Photographing Pelicans

3-26-17

Photographing Pelicans

Today my wife, my children and I took a little Sunday drive to photograph some pelicans.  We had a lot of fun.  Above is a photo my wife took of me as I hid in some cover to take some pictures.  Below is one of the photos I was able to capture.

Flying Pelican

Sometimes the trips we take to the outdoors are not the typical hunting and fishing type.  Sometimes it is nice to just get out and enjoy nature without any expectations of catching that big fish or getting the kill.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

New Work Hours Might Mean More Time For The Outdoors

It has been a while since I have posted to my blog.  However, I am hoping this will change for the better as I have new hours at work.  These new work hours might mean more time for the outdoors if my body is able to adjust appropriately.  I guess as with anything else.....time will tell.  I now work from 3:30 AM until about noon which should allow ample opportunity to get out and enjoy the great outdoors as the weather begins to warm up this spring.

Knowing that prime crappie season is right around the corner and I am planning to make many trips to the lake in an effort to stock the freezer with some delightful meat.  On a typical crappie fishing outing I will throw at least one line in the water in an effort to take home some catfish as well.  If you have followed this blog for long or even read many of my fishing journal posts you have probably seen that catching fish is not usually a problem.  

We've had a mild winter here in Missouri and it has me aching to wet a line!

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Rifle Season Antlerless Portion Another Trip To The Woods

December 3rd, 2016

Waking up at three in the morning is justifiable as long as it results in heading to the outdoors for some type of adventure.  Todays adventure took place with my son while freezing our rumps off in the deer stand.

My son and I in the deer stand

With everything packed into the truck my son and I hit the road at about 3:30 AM for the two hour journey to our hunting spot.

A View From the Stand

After sitting in the stand for many hours we climbed down and headed into town to warm up and grab something to eat.  Once we had regained some of the feeling in our fingers it was back to the stand to sit for the afternoon and evening.

Another View From the Stand

We stayed in the stand until it was almost dark when three does came wandering in between our stand and the road.  The terrain is uphill from the stand to the road so I may have been able to take a shot safely; however, I decided to pass and use this as a teaching moment for my son.  As the deer walked out of sight my son asked why I didn't shoot.  I then told him that "you should never shoot your gun towards any road because you never know when a vehicle may drive by and accidentally shooting someone would not be a good situation."

At this point in the season I am extremely glad that my family is not dependent on my killing a deer in order to eat throughout this next year as it looks like I may not get one..... If it wasn't for fishing our freezer might be bare....lol.  Time will tell, but thankfully September 15th will be here again before we know it, and once again we will be hitting the woods in pursuit of the seemingly elusive whitetail deer.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

A Daddy Daughter Date In The Deer Stand

Having spent most of my children's lives on the road as both a regional and over-the-road truck driver I haven't been able to spend nearly enough time with them in the outdoors.  Until the last couple of years circumstances have made it nearly impossible to get in much hunting and fishing at all.  As this situation started changing in my favor, I began to ease them into these activities.  I don't ever force them to go; I simply give them the option of joining me on each adventure.  

This year in Missouri the last of the youth rifle season landed on the weekend after Thanksgiving making things a little difficult.  However, where there's a will there's a way.  At least that is what I've always heard other people tell me when they couldn't figure out how to achieve something they wanted to accomplish.  

After finishing work for the day on Saturday the 26th I picked up the rifle my daughter wanted to use and took her out to get in a little practice.  She has been shooting guns since she was about six, but this was her first time shooting a larger sized rifle.  To my surprise, she handled the gun quite well and was able to hit the target without any issues.  She did tell me "this gun gets heavy after a while" to which I replied "tomorrow you will have something to rest it on while you are aiming."  We finished up our practice session (I wish I had taken pictures of the target after she was done shooting) and headed in for dinner and an early bed time.

At 3:00 AM on Sunday the 27th we crawled out of bed and prepared for the two-hour journey to our hunting spot.  Climbing into the stand just before daylight, we settled in for a daddy daughter date in the deer stand.

Weather Conditions Sunday November 27th

Our Little Hunting Blind

After a few hours of calling and spraying a cover scent, a year old doe finally wandered in.  I instructed my daughter to take her time as the deer seemed to be looking right at us on high alert.  I then heard a twig break behind us and turned around to notice that a much bigger doe was making her way through the woods towards our location.  As the bigger doe stopped, the little one blew and took off running out of sight, but returned shortly to the side of the bigger animal.  At this point they both began to move around to settle in front of us again.  Slowly my daughter attempted to get into position, but before she could manage to get a shot a third deer which neither of us had noticed busted us and ran off causing the other two to evacuate the area.

The Little Doe Headed For the Hills

I wish I could say my daughter was able to kill her first deer that day, but I can't.  We sat in the stand for a few more hours until it began to rain on us and decided to call it a day.  As we headed back home my daughter turned to me and said:  "It's ok that I didn't get a deer today.  At least I got to see some, and they were really close!  That's more than a lot of people can say about their first deer hunting trip.  A lot of people only dream of seeing even one deer the first time they go hunting."  I told her that I was really proud of her attitude towards the whole situation and that she was absolutely right about seeing deer on her first trip to the woods with a gun.

Whenever you are out hunting or fishing with your children remember that success isn't always about catching and killing; it's about teaching them to learn from and enjoy every moment they spend in the great outdoors.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Never Give Up

Disclosure:

Any link to merchants in this post are affiliate links.  If you click on a link and purchase a product mentioned in this post I may earn a commission.  This will not add to the price you pay for that product.

October 29th, 2016

I'm sure most anyone who has been hunting very long has had the experience of sitting in the blind or stand and hearing that all too familiar sound of a deer "blowing" after sensing an intruder in their domain.  Most new hunters and some who have been hunting for quite some time will simply get up and walk away thinking their hunt is over once they experience this.  However, this is not always the case.  

Sometimes a deer will "blow" and run off never to be heard from again (or at least not again that same day), but often a deer will sound the alarm only to run off a short distance and take another   smell while trying to identify where the stranger is located.  

Today it was my turn to experience this.  While sitting in my blind which is made up of mostly natural materials I sat working the call and spraying an occasional mist of that days chosen deer attractant.  After repeating this routine every 15 to 20 minutes over the course of a couple of hours I heard the sound we all know and dread.  The wind was carrying a scent trail to the south as I sat on the northern side of a small spring fed pond.  With the thick cover of evergreens between myself and this pond, I was unable to get a good view of any nearby activity to the south;  however, after paying careful attention I noticed him running to the top of a nearby hill.  I texted my brother to tell him that I had just been discovered by a deer when an idea popped into my head.

By now I had lost sight of my prey and figured I had nothing to lose so I blew a few times on the deer call and sprayed another little mist of scent.  It didn't take long before I heard that buck off in the distance blowing once again.  With that I began repeating the process of calling and spraying each time I heard him.  After a while I regained sight of the buck and was able to watch his reaction to our conversation.  For half an hour we played our little game - he would blow and I would call and spray the scent again.  During this time he worked a full circle around my blind never quite able to spot that elusive doe.  I was unable to convince him to come in for a closer look that day, but I had a wonderful  experience learning to speak the language of a whitetail.

Next time you are hunting and you hear that sound, just remember it is not the end of the world.  Most of the time when a deer blows like that, they are actually clearing any remaining scent from their nostrils in order to get a better smell of what is around them.  Simply give a little shout out with your call and spray a little "deer pee" into the wind to make it more convincing that another deer is nearby.  Be careful not to spray too much urine at once as this can work against you by alarming the deer.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

The Napier Sportz Truck Tent 57 Series Review

Disclosure:

Any links to merchants in this post are affiliate links.  If you click on a link and purchase a product mentioned in this post I may earn a commission.  This will not add to the price you pay for that product.

As we age it becomes more difficult to sleep on the ground.  For those who love tent camping, there is a solution to this problem.... Napier SportzTruck Tent 57 Series.  This tent allows the camper to sleep in their truck bed which eliminates the need to stoop down in order to enter and exit your tent.

Napier Sportz Truck Tent 57 Series Side View

Napier Sportz Truck Tent 57 Series Side View

The Napier 57 Series Sportz Truck Tent is an awesome three season tent that sleeps two.  The rain fly and walls are  constructed from 1200 mm PU polyester taffeta.  The floor is made from 1200 mm PU nylon taffeta.  There are two interior gear pockets with a gear loft that can be used for extra storage space.  With a center height of 5'5" there is enough head room for pretty much anyone.  The rear window is placed in a manner to offer access to the cab of your pickup through the rear hatch window.

The description on this tent says it can be set up in as little as ten minutes; however, I can tell you attempting to assemble this tent in the dark for the first time it will most definitely take much longer than that.  On the other hand, taking the tent down and packing it away is a really simple task.  If you are going to be out and about in the vehicle that the tent will be set up in, consider setting the tent up in advance so that when you arrive back at your camping spot for the night you can simply pick up the tent, slide it into your truck bed and strap it down.  This will save you an enormous amount of trouble.

Napier SportzTruck Tent 57 Series "The Napier SportzTruck Tent 57 Series allows you to sleep comfortably protected in the bed of your pickup. Its shock-corded, color coded Durawrap fiberglass and steel poles allow for fast set up in asittle as 10 minutes." $269.99

Although setting this tent up for the first time presented its challenges, I have to assume that the biggest reason for this is that my wife and I attempted to pull this off well after dark when both of us were already tired.  I'm quite certain that the next time we set it up will yield a completely different result.  Upon examining the Napier Sportz Truck Tent during the day I could see that is really is a simple tent to set up.

The overnight temperatures were in the mid forties when my wife and I used our tent, and we were able to sleep comfortably on an air mattress inside of our sleeping bag.  Unlike some tents that claim to be "three season," this one truly is!  We had no trouble staying warm inside of this well built tent.

One thing I will say is that if your truck is lifted, you will definitely want to come up with a step system for getting into your tent.  You could probably use a two-foot step ladder or cinder blocks.  Our method was to simply stack up some firewood and use it as our step to get inside. 

Keep in mind that there are several different models of this tent designed to fit many different truck bed sizes.  Be sure to find the right one for your truck.

I was pleasantly surprised at the overall quality of this tent.  With proper care this tent will provide the use with many years of use.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

What To Do When Your Hunting Trip Is A Washout?

Disclosure:

Any links to merchants in this post are affiliate links.  If you click on a link and purchase a product mentioned in this post I may earn a commission.  This will not add to the price you pay for that product.

September 24, 2016

I decided to cancel my planned actual hunting trip to the woods this afternoon because of an impending storm.  It makes no sense to travel forty to fifty miles from home when you will most likely end up turning around and heading back home as soon as you arrive.  

Having made the decision to skip the woods in fear of drowning, I decided a father-daughter date was in order.  If you can't be in the outdoors, the next best thing for any sportsman is a store with all the outdoor gear you could care to see..... So we headed to the Bass Pro.

We entered the store and what else would my daughter want to do other than head straight over to the laser shooting gallery.  She gave me no choice but to show her that daddy can win at this game.  After checking out everything the hunting section had to offer.....and I mean everything, we decided to give the fudge a whirl (the salted caramel is a pretty tasty choice).

Having fun at Bass Pro Shops

Next it was off to make a loop around the lower level.  Of course we had to make a stop at the top of the stairs to check out the waterfall and catch some water to throw on dad (probably a pay back for beating her at the shooting gallery earlier in the evening).

Bass Pro has some interesting things to look at

While making the rounds on the lower floor we checked out all there was to see from the taxidermy to the boats to the four wheelers and everything in between.

Emilee checking out a 4-wheeler

Of course we couldn't pass up the ATV section.  We had to check out every one of them before making our way to the boats. 

A couple of boats that Emilee had to see

In the boat section Emilee found two boats that she really liked (she has some expensive taste).  As you can see in the pictures the two she admired were nearly $40,000.

Upon finishing up our tour of the Bass Pro Shop we headed back home; of course, we had to make a pit stop by Quick Trip and get a frappe along the way.  I may not have been in the woods, but I did have a wonderful time spending the evening with my daughter.  I wouldn't have missed this opportunity for the world!

Next time your hunting plans get foiled by mother nature try spending some quality time with your children.  The memories from these experiences will not be forgotten.

- Any day in the outdoors (or an outdoor store) is a good day

My First Trip To The Woods During The 2016 Missouri Archery Deer Season

September 18th 2016

Today I was able to make it to one of my favorite hunting spots for the first time this season.  I guess getting out there three days after opening day for Missouri archery season isn't too bad.  I wasn't particularly out there to hunt so much as to check out my favorite hiding spot and see if there was any activity from either deer or people.

Hunting on public lands can bring many challenges with it - the biggest being other hunters pressuring your chosen honey hole.  I have been expecting a much greater occurrence of this problem as a result of Missouri opening up archery season to crossbow hunters.  I guess time will tell.  As for now however, I seem to be wrong.

After spending a bit of time in the woods I headed back home with high hopes for this years archery season.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

A Family Vacation Outside Of The Midwest Day 4

Wednesday September 14th, 2016

Crossing The Bridge From Memphis To West Memphis Arkansas

Today we woke up in Hot Springs Arkansas.  After eating breakfast and packing up the car we headed out for our adventure which started by driving to the top of the scenic lookout located near the downtown area.  Our children were really impressed with the curves (which our daughter referred to as U-Turns) on the way up.

A View From The Top

After stopping to explore some of the hiking trails and taking some pictures we headed back to the bottom and walked to the visitors center.  Here we went on a tour of the old bath house and made our way to the hot springs for which the town is named.  Believe me when I tell you the water in the holding pool of these springs is HOT!  After checking these out we headed over to one of the water outlets in the area that allows its visitors the opportunity to drink some fresh, cold spring water.  This water was some of the best tasting water I think I've ever had.

Emilee & Dakota Checking Out A Spring

One Of The "Hot" Springs

Once we finished checking out the attractions at Hot Springs, we headed over to the Crater of Diamonds State Park for a few hours of diamond mining.  We managed to find some quartz, lava, jasper and mica.  We weren't able to find any diamonds on this trip but we had a blast!  

Crater Of Diamonds State Park Arkansas

Ore Cart At Crater Of Diamonds State Park

Sign At Crater Of Diamonds State Park

From here we headed back home so that we could take care of a few things that needed to be done before heading back to work on Monday.  Our trip home was the second longest drive of the trip and we arrived safely back around 1:00 AM.  In all our vacation covered about 1700 miles and took us through Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas.  Although this vacation only lasted four days I'm sure the memories will last a lifetime.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

A Family Vacation Outside Of The Midwest Day 3

Tuesday September 13th 2016

Today we woke up in Memphis Tennessee and headed out for our daily vacation adventures.  The first stop we made was an unplanned detour to take a relaxing stroll along the Mississippi River.  I managed to show my children that their old dad was still able to outdo them at some of the different exercise stations along the walkway.  

Mississippi River At Memphis

After taking our walk, we headed a couple of minutes down the road to the Memphis Pyramid.  This is one Bass Pro Shop that no outdoor enthusiast should miss seeing. The main floor has a water feature like no other Bass Pro Shop I've seen.  I won't go into too much detail as I would hate to spoil it for anyone who wants to go see it for themselves.  I will say that the upstairs features a museum like area that covers the history of Ducks Unlimited.  Our children loved the whole experience.

The Memphis Pyramid

Having finished looking around the Pyramid, we headed out to the car and were caught by surprise when the window hinge for the glass on the back door of our Escape decided to come apart on us.  This presented a slight problem as I didn't want to have the glass fall out while driving down the road.  I managed to get the window latched good enough to limp it over to a Ford dealership where I was told that this problem was not a common problem at all.  I decided to inform them that they would probably be a much more profitable company if they did some research when deciding which parts they would keep in stock.  My brief research on the subject of hatch-glass hinges told me a completely different story in which this issue is all too common.  I wasn't about to spend a couple of days in West Memphis Arkansas waiting on a part so I did the next best thing.  I headed down the road to the closest hardware store I could find and bought the widest roll of transparent Gorilla Glue brand tape they had on the shelf.  With a little effort to keep the glass in the correct position my wife and I managed to run a couple of strips of tape around the entire window and we were back on the road.  Hot Springs Arkansas.....here we come!

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

A Family Vacation Outside Of The Midwest Day 2

Monday September 12th, 2016

After having finally arrived in Chattanooga Tennessee, we made our way to the hotel and got some much needed rest.  When the morning of the 12th arrived we headed out for our next big adventure.  This day was to be one our children would never forget (and I'm pretty sure they won't).

Our first stop of the day was a place called Rock City Georgia.  If you ever have the chance to get out there and check it out, you definitely should.  It is beautiful!  We ended up spending several hours exploring the twists and turns along and through the many different passes these amazing bluffs had to offer.

Some Of The Amazing Sites At Rock City Georgia

Along these pathways there are some amazing views, beautiful trees and almost too much too take in in one day.  The swinging bridge pictured below is one of the alternate paths that can be taken to a scenic lookout area (Yes I faced my fear of heights and crossed over it although it took nearly everything in me to get it done).  For those who are afraid of heights, there is a stone bridge that gives you an alternate route to the other side.

Swinging Bridge At Rock City Georgia

This area also features some beautiful trees.  The picture below is of one of the trees I found to be a photo worthy specimen.

A Beautiful Tree At Rock City Georgia

After we had finished exploring all the nooks and crannies in Rock City, we headed to our next destination - Ruby Falls.  If you are like me and enjoy a good cave, this is another place worth visiting.  There are many different formations inside of this amazing cave and yes I had my camera with me to capture many of them.

A Column Inside Of The Cave

Some of the various formations have been named after our favorite foods such as the one below.

The Steak And Potatoes At Ruby Falls

Of course every outdoorsman loves fish.  I'm no exception to this rule so when I saw the formation below, I had to capture it with my camera.

The Fish At Ruby Falls

At the halfway point on your journey through the cave you will come upon a natural wonder that is awe inspiring.  The photo below is one of many pictures I snapped of the waterfall for which this cave is named.....Ruby Falls.

The Ruby Falls Waterfall

After viewing the waterfall, we headed back to the elevator that had lowered us into this cavern for our 260 foot return trip to the surface and headed on our way to the next stopping point of this vacation....Memphis.  Why Memphis you ask?  Well I guess you'll have to check out the next post to see what could possibly attract a sportsman to such a crazy city.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

A Family Vacation Outside Of The Midwest

Sunday September 11th 2016

Vacation has finally arrived! My wife and I along with our two children have ventured outside of the midwestern states for our first vacation in five long years.  Upon leaving Missouri, we headed east to Tennessee and our first stop was in St. Louis after having made a wrong turn (My wife was reading the turn by turn directions from the GPS one her phone.)  We made the best of the situation and stopped to get gas and eat lunch before making a u-turn and heading back in the right direction.  The next stop we made was a gas station somewhere along the way.  

When we finally arrived in Nashville we ate at Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint.  The food there was amazing.  If you are ever in the Nashville Tennessee area I suggest you stop in and give them a try.  Being the adventurous person that I am I always have to try anything spicy and the Devil's Nectar BBQ Sauce lived up to its name without a doubt.  If you have any sinus problems, this sauce is sure to clear them right up.

Devil's Nectar BBQ Sauce

From there we drove over to the Grand O'le Opry  to take some photos.  We arrived too late to tour the inside of the building, but it was still worth checking out.  Our kiddos were rather impressed by the size of the two guitars that were in front of the building.

Giant Acoustic Guitar At Grand Ole Opry

Giant Electric Guitar At Grand Ole Opry

After taking a few photos at the Opry, we headed on to our final destination for the day....Chattanooga Tennessee where we spent the night before continuing our adventure.  In all we drove about 700 miles on our first day and spent many hours in the car.  Our children were surprisingly well behaved during this journey and by well behaved I mean they somehow managed to make the first leg of our journey without harming each other.

This trip is pretty much a round trip outdoor adventure vacation with new stops planned for each day. I guess this means that our children have a few more opportunities to get on each others nerves while we make another long trip in the car.

I will keep you posted on our vacation as it progresses.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Staying Safe In The Stand

As a hunter the thrill of being in the outdoors in pursuit of a big game animal is one of the things we live for.  We seldom take the time to think about what might happen if we fall from our tree stand, but our safety while in the stand should be our top priority.

Throughout the years many hunters have been seriously injured and some have even died as a result of falling from their perch in a tree.

There are some easy ways to ensure that you stay safe while hunting from a tree stand.
Some of these include:

• Always wear your body harness.  Be sure that you are attached to the tree from the moment you begin your ascent until the time you have both feet planted safely back on the ground.
• Never sleep in your tree stand.
• Always carry your cellphone with you in case something should go wrong.  (A smart phone with a signal can help you to stay awake by occupying your time until you hear that monster buck.)
• Carry an  with you in order to get the attention of other people in the area should the need arise.
• Always make sure that your tree stand has been assembled correctly and that it is fastened securely in the tree.
• Always maintain a three point stance.  (Make sure that you have two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand in a secure position with each move you make.)
• Learn how to properly re-enter your stand if you do happen to fall out while wearing your harness.  (Should you find yourself in the unfortunate position of hanging from a tree in your body harness, you must act quickly to make your way back into the stand.  Hanging in a harness can have serious consequences as the longer you remain there, the more likely it is that blood pooling will occur.)
• If you are using a stationary tree stand, be sure you learn how to properly install it.
• If you are using a climbing stand, be sure you learn how to operate it correctly and safely.
• Always make sure that at least one person knows where you will be hunting and what time you expect to return from your hunt.  (It is a good idea to have that person give you a call if they haven't heard from you by the time you are expected to return just to make sure everything is ok.)
• Make sure to check your tree stand and body harness for any damage before each use.

Most (if not all) tree stand manufacturers include a body harness in the package with their stands.  If your stand doesn't include a harness or if yours needs replaced, you can purchase one

Tree stand safety is no accident!

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

The Advantages Of Stationary Tree Stands On Private Land

If you are a hunter with the advantage of hunting on private land there are some good reasons to use stationary tree stands.

Some of these reasons include:

• Multiple stands can be used to ensure there is a stand in the right spot for any weather conditions
• There is no need to make a bunch of noise climbing to and descending from your position in a tree to take advantage of changing weather conditions
• A path can be cleared to each stand ensuring a quiet entry and exit
• Stands can be set up in precise locations ensuring that your intended target can be seen as it enters your hunting area
• Multiple stands can be set up in different places over the same area to ensure you can see the deer when the sun is at varying positions in the sky

Before setting your stands, be sure to do your homework and take into consideration where the deer will enter and exit your hunting areas as well as where they stage and bed down (you don't want to spook them while getting into or out of your stands).  You should also consider the normal direction of wind flow in each area a stand is set in order to stay on the downwind side of the animals you are hunting.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Summit Viper Climbing Tree Stand Review

Disclosure:

Any links to merchants in this post are affiliate links.  If you click on a link and purchase a product mentioned in this post I may earn a commission.  This will not add to the price you pay for that product.

As a hunter I spend most of my time on public lands and have tried hunting from a stationary stand.  However, I have found that there are disadvantages to hunting from these stands, and  decided last season to try out a climbing tree stand.  After researching just about every climbing tree stand I could find information on I found the Summit Viper SD Climbing Treestand.

Because the manufacturers attempt to keep them lightweight, many climbing tree stands are rather small.  However with my build a tiny tree stand doesn't fit the bill. After comparing it to other climbing stands on the market I decided to give it a try.

Summit Viper Climber
In a Tree 

The Summit Viper SD Climbing Treestand offers:

• Perfect combination of comfort and light weight
• Dead Metal Sound Deadening Technology
• Critical sections of tubing are foam-filled for sound reduction
• Adjustable seat height
• Seat measures 12" x 18"
• Backrest measures 12" x 20"
• Platform measures 20" x 29"
• Inside climber frame measures 19.75" x 26.5"
• Ideal for bows or guns
• SummitLokt™ construction
• RapidClimb® stirrups
• QuickDraw™ cables
• Cushioned armrests
• Padded climbing seat bar
• Backpack straps
• Includes a full-body safety harness
• Weight: 20 lbs.
• Maximum capacity 300 lbs.
• Top and Bottom Sections easily nest together for backpacking with included strap

Top & Bottom Nested
Ready to be carried by backpack straps

This stand offers the ideal mixture of being both light weight and comfortable.  The added sound deadening technology takes it one step farther making it very quiet when climbing and descending in the tree helping to prevent you from spooking that deer you are working so hard to take.  The rapid climb stirrups allow the hunter to move up and down a tree safely and at a rather fast pace.  The quick draw cables allow the hunter to set this stand up for a particular tree and be climbing in no time flat.  Each stand sold includes a full-body safety harness.

After purchasing the Summit Viper SD Climbing Treestand and using it last season, I understand why it ranks so highly by the majority of people who take the time to rate it.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

The Advantages Of Climbing Tree Stands On Public Hunting Lands

Disclosure:

Any links to merchants in this post are affiliate links.  If you click on a link and purchase a product mentioned in this post I may earn a commission.  This will not add to the price you pay for that product.

As a hunter who spends most of my time on public hunting lands I have found that a climbing tree stand offers many advantages over stationary stands in this type of environment.

Climbing tree stands are convenient when
hunting on public lands.

• A climbing stand allows you to quickly and quietly change your position in the woods when the weather patterns change.
• These stands allow you to move to another location if your space is suddenly invaded by other less than caring hunters.
• There is no need to worry about your stand being sat in while your are away.
• A climbing stand will not end up being stolen from a tree as you will take it with you each time you leave your hunting area.
• Climbing stands enable you to hunt in many different locations throughout the season which allows you to change your strategy as the deer patterns shift from early season, to the rut and on into late season.
• A climbing stand can be positioned in the right tree at whatever height is necessary and moved up or down accordingly with very little effort.

Although the price can seem a little steep, a climber is the way to go when hunting public lands.  I use the Summit Viper SD Climbing Treestand which can be seen in the picture above.  This climber offers many high quality features that make it my go to stand.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park

The Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park is a massive state park located along the shore of Lake Michigan.  This six and a half mile long stretch of shoreline offers multiple opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast including boating, biking, camping, cross country skiing, fishing, geocaching, hiking, nature observation, picnicking, scuba diving and swimming.  This 4,160 acre park has room for everyone to roam.

• Boating - The North Point Marina located just five miles to the north of the Illinois Beach State Park is a full service marina with 1500 boat slips as well as a multiple boat launch ramp.  For more information on the North Point Marina check out http://npmonline.com/.
• Biking - There are a few miles of multi-use trails in this state park as well as The Zion Bike Trail which connects the north and south portions of the Illinois Beach State Park.
• Camping - There are 241 campsites in the Illinois Beach State Park of which approximately 200 are available on a first come first served basis. 
• Cross Country Skiing - Cross country skiing is permitted on the multi-use trails when the weather permits.
• Fishing - Fishing is permitted with the proper permits along the beach area on both the north and south sections of the park.  There are also some ponds one of which is stocked with rainbow trout.  Fishing is prohibited within the swimming beach area as well as the nature preserve.
• Geocaching - Although no information is listed for this activity, it is listed on the Illinois Beach State Park website as an available activity.
• Hiking - Miles of multi-use trails offer abundant opportunities for hikers.
• Nature Observation - With over 4,000 acres you are sure to spot all types of marine wildlife on your adventures at this Illinois State Park.
• Picnicking - There are multiple picnic areas in both the north and south portions of this state park.
• Scuba Diving - Another of the many available activities at the Illinois Beach State Park is Scuba Diving.
• Swimming - The swimming area can be accessed from both sections of the state park and offers plenty of parking for everyone.

If you are looking for a place that will allow you to enjoy all that Lake Michigan has to offer, the Illinois Beach State Park just might be the place for you!

If you like this post, you may also enjoy Beaver Dam State Park In Illinois.

-Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Fishing Journal Entry 16 - James A Reed - Coot Lake

7/29/2016

After what felt like an extremely long week at work I was able to sneak away for a few relaxing hours of fishing with my dad at James A Reed Memorial Wildlife Area located in west-central Missouri.  

Today's Weather Stats

The weather for today was very pleasant as you can see from the snapshot above.  I may begin adding the weather details for the fishing and hunting journal entries this way as it is a very simple way to record and share all of the important data that I usually include in these posts.

Dad looking impressed with a small bluegill

This little bullhead was one of three bullheads caught during our outing.

One tiny bullhead

This channel catfish was the biggest of the day measuring about seventeen inches long.  He was released unharmed at the end of the evening.

Decent little channel catfish

This little bass was hungry as anything you've ever seen and did its best to put up a good fight.

A little bass

In all we caught only six fish, but we still had a great time relaxing while waiting on the fish to bite.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Fishing Journal Entry 15 - Lake of the Ozarks Truman Dam Public Access

7/23/2016

Today I took the family fishing at one of my favorite places - Lake of the Ozarks public access area below the Truman Dam.  The weather was extremely hot with a temperature of 98 degrees.

Emilee with a crappie

The wind was blowing off and on at about eight miles per hour.  The skies were clear to partly cloudy throughout the day.  Unfortunately I forgot to record the barometric pressure on this trip.

Cody with a sunfish

Having spent the entire day from noon until 11:30 at night fishing from a dock I achieved sunburned status.  We fished with all types of bait including minnows, gizzards, shrimp, night crawlers, and cut bait.

Even the baby catfish were hungry!

We managed to catch fish on everything except the chicken gizzards.  Although the fish were biting fairly steadily we didn't catch any giants.  

Some of the fish caught below the Truman Dam

The crappie were biting like crazy at a depth of about 12 feet with the biggest crappie of the day measuring eleven inches long.  

Some of the crappie caught throughout the day

We caught several catfish throughout the day. Although many were small, they were still fun to catch.

Another small catfish

I was unable to keep track of the total fish count on this trip, but we caught a lot of them!

Cody with another fish

Although we didn't catch any big fish on this trip the whole family had a blast.  In my book that's what makes any outdoor experience a successful one!

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day