The first knife I ever carried was a small, bone-handled pocketknife with a single two-inch blade. This occurred a couple years before I even started school, and I was allowed to carry it. I looked upon it as a status symbol, because just about everyone I knew carried a pocketknife, even my mother. It is a handy item to have readily available, especially on a farm. And yep, folks, back then, I always carried a pocketknife even in school as it was a natural part of my dress and a necessary “working tool”, a fact … Read More
Preseason readiness for fast approaching deer hunting adventures
When my wife Ginny and I put most of our farm into grassland programs, our focus was providing proper habitat for wild pheasants, and in so doing it worked to the benefit of all wildlife, including deer, wild turkeys, songbirds, and even butterflies and other insects. Our ground entails a mixture of warm season prairie grasses and wildflowers, with evergreen windbreaks all around the outer perimeters, and it didn’t take long for us to realize the very adaptable local whitetails absolutely love prairie grass fields which are tall enough for absolute concealment. Yep, folks, if … Read More
Hook and line adventures during the Dog Days of summer
Most folks often assume the Dog Days get their name from the mid to late summer’s dry and hot weather which of course, can be hard on dogs. However, the name comes from the late summer timeframe in which the Dog Star, “Sirius”, named by ancient Romans, can be readily seen. The Dog Days timeframe is typically July 3 to August 11, but for me, it runs from the beginning of July all the way to mid-September, and it is when I truly enjoy fishing during a very relaxing and often sultry atmosphere. I’m primarily … Read More
Throwing in the towel to the invading red demon horde – time to call in the “Critter – Gitter”
Generally, I prefer to handle my own problem wildlife issues around my home, such as dealing with destructive garden-raiding raccoons (which once tried to reside in my attic), and I have usually been successful. That is until now. Red squirrels are considered as being pests in Michigan, and I fully agree. I used to have both fox and gray squirrels (the larger tree-squirrel species) near our home, and I much enjoyed watching their antics, especially viewing all they went through to raid my birdfeeders. I had an ongoing and enjoyable contest in finding ways to … Read More