Are you a Wild Kinda Gal?

Snuggle up with this warm, fun and fashionable Jacket after the hunt or wear it just because you are a wild kinda girl!  Our CampWildGirls.com logo adorns the back of this cute and functionsl piece. This is a Timberline Ladies Priscilla Jacket with double needle heavy weight stitching with a princess cut for feminine fit.  The 440 gram microfleece will keep you toasty warm. The  microfleece wind flap keeps the wind out while the 2 concealed front zippered pockets  will keep your valuables in. It also sports a 2 sided cinch cord around the bottom. It comes in Raspberry Pink or Navy Blue. Sizes: XS-XXL Just $75.00

 

Bonefishing Report from Capt. Rick Grassett

Capt. Rick Grassett, is a full-time fishing guide and outdoor writer based in Sarasota, FL. He’s a great host and a super guy, and as luck would have it he hosts a group at Andros South each year.

Here’s Capt. Grassett’s report from last week. Thanks Rick!

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I spent the last week from Saturday, May 2nd through Saturday, May 9th, hosting a group of friends and customers at Andros South bonefish lodge on South Andros in the Bahamas. Nick Reding, Bob Harness and Bob Reynolds, all from St. Louis, MO, Frank Rhodes, from Auburndale, FL, Hal Lutz, from Parrish, FL and Jon Yenari and I, from Sarasota, met in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday afternoon, May 2nd. We had a smooth, one hour flight over on a Lynx Air twin engine Cessna 402 and were greeted by managers Rick Sisler and Kateri Clay.

The weather and fishing were near perfect! I had an opportunity to fish with each member of the group and fish a variety of areas. Some days were better than others and some days were fantastic! Anglers fishing the vast sand flats to the south fished near Jackfish Channel, the Water Cays, Curly Cut Cays, Fish Key and the “airport flat”. Some of these flats are so big they go all the way to the horizon. Frank and Jon had a great day at the “airport flat” one day catching and releasing more than 50 bones. Hal and I fished the south end one day and had a great morning wading along a mangrove shoreline on a flood tide. We caught 15 or 20 fish before noon. Frank, Jon, Hal and Kateri went offshore one day and landed more than 30 mahi mahi (dolphin) to 12-pounds on flies and conventional tackle. Their first mahis on fly!

Several creeks – Deep Creek, Little Creek and Grassy Creek all cut through to the west side, crossing the ”Devil’s Backbone” ridge and open up into large flats and salt ponds with smaller creeks feeding into them. We caught lots and lots of bonefish to 6-pounds with most of them in the 2 to 3-pound class. Some were smaller and a few were even bigger. Another angler at the lodge, John from British Columbia, landed an 8-pounder one day. Bob Reynolds and I had a great day on a huge school over on the west side one day with guide, Fredlon. We waded and doubled and tripled for more than an hour. I also landed a 30-pound ‘cuda that day! Nick and I fished with Torrie one day and learned a lot about targeting big bonefish.

Even though catching lots of fish out of a big school is a lot of fun, the most rewarding to me is stalking singles, doubles and smaller schools. A couple of the most rewarding fish I caught were tailing on a slick, calm morning when we had to wade like a “heron” and make a perfect cast to catch them! Top flies were Gotchas, Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp and variations of them. We also encountered lots of sharks and ‘cudas. Several ‘cudas, up to 30-pounds, were landed on flies and conventional tackle.

Bob Reynolds from St. Louis, Mo, with a nice South Andros bonefish
Photo: Rick Grassett

I hated to come back to the real world, but the good thing is that tarpon fishing is getting ready to take off back at home in Sarasota. I have already received several reports of tarpon being jumped and landed from Tampa Bay to Sarasota. I’ll be on the water this week hunting tarpon, which should get even better as we get further away from last week’s full moon.

Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett

See the original article at GotHunts.com

Join us on for the Battle of the B.O.W.

Join Terri Lee Pocernich from CampWildGirls, and her son Kale Williamson, as Team HuntingLife.com  for “The Battle of the B.O.W.” on http://www.wisconsinoutdoorsnetwork.org/profile/HuntingLifeTEAM. We need people to join us on the site and add Team HuntingLife to your friends. Voting will start very soon, so get set up ahead of time.

The pilot episode is being submitted next week and we find out from there if we will be aired as a TV program. Either way Team HuntingLife.com expects to be worthy of your votes and is sure to entertain you. Check out our videos on the site! Thanks for all of your support.

Hunting Clothing for Serious, Dedicated Women Hunters

Anne Vinnola says: “Just ask any woman hunter, and she will tell you, the most difficult part of hunting? Her wardrobe. Finding well fitting, hard working, layerable, hunting pants and shirts.  Some mainstream clothing companies are slowly beginning to work women’s sizes into their lines, but mostly they are cut like a man and just sized smaller.”

As a woman, I am always trying to find resources tailored for women. I constantly battle the cold because of having a thyroid problem. I decided to do some research on ways to keep warm and here is what I found!

According the Wikapedia, layered clothing is a manner of dressing using multiple garments that are worn on top of each other. Some of the layers have different, largely non-overlapping, functions. Using more or fewer layers, or replacing one layer but not others, allows for flexible clothing to match the needs of each situation. Two thin layers can be warmer yet lighter than one thick layer, because the air trapped between layers is a good insulator

Layered clothing is particularly relevant in cold climates, where clothing must at the same time transfer moisture, provide warmth, and protect from wind and rain. In a hot and dry climate, clothes have very different functional requirements: they must block the radiation from the Sun, and allow for sufficient air circulation. Therefore, layered clothing in the sense used in this article is largely irrelevant to hot and dry climates.

Outdoor and sportswear manufacturers favor layered clothing because, among other reasons, it allows them to offer so-called “technical” or “functional” clothes which are optimized for the particular demands of a specific layer. Such clothes are often made of advanced synthetic materials.

With that being said I was on a quest for clothing that not only kept me warm but was made for a woman and had many thin layering options. Impossible you say? I thought so too until I ran into Kirstie Pike from Próis^TM Hunting Apparel.

Kirstie states “Próis^TM Hunting finally answers our “Quest” for great Women’s Hunting Clothing and Gear. Throughout our years of hunting, we at Próis^TM were amazed at the fact that there was literally nothing on the market for women who hunt.”

 

This “Quest” for Women’s Hunting Clothing soon became an obsession; they thought women’s huntwear must be something of a myth! While they attempted to avoid sounding like a frustrated feminists, they found it unreasonable that successful women hunters could not find appropriate gear for their sport.

 

Simple concept, the Próis^TM Hunting team thought; Combine technical hunting components, functional fabric and an athletic composition, and unite it with patterns that are engineered to the female form…Voila, Próis^TM Hunting Apparel!

 This new women’s hunting clothing concept takes layering to a new art form. The Próis^TM shirt is a cross between the finest athletic wear, and a comfortable favorite shirt. Polyester wicking fabric keeps moisture from your skin and allows you to stay dry and warm.  Thumbholes help the shirt to stay in your gloves and it is perfect alone for cool fall mornings of archery or layered for those cold winter rifle hunting trips. 

 

Próis^TM Hunting Pants are crafted using 100% polyester brushed tricot for warmth and durability. They are snag resistant and silent in the woods.  Each pair is fitted just below the waist for comfort and fits a woman’s form perfectly.  There is plenty of storage room in the deep cargo pockets and thoughtfully pleated knees for kneeling comfort. They are boot cut to fit over bulky hunting boots with elastic cuffs and cord lock to cinch close to your boot. Add in their vests, jackets and rain gear and you are set for all occasions.

 

Próis^TM Hunting Apparel is taking the industry by storm with their “made FOR women” hunting clothes.  Women are not interested in merely looking like hunters; we are hunters that demand the best quality hunting clothing. We fully understand that fit, warmth and durability makes a huge impact on our hunting success.  Próis^TM Hunting Apparel is serious clothing for serious, dedicated women hunters.

The Day Favre Came to Hunting Camp

There are two things in Northern WI that you will never change. Rifle season is Holy week and, we love the Green Bay Packers.  So the year that we got the word that Brett Favre was coming to camp, it was like a dream come true for our hunting crew.

It started off as a usual hunting season. Our group is to big to house in one place, so the Adermans and the Koels, stay at their shack (a.k.a the “Happy Family Cabin”) which is just down the road from our shack (a.k.a. my aunts basement). The rest of the guys i.e. the two Patko families, live in the area and stay at their homes. On the Friday before season, it is a tradition that we all converge on the “Happy Family Cabin” to have a few beers, (third thing about WI, we love beer) catch up on what everyone has been doing throughout the year, and strategize about where we will be going the next morning. We generally hunt on land that is owned by Butch Johnson of Johnson Timber and Futurewood, and it adjoins the Summit Lake Game Farm which is also owned by Johnson.

6:00 p.m. rolls around and the people in the crew start arriving. The regular banter is going on and guys/gals are greeting each other. The noise level is at a dull roar. Hunters/Huntresses are almost giddy as “the season” starts the next. The young guys are scrapping in the yard and burning off some of the extra energy they have. There’s lots of handshakes and backslapping going on. It is the normal, total chaotic transition, but everyone loves it. We have waited an entire year for this week.

By now, everyone that is old enough, has found their favorite flavor of beer (another thing about WI we love our beer) and is settling in for the big “discussion”. It most always starts out the same way each year. Someone, out of respect, starts by asking the “Grey Beards”, where they would like to start in the morning. They usually defer to the younger, 40 something “salt and pepper” group, stating they are just glad to be in the woods and don’t really care. DJ Aderman, President for Futurewood Corp, a division of Johnson Timber, normally gives the status on the land that adjoins the perimeter of Summit Lake Game Farm, and what parts we are permitted to hunt on, what is expected of us,  and what they have been seeing throughout the fall. This year, he had a unmistakably mischievous grin on his face and little twinkle in his eye that could not go undetected.

He started out giving us his diclaimer, and the following news. ”I can’t say for sure, but there is a chance, that Brett Favre, Mark Chamura, and Jeff Dellenbach of the Green Bay Packers, as well as WI Gov. Tommy Thompson, may be hunting at Summit Lake after the Packer/Viking game on Sunday”. He went on to say, that “Butch Johnson, the owner of Summit Lake Game Farms and Johnson Timber, is probably going to invite us to do some drives in the farm area and meet the guys. However it cannot be made public until after it happens.”

At first we were simply stunned. Sitting ther silently wondering, is he joking? Then all hell broke loose, every adult in the room turn into a little kid, chattering and gigling about the news we had received. Unbelievable, we are going to get to meet Brett Favre and hunt with him. I don’t know who was more excited, the kids or the “Grey Beards”! I do know, however, that nobody slept and it dang near killed everyone not to tell!

Season continued, and we did our usual hunting, harvesting several nice bucks and waiting for the big day to arrive. Finally, we get the word that they would like us to be there on Tuesday.

Monday night I know nobody slept again . Tuesday morning we headed down to Summit Lake. It is about a twenty minute ride from where we meet in the morning. We arrived very early, with our parade of 8 or so 4 wheel drive pickup trucks, to the parking lot at the Summit Lake game farm. We stood around in nervous silence pacing or kicking stones with our feet. We felt like bunch of little kids waiting to see Santa. In the meantime DJ checked went into the lodge to check out the situation. One of the guys looked at me with a very confused look and said “Are you wearing…make-up?” something that was unusual for me while hunting. I retorted back, “Of course I am, are you stupid! We are going to meet Brett Favre!” That started the others rolling and seemed to beak the tension a bit.

 My sister Lori and I went in first and were introduced to Favre, Dellenbach and Thompson. Chamura had been injured and had to leave to go to physical therapy.  Favre’s hair was a mess and he was wearing jeans and a shirt with cut off sleeves. He looked just like anyone else would, in the morning, at hunting camp. (This was back in his drinking days and they had gone out on the town the night before, but that is a whole different story).

We started chatting with him and what amazed me immediately,was that he was just an ordinary guy, just joking around. (Except that he is Brett and he is gorgeous! Lol) Everyone then walked out to the parking lot and Brett was introduced to the rest of the crew. Mysteriously people had Packer shirts and souvenir with them, stuffed in pockets and behind truck seats, and he graciously signed them. We took lots of group photos and joked around for a short time.

Brett and the other guys were loaded up in trucks and SUV’s to go out to the stands, while we did drives on the property to encourage the deer to head their direction for the remainder of the day. After a fun day of hunting we headed back to the lodge. The only one that had had a successful deer hunt was Favres agent, and he took a doe.

Brett’s hair still a mess, he was now in a blaze orange jacket and was chowing on, as he put it “some pretty good dingle-berry pie”. There were lots of snacks and more WI beverages while we all sat around and listened to, or told stories about the hunt. It was pretty much like every other night after hunting hours only way different! Brett listened and laughed and told his stories right along with the rest of us.

Soon the  local game warden arrived. She had heard that Favre was there so she just happened to stop by to check the game tags on deer and register them. She also wanted her picture taken with the quarterback and he obliged. He would not however wear the handcuff she asked him to wear. As he was standing there just after the picture, he turned and looked straight-faced at one of the guys and said “Hey Roscoe, what did you do with that bear you shot today?” He knew full well it is illegal to take a bear during deer season and that the warden would start questioning the poor guy!

Well the whole group including Brett, errupted in a fit of laughter, while Roscoe sat there stammering and stuttering and trying to explain to the warden that there was no bear, nor had there ever been one, and he certainly hadn’t shot one! That was a moment that is forever etched in our minds. He was just like one of us!

He continued to sign autographs on shirts, dollar bills, back tags, hats and whatever else we could come up with til late in the evening. He was such fun to get to know as a person and never acted like he was any better than any of us. His attitude of having fun and being able to relate, is the reason so many Packer Fans fell in love with him. He is just one of the guys.

The smiles on the faces of our crew were priceless. That day forever seared into our memories. He is welcome to come anytime and hunt with us or just shoot the bull (not the bear). We have many great pictures and very fond memories of the day “Brett Favre came to hunting camp!

TeamHuntress-Priceless

Well I have finally decompressed from the fantastic TeamHuntress weekend that Jane Keller put on at Pheasant Phun, in South Dakota, hosted by Dave Olsen. I have never, in my life, had such a wonderful time, with a bunch of women.
Team Huntress Family

Team Huntress Family

Life for, me, has forever changed. I was the first to arrive at the TeamHuntress event and as I met each woman that arrived there, I knew something was different. I immediately started to connect with each of the gals arriving. We all had so much in common that it felt like we had known each other for a lifetime. I didn’t have to try to explain my love for the outdoors, the others felt that way too.

Growing up I always had more guy friends, than girlfriends. Not that the girls I knew weren’t great, they were just not interested in hunting and fishing and being outdoors, like I was. I related more to what the guys were talking about. Things like, where the big bucks had been seen, or what kind of food they were eating. I hated going shopping, and didn’t really get into things like home parties, or doing your hair and makeup, etc. Participating in such things, for me, was usually agonizing. On the other hand, as I grew older, a lot of my guy friends’ wives, didn’t exactly want me to go hunting with their husbands anymore.

I started to realize I was gaining a new “family” or “Sisterhood” as northern California girl, Holly Heyser from Norcal Cazador Blog calls it. For me, someone who has lots of girlfriends, that she doesn’t have much in common with, it was an unbelievable experience.

We had a great mix of personalities. Joining us from the state of Colorado, were Kirstie Pike of Prois Hunting Apparel, Anne Vinnola from Colorado Institute of Taxidermy Training Inc., Big Timber South Taxidermy Studio and Annie Got Her Gun, along with Gina Pollard who is an up and coming huntress. Wyoming brought to us, wildlife photographer Stacey Huston, author of , A Focus in the Wild, and her Husband Mike “Hawk” Huston from “Journey with RedHawk“. (O.k. he’s not a girl but he has a great respect for women with weapons!). Joining us from Missouri was Barbara Baird, with “Women’s Outdoor News” and “The WOMA“, as well as her husband, and gentleman photographer, Jason Baird. Our mother daughter team, Janice McKenney and Marin Broucek , along with Julie Rozell all from joined us from South Dakota and all fantastic outdoorswomen. Last, but not least, Realtree’s Lynn Pankey from Alabama finished the mix.

Our mornings started us out with some social time or yoga followed by a tasty but healthy breakfast. Directly after that, was either some kind of fun skills in the outdoors or an interesting presentation indoors, depending on the weather.

It was hard to tell who was supposed to be the teacher, and who was there as a student. Everyone had very interesting experiences to share. I don’t think any one person walked away without having been both, a teacher and a student, at one point in the weekend. If one person was an expert in something, there was someone else, wanting to try it and to learn it. Others were practicing and the skills they already had. Fresh eyes and new perspective were just what was needed to hone them. Without pressure or preconceived expectations, it was, for the most part, gals helping gals. Occasionally the guys added their perspective, but never in a demeaning or “better than you” way. They always treated us as equals and as skilled outdoorswomen.

We learned about archery with longbows and compound bows. We gained shooting skills in both handguns and shotguns. GPS, optics, gear, safety, emergency care, field dressing for taxidermy, native wildlife to South Dakota, we learned it all and just when you thought there couldn’t be anything more, there was.

At the end of the day we would come into the beautifully decorated lodge and be treated to fabulous food(Thanks to Annie and staff!), incredible massages, refreshing facials, marvelous manicures, soothing foot massages, outstanding wine-tasting, and a relaxing social time. To top it all off there would be gifts on our pillows.

I mean cool gifts, like camo t-shirts, hats and videos, nutritious bars, scent-free personal care items, leather journals or gift certificates, and everyday there was something new and special waiting on your bed when you arrived there. I have never been that pampered before, ever. I didn’t even know how much I would like all those things. I am now ruined for life. I tried it all and found out, I like it!

Most of all, I will never forget the unbelievable time I had at TeamHuntress. The special feeling of knowing I had been accepted. That becoming part of an unbelievable group of gals, with whom I have so much in common, will far outlast any of the skills that I gained. I have never before felt that way.

I can’t explain my new found self confidence, my improved self esteem and the feeling of empowerment that I left there with. Those things will never be taken from me. It is not something money can buy. It was a weekend that, for me, was simply…priceless!

A Special thank you to those who donated our gifts!

Haley Vines: www.haleyvines.com/

Hahn Creek: http://www.hahncreekwinery.com/

Realtree: http://www.realtree.com/

Prois: http://www.proishunting.com/

Camp Wild Girls: http://www.campwildgirls.com/

Tanka Bar: http://www.tankabar.com/

Berdette Zastrow: Women’s Guide to Hunting

Faini Designs: http://www.fainidesigns.com/

Doeville: http://www.doeville.com/