The Wild WoodsWoman

Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer

2008-07-09T17:11:00.000-05:00

When I first started blogging, I had quite a few questions about how to get started. The first person to send me great advice and encouragement was Othmar at his blog Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer. He is VERY encouraging of women participation in outdoor activities, as evidenced by his recent post on "The Rise of the Huntress". In it he says, "The rise of the huntress has made our hunting heritage a true family affair that can involve the children and both parents, which has helped hunting to become a family activity." I recommend that you check out the full text of the post and his blog. He describes himself and his blog by saying, "Hunting and fishing is much more to me than just a pastime. It’s a way of life! This blog is dedicated to this way of life and the promotion of our rich North American outdoor heritage." You'll enjoy the quality writing in his posts, and the variety of hunting and fishing-related topics!

Promoting - Planning a Women in the Outdoors Event

2008-06-27T09:55:00.007-05:00

Phew - the work is halfway done! I'm volunteering to co-coordinate a Women in the Outdoors event for our area. In my previous posts on Starting an Event, Choosing a Site, Selecting Courses, I describe how we ironed out all the detail of when, where and what. Next we are working on the "Who?". Who will attend? Well, no one is going to attend unless you promote the event!

The Women in the Outdoors organization provides great colorful posters for giving event details and contact information. In addition, we glued pamphlet holders to each poster and stuck 8-12 pamphlets in each one. these posters are placed, with permission, at various locations including: gas stations, grocery stores, fitness centers, retail stores, libraries. I did check back at a few of these places and had to re-fill the pamplets. The fitness centers seemed to do the best.

Word of mouth is a great way to get participants. Both of us had people we knew personally send in registrations, which was great! I also set up a small display in the lobby of a local Gander Mountain store and handed out brochures to women. It worked better when I just handed a brochure to each woman, rather than asking if they wanted one.

We also did the standard promotions of registering our event on websites, and sending a press release to local magazines and newspapers. We did get good results from the newspaper coverage - several people called me from that. For us, it was a good idea to double check the website registrations. We asked for our brochure to be uploaded to the national Women in the Oudoors website. I later checked it and saw that some of the page breaks were offset and the brochure wouldn't turn out right when printed. So we had them re-upload the brochure. And thank goodness! I heard from one woman that she found our event by checking the national site. She also mentioned that she only looked at the events that had their brochure on the website, and disregarded those that didn't have the brochure readily available.

Almost right away, the registrations started pouring in! Check my next post for how our fundraising efforts went!

2008 Olympics: Women Kayakers

2008-05-09T17:50:00.000-05:00

Kayaking is an exciting sport, but kayak racing? That's a whole different level of muscles ladies! Women have a chance to show off those kayaking muscles and skills this summer at the Olympics. Here's a run down on the Olympic kayaking events in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Flatwater Kayak: The events include "K-2 500m (kayak double) Women ", "K-1 500m (kayak single) Women", and "K-4 500m (kayak four) Women", each referencing the number of women in the kayak and distance of the race. According to the "Official website of the Olympic Movement" (http://www.olympic.org/), flatwater racing is based in pure speed on the course and requires a calm water surface. Competitors are assigned to lanes.

Slalom Kayak: In slalom kayak racing, paddlers navigate through sets of poles called "gates" which are set-up amongst challenging rapids, currents, and eddies. In that there are similarities to slalom skiiing. Winners will complete the course in the shortest time, with the fewest penalties. Penalty times are added to the overall course time if the paddler touches one of the poles or misses a gate altogether. The event is called the Women's K1, and has traditionally been a 300-meter course.

If watching the kayaking events gives you the bug to try it, check out this website - Girls At Play. It's focused on getting women into kayaks!

Women of the Iditarod 2008

2008-03-07T18:08:00.001-06:00

If you don't know what the Iditarod is, take a moment to smack yourself on the forehead......done? OK. The Iditarod is a THRILLING dog-sled "race over 1150 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills, and you have the Iditarod. A race extraordinaire, a race only possible in Alaska." (Per their own description, which I couldn't have said any better!) The Iditarod is ran partially in commemoration of a heroic event. In 1925, diphtheria threatened epidemic-stricken Nome, Alaska. Life saving serum was delivered through the extreme efforts of dog mushers and their hard-working sled dogs. This Jr. Iditarod print you see here is by well known Alaskan Artist, David Totten, and is available for sale in limited quantities at their website as a fundraiser for the Jr Iditarod Scholarship Fund.

According to the Iditarod's musher listing, this year's "Women of the Iditarod 2008" are:
Bib # - Name - City - State
3 - Jessie Royer - Fairbanks - AK
17 - Aliy Zirkle - Two Rivers - AK
19 - Karen Ramstead - Perryvale - Canada
21 - Deborah Bicknell - Auke Bay - AK
23 - Jessica Hendricks - Two Rivers - AK
24 - Sigrid Ekran - Norway
27 - Sue Allen - Wasilla - AK
29 - Laura Daugereau - Port Gamble - WA
39 - DeeDee Jonrowe - Willow - AK
40 - Silvia Willis - Deshka River - AK
47 - Heather Siirtola - Talkeetna - AK
55 - Rachael Scdoris - Bend - OR
59 - Melissa Owens - Nome - AK
60 - Jennifer Freking - Finland - MN
62 - Molly Yazwinski - Fairbanks - AK
72 - Sue Morgan - Richmond - UT
75 - Liz Parrish - Klamath Falls - OR
79 - Kim Franklin - United Kingdom
82 - Cindy Gallea - Seeley Lake - MT
86 - Kelley Griffin - Wasilla - AK
88 - Anne Capistrant - Healy - AK
89 - Zoya DeNure - Gakona - AK

You can track their progress and results on the race page of the Iditarod website. There are also some mushers that withdrew according to the Iditarod's musher listing. The projected race finish is March 11 or 12 in Nome. Good luck ladies!!

What is Adventure Racing?

2008-03-07T07:20:00.000-06:00

Have you heard of Adventure Racing? I think it's a really great sport for the outdoorswoman, since it can combine a variety of outdoor skills that you may already do regularly! According to Wikipedia, adventure racing is described as "a combination of two or more disciplines, including orienteering and navigation, cross-country running, mountain biking, paddling and climbing and related rope skills. An expedition event can span ten days or more while sprints can be completed in a matter of hours." Wikipedia also explains the history of it, but you may recognize some of the more popular events such as Mark Burnett's Eco-Challenge, and PrimalQuest. Most adventure races are team events, and team attitude and coordination can be the make or break "talent" rather than say, great biking, or fast paddling! There are many many women already doing this, and some events require co-ed teams.

Have any of you tried adventure racing? I'm thinking about trying it out next year at a small local event. I think it sounds really fun and....adventurous!

Selecting Courses - Planning a Women in the Outdoors Event

2008-03-05T07:29:00.002-06:00

I have an update on our event planning for Women in the Outdoors! (Previous posts here and here.) We finalized our volunteer instructors and pinned down which courses we are going to offer. Attendees will rank their choices (1-8) on the sign up sheet, and will get 4 of their 8 choices. That is subject to class size, instructor availability, etc. There may be some cancellations which would affect that. But hopefully not!! Here's our class list:
Scrapbooking/Stamping
Pilates/Kickboxing
Gardening
Improv Acting/Humor Coaching
Art
Fishing
Gun Cleaning/Maintenance
Self Defense
Belly Dancing
Geocaching
Turkey Calling
Canoeing
Voyaguer Canoeing
Dutch Oven Cooking
Nature Journaling
Birding
Archery
Tree Identification
Learning about Raptors

What would be your top 4 selections?? The next step is to create our sign-up brochure and get it out into the community. I'll let you know what are the popular choices in a future post!

Elk Antlers at the Wedding?

2008-02-15T07:32:00.000-06:00

There's a good reason that I've been scarce lately - here's a clue... I found this on TMZ's website the other day, an article entitled "Bridezilla vs. Rudolph". I love the quote, "It's all about venison chic this season."!! So what do you think about elk antlers on a bride?!?

Emergency Kit in Your Vehicle

2007-12-28T07:20:00.000-06:00

It's a winter wonderland up here! The snow keeps falling and falling and falling! I'm hearing about all kinds of people going off the roads and into the ditch - yikes. For all of you in snowy climes, don't forget to have emergency items in your vehicle. Here's a list of possibilities:

Stay warm!
Gloves/mittens, wool socks, coat, boots, a blanket, hand warmers

Get out!
Cell phone/charger, booster cables, shovel, windshield scraper, tire chains/rope, road salt and sand, tool kit, road maps, compass

Wait for help!
Snacks, water, blaze orange flags, flashlight/batteries, emergency flares, first aid kit, waterproof matches and a can (to melt snow for water)

In more extreme locations, you may also want to include battery-powered radio/batteries. Personally, I've got the gloves, socks, boots, blanket, hand warmers, booster cables, scraper, maps, snacks. I'm planning on adding cell phone charger, flares, first aid kit, flashlight, and matches. Guess I'd better get going on that now that we've got over a foot of snow on the ground!

Notable Outdoor Women - Julie Kay Smithson

2007-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Julie Kay Smithson is noted as an unsung hero for her devotion to the cause of property rights. After a run-in with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding an endangered species on her land, she tutored herself on the issues of land-use, and environmental and endangered species. Since then she has been educating landowners and sportsmen through her research and website PropertyRightsResearch.Org

As you look through her website, you will realize that Julie takes very polarizing stances on specific subjects. You will likely agree wholeheartedly, or will be vehemently opposed to what she is saying. She's an interesting selection for Outdoor Life to add to their list - I doubt that she will be admired by the majority. She could serve however as a great resource for those who are struggling with land rights.

Unfortunately, I have to veer toward being opposed to her views. Specifically, I cannot agree with her comment on her website that "Climate change, i.e., 'global warming' OR 'global cooling,' has virtually zilch to do with production of so-called 'greenhouse gases'." Such disregard for the extensive research and intelligence of independent scientists world-wide, who state that humans are in fact accelerating the climate change, is an extremely arrogant and "cause-centric" stance and it makes her look foolish. I certainly would select her as an expert on land use rights, but I highly doubt that she's also a climatologist experienced in current climate research and theory.

Notable Outdoor Women - Jennie Richardson

2007-12-18T22:55:00.000-06:00

Outdoor Life Magazine just came out with "The Outdoor Life 25 - People Who Changed the Face of Hunting & Fishing" in the December/January 2008 issue. In it they recognize two women, Jennie Richardson and Julie Kay Smithson (more on Julie here). I wanted to provide you more information and links on these notable outdoor women!

Jennie Richardson is noted as a leader for her work in getting school children involved in archery. They say, "In 2002, educator and national champion archer Jennie Richardson was chose as the state coordinator for a fledgling program designed to introduce archery to middle school students...." They further describe how that program has grown to the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) that is "being taught in more than 40 state and 4 countries."

So who is Jennie Richardson? According to her website, Jennie has been an avid bowhunter and angler since she was a child. After suffering a shoulder injury that ended her days as one of the top softball coaches in Kentucky, Jennie learned to shoot her bow with her teeth “Tim Farmer-style” while she went through shoulder surgery. She was soon back to shooting competitive archery. Her time in Semi-Pro classes didn’t last long – as she won seven out of 14 tournaments in 1998 and was named Cabela’s Shooter of the Year and won the World’s Championship. She is a two time World Champion, has logged 87 Top 10 finishes, 26 Top 5 finishes, 21 Top 3 finishes and six wins. (As of today when I got the info off her website - these numbers may have changed by the time you read this!) This list of accomplishments on her website is VERY impressive!

My first time cross-country skiing

2007-12-16T19:48:00.000-06:00

Today was an outdoor first for me - the first time that I ever tried cross country skiiing! Someone gave me some old skis and poles, and a friend of mine loaned me some boots to try it out. I have downhill skied before so this wasn't a total stretch for me, and it went pretty well. I went on some paths on our land that were snow covered, so I think if I'd get them more packed down it would work better. To me it felt like a workout effort (which I should do every day anyway), but rather than be on a treadmill or eliptical, I got to be outside in the woods! Now is working out my favorite thing to do? No. But since I should do it anyway, I think that from now on I'll try to throw this in to mix things up every once in a while.

For those of you who regularly cross country ski, I have a question. Do you prefer to ski with someone or on your own?

Choosing a Site - Planning a Women in the Outdoors Event

2007-12-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

We're still working on planning the Women in the Outdoors event that I mentioned in this earlier post. Here's an update of how the process is going.

One of the dates we selected will work for our first choice of the 4-H outdoor education camp. We chose that because a successful event has been held there before, it's centrally located, and it's on the water so that we can include water-based activities. To reserve the camp, we have to put a small deposit down. From what I understand, the actual initial money will come from one of the local NWTF chapters, and then we'll pay them back after we receive the registration money from the participants.

The next step is a fun one - selecting which courses to offer! In the end, we'll offer 12 or so courses and each participant will pick their top 4 choices. (Four courses in the one-day event.) So as planners, we have to narrow down to 12, from a hugely interesting list of possibilities! It should be a good mix that will appeal to shooters and non-shooters, crafters and non-crafters, water lovers and land lovers, etc. We're going to each narrow the big list that Women in the Outdoors provided, down to 15 or so each. Then the three of us will debate from our individual lists when we get together next. Finding instructors is a big factor in the selection.

I'll let you know which events we pin it down to!

Women on Snow

2007-12-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine alerted me to this very cool event that some of you ladies may be interested in - Women on Snow!

Women on Snow is an annual snowmobiling event for women only, that brings over one hundred women to Wisconsin's Northwoods during the last weekend in January.
The next dates are January 25-27, 2008. According to their website, "Women on Snow draws gals who love to snowmobile from all over the Midwest for a weekend of trail riding." Based in Eagle River, Wisconsin, the women ride in one of six groups designated by color. The weekend includes a real Wisconsin fish fry dinner, trail riding, continental breakfast, trail riding, a support vehicle, trail riding, a themed Saturday night banquet, and more trail riding! There's also a Women on Snow Tour which occurs Monday through Wednesday after the weekend event. See their website for more info on the weekend.

The event has in interesting history too! The Flying Femmes were a group of women who in the late 1970's earned membership into their club by trail-touring on snowmobile. Word spread of their ride and the fun they had. Each year, more women joined the women riders. In 1984, the Flying Femmes went on their dream tour-- a 1200 mile, six day tour to Brainerd, Minnesota and back. The first official Women on Snow event was held in 1986. Ninety-seven women participated in what has become an annual event in Eagle River, Wisconsin.

See! Girls Hunt Too!

2007-12-07T17:30:00.000-06:00

Silly Boys, Girls Hunt Too!

Rex's daughter Sarah got her first deer over Thanksgiving weekend! He's got that pic and many more at Deer Camp Blog. Matt at Bright Idea Outdoors also highlighted it.

Great Archery Photo!

2007-12-06T17:15:00.001-06:00

This is not me.

It's a Miss Lilia Stepanova at the Archery World Cup final in Dubai, United Emirates, on Saturday November 24th. She's a professional contortionist, and does another nifty archery trick below, which is apparently her signature move. Amazing!!

We're Just Here to Give Birth To Hunters

2007-12-04T17:53:00.000-06:00

I'm vexed - again - grrrr!! Kevin at HuntingLife.com (a very nice site) posted an article by Randall L. Eaton, Ph.D. Advisor to Conservation Force that vexed me! (I'm vexed with Mr. Eaton by the way, not Kevin!) The article was going along just fine until he said, "The polarities of human life consist of women bringing life into the world and men taking life to support life." I stumbled in my response because I was typing very fast, like I do when I'm vexed. But as I tried to say there, the article would have been better if it had left out the aspect of "gender differences". It's not even relevant to the argument of why hunting is a good thing. Perhaps he could have accomodated the recent and well documented changes in hunter gender demographics to acknowledge women's involvement in hunting beyond giving birth to hunters!!

What's a Personal Locator Beacon?

2007-12-04T07:35:00.000-06:00

I'm starting to plan for an elk hunt in Colorado next year. I looked into a Personal Locator Beacon in case of emergency. Here's a synopsis of what I found for those of you who may be planning a trip to the wild woods.

What is a Personal Locator Beacon?
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are for personal use and are intended to indicate a person in distress who is away from normal emergency services, according to Wikipedia. PLBs vary in size from cigarette-packet to paperback book. They can be purchased from hiking supply stores, online, or rented from PLB Rentals (among others). The cost varies widely with varying levels of performance and options. A site with excellent FAQs about PLBs is provided by the Equipped To Survive Foundation.

How Do They Work? - Generally
A PLB is activated manually by you. The PLBs signal transmission is picked up by one or more satellites. The satellite transmits the signal to its ground control station. The satellite's ground station processes the signals and forwards the data, including approximate location, to a national authority. The national authority forwards the data to a rescuers. The rescuers use their equipment to locate the beacon, contact your emergency contacts to verfiy it's not a false alarm, and then hopefully save you!

How Do They Work? - Technically
PLBs operating on 406 MHz transmit a unique serial number called a Hex Code, which is detected by the NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) and Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES). GOES, the first to detect a beacon’s distress signal, hover in a fixed orbit above Earth and receive the signals, which contain registration information about the beacon and its owner. The POES constantly circle the globe, enabling them to capture and accurately locate the alerts to within a few miles. The satellites are part of the worldwide satellite search and rescue system called, COSPAS-SARSAT. The COSPAS-SARSAT system is a cluster of NOAA and Russian satellites that work together to detect distress signals anywhere in the world transmitted from PLBs and from beacons carried aboard ships and airplanes. In the U.S. the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center acts as the single federal agency for coordinating search and rescue missions in the inland regions of the 48 contiguous states. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Beginning Feb. 1, 2009, only 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the international Cospas-Sarsat SAR satellite system, so I won't even mention other types. Citation: "Personal Locator Beacons as a Rescue Device for Backcountry Travelers," by Ryan Jordan. BackpackingLight.com (ISSN 1537-0364). http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00205.html, 2003-11-23 03:00:00-07.

When the PLB is purchased the Hex Code is registered with the relevant national (or international) authority. Registration provides Search and Rescue (SAR) agencies with crucial information such as: emergency contact phone numbers to call, a description of the person, any additional information that may be useful to SAR agencies. All of this allows SAR agencies to start a rescue more quickly. Remember, PLBs should not be used in cases where normal emergency response exists (i.e. 911.)!

Get ready for sticker shock - they aren't cheap. But would you want them to be? Really, you get what you pay for. Personally, I don't spend enough time in the really remote places to justify purchasing one. However, I'd sure consider renting one. Yes, it would add weight to my pack, but peace of mind should lighten the load!

Pro Athlete hunts with his wife

2007-12-02T22:54:00.000-06:00

I found an old story on ESPN Outdoors about Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brian Bohanon. In it, he talks about how "his fondest hunting memory doesn't include a time when he was behind the scope. It was scoping out his spouse, Tina, as she took down an 8-point deer on her very first hunting trip, the first time she ever handled a rifle."

In the full story, Brian talks about his love of hunting and how he assisted his wife on that day. "I was just telling her about shot placement, where to put the crosshairs. I knew the gun was sighted in and it was going to shoot right there. I was just whispering in her ear, 'Just find the shoulder and just go about 2 inches behind it, and, once you get to that point, whenever you're not moving, pull the trigger.' "

He also talks about when his wife decided to start hunting, "I didn't really force her into it. She made the decision on her own to go and do it. And when she said she wanted to go, I said, 'Let's go.' I didn't coax her into it." Sounds like good tips for all the guys out there who'd like their wives/girlfriends to hunt!

Gun Hunting Season 2007

2007-11-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

How'd you all do gun hunting this season? I did really well at sitting in my blind ALL day, which was one goal. Can't shoot 'em if you are in the house! In my area, we have to shoot a doe before we are allowed to shoot a buck. (Too many deer around - herd control plan)

Opening morning I saw does...behind my blind where I couldn't shoot. Then in the afternoon of the first day, I had 2 does run right in front of my blind. I shot at the second one when it was standing 40 yards a way broadside and missed clean. (?$?!!??*&?) No idea what happened there, maybe I hurried too much. But the two does jumped forward 10 yards and said to each other "Wow, that was a loud noise! Do you know what it was? Nope. Where did it come from. Dunno, let's stand here and look around and see if we can figure it out." Of course, I took my time on the second shot, and picked my target out through a nice little gap in the branches in front of me and pulled the trigger. I hit the deer great, right in the vitals and it didn't go but 50 yards.

Before I went to get the deer I saw something odd. In front of my blind, there was a branch completely shot off! But I know I aimed over the branch! I put my brain to work, and figured out that when I looked at the deer, I sighted with my iron sights which cleared the branch. HOWEVER, the barrel of my gun is about an inch below that, and the branch was only 3 feet from the end of my gun. The bullet's trajectory doesn't meet up with where I'm aiming by that point. Thus, I hit the branch before I hit the deer! Luckily I was using a shotgun, and the slug went right through it and still hit within the vital target area. (Phew!)

The rest of the season, I had chances at does, but didn't have any bucks come into sight. Now it's time to process the venison! Yum!

Scrapbooking the Outdoors

2007-11-21T07:13:00.000-06:00

How many scrapbookers are out there? I just started scrapbooking last year. I didn't think I'd like it, the nit-pickey little pieces, the cheesy decorations. Guess what? They have nifty tools that cut the little pieces and there are some really cool stickers and backgrounds! After I made my first page, I thought "Oh, that's so nice! I made that?" My next scrapbook is going to be all about my outdoor activities (naturally!). I Googled "scrapbooking the outdoors" and here's some of what I found:

The Great Outdoors Scrapbooking
There is nothing like being out in nature. The trees, the mountains, the wildlife, the scenery, the fishing, the bugs, umm, well, maybe the bugs aren’t so great, but you just can’t beat Mother Nature for the awe-inspiring views. When you use our Great Outdoors scrapbook supplies to scrap your trip to the lake, wilderness trek or visit to the park, you are sure to be inspirational as well with the pages you’ll create. Your memories will be preserved for generations to come.

About.Com: Camping and Outdoor Scrapbook Pages
Do you have some camping or outdoor photos still in boxes or older photo albums? These layout ideas will inspire you when you need an idea for your next camping layout. In this gallery, you will find everything from simple pages to more complex layouts. A couple of the layouts have even been created digitally.

Scrapbooking Ideas - Outdoor and Camping Scrapbooks
Fun outdoor and camping resources for your camping vacations and outdoor themed pictures.

Outdoor Phrases and Quotes from Scrapbook.com

Gun Hunting from a Ground Blind

2007-11-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Do you hunt in the chilly north, but can't put up a permanent gun hunting stand? Then I highly recommend hunting from a ground blind!

Where I hunt, there's no particular reason you'd need to hunt from an elevated stand because of the hills, dips and valleys in the landscape. We aren't allowed to put up permanent stands on the private land I hunt, and finally it's cold. Cold, cold! After years of shivering in a tree stand, only to freeze out and head in the house to warm up, I purchased a pop up ground blind. I LOVE IT!

I love it because it's cozy - I'm protected from most of the wind, rain, snow. My movements are hidden and muffled. I can bring lots of stuff (like a book, lunch, extra gear, blankets, etc.) that will all fit right next to me. I can sit in a ground blind all day, which optimizes my hunting time!

The blind is put up in my "spot" about two weeks or more ahead of time (no trees necessary!), and the deer don't even glance at it by the time I sit for hunting. I stake and tie it down - learned that lesson the hard way. It's made of camo material, but I also add natural camoflage around it like branches, grass, etc. Inside I clear out anything crunchy from the ground, and add a comfy chair. When I'm putting it up, I take a snippers and clear my shooting lanes while I'm there. Then I leave it alone until the day or two before hunting. Then I put in anything that I want to have on opening day - but don't want to carry in that morning. Like an extra chair for gear or a buddy, water bottle, seat cushion, book, etc. The big debate for me is whether to open the zip down windows then, or to wait until morning. I think I've decided to open them the day before to minimize the VERY LOUD ZIPPER SOUNDS in the morning.

I sat in my blind in the rain once, and realized I should have used seam sealer (waterproofing product) on the seams because rain was dripping in there. But other than that, I'm very well protected from the weather. One consideration to remember though, is to hang blaze orange outside your blind when gun hunting. It defeats the safety purpose of wearing blaze orange otherwise!

If I'm not Blogging, I'm Hunting!

2007-11-16T15:32:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is opening day of gun season!! I've been busy getting ready for that. Plus last weekend, we went out bow hunting and saw 3 bucks which made me really get in the mood for hunting this weekend. Since I've been too busy to write, here's some links to articles about women hunting that came out recently. Good luck hunting!!

Girl power: Teen schools guys on how to bag deer
"Rachel Woodard might be a Ravenna High School cheerleader, but she's far from all pompoms and pigtails. The 17-year-old senior is an avid deer hunter who already has bagged six deer, including two seven-point bucks."

Hunting: Despite overall decline in license sales, more women are taking up hunting
"A 2005 five-year survey by the National Sporting Goods Association painted a rosier picture of female hunting participation, claiming a 72 percent increase nationwide. "We can explain decreases in men," said Mark Duda of Responsive Management, a Virginia firm that tracks and interprets outdoors trends. "Male hunters live in rural areas and they're aging. As to why female participation is increasing, that's more of a mystery, since it appears to span various age groups, incomes and levels of education."

My favorite quote from this article? "Something is happening with women and hunting."

Starting up a Women in the Outdoors Event

2007-11-09T17:15:00.001-06:00

I've mentioned the Women in the Outdoors program a few times (here and here). It really interests me, and I decided that I want to participate. But there were no events right in my area, so I took it a step further and contacted someone to help start one. If this is something you may be interested in too, and are wondering about it, here's how it's going!

Karyl is the regional coordinator, and she had also gotten emails of interest from another woman in my area that also wanted to start an event. After a few scheduling emails back and forth, we met at a local restuarant. The first thing we had to determine was the location of the event. We brainstormed beforehand and at the meeting and came up with three possible options: a 4-H outdoor education camp, a rod and gun clubgrounds, a wildlife area with an educational center. We chose one as our first choice, and then checked Karyl's schedule for dates. We selected 3 dates that didn't correspond with any other Women in the Outdoor events (especially those close by), and that worked for the three of us. The next step is to call our first choice location and schedule one of the three dates we selected - hoping they had those dates open! If they don't we'll work our way down the list of locations.

After that is settled, we'll meet again to work on the next phase of planning a Women in the Outdoors event. Check back for updates!

Woman Hunter Shoots Albino Deer in MN

2007-11-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

I've been busy bow hunting and getting ready for gun hunting. I saw a niiiice buck by my gun hunting spot - can't wait! But I haven't seen any albino deer, unlike the woman in Minnesota who shot one last week. According to Fox News' November 5th, 2007 story online, Mary Roakoz shot and killed a rare albino deer as hunting season got kicked off in Minnesota.

It's not legal where I live to kill a full albino deer. I'm on the fence on what I think about this. I don't blame her for doing it, but I don't think I could personally do it. I've read too many fiction stories where there's a mystical white animal that appears in the forest and has special powers!! It would be bad karma I think.

Female Wildlife Officer Killed During Poacher Patrol

2007-10-29T11:29:00.001-05:00

According to a South Florida TV station, "A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer was killed Saturday night in an all-terrain vehicle crash. Officer Michelle Lawless was looking for poachers and others who often target alligators and deer at night at the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area in Broward when investigators said she struck a metal gate, while driving without headlights.She was pinned underneath the ATV for hours near the Broward and Palm Beach County line. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. The commission said there is no evidence pointing to foul play, but they are still investigating the death."