Blog

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

I ran into some old friends, Mark Hardin and Wayne Fisher of Rhino Laboratories at the NWTF Convention in Atlanta, GA recently. They were very excited about the new “Scent Strike” product that their company recently acquired. I am posting what they told me about Scent Strike and we will soon be testing the product for ourselves. Ya’ll watch for the field test on “Scent Strike.”They ask a very good question.

Joella

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 11:00 PM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Jamie Hayes goes hunting for more than a NASCAR Camping World East Series win. He is planning to hunt big Kansas bucks this fall with his father James Hayes. Hunting is a long-time family tradition in the Hayes family. Growing up on 133 acres, Jamie’s father planned on having a life-long hunting companion when he bought his son a lifetime hunting license. Jamie and his dad have chased rabbits, squirrels, ducks, doves, and deer since childhood. When asked what his favorite type of hunting is, Jamie quite adamantly responded, “Without a doubt, I had rather hunt whitetail deer than any other animal.”

With the hectic schedule that this second year Ken Schrader Racing team member must meet, Jamie’s days devoted to hunting are fewer than he would like. Despite the race schedule, he plans an annual hunting trip with his outdoor mentor, his father. This year’s trip will be with archery professional Johnny Heath to the hunting land of whitetail legends, Kansas. Johnny informed Jamie that there are lots of open lands with few trees appropriate for treestands, so possessing long range shooting skills would definitely be an asset.

During the first weekend of March the town of Raleigh, North Carolina serves as the host city for Dixie Deer Classic for the 28th consecutive year. This year, Chad Thousand capitalized on the fact that his cousin, Bobby Hart was in town. Bobby is a 1,000 yard world champion and former World Record holder at that distance. This fourth generation custom rifle builder and co-owner of R.W. Hart Inc., is passionate about teaching long range rifle shooting skills. Chad Thousand of the Fail-Safe Group arranged for Bob Hart to teach a long range shooting clinic at the farm of NASCAR legend and team owner Richard Childress. Richard, a very accomplished hunter and a huge fan of Bobby’s guns has used Hart Rifles for years. Richard opened up his museum, race shop, and personal shooting range to The Fail-Safe Group’s guests.

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 10:58 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Saint Paul, Minn. – March 3, 2008 – Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever announce Kent Feeds, makers of Native™ Performance Dog Food, as the organization's newest national sponsor. Native™, a line of premium foods for working and performance dogs, becomes the official dog food of Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF).

"We have long admired Pheasants Forever’s commitment to habitat conservation and enhancement," said Rich Dwyer, President of the Muscatine, Iowa-based Kent Feeds, "As avid bird hunters and supporters of an outdoor lifestyle, we believe in the mission of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and feel they are a perfect fit for our company and our products."

"Native™ recognizes the strong connection our members have with their hunting buddies, and our members will soon recognize Native™ as the leader in performance dog food," said Howard Vincent, PF/QF President and CEO, "We thank Native™ for their serious commitment to conservation and to sporting dog enthusiasts across the country."

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 12:03 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Merrill, Wis. – March 4, 2008 – Residents in north-central Wisconsin's Lincoln County have formed the state's newest Pheasants Forever (PF) chapter, aptly named the Lincoln County Chapter of PF. The chapter is dedicated to improving local wildlife habitat and increasing youth involvement in the outdoors.

Conservation has long been strong in Lincoln County, but residents felt more could be accomplished through Pheasants Forever's local model. "The beauty of Pheasants Forever is that 100 percent of all the monies raised by the chapter stays in the county and will be used to fund local habitat projects that help local wildlife," said Jim Schneider, the chapter's newly-elected president, "Through this organization, we will be able to build habitat for any and all wildlife, including pheasants, turkeys, grouse and deer."

PF empowers county chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100% of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent - the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. As a result, chapter volunteers are able to see the fruits of their efforts locally, while belonging to a larger national organization with a voice on federal and state conservation policy.

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 11:56 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Having spent several days of the last week being bombarded by turkey calling and turkey paraphernalia, I find my self in a "turkey state of mind." And since we still have a short time before I can go turkey hunting, I am inspired to share with you the account of a trip I made to Missouri with my daughter Jana during the spring break of her senior year of high school.

It isn’t often that you convince a girly girl high school senior to spend spring break with their mom, much less spend it turkey hunting. But my girl was not your ordinary teenage girl. Having grown up in a family with a mom that makes her living hunting, fishing, shooting, and promoting an outdoor lifestyle, Jana was the dream girl of all the guys that loved and pursued the outdoors. She was beautiful, smart, witty, and a tomboy underneath the glitz and glamour. I have to chuckle every time I think of her telling the boys that if they didn’t walk the straight and narrow that I would shoot them with a grasshopper attached to an arrow and fired from my bow.

Watch out turkeys, here we come.

Two long-beards strolled through the Black Angus grazed pasture with about two hours of light remaining. Only a mile later, we turned to the east on White Oak Road, a gravel road, with a sign and arrow pointing to White Oak Lodge. Bobwhite quail flew into a locust tree and young rabbits darted from the road into the ditches. A dark wooden farm house rested in a well manicured lawn overlooking a deep blue farm pond. It was Friday evening April 29th, when Jana and I arrived in Edina, Missouri. We were the guests of Darrell and Lois Huchteman. Darrell had coached Laden Force, who at the time of our hunt was the pro staff director of Mothwing Camo, during his football days at Knox County High School. 

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 12:45 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Despite the lack of sleep and the long trip from Waverly, Tennessee, I arrived at the NWTF convention in Atlanta, Georgia ready to take in all of the sites and sounds that I could possibly handle. It was only minutes after I enter the main floor that I started running into old friends.
 
Being always on the road and on the run, I sought the comfort of a soft chair in the auditorium where the Friction Calling Championships were taking place. This was the first time I had actually arrived early enough to watch this contest. Oh, to have just one of the contestants behind me in the turkey woods sweet-talking the boss gobbler into bow range! Of the 27 contestants, I definitely had my favorites. At the top of my list was Jeff Murphy, a Georgia boy decked out in his Tomaflage Camo fancy accented shirt. Murphy and I have shared a cadre of friends for several years and after listening to him call, I must insist on a hunting opportunity soon.
 

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 00:41 AM | 0 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Shooting archery and hunting are more than obsessions for me; they are an integral part of my life. My life has been spent focusing on outdoor activities and conservation. During my 46 years of life, much of my time has been spent being both formally and informally gaining an education related to hunting and fishing. Most of the last 19 years have been heavily influenced by my participation in archery and bowhunting activities. I have taken my passion for this outdoors-lifestyle and the education that I have acquired and consequently devoted my life and career to promoting and perpetuating the outdoor and hunting heritages.

Let me introduce myself. My passion for the outdoor-lifestyle started way back in my childhood.

“I’ve been blessed. In the early 1980’s, I met a speaker at 4-H Wildlife Conference in Milan, Tennessee. He was an anti-hunter. The longer he talked the more upset I got. When he opened the floor for questions, I stood to talk. I was shaking like I had buck fever; and as I began to speak, my voice quivered and tears rolled uncontrollably down my cheeks. Anti-hunters work on emotions and mine were certainly flowing. The audience revolted against the speaker. Some of the kids even threw things at him. That day, I realized how important the privilege to hunt was to me and vowed to take a stance for hunting.”

READ MORE 

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 01:50 PM | 2 COMMENTS | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Fredericksburg, Virginia's Kevin Paulson, founder of www.Huntinglife.com is one of three individuals named by Field and Stream Magazine and Toyota as the January Heroes of Conservation. Field and Stream and Toyota have joined forces to recognize individuals that have made significant contributions in the field of conservation. Kevin's selection occurred because of his donations to conservation and his work to bring conservation issues to the forefront on-line through www.HuntingLife.com. Kevin will receive a check for $1000 that he has chosen to donate to the Mule Deer Foundation.

Paulson's selection to have the money support the Mule Deer Foundation was an easy one. "In my opinion, mule deer are the species in the greatest need of help based on their declining numbers, resulting from habitat loss from fires and drought, and encroachment of humans into historic areas of prime habitat," declares Paulson. "We need to purchase and protect critical habitat in the west. We need to support projects that regenerate sagebrush plant communities throughout the west. As the most desirable sagebrush plants are replaced by other plant communities, the mule deer find tough competition for food from whitetail deer. This competitive situation favors the more aggressive whitetail. Protection and regeneration of these critical habitats should allow a recovery by the mule deer. Our support of the Mule Deer Foundations efforts will help in this healing process."

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 01:44 PM | 1 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

From January 17th to the beginning of February this country gal has been traveling the back roads and the big city lights to bring you the stories of the hunting industry.

Read more about all of her trips across the country.

POSTED BY JOELLA BATES AT 08:00 AM | 1 COMMENT | LINKS TO THIS POST