Yes, another blog about the weather, but the adventure was just too good to pass. We’ve been on a hunt for a new horse for my daughter to show in 4-H competition. Our geldings (one is a rental owned by my brother) are getting up in age and not that “showy” any more. They’ll go up and down the mountain like a Yamaha Grizzly ATV, but they need some Aspercreme from time to time.
This “hunt” has been going on for months with more dead ends than ideas on how to stop the gusher in the Gulf. We finally found the right match and headed to Montana early Saturday morning to pick up our prospective ribbon getter and future mountain climbing horse. The weather forecast was for severe storms later in the day so we left early, purchased the horse and blazed a trail for home.
At approximately 4:30 pm mountain time we approached Billings, Montana. A huge storm raged north of town and I could see another building to the south. Just as we hit town the two storms came together, at least that’s how I saw it. I had my portable weather radio along and from the forecast it appeared we’d squeak by without the chance for hail or high winds. Then I looked out the window.
Right before my eyes a tornado started to build over the Yellowstone River and spiral upwards. It was directly adjacent to the interstate highway and spewing water. I pointed it out to the family and that’s when I could feel the horse trailer beginning to sway from the wind. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I knew it was time to click the shoes and put some distance between me and the developing Billings Gazette headline.
I pushed the Dodge diesel a notch faster just as the entire sky began swirling like a powerful toilet flush complete with the pretty blue dye. I’ve seen lots of severe storms as a prairie native, but I’ve never seen a sky turn and boil like it did yesterday as the funnel developed over the city.
We made it to safety, but hit another storm within a mile of home. Luckily it didn’t contain hail, just torrential rain whipped by gusty winds. After putting Astro away for the night (yes, Astro from the Jetsons) I learned later that night nobody had been killed or severely injured in the Billings tornado. Interestingly it was the strongest tornado to hit the region since 1958.
Finding the perfect horse for our daughter was difficult enough, little did we know getting him home was going to be the most unforgettable chapter of the task. Really now, can you blame me for swaying from hunting to relate such an exciting day.
Maybe we should re-name him Toto?
The recent tragedy in Arkansas where campers were surprised by a flash flood was horrific and saddening. It also should be a reminder to all of us that the weather is nothing to be ignored. Regardless if you’re planning a hunting trip, a camping trip or just a weekend hike, you need to consider the weather and all its consequences.
This week my wife and daughter are at a mountain camp for girls. Midweek a flash flood watch was issued for the area due to the threat of major thunderstorms and ongoing runoff from the mountain snow pack. I’d been at this camp before for Boy Scouts so I knew that a creek ran right through the campsite and I called my wife to alert her to the possible issues. Instead of tent camping that night they moved indoors to a lodge on higher ground.
Although it didn’t flood, it did pour and they were grateful for the shingles instead of a nylon roof.
Here are two things you need to keep up-to-date on the weather. First, look into the new series of weather forecasters by Bushnell. The Hunter FXI is a wireless 7-day forecaster that is internet driven.
It gives you all the details for planning any outdoor excursion including temperature, precipitation forecast, wind details, solunar information, moon phases, barometer trends and wind chill. You can program it for up to five locations and check thousands more.
Next, get a weather radio with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts. They are detailed and have all the current warnings and watches. Some weather radios even turn on by themselves for major warnings such as tornadoes. This is great when you’re deep in your REM cycle and midnight weather develops. My Garmin Rhino GPS has NOAA weather reception and I carry it with me everywhere, including the backcountry.
The weather is nothing to mess with. I’ve had several close encounters with Mother Nature over the years and I keep trying to avoid here when she’s in nasty mode at all costs.
I wonder if my neighbor has curly hair now?
Did you read the article about the Connecticut man who was fixing his furnace when his arm accidentally became stuck in the boiler fins? For the first six hours Jonathon Metz brainstormed with the 1980s-era TV character “MacGyver” as his inspiration. He tried to twist and turn his arm out, but it kept getting stuck further and further, even cutting into his flesh. He screamed, he even used furnace grease to try and slip it out. After 12 hours he could smell rotting flesh and see infection so he knew that to save his life and escape he needed to… are you ready … cut off his own arm.
Metz then proceeded to dig through his toolbox at his side and use hacksaw blades to get the job done. Unfortunately, the blades couldn’t get through a knot of nerves and he remained stuck. Using an old shirt and later a telephone cord, he fashioned tourniquets while waiting for either death or a rescue.
Fortunately, co-workers grew worried and eventually the police and fire department responded to set the trapped man free. Doctors later said that his amputation efforts helped stop the infection to the rest of his body and saved his life.
I’m sure you remember the climber that also did this a few years back using nothing more than a pocket knife. I have to ask the question again. How tough do you have to be to cut off your own arm? I feel like I’m tough enough to handle most environments including long hikes in my backyard mountains, but hiking is one thing. Cutting off your own limb is quite another.
The next time you have a passing thought that you’re a rough and tough character, reflect on this. If trapped, could you cut off your own arm? That alone brings me right back to reality.
I'm tough, but I'm not that tough.
Are you looking for ways to better your hunting area? Who isn’t? Here’s a sound and relatively easy chore to undertake before summer really sets in. Do an inventory of the mast trees on your property and if they don’t seem to be producing as much as you’d like, fertilize them.
You can fertilize trees just like your lawn or a deer hunting plot.
Fertilizer improves the health of a tree in the right dose and a healthier tree bears more mast, whether soft of hard. I have several good friends who fertilize the oak trees on their hunting properties and swear by the results. Whether it’s acorns or apples, producing more carbohydrate-rich nutrition, it aids deer, plus other woodland critters such as turkeys and small game like squirrels.
Even though mast crops are cyclical and vary from year to year, fertilizer can make the production more reliable and create another ambush location for a surprise attack. Since mast crops often drop their bounty before the rut you can use these locations to target bucks that may not loiter at traditional food sources. Whereas a 2 ½-year-old buck may feed carefree on an alfalfa field, a mature buck may spend more time munching on acorns and only visit the hay field after dark.
If you do decide to fertilize your trees be sure to seek the advice of knowledgeable experts. Consult with foresters, nursery owners and park managers on the best fertilizer to use, and the correct dose. Too much fertilizer may harm a tree and too little may not be noticed. That’s my Johnny Appleseed tip for the day.
Maybe I should forget about deer hunting and market my acorn crop?
It’s fawn time again. Whitetail, mule deer and pronghorns are dropping fawns by the bushel basket as I write. I’m sure you’ve seen some of the evidence. I’ve seen several of the ultra cute pronghorn fawns showing up in my backyard with glimpses of whitetail fawns on my way to town.
It’s also the time when coyotes switch their taste preferences from Mickey Mouse to Bambi. There’s ample evidence from several research reports that show in June and July coyotes will swap the rodents for a bigger Hoagie sandwich consisting of fawns. Some reports indicate coyotes dine on fawns 70 percent or more of the time.
That’s one reason why deer, pronghorn, elk and moose drop their young all in one swift time period. It overwhelms the predators and although a few will fall prey to the fang-equipped furballs, many more will survive.
Research has also proven that stopping coyotes and other predators from doing their parental duty of feeding their young is difficult to control.About the only way to keep control of coyotes in your deer management area is to begin a year-round program that includes both hunting and trapping.There can be no lapse in pressure because wandering coyotes are always looking for new territory with a stocked pantry.
As for the larger predators, bears, wolves and mountain lions, they are going to continue to eat at random with management fulfilled by state regulations. Some are doing a good job, several could be doing better and a few can’t manage at all due to the meddling of the federal government.
For now, get out with your binocular and enjoy the antics of spring’s bounty.
They don't see me. They don't see me. They don't see me. Oh my Gosh! They see me!
I’m getting up on my soapbox again mainly because I’m too much of a hick to have a pedestal. OK, it’s really an old milk crate, but I didn’t steal it, honest.
This past weekend from dawn to dusk I was involved in the county 4-H Shooting Sports competition where my son Cole competed. In between shuttling him I capped muzzleloaders, helped with the archery range and even cleaned up after the potluck awards ceremony. Several dozen kids participated in archery, air gun, .22, trap and outdoor skills. In the end everyone either received a ribbon or the opportunity to pick out a great outdoor prize for their involvement. In short, everyone won.
You and I won as well. How? These kids are receiving instruction on proper firearm handling, plus insight on the fun of shooting sports. The next step for many is purchasing a hunting license and that means more hunters to carry on to the next generation, plus future funding for our wildlife resources.
Here’s my soapbox speech. I’ve said it before and here it is again. If you have 4-H in your community get your kids involved. It’s more than shooting. It’s animal care, crafts, baking, technology, engineering, agriculture, citizenship and many other facets. It’s likely you can get hooked up with 4-H since there are 3,000 offices across the country and they are linked to 106 of the Land Grant Universities scattered across the nation. It’s a service provided through the Department of Agriculture and I believe taxpayer money well spent. Where else are kids going to learn about where meat comes from and how to shoot a firearm? It’s hardly happening in the schools any more except in a negative tone.
This year our family has projects in shooting, cats, hogs, horses, crafts, baking and citizenship. I’m sure I’m missing something, but my wife is traveling so I’m relying on my memory, not her family-focused savvy.
That’s it. That’s all I have, but if you want your kids to have more than just a summer baseball experience, try 4-H. Now I’m getting off this old milk crate before I fall and break something that could screw up my fall hunting season.
Cough, cough! Did I hit it?
This oil spill is truly tragic. Millions of gallons of crude are spilling into the ocean affecting a rich fishery and coastal marsh region that provides a home to countless wildlife species, including many you and I enjoy to hunt each fall. When will this tragedy end and what are the future implications for the environment? It’s almost too scary to contemplate.
Let’s pray workers are able to put a lid on this mess soon.
Nobody really has any real answers. We need oil until we find a viable energy alternative and we need to find that oil as much as possible at home to avoid going to bed with foreign countries of questionable integrity.
Fortunately two “out-of-the-box” thinkers, Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz, have come up with an answer to our energy needs. You might remember these guys from YouTube when they mixed Mentos candy with diet cola. The result was an explosive chemical reaction. Now the dynamic duo has created a bike fueled by this same chemical combination.
Powered by a piston, the bike runs by dumping diet cola over hundreds of Mentos candies. The result: The bike moved a measured 220 feet and the team called the contraption “The Fizzy and The Furious.”
As a hunter who travels nearly 15,000 miles a year on hunts I might have to hold off on purchasing the candy-powered bike for now. Although the bike has its negatives like only getting you down the block, look at the positives.
You’ll never be thirsty, you’ll be slimmer by switching to diet cola and you’ll always have fresh breath. You might want to look into buying stock in Mentos and Diet Coke. That’s my tip for the week.
I'm not sure, but maybe we're out of Mentos?
Memorial Day has come and gone, but I still want to extend a thank you to our veterans, past and present, which help me and my family enjoy the freedom this great country offers. We had a busy Memorial Day holiday of hiking and ranch chores, but we did manage to break out the barbecue grill for a meat-filled holiday blowout.
By coincidence, a good friend of mine happened to be in town. He’s a veteran of the Viet Nam War and joined our tailgate party to honor the real heroes of America like himself.
In between all the other activities I managed to hit the mountain and wear some more sole from my boots, but despite the exhausting route I couldn’t think of a better way to add to the memories of an all-American holiday.
Thanks again to all our veterans!
Sage, it's because of veterans that we get to do fun stuff like this. Sage, wake up.
The leftovers I’m talking about aren’t the funky smelling pasta ensemble in the Rubbermaid container stuck back in the hinterlands of your refrigerator. I’m actually afraid to touch one container that’s found its way to the rear of the fridge, but that’s another story.
The leftovers I’m thinking about are hunting license leftovers for big game.
Drawings for premium and quota units are taking place across the country, especially in the West. Startlingly, some of these tags are left unsold after the first entry period giving you the opportunity to potentially put together a good hunt after you thought all doors had closed.
What? You already drew a good tag. Are you hankering for some more protein?
Many areas have leftover tags for antlerless critters as well. If you’re heading west for a bull elk hunt it never hurts to have an extra cow tag in your pocket for that winter enchilada fix. Can you ever have enough elk meat?
Wyoming’s leftovers go on sale in July, Colorado’s go on sale in August, and South Dakota has leftovers in certain units up for grabs in September. These are just a few I know off the top of my head, but I think you get the point.
Embrace the leftovers and when you get done with your license research do a quick sweep of your refrigerator before it’s too late.
Why are you looking at me like I'm a big enchilada?
There are numerous federal resources to borrow money for college and other levels of higher learning. Believe it or not, one of them is a guide school in Wyoming operated by outfitter Tim Doud that goes by the name of Bliss Creek Outfitters Wilderness Archery Elk Guide and Packer School.
OK, you might not be able to get a Pell Grant for his guide school, but it is approved by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs for aid assistance. Doud has seen an uptick in veteran recruits returning from the current theatres in Afghanistan and Iraq because of this great government program for America’s heroes.
Even if you think you’re a good hunter there are additional things you need to know about guiding, particularly in a wilderness setting. Doud’s school includes detailed courses on game and fish regulations, horsemanship, packing, horseshoeing, game skills, trophy care, camp set up and bowhunting skills. The course lasts 4 weeks and takes place in remote areas of northwestern Wyoming near the Old West town of Cody.
I see it as a shortcut to eliminate costly mistakes many guides learn the hard way. In fact, it’s every bit as much of an investment as a university or tech degree. If you want to start a career as a guide, maybe even moving into the title of outfitter, this is the way to do it.
Young or old, if you’re struggling for a foothold in the world of business, this is another road to consider.
At least we passed the fire building part of guide school. Too bad Fred failed the grizzly bear portion. I'm going to miss Fred.
As hunters we all can be proud of our record of giving back to the resource through self-imposed taxes, hunting licenses and generous donations to conservation organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation . Give yourself a pat on the back. It’s because of you that we have strong game and nongame populations across North America.
Other so-called animal organizations can’t hold a candle to the North American Hunter. I recently cruised through a website that actually “watches” the Humane Society of the United States. Check it out. It’s HumaneWatch. There are many humane society type organizations and many do good while others just meddle. The HSUS definitely could be doing more with what they receive from members, but fail to do so and the numbers are almost unbelievable.
According to information researched by HumaneWatch the HSUS shares less than half of one percent of its annual budget with animal shelters like in your community and other humane societies run by locals. They also operate against their own articles of incorporation by lobbying legislators and running their own private school. There are many other shocking allegations revealed on this site about the HSUS. In brief, the HSUS is simply taking in money to run a major PR campaign to put animals on a pedestal. Seventy-one percent of Americans believe HSUS actually acts as an “umbrella organization” to oversee humane societies across the country, but that simply isn’t true despite the well-crafted commercials showing sad puppies and kitties for fundraising.
I like the pledge the creator of HumaneWatch posted on his site. If HSUS donates 50 percent of its budget to pet shelters across the country the site will disappear. I’m looking forward to checking up with HumaneWatch for many years to come.
The U.S. Federal Court spoke and it didn’t like Scent-Lok’s claim about “odor-eliminating technology” and any other statement that even comes close to that declaration. In fact, the court claimed any such statements were considered false as a matter of law. They also said the statements about being able to reactivate the clothing were also false and the case is now ready for trial in Minnesota. The trial will determine how much is to be paid to each plaintiff in the Minnesota case and the award of attorney fees for the plaintiffs.
Even though this took place in the Land of 10,000 Lakes it will have ramifications nationwide and I’m sure other scent elimination and clothing companies are shuffling their shoes wondering if they are next.
I’ve tried Scent-Lok and other brands of clothing. I use scent elimination products each season and make sure my equipment has been cleansed as much as humanly possible of human odor. Am I a believer? Yes and No.
I have a tough time believing you can actually eliminate 100 percent of human odor. Animal olfactory organs are just too highly tuned. I do believe you can eliminate much of the odor and for hunting that can make the difference between a shot or the sight of a flagging white tail.
My philosophy has always been to keep clean, stay scent free and hunt from a downwind location. If a buck does get a whiff of me he may not get the whole story and pause long enough for me to get a shot off as compared to not using anything at all.
Do I think Scent-Lok was out to take advantage of the hunting public? I doubt it. They used existing technology to fill a niche hunters were demanding. The science behind the product is sound, it’s just that the product was lacking in ample material and a reactivation process to fulfill its claims.
Hey, it’s America and I’ll be the first to admit I’ve used a product or two that was questionable in its claims. That said, does anyone know where I can get a refill on my turkey mouthwash. I’m sure my lack of spring success has been to turkeys smelling my bad breath. (Yes, there really was such a product on the market a few years back!)
Somebody please get this hog some Scent-Lok. What do you mean it doesn't work?
On our way home the other night from a bloated schedule of kid events we rounded the corner on the gravel road and almost ran into a newer model Chevy Tahoe rolled on its side. It landed smack in the middle of the road. A young, inexperienced driver told us everyone was fine, except for the truck, so we headed home. It was a good life lesson for our kids to see firsthand, but it also reminded me of a story about a rolled vehicle. It goes like this.
A year or so ago I was spring scouting and staying with a rancher friend of mine. He said a buddy of his wanted to meet me and was driving over late that evening for a quick visit. Tired, but polite, I waited up, but he never showed. Finally my friend called and got a hold of his buddy via a cell phone. He had an accident, but it wasn’t a normal accident. He was driving a school bus and rolled it on a dark, greasy, country road.
Rushing to help my friend got his tractor and we jumped in for a short drive up the road in the dark to see if we could roll the buss back over. When we arrived it was quite a sight. There, on its side was a monstrous school bus with the emergency door flung open and the driver sitting in the ditch.
Why a bus? The driver was obviously inebriated and with a cloudy state of mind grabbed the first vehicle with keys in it he could find. He was a pheasant outfitter and used the bus to move hunters from field to field; a common practice in the Great Plains. Rain had slicked the road and in the dark (not to mention the booze) the driver overcorrected and rolled the bus.
He just missed going off a steep embankment. The wheels on the bus would really have gone “round and round” if he pulled that stunt off.
My friend and I wrapped log chains on the frame and unbelievably rolled the bus over on all four tires to get it out off the road. The driver’s girlfriend showed up and gave the guy, (who was nursing a huge lump on his head) a ride home.
The obvious lesson here is to not drink and drive. Learn it and live it. The other lesson is to leave the bus for mass transportation needs. It’s not a jeep.
I’ve written about turkey season. I’ve blogged about bear season. It’s time to talk about puppy season. Yes, many of you are in the middle of picking out a new pup or well immersed in puppy training this spring. Regardless if your puppy is for bird hunting or a wannabe coyote chaser like my new puppy, you need to outfit yourself with the right products to keep your new friend happy.
First and foremost is purchasing the right kennel. This spring I’ve been able to field-test a new, nearly indestructible kennel designed by Ruff Tough Kennels. If you value your pooch as much as I and my family do you owe it to yourself to look into this rugged kennel.
Visit their website and then click on the YouTube video on how they hold up against a box-store kennel. The video alone will make you a believer. The kennels have a 5-year warranty, hardware to connect kennels and utility boxes, and hardware for secure placement in your truck. They also have the option for a two-door system, which is great for SUVs.
In the same tradition of the kennel, Ruff Tough is also preparing to market other dog products of which the most impressive is their water bowl, more adequately described as a rock-solid water trough. Like the new kennels, they are nearly indestructible and come in an attractive granite finish.
As you prepare this spring and summer to transport your new partner, check out these kennels and products. My pooch is enjoying them right now and my brother’s Labrador will be this fall when we hit the fields.
Now could you please fill the water bowl?
It’s bear season and I’ve been reminded of it all week on the radio from warnings to “bearproof your home.” Yes, the picnic-loving Boo Boos are coming out of hibernation looking to munch on anything of caloric value regardless of the stink. That kind of sounds like my puppy who has found new interest in my activities as I boil skulls for European mounts.
Bear hunting can be as involved as you want it to be. You can spend weeks setting up baits. You can feed hounds around year-round hoping for that one window to tree a bear. Or you can hunt on your time schedule and do spot, and stalk hunting across the West. Of course make sure these hunting activities are legal in your neighborhood. Hounds and bait hunting have taken a big hit in bear country.
Regardless of the tactic you employ one thing is for certain. Bear hunting is exciting. You’re going to get in the face of a predator that has the ability to maim or kill you. If things go really wrong a bear could even eat you. But put that aside. The odds of those things occurring are less than me discovering Jimmy Hoffa’s body on my property.
We’re going to try spot and stalk hunting as soon as the snow melts allowing us access to wide-open slopes that attract hungry bears. Like turkey hunting, I believe black bear hunting over baits is a great way to introduce younger hunters to the adrenaline rush of big game. Seeing a bear at close range is a rush of excitement, yet the bear comes in to a pre-ranged distance and busies itself in the bait giving inexperienced hunters ample time for a great shot.
I remember my first bear like it was yesterday. It tried to come up the tree with me and died in a jungle of brush creating a scary trailing situation. I nearly wet my pants, but I wouldn’t trade the adventure for anything, except maybe dry pants.
