Coming Full Circle

Well as promised here are some updates from past ramblings.

I mentioned awhile back that I was looking for a handgun for predator protection during my upcoming bow elk hunt. Well I was fortunate enough to meet up with a friend who knows way more about guns of all kinds than I will ever know in my lifetime. So I was in good hands when we went shooting. After some general discussion about calibers, gun weights, loads etc. and just how much power you need for predator protection, we commenced to start firing. We started with 38 cal. revolvers and worked our way up to the 44 Magnum. Several well known companies were represented and after the smoke settled I was partial to the Taurus model 425T. A 41 Mag in titanium which holds 5 rounds, is factory ported and a barrel lenght of4 in. The recoil was not an issue for me, yet weight is. This model in stainless steel weights 34.8 oz. and the titanium at 24.3 oz. Considering I will be carrying this on my day pack belt, I wanted the lighter model. Now the only catch is that Taurus discontinued making them a few years back so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a used one online at the various gun brokers. If you here of anyone interested in selling this particular gun, I'd be happy if you pointed them my direction.

Moving right along now. My friend Dan and I did make it to the Klamath Basin weekend before last for some general cleaning and deer scouting. Success on both fronts. We managed to do such a good job last year that there was little left for this year. We did do some Knapweed eradication and a few minor odds and ends with the cabin. Not to mention a bunch of European Starlings jamming up the damper on the wood stove pipe. In fact it was so bad we had to take the pipe apart and then go dump them out. It was a case of dumb following dumber and even dumber down the pipe. No nest was even built. They just packed themselves on top on one another and then couldn't get out. No wonder there is a year round open season on Starlings.

A couple of the fields were flooded and the Canada Geese and hundreds of puddle ducks were having a great time resting there overnight and then departing at daybreak to the neighboring grain fields for the day. There were also White Faced Ibis enjoying the water as well as several pairs of Sandhill Cranes. What a treat. We did have a couple really fine meals too. I took my 50Th. birthday limit of Snipe and we bbq'ed them one night and the next evening we bbq'ed wetlands buck backstrap. Wow, what a great way to bring in the upcoming hunting season.

It wasn't til the next morning that we saw the bucks, oh yes the boys are BACK! That sure makes me happy considering I've got a deer tag for that unit. Just hope they stick around. I am pretty sure that the big 4 x 4 is the same one I saw last year. This year he has another young buck hanging by his side. We had taken our shotguns with the intentions of throwing a few clays but, after seeing the bucks we opted not to disturb them. I am hoping to get back there sometime in mid September just to take another look. The rifle deer season opens October 3.

Now the really exciting news is that our bow elk season is opening this Saturday morning. Can you say anticipation? Oh my how the natives are getting restless. The area I am hunting is the same that I have rifle hunted for the pat three years. Figured maybe if I change up the weapon and time of year that my luck will change too. So far my practicing has gone well and continues to. This will be my first time archery hunting elk during the rut and I am so excited. Hopefully things will get cooking in the mid to latter portion of September. I remain cautiously optimistic in my somewhat blissful ignorance. Realizing full well that there is so much to learn. A lifetimes worth and then some I imagine. Gotta start somewhere, so here I go.

I'll keep you updated as the elk season progresses and I want to wish the rest of you good luck with your hunts too. Also a special shout out to Rick at Whitetail Woods for his 1 year anniversary and wonderful prizes, thank you in advance. Thanks also goes to Gary at Base Camp Legends for his help and support for the upcoming elk hunt.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Courage and Inspiration

Thanks to Kristine at Outdoor Bloggers Summit for this wonderful challenge.

The word Cancer is a scary word. I pray I will not hear a doctor telling me, that the diagnosis is cancer. I have seen first hand, the ravages of cancer take my fathers life. He fought Lymphoma for years with courage and dignity. I was barely a teenager when our mom told us about it. There wasn't any discussion about any of it. This was back in the early 70's and both my parents were in their 50's and of a generation that kept private matters private. In retrospect I'm sure they wanted to protect us kids from the details. None the less we saw the toll it was taking on him, in all ways. For my brother and I it was horrible not being able to offer comfort or aid to our dad. It affects the entire family, how can it not? We did our best to find the positive things in our lives. Enjoying special times together and trying not to look past tomorrow, not knowing if it would find us still together or not.

My dad was a quiet man with infinite courage and amazing inner strenght. The times we spent together are deeply cherished and I miss him everyday, even after 30 plus years. Since his passing a few of my friends have been diagnosed with breast cancer.Fortunately they continue to lead active lives and their courage is amazing. The ability to fight and not give up is indeed inspiring.

I have given a yearly donation on my dad's behalf to the American Cancer Society since his passing. In recent years I have been involved in cycling events supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation. My local bike shop is Sunnyside Sports. One of the owners Gary Bonacker was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2003. Soon after in 2005 he started the Tour des Chutes bike ride in conjunction with the LAF. He continues to fight as well as offering support and help to others with the disease. He is quick with a smile and just a delight to be with.

So for me it is not hard to find inspiration. There are many people who are fighting the fight of their lives and I will continue to make my annual donation and ride in cycling events promoting cancer research. I find great inspiration from watching Lance Armstrong too. He is an incredible athlete period. He has mobilized an entire nation and even the world. This is a horribly terrible disease and we all need to do our part to help fight it. Every little bit helps, truly.

Do it for those who have passed or are fighting for their next breath. Give something of yourself to those less fortunate and you will make a difference. There are so many wonderful organizations supporting and improving peoples lives. Pick one and get involved in some way. It will change your life forever. As a member of the OBS we are getting stronger every week and together we can, and do make a difference. Let's make a waves from a single ripple. Go ahead and start now.

I have a great life and nothing to complain about, absolutely nothing. I ride my bike because I am able to. I know someday will come when age and or health interjects, but til then I will ride, hunt and be an advocate for those who are less fortunate.


"Pain is temporary, failure lasts a lifetime". L. Armstrong

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Reconnaissance and Clean Up

Headed to the Klamath Basin today to do a little prep work before all the hunting seasons begin. My friend Dan and I are looking forward to a little marsh time. I haven't been back to Lowlands since my run in with that Beaver hole late Jan. that put an early end to late season goose hunting. I am pert near 100 % and will have my eyes peeled for Mr.Beaver. We aren't done yet!

Otherwise Dan and I will be clearing Knapweed from the hill area where the cabin is, replace outdoor lighting, some general cleaning and garbage removal. Lest I not forget that we are taking our shotguns and some clay targets to intersperse amongst the work detail. Dan is an amazing shot and just a lot of fun to be with. We are looking forward to see what the waterfowl numbers are and with some luck perhaps even see Sandhill Cranes.

The recon is all about Deer, specifically bucks. Last year I shot a beautiful 4 year old tall forked horn. He was running with a 4 x 5 who obviously was the wiser and knew just where to position himself relative to the forked horn. So I am hoping that the big fellow made it through last years hunting seasons, winter and is back on our property enjoying the good life. We will soon find out.

The weather here in central Oregon has begun to have a sense of Fall to it. Temperatures have dropped and there has been a nip in the air. This change will be short lived however as by next week we'll be back in the low 90's. With Dove season just around the corner (Sept.1) we usually have a couple days of rain just prior to the opening, at which time a large majority of the Doves head south. Leaving us with a fraction of the summer's population. Then Indian summer begins and so will freezing overnight temperatures. I am hoping for at least that to help spur the Elk into rutting for my Sept. bow hunt. I continue to practice shooting my bow and am still happy with my set up. All my pins have been readjusted for my broadheads and all systems are go.

Will let you know what we see at Lowlands from this weekends reconnaissance. Til then, keep practicing and shoot straight. Have a great weekend everybody.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

ODFW Sets Waterfowl / Upland Limits

Here are the recent changes to Oregon's bird hunting regulations. Extended seasons for Pheasant and Grouse. As well as a more liberal waterfowl limit for both ducks and geese. Don't forget to put in your application for Sage Grouse, deadline is Aug. 31st. Click link below for more details.

ODFW 2009/10

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Hunter Safety In Cougar Country

Hello to all and I hope you are enjoying your summer. There hasn't been any hunting taking place this summer, although preparation and thoughts of hunting are a big part of my summer. Here's an update and information about keeping ourselves safe if we get hurt or perhaps have an encounter with a Cougar.

I am thrilled and relieved to say that I am 98 % recovered from my knee injury. Just about 6 months to the day. I bought a new road bike the end of May and I have been riding about 100 miles a week. Mostly flats in May and June and then started riding more hills and climbing as my knee allowed. It has been a good season so far and I have roughly another 6 weeks left of serious riding before hunting season starts in earnest. I have mixed feelings when that shift comes as it has taken me months to get into good cycling shape and then it's over. The cold soon arrives and it's back to indoor riding and sweating in one spot. Needless to say not my favorite type of training. I am eager to put in some miles walking, stalking and enjoying the benefits from my miles of cycling.

I have added a new piece of life saving information to my cycling and all outdoor activities recently. It is called Road I.D. and there are two versions to choose from. The original which provides 7 lines of personalized information laser-engraved. The newer Road I.D. is interactive allowing you to build a fully up-dateable, secure Emergency Response Profile (ERP) that is available to first responders 24/7 via internet and telephone. I chose the Original Road I.D. for my needs and am glad to have it. It has my name, city, state, blood type, allergies, and 2 contact numbers should the need ever arise. I wear the wrist band on every bike ride and will also wear it when I go hunting this Fall. It gives me an added piece of mind and is quite affordable. The folks at Road I.D. are very helpful with any questions and their service is excellent. I don't carry my wallet into the woods but I do wear, my Road I.D.

This will be my first season to attempt harvesting an Elk with a bow. Fortunately in Oregon a bow hunter is allowed to carry a handgun for predator protection. Yea, this is what makes me a bit nervous to say the least. The area I will be hunting has cougars in it. Since Oregon banned the use of dogs for hunting cougars the population has really increased. So has the Black Bear population too. That being the case, Cougars are much less afraid of humans and there have been more encounters here locally each year. Tomorrow I am meeting a friend who is extremely proficient in all areas of hand gun use. Being retired from law enforcement and continuing to participate in competitive hand gun competitions, I am looking forward to quite an education. I will keep you informed as the process unfolds and I make my final decision on just which gun I purchase.

Now moving along to a serious topic which I haven't seen much discussion of in the blogosphere. Let's get the conversations rolling about ways in which we as hunters can protect ourselves from predators while in the woods. Here are a few cougar facts.

Typically it will be a young cougar who has been kicked out of the family to find it's own territory who is not yet a proficient hunter that may decide to stalk a hunter. Or an older cougar who is not as fast or perhaps has health issues and sees a slow walking hunter which looks like an easy meal. Even if you are still hunting from the ground it is a good idea to continually look all around you every few minutes. A friend of mine who spends a lot of time in the woods was talking with another fellow who told him that these days for every 3 hours you spend out in the woods hiking around, you have been seen by 1 cougar. Remember also that as hunters we are in the food chain wearing camo clothing, scented up like a cow elk or doe in estrus, using calls to entice the bulls or bucks to us and ultimately ringing the cougars dinner bell. Need I mention that we are out there at dawn and dusk when the light is poor to none. That is prime time for cougars to take advantage of a young or slow moving animal.

1. It's a good idea to look behind you every couple minutes. Scan the ground horizon and look for eyes. If you see a cougar, look directly at it's eyes. Typically a cougars prey will not make eye contact. This is a good start to avoid a closer encounter.

2. DO NOT RUN away from the cougar, this will trigger the cats food/prey instincts. Make yourself big, stand up if you're not already and open your coat or shirt and hold it out to your sides to appear larger. You can also growl loudly with as deep a voice as you can.

3. Look up if you are walking under or near rock outcroppings or ledges where a cougar can watch and then jump onto it's prey. The same is true for keeping an eye on logs in areas of blow downs, thickets and old burns.

4. Do not take your eyes off the cougar. Only if the cougar runs away from you is the time to continue on with your hunt.

5. Be ready for the worst and pray it doesn't happen. Have your hand gun or rifle ready and if you feel an attack is eminent don't hesitate to protect yourself. If you do not have a firearm, grab your knife or a big stick. If you have no weapon and you are attacked try to poke your finger into the cougars eyes. Also bear spray can be useful to deter a charging cougar. Make sure you know how to use it and that you point it in the right direction.

6. You can also paint eyes on the back of your hat or hood to help deter a cougar from stalking you. Or wear a Halloween mask on the back of your head that has eyes on it.

Well, these are a few important considerations and things to know when you go out in the woods these days. So far I have avoided them but I have had the hairs on the back of my neck stand up a time or two. So has my Black Lab Jet. I have seen a cougars work up close and only hours after a kill. Let me tell you, it wasn't a pretty sight. I am interested to hear about more ways on how to protect ourselves that any of you might be able to pass along.

I'll write more about my upcoming archery season and also my hand gun education as it unfolds.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Sploggers Stealing Our Content

I just read about "blog content thieves" at Rick's, Whitetail Woods and then also at The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles. No doubt none of us like having our work plagiarized as that is a pretty low blow. Albert suggested we link to his post about this in hopes of being able to shut them down. No doubt in my mind that this is due to the tough times we're in right now. There are break ins and robberies every night on my local news, more than I can ever remember hearing about. Not to mention the banks and small businesses being targeted as well. We all need to keep an out for each other and our neighbors.

So I have linked to Albert's site and invite the rest of you OBS supporters to do the same. Kristine of the OBS has left a very informative comment about this problem, and explains it very well.

Thanks to Rick, Albert and Kristine for keeping us informed and alert.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

All Rocks Go To Heaven

This is a humorous post and not intended to offend anyone. I certainly do believe my dog has a soul, how about yours?
All-rocks-go-to-Heaven








Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

09' Controlled Hunt Results

Click here. Good Luck!

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Getting Back To Basics

It happens to just about everyone at some point in their life. That is being new to a sport and thinking that one of everything that the retailer offers is required for success. Actually that can be quite misleading for a newbie. Be it golf, skiing, mountain biking, fishing and last but not least hunting. The most expensive golf clubs, mtn. bike, spin or fly rod nor the best firearm will not make you an overnight success. What will make you successful is paying your dues and putting in the time where it matters the most. That is called practice, practice, practice.

In all honesty a beginner will not and does not have the knowledge or ability to tell the difference between the entry level gear and top of the line. Other than looking at the price tag. It's easy to get sucked in to the glossy ads telling you how much better you'll be or do if you use their products. Sounds good and after all that's what your goal is, so why not buy into the hype? Firstly anyone starting a new sport has a lot to learn and the marketing directed at them is very effective at emptying their pockets. What they really need is instruction from a friend or an honest retailer who wants a long term relationship and not a one time exploitation. Marketing does work, just look at all the companies competing for our hard earned money.

Do you really think a set of Tiger Woods golf clubs are going to make a novice hit the ball like Tiger? Not for a second. Nor will a $10,000.00 road bike make you ride like Lance Armstrong.
It takes years and I mean years of practice in all types of conditions to make someone proficient at their sport. It holds equally true for the shooting sports as well.

It's good to remember that there is a learning curve and with each progressive year you will get a little wiser and more savvy about hunting overall. It takes many years to get your gear dialed in just as there are many different types of waterfowl habitat and ways to hunt them. From the Canadian plains to the flooded timber of Arkansas and the prairie potholes to the coastal sea ducks and western rivers and sloughs to flooded grain fields and the list goes on. I think you get my drift. It takes a lot of years to figure it out.

If one chooses they can buy the latest in high tech waders (although there's only so much that can be done with a wader) the wader pants with the stirrup so they don't ride up and various un necessary under garments and outer wear. Plus hats, face masks, gloves etc. etc. etc. That's just barely the tip of the iceberg!

Lets get back to the basics here can we please. We are duck hunters, waterfowlers and we (or at least myself and those I hunt with) relish the fact that we get to play in the muck! OH HAPPY DAY! We get dirty, crawling in the mud through the marsh for a chance at a goose. It may not even be there by the time we get in range. That doesn't matter, what does is the possibility and how we choose to act. We're still kids at heart and I for one really enjoy getting muddy. It's just fun. I hunt with gear that I have used for over 3 decades and it serves me well. If there was something better now I'd buy it, but I haven't seen it yet.

I am a firm believer that the clothes do not make the hunter, golfer, skier or whatever it is you do. Stick to the basics, they have been around a very long time for a reason, plain and simple they work. Get a coat that is waterproof for late season, a pair of waders if needed, rubber boots, some good warm synthetic or new generation wool base layers plus a pair of wool or fingerless gloves and a hat. All camo and then you'll be able to save your hard earned money for steel shot and a hunting vest or duck strap. If all goes well, maybe you'll be thinking about a 4 legged hunting partner, a field blind and even some decoys for the following season.

Try a few different types of shotguns and use the one that feels most comfortable to you. If you need a recoil pad to help absorb the kick, then find a reputable gunsmith to do the work. I wouldn't get crazy buying an expensive shotgun right off the bat. Rather stick to a company that has a long lasting reputation. The next gun you get will be your pride and joy and then your first will be your back up. Good to take 2 guns with you if you have them. Things can and do break occasionally.

Ultimately stick to the basics, keep it simple and you'll be fine. Granted there is a ton more stuff on the market, but how many coats or waders etc. etc. can you wear at a time? Hunting for me and my friends is still about being out there and not about a fashion statement.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Catching Up

I know that I have been away from the blogoshere for awhile and just wanted to give you an update.

The Annual Quail Flats Wild Game Feed went off without a hitch and there was plenty of great food and tall tales. The favorite dishes included, Elk Kabobs, Venison Stuffed Mushrooms, Parmesan White Fronted Goose and some killer PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Which reminds me, I still need to get that cookie recipe. We had somewhat cool weather yet the 2 dozen plus friends that came were dressed and ready for anything.

Since the game feed I have been increasing my activity level as my knee allows. I am very relieved and happy to say that 4 months after the accident I am roughly at 80%. Still need to be careful, yet able to do cardio and some strenght training. I anticipate a full recovery by 6 months.

Not long after the game feed I got knocked down by a bug and it took me several weeks to get back to my routine. Since then I have made some changes in the kitchen, primarily eating a lot more veggies and generally very clean food. This may sound a bit contrary to being a huntress. Yet as I get older it becomes more challenging to stay fit and healthy. I'll still have the occasional cookie and good ol' cheeseburger, just not as often. Since tweaking my food I have had my energy levels skyrocket, am sleeping better and have even lost a few pounds. Geeze, nothing wrong with this recipe! Now I just need to sell this home and get back into Bend. My overall goal is to see just how good I can stand it!

I will be posting once again yet not as often as before. I am sorry for not giving you all a heads up. Thank you to the folks who have checked in to see what happened to me. Rest assured I am thriving and doing well. I just needed a break from writing. I look forward to catching up with my regular followers and meeting some new ones.

For now, have a great day and make it count!

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt