Scouting Trash Removal

Since I am going to try and remove trash every time I go....I will post a pic every time I can remember to do so. Trash is not the most fun thing to take a pic of so we shall see. In any case, This is a bag I picked up in about 1 minute in one of my hood spots as I was checking a cam by the road. It really takes no time. I chucked it in my trash can when I arrived home.

Litterbugs get on my nerves.

I was running around the lake near my house the other day. (Im trying to get my self in shape....trying) I was running down the home stretch near the spot where all the kids jump in the lake from the esplinade and I caught something floating in the water out of the corner of my eye...WTF....It was a brand new bottle...some jackass had thrown it in the lake. Here I am running by and my water bottle was empty. Maybe I should just throw mine in the water too??? Maybe we all should and then it will be a big floating trash can....I still had a mile to go but I carried mine home....This is not the first time I have seen trash in the lake. One of the last times I was down there bow fishing I took some home in my carp bucket. Sorry I just had to vent!!!

Cherry tree setup.

Jeff and I were were scouting and setting up the new cherry tree spot. I guess its called the sassafras tree now...hehehe
We cleared some lanes and hung a new set. It looks pretty killer. Now if we can just get some critters to cooperate and walk into the trap.
















































I cleared a little trash as well as the debris from our trimming. Only takes a second.

Taking out the trash!!!

Doesn't it upset you? Getting all geared up to hunt and heading to your favorite spot only to see evidence that someone before you has trashed the parking area with bottles, wrappers, napkins, etc. I have forever been disgusted and ashamed by the actions of some of my fellow sportsman. There are some instances that stick out in my mind. I grew up hunting on Maryland's eastern shore. My Grandfather owned some pretty big properties that we hunted deer on. He also leased some of the properties to waterfowlers. I can remember numerous times rolling up to hunt and finding empty shell boxes, soda cans, and candy bar wrappers. It infuriated me...Not only because this was our land but because.........This Planet is "Our Land"!!!

This brings me to some of the other times I have been appalled at the sight of litter... I was in Sedona Arizona hiking a while back and was blown away by the amount of litter I came across as I traversed some of the most breathtaking scenery I have been fortunate enough to see. As I looked around I saw lots of notes and pictures stuffed in bags and tucked in the rocks. I know this place has special meaning and power for some so I kind of understood this, but besides all of these things there were tons of water bottles and wrappers from beef jerky and granola bars. I put as many items as I could in my pockets and walked them out myself. It wasn't that much of an inconvenience. This really doesn't have anything to do with sportsman but it brings me to some other multi use public places where we as hunters end up looking like a bunch of losers from the mess left behind.

Trash at the Seneca Creek parking area this morning.

I remember when Seneca Creek opened up to bowhunting a few years back. The battle was fought to get hunters in to this heavily over browsed park to control the deer. It was a tough enough battle to win over the public enough to get us in there so do we really need to have a bunch of slobs leaving litter at the parking areas? I remember pulling in there for the first time to scout being greeted with piles of garbage and it wasn't even actually hunting season yet. Was this all from hunters? Maybe not... but it did not take much effort to throw some of it in the bed of my truck to throw out the next time I got gas.

After taking a few pics of the trash I picked it up and put it in a bucket to take home to the trash can.

I guess what pushed me over the edge was the amount of trash I found while hiking some public parks this past spring looking for Morel Mushrooms. I mean...I would get into a little patch where I could tell other mushroom hunters had been and it wasn't only from their leaf scrapings or stems of shrooms left behind. It was the large amount of beer cans and soda/water bottles that these folks carried all the way in but could not carry out...even though they are carrying bags of mushrooms out....

This is the trash by the parking lot found after mushroom hunting.....

I hear stories every season about guys losing prime hunting spots for one reason or another. Bad public image is one that could cost us some of the great public hunting we have right now and it definitely wont help us get any new doors opened. If the property you are hunting is private...wouldn't the Landowner be happy to know that the guy or group that he is letting use his property was taking it upon themselves to not only remove their own trash but others as well. It may be something that could save you down the rd. If someone else causes an issue for the landowner that he/she knows that it could not be his responsible permitee because that does not fit your profile.

In recent seasons I have become increasingly more involved in hunting in suburban areas. Homeowners are more likely to see trash left behind in their yards than say a busy Farmer would in the woods surrounding his fields.

I am going to make an effort to remove trash every time I go in the woods this season starting with the next time I head out scouting. I mean how hard is it to carry a small empty bag in with me in my backpack or pocket. In the suburban areas that I frequent it is shocking how much waste I see in the woods and parking area. It will not be that big of an ordeal for me to pick up a few items after a morning hunt as I walk to the truck. I know it does not sound like much but figuring that I will probably spend around 50 or 60 days in the woods this season it will add up. Just think...1 bottle a day will fill up a giant hefty bag by the end of the season. I am going to ask all my Overkill boys to join me in this effort. We always try to stay in good graces with our Landowners and have a great relationship as it is so this can only solidify our place on their land for the future.

Imagine running into a landowner and having them ask "what's in the bag"?
I can promise they will feel like they made the right decision in letting you hunt their property.


I challenge every one of my fellow sportsman to take the time to take out the trash on your next hunt. It's a small step but a step in the right direction to giving hunters a cleaner image.

3D warmup with the boys!!!

Went to Cumberland today!!! Walked the hills of the famous Hillbilly Shoot and shot a fun beatdown round of 3D. We shot a round of 25 targets with 2 shots per. All I can say is its a good thing Carbon Express is on speed dial!!! I can speak for Roger and I and say that we each left with one useable arrow. Not because we missed....but from the carnage around every turn... I have never had so much fun watching my equipment get destroyed. Dawson was along to document the destruction with the camera and I gotta tell ya...The kid is gettin really good behind the lens. Here are a few of his pics from the day and one of mine...The only ones I took are of the dragonfly on the Target with Hinky and Jeff walking behind.

What is everybody doing to get ready for bow season? Besides the normal hanging stands, checking cams, and target practice.... I set a goal to get below 170 from almost 200. I am 11 pounds from 169. I ran my farthest today and finished 10k!!!

Been checking the cams....I am again crazy impressed with my new Covert Cams...These little guys have been pluggin along for well over a month now and the battery life is right on 2 bars and has not moved!!! They continue to take fantastic pictures...I just wish my bucks would show up....I know what should be around but they have not shown in the typical spots...Most of the boys have a good one lined up and thats awesome with me!!! I will man the cameras!!!

In any case...I have had these cams in a variety of locations and the deer have been hammering the spots that I have been using WYLD Minerals!!! I have had the most success with the Orchard Blend and Sweet Addiction.

Here are some pictures of the bachelor group I have hanging out at one mineral hole!!!

This first one is just a good shot of some youngsters...The cam is taking very clear pictures.
The next three show some bucks with their face deep in a hole filled with WYLD Mineral...

I am semi tempted with this guy....Pretty nice for a 3 yr. old...

New Covert Review

I have been so dissatisfied with my trail cams in the past. Now, to the other cams credit....I have never been one to spend a ton of money on what are supposed to be the best working models out there. I hear far to many horror stories on the forums of cams being stolen and the fact that where we do most of our hunting is in the suburbs has kept me from spending the coin on the top of the line models. I have always been impressed with the success folks have reported using Covert brand cams so when I saw a more affordable model I was ready to jump! I talked to Chip at Jefferson about the CA3.0 model and although he had never used one told me he could get them at a great price...I sold a few of my older ones and was in business so I ordered 3. Chip had them in no time and I hit the woods.

My first impression was that thing was tiny!!! I figured that would be fantastic to hide in the urban environment to protect from theft. The main reason that I was interested on this camera other than the small price tag was that it only uses 4 AA batteries!!! The cams I had been running before used anywhere from 4 to 6 D or C batteries and that puts a hurtin' on the wallet real quick!






























I was a little freaked out at first by the little ipod looking remote that it comes with. Each cam has one and it is required to set the cam up. I didn't like the idea of that at first as I have a tendency to forget or lose parts that I may need on a daily basis. However, once the cam is initially set up you don't need to use it again unless you would like to use the viewing feature (which is a tiny window, and that is not how I like to view anyway) or to check battery life. As of writing this I have had the cams for about 4 weeks and have checked them each 2 times. I still have over half the battery still remaining on the status meter.






























































I set the cams up in different type areas to see what kind of quality I would get from each environment. I put one in a yard that is very bright. This is the same yard that I missed a big buck in on the upcoming DVD so I was hoping to see that guy but no luck yet....Most of the pics from this cam were great during the day and in the evening and dark.
















































































I put another cam in a very dark poplar and scrub tree grove looking over a WYLD Mineral site. The pics from here were ok however a lot of the dusk and dawn pics were hard to see. Its like the cam didn't know wether to go infrared or not. I believe this is an typical problem with trail cams so I am not to bummed...













































The third I set up on another WYLD Mineral site. This is definitely my best WYLD site as it is getting hammered at all times of the day. The place looks like an elk wallow. (you cant see it in the pics because I have the cam sitting low on the ground as this is a heavily traveled cut through for neighborhood kids during the summer. The vegetation is thick but the spot is pretty open during the day making it a middle ground between the other two locations for my test. I got great pics of deer on the cams at all hours of the day. Unfortunately for me I don't see any of the big bucks that are in the area. Lots of doe and fawns so I guess it could be a great spot during the rut again as it was last season.





























All in all I am super pleased with my decision to get these cams and I am looking forward to seeing how far the batteries will go. I will have to report back on that. As of right now I think I may get a couple more of these if I can swing it before the season starts!!!