Sunday, November 26, 2017

Christmas Deadline 2017 and Cyber Monday

Just a quick post to share our last day to put in an order for Christmas will be December 5th 2017!!!!! Orders can be placed after that date, but they cannot be guaranteed to arrive before Christmas! 

Also another note, Cyber Monday (I guess that's a thing...) I'll make a discount/coupon code for my website to get 25% off all hats and 10% off hooded sweaters!  Hat discount code will be: CM25 and the discount code for the hooded sweaters will be CM10 Thank you all for the support!

Friday, October 27, 2017

2017 Spike Elk Hunt

As I this year's hunting season approached I caught myself daydreaming about my hopes and dreams as to how I would like this year to pan out.   I envisioned bugling bull elk screaming in the dark ask I patiently inched myself into his element waiting for the lighting to bring a vision to images I had painted in my mind.  While I dreamed about this moment I put in work in attempts to do all I could to make this dream become a reality.  I have been around and involved in many successful hunts and have seen some amazing bull elk hit the ground, yet when was it going to be my turn?  When would I be the one behind the bow or grabbing the horns of a recent harvest?

Numerous trail cameras, hikes, scouting trips, and research all before season opener caused myself more anxiety than I feel it had prepared me for the season.  The area I had planned on hunting had far less sign of elk than previous years.  I often saw more boot tracks than I did elk tracks.  I saw coyotes and found winter kill almost every time I went out.   Through the despair I was feeling I endured my doubt and still sought out after the opportunity I had thought of all year long.  I had hunts which were full of disappointment as well as hunts which kept my drive a focus at an ultimate high while still never filling my tag.  While my dreams were big, my exceptions were quite low.  I had committed to shooting the first elk, no matter what size, as I had my family and their needs at my focus

As archery season came and gone I had seen a few elk but had never gotten close enough for to seize the opportunity.  I had one brief false sense of hope one day as I was driving off the mountain as I spotted a calf elk feeding on a small bush about 40 yards off the road.  I doubted my mind as I thought there was no way a elk, even a calf elk, would be feeding this close to a road.  I stopped my vehicle, found my release, grabbed my bow, stepped off the road, knocked an arrow, and let one fly.... I was baffled and confused but what happened next confused me even more.  As I watched my arrow fly true and pass through the calf elk, the elk merely flinched and took half a step forward... I literally shook my head, knocked another arrow and pulled back again.  By then the elk trotted a few steps and laid down.  As confused as I was, I decided I would place another arrow to quicken what I had hoped would already be a quick death for this calf.  Shortly after my second arrow, I could see the breathing stop, I was excited yet unsure about my experience.  It was nothing as to what I had hoped to have felt nor was it the monumental moment I had prepared for all year long.  Upon further examination, I found that this calf had two large wounds which were literally crawling with maggots.  The stench of the elk was almost more than I could handle.  My heart sunk as my already less than glamorous elk was now not even edible as to why I had committed to shooting the first elk I was able to.  I called IDFG and took care of the process of reporting and exchanging the rotten elk for a new tag.  I remember vividly, as I grabbed my new tag, the doubts filling my mind saying, "what good is a second tag... I was lucky to even get one elk let a lone get a second one this year".  I am not one of those hunters who shoot a big bull every year and then go out and purchase a non-resident tag to go out and harvest a second "wall hanger" during the same season.  I was full of doubt yet committed myself to seeing this season through.  I was raised to never give up and to never quit, and that was exactly what I was going to do.

As the General Any Weapon Season rolled around I did the unthinkable... yes I took a day off work... I selfishly sought out to fulfill my own desires rather than being an adult and taking care of the daily responsibility list.  I rarely take a day off work to go hunting, not because I don't want to, but because my days off usually get used for other adult/parent responsibilities which I am not complaining about, they are just part of life.

Early that morning as I loaded up my vehicle I decided I was in now way coming home empty handed.  I loaded my shot gun, a few duck decoys, my waders, my fishing poles, as well as all of my hunting gear.  I planned out my hunt in my mind, I would chase elk until around 11 and then head back to my vehicle.  At that point I planned on driving to the river and either shooting ducks or catching fish so that I could at least provide dinner on my day off work.  Needless to say, my hopes for tagging an elk were almost non-existent. 

As I pulled into the area I wanted to hunt, I slowly got out of my vehicle and grabbed my gear.  As I was strapping on my backpack I heard bugling in the distance.   My level of excitement always rises when I hear elk bugle while my level of expectation as been able to subside to prevent disappointment.  With the sounds of bugling all around me while I hiked in the dark, my expectations were growing in anticipation of watching some big bulls battling it out as the sun came up.  I hiked for a few miles in the dark and got to the spot I wanted to be right when the sun came up.  I could hear elk above me, below me, and on the ridges all around me.  I began to hear the loud cracking and grunting of two bull elk fighting.  The sounds were as loud as thunder and I could tell I was within only 100 yards or so of what sounded like an epic battle.  The sun was just peaking over the ridge line as I slowly moved toward the loud and escalating confrontation.   I could see glimpses of the two bulls aggressively spinning around while their antlers rattled together.  I crept up to a vantage point where I was able to sit back and watch the two bulls continue their battle.  As I sat back and enjoyed the show I saw cow elk wandering through the trees and other small bull elk gaze on much like I was as the two large bull elk established which of the two were the herd bull. 

At this point I was so engrossed in the show that I nearly forgot why I was there in the fist place.  I looked across the opening to my left and saw two spike elk walk out of the trees in curiosity of all the commotion.  I turned and raised my rifle to get a better look and the two spike elk both caught my movement and stared in my direction.  With absolutely no cover between us, I knew that the distance would not be negotiable.  I ranged the two elk at 370 yards and my nerves jumped to an all time high.  I had practiced out to 400 yards, but my furthest shot I had ever taken on an animal was just under 300 yards.  I felt confident in my preparation and decided to take advantage of the moment I had been given.  I set my cross-hairs on the front shoulder of one of the spike elk and slowly squeezed the trigger.  I watched the elk flinch as my shot hit him in the lungs.  The elk bolted down hill toward a shallow canyon and then disappear.  I gathered my composure and took of in his direction.  As I got closer to the spot where I had last seen him, I started seeing blood and plenty of it.  I moved in the direction I saw him go and quickly came upon him bedded down.  He jumped up and took off as I fired another round in his direction. 

As I saw his body fall lifeless to the ground, the realization that I had finally filled my elk tag started to creep into view.  I walked up to my elk and placed my hands on him, I was filled with a mix of emotions.  As much as I wanted to shoot an elk for myself and fulfill my own desires as a hunter, the only thing that was running through my mind was how humbled and grateful I was that my family now had the meat we so badly needed.  Our freezer was nearly empty, which may not seem like much of a tragedy to some, but my family has so many food allergies and sensitivities, we rely heavily on wild game for our food.  I reached for my phone to let my loved ones and friends know I had harvested an elk.  Phone calls and text messages sent which were all received with the same humility and gratefulness that I myself was feeling.  I said a prayer of gratitude as I grasped the skinny horns of the young spike elk and realized that my dreams and hopes of tagging a big bull elk were merely an illusion of what my heart truly wanted.  What I wanted was to harvest the elk God wanted me to harvest.  As I still would love to shot a big bull elk, I now see that my experience of harvesting that young calf elk which was full of maggots earlier in the season, as well as my previous years of unfilled tags were all preparing me in one way or another to set my goal on harvesting the elk God gave me rather than the elk I see in magazines.  My time will come for a big bull, and until then I will harvest the elk God gives me in the moments he provides me.  With that as my focus, I will always be grateful for the experience regardless of where my tag is at the end of the season. 

Why I hunt 


Monday, October 9, 2017

How to Survive on Social Media


Embrace it, social media is not going away and it's influence on the hunting community is just going to become more pervasive.  If anything in the hunting realm of social media is inevitable these days, it would be that you're going to see something or someone on social media who you either absolutely can not stand or someone you want to slap upside the head... For a while, I started getting quite negative about social media because I felt it was filling up with nobodies trying to be somebodies at any expense.  You would have one person make a name for themselves and then hundreds of others follow and almost copy exactly what their social media role model had done.   After seeing this over and over, it got to the point where I had negative feelings toward many of the posts and people I would see on social media.  I realized I had to stop being so negative as well as I realized I didn't want other people's stupidity have as much of an effect on my enjoyment on social media.  Sooo, I made a short list as advice on how to survive on social media! Enjoy:

1. Be yourself! Regardless if it's Cameron Hanes, Michael Waddell, or some local somebody that has a following on social media, they all have the same message that you need to do what works for you.  Of course they have their sponsorships they push, of course they feel they are the coolest person in the world, but they in no way want you to be anything other than yourself.  If one of them inspires you to do something like they do, that is great, but also take that motivation and personalize it! In other words, even if you do exactly what "so and so" says, realize that doesn't change who you are.  It just means you are still yourself but now do things like someone else...

2. Don't do things for attention.  Let's be clear... Almost all of social media is the, "look at me" mentality.  You share photos or events because you want others to see what your doing, or what has happened.  You share because you feel what you experienced is worth sharing.  I am in no way saying not to share. What I am saying is, if you go out to experience something SO that you can share it, then you have lost your purpose and reasoning behind why we do what we do.  Experience the world and the outdoors out of a love for the world and the outdoors.  Experience life because you love what you get out of it.  If you go through life looking for attention and praise of others, then you'll be disappointed when you don't get as many likes or shares... This is what motivates those egocentric bucket heads to shoot high fenced elk then claim they are fair chase animals on public land... We have seen too many incidences of TV hunters breaking laws or Instagram wannabe's who poach just to get a little bit of fame... Don't be "That guy"

3. Have integrity All of us would love a sponsorship of some sort that would get us free gear or some other benefit.  A question you have to ask yourself is, at what expense would you be willing to gain that benefit?  If you do have a following, understand that you are being watched by all those who follow you.  If one minute you say one things because one of your sponsors tells you to, then don't be surprised if you get called out when you turn around and say something contradictory a short time later.  If you are willing to change everything you stand for just to gain a sponsorship or affiliation with a certain group or company, understand that a person is only as good as their word... Don't lower your standards in hopes of gaining fame.

4. Don't be afraid to unfollow or unfriend.  I'll be the first to admit, I know I have been unfriended and unfollowed by some.  As much as I want to have a decent following on social media, I also am not offended or upset if someone chooses not to follow me.  You have your standards, your style, and your likings.  Let those be your guidelines on who you follow.  Regardless of how many followers a person has, how many shout outs, or what criteria a person may have, if you don't agree with what they post then unfriend or unfollow them.   Think for yourself and follow who you want to follow.  Even if you unfollow the "popular kids" you will still have other follow you for your content.  You will also enjoy your news feed a lot more once you purge your friend lists of those you dislike seeing.

Once I took my own advice and started following these simple four steps, I really did start to enjoy social media a lot more.  I didn't get annoyed any time I got on and saw multiple posts of people trying to be someone else.  I saw less work out/gym selfies, more family posts, hunting videos, and less high school drama.   Take ownership of your life in every aspect and be yourself.  Don't let social media have a negative impart on your hunting or create an culture of competition.  Share because what you experience is worth sharing.  Regardless of how many likes you get, love the memories you create and live!  Remember you make far more friends becoming interested in other people's lives than you ever will trying to convince other to be interested in your's.
One of my best memories I've shared yet one with very few "likes"


Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Weight Lifting IS NOT Hunting!

I know I may have already offended a large number of you just by the title of this post.  With that being said I WANT to hear your comments on the topic but just as ong thing before you make a comment.... Please read this whole post so you can understand the what and why behind the title before getting your gym shorts in a bunch...

Of course as anyone has already seen, you can't scroll through your social media now days without seeing numerous posts of hunters and huntresses making sure everyone knows they made it to the gym.  Then on the other hand, you have your MTN Ops cronies, Warrior Fuel gang, Dark Energy followers, Wilderness Athlete posy, as well as hand full of other groups making sure you know why they are taking a certain brand of supplements.  I have always been okay with these posts, but something about them has also always rubbed me a little wrong.  I could never put my finger on it until the other day when I was at a family reunion and a distant Uncle of mine started talking to me about supplements and social media.  At first I was annoyed and automatically tuned him out, but then I realized he was mocking social media and the over beaten topic of fitness and supplements.  This started a great conversation with he and I which I wanted to share with you all as well as open it up to your opinion.  As a reminder this is my opinion. You can agree with it or not, but my opinion is just as right as your opinion as our lives and situations are different. :)

Point #1 - Fitness is NOT hunting!!!! Yes, I said it... I don't care how much they overlap or how much one affects the other, they are TWO DIFFERENT TOPICS!  Anyone with two bits of a brain knows how you must be physically fit to hunt.  Also, anyone with the same two bits of a brain would know that you don't have to be in body building shape to hunt.  Does being more in shape make the hike in easier and less painful? Of course.  If you are out of shape are you not allowed to purchase a hunting license or a tag? NO! Lets be clear about people like Cameron Hanes, as much as he does for the industry and hunting, he has two very intertwined passions of his life: 1) Fitness/Body Building, and  2) Hunting.  Even though his fitness and bodybuilding influences his hunting, they are two different passions.  This is true for Cameron Hanes as well as EVERYONE ELSE WHO HUNTS!

Point #2 - You can love one and not the other.  I love hunting.... I mean I LOVE hunting. I also love working out.  As a former athlete and coach I am an advocate of being fit and maintaining a healthy life style.  As much as I love both of these aspects of my life, I would never look at anyone differently if they loved the one without loving the other.  If you love hunting but wish to do so while eating a dozen doughnuts in your ground blind, GO FOR IT! Love it! Enjoy the hell out of those doughnuts and I hope you get a great animal while on your hunt.  Yes I know that was a dumb analogy but come on people, we don't need to be "powered by ___________" while we are on our hunts.  I know many people who's only physical activity for the whole year is hunting season.  Yes they are out of shape, yes they know it and wish they weren't, but they also love hunting and they don't let their lack of fitness stop them from pursuing their passion of hunting.  Regardless of what social media portrays, you can love one without having to love the the other.  You can love hunting and have ZERO involvement in weight lifting, supplement taking, Accubows, or fitness routines.


Point #3 - Sheep... lets be honest about something... Things such as "The Industry", "Pro-Staff", "Field-Staff", "Adventure Team" seems to be so inclusive and involves all of us... Yet when EVERYONE is talking about being part of a team, pro-staff, or bla bla bla bla, we are turning into a hunting community where everyone gets a trophy... We complain about these "snowflakes" in the mainstream media talking about how delicate and pathetic they are, yet turn around and create an environment where everyone is special and deserves to be famous on social media because they are associated with some supplement company.  I don't care what supplements you take, I don't care how much time you spend in the gym, I don't care who's butt you kissed to promote yourself... I do care that you love hunting.  I do care that you do good in all the circles you are in.  I do care that you respect the animals and land you enjoy during hunting season.  I do care that you are a law abiding citizen and follow the laws of the land as well as ethically pursue the animal of your choice through the means of your choosing.  Don't fall into the trap or enticement of becoming something special just because you take MTN Ops like the rest of the one million sheep... I will say companies like MTN Ops are great! They do a lot of good and want to give back! I am in no way putting any company down or one company above another.  I am speaking in general terms using what is "popular" on our social media.  Also (and this is my biggest pet-peeve on this topic) stop creating an atmosphere where it's the MTN Ops cronies against the Warrior Fule or the Wilderness Athlete cronies or vice versa.  Social media is getting so clicky on who you support, what supplements you take, or what camo you wear.  Stop being sheep, don't do things or take things into your body just because someone tells you to...  Do what works for you.  Remember it doesn't matter what supplements you take or even IF you take ANY supplements, what matters is that you hunt.  That even goes for me, I write this post sharing my thoughts, If you don't agree that's fine.  Don't change or do something different just because someone like me shares their thoughts.  Do what works for you!

Regardless of what supplement you believe in, ask yourself how did you ever survive without it 5 years ago? The way we are portraying it on social media is that if you didn't have "X" then some of you would have never been able to get up that mountain, cross that canyon, or to pack out your harvest...  If that is true for you, then heaven forbid... I am SOOO glad you found that supplement because I would have hated to run into you on the mountain without it...

I will say, I am glad many hunters are wanting to improve their physical fitness to help them while hunting.  Everything I do, relates in one way or the other with hunting.  I also will never pretend to believe that everyone has to live a life like mine in order to hunt or love hunting the same way I do.  What works for me is what works for me. If you love taking your supplements keep doing it! Will you see a difference? Maybe, depending on your lifestyle, work ethic, and pure luck.  If it's one more thing you want to do to feel like you are giving it your all, then more power to you.  BUT lets remember that they are still two different areas of your life.

I will confess, I have taken supplements, and I also feel the ones I took were great! I am in no way condemning taking supplements but rather making a stand to point out the gym photos, supplement photos, and "gains" selfies are getting a bit much.

Hunting season is starting in many states, so lets focus our attention on pursuing the outdoors.  If you want to keep posting the gym selfies then go for it.  When you include the #elkshape #huntfit or one of the other million trendy hashtags I'll just roll my eyes, like your photo, and move on.  Just remind yourself once and a while that those supplements you are saying are so necessary were not around a few years ago and hunters did just fine without them so stop pretending they are THEE key factor to hunting success...







Sunday, July 9, 2017

"How NOT To DIY Paracord Gun Sling"


Looks good from far but is far from good... 
Paracord is one of those things that became rather trendy for a while then died of a bit, but the functionality of having an abundance of paracord while in the woods is priceless.  I have used paracord numerous times while hunting to help secure an animal to my pack, fix broken gear, or even to make a shelter.  I have also used it countless times while camping and scouting for just about everything.  Especially with kids, you will always have a moment you'll need some paracord.  These are some of the reasons why I decided to make myself a paracord gun sling!

I have been following Chelsea from SOS Gear for quite some time now and even have some of their items.  I have seen their gun slings and have thought they were pretty cool.  I will admit, I didn't want to spend any more than I had to so I decided I would DIY (Do It Yourself) and build my own. I mean really how hard could it be... 

I had made a few bracelets here and there at family reunions and thought my bit of experience could be aided by a few YouTube videos in order to get me the finished product I wanted.  I watched 3-4 videos and was feeling okay about starting my project but had never woven any of the styles I was watching... I found one video with a pattern I could easily follow and was confident in which made up my mind that I was going to make this.  
The unintentional switch of colors... 

I purchased two colors of paracord, got me long board I could attach my gun sling brackets on, and began my work.  One of the quickest lessons I learned about making a paracord gun sling, was the fact that when you buy one from someone like Chelsea at SOS Gear, you aren't just buying a product that cost "X" amount of money for the supplies to make it, but you are also paying for the time they put into it... It didn't take long for me to get tired of tying my knots and making my sling.  After a few hours I realized the length of paracord I bought wasn't long enough so I ran back to the store to get the same color.... or course my luck was that I had bought the last one in that color so I had to improvise and add another color.... I wasn't to happy about this, but at this point of my project I was just anxious just to get it done.  

By the end of my project I has spent hours tying knots, spent more than I wanted to on paracord due to not getting the right amount the first time, and my gun sling didn't look near as good as I wanted it to.  Yes it works, It twists a little on the ends where the paracord attaches to the brackets, but it lets me carry my rifle on my shoulder.  

Twists at brackets :/

I'm sure my next one could turn out better, but if I could do it all again, this is what I would do: #1 get off YouTube and buy a gun sling from SOS Gear. Don't waste your money or time trying to make one yourself.  As satisfying as it is making something yourself and using it, I would like my gun sling to be more comfortable, look better, and be tied at a higher quality than mine is.  SOS Gear prides themselves for making quality products which are made to use, not just look nice.  Having an item that is functional, durable, and doesn't look like a 3rd grader made it is well worth the money.  So there you have it, this is my confession that DIY is not always the best way to go.  If you are in the market for a rifle sling, or any other cool paracord item, be sure to check out SOS Gear.

@sosgearmt Twitter and Instagram

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Sturgeon Through The Ice!!!

As many of you know, I am an avid ice fisherman.  I would go as far as saying I'm borderline obsessed with it.  Most people look forward to the summer/spring so they can get out of the house and explore the mountains, while I'm constantly watching the thermometer hoping for below freezing temperatures.  I have caught a number of large fish through the ice, and have caught a hand full of different species while ice fishing, but I recently had an opportunity which has never even crossed my mind.  Ice fish for sturgeon here in Idaho! Yes, you read that right... I had the opportunity to pull a sturgeon through the ice here in Idaho ON AN ICE FISHING ROD!!!

The Idaho Statesman posted an article on January 9th 2017 of a man in Parma Idaho who has a private pond stocked full of sturgeon and other fish.  After reading the article and watching the video on the post, I knew that I had to take advantage of the opportunity! From my home, Parma is close to a 6 hour drive across the state.  My buddy Lucas from work, who showed me the Idaho Statesman article told me that he wanted to go and that we could made a day trip out of it if we were dedicated enough.  We decided to plan on our next day off work to make the 6 hour drive, fish for 9 hours, and then drive back.  As crazy as that sounded to me, I am always focused on being with my family and being home with my kids, so I was all for making the sacrifice of sleep to make this trip a reality without being gone from my family any more than I had to be.

When January 16th arrived, my alarm sounded off at 2:00 AM.... I gathered my things and hit the road to my buddy Lucas' house.  When I arrived, we packed my gear into his vehicle and we headed toward Parma with high hopes of landing a fish we never thought would be a possibility for through the ice.  After the 5+ hour drive we arrived at the Poor Fish Ranch owned by Jim Schwartz.  Jim set us up with bait, tackle (including barbless hooks of course), and all of the info we needed to be successful on his pond.  We talked about how sturgeon have no bones or teeth and how we need to be super careful as far as how we handled them.  We had to drill at least 4 holes which all connected to each other in order to have a hole large enough to get the fish through the ice.

As we started fishing, it wasn't long before we had a bite or two.  The Sturgeon were lightly biting and we had to be paying attention or they would just suck the bait off the hook and move on.  It wasn't long before we had our first sturgeon on the ice! Lucas' kids pulled a few smaller (20"+) sturgeon in, and then one of his sons ended up hooking a pretty good one! The fight lasted a good 8 minutes before we were able to pull a nice 3+ footer through the ice.
We kept fishing, pulling an occasional 2 footer or so through the ice, when all of a sudden my Jawjacker went off.  I ran to the rod and grabbed it as the sturgeon at the other end decided to let me know it wasn't very happy to have a hook in it's mouth... Immediately my reel started losing line as the fish swam straight away from the ice hole.  Unlike any of the other fish I've ever caught through the ice,  this fish swam at a steady pace directly away from me and there was nothing I could do to even slow it down.  Once I began to gain some line back on the fish, the battle turned into a yo-yo game of who was going to give up first.  As soon as I reeled in a few feet of line, the sturgeon would decided to take it right back plus a little extra just to show me I was in for the long haul! This battle continued until I was able to get the fish up toward the hole and then a whole new dynamic entered my mind as I now had to figure out how I was going to get this fish out of the hole.  While fishing the fish and holding the pole in one hand, I was reaching into the water past my elbows to try and get the fish's head to turn up into the hole.  Just as I was about to give up and unhook the fish under the ice, I was able to get it's head turned and began up the hole.  Once the tip of nose came above the water, I reached down to grab the fish behind it's pectoral fins to lift it out onto the ice. By now the fish was out of the water up to it's front fins and it was close to 2 feet long just from the tip of it's nose to it's pectoral fin... just then my barbless hook popped out of the fish's mouth, nearly missing my buddies face, and my fish I had just spent the last few minutes fighting with slipped back down the hole and swam away...

As angry as I could have been that I didn't land that big fish, the fight I had was by far the most epic battle I have ever had on the ice.  I was still smiling ear to ear with the fact that I got a glimpse of how big this fish was, was truly amazing.  Everyone in my fishing party kept fishing as we were all on a high and a low from the recent events.  Shortly after we began fishing again, we started getting a few more fish on the ice.  Throughout the day, we all had battles that would make lasting impressions on our minds.  We all pulled in fish that were very large, much bigger than any other fish we have pulled through an ice hole.  We also lost a few fish that came unhooked or just came off at the tip of the ice that were absolute monsters! Throughout the day the 5 that were in our party ended up catching around 30 sturgeon + or - a few.
At the end of the day I look back on the experience and it all seems a bit surreal.  I was pulling sturgeon through the ice, lifting them out of the water, and then releasing them back down the hole.... I fought a fish so hard I could barely feel my arm afterwards.  I pulled a fish out of the water that was close to, if not older than I am.  This trip was well worth the drive, well worth the $25 to fish at the Poor Fish Ranch, and well worth the time.  I would encourage any avid ice fisherman, or any fisherman for that matter, to reach out to Jim Schwartz and take the opportunity to fish his pond for these amazing fish.