is contoured for women from top to bottom. I sat in the bag zipped up around my face where only my eyes were showing in 5° Indiana weather during our extra cold February this year on my porch for a half hour. I was in my sock feet with only fall weight pajamas on. I stayed very cozy warm the entire time. I was not too cold and not too hot. I also sat outside for half an hour in the sleeping bag in my pajamas on April 1st in 60° weather. Again I was cozy; not too cold, not too warm. The contour fit is perfect and comfortable to move in as well as feeling tucked in for the night or nap. Plump, soft, durable and cozy define this bag for me. The quality and craftsmanship is superb; I absolutely love this sleeping bag and would purchase more of Slumberjack products in the future. http://www.slumberjack.com/p-644-womens-boundary-20.aspx?category=sleeping-bags
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Slumberjack Strider Daypack - Tactical Hunting Gear Line Selling for $129.95 this daypack has a one size fits all torso. Holding 1,602 cubic inches, weighing 2 lbs 4 oz, and measuring 21 inches high by 14 inches wide by 10 inches deep, the daypack is great for many outdoor activities, and comes in four Kryptek camo color choices. Very lightweight yet durable the pack has comfortable shoulder and back padding. It is highly adjustable for men and women sizes and includes their Exclusive Compression Carry System making it easy to add bipods, trekking poles, and more. Inside the pack is a large pocket which I would use for maps or a journal; even a small laptop or tablet would fit there. The main compartment is large and roomy for outer garments and much more. Also there is a handy zippered pocket just inside the top on the outer edge for a small tablet, cell phone and other accessories or snacks to access quickly. Varied inner and outer pockets give this daypack diversity. The pack has PALS webbing in assorted places to allow for multiple attachment points for your accessories and gear. I love the durability and lightweight material; however it is somewhat noisy underneath the small olive green section on the outer zip up pocket where an inner material sewed in crinkles a bit. For hunting this is noticeable however the hunter’s knowledge of this should be enough to stay quiet in the woods. I would purchase more of Slumberjack’s Tactical Hunting Gear Line packs in the future. They have a large variety of packs with diverse pricing. http://www.slumberjack.com/p-648-strider.aspx?category=packs
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Humbled By Nancy Rodriguez
T
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hump, thump, thump! With every adrenaline filled heartbeat my crosshairs float over my target…a beautiful 3x3 mule deer buck. Instead of pulling the trigger I ask myself, “Is this the buck you want to take off this mountain?” I slowly lower my rifle and let the buck walk. It’s opening morning after all and I have plenty of hunting days ahead. I am high in the backcountry of California. I have drawn a mule deer buck tag in a great unit for mature animals. My husband, Joe father-in-law, Ray and I have backpacked in 8 miles with all of our gear on our backs. This can be a grueling hunt. We don’t have any other means of getting into the area we prefer to hunt. It’s good old fashion leg power for us. It’s a high elevation hunt and we have to purify and transport all of our water to our dry camp. This usually requires us to drop a mile down the mountain every two days to re-supply. This year we have stashed 13 gallons on the mountain ahead of time to reduce the fatigue on our bodies. We also have to be on our toes being this high in the mountains as winter’s first storms can set in at any time during the hunt. These challenges make pulling any buck out of these mountains very rewarding. Through pre-season scouting and Joe hunting this same unit with his bow a month prior, we know there are a few nice bucks in the area. I know the only way to successfully harvest a big buck is to pass on the smaller ones. Passing on an animal is not in my nature, because the meat is one of the main reasons I hunt. But, I have dreamt about harvesting a nice 4x4 mule deer in these rugged mountains for many years. So, this year I’m on a quest and I’m ready for the challenge. Throughout opening day, we hear numerous shots and see plenty of hunters. This hunting pressure is new to us, since we hardly ever run into other hunters in this area. With the extra pressure my quest will certainly be a bit more challenging. The decision to pass on the 3x3 begins to haunt me, and I ask myself if I made the right choice. Then I remember the rule…you can’t tag a big buck if you are shooting smaller bucks first. But, still I wonder…Is one more point on the buck’s antlers that important to me?
Opening day comes to an end and I find myself staring at the ceiling of the tent replaying the day’s encounters. I had passed on two more 3 pointers the very first day and I’m not sure of my decision. One of the 3 pointers, we are nearly certain, is a buck we photographed during our scouting trip. A lot of hunters would be thrilled with a backcountry buck like the ones I passed on. Regret starts to set in. I wonder if I am being greedy for wanting a bigger buck. Hopefully, Mother Nature will see that I have paid my dues in these mountains and bless me with the buck I am after. Together with my hunting partners we have hunted these mountains for 15 years and we have yet to take a mature 4x4 from here. We have seen plenty during our hunts. A few of us have even had opportunities. But something always seems to go wrong at the last minute, and we sit and watch our opportunity disappear. We keep reminding ourselves that when our dues are paid, Mother Nature will grant our wish. Maybe this will be the year.
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Sunrise on the second day finds us glassing a huge basin two miles from our camp. The day wears on and we slowly still hunt through the trees back toward camp. We haven’t seen hide or hair of a deer and my regret is starting to build. As dusk approaches I glance at my watch and realize we have 20 minutes of shooting light left in the day. We are creeping ever so slowly, when Joe whispers, “Huge buck through the trees!” Suddenly my regret has turned into determination. I am looking at one of the biggest 4x4 mulie’s I have ever seen and he’s only 150 yards away. Joe and I sneak into position and get set up for the shot. We are on our knees and Joe sets out the tripod for me to steady the gun on. My heart is pounding out of my chest and I try to calm my nerves. Joe can see the buck clearly, but I have a tree in my way. I slowly move over as quietly as I can. I place my gun on the tripod and move the tripod over to clear a shooting lane. As I do this, I make a futile mistake. The resulting squeak of the tripod leg on rock alerts the buck to our presence. The buck’s head spins instantly and he has us pegged. I try to get lined up as quickly as possible, but it’s too late. He’s not that giant from being dumb. Poof! The grey ghost disappears into thin air. My head drops as I realize I will probably never see that giant again. That night I try to choke down a dehydrated backpack meal. I’m sick inside as I replay the tripod squeak over and over. I think of all the things I could have done differently. All the “what if’s” keep me up most of the night. Maybe Mother Na-
ture is not happy with my early decisions and she is reminding me of my place. I tell myself this is hunting, and the ups and downs are what keep me coming back for more. The third day is very similar to the second, except we plan to try and find the giant grey ghost again. Maybe we can outwit Mother Nature and get a second chance. Evening finds us set up on a huge rock spire overlooking the pine filled draw that the giant was in the night before. There are a few openings in the trees and I pray that he pops out into one. I know it’s a long shot, but I’m willing to give it a try. As the setting sun starts to change the sky to gold, Joe whispers, “I’ve got him!” He’s glassing halfway up the draw and the bucks giant antlers are glowing in the sun light. Joe ranges him and he’s at the edge of my shooting range. My crosshairs are steady on the buck of my dreams, my scope turrets are adjusted for the distance, and I wait for my shot. Ten minutes pass and I decide not to shoot. I had been practicing long range shooting all summer, but I couldn’t ethically pull the trigger. The thought of wounding this mountain monarch is more than I can bear. As the buck feeds into the trees, we scan the openings closer to us hoping he will reappear. He never does. Mother Nature has humbled us again. The fourth day, I find myself feeling much different. I am glassing the most beautiful basin. It’s covered with glowing golden aspens with orange and green foliage sprinkled along the creek run-
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ning through the bottom. The three of us enjoy the beauty of the landscape and breathe in the fresh mountain air. I lay back and realize this has already been an amazing hunt. I have had the opportunity at multiple deer, I almost had a shot at one of the biggest bucks I’ve ever seen, and I’m enjoying the awe inspiring beauty of the backcountry. We come up with our evening plan. We decide to head back to the giant’s draw and see what happens. I tell Joe, “If I see a buck on the way down, I’m going to try and take him.” He asks, “Even if it’s a 3 pointer?” “Yep! I’ll be happy with any buck.” Its early afternoon and the three of us slowly start to head down through the scattered trees to the giant’s lair. We glass e v e r y s h a d e patch in search of a bedded buck. Step, step, glass…Step, step, glass. This goes on for two hours when Joe whispers, “I think I see an antler through that screen of trees.” I glass and confirm it’s a buck and it’s a 4 pointer. It’s not the giant, but it’s a 4 pointer! All we can see is his head and antlers through the screen of trees, so we wait. We are on a little rise about 80 yards away from him. We see the rear end of another buck move through the trees, but we can’t confirm its size. The 4x4 finally rises and starts to feed. I search for my window to shoot through. My rifle follows his every step as he walks in and out of the trees. As he steps behind a large pine tree, I glance in the direction he’s feeding and see a small opening. He enters the small clearing with his head down as he continues to
feed. He turns uphill toward me. At this steep angle I can see the tip of an antler, the base of his neck, shoulders, and along the top of his back. I place my crosshairs in between his shoulder blades and squeeze the trigger. BOOM! He drops in his tracks and out of my line of site. The other buck runs off, but I don’t see him clearly. I am smiling from ear to ear. We finally have the mature 4 point buck we have been after. We have paid our dues and Mother Nature has rewarded us. I make my way down to the buck and I am bewildered. I realize the buck I just shot is a 2 point. I look back at Joe and Ray and say “He’s a forkie!” they respond “No way!” I think to myself…how is this possible? I followed that 4 point through my scope from the time he stood until I shot. Then I think back to the moment he stepped behind the pine tree and I glanced to the opening I would eventually shoot through. In those seconds behind the tree and out of my sight, something changed. As the 4 point walked behind the pine tree, the buck we had seen earlier must have already been behind it feeding only to be pushed out into my line of sight. At that moment I was sure Mother Nature was smiling! I must admit, a split second of disappointment did course through me. My disappointment vanished instantly as I knelt down, put my hand on the buck’s neck, and looked into his eyes. He had died instantly and I was thankful for that. My eyes welled up with grateful admiration, and I was completely humbled by the experience. A life is a life,
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whether his antlers have two points or four points. His wonderful organic meat will feed my family and I have a great memory that will last a lifetime. It’s very hard to explain the feeling of taking a life, but if you are an ethical hunter I hope you can relate. It’s not the kill that captivates us, it’s the hunt itself. I said my prayer of thanks; like I always do with every animal I harvest and placed a blade of grass in his mouth. At that moment the size of his antlers didn’t matter, I had ethically harvested the quarry I was after. Minutes pass, I look at Joe and Ray and they are admiring the buck and smiling. No words are spoken, but I know what they are thinking. The challenge continues! The following day we got an early start and packed out our camp and quarry. We covered those 8 grueling miles out with 70 lb packs on our backs, and the entire time we had smiles on our faces…well almost the entire time! Pain is pain after all. This buck goes down as one of my most memorable. I learned a lot of valuable lessons on this hunt. I can still have hunting goals, but no matter what I will be grateful for every animal I take. It will be four years before we can hunt these mountains again and we know Mother Nature will be looking forward to our visit. Maybe that will be the year she decides we have paid our dues!
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Waterfowl Hunting: Field/Gear Tips 101 By Kimberly Snyder
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nd that’s a wrap on Waterfowl Season 2014-2015, but with every beginning or end there is always work to be done when you are a waterfowl hunter. Did you clean off your decoys/put them away, hang up your waders, clean and put away your gear, clean your gun, wash down the boat, clean out that blind bag, etc.? And being that time of year, one must not forget to check the wood duck boxes you have out, new cedar, check for other animals that may have taken over those boxes, put out new boxes, get the dog to do some spring/summer after season training and maybe finally fit in a nap after a busy season of going non-stop. There is always something on the list to do as a Waterfowl hunter and with every step you complete you ensure yourself more success in the future as you chase after those birds.
on myself, where did I need improvement, what about the season changed me or where did I excel during the season. I am also considering, what was needed that I didn’t have, what could have made my hunt better and improved my performance in the field. So many lessons learned are processed and put into action for the upcoming waterfowl season, in between conservation functions that I attend and any conservation efforts I can possibly put my time into. These conservation efforts also ensure that the hunt will continue for seasons to
Whether I am packing up my gear at the end of the season or getting it ready for the beginning of the season, or even in the off season my mind is constantly on Waterfowl hunting. When packing up my gear I am taking inventory of my decoys, considering what I have in stock and what do I need the next season that would enhance my decoy spread. I am looking back on notes of where we hunted, what birds were harvested and what was the migration pattern from that season. I am considering what the dogs need to enhance their training, new skills needed and where did they lack in their waterfowl hunts. As well as a Reflection
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perfect for any bow hunter or archery enthusiast. I personally love that the target is lightweight and large enough for long shooting range. The good news is: Duck season will be here before you know it! Is your gear ready are you ready? Do you have all your “Ducks in a Row”, so to speak? There are 5 key tips for any Waterfowl Hunter and those can be summarized as:
come and ensure the habitats for the waterfowl are thriving and successful. So you see the hunt is never over. Lastly, it is the off season so are you going to Turkey hunt, take part in Competition Archery Tournaments? After all, the pursuit of everything outdoors is at the foremost of many hunters alike. During the off season, there are many things to do to keep sharp and consistent. One of my favorite activities is 3D Tournament shoots and of course archery season. I have also included for the June 2015 product lineup a target that is available with Hips Archery Targets. This target is new and improved for 2015 and is the X2 Herd Bull Target. This target is a 6-sided target offering shooters more shooting surface, for bows up to 80lbs and you can use a field point, expandables or fixed blades. All these points make this target
1) Always do your homework – know the basic hunting strategies of calling, decoy set up, attend those seminars and reach out to others to know the basics, 2) Conceal – Know your environment, where you are hunting and have the proper gear (blinds/apparel/etc.) to keep you hidden from the very attentive waterfowl that see you before you can see them, 3) Scout – know your location, the right location is the most important key to success, try to get from high vantage points to glass for ducks and know those honey-hole spots, 4) Gun – you must know how to shoot accurate, go to the range, practice on some skeet and be ready to shoot straight and on time, don’t educate those birds and 5) Decoys – proper placement can make for better shooting opportunities, know your wind direction to dictate your spread and know a ducks perspective to how your ducks should line up and be properly placed.
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Let’s take a moment to focus on some of those steps in relation to some upcoming June 2015 products that you can take advantage of ensuring your success for the upcoming 2015-2016 season: • Dakota Decoys – Photo Credits to Tyson Keller
Coming Summer 2015 the Dakota Decoy Signature Series, this one piece EVA plastic allows you 5 different poses and a ring base design. These will be available in painted version with flocked head and tail. These Decoys have been the best by far in my years of waterfowl hunting, the durability and life like appearance have proven success and are the best on the market. If you follow the 5 steps you know you have to have the right spread and decoy placement and if you have done your homework you will have success in the field. You can find your new line up for 2015 at this site: http://www.dakotadecoy.com
• Rig’Em Right Waterfowl – Finally for us Waterfowl enthusiasts and avid hunters there is a backpack with the durability of a backcountry pack but with many features that duck hunters can utilize and have needed in the field for some time. This new floating backpack available in 2015 has a large compartment for holding our gear, paracord handle, easy ammo pocket for quick side loading, game totes on each side of the pack, thermos holder and a side handle with Daisy Chain for attaching Rig’Em Right Decoy anchor clips. This backpack not only meets all your needs for the waterfowl season but also doubles as a travel bag with an internal Laptop Pocket. The quality of this backpack is beyond measure and keeps with the tradition of other Rig’Em Right Waterfowl gear. As a waterfowl hunter, I carry a lot of gear (gun/decoys bags/etc.) and this backpack makes the trip in and out of the blind or field much easier and effortless. You can find this new backpack amongst some other great pieces of gear at this site: http://www.rigemright.com/
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The 2015-2016 Waterfowl Season will be here before you can blink, are you ready? Are you prepared? Reflect on the last season, or if this is your first season then start becoming familiar with your new found passion and be ready. By, Kimberly Snyder
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“A Girl and Her Dog” By Harmony Kulikauskas
“I’ve always been an avid writer, and have a burning passion for hunting and the outdoors. My name is Harmony, and I currently reside in a small town in “central” Ontario called Pointe Au Baril. I love it here. I can walk out my door and stare down a deer if the time of year is right!”
I
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have been hunting avidly for a number of years now. I haven’t entered into any competitions, as I have nothing to prove to anyone but myself. Hunting is challenging as it is, and if I don’t harvest, simply we don’t eat (the boyfriend and I). We just don’t buy our meat. I grew up on the shores of Georgian Bay and have always been into fishing, but hunting didn’t come along until I was in my late 20’s. My parents have always supported me in my hunting adventures even though I never grew up knowing what it was or how to pursue it. I hunt big game, but my favorite is upland and waterfowl. Getting up at 4:30am makes anyone question their sanity. Including myself. But once the decoys hit the boat, the smell of 4 stroke exhaust bellowing through the air, and the click of your dog’s nails chattering against the metal floor, you know it’s going to be a great morning. I never grew up hunting. As a matter of fact, hunting was no part of my life until my late 20’s. I had the chance to go fishing throughout my childhood, being the oldest of 2 kids in my family and growing up on the shores of Georgian Bay. Hunting had always been something that did peak my curiosity growning up, but I never got the chance to start learning until one fateful summer in 2011 when I sustained a gnarly foot break (in my own home may I add). After the cast was off, I needed to start walking and becoming active again. 16 weeks in a cast would have its toll on anyone! I was lucky enough to be working at a big outdoor store, and unknowingly to me, our head fishing lead was actually someone who lived up the road from my home. Once I recieved the good and clear to go ahead and start using my foot again, he invited me out to see what upland hunting with a dog was like. I kindly obliged and said “sure, that would be great!” Little did I know that the morning of our hunt would change my life forever. For the good. As soon as the sun crested the horizon, we got out of the truck, and let Nemo, his german shorthair pointer out. Tony (my friend and co-worker) turned on his beeper collar, and he gave the command to “find the bird”. That morning was cool, frost stuck to the tall grass, and as soon as you brushed against it, it would melt and soak you. I hobbling behind Tony nonchallantly looked around, taking in the sites, smells and sounds of random shotgun fire from across the field. “Harmony! Come quick, he’s on point!” I had no idea what a dog on point looked
like, or what to know to look out for if the dog was onto something. Brushing the branches of the trees away, in an opening, on the edge of the field where the tall grass started, there was Nemo, locked on, his beeper collar screeching. I kept my distance back, again no idea what was going on. As soon as Tony’s boots began to brush the leaves, and the grass started to part, a hen pheasant lept up from in front of the dog. Tony raised that old Biakal side by side, shouldered it and squeezed the trigger. The gun went off, Nemo not breaking his position, the hen dropped to the ground. The command he gave beckoned off of the hedgerow, and Nemo ran off to retrieve the downed bird. After a few short minutes, he came back, bird in mouth, and gently he handed the hen off to Tony’s waiting hand. After he let the bird out of his mouth, Tony took it, and stuffed it into his bright
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orange vest, and Nemo was on his way to finding the next one. That was the moment, that was when I was hooked. Anybody can go out and get a dog. But not anyone can go out and make a gun dog breed a gun dog. I invested hundreds of hours, lots of money and lots of time in the bush with mine. A dog is more than just a family member, he or she is also a key tool in hunting. Here’s some tips for choosing your dog. 1. What kind of hunting do you do? I myself, as stated in my story am an upland hunter and waterfowler. I love seeing my dog point and lock onto a bird. If you’re strictly into waterfowling, then maybe a springer spaniel isn’t the kind of dog for you. There are flushers and pointers, and it’s important to figure out what the majority of your hunting will be, or if it would be a combination of the two. From there, choose your breed. 3. Find a reputable breeder! Nothing is more exciting than bringing home your bundle of joy. This is 2. What breed of dog will suit you? Just because going to be your partner in the field for his or her you go to the pet store and see a black lab pup- life and a good chunk of your hunting adventures. py staring at you from behind the glass, wagging I did a TON of homework on finding a dog. Online it’s little tail doesn’t mean you should grab it and reading, watching videos, but best of all, again, I go. People often make the mistake of going out had the opportunity to go out and see the GSP in and buying any kind of gun dog, or a dog that action along with other dog breeds such as Brittathey think will do the job for them. You need to ny’s, Labs, Viszlas and Weimeraners in the field to do your homework and figure out what breed see how they would behave. After a long deliberwill suit both you and your family’s needs. I chose ation, I decided to go with the GSP, just because a GSP (german shorthair pointer) because I was I was most familiar with the breed and the fact lucky enough to be surrounded with a lot of sea- my friend Tony knew the breeder well. My dog’s soned hunters who knew the breed well and how breeder has a long line of award winning dogs, to train the dog. Some breeds are more stubborn and good bloodlines. My dog is also papered and than others, and you need to devote time to your CKC registered. Not all “purebred” dogs come with pup. I will say it now, if you don’t have the time to paperwork. The papers are a plus when you make devote to your new member, don’t bother getting your purchase. The intial purchase of a gun dog a dog. Simple as that. is expensive, some dogs going as much as $2000, but, a well worth investment. You know the line, you know the breeder and you know you’re getting a valuable member for your team. A good tempermented pup from good healthy parents is key to having a good healthy dog for a long time. Don’t spend the money and get a dog from a “garage” breeder, you have no idea what you’re getting into. Not only that, you’re outdoing someone who has taken the time, the effort and the money to produce a healthy line. Do your homework, spend the money and you won’t regret it.
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4. Train hard and make it fun! A lot of people look at me oddly when I give Bullet, my dog a command as I’m firm when I’m commanding. Gun dogs in general are usually high strung, and very willing to please the owner. As soon as you get your gun dog home, take it out into the field. Run the pup in the bush. Pointing dogs especially, during the spring we have the woodcock migration. This is the best for a gun dog of any breed to learn the scent of a true, wild bird. Sure you can train them on pen raised quails, and pheasants, which you can do later on as a puppy training technique, but a really good avid pointer or flusher will learn the scent of a true wild bird only in the field. Puppies also have the attention span of a walnut, which as you know isn’t much of one! Just like a child in elementary class, make it fun. My dog is a nut when it comes to ballcaps. Why? He would draw his attention elsewhere when trying to give him a command. A butterfly would go by and he’d be off prancing through the grass after it. Hold the pup, flutter a hat in front of him, he’s drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Now you have his attention. Toss the hat, and give the command “fetch”...this is how I trained Bullet to retrieve in general. And it’s funny, to this day, someone walks into the room with a hat on, he just wants to take it and play with it! Be firm in your commands, and make sure they know who is in charge, and make sure you do devote a lot of time, and yes, sometimes money into your dog. If the dog does do something incorrect, no need to scold. As time rolls on, they will put 2 and 2 together, and it will click. Don’t expect the first few hunts to be flawless. Mine wern’t. As a matter of fact, Bullet refused to retrieve ducks for the first while. Although frustrating, I took my time, and made it fun for him. Now, you can’t keep him out of the lake.
5. Real world adventures! I remember sending Bullet in on his first pheasant hunt. He had never been in the field without Nemo, his mentor, and I went with my dog and Tony with his. We were split. This is where the training came together. He was approximately 10 months of age when he pointed his first pheasant and I managed to make the shot. I was so ecstatic when he retrieved that bird back to me. Nobody can understand the happiness and excitement like a dog owner. To see all your hard work, training and time come alive in the pup in the field, it’s such an awesome feeling. Although hunting seasons are only so long where I live, you can keep his nose on point with quails, bush runs to find and point wild birds and yard training.
Again, these are just to help you if you are to make your move and pick a gun dog to be your partner in the field. Bullet has been with me for 3 years now. We have gone through thick and thin, easy and hard spots. Sometimes he likes to test me and challenge my authority, but, he knows in the end he gets his spot beside the fire and a big bowl of food. He’s more than just a valuable tool to me when it comes to hunting. He’s my buddy. I am extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to be surrounded by seasoned hunters to get my feet wet so to speak, and if it wasn’t for Tony, I wouldn’t have Bullet. And although he’s an upland dog, he does retrieve fur (rabbit) and loves to waterfowl. Waterfowling he really comes alive. I hope to those who want to get a gun dog, you make the right choice and do your homework. I did, and I have the best duck getting, bird finding, rabbit retrieving, antler hunting machine a girl could ask for. And like a fine wine, he will only get better with age. This is just my story, and I hope that you as well can take some of my tips and experiences and have a partner you won’t regret having the next time you squeeze that trigger. :)
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Along the Hunting Trail By Candy Yow
I have spent all year long preparing myself for this, all the days of hiking, strength training, running and working out. Trying to build endurance and strength to keep up with the guys out on the trail. No matter how hard I try nothing can prepare you for putting on the pack and just doing it. I know I will be exhausted and hurting in no time but the satisfaction of the hunt is why I have to do it. Something deep inside me drives me to this; it’s a desire that I can’t explain, overwhelmingly strong. Something that makes me push harder, try harder and go further with each and every hunt. We are up at 4 am, get breakfast made and hit the trail, we have several miles to hike in before daylight and we can start hunting. This is the hard part, not enough coffee and trying to hike in the dark down a game trail in the backcountry. Stumbling over rocks in the trail and getting slapped by branches and limbs at the same time. Just as I am starting to doubt myself if this is all worth it the sun begins to rise and I remember why I am here. God’s beauty fills the sky in an amazing sun rise, words could never describe how beautiful it
is, with renewed energy we take off down the trail. I notice the guys checking out tracks ahead and talking real low, so I check them out myself to see why they are not telling me what they see, it’s a mama grizzly and two cubs prints, fresh and we just passed them. That would be why they kept it quiet, not to sure I want to bump into a mama griz and her babies in the dark!! No time to argue we have a ways to go yet, but even still we start spotting at the first open hillsides we see, searching for the blond spot that would be the illusive elk. I spot one but after glassing it we decide to keep on trucking and let him grow a few more years. After cresting the next hill we stop to glass again and see a few more elk in the distance. We glass for a while and decide even though there is a nice bull it is several miles of steep country and we haven’t even got to our favorite spot yet. So we head off around the hill hoping we made the right decision. It wasn’t long till we spot some elk feeding in an open meadow along the tree line, we creep up close enough to get them on film. It is so amazing to me to be able to capture them in their natural environment without being detected.
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Two calves jump and buck within 50 yards of us, one cow glanced our way suspicious but stayed, I filmed as long as I could before the guys wanted to move on and spot a big bull. As we trudged on over another hill ground birds flew up under us as if asking “What on earth are you doing here?” Giggling silently I follow the guys while enjoying every aspect of nature along the way. It wasn’t long before I see Randy wave his hand to motion me down, instantly my heart starts pounding, I know he has a bull but I am not in position to see what kind so I watch Randy’s face, he seems content with what he sees and is figuring out what to do now. Since its Archery Season we have to be very close. Randy starts to cow call first and gets the bulls attention, then he gets me beside him with the camera and starts to Bugle, its do or die now. But it works, the bull is curious as to what Bull would be crazy enough to challenge him and starts our direction. I get the camera on and pray I can get this shot on film, Randy positions himself for a shot and continues to bugle. The bull is within 100 yards, 75, now 50. He is literally screaming in my camera, Thank God for a tri-pod because I am shaking like a leaf. As if a shot of adrenaline takes over the huge bull closes the distance to 30
yards and Randy lets the arrow fly. Score!! Not just for Randy but I got it on film too, Thank God. We are both shaking, giving hugs and high fives, while Praising God. We wait for the bull to go down but No worries there, the bull ran 75 yards and was down. What an incredible adventure, I actually love to film the hunt as much as to be the hunter. Now the work begins but we are so Thankful for another successful hunt. Each and every harvest is always greeted with a prayer of Thanksgiving for meat for the freezer, memories and great times in Gods beautiful outdoors. Candy Yow
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an t a W B t s u u ck J I By Christy Turner
S
ometimes I wonder why everything always has to be so hard and such a struggle. Why can’t that buck I have watched all summer just walk out and stand broad side for me? Why is he now standing broad side but on the neighbor’s property for what seems like thirty minutes but will not jump the fence on my side. Why do I hunt one stand for several days in a row and see nothing, but when I change stands that buck is on camera in the daylight at the previous stand I had just been for several days! I can go on and on, it has never been easy for me. I sometimes think to myself, why am I doing this? Why am I sitting in the freezing rain for hours shivering? What is wrong with me? I should just quit, but then that word, quit, does not exist in my mind. If it starts creeping in my mind, I refocus. I will never quit, no matter what I am doing. When it creeps in my mind it makes me push and try even harder. I also
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remind myself, God always has perfect timing. Oh and boy does he! Where I hunt in Texas we start bow hunting the end of September. It is usually extremely hot and you are sweating and swatting mosquitos. By the time I finally shot my buck this year I had been through it seems like all four of the seasons. I had strong winds, rain, hail, sleet, and snow. I weathered it all in my stand. I love the long season and wish it were longer, but I am afraid my husband would have me committed to the looney bin if that were to happen! God’s perfect timing this year was on Saturday January 3rd. Deer season closed Sunday January the 4th. Talk about having faith and believing God has a plan. God also always comes up with a better plan than I could have ever imagined. My husband Billy and I went hunting Saturday morning and saw absolutely nothing. We met back up at camp to warm up and get something to eat. I had told Billy the night before when I was hunting at my “Tower Stand” around 5:30pm, that nice 10 point we have seen the last couple years was chasing a Doe. I told Billy I had a good feeling I would see him again if he would like to hunt with me and catch the whole hunt on film for me. Of course he was eager to hunt with me and film it. We decided to go to the Tower Stand right away since nothing was moving in the morning maybe they would during the day. As we walked out of camp I looked over at Billy and said, “I have a really good feeling we are both going to shoot a buck tonight!” Billy is a man of few words and just kind of nodded at me, like sure whatever. It was misting, sleeting, wind blowing and cold! But with Gods perfect timing that 10 point buck came out early and stood broad side forever for me! Billy finally got the camera on him and I squeezed the trigger on that 25.06. I was so excited and could not believe he stood there forever for me like it was meant to be. After we got down from
the stand and looked at my deer, it wasn’t even 4:00 yet! I told Billy lets drag my buck under this tree and climb back up in the stand to see if you can’t get an opportunity to shoot a buck. He said we made too much noise that nothing else would come around here tonight. I told him, who cares, let’s just try since we have daylight left. So back up the Tower Stand we go. We were both wet from the sleet and shivering but I did not want to give up. He had asked if I wanted to go back to camp, but I said, “Just a little longer”. Right after I said that deer came out to our right and a big wide 8 point we have had on camera. Billy drops him in his tracts. Talk about exciting!!! All year we have been hunting hard and we have two bucks on the ground out of the same stand within a little over an hour of each other. That afternoon was very well worth the wait of the whole hunting season. I also got Billy’s hunt on film and you will be able to watch ours along with our daughter’s shooting their Doe’s on the His & Hers Outdoors TV on the Pursuit Channel this year. Watch for the Team Turner Episode on channel 393 Dish Network, or channel 604 on Direct TV. Or you can visit our website at www.hisnhersoutdoors.com to view previous episodes.
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By Stacey Urbshott
Childhood memories from a real young age can be precious and few. I don’t remember the first time I rode a bike on my own or my first real birthday party with invited friends or the finer details of family camping trips. However, I can remember a morning at the town boat launch in Wiarton, Ontario in the summer of 1977. I was a young girl full of outdoor anticipation watching my grandfather prepare the boat for a day of fishing. It was a cool morning and I was bundled up in layers watching other vehicles getting in line at the launch. My anticipation grew as we got closer to our launch. My grandmother had come to see us off. It was my job to ensure we had lifejackets, the lunchbox, thermos and the “lurebox.” I refer to the heavy blue tackle box that I had to carry while she held the boat ropes. Upon reflection, it may have actually been an old metal toolbox. I was four years old and had the attention span of a typical four year old. It wasn’t uncommon to find me opening and closing that old box full of various spoons and lures. The flash of the lures and the sounds they made when I shook it held my attention for hours. To me and my vivid imagination, it was a treasure box. I usually poked my finger on a hook or two but just loved to arrange and rearrange the lures by shape, colour, and size. When it
was finally time to board the boat, I could be found sitting on the ground with all the tackle spread out in front of me, a yellowy beige, wooden lure with painted eyes had my full attention. At this point, my grandfather could have gotten upset with me for emptying the contents of the tacklebox instead of collecting the lifejackets and waiting patiently on the dock. My four year old thoughts definitely delayed our trip and other boaters. But rather, he sat down briefly beside me and placed that wooden lure in my small hand and told me I was holding the lure that would catch our fish today. I noticed he had a couple of wooden lures that were the same and one painted slightly different. He pointed out the tiny knicks in the paint and told me that was teeth marks from all the fish he had caught. Instantly I was intrigued! Grandpa now had my full attention. I was so excited I gathered up all the tackle from the ground tossing them into the tacklebox, but now with all the excitement of a little four year old girl that was about to catch fish with grandpa, there was little caring about arranging them neatly in the tacklebox. I hugged my grandmother goodbye and boarded the boat. I could hardly wait to get to fishing. As we set out, I listened eagerly to my grandfather as he explained why this wooden lure called a Lyman Lure was his favorite and you know what? He was right! We did catch five fish that morning! When a fish hit, he would pass me the rod and I can remember the thrilling feel of the fish tugging on the line, my grandfather holding my lifejacket with one hand and keeping the other hand on the rod ensuring the tip was up while I reeled for all I was
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worth! I recall squealing with delight as the big silvery fish was netted and brought into the boat. I watched grandpa skillfully deal with my treasure that was now flopping around on the deck as we bobbed on top of the waves! I distinctly remember that yellowy beige wooden lure securely dangling from the side of the fish’s lip and feeling like the world’s best fisher girl! Grandma was going to be very happy when she cooked my silver sided treasure and the whole family would be a part of the celebration supper! I stared in amazement at the wooden lure. What a feeling! I was on top of the world and after catching a few more, I couldn’t wait to get back to shore and get my “so proud of you” hugs from the rest of my family. This was back in the day before GPS and the fancy fish finders on the store shelves. We didn’t have the water temperature or accurate speed, and even fish cameras for that matter. Grandpa was it and he depended solely on his knowledge of the fishing locations and the attract ability of the tackle he used. I rearranged the tackle after I had hurriedly tossed the lures into the tacklebox on the shore, pricked my finger, again, and made sure those Lyman Lures occupied the very best spots in the tacklebox! Top shelf, dead center, hooks down. The prime spot being the easiest to reach by far! This is where Lyman Lures occupy my own tacklebox today. Only now I own boxes of Lyman Lures and they are all perfectly arranged by colour and size of course, with the same love and care that only grandpa’s four year old fishing girl can do. Named after their creator Lyman Dooley, a fisherman from British Columbia, Lyman Lures have been in production since 1947, proving longevity in a very competitive industry. Supplied in various sizes and colour schemes with varying patterns, Lyman Lures are superior for each species of fish. Constructed from wood of the Yellow Cedar tree, these durable and lightweight plugs are individually hand painted thus making each lure a desirable original. The bored out concave nose shape makes for diving and erratic side to side action to mimic that of an injured baitfish. A slight turn of the eye screw and you can adjust the action to your liking. The body is cylindrical and sleek tapering off at the rear allowing for quick trolling and also smooth and attention getting top water action. A treble hook is used mid shaft with a trailing treble to ensure good hook ups on both
large and smaller species. The treble hook is easily interchangeable with a single hook for personal preferences. The buoyancy of the wood and the weight distribution of the lure create this darting action that has not been achieved in other fishing lures. Lyman Lures paint schemes and patterns have changed over time offering the Angler a wide assortment of colours and patterns each with their own flare. Originally created to target salmon species, it is now recognised that all species find this lure enticing. The vast variety of colours is optimum for several of species of fish in both fresh and salt water. Lyman Lures can be used in various situations and can be manipulated to target fish in any feeding cycle. I predominantly use them down rigging successfully with speeds ranging between 1 and 3 mph. Lyman Lures are ideal for faster trolling and speed can dictate what action you will get. They are also ideal for casting and again action depends on the speed of which you retrieve the lure. Lyman Lures have proven themselves again and again and are quickly becoming the go to lure in tackle boxes worldwide! Take a child fishing with Lyman Lures and create memories that will last a lifetime!
Huntress Harvest