Now That I Have Your Attention!   

  I wanted to take the time to write about a group of ladies in the Flint, Michigan area that have started their own outdoors women group!  The ladies of this area have organized a group to promote and encourage women to partake in the great out of doors!  This group is called Camo and Lace and they are having their annual spring fling event coming up the Saturday before Mothers’ Day.  This is a chance for women to learn about the outdoors from other women.  This way they don’t have us guys telling them how to do it or that they are doing it the wrong way!  We tend to be a little overpowering and negative when teaching our better halves about the love for our great sport!  With that being said, ladies can relax and learn from each other or another lady who might have an expertise in a specific area. 

     The time is running out on sign up, they must be signed up by May 5th and the cost is $40 per lady or $70 for two if you would like to send your daughter also.  Last year I found out about this group through our local NWTF chapter, and at that time my wife was not ready to try it.  I didn’t want to pressure her, so I let it go.  This past winter my wife went with me to the annual NWTF banquet and met some of the ladies from Camo and Lace, she was encouraged by them to attend this years event.  Low and behold, she said yes and is taking my oldest daughter with her!  They are looking forward to trying out some new things like, ATV’s, Yoga, Making Custom Calls, and Beginner Hand Gun Training!  Yes I said, Beginner Hand Gun Training.   I guess I should watch myself when I’m sleeping.  They offer about 10 different things to choose from, but those are the four that my ladies are going to try out! 

     For years my wife wouldn’t have anything to do with our hunting, shooting, and fishing activities.  I wouldn’t press the issue, but I would always encourage and invite her along.  She is finally willing to give it a chance.  You might be in the same boat with your wife, if so show her the web site and flier, maybe she and a friend or your daughter will want to go and have some fun.  Don’t give up on the ladies, mine is finally giving it a shot.  This is my Mothers’ Day gift to her from me and the kids and I couldn’t think of anything better to spend the money on!

     Recently a Wisconsin Middle School Principal had to stand up and fight.  His opponent was, who else, PETA!  The group wanted this principal to take down a wall in the science class that had pictures of students hunting and fishing.  The wall of fame was a place for kids to post their successful hunts and fishing trips.  How the group found out about this wall I have no idea, the story by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance didn’t elude to how they knew about it, probably some PETA kid cried! 

     This principal said, no to the group!  I fully agree with him, my son’s school also has a similar wall in the science class.  I took the time to look up this schools web site and principal and wrote him a letter of thanks and encouragement.  Here is my short letter of thanks:

Dear Mr. Bartelt:  I just wanted to send you a quick email of support.  I recently read about your problem with the PETA organization, and saw that they gave you and your science teacher grief over the Hunting Wall of Fame.  I want to applaud you for your efforts to keep this great tool of encouragement for your students.  My son also has his pictures posted on the Hunting Wall in his science teachers’ classroom at his school.  Once again thank you for supporting hunting and fishing for the youth of our country.

Mike Adams
Up North Journal
www.upnorthjournal.com 

Here is the email link kbartelt@maple.k12.wi.us if you would like to do the same.  This guy needs to be applauded!

     First of all I received a comment about my recent trip to Ohio and the stories about that trip, I usually post all of my hunting journal stories on my Up North Journal Hunting Blog web site.  You will find my entire story their about our 5 day trip along with some pictures. 

     Now to a couple of interesting wild turkey facts I ran across yesterday while cruising the net for something interesting.  I found that there were some things I didn’t know about wild turkeys.  I find that there are a lot of things I don’t know about a lot of things.  I guess that is the true wisdom as we get older!  For a complete run down on turkey facts check out the link here to a local California School.  It looks as if this was a project by a student.

Interesting Facts: 

Turkeys are related to grouse, quail and pheasant

Turkeys swim (that’s what the article says)

Turkeys can fly up to 55 mph for a short distance, (I guess they don’t want to break the speed limit)

Turkeys can fly up to a mile

Turkeys can run up to 18 mph

Hens lay any where from 8 – 15 eggs in the spring

Eggs are usually around 2 1/2 inches long and oval

It takes 28 days for eggs to hatch

It only takes about 2 weeks for poults’ wings to develope enough to fly to roost

It takes about 6 weeks for poults to become good fliers

     The one thing this person forgot to mention when discussing the re-population of wild turkeys across the United States was that this was done with the help of the National Wild Turkey Federation!!!!  This is a great organization to belong to, if you want to check out their web site click here.

     Great news everyone!  Meijers’ has decided to pull their contest support for the Humane Society of the United States.  The funds for this contest will no longer go to the HSUS.  They said the reason for this was the thousands of emails they received from hunters and outdoors men and women expressing their disgust with Meijers’ decision to partner with the HSUS.  Meijers’ finally realized that we as outdoors men and women will stand up for what’s right.  For each of you who took the time to write the company and voice your displeasure, from the bottom of my heart I want to say THANK YOU!!!!!  By doing something as simple as sending an email we made a difference!  So lets us this example to show others that by voicing your opinion, you can be heard and make a difference. 

     Now I want you to write another letter to Meijers’ thanking them for their decision at this email:  mediarelations@meijer.com.  We need to let this company know that we appreciate their decision to make a stand.  They are now receiving letters from the anti’s slamming them for their actions, much in the same way we did!  Also if you have the necessary means (money), take time and write a check out to your local shelter in the name of Meijers’ or the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance who fought this fight for us.  It doesn’t need to be much, but we need to show the idiots at the HSUS, that we do support people and their pets!  Just check the comments out on the related story link and you’ll see why this is so important! If you don’t see the story on the linked page just scroll down, it loads a little funny.

     Well this is the first run for the new tent we got from BryBec Distributing. We arrived at camp at almost dark. I was concerned that we would have to put it up in the dark. With Michael (my 13 year old son) helping me we got the tent up and on the truck in less than 10 minutes! It was a snap to put up. What I really liked about it right off was the vaulted ceiling in it. Now you can’t stand up in it, but if you get up an move around on your knees there is more than enough head room in it. Next, I was impressed by the amount of room in the tent for two people. It is hard to imagine how much sleeping room you will have just by looking at your truck bed, but with the tailgate down it is more than adequate. One little thing I noticed, that I put to use was the fact that since this tent fastens over the sidewalls of the truck bed, there is a nice little ledge created on both sides of the inside of the tent. I used this to set my alarm clock on. Then there is the ties at the top of the tent ceiling on the inside that I used to put my small battery operated lantern on. That makes for a nice hanging light fixture to see at night. On the second day we received some rain and I had the rain fly on the tent and it stayed high and dry, just as expected. We also put the awning at the back of it to good use. With some moderate wind it stayed up with no problem at all. It created a nice shady spot to put our small table to sit at outside. Over all this tent is awesome. I have yet to find any negatives with it. We are still putting it through its paces, but after our first out of state hunting trip for 4 nights, I wouldn’t hesitate to put it on for any other outdoor adventure! If you want to purchase one of these truck tents email Bryan Martinson at BryBec Distributors.

As a footnote to this review, I’ve come up with another great reason to use a truck tent. We have run into a problem with wood ticks while out hunting and around camp. By using an elevated tent, you can stay away from those pesky little buggers! I couldn’t imagine how bad we would have gotten them if we weren’t up on the truck bed with the new tent.

Talking About Being A Hypocrite

     I hate to beat a dead horse, but I read something last night that brought back something I should have reported along with yesterday’s blog.  It was posted on the NRA’s web site and it had to do with them shutting down a monastery for harvesting eggs and selling them in South Carolina.  Which that doesn’t surprise me, but it is the facts following that opened my eyes again to what I had written about yesterday.

According to the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), recently released reports show that out of the thousands of dogs, cats and other pets PETA took in for “adoption” at its Norfolk, Va., headquarters during 2006, more than 97 percent were put to death by PETA.

If nothing else, that explains why–as was revealed in courtroom testimony last year–PETA maintains a large walk-in freezer at its headquarters for storing dead animals. 

     If that isn’t hypocritical, then I don’t know what is.  According to the report they killed over 17,000 animals since 1998!  It was also reported that since they killed so many animals that Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services wants the state to pull their shelter and rescue status and regulate them as a slaughter house!!!!  They have killed more animals in 10 years, then I will ever harvest in my lifetime.

     Now on another interesting slant,  I received an email from my friend on this issue.  He feels that the PETA group must be anti christian also, and he has a valid point!  This new leaflet they want to circulate is against fishing!  My friend pointed out that Jesus fed loaves of bread and fish to the multitude in Luke 9 : 10-17.  I guess they feel that this was wrong also!  If so they are going against what Jesus did and what God says.  I just thought this was an interesting take on the situation!

     I guess when I leave town for 5 days and come back, every anti organization goes crazy, now I have to catch up on the news.  Here is another lie being spewed from PETA!  I received an email from my buddy out in Connecticut and found this to be another outrage!

     PETA is publishing an anti fishing comic to be distributed starting on Sept. 24th, which they have deemed Fish Amnesty Day.  Their targets are kids and dads at the local fishing holes, rivers, lakes and streams.  They want the kids to know that their dad is a mean heartless killer and that he is teaching them the wrong lessons.  Also that since their dad is a murder, they should hide their doggies and kittys so daddy doesn’t kill them!  What the hell is this world coming too!!! 

     Along with the email came a petition started to stop PETA legally from distributing these leaflets.  Sign it and pass it along to as many hunters and fisherman you know!  Here are some links:

PETA’s anti fishing page: http://www.fishinghurts.com/feat-newcomic.asp

PETA’s Comic Book leaflet:  Page 1  Page 2 just click the arrow to the next page on the acrobat reader.

Petition to stop PETA: http://www.petitiononline.com/noleaf/petition-sign.html?

And you fishing guys thought they were just after us hunters, you better wake up, they are after you too!

Humane Society of the United States Has Meijers’ In Their Pocket

     Here we go again!  First Walmart is going to start a national gun registry, and now Meijers is funding the Humane Society of the United States!  Of all stores to hook up with this pile of garbage organization, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the news release!

     The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance released a news report on this Friday afternoon.  I received it from a good friend of mine who alerted me to this outrage.  According to the report, Meijers is promoting a pet photo contest and for every entry ATLEAST $1 is going towards the HSUS fund, and as much as $5000 could be contributed!  The USSA wrote Meijers directly about this outrage with no avail. 

Now it is YOUR turn to get involved to save YOUR hunting rights!  Here are the contact numbers and email:

 Sportsmen should contact Meijer CEO and President Hank Meijer at 2929 Walker Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49544-9428; phone – (616) 453-6711; fax – (616) 791-2572; email – hank.meijer@meijer.com (I just tried this link and it didn’t work, if you have a similar problem try mediarelations@meijer.com) and demand that the company end its financial support of HSUS.

     Call or write to let these people know how you feel and how much you spend in their stores!  Guys this is an easy one, pick up the phone or drop these people an email.  Not only that tell everyone you know to do the same.  If they hear from enough people they will have to do something.  According to the USSA, the same thing happened to Iams, General Mills, Accor Hotels, Pet Safe, Sears, and Ace Hardware.  By people complaining and threatening to boycott their business’ they pulled their support of HSUS.  It is time that we as sportsmen stand up and SHOUT to these people!

     I just received an email this week for a new program that Cabela’s is offering.  They are starting a rewards point program.  Its free and you earn 2% back on your purchases towards free merchandise.  So if you shop by email or by going to the store if your fortunate enough to live by one, then this program is worthwhile.  Why not earn something you are already going to buy!  Here is the link to sign up for the program.

It Really Does Work!

     A couple of years back, I ran across an article in some little paper about a unique hand made turkey call.  It is called a Wing Bone Turkey call, and you actually make it from the three main wing bones from a wild turkey.  I didn’t believe what I was seeing in the article.  Well me being the person that I am, I had to give it a try to see if these things actually work. 

     The first problem I encountered was actually getting a set of wing bones to work with.  I was hunting with a couple of guys and one actually bagged a turkey and was willing to give me a wing from his bird to make one.  Once I removed the bones from the wing I went to work on the call.  After cleaning the bones and cutting them to the proper length and finally fitting them together, I had my call finished.  Now how to use this new call?  I had actually forgotten what the article I had read had said about calling turkeys in with it.  I had to resort back to the internet and find out how to use this thing, and I only found out that I had forgot how to use it when I blew on it and nothing happened!  You actually suck in with your lips pursed together against the small end of the call.  So I gave it a try and guess what, it sounded like a turkey!!!  I couldn’t believe my ears! 

     What I want to know is how in the world did someone figure out that these three small bones fit together first of all, then figure out that if you suck on it, it makes the sound of a turkey!  That is what’s so hard to believe!  Well this year when you bag your bird, make sure to save the wing bones if your not going to have the bird mounted.  You can then follow the link here to the set of instructions to build your own set of calls.  Remember one bird equals two calls!