Sure, a lot of the sidewalks are a muddy mess, and a few of them are quite treacherous – ice-covered and very slick from the snow that has melted during the day and then re-froze at night.  But that hasn’t kept the wife, Abby, or myself from enjoying a walk the last couple evenings.

It’s interesting this time of the year as well.  On one end it’s great to see the snow disappearing and the start of spring begin to arrive.  But, on the other end, it sure makes for one heck of a mess because sidewalks and streets are wet……and dirty…… and nasty in a lot of areas – not that those things were going to keep us from enjoying being outside, though.

The last few nights we’ve huffed it through different neighborhoods throughout the city we call home, and we’ve had a blast doing it.  And it felt great to be outside while only wearing a light jacket or a hooded sweatshirt for warmth.  I loved ice fishing, and I love getting outside any time of the year, but being outside in the slightly milder temps is way more bearable…….especially for Abby.

I know these mild temps might not stay around for long, but the family and I sure have been taking full advantage of them.  They have allowed us to emerge from winter’s grasp and take in all of the things that come with spring.  And they’ve allowed us to slow down and look at our little community from a different perspective; to look at everything at 3mph rather than at 30mph.

Walks in the city definitely don’t compare to chasing after whitetails or fishing for steelhead, but they still have their purpose.  Plus, they show that getting outside, no matter what method you prefer, definitely has its benefits.  It allows you to slow down and take in your surroundings – to appreciate every animal seen and every tree passed.  It allows you to appreciate every step.

And, whether you’re in the woods or in the park, isn’t that what being outside is all about?

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Kristine, the OBS extraordinaire, who has been tagged as the “First Lady Of Outdoor Blogging” or the “Pied Piper of Outdoor Blogging”, finally has her own outdoor blog.

We have been reading Kristine’s work for many years, and we’ve enjoyed every bit of it, but there was one drawback to “her” outdoor writings:  they were always affiliated with an outdoor company, or an outdoor organization.  Now, however, with the inception of  The Tenderfoot Diaries we are going to see a more personal side of Kristine – her feelings about the outdoors; her feelings about fishing; her feelings about outdoor life in general.  No longer will she have to hold back, or worry about how her writing will affect someone else – we are going to see Kristine as Kristine – and I for one cannot wait.

It is going to be nice to see a more personal side of Kristine.  Hopefully she kicks back and starts off her blog with a bang.  I’m looking forward to what my fellow Michigan blogger has to say, and after all the years of hearing from Kristine we are finally going to see her “let her hair down” a little bit.

We can’t wait, and we wish her the best with her new outdoor blogging soapbox.  Heck, we might even get to see some pictures, so stop on over and check it out.

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In case any of you have missed it, Bryan, from over at DeerPhD, has returned.  After a year hiatus, in order to finish out an internship in Clinical Psychology, he has returned and has once again started blogging.

Bryan also has some plans to move back to Ohio and get back to deer hunting as well.  I’m sure – after that much time away from it – that he is ready to get back in the woods and enjoy hunting again.

SimplyOutdoors is glad to see Bryan back.  His blog has been one of my favorites from the start, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Bryan has in store now that he is officially a doctor.

Congrats Bryan, and welcome back.  We’re all looking forward to your upcoming posts.

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There have been quite a few discussions around the blogosphere in recent months about outdoor programming: what it was lacking, what could make it better.  A few of the issues that people had with outdoor programming were its sure lack of substance; too much emphasis on the kill; and lack of coverage about what happens after that kill.

Keeping that in mind, I was channel surfing last night (I couldn’t sleep), and stumbled across Easton Bowhunting TV.  Easton Bowhunting TV isn’t new to me, and this surely wasn’t the first time I’ve come across it on the Outdoor Channel.  But something happened last night that usually doesn’t happen to me when it comes to TV, and especially outdoor programming:  I actually watched the whole program….. start to finish.

I honestly don’t watch that much TV, and normally it takes a lot for me to be impressed by an outdoor show, but Easton Bowhunting TV, and its host, Fred Eichler, really have something going for them – at least I think so anyway.

What appeals to me most about the show is this:  it’s genuine.  There’s no over-production, no shameless and constant product plugs, and no sugarcoating of anything; it’s outdoor programming at its best:  down-to-earth, fun to watch, and real.  If it’s raining, and not a lot of hunting is going on, that is what you’re going to see in the show;  if only a doe presents herself, and the timing is right, that is what you’re going to see become venison.

And I love it!

Fred does an excellent job as the host, and his sure candidness is what really appeals to me.  He  doesn’t hide the fact that if a mature buck presents itself, he’s going to take it.  And he also doesn’t hide the fact that if a buck doesn’t present itself, that he is happy to take a doe home for the freezer.   The genuine emotion in the show is second to none, and the kill is definitely not the focus.  On the show last night – since the weather was pretty crappy, and not a lot of hunting was going on – they even had a segment that showed them telling hunting stories, grilling out, and visiting the local archery shop.  What?  No product plugs during the show, constant commercials plugging products, and guys looking through binoculars deciding if the buck was a 150 class or not?   I am hooked!

Even the kills were portrayed in such a way that helps hunting’s image as a whole.  There was some excitement – as there should be after hunting success – but it wasn’t over the top ; it was just the genuine emotion that comes from harvesting an animal.  And the footage of the animal after the kill was some of the best I’ve ever seen.  They took great care to clean the animal up before the camera footage was taken, and showed a ton of respect, if you will, for the animal during the footage as well.

I honestly can’t think of anything that could make the show better.  It’s honesty, realism, and way the hunt is portrayed is second to none.

It’s the way outdoor programming should be.

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It was a moment men who hunt dream about.

I had just shown my wife my new turkey plaque – complete with tail feathers and beard – when she said something most guys wish for,  “You should take that one set of wedding pictures down, and put that up there.  I’m getting bored with them anyway.”

What?  Did she just say what I thought she said?  And in front of all my family member’s wives as well.  Of course I would fully cooperate with her request, and she immediately received a marriage proposal from one of my cousins…….who’s already married.

Honestly, though, I wasn’t surprised.

My wife is one of those wives that doesn’t come around very often.  She has always understood my passion for the outdoors, and has even grown an outdoor passion of her own in the process.  Sure she isn’t as gung-ho about hunting as I am, but she still hunts, fishes, and loves to be outside as much as I do.  So, to hear her say something like that didn’t come as much of a shock to me, but it was a little daring considering the company she was in.  I don’t think she created any hard feelings, though, just maybe some conversation between hunting husbands and wives on the way home.

After that conversation, I promptly adhered to her request, took the old wedding pictures down, and happily replaced them with my first turkey mount ever.  And while it isn’t a stellar tail fan, and surely isn’t the biggest beard anyone’s ever seen, I’m still quite fond of it.  It will stay in the living room for years to come, and remind me of one great hunt; one great moment of honest emotion we captured on film;  and a moment in time when sticking with it, and never giving up actually paid off.

I think it looks good there, and don’t worry – we still have some wedding pictures up in the living room.

Author’s note: Jeff fixed up the turkey breast from both of our turkeys on Saturday, and man was it good.  We grilled them with a little BBQ sauce, and they tasted absolutely awesome.  There is simply nothing like eating pure wild food, knowing the work and dedication that goes into acquiring it, and reaping the benefits of – while also getting to experience – Mother Nature at her finest.

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