August 30, 2011 Greensboro Gun Show

Mr. Keith took me and the 2 oldest boys to the Greensboro Gun Show yesterday.  Oh boy!  Talk about a bunch of stuff.  From the latest in firearms to military surplus to cowboy action shooting gear to beef jerky and even a guy from some show called Lizard Lick Towing, they had it all.  After a couple hours of walking the isles our eyes were glazed over from all the blued-steel goodness.  We walked out with a couple boxes of ammo and an even longer wish list. 

August 27, 2011 Training

"Train up a child in the way he should go, 

Even when he is old he will not depart from it." 

Proverbs 22:6

Me and the boys have been practicing with their bow the last couple weeks.  When we left the States neither could pull back their Browning Micro Midas.  Now, following a couple years of anticipation, they're ready.  It has been a lot of fun, showing them how to shoot.  And they're getting pretty good at it.  
Grip and stance, breathing and mental process are all things I've gone over with them but the thing I keep stressing over and over again is safety.  It's important for them to know from the get go that safety is important.  I am hopeful this will imprint on their rapidly growing brains and they will carry it with the rest of their lives.  
It's the same way with their faith.  Every night, well, maybe not "every" night but certainly most nights, we have Family Time where we read the Word, sing a praise song or two and pray together.  As parents, we''re constantly trying to approach issues or situations through a Biblical perspective and model a Godly walk by the way we live.  It's a daily thing but its so important and we're hopeful that these things will stick, impacting the kids' all the days of their lives.  
The other day I read a great Proverb about this very thing.  Chapter 22 verse 6 states, "Train up a child in the way he should go.  Even when he is old he will not depart from it."  Clark's Commentary on the Bible explains it like this:
When he comes to the opening of the way of life, being able to walk alone, and to choose; stop at this entrance, and begin a series of instructions, how he is to conduct himself in every step he takes. Show him the duties, the dangers, and the blessings of the path; give him directions how to perform the duties, how to escape the dangers, and how to secure the blessings, which all lie before him. Fix these on his mind by daily inculcation, till their impression is become indelible; then lead him to practice by slow and almost imperceptible degrees, till each indelible impression becomes a strongly radicated habit. Beg incessantly the blessing of God on all this teaching and discipline; and then you have obeyed the injunction of the wisest of men. Nor is there any likelihood that such impressions shall ever be effaced, or that such habits shall ever be destroyed. 
We're clinging to this promise.

August 24, 2011 God's Country Outdoors, Albemarle

As you can probably tell I'm a sucker for an outdoors store.  Today I was having lunch with a buddy down near Albemarle, NC.  We passed by a huge outdoors store, God's Country Outdoors and had to stop.  We were not disappointed.  They had tons of gear, their prices were pretty good and their staff was helpful.  I walked about with a Columbia angling shirt, they were 50% off, and a turkey call, 50% off also, and Greg picked up a couple bass lures, one of which was a sweet looking Lucky Craft.  If you're ever in the area I suggest a stop at God's Country Outdoors.

August 21, 2011 Worm Dippers

Is there really anything better than taking your kids fishing?  Last night Mark & Bailey took me and the four hooligans down to their neighbors' pond for some angling action.  To say my kids were excited would be the understatement of the year.  Even the 3-year old, who has lived the majority of his life in a desert and never held a fishing rod, was tore up.

3 Zebcos, a bunch of hooks, some bobbers and a box of nightcrawlers were our gear.  I had enough sense not to bring any of my equipment.  This wasn't my first dance, I knew that being on a small dock with 4 kids, 10 years-old and under, was less about self and more about self preservation.  Actually they did a great job.  There were tense moments at times; fish flopping on the deck, lines and hooks flying all around, a little girl, jumping up and down screeching "I did it!  I caught one, I caught one!" at the top of her lungs.  But boy was it worth it.  So grateful for the chance to fish with my family and for people, like Mark & Bailey that were kind enough to invite us.  It's good to be home!

August 10, 2011 Getting my gear fix on.

Nothing screams "Welcome to America" like outdoor stores.  This week, in celebration of our return to the States, we visited a couple of them, polar opposites on the grandiose scale. 

The first one was Bass Pro Shops in Concord.  It was our first pilgrimage to the holy land of outdoordom.  Unfortunately it was the first weekend of the Fall Hunting Classic, their annual hunting sale.  I'm not sure if it was the huge crowd or the dizzying amount of inventory but I was completely overwhelmed.  Call it redneck culture shock.  There was stuff and people everywhere.  The highlight of our time there was seeing all the new products, the bass, bream and catfish stocked aquarium and bass boats & ATVs for the kids to climb on.  After 30 minutes of this we'd had enough.

Yesterday's visit to the Gun Vault in High Point was a lesson is contrasts.  Less of a carnival, more of a home town feel.  They had a ton of gear considering the size of the store.  Hunting supplies, archery equipment and of course, a lot of firearms, both new and used. The staff was very polite and helpful and even allowed my boys to fondle some firearms, something their father appreciated, their mother....not so much.  I picked out a couple new things to add to my wishlist and will be taking a rifle up to be bore sighted and scope installed by their onsite gunsmith, Mark, next week.
We are so spoiled to have places like this to go to.  I can't wait to check out Gander Mountain in Greensboro and a couple new, local tackle shops. 

August 3, 2011 '11-'12 Waterfowl Regs

REGULAR SEASON FRAMEWORKS 
Ducks, coots, and mergansers: Saturday nearest September 24th (September 24th) – Last Sunday in January (January 29th), 60
days, no more than 3 splits. 
Special Sea Duck: In special sea duck area only, September 15th - January 31st, 107 days. 
Brant: Saturday nearest September 24th (Saturday 24th) - January 31st, 50 days, no more than 2 splits.
Dark Geese (Canada geese & White-fronted geese): 
Resident Population Zone: October 1st – March 10th, 80 days (no more than 3 splits); 
Southern James Bay Zone: October 1st - December 31st, 70 days (no more than 2 splits); 
NE Hunt Zone: Saturday prior to December 25th (December 24th) – January 31st, 7 days (Note: Refer to NE Hunt Zone Canada goose below).
Light Geese (snow & blue geese & Ross’ geese): October 1st - March 10th, 107 days, 3 splits. Note: Refer to expanded hunting methods for light geese below.
Tundra Swan: October 1st - January 31st, 90 days, no splits, permit only (5,000 permits).
Compensatory days are allowed for Sundays.
DAILY BAG LIMITS:
a) Conventional bag: 6 ducks with no more than 4 mallards with no more than 2 hen mallards, 4 scoters, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, 1 black duck, 1 mottled duck and 1 fulvous whistling duck. The season on harlequin ducks is closed.
b) Other bag limits:
•    25 light geese (includes snow & blue geese and Ross’ geese), no possession limit •    
2 brant •    
15 coots •    
Canada geese and White-fronted geese (in aggregate)
September (Statewide):    15 
Resident Zone (regular season – after September 30th):   5 
SJBP Zone (regular season – after September 30th):    5 
NE Hunt Zone (regular season – after September 30th):    1
•    5 mergansers (2 hooded mergansers) 
•    7 sea ducks (In special sea duck area only). In other areas, sea ducks are part of the regular duck bag limit. No
more than 4 scoters per day may be taken in either season. 
POSSESSION LIMIT: Twice the daily bag limit, unless otherwise noted.
YOUTH WATERFOWL DAY: Two Youth Waterfowl Days may be chosen. They may occur on non-consecutive, non-school days outside of an established open duck season. Youth must be 15 years of age or younger and accompanied by a properly licensed adult at least 21 years of age. Species include ducks, geese, tundra swans, mergansers, and coots. The youth must hold a valid permit for tundra swan. Youth must also hold a valid permit for Canada geese in the Northeast Hunt Zone, pending approval by the Wildlife Commission. The adult may not duck hunt, but may participate in other open seasons on the special youth day.
SHOOTING HOURS: One half hour before sunrise to sunset.
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