Sportsman's Blog

Sportsman Channel's Hunt.Fish.Feed. Initiative A Twin Cities Success

Check out my blog posting on the StarTribune.com for more information about what took place yesterday with the Sportsman Channel’s Hunt.Fish.Feed. project.   We had a great turnout with approximately 40 sportsman-volunteers who ended up cooking venison chili and fish for over 200 less fortunate individuals in the Twin Cities community.

Due to privacy reasons I was not able to take pictures of the clients, however, here are some snapshots of the many great volunteers doing their culinary thing:

©2010 Jim Braaten.   All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: Hunt.Fish.Feed.

This Ought To Make Most Guys Cringe

Here’s another of those interesting E-mails I seem to get from friends with great regularity.   Not much story behind this one…my guess is these hunters just didn’t see the gate because of the tall weeds.   Take a look:

I bet the first thing the driver checked was to see if Mr. Wiggles and his two neighbors were still there. [Blogger’s note: these words were found in the E-mail]

 

Lesson learned…in the future never take another gate crossing for granted.   Learn from another hunter’s “near miss.”

 

©2010 Jim Braaten.   All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Taking First Prize Doesn't Mean You Have All The Luck

White Bear Press: Ice fisherman can't afford first-prize truck

WHITE BEAR LAKE – Dan Goerges caught a five-pound northern to win the St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Fishing Contest but the first prize pickup truck slipped off his hook.

Goerges, a White Bear resident, said he couldn’t afford the tax payout required to take home the Dodge four-wheel-drive truck. Goerges recently lost his job as a forklift operator when Anchor Block closed operations in North St. Paul...

...Goerges said the sales tax, licensing, income and other tax pay outs associated with winning a new $27,000 truck were too much to cover without a regular weekly paycheck. Instead he was able to cut a deal with tournament sponsor Bernard’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep in New Richmond, Wis. for a $17,000 cash prize.

via www.presspubs.com

Sometimes even when a person wins big...it can still feel like you've been a loser.   Interesting situation Dan found himself in.

©2010 Jim Braaten.   All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

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?

©2010 Jim Braaten.   All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Mocking The Ice Fishing Shanty As A Form Of Art

It started with one shanty on the frozen Medicine Lake. In this feral environment, the project has grown to include 20 art shanties and 15 mobile performances. Art Shanty Projects 2010 promises an interactive, engaging art community. ASP is free and open to the public on weekends from January 16 through February 7, 2010.

via www.artshantyprojects.org

Well, it's not exactly ice-fishing as it was meant to be, but I guess imitation is the purest form of flattery. Check out these interesting works of Ice Shanty Art being featured on a Minnesota lake.

©2010 Jim Braaten.   All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

H.S. Basketball Team Gets A Win & A Buck

RUSHFORD -- After winning the first game of the Spring Grove tournament Monday night, Rushford-Peterson boys basketball players climbed into their bus and headed home to get some rest.

Little did they know, the most exciting part of their night was waiting for them on Minnesota Highway 43...

...Unfortunately, a few miles down the road (somewhere between Mabel and Choice), a large 10-point buck ran into the front end of the bus... The massive trophy-sized buck weighed about 280 pounds and had a 22-inch antler spread.

via www.postbulletin.com

Local high school basketball team gets a tourney win and then while on road trip back home gets a trophy buck. I wonder which event was more meaningful (memorable) to those players. I think I know.

©2010 Jim Braaten.   All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Happy Independence Day, America!!

Too Much Arrogance In Our Outdoor Community

I’ve got to get something off my chest.   In fact, today’s blog post is more of a gnawing pet peeve than perhaps anything else.   It’s about people who simply have an arrogance about them in such a way that it becomes a big turn off.   Let me explain what I mean.

For example, it’s about the outdoors writer who places themselves on such a high pedestal as an expert on any given outdoor subject that their writings become almost condescending to the reader.   Frankly, I can do without the braggert slant and when I begin reading something written in such a manner I quickly stop.   Honestly, I don’t care if you are the best turkey hunter east of the Mississippi River.   Instead, will you write the article in such a humble manner that I will draw those conclusions myself…I don’t need to read about you “tooting your own horn.”

Closely related to this example is the wildlife photographer.   In my profession I deal with many photographers purchasing images for various calendar projects.   Granted, there are many photogs who are real gems to deal with…but then there are others who think their work is second to none.   Now granted, there can be a fine line between arrogance and cocky confidence, but too many photogs step way over this line.   Truth is, when I have 12 images to purchase for a calendar project and 1,000s of potential images submitted by photographers looking to sell…well, one tends to sometimes base final selection decisions on the personality of the image owner.

Lately, another big gripe of mine has been the raw arrogance displayed by many tournament fishermen.   It seems some of the bass fishermen tend to be the worst.   Now I fully realize there are some real down-to-earth sincere types that do not fit the blanket statement I am making, but those folks are the rare exception.   In my opinion, too many amateur and pro tournament fishermen need to eat a healthy slice of humble pie before their next event.   This may come as a surprise to you…but I don’t worship your piscatorial prowess in the slightest.

I could go on with many other examples, but I will leave you with one more.   Is it just me, or do you find certain bowhunters to be a bit on the arrogant side?   Understand, I used to hunt with a bow but I no longer choose to do that.   Yet, I have some friends who would snub their nose at me if I shot a trophy deer with a firearm rather than taking it with a bow.   Is that fair?   Should my achievement be scrutinized with such a heavy bias toward one method and not another?   Fact is, in many instances this is exactly how it works out.

I suppose it’s not just in our outdoor culture where we’re going to experience this prevailing attitude of superiority.   You might say it’s simply a fact of life in a modern society.   True, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it pervading the outdoor world I so dearly cherish.   I guess as I grow older I also grow a bit more intolerant of situations like I have just described.   If your attitude about the outdoors tends toward being arrogant, don’t expect to earn a whole lot of respect from me.   Nope, not anymore.

© 2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Ever Have One Of These Days?

These pictures are from a recent e-mail that is just too interesting not to pass along.   Like most e-mails, the information about where this incident occurred or who the photographer is remains unknown.   Still, it makes for some interesting conversation.

The e-mail does go on to say the badger is still alive…and I’m guessing quite pissed off by this point.   No doubt about it this is one of the most interesting methods I’ve seen used for trapping badgers.

© 2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Stay Tuned...Some Exciting News Coming Soon!

Dear Blog Readers,

   In a few short months this blog will turn 5–years old, and for that fact I am extremely proud.   Granted, I haven’t been the most prolific in making new blog posts over the past few years, but I guess marriage and having a new baby in the household tends to tie up one’s available time just a bit.   Still, I consider outdoors blogging to be a very important part of my life.

   With that said, in just days I will be announcing a new outdoors blog venture about which I am extremely excited.   Rest assured, the Sportsman’s Blog will continue to exist, but some of my future blogging efforts will also be done in a whole new venue.   I suspect the announcement will “officially” be made sometime later next week when all the final details become available.

   In the meantime, I want to take this opportunity to once again THANK all my loyal blog readers.   You all know who you are…and if you’ve been leaving comments I know who many of you are, too.   A person doesn’t stick with blogging for this long without knowing there are folks who actually read and care about what a blogger is attempting to communicate.   Indeed, I have always felt as though my writing efforts were warmly received, and to each of you I extend my deepest gratitude.

   Thanks again!

Jim Braaten

Words To Live By

First off, before I get too far into this blog I hope everyone had a great holiday season.   Hard to believe we are already embarking on a new year, but let’s make it an exciting one filled with plenty of fun-filled outdoor adventures.

Today I want to talk about some words to live by.   You know, those words that somehow strike a chord with you and inspire you to do great things…or at least, become a better person.   Typically I’m not one for motivational books that pump you up, but occasionally I’ll admit they serve a good purpose.

Like most folks, I was thinking about what to resolve to accomplish for the new year.   Somehow the lose weight, work less, yada yada routine just didn’t cut it this year.   Nope.   As I solidly find myself in the throes of life’s “middle-age” I wanted to resolve to accomplish something a little different beginning this year.   More on the specifics of that resolution a bit later.

Not wanting to fail, I searched in my soul for some motivation.   Immediately an encounter came to mind with a book author I met back in 1994.   The book was 220 pages of exciting accounts of life as a mountain climber pushing the limits and making sacrifices all in the name of making a personal achievement.   I’ll be honest, the author was signing free copies at a media event and I’m not usually one who will turn down getting a free book.   Even, if at first, I was only moderately interested in the subject.

But I walked away from that event inspired not so much by the contents of the book, rather, it was the few handwritten words the author used to autograph it for me.   It said, “To Jim…All Great Adventures Begin With The First Step….”   At first I thought that was a cool statement.   A nice departure from the typical “Best Wishes” salutation many authors use when personalizing a book.   Yet, the more I thought about those words how true they rang.   One only needs to look around, and the world is filled with intentions that are never carried out.   Words are cheap, but actions are often priceless.

I often think back to those words scribbled in the beginning of the book when there is something I want to accomplish in life.   Oh heck, I will never be a mountain climber.   Don’t even have the desire whatsoever to make those sort of physical and mental sacrifices.   Yet, whether you are climbing a mountain or even planning a life-long dream hunting trip…the fact remains.   It will never happen unless you take that first step toward making it happen.   Sadly, too many people are too scared to embark on achieving their goals.   They would rather live the dream than muster the motivation to somehow make it happen.

And so, with all of that said, I have resolved beginning in 2009 to make the “first steps” towards a long-time dream I’ve held.   That dream…none other than to write a book.   That’s right, I am beginning the process of researching and ultimately writing the book I’ve had floating around in my head now for some time.   As things develop, I will share more details about the book in the blog…but for now my goal is to use 2009 largely for the research phase and 2010 (and possibly 2011) for the actual writing phase.   The subject matter relates to hunting and fishing, of course.

Here’s hoping that with the start of 2009 you, likewise, feel inspired to make it a great year and begin something fun pertaining to the outdoors.

2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

What Does It Mean To Be A Sportsman?

I ask you…what does it mean to be called a sportsman?   I presume it means different things to different people, but on the whole what does the word “sportsman” conjure up in your mind when you hear the word uttered?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a sportsman as:

“a person who engages in sports (as hunting or fishing)”

Now this may certainly be true, but it doesn’t really define the true essence of what it means to be “a sportsman.”   So, let’s look to Webster under sportsmanship:

“conduct (as fairness, respect for one's opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport”

Yea, I like the word fairness and graciousness, those are certainly nice attributes to one who considers themselves to be a sportsman.   Yet, the hard and fast definition still escapes me.   Another dictionary I consulted suggests a sportsman is “one who plays by the rules.”   I suppose so.   But again, playing by the rules in my mind is only one criteria among many for calling yourself a sportsman.

I find it interesting that one blogger is currently writing a series of 7 blog postings on what he feels it means to be “a sportsman.”   And while I concur with some of what he describes as “sportsmanlike behavior,” I can honestly say this particular blogger interjects way too much politics into defining a sportsman.   In my mind the true sportsman is a non-political creature.

There are lots of organized groups who call themselves “sportsman’s clubs.”   What exactly does that mean?   In most cases the only requirement to belong is to pay your annual dues.   To my knowledge there are no additional standards that one must surpass to be eligible for membership.   Granted, this is a general statement that may not always be true, but….

The point I am trying to make here is that the word “sportsman” has no definitive meaning that appears to have universal acceptance by everyone.   I think most of us can agree that being called a sportsman is a good thing, but it’s meaning can vary depending upon who is attempting to define it.

So, let me take a stab at creating a more comprehensive definition, after all, this is the Sportsman’s Blog.   Here goes… a sportsman is:

“One who pursues fish and game with deep passion, conviction and respect for his quarry while honoring his heritage, adhering to his guiding principles, yet fostering a sense of fairness and compassion for others with whom he shares the fields and waters.”

Now it’s your turn.   How do you define being called “a sportsman?”

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Tags: Sportsman+definition

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.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Using The Outdoors As A Diversion To Life's Troubles

If you mentioned the word “bailout” to me a few weeks ago the imagery the word created would have more likely involved some poor sap with pail in hand dealing with a leaky boat.   I don’t know about you, but I am really getting fed up with all the negative news we are being bombarded with these days.   The cost of living is getting out of hand.   Taxes are going up.   Our economy is circling the drain.   An unfavorable candidate to us gun owners is likely to gain the White House.   What more can possibly go wrong?

Indeed, more so than ever before this fall season is coming at the absolute perfect time.   I always look at my time spent in the deer stand as therapy for my soul, but this year hunting season also represents a respite from the otherwise daily grind known as life.   Seriously, go to the local coffee shop and folks don’t talk about the weather so much these days.   Instead, the focus is on where this world is going to hell…more specifically, how is our life going to [negatively] change in the months and possibly years to come.

I was talking to a good friend of mine tonight who happens to be a local farmer.   He asked if I was prepared to hunt deer this fall with lots of corn still standing in the fields unpicked.   I said, huh?   The harvest season has just begun for soybeans here in southern Minnesota, what makes him think corn is going to be delayed.   The news he told me is simply depressing to most corn farmers…but it will also be depressing for those of us who hunt in the agricultural zones.

The fact is farmers just can’t harvest their corn at any particular moisture level.   Well, they used to back when energy costs were low…but we know how that has changed.   To store harvested corn so it doesn’t mold or spoil requires certain low moisture percentages often attained by mechanically drying the corn.   In most situations this means using liquid propane (LP) gas.   Of course, there is one other old-time method that simply involves letting the corn dry down longer by standing out in the field.   This year the farmer I spoke to expects to spend nearly $25,000 in fuel costs alone, so the more dry-down achieved in the field will ultimately save him money in the long run.

I gotta say there’s no doubt about it we are living in some extraordinary times.   The pessimist in me wants to just get depressed about everything and do lots of complaining to anyone who will listen.   On the other hand, the optimist side tries to balance things out and simply go with the flow realizing that, for the most part, there isn’t a damn thing we can do about it anyway.

This fall when I am running my short trapline I won’t be thinking so much about how my retirement investments have tanked in the markets during recent weeks.   When I’m deer hunting I won’t fret about the fact our family just doesn’t eat out as often as we once did…in an effort to save some money for groceries.   I certainly won’t think much about politics when I shoulder my Ruger Red Label O/U on a flushing pheasant.   Likewise, I’ve promised myself that time spent outdoors this fall — no matter what I may be doing — is just the sort of distraction I need right now.   And my hunch is I won’t be the only one using this time spent outdoors dwelling on more positive facets of life.

I am a firm believer that the outdoors is my psychotherapist.   It’s where I do my most serious contemplating about what is truly important in life.   Oh, sure, the grind of life can easily let a person get down if you allow that to happen.   But when you’re outdoors a lot of what you think is important…well, once put into perspective…it just isn’t.

This fall I hope the season we are entering will provide you with plenty of opportunities to forget about all the troubles of life so instead you can dwell on the enjoyment of what really matters.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Do You Remember Your "First?"

Do you remember your first deer?   Do you remember your first pheasant, grouse or dove?   Seriously, for many of us our “firsts” were quite a few years ago, but does the memory still play vividly in your mind?   Or has there been so many other experiences since that first time that your mind has long since forgotten that momentous achievement.

During an idle moment the other day I thought about my first deer.   By trophy standards it was nothing spectacular.   In fact, it was a small button buck.   At the time I didn’t even realize it was small…quite the contrary, your first always seems big to you.   It took me until my third season deer hunting until I finally scored, and dare I say you would have been hard-pressed to find another 16–year old who was happier during the fall hunting season of 1979.

I also remember my first duck.   I was jump shooting along the river that runs through my farm.   We had spotted a bunch of woodies perched on some logs protruding from the river, and our sneak stalk on them was a success.   I bagged a hen woodie.

Likewise, my first grouse was something quite special.   I shot numerous times into the densely wooded landscape only to discover disappointment on most occasions…but not this time.   Finally a nice ruffed grouse succumb to my persistence and I proudly joined the ranks of being an honest to goodness grouse hunter.

My first antelope was also quite special.   I laid on the rugged country of SE Montana with prickly pear cactus seemingly everywhere (including stuck in my body).   Indeed, I felt like I had paid a painful price for that ‘lopester…and finally it was mine.   I’ve shot several other antelope since that first, but none have the same special meaning to me.

I also remember my first brown trout on a fly rod.   Heck, I was a farm kid who really didn’t know what I was doing, but I was determined to figure it all out.   After casting what surely had to be hundreds of times I finally figured out that with a little finesse’ the technique for catching works much better.   That first trout likely only fought me for 20 seconds or so…but the memory has played in my mind so many times it virtually seems like it lasted for hours.

One of the most glorious moments in my outdoors career happened when I trapped my first mink.   Walking up to my water set and seeing that furry tail made me want to scream to the high heavens with excitement.   It was made that much more special because that very same day my good buddy, Mitch also scored on his first fox.   Yes, that is us shown in the picture.   Mitch is wearing camo, and I’m in the blue windbreaker holding my precious mink like a new puppy. [NOTE: don’t be too critical on the hair…remember, this was the mid-1970s]

Suffice it to say the sportsman’s life is full of memorable firsts.   Some might even be forgettable, but most were likely the fuel that intensified the passion we all have for living the outdoorsman’s life.

I’m glad to say I am far from finished with experiencing my outdoor firsts, either.   I’m still looking forward to winning a new gun at a conservation banquet someday (up until now I’ve been snake-bitten with bad luck).   I also want to go coonhunting during the nighttime with dogs someday soon.   I also want to go deep sea fishing off the coast of Florida someday.   In other words, the outdoors still has lots for me to experience if I choose to open my mind to new opportunities.

I’ve heard some folks say your first kiss is always the most special.   While that may be true for some, it’s not necessarily so for everyone.   No doubt about it, when I contemplate my important life’s “firsts” the ones that truly put a smile on my face are the ones that have some sort of outdoor adventure associated with it.

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.