What's Coming?

Today I just want to briefly touch on what's coming in the near future.

As some of you know "Whitetail Woods" is coming up on it 1 year anniversary (August 17th.) so I am in the process of putting together what I think is going to be a nice giveaway. So if your willing to throw your name in it will be starting in the next couple of weeks.

Also, I have a couple of product reviews to talk about. I had kinda hoped to have them done by now but scheduling has gotten the better of me. Not to fail though they will be posted soon.

I am also working on embroidered shirts for Whitetail Woods. Actually I am having someone create the pattern for me (I'm not that smart) and put it on a nice summer type shirt. As soon as I get a protype of it I will take a couple of picks to show you all.

Tuesday's Tip's & Technique's - #46

Bow sight Basics:

There are so many bow sights on the market these days just like broadheads that it would be impossible to tell you about all of them so I will only mention a few. Now most of my information come from Cabela's because in my opinion the they have the best information and even though they maybe be a little higher in cost they make up for it in customer service.

Copper John C-4 Sight

The C-4 Sight by Copper John is loaded with all the essential features you demand in a pin sight. The C-4 has four brilliant .029" fiber-optic pins with zero pin gap capabilities. A high-visibility orange peep-aligning ring promotes increased accuracy. The shorter bracket keeps the sight close to the riser. Horizontal and vertical gang adjustments. Black anodized finish.

This item is on sale at Cabela's right now for $29.88 which I think is a good price.



Truglo® Power-Dot™ Sight

No parallax means you're always on target with this bowhunter-specific green-dot sight. Unlimited eye relief and precise Steady•Dot™ technology gives you improved accuracy for consistently tighter groupings and faster, one-look target acquisition. The whole sight is adjustable with one hand for quick ranging; its vertical adjustment works with virtually any bow. Its aperture boasts a .875" inner diameter for a wide field of view. Dot intensity can be controlled by the adjustable rheostat. The light-enhancing multicoated lens also has an anti-reflective coating on its target-facing side to promote maximum brightness. Microadjust bracket with a removable quiver mount. CNC-machined aluminum body. Water- and shock-resistant durability. Glow-in-the-dark yardage tape. Sight is convertible for right- and left-hand shooters. Battery included.

This item at Cabela's has a price of $149.99, not bad if you like using a Dot.

I gave you two examples, one being like the low road and one being like the high road. You will find a lot anywhere in the middle so do your homework and try a few and see which one suits your needs.

Wish upon a Shooting Star

I am at work and it is about 10:15 PM. I'm having coffee with Paula, a very nice older lady who is a coworker and somewhat of a second mom to me. We are sitting out on the front steps of one of the buildings on campus when all of a sudden what do I see.

A beautiful shooting star, unlike this one in the picture the one I saw had a really nice green tail to it.

According to Wikipedia - A shooting star or falling star is the common name for the visible path of a meteoroid as it enters the atmosphere. A shooting star is also broken pieces of meteors that have become broken off in space.

About maybe twenty years ago I saw a meteor shower which was pretty neat to see but, this was so clear and so low to the earth that it almost seemed like it landed in the next town. It was one of those moments that you don't experience to often I think, especially for me anyway.

Babbling in the Whitetail Woods

Today I just wanted to mention about this past weekend a little.

It was spent doing a lot of side work for customers but it was also spent with my son Tyler and sometimes my wife Heidi. Now I will admit that years ago I worked and did stuff outside of family without including them. I don't really know why because I was missing out on a lot of things, only to find out about them in the let's say last 3 1/2 years.

Now this post is not intended to be morbid or depressing I just felt you should know what changed my views. Three springs ago my dad died and we were close. Near the end I didn't visit him much because it hurt to much to see him the way he was and for that I'm truly sorry and hope he will forgive me.

Then there is me, I started getting sick and after 3 specialists they figure out it was all caused from Lyme Disease. Now some things are kept stable with medications and some thing are degenerative so I have had to cope with quite a bit.

When you start seeing things in a different light it all get's to mean so much that you get lost and after a weekend like the one I had it just goes to show I am happy with the ways things are going. It's true that all weekend was for other people but I did get to share with Heidi and Tyler.

See being with family is my main concern right now and financially still be able to take care of them is next on the my list. Trust me though my passion/obsession for deer hunting is still on my priorities list, it just got knocked down 1 or 2 pegs.

I do apologize for all the babbling this morning but after the last two days of outside work I am not moving very well today so it has given me time to do some ranting. I have made quite a few friends since created "Whitetail Woods" and look forward to reading all you got. I am also looking forward to "Whitetail Woods" first year anniverary that is coming up in August.

So get out and enjoy what the outdoors has to offer than go in and see what the blogosphere is up to.

take care,
-Rick-

Savory Sunday's - #22

Venison Stew

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 pounds venison stew meat
• 3 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 cups water
• 7 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 pound carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. In a skillet, deeply brown the meat in oil. Add onions, garlic. Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and water. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender.
2. Add potatoes and carrots; cook until tender.
3. Combine flour and water. Stir into the stew. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Try some Down to Earth Music

Now I do enjoy listening to music every so often and I'm not partial to any particular kind but, I do have to mention with extreme satisfaction about a CD I just received yesterday.

Tipper from "The blind Pig & the Acorn" blog advertises some of the nicest music you might ever hear. Straight from the Appalachian Mountains I would like to introduce Paul & Jerry Wilson.

This particular CD called "Lamp Lighting Time" was the one I bought and I do have to say that I truly enjoyed it. I even bought a second one for my mother who I know will love it and I haven't even given it to her yet.

Over the years Pap and his brother made music together as The Wilson Brothers. They sang gospel music in the polished high harmonies of the classic brother duet style. They performed at churches, festivals, homecomings, and benefits throughout the south. Over the years they won many awards including the 1998 North Carolina Heritage Award. They were also featured in many publications such as "The Old-Time Herald".


If you like down to earth country music straight from the Appalachian Mountains than I would recommend you buy some of Paul & Pap's music.

Inexpensive Gravity Fed Deer feeders

Here is another one of my posts from my old blog that I felt needed to be brought up again.

For those of you who don’t have a lot of finances like myself here is a do it yourself deer feeder that you can make at home. You do need to check the laws in your area to see if it is permitted. I know in Connecticut you can not hunt deer over bait but, there is nothing that says you can’t take pictures over bait and that is what I am talking about. I plan to set up a gravity fed feeder for deer and have a deer cam not to far away for the purpose of getting pictures. This has 3 basic purposes to me,
1. This will give the deer more to eat
2. It also acts as a scouting tool by showing me the type & size of deer I have in my area.
3. I can sit back on a cold winters night and browse my photo albums.

Items needed:


1 - 6′ piece of 4″ pvc pipe ( will hold approximately 25 lbs. of corn )
1 - 4″ pvc cap so the feed does not get wet while in the pipe
1 - base tray that the pipe will sit in just like the picture
What you can also use for a base tray is a 5 gallon plastic can and cut it down to 6″ then all that you need to do cut a slot in the plastic pipe about 1 to 2 inch wide and about 3 inch in height in the end of the pipe that is going to be in the container.
Fasten the pipe to one side of the container with the slotted portion towards the center. Cut some small holes in the bottom of the container so that it will not hold water when it rains.
This is the best example that I found for a do it yourself deer feeder project. So I would like to thank Whitetail Deer Management and Hunting for giving me another idea of how I can enjoy the whitetail deer.

Here is another style I came across which looks just as good as the one I just showed you.

Materials for 3 feeders:


1 - 10 foot 4" (100mm) PVC drainage pipe (Home Depot Canada $11.99)
3 - Y female 4" fittings MxFxF (Home Depot Canada $6.69 each)
6 - end caps for 4" pipe (Home Depot Canada $2.38 each)
3 - 3" to 4" nails
12 - ½" wood screws or sheet metal self-tapping screws



(Some of this pricing might have changed since timeof original posting)


Get Assembley Instructions:

Pro's and Con's of Deer Fencing

It ocurred to me that this is the time of year that everyone is growing vegatables and flower gardens and some of us have a problem with deer helping themselves. I started looking at fencing. Fencing that was made to keep deer away from your hard work and expensive plants.

The problem is I think that what we might think is good for keeping deer out is actually harming them. I'm not saying anything bad about certain types of fence but, I'm suggesting that if your going to spend money on deer fencing that you at least take the time to research what is good and what is not.

I found this article that might be of interest.

Deer toll mounts due to poor fencing practices

Deer caught in a fence in Sussex. WRAS

Deer casualty numbers double.


September 2008. Deer and other wildlife are dying unnecessarily from being caught in wire fencing and discarded netting. East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service has dealt with 18 cases of deer caught in stock fencing or netting this year, compared with 7 in all of 2007.

The voluntary wildlife rescue charity is appealing to farmers to stop using strands of plain or barbed wire when erecting new or replacing fencing especially in areas where there are deer.

"Last week we had two calls about young deer caught in stock fencing, at Dallington near Heathfield and another at Cripps Corner near Battle. The young female caught at Dallington is the third deer this year to be caught in the same new fencing erected earlier this year" said Trevor Weeks, founder of WRAS.

Read the complete article here:

Night time Driving can be Hazardous

It came to mind last night and I started thinking about deer verses car accidents. Maybe it is because I just got a new car or maybe it is because for the past month I have seen deer coming home from work every night. Either way I felt the need to mention or should I say remind.

I have seen so many deer lately at night that I literally have lost count. It seems that they are popping out all over the place.

I hate to see what happens this fall when they really start running around. It brings back bad memories from a couple of years ago.

I had a deer run into my truck, it wasn't at night but it was during the rut and a setting sun. I can still remember the sound it made when it hit the side of my truck. I never saw it coming.

The whole incident cost my insurance company $2,200.00 and me a few sleepless nights but I am glad the deer didn't suffer. We should all bare in mind that they can run out in front of you at any given time of the day or night.

With a new vehicle and car payments again you can rest assure I will be looking a bit harder on the way home at night. Just last week I had to slam on the breaks for one that ran out in front of me. I sure hope I see this many when deer season rolls around.

Drive Slow - Stay Alert - Be Prepared

Tuesday's Tip's & Technique's - #45

Mechanical release aides:

I used to shoot fingers years ago but started loosing strength so I began to use mechanical release aides and let me tell you the difference was tremendous. My accuracy improved considerably. There are so many to choose from that it would take up to much space so I am only going to show you a few.

This is one that I used to use when I shot archery.

Cobra Pro Caliper Release

You can count on a secure lock and a smooth release, even with the heaviest draw weights, using Cobra's Pro Caliper Release. The caliper style jaws provide an even, consistent release while protecting your bow string from wear and tear. Machined from solid aluminum, the Pro Caliper has a deluxe, curved gun-style trigger, black anodized release head with center release caliper-style jaws, stainless steel pins, a premium coil spring, and a chrome-moly pivot bearing for a consistently smooth release. The wrist strap comfortably transfers the pull of the draw to your wrist, and is available in either a suede buckle strap model or a leather, loop-lock fastener model, providing multiple adjustments to fit you perfectly.

Deluxe, gun-style curved trigger Center-release caliper jaws Chrome-moly pivot bearing Padded wrist strap

Here is one that is similiar but still different. I tried this one in the past and found it to not fit my hand comfortably but that is not to say that some one else might like it better.

Free Flight C-10 Release

The C-10 Free Flight Release incorporates a unique glove design that distributes a bow's pull across the hand and wrist, making it seem like your bow is 10 lbs. less in draw weight. Because the trigger and release mechanism lie in the palm of your hand, this release will not add draw length and is always in position, ready for action. The Apparition® camo glove is constructed with 8 oz. leather covered with reinforced Cordura® Nylon, tough materials that will not stretch with extended use. Features a long, gun-like adjustable trigger, hardened steel components, and a wide roller that minimizes string wear.
Sizes: S, M, L, XL.
Available: Right-hand or Left-hand.

Here is one without the support of the wrap around wrist band.

This standard caliper release allows for two shooting styles: pushing thumb forward or pulling the index finger into the thumb. A torque-free 360° swivel provides ultimate flexibility. The trigger sensitivity adjustment is easily tweaked. Built with machined aluminum and steel construction, it has an inner ball/ramp firing mechanism and wishbone

Allows for two shooting styles Torque-free 360° swivel Trigger sensitivity adjustment is easily tweaked

double-ball jaws.


This one has a smaller wrist band and quicker and easier to put on.

Pro Release Trophy Hunter Release

You get greater accuracy and drawing power when hunting or target shooting with the Trophy Hunter Release. These releases have a precision ball-bearing design with a swivel head for a crisp, frictionless arrow release. Serving saver bearings also are included, and each has an adjustable nylon wrist strap.

All in all there are different sizes, different camo patterns and slightly different mechanisms from one to the next. The important thing when picking one out is to try it in the store. Make sure it fits comfortably with ease of movement. Your finger should fit the trigger just like it would on a rifle.