Best Tree Stand for the Money - Guide Gear Extreme Comfort

I've hunted from ladder stands, tripods, climbers, and fixed stands; and none compare to the comfort of this stand. This is the cheapest most comfortable fixed stand on the market. It's almost too comfortable if that's possible...snnooooozzzzzze alert. I ordered one for behind my house about 2 years ago, and it is still the most comfortable stand I hunt with, and I have about 20 to choose from on the 3 properties I hunt on with friends and family. A friend of mine just ordered 4 more from Sportsmanguide.com . The shooting rail is at the perfect height for aiming your gun. I get so annoyed at the rails on some stands that you have to put your elbow on the rail just to prop your gun to the right height.

Now, there isn't such a thing as a perfect stand so I'll give Guide Gear a few tips to perfect this stand. For one, the platform could be a little bigger for bowhunting, I don't feel like I have enough room to turn around when standing up. The platform is already big, but the space is taken up by the seat because you are in a reclined position when seated. The only other thing is it somewhat difficult to get in and out of the stand.

I don't know, for 70 to 80 bucks, you can't beat it.

Larry Ralph

Double Drop Tine Buck Trail Camera Photo

We'll, I can't believe I haven't posted these trail cam photos until now. I didn't see them until we pulled this lonesome camera out of the bottoms. It's a long hike down there, you see, and we were just too lazy to check it on a regular basis. The photo was taken August 30th and we probably didnt even check the camera until September 30th. I sure wish we would have kept up with it. We pulled the camera from the spot before we saw the photos on the SD card.




We decided we didn't want to disturb that area anymore, so we left it alone. One picture is enough of this deer. It's all we need to know. Now we have to draw straws on who hunts this area every time. Oh well, it will keep the season exciting to say the least. This is what we consider to be a once and a lifetime buck in our neck of the woods.

Larry Ralph Jr.

Bushnell Yardage Pro Sport Rangefinder Review

Summer has come and gone, and now it’s time for fall. Bow hunting TIME!!! If you’re a decent hunter then you shouldn’t have a problem harvesting a doe during early bow season. That’s what I like to do to keep the herd in check and also I just want to shoot a deer.

Its opening weekend Oct 4. 2004, and I see a doe coming across an open shooting lane at 30 yards. I let the arrow fly and it goes right over her back. I get out of my tree to walk off the yardage and I find out she was only at 20 yards. That next day I immediately bought my Bushnell rangefinder. This is one of those purchases when you say “I should have bought this years ago”. For bow hunting, the Yardage Pro Sport is one of the smartest products I have ever purchased.

The Yardage Pro Sport has a 4 power magnification, a max distance of a reflective target at 999 yards and a max distance of a non-reflective target at 450 yards. This rangefinder has +/- 1 yard accuracy. Its light and compact at just 7.4 oz, and measures 1.75x4x3.13 inches. This is the best valued rangefinder on the market. You can buy this range finder for around 120 dollars but you also get what you pay for. This particular rangefinder is great for measuring shorter distances for bow hunting and anything else out to about a hundred yards. If you plan on going out hunting and need a shot longer than a hundred yards, I do not suggest you buy this product. It is very difficult to find your target in low light conditions and to pin point your target at long distances. You don’t know if your are even ranging the right target past a hundred yards. So bow hunters, bite the bullet, and give this rangefinder a try. It’s worth it. Rifle hunters, you guys need to spend the extra money and buy a rangefinder with a higher magnification.

P.S. If money's not an issue, try the new Bushnell ARC Rangefinder.

Jason Untersinger

Buy the Bushnell Yardage Sport 450 Rangefinder for $119 HERE:
Bushnell Sport 450 Rangefinder

Buy the Bushnell Legend ARC 1200 Rangefinder HERE:
Bushnell Legend 1200 ARC Camo Rangefinder

Indiana Trail Cam Photos "Whitey"

Everybody meet Whitey. Our camera took about 14 photos of whitey, and every single one of them ended up like this. I'm not sure what caused it, my guess is that the sun was setting directly into the camera and it flashed. The picture below is the only picture that turned out good enough. Maybe the deer is a ghost. We'll see.


These pictures were taken behind my house. I live at the bottom of a hill in Martinsville, Indiana. I own 4 acres total, 2.5 of which is the hillside. These photos were taken at the top of the hill. When I bought the place, I never thought I would be able to deer hunt this hill, let alone have bucks like this behind me. It just goes to show they are everywhere you least expect them.

Larry Ralph Jr.

Trail cam photos of whitetail bucks in Indiana

That is such a beautiful site, to think a few years ago we couldn't even get a decent buck on camera. We have come a long way in the past couple of years. We've invested time and effort in food plots, mineral sites, and creating trails. It seems to be all coming together. Now if we could just harvest one. That's the kicker.

I planned on naming all of the bucks this year but since these photos were taken out at Josh's farm, I'll let him do the honors. I'll edit the post later with the names.

We have 2 other properties we hunt, so I will post photos from them later. The next photos comes off my own property of only 4 acres in Martinsville, IN. I've come across two beautiful bucks there. Who says you need 500 acres. Of course, it did help that I back up to 160 acres of undisturbed woods.

Larry Ralph

Why are local archery dealers jerks?

I know this might not be the case in your area, but I need to rant for a minute about local bow dealers in my local central indiana area. I feel as though I can see this industry from a beginner's point of view, because I did not grow up bowhunting. I never fired a bow until I was 21. Someone who is new to archery (like I was 6 years ago) should be welcomed and cherished by an archery store. From a business standpoint, they should coddle this customer like a newborn baby. He could potentially be a repeat customer every year. When I was new to archery, I was treated like the cousin at your family reunion that everyone tries to avoid and if they have to talk to him, they are mean and sarcastic. I couldn't ask a question without either someone rolling their eyes or a "duh" sarcastic response. It got to the point where I had anxiety to even enter the building over time, but my passion for bowhunting kept me going.

I have visited many more local archery ranges and stores withing a 60 mile radius since my first encounter with my closest archery store, and I can't say that any of them are any better with customers than the first one. It seems as though when you arrive at a dealer's store for the first time, they look at you as though you are lost. You get that feeling that you're a square that just walked into a biker bar. Everyone is looking at you funny, and the guy behind the counter doesn't ask " can I help you", but instead waits till you ask him a question. What kind of service is that? Not many stores could survive with such animosity for new customers.

I have put up with this crap for too long, and I never let it really get to me until I took my brother into a newer store just a few weeks ago. My brother is 21 and has recently wanted to change his life for the better. I've been counseling him and have tried to introduce him to bowhunting. He is looking to buy a bow so I thought we would try a new shop in the area. There was no one in the store, we were the only customer this dealer had probably for a couple of hours at least. From the moment we walked in to the moment we walked out, this guy acted like he didn't even want us in his store. I asked the guy to measure my brother's draw length for a new bow, and you would have thought I asked the guy to kill his own mother. He rolled his eyes and reluctantly did what I asked. My brother looked at me like "is this guy for real?" We didn't buy a bow to say the least.

So guess where my brother's money is going to be spent on a new bow? Ebay or craigslist. I'm not buying another bow from a dealer until I find a shop that actually wants my business. It's a shame, really. These shops have it bad enough with the internet taking so much of their business, but I feel as if I have no other choice.

Now some of you might be thinking, this guy is probably a problem customer with an attitude. I can assure you that is not the case. I'm in a customer service industry so I know what those customers are like. I couldn't be a better customer to any business that I deal with. I'm a very easy going guy, much more so than most of my hunting buddies. I don't take myself seriously, and I'm not a brand loyal nutjob that thinks mathews or hoyt or bowtech is the best bow ever made. I'm just a guy that wants to buy a product from someone who is decent to me.

Larry Ralph Jr.

Hoosier H.I.T. Squad - Hunting Indiana Trophies

I heard about the Hoosier HIT Squad from the guy I bought my bow off of. He was a member of Central Indiana Delta Waterfowl, and was telling me about these videos from the Hoosier H.I.T. Squad. Don't know enough about them to say too much or review their videos. I just love the idea of bringing attention to the wonderful outdoors and hunting in Indiana. I am going to purchase a video or two and probably review them in the future. If you are a proud Hoosier or have hunted in Indiana before, you might check out their site : http://www.hoosierhitsquad.com/. If anyone from their site reads this, you might want to change your website a little. It takes too long to load, and I have a very fast connection.

Larry Ralph Jr.

Can't wait to start deer hunting again....

My friend Josh just sent me this trail cam photo from his farm. I don't know about you, but this gets my blood boiling. He has several more photos, I'll post more later. I just bought a 2007 Bowtech Guardian, so as soon as I get comfortable with it, I'll post a review. More photos to come, hopefully from our new cameras.

Stealth Cam V450 Digital Scouting Camera

After every hunting season is over the anticipation gets higher and higher for next year. During the off season you want to get out in the woods and scout, but it's too hot or you don’t have time. That’s my excuse anyway. Larry and I bought three stealth cam scouting cameras and put them out behind his house. I didn’t realize how much fun this was. It's like Christmas every two weeks when you check your cameras. It's also a great way to scout for that big buck for next season. There is no greater feeling than knowing there is a big buck on your property.

The V450 has a coverage area of 30’ and a 45 degree angle. The flash is effective up to 50’ and if you don’t want the flash you have the option to turn it off or put it on auto. You can set the camera to take one picture at a time or a 1-9 picture burst. You can adjust the resolution for top quality pictures, keep in mind the higher the resolution the more memory you use. If you want to shoot video, you can program the camera to take up 90 seconds of video at a time. By the way, setting this camera up is a piece of cake. The combo pack comes with a 1gb SD memory card and a USB card reader. The best part of this camera is the 2” LCD colored screen on the inside. You can check your pics at the tree. This is awesome if you don’t have a computer handy. You can even delete the pictures you don’t want while you're in the woods. The camera shoots a maximum 4.0 mega pixel image. Another helpful scouting tool is each picture shows the time, date, and even the temp of when the picture was taken. One more thing. If you have a camera and you're sick of changing batteries all the time, Stealth Cam offers a 12V rechargeable battery pack. So if you don’t have the time to scout I recommend this camera. It's a lot of fun and you could capture the big buck that you didn’t know was there.

Check out the
Stealth Cam I-540 IR 5.0 Megapixel Digital Game Camera

OR THE
Stealth Cam Sniper IR 3.0 Megapixel Digital Scouting Camera

Jason Untersinger

Tick Bites, Funeral, and Friends

I've been a little distant from the blogging scene as of late. Alot has transpired around these neck of the woods. 3 days ago, I woke up with about 20 little ticks crawling all over me. Not a good feeling, let me tell you. All in all, I ended up with 55 bites and I've been pretty miserable since. I haven't been in the woods. The only reason I can come up with is my chocolate lab must have been infested with them, and transferred them onto the bed. Thankfully, my wife who is pregnant only had 2 bites.

I attended my great uncle's funeral this morning. His name was Lee Ralph and he was born and raised in Hartford, Ky but has lived in IN, TN, and KY. It was cool to hear of all the stories of his influence on so many peoples lives. He served God with all his heart. He was always trying to joke with whoever he came into contact with. He was like a father to my mother (whose parents died when she was 14). Standing there looking at all the people laugh and reminisce about him was a great experience. We will all miss you Uncle Lee.

Some old friends of mine rode into Martinsville, IN on their bikes to stay and rest for a couple of days. When I say bikes, I mean bicycles. They are on a cross country bike trip. They are raising money for the less fortunate. They have already biked from Maine to Indiana in 33 days. It's pretty amazing, they've been staying in tents and at friend's houses along the way. You can check out their site at Peddling for the People.

More to come.... when the dust settles
Larry Ralph

93 year old bags gobbler on opening day

http://www.salisburypost.com/Sports/060909-out-turkey-grandma-watson-gobbler

Katie Watson is still hunting the land she grew up on and hopes to be doing more of the same when she turns 94 in September.

Her most recent addition was a 19-pound turkey she got about a half mile from her home near Richfield in Stanly County while hunting with her grand-nephew, Kevin Barringer, on opening day of the spring turkey season.

Barringer helped Watson to her blind and put decoys out. He was 200 yards away in his own pop-up blind.

Watson used her call, and about five minutes later the gobbler showed up. One shot with her 12 gauge Browning automatic, and it was hers.

She got a four-point deer with a 30.06 in the fall and has hunted quail and trained pointers over the years. She also hunts with a muzzle loader. "I've hunted all my life," she said. "But I don't pretend to be good."

Her hunting skills have been noted by Charlotte Observer outdoors columnist Tom Higgins, who wrote in a feature on her that she didn't get her first turkey until she was 86. Watson said she's got four turkey tails, including the latest big one, up on plaques at her house. "They're not the easiest thing to come by," she said.

Scuba Diving the Bonne Terre Mine

I'm headed to St. Louis, MO to see my good friend, Josh Cruse. Josh is the one with the son who just underwent a liver transplant, and I'm happy to report, Malakai is recovering well. He has been released from the hospital, but they will stay in St. Louis for several more weeks so the doctors can keep an eye on Malakai.

I've arranged a little excursion for my friend to dive the Bonne Terre Mine which is about an hour south of St. Louis. We not only hunt together, but we also scuba dive together. We haven't been in over a year so we are pretty excited about the trip.

The lead mine was worked for almost 100 years by the St. Joe Lead Company until the 60's when the demand for lead dwindled and the mine closed in 1962. When the mine was abandoned, the pumps that kept it dry were turned off. Over the years, fresh groundwater seeped into the mine, covering forever the tools and equipment left behind by the miners.

Now, this billion gallon Lake is illuminated with over 500,000 watts of lighting, a total of twenty-four dive trails have been laid out in the lake, taking the diver through mammoth archways, past beautiful calcium falls, around gargantuan pillars and to the many abandoned mining artifacts. The water level of the mine is 150 feet below the ground surface above.

I know this blog's audience is mainly hunters, but if you have ever thought about diving, JUST DO IT. You will never regret it. It's just another type of outdoor wilderness, except that it can be much more amazing. Plus, if you have to hunt something, you can go spearfishing.

Larry Ralph Jr.

School Locked down after man spotted with hunting rifle

Pittsburgh School Locked Down After Man Spotted With Hunting Rifle

PITTSBURGH -- A Pittsburgh elementary school was put in lockdown for a short time Thursday morning after a man was spotted with a hunting rifle.

School spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said a man was hunting deer near Arlington Elementary School along Jonquil Street with a high-powered rifle.

School leaders locked down the school as a precaution, but operations quickly returned to normal. Police were unable to find the man.


I just have to say that I would hate to be that guy. Is it me or are more and more people scared to death of hunters. I've been in a scenario where I thought something like this might happen to me before. We were hunting a corn field for geese next to an industrial complex. We were far enough away to be legal, but the office building called the police, and they came out to check on us. I was scared to death we would make the news, because they had several police cars out there, but thankfully, we didn't. Society complains of over population of geese and deer in urban areas, but they freak out when we try to help.

Now, I'm not excusing this guy. I don't know how close he was to the school or what he was up to. It just seems stupid to lock down a school, but considering these crazy school shootings, maybe it was necessary. I imagine it was a harmless mistake. What do you think? And why is someone hunting deer in JUNE?

Final Approach Eliminator SUB Layout Blind

Unfortunately, turkey season is over, but it’s time to focus on upcoming seasons. Early goose season! It’s still 4 months away in Indiana, but why not get started now. I hunted geese for about three years without a blind. Lying in the snow and flooded fields and being soaked from head to toe. Not fun. I finally brought myself to buying a layout blind. It’s pretty versatile. I hunt in corn fields and on the banks of Lake Monroe. Its waterproof and cushioned so it makes it a lot easier to sit out in the field for longer periods of time. It’s no temper-pedic but good enough. You don’t have to worry as much about camouflaging yourself as much. It props your body in the shooting position at all times so you’re ready to shoot all the time. The back rest is adjustable so you’re not stuck with one position, another plus. The blind has stubble straps around the whole thing so you can weave grass or corn stalks for better camo which I like. The fold down doors has a mesh screen so you can see the birds and this feature eliminates a face mask. There are cutouts on each side of the blind for your goose flag. I would say the biggest advantage to this ground blind is that it blocks all the wind. I can stand the cold, but the cold and wind is miserable. I am very happy with the durability of the blind. The frame is all aluminum so you don’t have to worry about rust. It’s made with 600D poly-Dacron and backed with a PVC liner. The floor is 1200D w/PVC. The foot bag is padded and insulated for extra warmth. It is 36”W by 85”L by 18”H. I am 6’4” and I have plenty of room. The blind is kind of hard to set up but it think it’s because the material has no stretch. It is also bulky. It only has one shoulder strap, I wish it had two. For the most part I’m happy with my blind. Plus, hunting without one is just plain stupid.

Click the picture to Buy the Final Approach Eliminator Express Blind:

Or the Final Approach X-Landr Blind:

Jason Untersinger

Cruse Family Update

I posted earlier about Malakai Cruse, but I thought I would explain the situation and update his progress. He is the son of one of my best friends and hunting buddies, Josh Cruse. He was born with Biliary Atresia. BA is when the bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent. He had his first surgery on November 6th to temporarily fix the problem. During a five week hospital stay for ascites, Malakai was put on the transplant list on Mar 20. He recieved his liver transplant May 12, 2009 at Children's Hospital in St. Louis. He is currently recovering well, but the day to day scares of infection are still occurring. It's been up and down for the cruse family.

Please continue to pray for a complete recovery. The hospital bills are starting to come in and a lot of it will be out of pocket. The cruse family has been without every day wages for many months now. The surgeries has been very difficult on the family and anything we can give would help. Please visit the blog http://crusekids.blogspot.com and DONATE anything you can.

I know alot of the followers on here are fellow bloggers and I would just like to ask that if you feel led, please repost the link on your blog or social media network to get the word out about my friend's son. I am trying to help them by getting the word out for them. They are dear to my heart and I only wish I could do more.

Thanks,
Larry Ralph Jr.

Leupold Compact Turkey Ranger Scope

The Leupold M8 2.5 Compact Turkey Ranger Scope may be small, but it still offers the same durability and dependability as any other Leupold scope made. This scope has a generous exit pupil and great eye relief. The scope has a large field of view. There is no trouble finding your game in this scope. This is an excellent scope for turkey hunting, deer hunting, and even hunting with a crossbow. These scopes are not adjustable which I actually like. I’ve killed deer at 10 yards to 100 yards with this scope. You can see just as well at 10 feet as you can at a 100 yards. There is no fuzziness at all. When I bought my scope I bought raised scope mounts thinking I would have to use my iron sights for the close shots but I found out I didn’t need them. I love the eye relief.

When you are deer hunting in the cold, you don’t have to worry about the lens fogging up. The scope is 100% waterproof and fog proof. I’ve used my scope in the rain and the snow, and never had any trouble. If I did, Leupold offers a lifetime guarantee with their scopes. Another thing to keep in mind is that “Turkey Ranger” is not the name of the scope but the type of reticle it has. So make sure you look at the reticle before you buy your scope. I own two Leupold scopes and the one thing that I don’t like is that for some reason the scopes don’t come with lens covers. If you go to www.leopold.com, they offer a lot of really cool lens covers. They even have intensifier kits which allows you to control the contrast, they just snap on like lens covers. These scopes are deadly accurate. I love mine. For $220 this was money well spent.

Check out the Leupold VX-I 1-4x20mm Shotgun, Turkey Plex Reticle

Check out the Leupod Rifle Scopes:
Leupold VX -II Rifle Scopes


Jason Untersinger

Hunter's Specialties Gun Rest Knee Pad

I heard about the gun rest on one of the older hunter specialties turkey hunting videos. I was kind of skeptical about buying the gun rest at first; but after I used it, I was sold on it. Who would’ve thought something so small and simple could make a huge difference. Here is a test. Next time you are turkey hunting, sit down with your back to a tree, get your gun ready, and sit your gun on your knee. I guarantee after 10 minutes, your knee will start to hurt.

The gun rest allows you to sit your gun on your knee and use your calls without slipping. Letting you stay in the shooting position all the time. You are free to use your calls and keep your gun stationary. The first thing I do when I get out of my truck is put on the gun rest. You can’t even tell it’s there. It’s practically weightless. There is only one strap and easy to adjust. It also comes in Realtree APG camo pattern. So if you can’t afford to buy a bipod, tripod, or v-pod for your gun, buy the gun rest knee pad. For $12 bucks, you won’t be disappointed.

BUY THE GUN REST HERE:
Hunter's Specialties Gun Rest Knee Pad


If money's not an issue, BUY THE V-POD:
Hunter's Specialties V-Pod Gun Rest - Model 00614


Jason Untersinger

Palmer Hoot Owl Tube by HS Strut

I’ve had my hoot owl call for 5 seasons. Its been a good call and if you plan on finding turkeys on the roost, it’s a must own. It seems to be durable and easy to clean. It takes more air to make it work but that’s to be expected when using a call with reeds. Out of the few hoot owl calls I’ve used, this call seems to sound the most realistic; but I’ve also got turkeys to gobble by just using my mouth. So I don’t think realism plays a major role in a hoot owl locator call.

A feature the palmer hoot tube does gives you is volume which is important. The one thing that I tell people that use this call is start off by calling soft. If you don’t hear any birds, then get a little louder and so on. If you are only 75 yards from the birds, you stand a chance of spooking those birds. If for some reason you have a hard time controlling your volume, you can muffle the call with your hand. Turkeys hear owls everyday so they know how loud they are. Unfortunately I had to learn this the hard way. I'll sum it up this way, if my hoot tube breaks, I plan on buying another one.

BUY THE CALL HERE:
Hunter's Specialties H.S. Strut Palmer Grand National Hoot Tube Turkey Locator Call


Jason Untersinger

Please Help the Cruse Family

One of my hunting buddies' newborn son just had a liver transplant. He started a blog about the experience. http://crusekids.blogspot.com . Please repost this link on your blog or social network. Please donate if God lays this burden on your heart. If you cannot donate, and want to help, please pray for the family. I would try and explain the whole story, but I would screw it up, so please visit the site for all of the information.

Thanks,
Larry Ralph

LaCrosse Alpha Wateproof Hunting Boots

I bought these boots about 3 years ago. The main reason why I bought these boots was because they are pretty much the only manufacturer that had my size at the store. I wear a size 15 in a tennis shoe and the boots I wear are a size 14. Luckily, I even have room for toe warmers. Having an alpha waterproof boot is awesome. I don’t know how many times I have been hunting and ran across a creek and if it wasn’t for my boots I wouldn’t have been able to cross it without getting wet. This gives you a big advantage over the other guys, especially when hunting public land. If you try to hunt with wet feet you are going to be miserable all day and this could be potentially dangerous. I will never buy a hunting boot that is not an 18 inch, waterproof boot again. Another advantage to having tall boots is you can tuck your pants in them. Try this when you turkey hunt, it will help keep a lot of ticks off your legs. Will I buy the La Crosse Alpha boot again? Probably not. I was kind of disappointed in the durability of the boot. The second weekend I owned the boots , I ran a deer antler into them. I goose hunt a lot of corn fields and the corns stalks have punctured my boots also. Needless to say my boots are no longer waterproof. The boots I own have 1200 grams of thinsulate, and they do keep my feet pretty warm. They fit almost like a shoe so they are comfortable. They also have cinch straps at the top to prevent the boot from sliding up and down which causes your heel to be rubbed raw. All in all I’m happy with the boots I just wish they were more durable.

Buy LaCrosse Boots Here:
LaCrosse Alpha Lite Hunting Boots for Men


LaCrosse 18'' AlphaBurly Sport Neoprene Insulated Hunting Boots for Men

LaCrosse 18'' AlphaBurly Sport Uninsulated Neoprene Boots for Men

Jason Untersinger

NAP QuickSpin ST Speedhunter Vanes

New Archery Products
QuickFletch
QuickSpin ST 2”
SpeedHunter Vanes

The NAP QuickFletch QuikSpin ST 2” Speed Hunter Vanes are durable toughened plastic that has a patented "kicker" which increases arrow spin up to 300% faster than conventional vanes. Micro-grooves on one side of each vane channel air over the vane for flatter trajectory, all pre-set on a shrink wrap tube. A friend of mine turned me on to these NAP QuickFletch saying they really helped his shot group. I purchased some and was amazed at exactly how easy it was to fletch my arrows. You place the QuickFletch Vanes over your arrow, line up your vanes how you want them, dip them in boiling water, and your done. The glue will hold them in place while you dip them in the water. Once you are done they will not slip and will work on carbon and aluminum arrows. These QuickFletch QuickSpins really helped my shot group and my arrows look professionally crested and fletched. The only drawback is the price at $24.99(BassPro) for a 6 pack, the price can really add up fast.

Buy the QuickSpin Vanes Here:
Extreme Archery Shrink Fletch - Quik Spin Vane

Buy the ZipStrip Vane Remover Here:
Zip-Strip Vane Remover

Anthony Stewart

A Quote that is soooo true

"The luckiest day of your life is the day you were born in the United States of America" - Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana

I don't know if he was the first to say it, but I heard him say it on television Friday night. A statement like that makes me proud to have him as Governor, now only if ALL of his policies would do the same.

Happy Mother's Day

This day is very difficult for me, but at the same time exciting. My wife is 5 months pregnant with our first child, so it's her first Mother's day. I kept joking with her that it didn't count so I could end up suprising her with gifts and cards from myself, our new child, and even our dog, Buddy. I am proud of her and I know she will make a great mother.

On the other hand, my mother passed away 2 years ago on a mission trip to Haiti. She died of an aneurysm while she was taking a medical team to a group of hurting people. She was only 50 years old. Not a day goes by that I do not think of her smile and warmth. She had 4 children in the US, but thousands more in the country of Haiti. She was my rock in the midst of my somewhat troublesome teenage years. I can't thank God enough for the life she led, the comfort she provided me, and the love she shared with myself and countless thousand others.

So, if you have a mother, stepmother, or grandmother, thank them for their sacrifice. I'm starting to see what they went through to bring you into this world. Cherish every moment you have with your mother, you'll wish you had when they're gone.

Larry Ralph

G5 Striker Broadheads

Guest post by my cousin Anthony Stewart in Hartford, Ky. You might be hearing from him from time to time.

I’ve been using G5 broadheads for 4 years now, started out with the G5 Tekan, moved on to the G5 Montec, and now I use the G5 striker. I used these broad heads this past year to kill a bobcat and 2 does. They have good, clean pass throughs and produce good blood trails. These broadheads are extremely tough, with the anix locking system the blades stay in place. You can buy replacement blades and use the same head for years. These .030” lutz blades are razor sharp and come in 9 per pack, enough for 3 broad heads. They do not fly exactly like field tips, but once you tune your bow for them, they fly consistently. If you are looking for a replaceable fixed blade broadhead these are an excellent choice. I am getting ready to try these G5 Stikers out on a Manitoba black bear hunt starting May 17th. I'll let you know how they do. I have used all of G5’s broadheads including the small game heads and Montec practice heads, and would recommend them all.

Click on the broadhead to
BUY the G5 STRIKER BROADHEAD:


Buy the G5 Montec Broadhead here:
G5 Outdoors Pre-Season Montec Practice Point Fixed-Blade Broadhead

Buy the G5 Small Game Broadhead here:
G5 Outdoors Small Game Fixed-Blade Broadhead


Anthony Stewart
Hartford, Kentucky

Baby Fox living under shed

I thought you might enjoy this picture. I was at a Bible study at our church and there was a baby fox that appears to be living under this shed. It kept coming in and out of the hole curious of all of us outside. It appears to be comfortable around people because I slowly walked up to within 8' of him to take this picture. He was very playful and cute.

First Turkey Hunt on Video

I'ts kinda funny how things turn out. We really didn't plan this hunt. I was mowing my lawn and Jason comes over to see if I want to go help him get a birthday gift for his dad. Afterwards, we decided to go out to a friend of mine's property and see if we could get something to gobble. I grabbed some gear, threw it in the truck and took off. Shortly after pulling up to the property and getting our gear on, I realized I didn't bring any gloves or facemask. I thought I had placed them in my turkey vest. We walk towards the camper to see if my buddy had anything in there I could use. He didn't have anything, but he had a Primos box call sitting on the table that was just like Jason's box call. I picked it up, jokingly hit it a couple of times, and asked Jason if it was his. Before Jason could reply, a turkey gobbled out in the woods. We'll we took off to a little field we thought we could call them into. We setup in a hurry. Jason offered to give me his facemask and gloves so I could be the shooter, but since I forgot mine, I let him setup as the shooter. Shortly after we sat down and started calling, we realized there were two gobblers. I was too enthralled with the possibility of getting this hunt on camera then I was in getting a double. Jason kept telling me to get my gun ready, but these gobblers were moving quickly, and I never could get setup. Anyways, the rest of this is caught on camera, so I'll leave it for you to watch. I honestly feel like it was just as exciting and heart pounding to capture this with the camera then it would have been if I had been a shooter. This all happened within 15 or 20 minutes after we hit that call at the trailer.

Larry Ralph

Nightcrawler Hunting - How to catch nightcrawlers

Ok, Ok, I know this seems like I’m taking hunting to the extreme. I never thought this would be fun, but in its own way, it is. It’s not something I’ll do all the time, but it could be a fun way of introducing a child to hunting. You could take them out one night to catch a bunch of worms, and the next morning take them fishing with those same worms. I’m about to be a dad, so I’m looking at ways to introduce him or her to the outdoors.

My 2 brothers asked me to come over and catch worms with them, so I reluctantly did. They want to start their own bait shop so they’re pretty dedicated to catching worms. All you really need is a box or bowl preferably with good soil to put the worms in and a flashlight. You want to look for night crawlers after a rain. They come out because they’re underground home is overly flooded. Of course, do not start searching until dark. You can find them on sidewalks or on your driveway, but you are really going to look in your yard.

Start looking at the ground with the flashlight moving ever so slowly. When you see a worm above ground, move the direct beam of the light off of the worm and slowly start to move in for the grab. If you leave the light on them too long, they will suck back into the ground. Trust me, these suckers are faster than you think. Look for the thinner part of the worm because that is typically the part of the worm that is still in the ground. Use two fingers and pinch the worm at the part of the body that is still in the ground. Very slowly pull the worm out of the ground trying your best not to pull him apart. Put the worm in the can, and keep looking for more. That’s it, very simple.

I’ve heard of other methods of “shocking” the ground, but I’m not going to recommend it or explain how. Sorry, go elsewhere for that info. Basically, if you do not already know how to do that safely, you probably shouldn’t even try it.

Here are some products to try out:
European Nightcrawlers Composting and Fishing Worms 1 Lb Pack

How to raise, store and sell nightcrawlers: Northern Native or Dew Worm (Lumbricus terrestris)



Larry Ralph Jr

H S Strut Portable Turkey Ground Blind

How many times have you been sitting in the woods in the middle of the day playing with your turkey calls and all of the sudden a tom gobbles in the distance? You’re struggling to get set up, you got calls scattered everywhere and you’re out in the wide open. When the tom comes into range the chances of getting busted are pretty high. Or it could be a situation where you want to set up in a certain spot and there is no good cover in the area. It’s happened to me. It actually happens every year. That’s why I bought a ground blind made by H.S. Strut. This blind sits 27” tall and is 12’ long. It folds into a handy 14" long package that allows you to carry it in your pocket or hunting vest. When you get ready to set it up, simply unsnap the elastic strap, unfold the legs and place them in the ground. Thanks to the long length you can wrap the blind around your whole body so you are covered at 360 degrees. It covers most of your body. The blind has shock corded poles which allows you to fold the blind in half. Once you fold it, you roll up the blind and button the strap which is already attached. The blind material is durable and has a leafy cut out pattern for a 3D effect. You can buy this blind in 3 different camo patterns. Real tree APG, Real tree AP HD, and Advantage Max 1 HD. The best thing about this blind is I can put this blind in my turkey vest and never know it is there.

For the ultimate setup, get the ground blind, HS V-pod, and Strut Seat:

Hunter's Specialties Quick Set II Collapsible Ground Blind - Model 09943


Another similar ground blind to try out is the
Primos Stake Out? Ground Blind - Model 6091


Jason Untersinger

H.S. Strut Turkey Tail & Beard Mounting Kit

Well the first weekend of turkey season in Indiana is over. I hunted the first 5 days of season and seen a lot of birds. I hope you all had good luck. Every year when I kill a tom I end up putting it in the freezer hoping I will have the money to get him mounted. For some reason (mostly financially) I never do. That’s why I buy the fan mount kits from hunter’s specialties. They are cheap, easy to use and they look pretty good in the trophy room. It has a beautiful cherry finish that accents the dark colored fans. It is pretty much self explanatory on what to do. The quality of mount you end up with depends on how well you take care of the fan feathers. Take extra care in the field and transporting the fan and your finished mount will be that much better. Another piece of advice is to put a dab of gorilla glue on the back side of the beard or just use a hot glue gun. If you don’t the beard will fall out. Hey for $15 it’s a pretty good deal. At that price, you can mount every one you shoot. Hey, it beats paying $400-$850 for a full body mount.

Buy the H.S. Strut Turkey Mounting Kit Here:
Hunter's Specialties Turkey Tail and Beard Mount Kit


Jason Untersinger

Team Primos Brad Farris Diaphragm Call

Today was the first morning out with my newest call, the Team Primos Brad Farris Diaphram Call. I'm not the most experienced mouth caller, but this call is extremely easy to get used to and sounds great. This call will really get loud, which comes in handy with those far away gobblers. I used the call this morning for reactions with long distance birds.

Team Primos has went to their staff members to develop what they want out of their favorite mouth call based on their own personal preferences . It may be the call's ability to reproduce a certain sound, it may be volume, it may be the call's ability to be blown softly with extreme realism, or it could be just how easy it is to make the call sound like a wild turkey hen. Since this is the first call I have purchased and used of their signature series, it seems Brad Farris appears to favor a mouth call with a lot of volume along with realism up close.

The Team Primos Signature Series Brad Farris Mouth Call features three ultra-thin latex reeds with BAT Cut in top reed. Two reed separators included. The call is very comfortable too. I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars

Buy the Call here:
Primos Team Primos Signature Series Turkey Mouth Calls - Brad Farris Call


Larry Ralph Jr.

Woods Wise Mystic Turkey Box Call

I'm only into my 3rd season turkey hunting, so I'm partial to box calls. My uncle introduced me to Lynch Box calls when I first started. A box call is definitely the best call for a beginner. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my lynch fool proof box call with me last year on my way to a Kentucky Turkey hunting trip. We stopped at a local hunting supply store and the man behind the counter introduced me to Woods Wise calls. Since I didn't feel comfortable relying solely on my slate call, I went ahead and purchased the Woods wise classic hen mystic box call. I had never heard of woods wise before. He promoted it by saying that it works wet and was virtually weatherproof. He also mentioned that it didn't require chalk ever, which appealed to the forgetful side of me. I figured I would give it a shot.

I used the call that spring and this past weeks opener. I have only ran into one circumstance that proved to me that it holds up to weather. It rained on us last year, cleared up, and the call was still chirping away. It has this black "gritty" coating on the paddle and sides of the call which I'm guessing works as a type of permanent chalk. We will see how many seasons that lasts and I will update the blog, if it ever fails. It sounds great and puts off fairly loud yelps, clucks, and purrs. If I had to say anything negative at all about the call it would be that occasionally it seems to put off an echo sound from the chamber. My buddies don't seem to notice as much as me. The best thing about the call is the lack of maintenance it requires. Just pick it up and go. That seems to work best for me most days, because I'm a very forgetful person.

Larry Ralph Jr.

Federal Premium Turkey Loads with Flight Control Wads

Talking to somebody about the ammunition they like is kind of like talking to a couple of guys about Chevy or ford trucks. One has a brand they love and that’s that. When I bought my benelli super black eagle II, I also bought Remington nitro turkey loads, Winchester supreme and the Federal Premium w/ flight control wads. All shell being 3 ½ in #5’s. I shot each load at 30 and 50 yards. The Remington shells were average, the pattern was good one shot and bad the next. The Winchester shells were pretty consistent but I want getting the amount of shot in the head I would’ve liked. Then I shot the Federal Premium shells. At thirty yards I was putting 25 to 30 pellets in the head and even the wading was hitting the head. Then for the moment of truth, I tested it at fifty yards. I was consistently putting 10 to 12 pellets in the head.

I would like to shoot the heavy shot or the tungsten shot but that stuff is way too expensive. I’d shoot it if they would give it to me. Remington has some heavy shot that is $65.00 per 10 shells. I couldn’t even pattern my gun without getting sick. That is $6.50 a shell. My federal premiums cost 15.99 per 10 shells. Plus why change something that works well. If it’s not broke don’t fix it.

The federal premium flight controls at a 3 ½ in #5 shot 2 oz of lead at 1300 fps muzzle velocity. The lead is copper plated for maximum density which means tighter patterns. The wad offers a 30% tighter pattern. Be careful on what choke tube you choose because the manufacturer claims that shooting these shells through a ported choke tube could hinder its performance. Just remember that every shell shoots different out of every gun and out of every choke tube. So buy a variety of shells and see what works for you.

Jason Untersinger

Super Black Eagle II - Ultimate Turkey Gun

When I first started hunting I bought a Remington 870 express super mag. The gun held an awesome pattern. As I grew in my hunting career I became interested in hunting ducks and geese. The 870 pump just wasn’t ideal for hunting waterfowl. In 2006 I purchased a Benelli Super Black Eagle II. I can still remember pulling the gun new out of the box. I have never been the same. The shotgun is inertia driven with a comfort tech butt stock. The gun is not cheap, but well worth every penny. I have put this gun through hell in the duck blind and it has not failed me yet. Not even through rain, ice and snow. My benelli came with a shim kit which allows you to make the gun fit you own personal stance. It also came the a pistol grip butt stock. This stock is something I will never be without again in the turkey woods. You are more steady and can hold your position for a longer period of time. Plus when you put the gun to your shoulder is just feels awesome.

BUY THE BENELLI SUPER BLACK EAGLE II HERE

BUY THE Benelli Choke Extended Turkey Crio Sport

The gun will hold 2 ¾ , 3 and 3 ½ inch shells. It ejects every shell of all sizes like a dream. The gun is pre-tapped if you prefer using a scope. The gun is very simple to take apart and clean. I can have my gun apart in under a minute. The includes the barrel, firing pin, and the trigger assembly. The SBEII comes with 5 different choke tubes. 3 of the chokes are rated for steel shot which is a plus for the waterfowlers. It comes with a double sided choke tube wrench. One side is a wrench and the other side screws into the barrel so you can clean the choke threads inside the barrel. I use the extra full turkey choke which is made by Benelli, this choke I had to buy separately. The first tom I shot with this gun was at 10 yards and I literally took his head off. The next day my cousin and I had a bird hang up at 50 yards. I told my cousin to let the Benelli rock and the bird crumbled. In other words, if I see a tom at 50 yards I’m going to shoot with confidence. Inertia driven, Comfort Tech stock, Pistol grip, and realtree camo. This gun is the ultimate turkey gun.

Buy Turkey Choke Tubes Here:

Hunter's Specialties H.S. Strut HS Undertaker Turkey Choke Tubes

Primos Tightwad Choke Tube

Jason Untersinger

H S Strut Diaphragm Turkey Calls

Now that turkey season is around the corner we want to review some turkey calls that we think will make you more successful in the field. The important thing to turkey calling success is being able to adapt your calling sound and technique to what the turkeys in your immediate area are doing. For this, I personally like to use mouth calls made by H.S. Strut . This is my cup of tea. We all know that good calling is important on filling your tag. Good turkey calling is different for everybody - some are good with mouth calls, some with box calls, and some with friction calls. I’m not great with friction calls but the mouth calls I can work. That’s important to remember, if you don’t feel comfortable using a call then don’t use it. For beginners I suggest using the “double D” This call is easy to use, you don’t have to force a ton of air through the reeds. This is the call I killed my first turkey with. I like a little more rasp in my calls so I love the “Two Timer”. This call is awesome. I will buy two of the “Two Timer” calls and will last me the whole season. Hunter Specialties make some of the most durable calls on the market. Last but not least, most mouth calls come in adult and youth sizes so make sure you get the right ones.

Buy the Double D Call Here:
H.S. Strut Premium Flex Diaphragm Turkey Call - Double D

Buy the 4-pack with the Two Timer Call Here:
H.S. Strut Premium Flex 4-Pack Diaphragm Turkey Call Kit


Jason Untersinger

Mossberg 930 Semi-Auto 12 gauge Waterfowl

I've owned the Mossberg 930 Waterfowl shotgun for about 6 months now. It's a gas powered semi-automatic 12 gauge shotgun with 28" black barrel, black synthetic stock, and a front fiber optic sight. Magazine capacity is 5 3" shells. Like other Mossberg shotguns, the safety is located on the rear of the receiver. According to who you talk to, Mossberg is a brand that is both hated and loved by many. I didn't have any feelings towards the company one way or another before owning this gun.

The research and opinion on this gun is all over the map. I'll give you some quick pros and cons based on what I've read and experienced. Some say the gun kicks harder than the Remington 11-87; I've shot both guns and see no difference. I've heard the Mossberg 935 has had problems ejecting light loads for quail and pheasants, but I've had no problem with Mossberg 930. The safety is plastic and a little different from my comfort zone location of Remington safeties - nothing I didn't get used to.

The Mossberg 930 is known for its low price. Lowered price guns usually suffer a lack of quality, and that isn't the case for this shotgun. There are many accessores available such as scopes, laser sights, stocks, pistol grips, and more. There is even a Mossberg 930 SPX model that comes with alot of tactical accessories right from the factory. If money is not an issue, buy a Super Black Eagle; but if it is, there is no bigger bang for your buck. I use it for hunting waterfowl and turkey. I have shot it thousands of times and in freezing weather; I haven't had it fail to feed, fail to fire, or malfunction at all.

BUY THE 930 MOSSBERG WF HERE
BUY THE 935 MOSSBERG WF HERE

I won't tell you I'm a Mossberg lover from this one gun, because one gun doesn't represent a gun manufacture as a whole. I won't say that the 930 is "better" than Remington, Berretta, Browning, or Benelli Autoloaders. I will say that from now I do not associate Mossberg with a negative "cheap" perspective. I do not necessarily believe they are the highest quality shotgun manufacture either. All I can tell you is that I love this gun.

You are going to need accessories:
Mossberg Accu-Choke Tube Wrench

Mossberg Shotgun Replacement Barrels


Larry Ralph Jr.

Dont let your brother in law drive on your hunting trip

Ok, well, here we go, our first review. This new blog is the product of two hunting buddy's (Larry Ralph Jr and Jason Untersinger) boredom while turkey hunting in Hartford, KY. The hunt was fun, but we started talking about how there werent any average joes reviewing hunting products, and we thought we could give better "realistic" reviews and videos then these so called "paid for their reviews" experts. So here goes my (Larry Ralph Jr.) first shot at a review. It might be unusual seeing thats it's a review of a service and not a product. Products will follow this post.

REVIEW 1-Service: Allowing your brother in law to drive on your hunting trip
This is a big mistake. If you haven't figured it out by now, my hunting buddy is my brother-in-law (Jason Untersinger). Now, I would normally let him drive me anywhere, but when he has hunting on his brain, WATCH OUT. He never watches the road, he watches all the fields scanning each horizon of farm fields and pastures for turkeys and deer. As he starts to look at a field, the vehicle starts to slowly ease over into the shoulder and occasionally off the road. He realizes this only by the vehicle shaking violently, and over corrects because he still isn't paying any attention to the actual road. He is always the first to spot any wildlife that we hunt, be it ducks, geese, doves, deer, turkeys, coyotes, you name it, he spots it. Which is fine by me, its nice to have someone who has a sixth sense for spotting wildlife. It something quite aint right when your driver spots a gray squirrel on the edge of a field 300 yards off the road 40 feet up a tree. It's a bit nerve racking.
If you or your hunting pals are driving a long distance to your hunting destination, let the guy drive with the least amount of "buck fever" flowing through his veins. If you do not know who that is, it's typically the guy who can talk about topics other than hunting such as politics, religion, or their wives. If none of you can do this, then some of you need to get a life.

Larry Ralph Jr.