t’s been a week since we lost our beloved dog Zep which is never an easy thing to go through. We had him for 11 great years and I’ll cherish and remember the good times. Dogs truly are man’s best friend and they don’t live long enough. One thing that...
The weather has broken and the snow has melted with warmer temperatures back in the forecast. Daylight savings time has caused us to spring forward with an extra hour of daylight in the evenings. The Spring Equinox took place on the 20th marking the first official day of spring.The birds...
A new state record has been broken in West Virginia for a fish that doesn’t grow to big proportions. Last year while fishing on Summersville Lake, Clinton Mills of Ravenswood hooked into what he thought was another walleye. The surprise came when the fish was brought to the surface and...
River otters were once extinct in West Virginia but they now roam the waterways in almost every county thanks to a reintroduction program by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) in the early 1980’s. Over 200 otters were released in 14 major rivers across the state from 1984...
With the dead of winter here and big game seasons over, cabin fever can start to set in for the outdoor enthusiasts. Especially when temperatures drop below zero like we recently experienced. I’ve always made the most out of the winter months and enjoy the snow and cold that come...
Frigid weather and bitter cold temperatures finally arrived in the northeast. Recently, the thermometer read negative 2 degrees with wind chills even colder. We humans complain about busted water pipes but at least we’re able to stay warm in our homes. The wildlife on the other hand has no other...
Now that deer season is over and the freezer is hopefully full, the best part comes with the tasty meals that follow. There are several ways to cook deer meat, or venison, and this week I thought I’d share a few recipes. Venison is the term used to describe the...
It’s hard to believe that another year has passed by and deer season is over. As December ends it’s time to oil the rifle and put it back in the gun case until next fall. I finally picked up all of my hunting stuff and washed all of those clothes...
The 2018 muzzleloader season is one I’ll never forget as long as I live. The weather forecast was calling for rain at the end of the week so I took the first chance I had to get out on Tuesday December 11. I was running late and scrambling around the...
Buck season may be over but deer season is still in. Archery and crossbow seasons are open until December 31 for those that have unfilled bow tags. There has been a change in the regulations this year and the first part of the split antlerless season will take place after...
The opening morning of the 2018 buck firearms season found me in the right place at the right time. A couple of years ago I put a ladder stand up at the edge of a powerline right-a-way in a hemlock tree where I’m well concealed and can see a long...
It’s that time of the year deer hunters look forward to as the pre-rut phase of the breeding season is upon us. Archery season is in full swing and there’s no better time to be in the woods than the weeks to come. As October nears its end and Halloween...
I’ve been asked, “Why do you get up at 5 something in the morning to go out and sit in a tree all day?” My answer is the anticipation of not knowing what I’m going to see or what’s going to happen every time I walk into the woods. That...
With another hunting season quickly approaching there is much preparation involved in getting everything ready for that opening day. There is even more preparation if the hunt takes place out of state. I’ve been fortunate to hunt the big whitetails of Saskatchewan and a do it yourself mule deer hunt...
It’s hard to believe that school has started and summer is almost over. When I look back at this summer all I can think about is rain. July consisted of precipitation constantly falling and it’s continued into August so far. The garden hasn’t needed to be watered very much as...
It’s hard to believe that July is in the past and August is half way over. Schools will be starting soon, I know the kids might not be too excited to here that, and summer vacations will come to an end. Every year when August rolls around the thoughts of...
It’s that time of the year where the berries are ripe, the garden is pumping out fresh produce, and those yummy peaches are available at the local produce stand. The weather has been all over the place with plenty of rain so far this year. I’ve only had to water...
There’s nothing like a good adventure and visiting new places for the first time. I’m fortunate in that I’ve had the opportunity to travel all around this great state. There’s literally a weekend adventure awaiting right out our backdoors. When I think about the eastern panhandle the first thing that...
I’m glad my Dad took the time to take me fishing when I was a young pup. Growing up through grade school and junior high I was really into sports and fishing time was limited but always fun. By the time I got in high school I realized I enjoyed...
As an avid fisherman, there’s nothing more relaxing than spending an evening on the river. It’s even better when you have the whole place to yourself. I’ve found that some of my best fishing days occur when I arrive with no expectations. That’s exactly what happened one evening last week...
