Rustic Barn Outdoors

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Mountain Treasures Kelsey Loper

Growing up in northern Wisconsin, hunting for white tail deer sheds was a family affair that, more often than not, led to a beautiful day outdoors with loved ones rather than impressive finds. Even a single shed could be cause for excitement, which is why one of my more recent excursions in Montana was so amazing.

Worse-case scenario, I expected a great family camping and hiking trip, not bad at all, but instead, we came out with the haul of a lifetime.

While fishing in Montana with my boyfriend Brady his father John, I had seen many elk, running the hills from the road. I had even found a road shed one year. That road shed and elk sightings inspired us to come back and solely look for sheds.

After a few years of fishing in this area, we decided to return to walk the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) area and camp for a few days while checking out the land and looking for sheds. Day one was windy and cold, but we persisted despite the pelting rain on our faces, determined to find fresh elk sheds.

I struck gold almost immediately. Within 10 2

minutes of the truck, I found a 5-point elk shed.

Then, as I was trying to get John’s attention across the coulee to show him my find, I spotted a 7-point elk shed about 40 yards in front of me and utterly camouflage. Holy cow! Two brown elk sheds in 10 minutes of walking along with 3 white deer sheds, one right next to the elk shed, and two others within eyesight.

Who wouldn’t be happy with that? John wasn’t as lucky and only came back to the truck that afternoon with one white mule deer shed. While we were waiting for Brady, John walked down the road but then suddenly started running. At first, I wondered if he saw Brady and needed help. Nope, he had spotted a brown 7-point elk shed and was caught up in his excitement after a slow day. I couldn’t believe we hadn’t seen it driving in. Eventually, Brady came back with a nice elk deadhead and several sheds. With evening closing in, we searched for a flat campsite and made a fire. Sharing stories of where we found our sheds while cooking over an open fire was enthralling. Making memories camping with family was the cherry on the top after finding great elk and deer sheds in the hills.

finding sheds, but even though they can help, my best advice is to just put on the miles and don’t give up. Sheds can be anywhere, hiding where you least expect, and even if someone else was already there, you might be the lucky person who spots one hiding in the grass. More importantly, though, have fun with your family in the outdoors.

If we had come out with one white shed and nothing more, the weekend would have still been amazing because we were together, hiking in the fresh air, and making memories.

The next day we headed out to another area close to camp, and incredibly, we were even more successful. I wasn’t even sure Brady’s pack frame could hold any more sheds as he climbed out of one coulee with a full load plus sheds in his hands. After filling up the truck bed, we went to scout another area down the road. John and I got out to glass a hillside, and within seconds, John spotted another road shed! I ran to grab the white 5 point, which looked just like my road shed the year before. Invigorated, I tied my boots tighter and kept walking, looking for deer and elk sign as we set out again.

Overall we put on about 16-20 miles each, spurred on by our luck. Everywhere we looked, we found more sheds. Brady collected more down in ravines while John and I found a bunch on ridges. Most were on south-facing slopes, as is typical, but some were on north slopes. I usually looked by trees, but sometimes, they were in fields. By the end of the trip, we had amassed an impressive collection of 35 sheds, several pairs of aching feet, and grins for days.

Everyone always wants to know tricks for

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Mountain Lion Stuffed Shells Kelsey Loper

This is a simple and delicious way to enjoy mountain lion with an Italian twist.

Mountain Lion is easily substituted for elk. Enjoy!

Ingredients:  Alfredo sauce(16 oz)  2 cups cooked shredded mountain lion(I like to cook it in the crock pot and pull it apart like bbq pulled pork)  2 cups cooked broccoli-chopped  1 cup shredded cheddar cheese  1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese  1 box jumbo shells cooked  1 to 2 cups red spaghetti sauce  Seasoning salt and garlic salt to season meat 4

Instructions: Cook meat in cock pot with a little water or stock and pull apart, or chop the meat into small bite size pieces.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Boil noodles.

Mix mountain lion, broccoli, alfredo and cheese together. Spoon into cooked pasta shells. Spread red spaghetti sauce on bottom of 13x9 cake pan. I put tin foil on bottom to help with the clean up.

Place stuffed shells in pan and bake 35 minutes.

Arielle Shay - Bowfishing!

Arielle takes on Bow Fishing! What a sport, let me tell you!

You get to do a little hunting and fishing all at the same time!

Quin, my husband, was the first to take me out bow fishing and I haven’t wanted to stop since! Back in the day, I didn’t have all the bells and whistles I do now... I stood in between the seats for balance with a head lamp on. I looked for fish hoping to get a shot in before they swam away into the dark.

Now, in the new boat, we have the whole set up! A generator for the light bars, a good motor, a trolling motor, a wood platform to stand and sit on and so much more. This makes our trips safe and enjoyable. He even equipped me with a pole that I can hold onto if the waves start rolling in.

Once you launch the boat you start up that generator and get all the lights going! When you get them all on, the bottom becomes alive! It’s a whole new world from day light fishing!

If you run the shorelines, like you are supposed to, you can see all the fish swimming around with not a care in the water.

The coolest part for me is to finally be able to visualize how the bottom looks; you get to see where all the good deep holes are. I have found quite a few amazing catfishing spots while bow fishing. I digress. Within a few minutes you start seeing carp; you are now constantly trying to get a good shot in! The first thing I learned when bow fishing was once you aim at the fish; aim lower. I missed quite a few shots because I was aiming to high. After you get the idea of how to hold your arm as well as where to aim, it’s just a matter of time.

Ready, aim low and shoot! BAMB, you hit one!!! Once you have an arrow in, the fish will either take off like crazy, or just stop moving all together. Reel it in and claim you prize! Carp are invasive, and we pride ourselves on taking out as many of them as we can!

They are good fertilizer to boot! Some of my coolest fish I have shoot were: a mere carp (pictured below) and some really big goldfish (pictured below). Gar are hard to shoot, so even shooting a small one is worth a high five! I had my biggest carp on last year and as I was hand reeling him in he almost pulled me out of the boat into the water! All you hear, as my husband is shooting another fish is, he’s pulling me in baby!

I get dirty as all get up, my clothes are full of blood and guts, I’m tired and my arms hurt but it is so much fun! Everyone must try it once in their lives, even if just to help eliminate an invasive species. How do you clean your lakes? Make sure to check us out on YouTube (ShaysSlayOutdoors) or on Instagram (ArielleQuinShay) to see more amazing content!

Thank you and stay blessed.

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For as long as I can remember, killing my first black bear has been my dream hunt! That desire got so much worse back in 2017 when my husband killed his first weighing in at 437 pounds. That's massive for around our area here in Southeastern North Carolina! We got a hunt lined up in 2019 with one of my husband's friends who has some really good bear dogs and they both told me I could be the one to get this one if we got after one. I was so excited but so nervous at the same time. When hunting bear with dogs, you have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. You have to know exactly where to shoot and be confident in that shot because if you only injure the bear.... well, many dogs have been killed that way. I prayed so hard for weeks leading up to this hunt for God to protect the dogs and us and for Him to guide my shot directly where it needed to be. We tried the first time on November 11th and got after one weighing about 350. After about 3 hours of crawling and fighting our way through the thickest bay on our hunting club known as "the big island", the bear continued to walk and we eventually just made our way back out. It was close to 80 degrees that day and we were pouring sweat. After 11 hours of following that bear and often running him, the dogs were tapped out and couldnt even make it out of the woods. They ended up sleeping in that block of woods 6

overnight and that boar bear got away. I was so disappointed but felt so blessed to have a husband try that hard and work that hard to get me on my dream hunt. I bowed my head and thanked the Lord for that day and just for the chance to be out there trying when I know so many cant. Two weeks later, they decided to line up another hunt and give me another chance to get my first. I was limited on time as I had Miranda Lambert concert tickets scheduled for that night but I knew if I had to choose one over the other, it would be to bear hunt! I prayed for protection again over the dogs and us and asked God, if it be His will, to finally let me get my dream game but I was once again just thankful for the opportunity. We turned loose around 6:30am after checking trail cameras and finding a good track and they jumped within about 20 minutes. This time the bear went up a tree! My husband, me and 2 other guys started making our way to the tree. We started to crawl the closer we got because there was only 3 dogs on the bear and they would bark pretty steady and get quiet for a few minutes. When they would stop barking, we would stay completely still so the bear didnt hear us coming. When we finally made it to the tree, I went to the front of the line with my brother in law Cody. He has killed many bear since he was young so he was going to walk me through killing my first. The bear was looking in our direction so as soon as she finally looked away, I was

able to stand up and get my gun ready. Once she looked back in my direction, I took the shot I needed to and she started to fall back. I then took a second shot hitting her in the chest just to make sure she was dead. I couldnt stand the thought of a dog getting injured on my behalf so I did everything I could to prevent it. I had finally killed my first black bear!! I used 00 buck shot in my Remington 58 Sportsman. Though she was small only weighing in at 208 pounds she provided many meals for my family! God had answered my prayers and blessed me with a beautiful sow that I am now using to get a bear skin rug or either a shoulder mount. I am still undecided but I know either will be beautiful. My dream hunt had finally became a reality and I give God all the glory! I am also grateful to my husband and all the guys involved (Cody, Elijah, James, Josh) who helped make all this possible and helped me drag her out of the woods. I will always be even more grateful that my first was killed in front of dogs and forever grateful for the dogs working so hard as well! Especially the old man in the photos! He may not be my dog but he has put many bear up in his day and I'm so thankful he helped me get mine! I will always be thankful to #huntwithhound

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My name is Hayley Howard, I'm 26 years old and I'm from Tibbie, Alabama. It is a very small town where we don't even have a red light and there is only one place to eat, lol. I was born into hunting, that is all my family knows is supplying our our meat and veggies; my other passion is photography.

I have my own business called HH Photography on facebook and @hayleycolee on instagram. Whether it's pictures of ducks, deer, hogs, birds, sunsets, ect., I have a lot of pictures to offer if needed. I'm a field expert for Drake Waterfowl, a chapter leader for Ducks Unlimited, Ambassador for Brown Dog Hosiery Co., a member of NWTF, a member of Wildlife Women and more. I go on hunts with many people in Alabama and photograph their hunts. I've traveled to many states for my passion of photography and hunting. Fortunately, I was raised on a farm where I was always around cows, horses, chickens, goats, and sheep. Now, that I have my own house and all grown up I have one hunting dog named Bream, 5 chickens, and two ducks. Growing up we didn't hunt to just kill, we'd hunted to eat; I'm still that way today.

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My name is Joslyn Lundberg and I am 12 years old. I was born two months early but my parents say its just because I’m always in a hurry.

Our family all loves to hunt and fish and so do I. The best part is competing with my brother Ty. I have loved target practicing and shooting deer and turkeys since I was little but I have been practicing more with my bow to be able to use it by the next season.

My favorite thing to do besides hunt and check trail cameras is be on the farm with my family taking care of our chickens, Angus cows and multiple types of game birds. Its never boring on the farm! We collect and set 1000s of eggs in the Spring which keeps me busy in the non hunting season. During summer I like to play softball and go swimming but doing just about anything outdoors is just fine with me!

Recently I started working on photography and drawing which has been a fun pastime to work with especially when its nature related. Thank you for choosing my story and photo I really enjoy seeing all the other pictures and people that post about their adventures in the outdoors. When everything gets crazy in the world you can always do the best social distancing in the woods!

Joslyn Lundberg

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Quarantined Travel Nurse

By Victoria Tavares

Why did I decide to start working as a travel nurse is usually the first question I’m asked. Well, I had raised 3 children, the youngest finally flew the coup, and I had always wanted to be a travel nurse. The next two questions I’m asked is how long have I been traveling and where I am from. The “how long” gets caught up in a 10 minute conversation and the where from, Florida. And to me, the next question is hilarious!

Why would you come here from Florida?! Well, I know Florida has tons going for it, fishing and beaches, buts that’s it to me. In the summer its so hot you can barely breath, the bugs suck the life out of you, and its flat. Doesn’t matter what part of Florida, it’s flat. The terrain is all the same, sandy, cabbage palms, and sand prickers (we call them something else but this article is being published!).

I was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and let me tell you, Florida has nothing on the beautiful state of Wisconsin. We would drive ever spring break to the Florida Keys with my God parents-I loved it! My dad finally had enough of the Wisconsin winters and moved us as far south as he could to Homestead, Florida when I was fourteen. And at fourteen, who would complain about being a teenager living the Florida Keys dream. But my traveling dreams didn’t start in the Keys it started at the age of 5 when my grandparents took me to England and my best friend’s parents took me across the country from Wisconsin to California one summer on a road trip. I have been a “road tripper” ever since.

Don’t get me wrong, flying isn’t totally out of the question but if I can drive, I’d rather drive.

So now it’s 2020, amidst Covid-19, and the United States is shut down.

Fortunately for me, I am solo all the time so socially isolating isn’t an issue. Currently I’m on assignment in Twin Falls, Idaho living in my 24 foot camper. So what does one do if they completely came to Idaho to fish and all you could buy is a non-resident hunting license with a 3-day fishing pass and most waters don’t open until after Memorial Day? Well, you do the next best thing! You explore all the other wonders Idaho has to offer. Idaho is over 60% Public Land use. 34 million acres of available social distancing excursions all for me to enjoy. Twin Falls is located in South Central Idaho and the main roads in Idaho are pretty much North and South, East and West. There are dirt roads for miles into almost every horizon and off road opportunities everywhere. I have discovered that onX, or any other land mapping option, is beneficial because sometimes you’ll take a road and it dumps you onto private property. I take trespassing seriously so if you do visit Idaho and plan some offroading, have something available that gives you land boundaries.

I arrived in Twin Falls mid April and it was still a bit chilly with some crazy winds. Since arriving I have learned that you must be prepared for winter, spring, summer, and fall all in one day’s excursion, especially if you head up to the Sawgrass Mountains and it starts snowing! My first impression of Idaho was that it was all mountainous because I visited someone last winter up in the northeast section, Island Park, which isn’t too far from West Yellowstone. Well, here, in Twin Falls, its mostly dessert style, sage brush and dirt. Don’t mistake me, it’s beautiful, and I am not complaining. The Shoshone Falls and Box Canyon are what

destination magazines are made for but the mountains are what dreams are made of. About an hour north of me I discovered a small herd of elk around one of the waters where the fish taunt me. I actually discovered this area from a Rockhounding website, yes, I rockhound too and Idaho is the Gem State. On this river the fish rise and jump continuously and healthy bug hatches are notable. Within this small stretch of river I have found elk rubs that allude to massive animals. Being solo I try to be as safe as possible and attempt to stay away from their natural roaming areas as winter has ended but some of the cows should start birthing mid-May and I don’t want to be a factor in disrupting their wild nature just to satisfy my exploration needs.

So on to rockhounding. I have always been intrigued by rocks, always. My grandfather would take me to the local rock quarry when was I was young and support my habit.

The love of rocks has never left me but the internet has made finding cool places so much easier. While on my assignment in Arizona I found fire agate and Apache Tears.

So far since I’ve been in Idaho I have found a cool spot for Thunder Eggs with chalcedony in a white to rust color, onyx, and obsidian. Obsidian is naturally formed volcanic glass and was used in making arrowheads and knives. Onyx can be polished and used in jewelry. And I can’t complete this article without adding that despite my original soapbox regarding take-out amidst a pandemic I have been supporting small and eating my way through Idaho. From ice cream baked potato to specialty cookies. From food trucks to specialty energy drinks. From not your average donuts to hole in the wall burritos. It’s been a foodies dream come true.

Thankfully I’ll be here on assignment until the end of July and I still have so much Idaho traveling and exploring to do.

I intend on heading up to the Panhandle area mid-May and once fishing is opened and I have an unrestricted fishing license I’ll be fishing whatever waters I can get to on my days off from working. I am thankful that Idaho has not completely forced me to be confined on my days off, so very thankful. Stay safe stay healthy.

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ARTICLE CIRCLE - GWEN GRIMES

warmth of our cozy wood fired cabin.

We live 122 miles south of the Arctic Circle in a sleepy historic area known as Eagle, Alaska. We built a homestead here in the Alaskan wilderness. Our area is rugged, remote and peaceful.

Northern lights entertain us at night as they magically dance across the brilliant night sky. Wolves howl in the distance.

Nights here are magical. One evening while lying in bed, we heard our puppies outside whining and yelping, seemingly crying for our presence as they were scared spitless. Nate, my boyfriend, got up to check on the pups. It is dark here in the winter. The sun doesn't rise. Winter grips its icy clutch on the land, turning it into a snow filled crisp winter wonderland.

Sound amplifies in sub zero temperatures. Birch trees crack and pop under extreme cold, often sounding like a shotgun blast when they explode.

Deep breath. The pups we're ok. We were ok. We had just fended off a wolf! The morning couldn't come quick enough. Daylight here in winter is like dusk. The sun never really rises part of the winter, and this was the dark time. We found the blood trail and followed it for several miles. We never found the arrow, nor the wolf.

Two weeks later, our neighborhood that lives a mile below us, killed three wolves that were stalking his dogs.

None of them were black. To this day we don't know what happened to that huge wolf. He never returned. We live in an area where wolves and grizzly bears roam into people's yards. This place is wild and free. I wouldn't have it any other way! Adventure awaits as we continue to build our homestead in the beautiful Alaskan outback!

Walking across the land, your footsteps crack and snap like walking on broken glass. The world around you is frozen solid.

Your breath creates icicles on your eyelashes. There is always danger when you step outside, whether it's the weather or the wildlife, you best be prepared... Nate grabbed his compound bow as he stepped out into the dark chilly night. The puppies were in a frenzy. As he headed toward the dog yard, a blacker than night form bounded from the woodline straight toward him. In three large bounds, the creature had covered a lot of ground. He screamed at me from outside the cabin, "get the gun!" I quickly grabbed my .45 caliber handgun and the flashlight I always keep near my bedside and ran down the stairs, donning my parka and gloves. As I ran out the door, searching the dark for his presence, I saw a large black wolf dart back into the woods, 50 feet away from my love. "Wolf!" He yelled. He was standing between the pups and the wolf, in his pajama pants, barefoot and shirtless in the snow. Before I could say, "go get your shoes and coat", Nate ran toward the woods where the wolf had disappeared. I ran toward him, thinking, "this is crazy!" As we came to the opening into the forest, where there is a trail that heads into the wilderness, I shined the flashlight ahead. In the bright light of the flashlight, crouched low in the middle of the trail, 10 feet in front of us, stood the largest wolf I've ever seen.

His size caught my breath. He had to be 180 pounds. I could smell him. He was musty and rank, smelling of death.

Blacker than night, his yellow eyes glaring directly at us, his teeth bared, he crouched lower, appearing to be readying himself to attack.I "Shoot!" I yelled. Nate fired an arrow before I could even raise my handgun. Time slowed as my gaze was locked on the threat. I heard the arrow as it left the bow and then a soft thud. The arrow struck the wolf as I'd been raising my handgun to shoot. The wolf yelped and turned in the blink of an eye, disappearing into the deep dark of night, breaking the slowing of time that had just happened . "You hit him," I whispered, as my breath crystallized in the 20 below zero chill.

"Ya, but I don't know if it was a lethal hit," Nate stated. We walked forward to where we'd last seen the wolf. There was blood. A small red spot, glowing bright in the pure white snow, verified he'd struck the wolf. There was an obvious blood trail.

Nate headed toward the woods. "Stop," I said. "We aren't tracking an injured black wolf in the middle of the night, and you don't have any shoes or coat on!" I think Nate's adrenaline was wearing off now. He realized he was standing in the snow, barefoot and mostly naked. He started shivering. "Ok," he conceded, "we'll come back out at first light." We returned to the

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Chicken Fried Deer Steak Amanda Payne

Chicken Fried Deer Steak with gravy is a very simple meal, but one of the best in my opinion. It’s been around for hundreds of years–maybe even more and I’m sure it will be around for hundreds of years more.

If you are from the South you’ve had chicken fried steak–also known as country fried steak or pan-fried steak. These battered steaks have been showing up in cookbooks since the early 1800s, but I’m guessing it goes back even further than that. I bet our ancestors probably chicken fried a little of everything, including venison and anything else wild that they were blessed with. You’ve probably had a little of everything chicken fried yourself. Did you know there’s a recipe for chicken fried alligator? I’d love to try that!

If you Google “chicken fried” you’ll get over 13,000,000 results, so they must be something good about it. Try our recipe Chicken Fried Deer Steak with Gravy and enjoy the goodness of something chicken fried!

Ingredients For the Chicken Fried Deer Steaks: • 2 lb of ground deer burger or cube steak • 1 cup of milk • 1 eggs • 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour • 2 tsp of salt • 1 tsp of ground black pepper • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil for frying For the Gravy for Chicken Fried Deer Steak: • 1/4 cup of the leftover oil from frying the steaks • 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour • 3 cups of milk • 1/2 tsp. of salt • 1/2 tsp. of black pepper Instructions:

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Chicken Fried Deer Steak Directions: 1. First, if you use ground deer burger instead of cube steak, try to make each steak 1/4 of a pound, which means you

should get four steaks from each 1 lb pack of ground deer burger.

2. Add a little dash of salt and black pepper to the burger and then press it into patties like you would for a hamburger.

3. Mix the milk and eggs in a bowl and set it to the side. Then mix all of the dry ingredients together and set it to the side.

4. Coat each side of the steaks with the flour mixture and then coat it with the milk and eggs mixture and then back to the flour mixture. Set the deer steaks to the side once they are all coated.

5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. I like to use my 16″ electric, non-stick skillet because I can fry more at one time, but if you have a smaller skillet, only place a few pieces at a time in the pan.

6. Line a large plate with paper towels and set it to the side for later when the steaks are done.

7. Once the pan is heated, place the steaks in and let it fry until the edges of the steaks start to turn brownish-gold. Then gently turn it to the other side. It will usually take between 2-4 minutes for each side–depending on the thickness of the meat.

8. Deer meat gets done quicker than beef, so don’t overcook the steaks.

9. Once the steaks are done remove them from the oil and place them on the paper towels. Try to give the steaks enough room so that they are not touching or overlapping. If not, the oil will remain on the steaks and the crust will get soggy.

Gravy for Chicken Fried Deer Steak Directions: 1. Remove all of the leftover oil from the skillet you fried the steaks in. Put the oil in a clean bowl. Heat the skillet to medium-low. Measure out 1/4 cup of the leftover oil and put it back into the skillet. Be sure to remove any pieces of crust from the oil.

2. Once the skillet is hot, add the flour and stir with a whisk or fork. If it looks too greasy add a dash of flour until it looks right or if it’s too lumpy or pasty add a dash of grease until you have the correct texture. It should have a smooth consistency.

3. Cook over medium-low heat until you make a brownishgold paste. Now add the milk and steadily whisk. If you don’t give this step enough attention you’ll have lumpy gravy, so please don’t skimp on this. Add the salt and black pepper as soon as you have time.

4. Cook the gravy over medium-low heat until it’s smooth and the thickness you desire. It should take about 4-8 minutes. If it becomes too thick add milk. If it’s too thin try cooking it a little longer. If that doesn’t work, you can always thicken it with cornstarch or flour.

5. Top a steak with about 1/2 cup of gravy and eat up!

This goes great with fried taters (potatoes) and a big fat cat-head biscuit. It’s also delicious with mashed potatoes and covered with creamy chicken gravy. I personally can make a meal out of the steaks without any sides. I’ve even been known to throw one of these steaks on a hamburger bun with a tomato. I’ve even had them with mac and cheese! Yum Yum!

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Picture this: it's after midnight and you’re standing in a grass field taller than your head.

You can see a spotlight shining into the thick brush, illuminating a pair of eyes tucked deep within the grass. He’s looking at you, not more than 10 yards away. You know that with one bound, he could charge you with his sharp horns, yet you remain steady. Your guide whispers “Right there!” but you can’t quite see. Darkness overtakes the scope and visibility becomes faint.

You can barely make out those glaring eyes, and within seconds, they’re gone.

From a young age, I’ve grown up hunting. It’s been in our family’s blood and all my earliest memories relate to it. My dad never had a son, so we joke he turned his daughters into the latter.

Although we joke, both my sister and I hunt and have travelled all over to do so.

My family was first introduced to South Africa 12 years ago. Since then, I have been privileged to experience it four more times. Each trip is memorable and completely different than the last. On this particular trip, I successfully hunted a ram impala and an impressive warthog with my bow. My goal is to hunt as much as possible with my bow, as I think it provides an added challenge, more patience and practice, and some extra strategy to get within bow range of an animal. I’ve had plenty of failed stalks with my bow, but I think that’s what draws me right back.

It’s never easy, and so much more rewarding!

The night I pursued this bushbuck, I was mentally prepared to try with my bow.

Unfortunately, odds were against me this night and we weren’t able to make that happen. After being bed-ridden for two days prior, I decided to hunt with a rifle from the truck. The fever I caught was lingering and my body was still tired.

I guess everything happens for a reason, and now I’ve got another bow hunt to add to the list! Even though the bed sounded nicer, I decided to push through and give it a shot.

Our guide gathered some snacks, hunting equipment and his tracking dog. My family and the trackers piled into the truck bed at dark as we departed on our cold, windy ride. More than an hour later, we arrived at a farm tucked away in the mountains. This is where we would hunt for the night, as bushbuck live near forest edges 16

and graze in the farm fields at night. They are nocturnal animals who prefer shaded cover during the day, and the mountains are a perfect escape.

After greeting the farmer, we went on our way. The night air was right around freezing and we had a sky full of stars overhead. It was dark. Especially being off the grid a bit made it even more ominous. After a few minutes, we turned the spotlights on and glassed over the farm fields. To our surprise, the fields were full of life! We watched plenty of young bushbuck slowly creep out of the light into the weeds. Since we saw quite a few, we drove on through the thick bush.

We drove around and glassed for a few hours. Soon we found a few bushbuck tucked away in the weeds.

All of a sudden, the truck halted and Ewert exclaimed “Over there! There’s a huge buck.” Before any of my family could see it, the trackers were already honed in. It took us all quite a while to see the glowing eyes not more than 30 yards away. Ewert asked his trackers to start making noise and yell so we could get a better glimpse of the buck. After the buck wouldn’t budge, Ewert asked the trackers to walk towards the buck in the weeds. They threw a rock nearby to try and get the buck to move, but he bedded down even deeper in the weeds. At this point, Ewert grabbed my rifle and we hopped off the truck.

A tracker drove the truck away leaving us in the darkness. He explained how these bucks will charge when they feel threatened, and it immediately made my stomach flip. We discussed the best way to get closer, and slowly made our way into the weeds.

After stalking up another 20 yards, one of the trackers yelled from a distance “He’s right there you’re on top of him”. Ewert shined his flashlight around and we found a set of eyes thick in the brush, not more than 10 yards away. He asked me to put the rifle up and find him, but I wasn’t tall enough to see through the brush. I could see him without the scope, but we were just so close that I couldn’t see him with the scope’s magnification. Ewert held his light on the buck and told me where to aim, but I still couldn’t see. My stomach twirled around as I felt a sense of urgency to make a move before the buck did to us.

After a couple minutes of looking, the buck just about disappeared in the grass, and we decided it was just too thick. I was not comfortable taking a shot like that, so we decided to back off.

Feeling bummed out and shivering from the cold, we jumped back into the truck. That was an intense few moments, but an important part of the whole hunting

experience. It never works out just as you thought! My sister was also hunting for a bushbuck this night, so we decided to let me try a little longer, and then give her the chance to hunt.

We continued on through the path in the forest. By this time the bushbuck caught onto us and there weren’t many left grazing the fields. Again, the truck halted to a quick stop and Ewert jumped up, this time pointing to the woods. We saw this buck right away, as he was only 15 yards off the dirt road. I grabbed the rifle and squeezed the trigger. A few seconds later my mother screamed, as she was sitting in the passenger seat of the truck.

Everything happened so fast! I questioned what exactly just happened, and within moments we were all laughing hysterically. I soon realized that as I shot, the buck charged the truck and hit the passenger side tire! My mother just saw the animal leap at her and was relieved to know he was down. Adrenaline and stoke was high, and I was beyond excited to finally get my first bushbuck!

We hunted a while longer and soon after my sister harvested one for herself. It was a special moment to share the excitement with my sister, and experience a memorable hunt together as a family. As much as I enjoy peaceful hunts alone in the woods, sharing an experience like this can be equally important.

It seems that no matter the success you may (or may not) have, some hunts provide experiences that never escape your memory.

These glowing eyes were one of those times.

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Start Keeping Promises to Yourself

By Brandy Von Holten How many times have you said, “I should do that one day”, knowing good and well that you will not even give it a second thought? Or have you ever wanted to sign up or enroll into a class or a competition and just did not do it. Why? Are you afraid of failure? Are you lazy and do not want to put forth the effort? Are you scared that others may make fun of you? Are you worried that you will be outclassed and look like a fool? We keep so many promises to other people, yet it is common practice to break promises that we make to ourselves. There are countless examples of women that have set their mind to do something and they have rocked their journey and never looked back.

Women that have lost 100lbs, completed 5K runs that had to use a walker due to cerebral palsy, graduated college when they did not finish high school, and the list goes on and on. But yet, you cannot muster up the notion to enter a horse competition, finish that project you started forever ago, or do something that is going to help you live longer and happier.

Let’s take a minute to discuss why our society has gotten into this funk. Technology and social media. We not only live in a “now” society, but we live in a “right now!” society. Anything we want or want to know is immediately accessible. Amazon and Google are changing our lives. The days of waiting are over. When your day to day life is filled with now and right now, the concept of a goal taking an extended amount of time appears to be an unachievable task, when in actuality, everything is possible and there is not a limit on one’s growth potential. Social media has us beat down in our perception of ourselves. Social media is not real life. It is not the full picture of someone. I own a trail riding facility and use social media extensively. My clientele sees mostly the end results, positive thoughts, and forward movement.

They do not get to see the self- doubt, the tears, the fears, and the mundane truckload of hours put into

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making this business successful. Things are never as they seem. People view us as financially rich, when in all actuality we have sacrificed gifts for holidays the first five years of the business just to makes ends meet. This perceived reality is what everyone compares themselves to and concludes that they are not good enough. Comparing yourself to someone’s social media self is like comparing an ocean to a mudpuddle.

Not in the same ball park, so don’t even do it.

Now, let’s get to work on how to keep promises to yourself. The number one thing to do is become a “master of the mundane”. If anything matters in your life, everything has to matter. For me to become a successful author, I must wash the dishes. For me to increase my international ranking in mounted archery, I must buy shampoo. If I want to sell more t-shirts, I must sweep the floor. You see, you cannot master one area and fail at another or you cannot achieve your goals. Make a list and knock the tasks off and then get busy doing what you want. If you are a chronic promise breaker, only put one mundane item such as laundry on your list and one goal on your list. Do not add to your list until those items are complete. You have to reinstill that sense of accomplishment internally.

Make a physical list so you can mark that task off!

Every year I get to hear “next year” probably four times more by people that do not sign up as compared to the number of people that sign up. The ones that have overcome their fear were the ones that signed up with a friend and the ones that sent in their deposit.

Plain and simple. If they put “some skin in the game” aka paid out money and had an accountability partner; those are the ones that show up! Take the words “next year” out of your vocabulary and flush them down the toilet. What a sad life we allow ourselves to live in. As children, we are told, you can be anything you put your mind to. As adults, we tell ourselves that we can’t do anything, or we do not deserve to treat ourselves. If we had a friend that spoke to us the way we speak to ourselves, we would call them a negative bully.

Refuse to be a doormat. Refuse to let yourself talk this way to yourself. Repeat after me: I am good enough. I am worth the time and effort. Go live your life and stop listening to that bully! Other women are going to support you in your adventures and wish that they had YOUR ability to go for your goal. Become the shoulder that another woman needs to overcome their own rut. You have the ability to change. You have always had it.

Getting enough courage to go do something takes just an ounce of “grrr”.

Take for example the annual Country Tough Trail Versatility (CT2V) National Championship we host at our facility.

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Anastasia P jevach

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Antelope & Broccoli Stir Fry Antelope & Broccoli Stir Fry – Asian Gone Wild. I stumbled upon a discovery, after receiving a beautiful cookbook from my step daughter “Stir Frying to the Sky’s Edge” by Grace Young. Stir Frying to the Sky’s Edge by Grace Young I discovered the recipes in this book are quite simple! As quickly as my first attempt, with a little tweaking of ingredients, I was producing recognizable Chinese food of the take out caliber with all of my wild game; such as “Antelope & Broccoli Stir Fry” aka Beef & Broccoli in #57 on any Chinese take out menu! These dishes, made with my organic game, are far healthier than take out, and satisfy my cravings for Chinese in a neighborhood that doesn’t seem to have a decent Chinese Restaurant.

(American Chinese cuisine, known in the US as simply Chinese food, is a style of food developed by Americans of Chinese descent, and served in many North American Chinese Restaurants.)

Marinating is the key to flavor, and tenderness.

Marinades for stir frying are typically made with cornstarch, rice wine (or I like to use a dry sherry), soy sauce, spicy sesame oil, and seasonings such as garlic, ginger, salt & pepper. Meat is usually cut into thin strips, and generally takes only about 5 minutes to marinate.

Antelope & Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe Ingredients: 12 oz Antelope steak (or any venison: elk, deer, or any game bird for that matter) cut into thin strips 1 tablespoon minced ginger 4 teaspoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons Dry Sherry 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 teaspoon sesame oil ( I use hot) 2 tablespoons chicken broth 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon black bean garlic sauce 12 oz broccoli florets with stems, cut into 1/4 inch think slices 2 tablespoons canola oil 24

1 tablespoon minced garlic 3/4 cup sliced onions Directions: • Cut the venison across the grain into 1/4 inch strips • In a medium sized bowl mix ginger, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dry sherry, cornstarch, salt & pepper. Mix to combine well. Add the antelope steak strips & hot sesame oil. Toss to cover all in marinade. Set aside.

• In a separate small bowl, combine chicken broth, oyster sauce, the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, black bean garlic sauce, and remaining 1 tablespoon dry sherry.

• Bring a quart of water to boil and cook broccoli till it is bright green; about 1-2 minutes. Strain off all water.

Set aside.

• Heat a 14″ flat bottomed wok or fry pan till a bead of water instantly evaporates. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the canola oil ad garlic, and stir fry with a metal spatula till fragrant 5 to 10 seconds. Carefully add the antelope marinade mixture, and spread the pieces evenly across the wok. Let the antelope sear undisturbed 1 minute, then stir fry another minute or so until browned but not cooked through.

Move to a plate, and cover to keep warm.

• Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil into the wok, add the onions, and stir fry till just translucent, about a minute. Add the broccoli and stir fry about 30 seconds to combine with the onions. Add in the antelope, and any juices that accumulated on the plate.

Swirl in the oyster sauce mixture, and stir fry about 30 seconds till antelope is just cooked through & hot.

• Serve with steamed rice/grains & enjoy!

Serves 2-3 as a main dish

BROKEN SKULL MOUNT Cherri Teutsch

I picked up the skull mount of my 2018 Illinois buck today. All the fabulous memories of this hunt came to mind. I thoroughly enjoyed the company of a great group of archery loving ladies. Our shared bunkroom was reminiscent of summer camp as a kid with all the late night chatter. The comradery of this group was definitely a highlight of this out of state pre rut archery hunt. I’ve learned with the good, there’s usually some bad to go along with it. In this case it would be the very challenging weather conditions we faced during this trip. The hunt was plagued with torrential rain and heavy thunderstorms that created a sloppy mess that truly tested the desire to be afield.

Having trusted quality equipment and the never quit determination to get it done has served me well in the past and the same was true in this case. As I sat 20’ up in a swaying tree in the pouring rain with thunder rolling nearby, I knew chances were in my favor that the deer would walk when the rain let up.

Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.

Everything came together perfectly when a nice shooter buck came into range.

confident in my shot and knew the deer couldn’t have gone too terribly far, but in this heavily wooded area with a couple of draws nearby, I lost sight of him quickly. I didn’t wait too long before I climbed down the slippery pegs to trail and recover this deer. What I found was quite a sight; the buck had run directly into a large tree and lay crumpled at the base. He’d hit the tree so hard he’d knocked out teeth and shattered his jaw. There were marks on the tree where his antlers had gouged the bark. A little creative engineering came into play to photograph this deer. I placed a thin ponytail holder around his nose to hold his mouth together for pictures. (Being a female hunter with long hair means covered rubber bands are part of your required hunting gear.) All of these details are part of a unique memorable hunt that resulted in a large Illinois buck in my freezer and a really cool broken skull mount. That mount is a true treasure and will remind me of the hard work and dedication that went into filling my Illinois whitetail tag in 2018.

The buck wasn’t the best I’d ever taken, but a legal shooter buck in those conditions was a gift. My dead on perfect heart shot couldn’t have pleased me more.

As I watched my arrow blow through right in the spot and that buck jump and run, I knew I was watching a dead deer. As I sat there a few minutes, the pouring rain got heavier and thoughts of a blood trail being completely washed away crossed my mind. I was

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How I batter and cook fish! "Outside!!! I don't like my kitchen to smell like cooking oil!" Y'all the measurements are totally to your preference & taste!

I'm gonna guesstimate this did about 20 small fillets (Ingredients) 2 -2.5 cups Corn meal 1 tbsp flour 2tbsp Garlic powder Creole seasoning the more you add the more spicy it will be.

Black Pepper Salt optional(I don't use it) but you can sprinkle small amount on the fish while it's still hot.

Mix dry ingredients in bowl that has a lid, Add fillets Place lid back on bowl toss to coat fillets. carefully add one fillet at a time. Cook until lightgolden brown.

It Doesn't take long to cook! Don't over cook your fish! Your fish should be crisp & flaky.

Oh, before I forget, if you don’t have nice crappie fillets but you have a more bold tasting fish, like cat fish, bass, ect...

Soak your fillets 1-24 hrs prior to cooking in a mixture of 1/2 ice water 1/2 sprite it will remove all the “fish” taste and smell.

Kim Bryant

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Mentorship for Women Hunters

By Kelly Ott

This year, I was invited on my first big game hunt. While I really wanted to say yes, I had my doubts. I hadn’t hunted outside of the Midwest and rarely without my husband. This trip involved hunting pronghorn in Wyoming and elk in Colorado with a family friend and a group of others I had never met. Other than bird hunting, I’ve primarily hunted deer and turkey on my own property, so I was thrilled at the opportunity to hunt larger game.

Although an outdoor enthusiast, I consider myself a novice hunter. I’ve been spoiled with sitting in a stand and having deer stroll or a turkey strut by within the first couple of hours. While this is comfortable and easy, I realize that I lack many of the necessary hunting skills that this two-week adventure would require. I knew nothing about the terrain, spotting and; stalking, or even the habits of the animals I would be hunting. Those concerns topped with elevation hiking, being the only female in a group of men I didn’t know, and roughing it for two weeks weighed heavily on my mind. Regardless of my concerns, my gut and mouth said YES! The months leading up to the hunt, I had so many questions! I sought out specifics about elk and pronghorn, their habitat, where and how to hunt them, hunting regulations, techniques, tips, ethics, safety, and gear. I know the guys were growing weary of my inquiries. I kept asking myself, “will I be capable?”. Out of all these concerns, I realized that my biggest fear was making a rookie mistake and embarrassing myself in front of a bunch of strangers, especially men.

To help put my mind at ease, I knew I would need to prepare for this hunt. I started by taking a trip to Colorado in May. I wanted to meet the people I would be hunting with and become acclimated to the terrain. This allowed me to get a feel for my physical endurance and how I would handle hiking in the elevation. If I needed to do any physical training, this would allow me several months to prepare. I was also able to see the challenges I may face with the accommodations

and being the only female. While the men were conscientious about giving me privacy, we were required to share cabins. Knowing this ahead of time, helped me prepare accordingly. During that trip, my friend and his dad helped me sight in my new rifle and practice long range shooting. Prior to this hunt I had only harvested deer with close range rifles and open sights so getting used to a scope was a new challenge! I knew I would need to practice!

While these things helped me better prepare for this hunt, I realized that the best way to learn is simply to experience the hunt. I accompanied my friend and his family on his pronghorn hunt in Wyoming. There, I learned about spotting, planning your approach, and stalking antelope. They explained different pronghorn habits and showed me how the bucks gather does in a herd during breeding season. After belly crawling across multiple nooks and crannies in the ravines, I was able to help my friend stalk and harvest a beautiful pronghorn.

When we arrived in Colorado for the elk hunt, we met up with the rest of the group.

Here, I learned about mapping and planning an approach, navigating the tough terrain, glassing, spotting and shadowing herds, bugling, and identifying satellite bulls versus the dominant bull. These skills were new to me and much different than hunting deer in the Midwest.

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FIRST BOW DOE I can only assume that all hunting accomplishments start with a back story so here is the journey I traveled for 6 years to my first bow doe.

Enter in a natural love of outdoors, a family that had dwindled to one child left at home, a son 10 years old. As this young child’s mother I was trying anything to get him outdoors and interested in something other than video games. I purchased a junior (we were the same height at the time) bow and after personally getting my arm slapped a few times practicing, additional gear and a target. Well, short story, I used it, he didn’t.

Now a few years go by, I have enter onto a new path in my life and am dating someone with hunting experience. With very little encouragement I purchase my first rifle, a Savage .243 with Bushnell scope, LOVE at first sight! As some first time hunting stories go, I was lucky! My first successful doe hunt was in a tree just behind someone’s house is North Georgia. But this story really isn’t about that hunt, however, it goes like this: Last light, first night, first shot, deer down. And as I approach she cries and begins to try and drag herself away using her front legs. I’m horrified and know quickly I need to shoot her again, now! BANG! It’s over but for a new hunter, this was borderline a successful nightmare. The event remains engrained in my brain and I’m determined to become a better huntress.

I’m not sure exactly what prompted my desire to buy my Bear compound bow that next year, maybe a sale at Bass Pro or possibly even just a conversation about archery season, whatever the reason, I became a proud owner of a compound bow 6 years ago. I still have this bow and it was the tool that followed me on my journey to my first bow doe. I had purchased the bow to hunt with, man did I have a long way to go before that was going to happen. I would practice, become proficient, put it down, pick it up, so on and so on for the next 4 years. I would never get confident enough or position myself to hunt with it. But I always enjoyed that “THWACK” when the arrow hit the target bag.

Now my life has taken me on another path, enter in the career as an empty nesting, single, traveling nurse. I had dreamed of traveling as a nurse for years but with children still at home it wasn’t possible and now being newly single, it was my time to live and travel. So now my hunting game is taken to the next level, public land scouting in states I have no clue about. The first leg of this journey starts in the coastal town of Washington, NC. I quickly learn of some public lands, zero in my rifle, and head out only to find they flush with dogs there. Not an ideal setting for someone using public lands to harvest a deer solo, let alone attempt to bow hunt. Not to mention, I am still hunting, no blind, no tree. I did try though.

My next assignment for my hunting and fishing pleasure ended up in Gap, PA with my work assignment in Newark, DE. I instantly fell in love with Lancaster County, PA, home of the Amish, horse and buggies, fresh produce, and great fishing spots. I spent all of my time honing in on my fly fishing skills because it was summer! And as fall approached, I fished. Never once considered I’d possibly be hunting the state of Pennsylvania the following year. On my last day out fishing and as my nursing assignment came to a close, a young man enter the creek path carrying his compound bow and asked “Are there fish in that creek?” I responded most excitedly “YES! Wild brookie’s!”. It had been an excellent day fishing but I was more intrigued that he was heading out hunting and with his bow in this most beautiful piece of land.

I’m off to Bismarck, ND and knowing I can try to fly fish some world

renowned fisheries because the research I did proved I wasn’t fly fishing anywhere in North Dakota in the winter time. And for those skeptics, you can fly fish for amazing trout in the middle of the winter all over out west, just not ND! Now its time to figure out what else I can do in my spare time so I research ND hunting rules and regulations, bow only for me, because I did not own a muzzleloader or a shotgun. I told myself that this hunting season I was going to get serious and get my bow hunting jitters overcome. You might be wondering what those jitters are? One: injuring an animal and not being able to find it. Two: As a completely solo hunter, getting my harvest to my vehicle. Three: Scouting successfully public lands accompanied by still hunting in some cold weather.

North Dakota has an abundance of public land and I picked out two within an hour of me to scout. The scouting was easy, deer tracks everywhere in the snow!

Now to sit, wait, on the ground, again still hunting.

Looking back, I was clueless about hunting with a bow and still hunting. First off, I cannot sit still, and second, I really had no cover and really had no idea in general of what it meant to bow hunt. I gave up and did some serious sight seeing, even snowmobiled in West Yellowstone!

For my next assignment, I was asked to return to Newark, DE in Feb. 2019. I was so excited to return to Pennsylvania as I had barely explored the Keystone state beyond Lancaster. While in ND I was fortunate to spend countless hours on the internet and social media linked me to two very instrumental women’s groups, United Women on the Fly operated by Heather Hodson and The Sisterhood of the Outdoors owned by Amy Ray Williams. The Sisterhood site had conversations running about Spring Turkey, and well, that’s another “first” story for another time but through the upcoming month I researched all I could about PA and the hunting seasons and started scouting public lands nearby. Two of my favorites were small pieces, rarely frequented by others, and I was able to fly fish each, BONUS! As white tail season approached and bow opener The Sisterhood had lots of chatter and information about a camp in PA caught my eye. The camp was an annual event that was run by the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania. I signed up! I was excited about this event for several reasons, one, other people would be around so I wouldn’t be doing this solo, two, I was going to learn more about hunting a different area. I purchased my first tree climber stand and started out into my little stretches of land and practiced going up and down the tree, several times each time I went out. I practice my compound bow skills. I bought a deer cart because I wanted to be fully prepared for any harvest that I might 29

not be able to drag a short distance. I’m sure you get the picture, I am now officially a huntress. I was very nervous when I arrived the first morning for camp but was greeted by some of the nicest people I have ever met so I instantly felt comfortable. Everything was well organized and I was teamed up with my lead, Perry. I completed my proficiency test and hung around camp the rest of the day. There was a creek behind the campground so I checked that out and then it came time to head out.

I was walked to my tree and quickly set-up my tree climber, which still isn’t really very quick. It was a beautiful part of the woods right off of the farmer’s crop of soy beans. There were ferns and everything was very green. Then there she is, a small doe coming down the hill right towards me. I drew and was ready should she turn broadside. I knew that was the only shot I would take, broadside, being a new bow hunter. As quick as she arrived and paused at the bottom of the hill, which was about 30 yards away, she turned quickly and walked back up the hill.

Disheartened I sat the rest of the afternoon without any more movement. The next morning I arrived at camp in the dark and we headed to the farm. Now I’m afraid of the dark and while red head lamp lights do put out some light, walking around unfamiliar woods into spider webs freaks me out. I found my tree and as quick as I could I had climbed the tree and was set-up. No morning movement.

Afternoon is back and we head out, this time there are a few others joining Perry and I, Curtis and his 9 year old son Dalton, and ____. We are all sent to our spots and as quickly as I can I get up that tree. Just as I put the finishing touches on my items I turned to sit and off to my right about 50 yards through the woods I saw a doe. Not being sure if she saw my movement and that is why she was heading away I sat and readied myself. No movement the rest of the day. Another morning sit, no movement.

But by this time I’m getting impatient and I decided I’m going to go back right after I eat lunch. I head out and climb my tree and sit, no movement. The group arrives to their spots. Off to my right I hear people target shooting and I’m thinking that maybe that will move deer my way. Suddenly from the same area in the woods where the doe disappeared into, out walks a spike. I text everyone a picture and it becomes a frenzy because while I can’t shoot it, Dalton can. Curtis starts using the decoy set-up and bleating. The spike is at 40 yards and I know he sees me but his interest seems peaked by the bleating and he wanders that direction, disappears.

Not being sure where he went I text everyone he’s out of my viewing. I sit back down, excited and hopeful that Dalton will get an opportunity at the spike.

In a split second my evening changed! After putting my phone away I see a flash to my immediate right, then another! It was getting dark and last light on the last day was coming. And then, there she was, my opportunity to harvest my first bow doe. I stood, drew, aimed, released. Deer down! And I mean, down. No running, just dropped to the ground. One of my biggest fears has just solidified again, spine shot. Mortified I watched her, she was not crying but trying to run. The two doe with her, smaller and 30

possibly her yearlings, were snorting and making all kinds of noise. NIGHTMARE! I text the group and knew I had to shoot her again but given my inexperience the group wasn’t comfortable with me getting out of the stand to do it and so I released an arrow from my stand, twice I missed. So I waited and watched. It seemed like an eternity until ____ arrived and finally with a quick release of one final arrow, she was done. Excited and mortified mesh into a very emotional roller coaster so a few tears surfaced. Dalton and Curtis have joined us.

Now, I’m not saying I was so out of sorts my head wasn’t attached but I was extremely grateful to share my experience with perfect strangers, who, didn’t feel like strangers anymore after a few short days of sitting in the woods 100s of yards apart. It’s decided that Curtis will field dress the doe with Dalton and I’m to go get my cart. I hustled and by the time I arrived at the truck, the Calvary arrived, Dan and Daryl. When I tell you I was overwhelmed with emotion about successfully harvesting, this group propelled my emotions off the charts. Overwhelming gratitude. All I had left to do was pull my cart to the truck and even that someone wanted to do for me.

Back at camp I am greeted by all who are there with congratulations and it’s time to weigh in and get photos. My doe is the only one on the board for the ladies and is just slightly heavier than Perry’s from his first morning sit. I can’t even process much else but I sit and try not to dwell too much on my feelings and chat with people during dinner. While my girl did not take the “big momma” award she will forever be remembered. I saved her tail and her broad head.

-Victoria Tavares Co-founder of Sunshine Women on the Fly

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL Planning a horseback ride of a lifetime....

Savannah McCann

One of the largest conservation efforts in the history of the United States, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) is much more than just a line on a map: it is a living museum of the American West, a place to reconnect with nature, and a unifying force bringing people of all walks of life together. Picture yourself on one of the CDT’s longest roadless sections, right in the middle of the half-million acre Weminuche Wilderness in Colorado, where the Trail tracks through high glacial valleys and offers views of the craggy Needle Mountains…or out on the Trail in central New Mexico, where the desert meets the mountains. The span of one day’s hike offers an immense diversity of landscapes.

Extending 3,100 miles from Canada to Mexico, the CDT encounters a multitude of ecosystems from tundra to desert, hosts a rich variety of wildlife, and preserves nearly two thousand natural, cultural, and historical treasures.

Considered one of the greatest long-distance trails in the world, it is the highest, most challenging, and most remote of our National Scenic Trails. Ranging from 4,000 to 14,000 feet, the completed sections of the CDT provide a variety of recreational activities to many hundreds of thousands of people each year, including hiking, horseback riding, crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, and sight-seeing. For the long-distance hiking community, the CDT is one-third of the “Triple Crown,” and annually, while the number is growing, approximately 150 ambitious travelers attempt to complete an end-to-end trek.

Parts of the CDT are still in the planning phases, and trail users must bushwhack through, or road walk around, incomplete stretches. A completed CDT will make the rugged and scenic landscapes in the backcountry of our public lands accessible to more people and will reduce the impact of trail users by concentrating them on a wellmarked and resilient pathway.

Triple Divide Peak which separates the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean drainages.) The trail is a combination of dedicated trails and small roads and considered 70% complete. Portions designated as uncompleted must be traveled by roadwalking on dirt or paved roads. This trail can be continued north into Alberta and B.C., to Kawkawa Lake, B.C., north of Jasper National Park by the Great Divide Trail. The Continental Divide Trail, the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, form what is known as the Triple Crown of Hiking in the United States. Trail info courtesy of Wikipedia. ********************************** Our family is planning a 1500 mile trail ride on the CDT in 2022 riding from Northern Colorado to Canada, we are riding in the memory of my grandfather that was an avid horseman and trail rider. I plan to ride the trail in my grandfather's saddle that he has rode hundreds of miles of trails in the Pacific Northwest & Central Oregon. I will be sharing my planning of our ride in our future issues of Rustic Barn Outdoors Magazine including the training of my buckskin Hennessey that I will be riding, along with our other horses. We hope you all enjoy our journey of this ride of a lifetime that we plan on sharing with our readers.

The Continental Divide Trail preserves the unique natural history of the Divide for future generations and provides the opportunity for more Americans to access and enjoy remote Wilderness areas, experience Native American cultures and view diverse wildlife. The CDT offers a primitive backcountry experience where Trail users can follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, explore old mining sites, and gain more of an appreciation for our public lands. In 2018, we will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the National Trails System Act, the legislation that officially designated the better-known Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails.

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail (CDT)) is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 miles (5,000 km) between Chihuahua and Alberta. It follows the Continental Divide of the Americas along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. In Montana it crosses Triple Divide Pass (near

Map Courtesy of National Geographic.

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Finding Nature

by Shanna White

Nature is my everything. It’s my self-care. It’s my playground.

It’s my classroom. I’ve come so far in recent years it’s hard to believe I spent the majority of my life without a profound connection and appreciation for the outdoors. Sure, I played in my backyard as a child. But that was pretty much it. I sadly lost interest in sunshine and grass as I grew, preferring comfortable climates, screens, and books. Not that books are bad. I just spent a lot of time indoors. If I had to pinpoint the timeframe my mind began to shift, it would be during the time I spent in Afghanistan. It was memorable, to say the least. I enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard at 18, went through Basic Training and AIT, and became what is called a “Basic Combat Correspondent.”

to be sure to instill a great devotion and respect for nature within my children. I found nature all around my little suburban home within short drives. A whole new wonderful world opened up.

We started small. My kids were just toddlers, so small doses worked well for us. We started with just simple nature walks by the local lake or in the woods. I could clearly see how nature benefited my kids. They were so happy. They asked question after question, learning all they could. We learned what gear worked best for us.

We also quickly learned what supplies were a musthave. Baby carriers are super convenient. In addition to obvious supplies like water and a first aid kit, we’ve found that carrying a knife, extra snacks, and a very durable backpack are essential. In the past year, we’ve began keeping nature journals which has been really fun. Since those early years, Basically, that’s the Army’s fancy way of saying “broadcast we’ve upgraded to longer hikes. We are usually in the journalist.” I was eager to go overseas so I found a unit woods at least a few times per week. We are lucky to deploying and went with them. have many fantastic areas to explore within an hour Being a broadcast journalist was the best thing for me. It meant drive from our home.

I rarely spent more than a few days in one spot. I was always hopping on helicopters or convoys to take me to my next story.

Our semi-outdoorsy lifestyle has spiraled into But the best part was the amount of time I got to spend “outside something much bigger now. Now, my husband and I the wire.” Through my videographer’s eyes, Afghanistan’s both hunt and fish regularly. We bowhunt deer and are landscape was beautiful. The terrain was creatively and looking forward to trying all sorts of different types of treacherously laid out in an ongoing artful masterpiece. I hunting. We also bowfish gar in the summer, which is a cherished the time I got to spend there. blast. We do many things outdoors and our kids are involved in all of it. They love the thrill and the Of course, it wasn’t exactly the friendliest of places, what with excitement. And I love that they are learning and OEF happing all around me. But lying awake on the side of a gaining an appreciation for something so much bigger mountain looking at the clearest, prettiest stars, flying next to than themselves. My five-year-old has requested we rugged mountains, seeing intimidating camel spiders up close start picking up litter in order to “save the animals” and for the first time, it was impossible not I couldn’t be prouder. to form a bond with the land around me. I began to truly I am very thankful to be where I am today. People don’t appreciate Mother Nature. The way the land rose and dipped have to grow up with hunting or fishing in order to do it. dappled with little greenery was a sight to behold. A river I would have thought differently 10 years ago. I didn’t flowing at the bottom of a large mountain and continuing know what I was capable of then. onward to carve its path between many more mountains was breathtaking. I felt honored to witness what the earth can Having kids has inspired me to try to inspire something naturally create. in them. Anyone can “come home” to nature at any time My love for the great outdoors became sort of stagnant once I in their life. Nature is waiting. returned home to Oklahoma.

Life was busy. It was always busy and I didn’t know how to slow it down. No one I knew was particularly outdoorsy, so I sort of assumed nature just wasn’t necessarily supposed to be a part of regular, everyday life. I got the impression nature was a luxury only to be enjoyed while on vacation or something like that. I wasn’t aware I could just go drive out of my suburban town and find nature. I didn’t know public land or trails even really existed, and especially not anywhere near me. I’m embarrassed I was so uneducated about those things.

However, my knowledge quickly expanded once I became a parent. Something finally clicked. I read books, articles, magazines. I listened to podcasts and watched documentaries. I did all the research I could. I realized just how important our connection to the natural world is and I was determined to do everything I could to deepen my love for nature. And I wanted 33

My name is Emily I have a super love for hunting and fishing. I participate in every fishing season; I'm going to share my salmon season with you! I went up to Pulaski New York this last season in September 2019.

I was there for the weekend and I caught 2 of the 3 Salmon in bare feet, shorts and a tank top! 2-20 pounders and a 25 pounder! None of the guys across the river were hooking up and I was bringing them in like it was my job!

One of the guys said "That girl just showed us all up!"

It just goes to show that women are just as good at the sport as men are!

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HAYLEY'S DOE Kelsey Newenhouse - Zeeland, Michigan This past fall I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to be with and assist my bonus daughter when she harvested her first deer with a crossbow. She has sat with her dad on hunts and hunting has always been a part of her life.

I was both excited and felt a little guilty when my husband suggested that I take Haley hunting during a weekend that he was unable to go with her due to work. She already had some of the necessities for hunting but was still missing some of the key tools like a backpack, knife, etc. So, the first day we were planning to go I took her shopping, we got the rest of the supplies she needed, and she was ready to head out!

Luckily, where we were going hunting is only a few minutes’ drive from our house. We got home and geared up to sit on top of “The Hill”. Of course, once we headed out, I realized that we forgot the chairs and had to turn around to get those. That’s how it goes sometimes. It was a little later than we wanted to get there but we got settled in and watched and quietly chatted about our day and slow motioned swatted at the mosquitoes. We soaked up Michigan’s fall sunlight and shaded our eyes when it was too much. A mama and a couple fawns showed up in the field next to us that evening, so we watched them and the sunset. When it was time to leave, we spooked one that must have been hanging out on the side of the hill we couldn’t see.

It was a good sign, but bad timing, darn.

The next evening was try number two. We got ourselves situated again and actually had everything we needed the fist time and got there when we wanted to. Again, we watched, chatted and swatted. It was only about an hour after we got there, and her and I had just finished whispering about something we thought was funny, when I noticed something had her attention on the side of the hill that I couldn’t see.

Some people had doubts that she could actually shoot a deer.

Not aiming wise but because she loves animals. They were so wrong. Without a word and without even looking to me for reassurance, she slowly raised her bow and sighted in the doe that had walked up. It was so close at the bottom of the hill, maybe 10-15 yards, that I couldn’t whisper any advice to her.

She didn’t need it though; she saw her shot and THWACK! The deer ran off into the field and then into the thick woods behind us.

She looked and me and asked: “Did I hit it?” I told her that she nailed it and we could go down in a few minutes to look for the arrow. I told her that the shot was a little far back but still plenty good enough for a kill. We celebrated at the top of the hill as her nerves and adrenaline shook her. We clambered down the steep hill and found her arrow. There was plenty of blood on it, but it was very dark red, and the deer had walked slowly into the woods. I told her we should give it some extra time since it seemed to be a liver shot. After some time, we went to find the blood trail into the woods so that we would know where to look later once her dad got home and could help up find and retrieve it. We were worried at first, but she found the blood trail going into the woods. Unfortunately, due to our

excitement, we didn’t wait long enough, and she heard the deer get up and move further into the woods. I told her it’s probably best if we go home for a while and give the deer some more time. Later that evening we all piled into the truck and headed out to search for Haley’s deer.

So, these woods we were in are thick, really thick. It’s amazing how resilient and tough deer are even when they’re injured. Luckily, there was a decent enough blood trail that we were able to follow it through all the thorns, poison ivy, fallen trees and beggars’ lice. We were all so elated when we finally found her deer. The next step was trying to find a place to field dress it and drag it out. That was a chore and a half! It’s not a huge wood but it’s a maze of walls of brush and trees and thorns….in the dark. After about 45 minutes, and my husband getting smacked in the eye with poison ivy (you can still see the bump from it on his eyelid), we finally made it back out to the clearing. Covered in scratches and every briar imaginable, we all took turns two at a time dragging the doe back to the truck. We’ve never been so happy to see that big, red Ford!

It was an adventure and an experience none of us will forget. Haley says that day is “One of the best days of 2019 and one I'll remember forever.” It’s one thing when one harvests their own deer and another when you are with someone with the same passion and can share that experience with them. We are excited to be able to teach what we know to the next generation and ignite their interest in it.

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2020 FALL/WINTER ISSUE

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