Dress for Outdoor Success ~by Dave Olsen

My friend asked me, “How do you live up in South Dakota when it is so cold? Do you guys really go outside?” Then a terrifying thought hit him as he said,”I think I would die spending a day out in sub zero weather.”

Well folks, we do live in an extreme place. Oh granted there are many places much harsher to spend time in than South Dakota, we get a wide range of weather from 100F plus in the summer to -40F below zero. Due to these extreme climate changes South Dakota is a great place to test outdoor gear.

The answer to my friend was simple. We dress, prepare, and plan appropriately for the weather. The most important of these is dressing appropriately for the activity at hand. It is possible you can put on too many clothes on a sub-zero day. If you do, it causes you to sweat inside your layers; you don\’t want this to happen because your clothes will become wet from the sweat. Then the cloth will freeze from the cold temps in turn causing your body temperature to drop.

To avoid that scenario you need to ask yourself the following questions.

#1 Plan: What am I doing to be doing outside today?

#2 Prepare: If my plans call for different activity levels – What do I need to take with me?

#3 Dress: Dress for the weather and for the day.

Today I spent most of the day outside with South Dakota temps around zero or less. I am going to mention some items I use. Please keep in mind I have no sponsors for this article; I just want to share what works for me.

Next to my skin I wear silk long underwear. I find silk to be my favorite for a light weight insulating layer, it moves well under any type of secondary layer, dries quickly, and wicks moisture away from your skin. Next layer of clothing I wear is fleece sweat pants and a sweat shirt. Yes I know, I am not going to win any fashion shows wearing sweats all day, and some days I wear jeans but no matter the winter weather I always wear layers. My outer layer today is Carhart Arctic bib overall bottoms and a Carhart arctic coat. For my feet I wear Wetland Muck boots with cotton socks, (I find the wetland boots work very well to minus ten or so) a bomber rabbit fur lined hat, Kinco insulated gloves and a silk wild rag around my neck. Of course eye protection from the bright sun glaring off of the snow. I spent over six hours in zero degree temps today and was not cold at all wearing the above items. For years our family has worked, hunted, and played outdoors year round. We have bought cheap gear, and some extremely expensive gear.  I will tell you GEAR makes all the difference in the world.

Thinsulate and other new fibers are awesome stuff. Know how many grams plus the temperature rating in the gear you are buying. Take time to read some reviews, You will spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less warming up or worse, suffering from exposure.

The Muck boots I wore today weigh about 5 lbs. I use them for hunting in the fall, all winter, and throughout the spring. The Wetland Muck Boot is an extreme boot for extreme field conditions. They are rugged, durable, comfy and very warm. These boots keep my feet warm and dry even in the most unpredictable temperatures of South Dakota. You can find them via http://www.hanksclothing.com/muck_boots_wetland_premium_field_boot_buy. html

Arctic Carhart clothing holds up to the rigors of ranch work as well as hunting. Mine are still in service after ten years of hard use. I have put in a few zippers and patched a spot or two where the fence has bitten me, but the quality is unbeatable. I give two thumbs up to the folks at Carhart, this stuff works. I have many of their products and love them all. I prefer Black; it soaks in the suns warmth giving that little extra on the days when you really need it. It also makes it easy to be spotted in the snow. Shop for these products via   http://www.hanksclothing.com/carhartt_arctic_wear.html

Silk wild rags can be purchased in many places, don\’t think you\’re going to stay warm by being cheap, 100% silk is the only way to go in this item. Here is a vendor I have not used, but I like the fact they guarantee the items they sell http://cowboywildrags.com/index.html

Silk wild rags are one of the coolest looking things you can wear to keep you warm.

Gloves, I should have mentioned two rules earlier, if your feet or fingers get cold, YOU ARE COLD! Buy the right gear for the activity you are taking part in. Here are a few of my favorite places to shop for gloves; yes I know I am a bit of a glove junkie. http://www.kinco.com/prods/L03.php http://geierglove.com/ http://www.sullivanglove.com/scripts/default.asp

Silk underwear is my choice, but some folks enjoy others; try them to find what works best for you and your body. Compare all kinds all prices and shop from a source you trust. Buy American made when possible. http://www.wintersilks.com/ three weights of silk http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/guide-gear-china-silk-clothing- .aspx?a=40252 china silk http://www.underarmour.com/ Under Armor http://thesocksite.com/100-cotton-midweight-waffle-knit-thermal- underwear-p-559.html Cotton

Heat escapes out of the top of your head so choosing a warm topper is a must. I prefer a rabbit fur lined bomber hat. I have several depending on the outing. The fur lining is soft and light weight, making this very comfortable as well as toasty warm. http://www.madbomber.com/store/

Over the years growing up watching my father, I learned to value good gear and how to take care of it so it can take care of you. Don\’t be afraid to pay for quality; research, shop, and purchase wisely. Quality never goes out of style and chances are it will not wear out or fail when you need it most. If we can help you with any gear purchase please feel free to give a call. We are consumers just like you. The above mentioned sites are for reference and research only; we are not affiliated with them. Here at the ranch we don\’t make any clothing or get paid to mention brands, we work hard and play hard putting our gear to the test every time we go out the door. When we find something we like, we not only use it, but try hard to share what we learn with others along the way so they might spend more time comfortably enjoying the great outdoors too.

Dave is a Team Huntress Outdoor Ambassador, South Dakota Hunt Safe Instructor, outfitter, certified concealed carry, competition hunter and President of Pheasant Phun Inc. As an avid outdoorsman he enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities.

See the original article at TeamHuntress.com

Tags: activity, article, clothes, dress, family, feet, plans, skin, spring, summer

When I was a small girl, I remember going to my uncle\’s property to hunt deer, turkey, dove, quail, etc with my family. I loved being out in the woods, running free, watching the wildlife. My dad would take me to hunting camp, despite the comments from the older members; dad would put me in the woods with my grandfather\’s Smith & Wesson model 1000 shotgun and say, “sit still and good luck”! I only ever shot one doe, and we never found her…I was heart broken.

As the years went by, the family grew apart. I found myself driving my very old Grandfather to hunting camp, just so I could get another chance at another deer.  No Luck, I grew older as did the relatives, and there was no one to take me hunting, but you could always find me outdoors either at the horse shows or at the mud hole, which is where I met my husband of 19 years.

Bryan has been a hunter all his life and we kicked it off immediately.  We married, had a son and moved to North Carolina and had our second son. Bryan joined a Hunting club in Georgia, that we are still apart of to this day. It was at this club with my husband, that I really learned how to hunt. I was taught how to watch and “let the deer get closer” and where to put a stand, etc. I harvested my first doe on that club, weighing in at 120 lbs, while my husband sat in the truck with the boys watching a clear cut. That was it, I was really hooked! No, I wasn\’t the first woman in camp to hunt, but I was the first to hunt as hard as the men do.  Sure, I have heard the same questions over the years; “How do you do it”? My only answer to that was “How can you not”? The woods are my sanctuary. Things always seem clear when I\’m in the woods. And I have seen some wonderful things in the woods!

Over the years, I have harvested some nice deer and I\’m always proud of whatever I do harvest. I hunt Alligator, Turkey, Deer, Ducks, Coyotes, Fox and Bobcat. I am open to try anything once. I fly fish in the spring and summer months but hunting is always on my mind.

I have been married for 19 years to my “hunting mentor” lol, Bryan. We have two sons, Bryan Jr. and Boone. Bryan Jr. is currently in the Navy and fishes and duck hunts with us when he takes leave. Boone is in the woods and water with us all the time and has become quite the hunter.  I know a lot of other ladies that hunt hard like me and I love meeting other lady hunters.

Jennifer L. Metzker

See the original article at CampWildGirls.com

Tags: boys, deer, from-the-older, georgia, over-the-years, spring, time, turkey, woods, years

Learn the Basics of Turkey Calling

It\’s just about that time of year. I dusted off the turkey calls last night and thought a post on turkey calling may be in order. Wild turkey calling takes time and effort to learn, and knowing the basics of wild turkey vocalizations is crucial to being able to use different calls successfully. Wild turkeys make at least eight different calls, as well as several subtypes of calls that are season specific. You don\’t need to know them all, just the major ones which are:

Cluck:
The cluck consists of one or more short, staccato notes. The plain cluck, many times, includes two or three single note clucks. It\’s generally used by one bird to get the attention of another. It\’s a good call to reasure an approaching gobbler that a hen is waiting for him.

Yelp:
The yelp is a basic turkey sound. It is often delivered in a series of single note vocalizations and can have different meanings depending on how the hen uses it.

Kee Kee Run:
The kee kee is the lost call of young turkeys and variations made by adult birds. It\’s often associated with fall hunting, but can be used successfully in the spring. This is what it sounds like. A variation of the call, the kee kee run is merely a kee kee with a yelp.

Purr:
Purring is a soft, rolling call turkeys make when content. It can usually be heard by feeding birds. This is not a loud call, but is good for reassuring turkeys as they get in close to your position.

Cutt:
A series of fast, loud, erratic single notes is referred to as cutting. It\’s a modified cluck and is a distinct abrupt call with a somewhat questioning nature. It can be heard at a great distance and is often used by a single turkey looking for companionship.

How to call Turkeys:
For successful turkey calling, you should use use multiple calls. The first step would be to start with a locator call, which are used to simulate loud noises or other animals that gobblers will respond to such as owls or crows. Use short locater calls and listen for a response. Once you feel that you have found a proper location with turkeys in your range, then it\’s time to use your vocalization calls.

You should start off using your vocalization calls more quietly and then gradually increase volume. A soft “cluck”, “yelp”, or “purr” are good initial calls to use. This way you won\’t scare off any nearby turkeys that you can\’t see with a loud call. If you hear responses from a gobbler you have to be patient as many times they won\’t close in on you right away. Wait at least 5 to 10 minutes before responding to a gobbler\’s call. Be sure to keep trying to call a slow moving gobbler for at least an hour before you give up.

If you hear hens, you should respond to their calls with the same number of calls and the same vocalization. For instance, if you hear a hen cluck 5 times, you should respond with 5 clucks. This will encourage her to come towards your location. This will also help to lure gobblers that are in the vicinity of the hen. There is no secret to calling turkeys. Each turkey will respond to your calls in its own unique way. Turkey calling is an art that takes time and experience to master, so get out there and have some fun!

See the original article at GotHunts.com

Tags: calls, facebook, general outdoors, hunting, linkedin, location, outdoors international, spring, turkey

One of my Coues deer from a more successful hunt

I had hoped to have good news this week about my recent coues deer hunt in Southern Arizona. No deer but I did have a great time. The Winchester Mountain Range is a very big and rugged environment which makes bowhunting quite a challenge. Those coues deer are “wrascully wittle wabbits”. I saw lots of critters but no bucks closer than 250 yards. My archery skills only go out to about 160 yards (ha). So I have decided not to linger on that subject for long and just post a picture of my success in the past and move on to the spring fishing season.

I love fishing for Stripers at Lake Powell

WE ARE HAVING A CONTEST!

Cory and I are so blessed by being able to live out our passion for hunting and fishing every day, and because of all the fine folks that support us through visiting our web site and reading our blog we have decided to give something back. We are going to take 4 people on an all expense paid trip to Lake Powell to fish for stripers. The trip will be April 19th to the 22nd and here is how it works. Just fill out the survey at the end of this post and you will be entered to win. The first drawing will be on February 28th for one person and a guest and the second drawing will be on March 30th for one person and a guest. We will cover the cost of your lodging, meals and all needed licenses. As you can see the last trip was quite a success.

God Bless and Good Luck,
Doak Worley

Please fill out the form below to enter a FREE fishing trip to Lake Powell:

1. How many days a year do you spend hunting?
   I don’t hunt 1-5 6-10 11-15 16 or more

   (required)

2. Have you ever hunted outside the US?
   yes no

   (required)

3. What is your weapon of choice?
   Rifle Bow Muzzleloader Pistol Any of the above

   (required)

4. How many days a year do you spend fishing?
   I don’t fish 1-5 6-10 11-15 16 or more

   (required)

5. Are you a member of the NRA?
   yes no

   (required)

6. Are you a member of SCI?
   yes no

   (required)

7. Your Name(required)
8. Email(valid email required)

Tags: fishing, lake powell, outdoors international, powell, select-name, spring, survey

Hey Guys,
Every now and then I have one of those nights that I just can\’t sleep. I went to bed thinking about Africa! I really don\’t know why either, next week I am going on a coues deer hunt in southern Arizona. This is a really great hunt and I should be counting coues deer like sheep, but I just can\’t get Africa out of my head. The most incredible thing anyone could ever do is chase game around the plains of Africa and I want to share this wonderful Continent with everyone I meet. Most men tell me that they have always dreamed about Africa but they always thought it was expensive and dangerous, but that\’s just not true. For about the same price as a good whitetail deer hunt you can go to Africa.

My kudu from last time. I can’t wait to get back there.

On a whitetail hunt you get the opportunity to sit in a blind or a treestand for hours and hope for the opportunity to bag a decent deer. In Africa you see beauty and large quantities of wild game like you could never imagine, native cultures and experiences that will be with you for a lifetime and collect some wonderful trophy\’s to hang on the wall. You will get some great animals. It\’s incredible! It\’s not dangerous either. Most of us just have a natural fear of the unknown. We don\’t know what to expect. You won\’t get eaten by a Lion. You are always with quality guides (PH\’s) that would never put you in a dangerous situation. The water is safe to drink. It\’s easy to clear customs and get your hunting equipment into the country. South Africa as well as most other places are Milaria Free. So why don\’t more hunters go to Africa? I just don\’t know… However, you might loose a little sleep like me thinking about your next trip.

With confusion about Africa facing most hunters, Cory and I have decided to make it really easy. We are organizing two South Africa hunts that we will be personally escorting next May. The first hunt is a 10-day combo bow/rifle (you can use either) hunt for 5 animals (Gemsbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Spring Buck, Blesbuck, Impala) with an all inclusive price of $5,750 at a 5 Star Lodge (excluding airfare). The date for this hunt is May 13th – 22nd and is limited to 6 hunters (observers or spouses are welcome for an additional $250 per day). The seccond hunt is a 7-day rifle hunt for 5 animals (Kudu, Bushbuck, Impala, Blesbuck, Duiker) with an all inclusive price of $4750 at a 5 Star Lodge (excluding air fare). Hunting Dates for this hunt is May 23rd – 29th and is limited to 8 hunters (observers and spouses are welcome for an additional $250 per day).

The lodge we will be staying in

This was my bedroom on my last trip.

Cory and I will be with you on both of these hunts and we will be filming for our new show Outdoors International Presents “The Bucket List Adventures“. Want to be a star? Well this is your chance. We anticipate these hunts will fill up fast so give us a call if you would like more info. These group hunts are all 2 on 1 with the best Professional Hunters in South Africa and we will be taking over SCI Blue Bags full of school and medical supplies and hand delivering them to needy schools in South Africa (this itself is an experience of a lifetime).

Untill next week, enjoy the Great Outdoors and may God Bless,
Doak

See the original article at GotHunts.com

Tags: cory glauner, country, facebook, hunting, international, linkedin, opportunity, south-africa, spring