Lone Wolf

Lone Wolf Treestands is bringing it's production line back to the USA for 2011!  This includes the casting of the aluminum parts, assembly and shipping.  It seems that the ability to communicate production changes and logistic issue are what caused the return. 

The new platform stands have been redesigned.  They even make a 14 pound climber!  They also make climbing sticks, locks, and camera mounts.  Lone Wolf claims to make the best treestands in the world.  It seems that quality is more important to them than quantity.

CUB BANQUET

The Cub league shooters will gather this Saturday, March 5th at Northridge.  There will be chatter and excitement when they receive their metals!

The trophies will be awarded.  Kids will enjoy shooting at some 3D targets.  There will be some treats and prize drawings as well!

Here are some photos from last year.

Black fawn

These photos came around on an email.  The term melanistic refers to the pigment mutation.

                                     

From what I found, these are authentic.  They were taken in Texas. Here is the photographer's website;

http://rmbuquoiphoto.photoshelter.com/gallery/Land-Mammals/G0000TFzI4B5LV_k/

Check out these links for several other photos of black deer.

http://www.buckmanager.com/2008/07/21/more-black-deer-spotted-in-texas/

http://www.buckmanager.com/2008/06/27/melanistic-buck-spotted-in-austin-texas/

Check out the story on this black buck!

http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/weirdwhitetails/ww_0904calf/

ANTLER SHED HUNTING

Benefits of antler shed hunting;

1. Great exercise & fresh air
2. Wildlife and bird watching
3. Learn the land, scout
4. Anyone at any age can do it
5. See evidence of what caliber bucks are around
6. Property owners are more likely to let you walk their land, than hunt it
7. Walk the dog
8. Teach kids or friends how to navigate or GPS
9. Photography opportunities
10.It can be profitable

That's right...antlers sell!  Today they are used in chandeliers, lamps, basket handles, knife handles, jewelry, hat racks, coat racks, and more.  Small ones are popular in Colorado for cabinet handles.  Ebay has oodles of antlers for sale.  I once bought a moose shed on vacation for $40 and turned around and sold it for $80 on ebay.  Some folks are attached to their finds like it's a golden treasure.   We've never found so many that we felt like storage was a problem and we needed to sell.  And when you spend dozens of hours looking, it makes it harder to sell them! 

We've learned a few things about shed hunting.  Here are the tips and advice we have;

1. If you find one(or more), check that same property again the following year!
2. South slopes and under thick pines and near uncut corn are prime
3. Go early in the season, before it gets too muddy and wood tick populations explode
    For MN, it starts around February but they are often chewed up pretty bad by mid May
4. Tell someone where you are going and when you'll be back
5. Go north!  There is a lot more public land up there!
6. Bring t.p. and water! 
7. Look for a tine, not the whole antler
8. If possible, use a four wheeler to crisscross large openings like pasture
9. Strips of woods or brush between pastures or fields are highly traveled by leery bucks
10. Many, MANY hours are required

I've heard it takes around 40 hours to find one shed here, but that's just an estimate.  Don't let the numbers discourage you from going, you might get lucky in less than an hour!  The more you do it, the better you get.

NEVER second guess yourself!  If you think you saw something, go make sure.  That's how I found an skull of an 11 pointer!  I thought it could be a blade of dry grass, but it wasn't!!!

Sometimes you'll just be out and about and stumble upon a shed.  This tiny antler was found during a 3D shoot last spring nestled amongst the oak leaves.

For more pictures of our antler shed finds, visit our website!
http://www.ottertrailarchery.com/Antler_Sheds.html

Here are some great articles, if you're wanting to know more!

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/volunteer/mayjun07/wooodland_crowns.html

http://www.biggamehunt.net/articles/finders-keepers

http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/huntingtactics/ht_0903sheds/

http://shedantlers.com/

Robin hood

We're really proud of our oldest son.  He's come a long way in the last few years with his shooting.  And remarkably, out of the family...he's the ONLY one of us to have a robin hooded arrow so far!  He's doing great in his last year as a cub league shooter.  His experience in hunting has progressed.  He's taken a shot at a deer with his bow at age 11, even if it was a clean miss.  He's going to turkey (shotgun) hunt again this year, and we hope he'll get lucky and see a jake. 

Northridge- target games

Don't forget to consider a night of fun shooting at Northridge!  There are several paper game targets available.  Kids especially love these.  It's a nice way to get them out of the house when winter is dragging on!

http://www.northridgearcheryrange.com/index.html

Texas Cougar

 http://www.buckmanager.com/ is a great sight with national stories.

This is another photo that was considered a hoax.  But to my disbelief, the trail camera has a sequence of photos that show the drag marks on later pics.  The Texas rancher disproved false allegations.