Sportsman's Blog: Gear

Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31

January 27, 2010

Another Good Reason To Bring Plenty Of Duct Tape

Okay folks, the following comes to me in an Email so disclaimer up-front: I cannot vouch for the accuracy, but the story and photos are just too good not to pass along to you. Certainly sounds plausible to me.

It seems some fishermen were on a private “fly-in” fishing trip somewhere in the wilds of Alaska when they made the mistake in judgment of leaving a cooler and bait in the plane while away fishing. During their absence, here’s what happened to their plane courtesy of a bear:

The story goes on—apparently the pilot used the plane’s radio to contact another pilot who eventually rescued them with 2 new tires, 3 cases of duct tape, and a supply of sheet plastic. Thanks to the wonderful “fix-it” properties of Duct Tape, they were able to repair the plane sufficiently to fly it back home.

(Photo Credit: Unknown)

So, tell me…doesn’t this story just urge you to purchase another roll or two the next time you’re out shopping?

Posted by Jim Braaten on January 27, 2010 at 10:39 AM in Gear, Outdoor Potpourri | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

January 17, 2010

CLUB OUTDOORS: SHOT Show gathers hunting's newest and best products

The 2010 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show kicks off this week in Las Vegas. Exhibitors and attendees travel from throughout the world to take part in this annual outdoor product showcase.

Click HERE to read more.

Posted by Jim Braaten on January 17, 2010 at 05:31 PM in Gear, Hunting, Shooting Sports | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

December 08, 2009

Finalists Announced For Sportsman Channel Awards

New Berlin, Wis. — Following the tabulation of more than 10,000 votes—a record participation level—Sportsman Channel announced today the finalists for each category of the 2009 Sportsman Choice Awards. By casting their votes over the last month, Sportsman Channel viewers have narrowed the field to just five finalists in the following categories: Best Hunt Show, Best Shoot Show, Best Fish Show, Best Combination (hunting and fishing) Show and Best Show Host(s).

“We are thrilled with the level of viewer participation in the voting process, and we couldn’t be happier with this strong line-up of finalists for our 2009 awards” said Sportsman president, Willy Burkhardt. “We encourage everyone to cast their vote in the final round to determine the ultimate winners.”

Today marks the beginning of a fresh new round of voting, so everyone is encouraged to log on to www.votesportsman.com to cast their ballot, regardless of whether they voted in the first round or not. Winners in all categories will be based exclusively on the opinions and the votes of viewers. Voting ends December 14 with finalists announced thereafter.

The finalists for the 2009 Sportsman Choice Awards are as follows.

Best Hunt Show: Arrow Affliction, Heartland Bowhunter, Predator Quest, Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer, Wired Outdoors

Best Shoot Show: American Rifleman TV Classics, Guns & Ammo TV, Personal Defense TV, Tactical Arms, Tactical Impact

Best Fish Show: Addictive Fishing, Fly Fisherman, Fly Rod Chronicles with Curtis Fleming, Ice Men, In-Fisherman TV

Best Combo Show: Alan Warren Outdoors, Backstage & Backroads with Daniel Lee Martin, G3 Sportsman, HuntFishCook, Midwest Outdoors

Best Show Host(s): Alan Warren with Alan Warren Outdoors, Chris Brackett with Arrow Affliction, Fred Eichler with Predator Nation, Keith Warren with Best of Keith Warren’s Hunting Adventures, Les Johnson with Predator Quest

In addition to these five categories, Sportsman Channel has added four new award categories designed to celebrate the exciting video imagery shown on the channel every day: Best Hunt Clip, Best Shoot Clip Best Fish Clip, and Best New Series.

The nominated clips were required to be one continuous sequence from a single episode that aired in 2009. The nominees for Best Clips are:

Best Hunt Clip: Family Traditions with Haley Heath, Hunting with the Pros, Own The Zone TV, RNT-TV, Whitetail Properties

Best Shoot Clip: Africa with Craig Boddington & Ivan Carter, Handguns, Personal Defense, Tactical Arms, Tactical Impact

Best Fish Clip: Breaking the Surface, Fishing 411 with Mark Romanack, Fly Rod Chronicles with Curtis Fleming, Hardcore Pursuits, In-Fisherman Ice Fishing Guide

The Best New Series category eligibility will be based upon shows that have never aired on Sportsman Channel prior to 2009.

The winners in all Sportsman Choice Award categories will be crowned in January during the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas.

SPORTSMAN CHANNEL: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel is now a part of the nation's largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. For more information, visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com.

Posted by Jim Braaten on December 08, 2009 at 09:10 PM in Fishing, Gear, Hunting, Outdoor Media (TV/Newspaper/Radio), Outdoor Personalities | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

October 16, 2009

CLUB OUTDOORS: Camp coffee; thoughts on achieving the perfect brew

To many outdoor sportsmen there comes a time during the day when reaching for the coffee thermos represents a much anticipated moment. Indeed, savoring the pleasant aroma of steamin' hot coffee while enjoying the best nature has to offer can be the perfect combination.

Click HERE to read more.

Posted by Jim Braaten on October 16, 2009 at 11:06 AM in Camping, Gear | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

September 01, 2009

CLUB OUTDOORS: Making a list, checking it twice

I've discovered the best way to plan for an upcoming outdoor adventure is to make a critical equipment checklist. Nothing spoils the fun quicker than to realize you forgot some important gear or food item back at home.

Click HERE to read more.

Posted by Jim Braaten on September 01, 2009 at 04:40 PM in Fishing, Gear, Hunting | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

August 21, 2009

CLUB OUTDOORS: Should tree stand safety harness use be mandatory?

This week the Sportsman Channel announced that beginning in 2010 all shows on their popular network must follow strict safety guidelines and depict hunters wearing appropriate tree stand safety harness systems.

Click HERE to read more.

Posted by Jim Braaten on August 21, 2009 at 01:13 AM in Gear, Hunting | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

August 19, 2009

CLUB OUTDOORS: Don't overlook the value of owning quality binoculars

Purchasing a fine pair of binoculars is like making a life-long investment toward your outdoor satisfaction. Sportsmen who regularly use binoculars afield tend to be more aware of their surroundings resulting in a safer, more successful outdoor experience.

Click HERE to read more.

Posted by Jim Braaten on August 19, 2009 at 12:00 AM in Gear | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 12, 2009

Want To Know How I Spent Part Of My Sunday?

In short: trying to recover from a bone headed move. Let me explain. I have a series of trail cameras positioned in various areas of the woods where I deer hunt. I don’t check them often…maybe once every two to three weeks or so. So, quite often when I go to switch-out and remove the memory cards replacing the camera with a fresh, empty card…I keep the cards conveniently secured in a little clear plastic carrying case.

Just so happens today I got lazy. Yup, I know…hard to believe, but at one of my last stops I removed an empty SD card from the case and put the full memory card inside the protective case after removing it from the camera. Problem was…I laid the plastic case on my 4–wheeler and went back to the camera to make a few adjustments.

By now you probably see where I’m going with this story. Yea, so I returned to the 4–wheeler and drove off excited to get back home so I could view all the pictures. Whoops! Big problem. I drove for about 1/4 mile until I finally felt my pants pockets. Hmmm…they both seemed rather flat and empty. Could it be…no, was I that stupid…DAMN! I drove off without noticing the memory cards loosely placed on top of the ATV.

So, I back-tracked searching and searching the area several times with no such luck. I was okay with the fact I probably lost $50 to $60 worth of camera memory. Didn’t make me happy, but that could be replaced. What couldn’t be replaced were the 100s of pictures contained on those SD cards snapped over the past few weeks. If I fail to find the protective card case, I also must now accept that those pics are gone forever without ever getting the chance to view them. That really hurt!

After several hours of beating myself up out in the woods I decided to suspend the search and go home for lunch. My eyes needed a rest, besides…there was always hope I could entice the family to come out and offer me a few more pairs of eyes to scour the landscape. In fact, I had a plan. I would bribe them into assisting me. After humbly explaining to the family what I had done by losing the photo cards, I offered up Dairy Queen for supper to anyone willing to help me go back out to continue the search. Not surprisingly, I had plenty of takers. My wife, my 12–y/o stepson and my 1–y/o daughter all accompanied me back out to the woods to continue the search.

Now let me say this. I learned a very important lesson today. They make jeans with pockets for a reason. If you have something important that you don’t want to lose…it should go inside your pocket when you don’t need that item. Had I adhered to this plan it would have saved me several hours of frustration and lost time, not to mention the growing embarrassment.

Well, to make a long story a little bit shorter…after marshaling the family’s assistance my wife, Bert, found the lost memory cards about an hour after we commenced searching. I let out a big yell…kissed my wife…kissed my little girl…and tried to kiss my stepson (but he predictably avoided my exuberance). Turns out I had walked right past the lost memory cards several times and did not see them.

In closing, I gotta say searching for something you’ve lost in order to recover from one’s own stupidity can be sort of like trailing a wounded deer. In both instances you scour the ground looking for the tiniest clue hoping that within the next few steps you’ll finally observe a positive sign.

In this instance, the prize found was not fresh venison…nope, instead, when I got home and loaded the pictures into my computer it showed I have two very nice bucks sporting some rapidly-growing velvet racks. This is always a positive sign for the area a person intends to hunt during the fall. Yes, getting the chance to observe those bucks came at a cost of some Dairy Queen treats, but I guess that’s still a rather small price to pay to recover from a careless act.

Posted by Jim Braaten on July 12, 2009 at 10:53 PM in Gear | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

July 08, 2009

What Would You Buy?

Seems like a simple enough and fun question about which to speculate. In fact, that’s the question a fellow blogger posed on his Twitter account yesterday. He had some newly acquired birthday money burning-a-hole-in-his-pocket and was seeking suggestions as to how others might spend the cash if they were in his situation. Nice problem to have, huh?

Well, it certainly got me thinking about how I would spend some mad money these days. During these difficult economic times…would a person be more practical and spend it on something he/she truly needed (perhaps paying bills) or would it be acceptable to indulge a little and reward one’s self with something more…shall we say, fun and frivolous. I guess that’s a personal decision that everyone would have to make. For me, I would be inclined to go with fun and frivolous. Why not!

So, let’s play the game. Assume you won a raffle and the prize was $250 cash. The question I pose to you is how would you spend it? Would you immediately run off to your closest sporting goods store and buy that gadget that has long been on your dream list? Or, do you simply tuck the money away postponing any immediate buying decision? The choice is yours to make.

I suspect some folks might have their heart set on a new fly rod, others might be yearning for new electronics for the boat, while others might only use the $250 as a down-payment towards something much more expensive. That’s kind of the situation I find myself in, to be honest. I’ve had my heart set on this one new outdoor toy that I’ve otherwise had a hard time justifying spending nearly $600 towards.

OK, I will confess. If I had some newly acquired money available to me I would use it to purchase an electronic game (predator) caller. And not just any caller, mind you. Nope, I have my heart set on this new model made by FOXPRO, INC. called FURY. By all accounts it looks to be the ultimate in electronic game calling devices. Problem is…with all the bells and whistles also comes a pretty steep price tag that my pocketbook just hasn’t been able to justify. Doesn’t mean I still don’t want one…but without some additional funds mysteriously ending up in my pocket, I don’t expect it to happen anytime soon.

And perhaps that is the fun premise behind this blog post. If you suddenly came into some unexpected money, just how would you spend it? I won’t blame you for saving it or even being practical with it…but instead, assume for a moment your mission is to purchase something fun that maybe…just maybe, you wouldn’t ordinarily purchase. So, tell me…how would you spend YOUR “fun” money?

Posted by Jim Braaten on July 08, 2009 at 06:12 PM in Gear | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

May 22, 2009

Ammunition Just Gets Harder To Find

A few days ago I was discussing with a friend the current state of our retail ammunition supply and the perceived “shortage” many of us are experiencing around the country. My friend, who happens to work in the retail gun industry, was quick to snap back “there is NO damn shortage! People are hoarding ammunition so badly that the normal ammunition supply just can’t keep up. There just happens to be an overabundance of stocked ammo now being held in private reserves.”

Indeed, my friend is correct in his observation. His response was quickly evident that a certain frustration also exists among retailers who are trying their damnedest to keep shelves full of all calibers of ammunition. Yet, the buying frenzy continues. Ammunition manufacturers, retailers and consumers, alike, have grown frustrated by this current situation. One day shelves will seem well stocked, a few days later everything is empty again with replacement product still weeks away on backorder.

I’ve heard stories of individuals driving several hours just to purchase a couple boxes of desired ammo in stock. I’ve also heard rumors that people are paying outrageous prices for ammo they know in their heart is not worth that much, but for some reason they must have it now. So, this craziness lingers on and perhaps seems to be building with the passage of time.

So what’s causing the shortage? Well, quite honestly there is no simple or definitive answer. Surely it’s a combination of factors. No doubt the election of Obama, a perceived gun-control advocate, has a lot to do with this. Prior to last fall ammunition supplies were rather stable, albeit the prices were creeping higher thanks to the volatile metals market, but out-of-stock situations on ammo were not nearly as troublesome as they are today.

Oh, sure, I’ve even heard some of this blamed on the fact we have been at war now for several years. Well, I guess this would explain the shortages of 9mm, .45ACP, .223 and 5.56mm…but since when did our armed forces start using .380Auto in large quantities? It’s widely believed this caliber is one of the most difficult rounds to purchase these days. Even .22LR has been flying off the shelves — that’s definitely not a popular military round.

Some even explain that our law enforcement agencies are stocking up for their practice reserves and this is diverting supply from the normal retail shelf. I suppose this is possible, to some extent.

Of course, we are living in some extraordinary times these days. Whenever economic strife hits our population there grows a general uneasiness about the future. Remember that “clinging to their guns” comment made during the election campaign last year? Guns without an adequate ammunition supply happen to be worthless.

Speaking of guns, did you know that some gun industry experts believe that roughly 30% of all guns being sold today are to “first time” gun buyers. That’s amazing. Of course, these individuals will need ammo. New consumers of a product will certainly further stress the supply side of things.

Yet, another facet of the current political climate threatens us with outrageously high taxation on ammo. How long do you have to listen to the political rhetoric proposing 500% tax hikes on ammunition before it has a negative effect? Or even more ridiculous, serialization of our bullets so that every bullet is registered to a particular individual. Oh sure, this sounds great in theory…but practically speaking this bullet identity measure would be the final nail in the coffin for the firearms industry.

Honestly, I’m not really sure anybody has a good handle on why certain kinds of handgun and rifle ammunition are now being found in short supply. Certainly there are many factors at play here. I suppose that one could even conclude that investing in ammunition has proven more worthwhile than the stock markets as of late. Indeed, I’ve heard stories of individuals buying certain calibers of ammo when they don’t even own a gun now that shoots it. You just wouldn’t have witnessed bizarre behavior like that pertaining to ammunition back a decade or so ago.

I guess what matters isn’t so much analyzing why ammunition in certain calibers happens to be difficult to buy. No, what matters more is simply being able to purchase the ammunition one truly needs. Problem is, when you wait weeks to finally locate the ammo you seek and then pay a much higher price at the cash register…how likely are you to go home and actually shoot it? Honestly, when the commodity you’ve finally attained has such a high perceived valuable…does it somehow diminish your enjoyment for actually shooting it?

As my friend originally said, this may not be an ammo “shortage,” but whatever you want to call it, its a stinker of a situation we must now somehow deal with for at least the short term.

Posted by Jim Braaten on May 22, 2009 at 11:35 AM in Current Outdoor Issues, Gear, Shooting Sports | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

April 25, 2009

The Guns Vs. Shoes Economic Model

If you’ve ever taken a college level macroeconomics class you’ve surely heard the concept of guns vs. butter. In a nutshell, this analogy simplifies the choice between defense spending and civilian spending when explaining economic theory. Obviously spending on guns would be for the military while allocating dollars for butter would indicate the polar opposite choice of civilian spending.

Well, this blog is certainly not going to get any deeper into economic theory of this kind. Heaven forbid. In fact, the model I intend to explain to you is something more akin to how it works in my family. A perfect example of which happened on Thursday while out shopping with my wife. I dare say the economic model in our household would be aptly named “Guns vs. Shoes.” Let me explain.

After having a nice lunch with my sweetie we both decided to do some shopping. Of course, I opted for the nearby Cabela’s as my destination of choice…my wife, well, she chose to go to the nearby Kohls store to complete her shopping experience. It was a blissful arrangement as we both went our separate ways shopping at the store that makes us feel most fulfilled.

Okay, here’s where the economics comes into play. When she dropped me off at the Cabela’s entrance she told me she would be back to pick me up at 3pm. Great! That gave me about 75 minutes of uninterrupted shopping. After having perused the entire store, I ended up at the gun counter and was dickering on a particular gun with the salesman. I contemplated the purchase, but as I looked down at my watch I seen the time was 2:55pm. Dang! My wife will be here in five minutes to pick me up. There’s no time to complete all the paperwork for the gun transaction. I guess buying a gun on this day just wasn’t meant to be.

Lo and behold the phone rings. Guess who…yup, it’s my sweetie begging me for a little more time at her chosen shopping destination. I politely told her I was ready to check out, but if she needed 1/2 hour longer to try on some more shoes she should go for it. She thanked me for my patience.

As I slipped the cell phone back into my pocket I looked up at the store clerk and said, “let’s get that paperwork started. Looks like I now have the time.” I found myself completing the purchase of a new Remington 870 Express Tactical shotgun, a nice unit I had been eying up for some time.

You see, in my household the wife and I have this economic understanding. Whenever I get the urge to buy a gun…she counteracts that by scratching her itch to buy some shoes. Seems like a perfectly logical tradeoff to me. She claims I have more guns than I need, and when I look into our closet I see more pairs of shoes than one person can possibly wear in a lifetime.

Indeed, on Thursday we both came home with smiles on our faces. It seems the Guns vs. Shoes economic model played itself out perfectly once again. Of course, I had to explain to her that I wasn’t planning on purchasing a gun…but with all that extra shopping time on my hands I had to spend it wisely. What else was a guy to do?

Posted by Jim Braaten on April 25, 2009 at 03:34 PM in Gear | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

February 26, 2009

Obama Administration Fires First Shot Over The Bow

It’s time sportsmen wake up and begin to realize just how our world is “changing.” That’s right, the Administration that promised hope and change has now indicated its readiness to take the first step toward enacting major new gun control laws. So, you think this won’t effect you…well, I have news for you if you’re a shooting sportsman you might want to think again.

Let’s begin by listening to some promises made only a few months ago on the campaign trail:

Oh, and by the way, Ray Shoenke who was part of this video representing “common sense” sportsmen…is nothing other than heading up a gun control front group operating under the guise known as the American Hunters and Shooters Association. I’ve previously blogged about this bogus group, check it out.

So, Obama’s newly appointed Attorney General, Eric Holder announced that plans are quickly moving forward for a new and improved “Assault Weapons Ban” (AWB). Seems fairly innocuous since most hunters don’t use “assault-style weapons,” right? WRONG! Let’s define some terms being bantered about on this topic:

Assault Weapon — Is a political term used to describe a variety of semi-automatic firearms that have certain features associated with the military — commonly a folding or telescopic stock, hi-capacity magazine, a flash suppressor or a barrel shroud, etc. All items that are mostly cosmetic in nature. In other words, to those not part of the shooting culture a gun that just looks down-right “scary.”

Cop Killer Bullets — True cop killer bullets are not readily available to the public. However, Holder’s use of this term defines it as any bullet capable of penetrating body armor. Okay, with the exception of my rimfire .22 caliber rifles…ALL of my other hunting rifles would fall under this criteria of using ammunition capable of piercing thru body armor.

Gun Show Loophole — A fanciful way of saying that gun sales between two private parties can not exist unless you involve a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer to record the transaction. Think of it this way. You’re a father and want to hand a prized family gun down to your son. Well, in the future you might have to first take it to a FFL Dealer and pay them a $20 – $30 transfer fee so they can complete the government paperwork and do a criminal background check on your son. Sound reasonable? Imagine the hassle and expense involved with passing down an entire gun collection.

Folks, there will be much more to come on this topic, but it’s time we all start bracing for an onslaught against our 2^nd Amendment rights, the likes of which we have never before experienced. If you want to trust Obama and his minions that they are working in our best interests, then go ahead and keep the blinders on. But I’m here to tell you that Obama et al. is not just attacking the type of guns you wouldn’t even own for your sporting pursuits. Nope, our new President has in his gun-banning sights the very genre of guns you likely already own that are tucked away securely in your closet. Trust me on this one…and stay tuned!!

Tags: Obama+Gun+Ban, Obama+Assault+Weapon+Ban

Posted by Jim Braaten on February 26, 2009 at 10:42 AM in Current Outdoor Issues, Gear, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

February 03, 2009

Chase The Winter Doldrums By Completing Common Maintenance Tasks

I absolutely hate this time of the year. Usually by now I’ve had enough of winter and I’m looking forward to some nicer weather ushered in by the spring season. With all the nasty cold weather we’ve experienced this winter up in Minnesota, this feeling is particularly ringing true for me. With the exception of predator hunting and some ice fishing, there just isn’t a lot going on that thrills me these days.

Nevertheless, this can be a very busy time of the year for the sportsman. During the upcoming few weekends I’ve set some time aside for doing those pesky maintenance chores we often neglect or conveniently overlook. Besides, these are the sort of chores you don’t want to tackle during nice weather…so this just happens to be the perfect time of the year. Here’s a brief look at what I will be doing during the next several weeks to come:

Organizing my gun safe and cleaning those firearms that require attention. This includes inventorying what magazines (clips) I have so I know what additional ones I need to purchase. Buying new batteries if I have laser sights or scopes that require them. In essence, checking everything over to make sure that when next fall rolls around I have all the equipment I need in good working order and easily accessible.
Sharpening my knives and placing them where they belong. Gather up all your knives (and don’t forget about those inside your tacklebox) and put a fresh edge on them along with some light oil. If the sheath needs some attention, correct this, as well. I happen to use this sharpener kit and like it, but if speed and ease is more an issue for you, opt for this one.
Organizing the tacklebox. I typically do this late winter when I have open water fishing heavy on my mind, but it can actually be done at any time. Recycle any old fishing line and take an inventory of what needs replacing. More importantly, perhaps you are ready to down-size the box like I am this year. Remove any old lures or equipment that has not been used within the past three seasons. Chances are good if you’re not using it that “equipment” is simply causing unnecessary clutter.
Check and charge all batteries. I devised a personal maintenance chart to help remind me when the trolling motor battery needs charging, when the batteries for the flasher and the fish camera need a little boost. How about those two-way radios? A well maintained battery will save the pocketbook in replacement costs…so it’s worth the effort.
Reload those empty cartridges and shells. Personally, I don’t do a lot of reloading but with the cost of ammunition these days it often pays to reload those spent rounds.
Check those waders and hip boots for leaks. Remember during trapping season last November how your socks always seemed a bit moist? Remember last summer when you tore your waders trout fishing in the stream and you never got around to fixing them? Now is the time to do it while things are fresh in your memory.
Sort those pictures from your outdoor escapades during the previous year. Regardless whether you are in the digital age or still take film photos, organize those pictures so you know where to find them. If they are digital, buy an external drive and back them up so if your computer crashes you don’t lose the memories. If you take film, get those pictures into a photo album so they are organized. Finally, do you have a fantastic photo of your buddy with his trophy deer? Get some copies made and give them to him.
Start planning next year’s hunt. The deadlines are fast approaching for many hunting opportunities, particularly if you need to apply for a hunt out West. Get the necessary applications ordered and have a meeting with your buddies so plans can begin being made.
Maintain the decoys. If you’re a duck hunter…does your decoys need new line or weights? If you’re a turkey hunter, do your decoys have all the parts for proper assembly?
Does your firearm or bow need professional maintenance? What better time than now to get that unit into the shop.
Take steps toward securing permission for next year. Now is the absolute perfect time to begin a relationship with a new or different landowner. If that landowner is a farmer, chances are good they are not busy this time of the year. By seeking permission now for next fall it proves to the landowner you take your sport serious AND it gives you an opportunity to offer your services in exchange for that privilege.
Go to an outdoors show or sportsman’s show (or attend a fundraising banquet). I had to throw in at least one fun task. Plan your schedule so you can attend local outdoor shows to not only build anticipation, but also to check out new products that are on the shelf.
Rent some hunting, fishing or outdoor videos. Yea, I know, the cable channels are full of outdoor programming these days…but some of the best “how to” educational information is still found in video form. Polish up those dog handling skills or fine-tune your duck calling by renting some instructional DVDs.
Write a letter to your elected officials. Seriously, when is the last time you expressed to your elected officials your opinion? If they don’t hear from you…you can be sure they will hear from someone else who has views opposing yours. Gather up their names, addresses and express your opinion. Now is the perfect time to do so.
Send out a few deserving Thank You notes. Maybe it was the local gas station attendant who helped you fix that flat tire in record time so you could still hook up with your hunting buds. Or how about the bait shop owner who shared his “secret fishing spot” with you and the advice paid off? Spend a moment and think about the people in your life who deserve some appreciation for their efforts. And while you’re doing it…don’t forget the family who sacrificed you being gone so much. They deserve your thanks as much as anybody.

Gosh, come to think of it…looks like I have more to accomplish during the upcoming weeks than I first imagined. I better get going on the list. Hey, leave a comment if you think I missed anything important to be doing during this “slower” time of the year.

Posted by Jim Braaten on February 03, 2009 at 03:35 PM in Fishing, Gear, Humor | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

October 13, 2008

Smile Mr. Whitetail...You're On Candid Camera!

There was a time not too long ago when hunters would hunt hard all day then return to camp in the evening to sit around the fire and spin stories with their buddies about the events experienced during the day. It was a reflective time often used to laugh at one’s misfortune, while occasionally rejoicing in one’s great accomplishment. Sure, there were lies typically told…there would even be half truths frequently uttered. The point is the post-hunt gathering relied on good ol’ fashioned storytelling which is quickly taking a back seat to technology.

Here’s the deal. There seems to be a growing cadre of sportsmen who don’t head to the woods unless they have their gun AND their video camera in hand. That’s right. It’s not enough to simply sit in a tree stand and shoot their quarry with gun or bow, nope these hunters won’t be satisfied until they get the entire action all captured on video. What’s the intrigue of video, you might ask. Mostly to brag.

Indeed, there are a growing number of sportsmen who would rather capture the event of their kill on video to subsequently replay to their buds than to simply recount the story to skeptical ears. Moreover, many of these same hunters take greater pride after the hunt in the footage than in the trophy mount hanging on the wall. To some traditional sportsmen this might all sound sort of strange, but chances are good you probably know someone who takes their video camera out in the woods with them at times during the fall.

I think most of this need for footage comes from the plethora of outdoor shows on cable network emphasizing the kill. Fact is, you could probably spend a Saturday morning watching outdoor programming and witness dozens of kills captured on TV. It’s exciting…and the show producers know what attracts viewers. Only seems logical that “Joe” Hunter might start thinking that he could just as easily do that. And quite honestly, with the many devices on the market today it’s entirely possible.

I also think that some seasoned hunters won’t admit this but they are getting somewhat bored with the hunt. By toting a video camera into the woods they have something new to play with. They also have the increased challenge of not just firing a gun, but pointing the video camera in the right direction. Call it a form of multi-tasking for the hunter.

Back 2 1/2 years ago I first wrote about the Rifle Cam mount that actually attached your video camera directly to your gun/scope or even your bow. Today, there are also several styles of flexible arms that attach to the tree, stand or blind and permit the video camera to be pointed at will. See an example of what I’m describing by linking HERE.

Now don’t get me wrong…I am certainly not down on the concept of taking video cameras into the woods. In fact, quite the opposite. I just purchased a new Canon HF100 High Definition recorder and it is nothing short of awesome. I purchased it to take my stepson’s athletic videos, but it would take spectacular nature shots, too. I’m just not that gung-ho about using the camcorder in a manner to capture myself waylaying a big buck…at least not like some people seem obsessed to do with it.

Could it be that in years to come sitting around the campfire after a day’s hunt would mean everyone showing videos of the day’s action? Possibly, but probably not likely. Yet, you might be interested to know that for a growing number of hunters being videographers is a dual challenge they willingly attempt during the hunt. How about you…have you ever been tempted to capture the excitement of your hunt on video? Perhaps you’ve already been doing it for years. Let’s hear your take on this subject.

Tags: Hunting+Video

Posted by Jim Braaten on October 13, 2008 at 10:29 PM in Gear, Hunting, Outdoor Techniques | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

October 06, 2008

Fondly Re-living My Youth In the Checkout Line

A few days ago I was at my local Cabela’s retail store intending to make just a quick purchase. One of those in-the-store-quick grab the item I need then out-the-store without being distracted by all the usual sale items on display. Well, everything was going as planned until I picked the wrong check-out lane.

You see, I’m notorious for picking the wrong check-out line. I have this theory (which doesn’t always apply at stores like Cabela’s), but it goes like this. Don’t pick the line with the fewest people (or items being purchased) ahead of you. Nope, instead, look at the cashier and make a stereotype as to how intelligent they look. My thinking is the smarter cashiers usually move things along faster no matter how many people are in line or what they are buying.

But on this recent trip to Cabela’s I made an error by not following my own advice. My mistake was simply choosing the lane with the fewest number of people ahead of me. In this particular case, it happened to be three young kids (maybe 15 or 16 years old) all with one cart-load of goodies.

So there I stood. Five minutes go by…then 10 minutes. Now by this point I am contemplating moving to another line, but I was confident this transaction had to be soon over. I was growing with frustration, then something suddenly came over me. I looked at the kids ahead of me and I saw myself 30 years ago. Those kids would have been me. Their enthusiasm for an upcoming waterfowl hunt could not be disguised.

I started looking over their cart and I seen the boxes of waterfowl decoys they were coveting just like I once did. In an age where waterfowling seems to be on the decline, here were three young kids bucking the trend. They very well could have been spending their money on video games or fast food, but instead they chose to spend it on a purchase that will pay much better dividends in the long run.

Actually things were going quite well for the youth until they got to the point where they tried to purchase ammunition. That’s when the cashier told the kids…WHOA! This has to be done by an adult. They looked at each other and discussed how they would overcome this obstacle. That’s when the one kid told the cashier…”I’ll call my mom. She’s out in the car waiting for us to get done shopping.” A few minutes later mom was in the store helping to finalize the transaction.

I have to tell you I spent longer in line waiting to check out than I actually spent in the store shopping on this occasion. Yet, I walked away not pissed about being delayed, rather I was inspired by the three youth who reminded me of myself. In fact, there were countless trips my mother took me shopping for hunting and fishing supplies while she waited in the parking lot for me to “scratch my itch” in the store buying supplies.

Perhaps my fondest recollection of purchasing hunting supplies was with my buddy, Mitch! We were seniors in high school when we would make our annual pilgrimage to the Holiday Sports store in Lakeville, Minnesota. We would purchase the early edition of the local Sunday paper (which would come out late in the day Saturday) and it contained the 25+ page circular of all the fall hunting gear going on sale. Because this store was open 24 hours…we would use this sale circular and shop several hours late on Saturday night…and then as soon as the clock struck midnight we would check out. We learned that we could shop and get all the deals the day before the sale actually started…but we had to wait until midnight when the cash registers recognized the sale as being effective.

Both Mitch and I would fill our carts with lures, ammunition, game calls, hot seats, clothing, boots…you name it. In fact, some of the core items I still use hunting today came as a result of my purchasing the gear as a youth.

Nope, I looked at these three kids at Cabela’s and fondly remembered the excitement I once had as a youth purchasing hunting gear. I’m not saying that I don’t still get excited now, but somehow it just isn’t quite the same. When you skimp and save your money to make hunting gear purchases as a youth it provides a totally different feeling. Perhaps there is a slightly greater appreciation when the disposable funds are not as abundant. I dunno. I just know that for about 15 minutes of my life the other day I re-lived my youth by vicariously sharing the enthusiasm displayed by three young sportsmen checking out ahead of me. I left the store feeling rather good about what I had just witnessed.

Posted by Jim Braaten on October 06, 2008 at 09:42 PM in Gear, Hunting, Outdoor Potpourri | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

March 2010

Site Search

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Blogroll

Twitter Updates

January 27, 2010

January 17, 2010

December 08, 2009

October 16, 2009

September 01, 2009

August 21, 2009

August 19, 2009

July 12, 2009

July 08, 2009

May 22, 2009

April 25, 2009

February 26, 2009

February 03, 2009

October 13, 2008

October 06, 2008

My Other Blog

Membership

Paid Sponsors

Site Feed