8 Ways To Rekindle Your Flame For The Outdoors

Photo: Chris Carson

This morning while I was working on tuning my bow, I had a few random thoughts that are worth exploring. I'm sure I have touched on this subject before, but as I continue to age and consider these things, I find different perspectives.  

To me, hunting and fishing is a passion. I love the outdoors and have enjoyed horseback riding, canoeing, hiking, swimming, camping, even flying, and just about anything else you can imagine doing in the outdoors.  Since the days when I was a kid and we would roam the neighborhoods, alleys, and fields that were close by, I have always enjoyed the adventure. Hunting and fishing though, seem to be the activities I enjoy most.  

Photo: Cole Carson

Early on, it was anywhere I went with my brother.  Fishing or hunting, it didn't matter!  I believe this shaped my desire to hunt and fish.  In high school, my buddy James and I did alot of fishing... So much so, that I almost didn't graduate.  Once I did graduate, it was off to school in Breham, TX where we spent more time hunting and fishing with our new found freedom away at college. 

Since then I began hunting with another buddy from high school. We paid for leases, put in lots of work, traveled to and from together.  One of those leases was in East Texas.  A 5 hour drive from home and we had some adventures along the way. Now I'm on the lease with both of those guys and it's a stroke of luck to be able to hunt together. Usually the times that we do ride together are spent discussing business or racing there and back because we all have other commitments. A little over a year ago, I had the pleasure of hog hunting with a buddy that just moved down from Iowa and killed his first hog.  The experience was a refreshing change from the normal grind that has become my hunting experience. 

Photo: James Plant

Getting to the point here, I've caught many fish over the years, killed my share of varmints, deer,
quail, hogs, dove, javalina, etc. and it's always the pursuit that is memorable.  I remember more details of hunts where I was not successful than I do of hunts where I tagged an animal.  This is not to say that the enjoyment of success is not memorable either.  But, sometimes I think the success of the hunt clouds the work it took to pull it off. 

The last several years I have found myself hunting and fishing by myself or quick little afternoon hunts with a few friends at the lease.  This seems more methodical in nature, more like I'm just putting meat on the table and nothing more.  The fact that I don't have anyone there with me to share success and failure with seems to take the fun out of these endeavors.  Over the years, I have heard oldtimers tell me that they don't hunt anymore.  On the occasions I have asked why, invariably they tell me "I'm just not that mad at them anymore." and laugh it off.  

Photo: Chuck Crowsey

To me, it has never been about the animal, as much as adventure.  All the little things that go wrong along the way that must be overcome to be successful are what makes the trip an adventure. I think what these oldtimers are really saying is that they find no adventure in it anymore.  

Drilling down further, the question becomes how do we turn monotony into adventure?  Off the top of my head, here are a few suggestions:

• Go with people you don't usually go with.
• Pursue a new species.
• Try a different means of hunting (i.e bowhunting) or fishing (fly fishing).
• Try a different method like spot and stalk or sight fishing.
• Switch up your hunting areas or find a new honey hole.
• Lease a new property to hunt or start fishing rivers instead of lakes, or deep pot holes instead of flats or mangroves.
• Hunt Public Lands, Plan a trip to fish new lakes you have never fished.
• Hunt or fish out of state.  Make a vacation of it.

Photo Chuck Crowsey

I don't think I've ever been "mad" at an animal or fish.  I know that response is a humorous way to shrug off the real answer.  Maybe the answer is different for different people, but I have been struggling with balancing work, family, and hobbies.  It takes a toll on my outdoor activities and I have recently been thinking "Maybe I'm just not mad at them anymore!" LOL!

The good news, is I have 3 kiddos that have never shot any animal with any means. So, here is hoping that one or all of them will be my new outdoor adventure buddy! Maybe each in different ways!

By the way, in case you were wondering, the old Bear Crux is doing great!  On the other hand I may need glasses.

 

Opening Day

Photo: Chris Carson

I see it already at Twisted Oak.  The deer hunters have woken out of their sleepy, air conditioned, Summer hibernation (and honestly, I can't blame them).  Some are coming from fishing the lakes and bays, and some have been on vacations. Usually around August, we realize that there is work to be done on the lease and feeders need to be fed.  With that usually comes a little hog and varmint hunting, because you can't go to the lease or ranch without doing some hunting. It is with bated breath that we wait... and wait.... for that most sacred day to a deer hunter... OPENING DAY! 

September will bring Dove Season.  This year, it will be the longest in 80 years for the State of Texas. An extra 20 days will have hunters scouring the skies in search of that tell tale silhouette of a dove. The bruised shoulders will come and go, millions of shotgun shells will be spent, dove bags will grow full with birds and shells, and the weather will begin to turn cooler.

Photo: James Plant

With the smell of gun powder still lingering and feathers sill dancing on the wind, October will bring Open Day of Bow Season.  Bowhunters will camo up, spray themselves down, and head out to climb into their stands. These thrill seeking deerstalkers live for the opportunity to match wits and
senses with the wariest of prey in order to feed the family.  For most, the thrill of getting into the habitat, where the animal eats, sleeps and/or travels to conceal themselves and release and make a clean ethical kill shot at incredibly close distances is exhilarating to say the least.  

Photo: Chris Carson

November brings Opening Day of Gun Season.  With the pursuit of wild game on their minds, a yearning for cold weather and bags of gear for all occasions, these predators will rise early and head quietly into the woods with the goal of putting dinner on the table with the same clean ethical kill shot at great distances.

Photo: Chris Carson

Whether you hunt with a bow or a gun or both, Opening Day is usually circled on your calendar.  A sacred day that one waits for, dreams about, plans for... Lives for.  For many hunters, luck and superstitions that carry on all season are born on Opening Day.  
Routines are set, deer are killed, tags are filled, deer are skinned and cleaned, and stories are shared around the campfire.  It's a fellowship among hunters, a bond that is created, a brotherhood... for some, a calling.  Life is good!

What does Opening Day mean to you? Which one do you celebrate? Do you celebrate both? Do you celebrate at all?  Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.

Lower Barriers To Hunting & Fishing Opportunities

A nice little winter bass for Cole at Boerne Lake.
Photo: Chris Carson

Last week, a blog post caught my eye and I only skimmed over it with the intention of getting back to it later.  Of course, I can't find it now.  However, it touched on my post that I wrote earlier in the week Grumpy Old Men: Retirement or Bucket List. 

Basically the post outlined the decline in hunting and fishing licenses sold in Minnesota.  I don't remember the statistics, but it is safe to say that there is a HUGE decline in hunting and fishing in that state.  It seems alarming to me that a place as wild as Minnesota would experience this sort of decline.  The other point that it made was that many states are making it MORE DIFFICULT to hunt or fish.

As a community, outdoor enthusiasts must work to turn the tide on this situation.  You may not think that this is an issue for you in your state, but you are probably wrong.  Early this year, I attended a Angler's Education Course to be certified as an instructor through Texas Parks & Wildlife.  One of the things we discussed in that course was the fact that license sales and the sale of hunting and fishing merchandise were declining across the country as a whole and that programs like the one we were training for and others across the country depend on the taxes levied on outdoor products and funds collected from license sales to exist.  I'm not going to waste my time or yours with statistics in this post.  I will research it in depth at some point and provide some concrete evidence, but here in Texas, those numbers are declining as well.

Caitlyn Glassing the South Texas brush for a deer.

The connection made between the two posts was that we should be lowering barriers to hunting and fishing opportunities (adventure), not increasing them.  Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating repealing game laws or licensing requirements, but our legislators and wildlife agencies should be looking for ways to remove barriers wherever possible.  One way could be to build more neighborhood ponds and small lakes.  When I was a kid, there were public archery ranges in parks in San Antonio. There are dedicated Archery Parks in Alabama (and I'm sure other states as well).

"The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Archery Trade Association and local communities have developed 10 community archery parks. The parks are located throughout the state and feature a variety of shooting distances and targets." - outdooralabama.com 

Even a cranky teenager
cracks a smile and lets down
 her guard outdoors.
Photo: Chris Carson

Many times now, the problem is access.  I don't practice shooting my bow as much as I would like to because I share a backyard fence with no fewer than 5 neighbors.  Granted, they are privacy fences and I am not shooting any crazy distances (at least not there), but I don't want to have my kids out there shooting either because sometimes, you never know where that arrow is going.  We usually relegate our shooting to the lease or our demo range behind the store.  I haven't looked, but my guess is there is a city ordinance against such things.  The program outlined above would be a great way to increase access to outdoor activities and provide a safe practice range for bowhunters and archery enthusiasts.

Yesterday, I was just thinking about the lack of opportunities for good fishing around San Antonio. There are creeks and lakes around town, but most are a little suspect.  Too many people, too much trash, too much drinking and partying, not enough fish. More importantly, not a place I want to take my kids.  Although, I will say that yesterday, I did take Cole to a small pond close to the house and we had a pleasant afternoon. We didn't catch any fish, but Cole had fun chasing and catching frogs. But I'm talking about places you can launch a kayak and fish for few hours after work without an hour drive.

Uncle Chuck teaching Cole
the "rod holder method".
Video: Chris Carson

We travel to Austin and the surrounding communities quite a bit for baseball.  I have noticed that they have done what seems like a fantastic job of adding ponds to their park facilities.  In addition to  Lake Travis and Lake Austin, there is Decker Lake, Lady Bird Lake, Granger Lake, and numerous ponds in parks and communities off the top of my head.  I am assuming these are for flood and erosion control in many instances.  San Antonio has Olmos Basin (which only holds water in flood events), along with Woodlawn Lake, Calaveras, and Braunig.  All of which are on the opposite side of town from me and tend to be crowded and over-fished.  Not to mention somebody usually drives a car into Woodlawn Lake at least once a year.

San Antonio has done an outstanding job developing the creeks into a linear parks system called greenways.  It's a great concept that links parks via the creeks with walking/running/riding trails including some off the beaten path segments for hikers, mountain bikers, and BMXers.  We have enjoyed them immensely and look forward to more park development as what is there is becoming more and more crowded.  I do think and hope that more ponds and possibly some archery ranges could easily be incorporated.

Big smile anticipating a great fishing trip
and it was.
Photo: Chris Carson

With the myriad of things wrong with the leadership in this country, it seems like this should be the least of our worries.  However, there are those that seek to destroy our way of life (and it is a way of life Why Do I Hunt & Fish? It's A Way Of Life ), by limiting our access to these activities if not removing them altogether.  I see it everywhere... Last night, I was watching a rerun of CSI and a deer hunter was continually referred to as a "deer hater".  Add CSI to the list of shows and movies I no longer want to watch.  Don't even get me started on the trash I see on Facebook or what I have seen removed.

We live in uncertain times.  This country is changing and life as we know it will not be the same for our kids and grandkids much the way ours differs from our ancestors.  A hundred years ago, nobody would have thought twice about seeing a dead animal.  Nobody questioned the natural cycle of life or that humans are at their core predators.  But, in this day and age that all seems to be up for debate.

So, ask your local politicians where they stand on these issues. Pressure city and county leaders to incorporate lakes and ponds and ask your state wildlife officials to stock them.  Texas Parks and Wildlife has a program for this purpose called Neighborhood Fishin'.  This is an excellent way to connect kids to the outdoors.

All the photos in this post are my kids enjoying the outdoors.  Can you imagine an America where this would be frowned upon?  To some folks, it already is frowned upon.  Note the smiles that never would have happened if it were not for these trips!  Video games, computers, and indoor activities don't generate these sort of responses.  Would you frame a photo of your kids playing on a cell phone or snap a quick pic of high score on a video game?

If you have any relevant ideas or program ideas, let us know in the comments below or on Facebook.

A great fishing trip out of Port Mansfield, TX.  Cole's first saltwater trip.  A Texas Slam for the weekend.
Photos: Chris Carson

3 Tips You Can Use Now For A Successful Bow Season

Practicing what I preach.
Photo: Caitlyn Carson

It's July here in Texas, and that means it's probably 105 degrees in the shade.  While the air conditioning may be calling your name, so is your bow.  Yes, your bow.  That tool you use to take down all manner of game.  If you are like most bow hunters, your bow has been sitting in it's case in the garage just hoping and waiting for a little attention from you.

Even in South Texas evening temperatures begin easing off into the mid to lower 90's.  As long as you are in the shade in Texas, the evening breeze will keep you reasonably cool.  This is the perfect opportunity to dust off the old target, throw some bacon wrapped venison bites and jalapeno poppers on the grill and start getting tuned up for archery season.

Cole putting in some work  
Photo Chris Carson

PRACTICE shooting without your rangefinder.  There will always be that one time that you forget the rangefinder in the truck or the batteries are dead.  How many times have you barely made it into the stand and been busted reaching for it or putting it down to grab your bow.  Know your ranges by sight.  By walking around to different areas and angles to shoot, you will gain a good "feel" for yardage and will be prepared to shoot without having to use the rangefinder.

PRACTICE shooting from the position you will be in while hunting.  If you are a tree stand hunter, practice drawing the bow standing in a position as if you were aiming at an animal below.  Slowly raise the bow to the target take aim and release.  If you typically sit on a 5 gallon bucket in a ground blind, then break out the 5 gallon bucket and sling some arrows.  Vary your shots by distances and angles.  Mix up the platforms a bit.  You never know what opportunity will arise in the field. Practice holing on target for 10, 20, 30 seconds or a minute.

Photo Chris Carson

PRACTICE shooting at long distances.  This can be fun, but requires a large area to safely be able to shoot at some very long distances.  Many hunters report a higher level of confidence in their shot when they practice at long distances.  Confidence is key in anything you do, so learn to shoot a tight group at 60, 70, 80 yards or more.

In addition, your equipment must be performing properly.  If it's been awhile since your last service, or you are in the market for a new bow, come see us at Twisted Oak Hunting & Outfitter Supply.  We are a full service bow shop.  We will custom fit you for a new bow or repair and tune your bow for success.  Also, we just got back from our annual trip to Mississippi to get new product and supplies, so we have some great pre-season specials going on right now like $100 off on our 300 lb. winch up Spin Tech tripod feeders with solar panel, 12 volt battery, and 6 bags of Orange Corn.

A small sampling of products you will find at Twisted Oak
Photo: Chris Carson

So there you have it, the 3 tips are PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.  Like any sport, archery requires a skill set.  You must be able to put the right pin, in the right place, at the right time, with the right wind, at the right yardage, with the right angle, in the right shooting lane. I've had the unfortunate experience of watching my arrow sail past my prey.  As I tell my baseball players, you will play like you practice.  Games are won on the practice field and in the batting cages and lost on the couch and on the electronic devices they spend all their time using.  Likewise, tight practice groups translate to humane kill shots in the field.


Take the kids outdoors this weekend, introduce them to archery, or some aspect of the outdoors they may have never seen.  Take them for a hike, a swim in the river, or better yet, both!  Make some memories.  If you need more ideas, check out 46 Things To Do Within 46 Miles of Hwy. 46.