Post from Chad: Magical Outdoors

Some 20-odd-years ago my parents purchased a small ranch in South-Central Oklahoma. Since then I have  taken several nice deer in the 130's, a couple in the 140's, and one deer that I'm sure would have made it in the 150's. Unfortunately, I did not find him till a year later. I have been fortunate enough to see some great deer.  I have even taken a shot at a deer I later learned was killed by another hunter that scored over the 180 mark. Over the years there have been deer that I am blessed to have the privilege of seeing while hunting: a 1-year-old 10-point with split g2's, a 3-year-old with a great 130+ 14-point rack, and just two years ago a 22+ point buck. Yes, there are a lot of people that see these types of deer, but not everyone gets to see and help grow them on their own place.

I do not think anyone will disagree when I say a hunter's main goal is to see and grow big bucks.  However, one thing I have had the pleasure of seeing in my hunting career is a piebald deer. Yes, piebald deer!  For anyone that has not seen one, they are colored similar to an English pointer. About 10 years ago while hunting up the hill from our small cabin at the ranch, I saw something that, truthfully, scared the S!#T out of me. It looked like a ghost deer.  I thought this is it!  This is what I get for shooting all those small bucks!  He was facing me straight on and from his feet to his ears was solid white. When he finally turned broad side I could see that he had splotches of brown and white. I knew then that I was seeing something that I might never see again.  As I watched him, my young finger really wanted to pull the trigger on my gun, but the sportsman side of me told me not to. Still today, I am glad I didn't. Unfortunately, later on that year I was in a local hunting store and saw the picture of the same buck. Another hunter had taken the deer. I was broken hearted.  I thought for sure that I would never see anything like that again.

Well, I was wrong.  As most of you know, we had an extreme drought this year in, what I call, the southern part of the Midwest.  In June I started getting pictures of bucks and does at the feeders and protein stations, when I usually only have pics of hogs and coons.  I had some funny looking pictures on my camera and one of the deer had some funny coloring to it. I was having a hard time telling if it was the deer or the camera.  My camera had started malfunctioning  and taking bad pics, so immediately I purchased a new one which worked great. It was then I realized there was another piebald deer in the woods. She is just a yearling doe, but I was fortunate enough to see her on several occasions, and I am hoping to watch her grow over the next few years.

As hunters there are things that we take for granted, but keep in mind you are seeing things that most people do not, or something that you may not get the chance to see again.      -Chad

Female Hunting Heritage

I grew up in a hunting family.  We have had a family deer lease in Mason County, TX that has served five generations of my family.  Many people joke that Chad married me for my hunting family... not for me!  It has been a tradition for many years for my great-grandfather, grandfather, father, uncles, cousins, and now, my husband and sons to hunt at this deer lease. The weekends at the deer lease are for male bonding - because only men could stand to stay out there.  The decades old outhouse, and the mice and roach invested, tin roofed, dilapidated cabin should be burned down in my female opinion! The deer lease is definitely a man's world!  But, times are changing and hunting is no longer just a male sport.

With all these hunters in my family, I was never taken hunting as a child.  There are far too few stories of girls being brought up with their families teaching them how to hunt as children.  The growing number of huntresses I talk to got into the sport by their husbands/boyfriends in their adult years.  I believe this goes to show how the image of the female hunter is changing. It is pretty obvious from the hunting industry's attention to the female hunter that this is where the future of the hunting legacy is heading.  From hunting apparel made to fit the woman hunter, to bows and guns made to attract the female eye, to hunting organizations formed to support the female hunter, we have gained the attention of the male dominated hunting industry.

According to the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) 2012 annual report, female hunters have increased dramatically.  Female hunters have increased from 13.8% of all hunters in 2002 to 16.3% of all hunters in 2009 (see http://www.qdma.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/WR2012.pdf) and that number continues to go up.  What was even more interesting to me was that the average age of the male hunter ranges from 36.8 (in archery) to 40.9 (in muzzleloader), compared to the average age of the female hunter is 32.0 (in muzzleloader) to 35.5 (in firearms).  And on top of that, the greatest increase in female hunters was in the 17-24 year age range.

More and more moms and dads are taking their daughters hunting.  We have a good friend who takes his daughters hunting every chance he gets.  It is hard to compete with cheerleading, soccer games, and weekend sleep overs, but they love being in the woods and spending time with their daddy.  Teaching girls to love nature and how to use a gun not only increases the number of future hunters and continues the hunting heritage, but it teaches girls patience, preparation, confidence, and self worth.  Qualities that many 
girls find hard to associate with in today's society.

Unfortunately, even the hunting industry has started to feed on the female image by sporting sexy marketing ads.  I get frustrated seeing the camouflage swimsuits, lingerie, and skimpy clothing sold by major hunting retailers.  Camouflage has a purpose and it has never been to make you look sexy!  However, hunting is still a male dominated sport and sex sells! It makes me literally sick to see the "booth babes" that adorn many of the retailer's booths at trade shows and exhibitions. The degradation of women in an industry that has the opportunity to really build the self esteem of girls turns me away from those retailers and hurts the future of this sport.

Take your daughters out hunting.  It is an amazing way to increase their confidence and self worth, and it is so important in today's society and for the future of hunting.

...Priceless

One camo shirt, one compound bow, one trip out in the woods...pr - oh wait... one bottle of scent free spray, one bag of corn, one trip out in the woods.. pri - oh wait... one new rifle, one deer feeder, one trip out in the woods...pric - oh wait... one pair of gloves, one rangefinder, one trip out in the woods... pricel - oh wait...

You could go on and on when it comes to hunting gear and the amount of items one hunter needs for a good hunt!  It took a long time and many money fights for Chad and me to finally gain ground on a "hunting budget".  There are a few unwritten rules in our household when it comes to buying hunting equipment.  First and foremost - when Chad comes up with something else he has to have - I don't say "no".  As long and the word N-O is not in the discussion it goes so much smoother. Second, whatever it is we pay cash! Now, wait... let me explain a little.

We struggled our way through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace.  It took us over 5 years to pay off an enormous amount of debt.  Along the way we still bought bows, guns, deer feeders, and even a boat.  We paid cash, but it slowed down our debt reduction.  I know some of the things Dave would say to us and some of the names he would call us for making many of these purchases while still fighting our way out of debt!  However, each couple has to establish their own way of dealing with financial situations and ours was a compromise. Chad did the best he could to find used equipment, or find great deals, and used discretion when buying hunting gear . I just didn't say "no".  I learned to set aside a certain amount of money in our budget for unexpected hunting expenses. There was only a certain amount of funds to work with and we would have to make decisions on which items to buy.  This included an astronomical amount of money for gas as we traveled back and forth between Texas and Oklahoma.  Chad and I work quite a bit of overtime during the months of February through August saving for hunting season.  We work hard so we can play harder!

Is it really necessary to have all that gear to enjoy hunting?  Hunting has been a means of survival since Adam and Eve.  Did they have the high optic scopes, or the thermal insulated underwear, or the scent free technology that has become a "must have" in hunting society?  There are a slew of good products out there that make the hunting experience more comfortable and empower the hunter to manage their property and their deer population.  The common property owner is now able to track the deer population with game cameras, provide the minerals for antler growth, and study the deer movements and habitats using Iphone apps! 

However, there are ways to manage your deer population without breaking the bank.  Here are a few of the tips Chad and I have learned over the years. 

1) The best scent free technology is nature itself.  Just two drops of skunk urine on a cotton ball next to you in the stand is the best scent defense out there.  It costs about $19.99 a bottle and beats spending $100s on the scent free suit!  The big buck that comes out without any knowledge of your whereabouts is worth the smell.

2) Game cameras are one of the greatest inventions created in the hunting industry.  We found a brand of game camera called Wildview Digital Scouting Camera with Infrared on Amazon for less than $60.00.  They have lasted us for three seasons through extreme weather conditions. It includes a date and time stamp and provides a clear 2 Mp picture.

3) Building a brush shelter far out ways those expensive pop up blinds or high dollar pre-fabricated blinds. 

4) Chad spends a lot of time on the Texas Hunting Forum and the Texas Fishing Forum looking for good deals on hunting and fishing equipment.  We have bought all of our bows and many of our guns used.  You can also find some great deals at pawn shops.  Pawn shops are a horrible way to sell your hunting gear, but they can be a great resource if you know what you are looking for and do your research on the items you are buying. 

5) We always save a little of our hunting budget to spend at the after season sales.  We found hunting shirts for the whole family for 0.88 cents a piece at Academy after this past hunting season.  Deer stands, feeders, camo, arrows, and broadheads were just some of the things we found at rock bottom prices at the end of the season.
Our hunting purchases and  financial plan are not necessarily Dave Ramsey approved!  However, it has worked for us and has allowed us to pursue our passion without incurring debt or spending our last penny.  There are ways to be a great hunter without spending a  lot of money.  The hunting industry is a huge money maker and we contribute a fair share of our income to the industry.  But, spending that one trip out in the woods truly is priceless.  Watching your son take his first deer is a life changing experience.  I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world! 

Are there ways you have found to save money on hunting gear?