February 10th, 2008
By Arthur

What an action packed day we had yesterday.  We did head out to the Deer and Turkey Spectacular and I have to say that this year was probably thee best show I have been too since I started attending.  I’m not sure if it was because we utilized the show more, or if it was because the show was just better all around, but it was a very good time and made for a fun informative day.

We did sit through two seminars and both were very educational and eye opening.  The first one was from Greg Abbas.  All of you may know Greg from his A-way Outdoors TV program that airs on The Sportsman Channel.  We sat through Greg’s turkey hunting seminar and let me just tell you that it was definitely an eye opener for Jeff, Jenn, and I.  He pointed out a few common mistakes that beginner turkey hunters seem to do, and I have to admit that Jeff and I were guilty of quite a few of them.  His seminar was excellent and I would recommend it to anyone.  He was a very good speaker and knew how to keep the audience entertained while also providing excellent tips and knowledge.  We can’t wait to use some of that knowledge this coming season.

We also listened to John Eberhart, who has a book called Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails.  John is a very knowledgable guy and shoots some incredible bucks from our home state, but I have to be honest and say that I was a little bored during his session.  You have to listen to the guy though, because he really knows his stuff, especially when it comes to hunting mature bucks in our home state.

We also saw archery trick shooter Byron Ferguson.  This gentleman’s skill with a long bow is just amazing.  I asked and found out that he started shooting when he was 12 and man is he incredible.  It was nice to actually see him miss once as well.  It just proved to me that he was human and I enjoyed that for some reason.  He does some incredible shots and is an excellent show for the kids as well.  He geared a lot of things towards them and I was very impressed with his overall showmanship.  I know my nephew Tyler thoroughly enjoyed watching him.

Jeff also entered a couple of his deer from past years and had them officially scored.  It is funny how one rack can look much bigger than another yet not score as much as the other.  I hope that made sense.  You can see the results in the pictures so I won’t say them here, but at least he knows what one to brag about as his biggest now.

We also talked to some local gentleman from the local chapters of QDMA, Michigan Bowhunters Association, and even realized that Family Tradition Treestands were based in the town I grew up in, and still currently live, yet I didn’t even know they were anywhere close to me.  The things you found out.

I will go into more depth on a few of those organizations, and also plan on doing a little story about Family Tradition Treestands in the near future so stay tuned for those.

Overall we had a very good day, and the kids had a blast as well.  They sported their balloon creations for a good part of the show and loved seeing the live animals and checking out everything that the show had to offer.

The only downside to the day was that we spent so much time at the show that we never did make it over to the Michigan Historical Museum A Hunting We Will Go exhibit.  We’ll have to save that for another day.

Popularity: 21% [?]

February 06th, 2008
By Arthur

I sat down the other night to read our local Community Newspaper and noticed that the Michigan Historical Museum was putting on a neat little history lesson for all of us who enjoy hunting and the outdoors.

They have an exhibit that runs though March 31st entitled A-Hunting We Will Go.  This exhibit covers the history of Michigan hunting and its impact on the state in the past and present.   It covers prominent outdoor businesses in the state, such as Jays Sporting Goods, and also features pieces about Fred Bear and Ted Nugent, and their impact on the Michigan hunting community.  It even touches on the Mackinaw Bridge and its role in Michigan hunting traditions and the impact it has had on the traditional up-north hunting trips.

I honestly had no idea that this exhibit existed until this article, but I am glad that I ran across it and I plan on visiting this exhibit some time in the near future.  I thought I might even be able to work it in this weekend after we get done with the local outdoor show that we are going to visit.  That would make for a great day.

I think it would be an awesome activity for the whole hunting family to enjoy and best of all parking and admission is free on the weekends.  I hope to visit real soon and I’m hoping they let us take a few pictures to share as well.

Popularity: 15% [?]

January 18th, 2008
By Arthur

That title should be an attention getter for people reading the blog, but really it was meant more for myself. It is a reminder that I need to stop talking and start doing. I know it sounds harsh to say that to myself, but in reality it is so true and definitely needs to be followed through on.

Despite having an outdoor blog, and writing posts for the entire world to see, I really tend to be an introvert. I have this tendency to not really venture outside my comfort zone. I always want to get out and meet some more people and do some more things, but I tend to keep away from things and places that I don’t know well or I’m not comfortable with. That needs to stop now.

I have been talking on this blog for months about promoting the outdoors, and putting hunters in a positive light, but I feel that I need to do more. I have done a few things here and there and have helped get kids into the outdoors, but I need to get out and make some more connections to help promote hunters and get all of our voices heard. This has to happen, not only amongst the hunting community, but also outside of the community where there are certainly plenty of people on the fence that just need a few solid facts to come over to our side.

First on my list is to attend a wild game dinner at one of our local churches here in town. I have been helping a friend moderate his website forum, and great Michigan outdoor resource, and one of the partners to the site is sponsoring this dinner. COMPASS Outdoors is the local organization and I am looking forward to meeting a couple of the gentleman who founded this organization at the dinner. You have to bring a wild game dish to pass, so I have to figure out exactly what I’m going to bring. It should provide a good place to share some hunting stories, meet some new friends, and get to try some great tasting outdoor recipes.

Second on my list is to attend Big Buck Night that is being held at another local church here in town. I thought this would be another excellent way to to meet some new people, while enjoying some food and getting to see some monster bucks that were shot in the area. The event features coverage and a special presentation from Michigan Out-of-Doors Television. Hopefully it will give me an opportunity to meet Tony Hansen. The editor of the Michigan Out-of-Doors Magazine and a featured person in an article I wrote about the MUCC. It definitely will be a great way to promote my blog as well. I’m looking forward to it.

Third is a very important goal. I felt terrible about this years Outdoor Bloggers Summit getting cancelled, but I just could not work it into the schedule for the year. That being said I think all of us who are members need to make an extraordinary effort to make it to the Summit next year. I have to be honest and say I was a little leary at first, but after a few more months blogging, and the welcome that I have received, I think that heading to St. Louis and getting a chance to meet Rex, Jeff, Mike, Rick, Kristine, Jody, Othmar, Matt, Bryan, Darrell, Phillip, and everyone else who is a member is a great idea. What a wonderful way to promote our blogs, learn some new things, and get a chance to meet a few friends and be able to put a face with a name.

Now that I have put this challenge out there to myself, I challenge all of you to do the same. Step out of your comfort zone and do something that helps promote our love of the outdoors while also making it a little easier to meet a few new friends. In the long run it will help our passion to continue through future generations.

Popularity: 32% [?]

January 08th, 2008
By Arthur

I was reading the Outdoor Bloggers Summit site this morning, and Matt, one of the founding members of the OBS and co-founder of Bright Ideas Outdoors,  has a recent post about his experience speaking at a local outdoor show, and how his speaking engagement not only benefited his audience, but also helped to promote his blog to people whom he may have never reached otherwise.

With that thought in mind I turned my attention to an outdoor event that is set to take place near where I live in February.  The Michigan Deer and Turkey Spectacular is set to come to town on February 8, 9, & 10th and we here at SimplyOutdoors are looking forward to it.

I have to admit that in the past I wasn’t very impressed with this show, but I have to put some of that responsibility on me.  I never really took the time to take a look at all the things that the show had to offer and thus I thought I was not getting enough for my dollar.  This year however, I started to look at the speakers who are attending the show and immediately got excited.

John Eberhart, best known for his spectacular book, Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails, is going to be doing multiple speaking engagements at the event.   I have to be honest and say that I have not had a chance to pick up the book yet.  I have heard rave reviews from multiple people and also have read a couple of Mr. Eberhart’s articles in the Michigan Out-of-Doors magazine and have enjoyed his insight and expertise.  A chance to see him in person is something I just can’t let go by.  The fact that Mr. Eberhart is a fellow Michigander helps a lot as well.

Matt Morrett will also be featured at the show and will be talking about different tactics to improve your turkey calling and the turkey talking language.  I’m going to be attending this one as well and dragging Jeff along.  We just started turkey hunting a couple of years ago and have yet to bag one so any information in this area is perfect for us.

Another positive to the show this year is that Jeff is going to be registering a couple of his mounts at the show, having them scored, and showing them off.  He has a chance to win a prize, but it is more of a social thing then anything and a way to get out and about amongst our fellow hunters.   We are also going to be making some t-shirts that will have the link to the blog promptly displayed on them as well as our logo.  Any way to get our site noticed I figure is a definite bonus.

Hopefully I can drag my wife to show as well.  She has went in the past and I think this year is going to be the best one yet.  I will let everyone know how that goes.  Until then I’m looking forward to his years show and the information that I will be able to take away from it and use in future shows.  It will also be a good way to get our blog out there amongst our fellow state hunters.

We can’t wait.

Popularity: 14% [?]

December 09th, 2007
By Arthur

In case some of you out there haven’t heard, Michigan’s economy is not one of the best in nation.  It has suffered immensely in the last couple of years and has directly impacted sportsmen(women) in one way of the other. 

There has been some heated debates in the the Michigan Legislature over school funding, DNR funding, and a whole host of others programs that were facing cost cuts.  This has also included State employee layoffs as well. 

One of the heated debates that ensued was the possibility of hunting license fee increases.  I’m not going to get into the debate over whether I agree or disagree with that proposition, but it has definitely been a hot bed issue.  Another is the possibility of cutting fish stocking programs as well as laying off DNR officers, which were already sparse to say the least.

Awhile back I wrote an article about a local Michigan organization, the MUCC, and how after initially not being truly convinced of their outdoor convictions, I was convinced through an interview with one of their employees to join, and I’m glad to say that it has already paid off.

I received this press release a few days ago from Tom Roberts, the Public Relations Director for MUCC:

Tom Roberts
Public Relations
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
The Home of Michigan Out-of-Doors Magazine and Television
2101 Wood St.
Lansing, MI  48912
Direct Line: 517-346-6457
Fax: 517-371-1505

 

LANSING      Earlier this week, the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) and a conservation coalition of 38 hunting and fishing organizations met with Governor Jennifer M. Granholm to address concerns over recent budget cuts to Michigan Department of Natural Resources programs. As a result of these efforts, an agreement has been announced in Lansing to use $5 million from the state’s general fund to restore a portion of conservation funding eliminated through budget cuts.

Under the agreement, $5 million dollars will be dedicated to the state’s beleaguered Game and Fish Fund, preventing cuts to state fish stocking programs, game habitat restoration and the layoff of dozens of DNR Conservation Officers.  The supplemental funding will also alleviate the need for hunting and fishing fee increases for the current fiscal year.  Unless long-term sustainable funding is found within the next year, hunting and fishing license fees will need to be increased by 2008 to offset a projected $13 million deficit. 

“This is great news for Michigan’s hunters and anglers,” said MUCC Executive Director Dennis Muchmore.  “We will be able to maintain our quality wildlife and fisheries management programs in 2008 while working to secure long-term sustainable funding for conservation.”

“MUCC – side by side with our coalition partners — has worked hard to secure funding for our fisheries and wildlife program and we applaud the Governor for her leadership in finding a short-term solution to this problem.  We encourage the Legislature to rapidly approve the change to MDNR’s budget.  We also appreciate the work of all of the statewide conservation organizations.  Because we are speaking with one voice, we have been successful in addressing a serious threat to our quality natural resources.   All of us will be working on finding a solution for the long-term.”

I know that this is only a short term solution, but I still view it as a move in the right direction.  I applaud MUCC and the Governor for coming to an agreement so that these important programs continue.  I’m especially grateful that this agreement will allow our much needed Conversation Officers to keep on patrolling their assigned locations.  There are too few as it is.

I’m sure a situation as this will come up again later in 2008 (or possibly sooner).  I will keep everyone up to date on what happens.

Popularity: 18% [?]