It’s Friday! Who’s excited? I know I am… Aaaand that’s because I have part II of our Belize trip for you today, via video, for a little #tbt #fbf Flash Back Friday. I meant to post this yesterday, but a few technical difficulties really did a number on me. BUT! We are back on track and here it is.
Happy Thursday, friends! I have a little #tbt Throwback Thursday treat for you today! After filtering through several hundred videos & at least as many photos, I have finally finished the first installment of the Belize video diaries… Eeek!
If you saw this post, you’ll remember that shooting skeet is not only fun, but a practical activity when it comes to maintaining your shooting skills. [Side note: maybe I should have practiced more before dove season started? More on that tomorrow…] Well, towers and traps can get kind of boring, particularly when you are familiar with where you’re shooting & have a pretty good idea of where the target will go. I say “boring,” rather than “easy” because we all have days that we just can’t hit an “easy” shot, or the broad side of a barn.
Happy Monday, friends! I have something rather exciting for you today. Do you remember when I mentioned that John and some guys fished in the Lowcountry Tarpon Tournament? Well, I finally had time to get through their GoPro footage of the weekend… As you can recall, we have been after the [apparently] elusive tarpon several times recently to no avail. I know, I know, Hollis. Quit telling us about how you didn’t actually catch a tarpon. Right?
Happy Thursday, outdoors-friends! I have to say, this chilly weather we’re experiencing around here has been oh-so-perfect for sitting at home in warm clothes by the fire, working on… THIS! Slowly but surely, I have been piecing together our GoPro footage for the 2013-2014 duck season video diary. I have to admit, I think video diaries are such a fun way to relive trips and hunting seasons – photos are a great keepsake, but there is something about the action of real footage that takes me back to each and every hunt. I think I have watched this one about 10 times this morning, my smile never fading each time I restart it.
Snakes. How could I forget about snakes this time of year? I am not a snake person, and I will gladly admit it. A tiny little green snake? Perfectly fine. I am talking about rattlesnakes and copperheads and lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Yesterday, my dad told me that one of his buddies was scouting deer at our property, and while he didn’t see any deer, noticed some movement out of the corner of his eye near his stand as he was climbing down. Ohh, hello 6 ft rattlesnake, how are you today? Thankfully he had a pistol with snake shot in it… Needless to say, the snake is no longer with us and probably feeding some alligator in the river. Hey, circle of life, right?
This morning, I stumbled across this video on Field & Stream, and it hit me that I didn’t even include snake boots on my lists of essentials – deer or dove. If a dead snake will bite his own body, you know your leg is an even tastier treat. They make a good point in the article below the video, too – if you kill a snake, make sure you’re not putting someone else in danger by leaving that venomous head just hanging around! I have these boots, pictured below, but there are plenty of options out there!
So I know the guy filming isn’t exactly going to win an Academy Award for filming/narration, but you get the idea. Snakes are no joke! While you may not always need to wear them, it is a good idea to rock them when you can. Talk about things that make you say “bbbbbbllllhhhh.” (No? You get what I mean…)
Think you’re relatively safe up in a tree stand? Bears are cute and all, but I am not trying to have one scout deer with me. This video is just… I can’t even. If this happened to me while I was sitting in the stand? Please. Let’s not even pretend I would be this calm.
Props to this guy who manages to film the entire event. Be sure to watch until the very end.
Oh hello, Monday, so nice to see you. Just kidding. After a delightful weekend of being on the water, Monday mornings hit pretty hard. Anyway.. I love summer. Sunshine, boats, fishing… a tan. Who wouldn’t? The only downside is the lack of hunting seasons around here during the summer months- wing shooting in particular. And, let’s be honest, I love me some wing shooting. Duck? Check. Dove? Double check. “If it flies, it dies,” my dad likes to say! Like any sport, though, being a good shot is an acquired skill that needs practice in order to be maintained. Even the most seasoned shooters can be a little rusty after a month or two of no trigger-pulling. That’s where shooting skeet/sporting clays comes in. This provides the perfect way to maintain your skills, as well as practice shots you might find difficult during the season {i.e. an overhead, left-to-right passing shot in the dove field}. I find that I struggle with one or two types of shots each season for whatever reason, and it really helps to practice those shots in the off-season.
Also, using different guns for different types of hunting can be an obstacle in honing your skills. By that, I mean using a light 20 ga. over/under shotgun in September for doves (while wearing just a camouflage t-shirt) is different from using your heavier 12 ga. automatic in December for ducks (when you’re wearing many more layers of clothing). It may take a few shots to get the feel back for the gun you’re using, which can mean a few misses. No thank you! My dad and I try to shoot skeet at least once or twice at the beginning of each season with the gun we will be using to hunt, and I have always found this to be quite helpful.
Keeping up with the fishing theme of the week, I thought I would share my video diary from our Costa Rica trip in 2011. Happy Thursday- Enjoy!