You know, this bow season is going to be different from other seasons for me.  I might not be able to get out in the field as much as I have in the past or as much as I would like to, but it is all in good reason.  My first child is going to be born during this bow season.  Our due date is November 26th, Thanksgiving Day.  I can’t wait…and to top everything off, it is going to be a boy.  I think having a boy is every hunters dream.  I mean, even if we would have had a girl, she probably would be a hunter also, but the fact that I am having a boy is way exciting.

It is exciting to think about the day when I will be able to take him out in the field with me hunting and fishing.  It is exciting to think about the day that I will be able to look down at my son and see him dressed head-to-toe in camoflauge.  Everything is just so exciting…

I haven’t been writing much lately, but I will be starting up again now.  I have been so busy and my life has already changed so much just getting ready to have the baby, that I haven’t been able to write as much as I would have liked.  Thank you for hanging in there with me throughout this time.

~Straight Shootin’
The Outdoor Sportsman

Filed under: Bow Hunting | No Comments »

Well fellow Outdoorsman it is that time of the year again.  Time for the morel mushrooms to start popping up all over in the timber.  Now they might just be starting to come up out of the ground a little bit, or maybe they might not be out of the ground yet in your favorite hot spot.  I have been out looking a couple of times and I haven’t found anything yet.  This Spring hasn’t exactly been a very warm one, so in a lot of places, they probably aren’t even out of the ground yet; soon though, very soon.

Here is what I have found and/or heard from people who have been looking for morels this Spring…

“…found 7 small greys today in the grass around an Elm stump…” – Des Moines
“…small amount of greys are now being found near here…” – Wapello
“…friend found some small greys…” – Pella
“…found a couple of small ones…” – Council Bluffs

The air temperature matters, the moisture matters, but the soil temperature especially matters around this time of the year.

If you have been out, but haven’t found anything yet, don’t get discouraged, you are not alone.  The morels will be popping up soon, everyone will be happy, and life will be good!!

Please share your mushroom hunting success stories with the rest of us…  I know that I will for sure!!!

Safe and Happy Hunting,
The Outdoor Sportsman

Related articles by Zemanta

• Morels [Food] (silverknife.co.uk)

Filed under: From My Readers, I Need Your Help, Mushrooms | 76 Comments »

Hello everyone!!!  Let me tell you, it sure is nice to be back writing.  I had taken a small break from writing for awhile due to some personal issues.  But now I am back!!!  I apprecaiate all of your patience with me during my loss.  It will be nice to connect with you all once again.

Thanks,
The Outdoor Sportsman – Matt Hacker

Filed under: Welcome | No Comments »

A follower of mine on Twitter sent me a link to this blog post about how hunters shrink their prey.  It is very interesting and something to think about.  I would love to hear what you think of this article.  Here is a link to the article.

Filed under: From My Readers | No Comments »

So, a lot of you might not have a clue what I am talking about when I use the term, Deer Sanctuary.  Let me explain to you what a Deer Sanctuary, how to create one, and how to hunt one.

A Deer Sanctuary is the same thing as an Animal Sanctuary, except it is for deer.  The meaning is “a place where animals(in this case Deer) live and are protected.”  So you may be thinking, what makes this different from just a chunk of timber where Deer live?

In the meaning of Animal Sanctuary there is one VERY important word… protected.  In this case, the word protected means, NOT HUNTED OR ENTERED BY HUMANS.  So basically, a Deer Sanctuary is a safe zone for deer to live that is not hunted or ever entered by humans.  How do you create one of these?  Here’s how…

Out of all of your hunting timber, designate one section of timber as a Deer Sanctuary.  That means, this chunk of timber will NEVER have humans in it.  It is isolated.  Now picking the right spot for a Deer Sanctuary is vital.  It needs to be a spot where there is plenty of cover.  The thick cover helps the deer to feel safe.  It also should be in an area where there is a creek, or some other form of water, running through it or on it; giving the deer a source for water.  Now you ask about food source…right?  When picking a spot, also choose one that has plenty of trees that drops nuts.  The nuts have great nutrients for the deer.  But along with the nuts, plant food plots around, or on the outside of, the area you have designated as your Deer Sanctuary.  This will give the deer a main food source.

How does this benefit you?  Well, by having a Deer Sanctuary, you will see the number of deer grow on your property.  That means, the bucks will grow into BIG bucks.  Now I can hear you asking, well if I can’t hunt it, how will I get those big bucks?  What you do is set your stands up on the opposite side of the food plots(s) that you planted around your Deer Sanctuary.  When the deer come out to feed, that is your chance.  You are not hunting in the safe Deer Sanctuary, but around it in other areas of timber.  Trust me, IT WORKS.

The hardest part in having a Deer Sanctuary is that no human can ever go in it to disturb it.  The ONLY time you enter your Deer Sanctuary is if you have a wounded deer that ran into it.  Then go in as quiet as possible to get your deer and then get out as soon as your can, before you disturb too much of the area.

If your follow this, I will guarantee that you will see the number of deer on your property grow and the number of big bucks that you see grow as well.

Filed under: Agriculture, Big Bucks, Deer | 4 Comments »