Many of us are familiar with websites like MySpace and FaceBook. Heck, my Mom even has a profile now, on FaceBook. I bet 75% of kids 14 years and older have a profile on either, or both of those sites.

These sites let you build a profile, list your hobbies, post photos and movies, form groups, etc. They let you build “networks” of “friends”, form online clubs, and all kinds of other neat games and applications.

Well, the outdoor/hunting world has also jumped on the bandwagon, and there are some real cool sites out there. For instance, have a look at CamoSpace. Another cool site is OutdoorProfile. Another neat site run by a couple of good guys is MyOutdoorZone.

These sites all offer something a little different, but they have one thing in common - fun! They are interesting and addictive!

MyOutdoorTV.com Debuts Original Web TV With Youth Shooting Event

Exclusive Series Goes Behind the Scenes at SCTP Championship

August 11, 2008 (Nashville) - The world’s largest online library of outdoor TV programming is growing again - not only in numbers, but in a new direction. MyOutdoorTV.com announces the production of an original series now being streamed exclusively on the site.

The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is the subject of the series, produced at the SCTP’s 2008 National Championship last week. Approximately 2100 high school student-athletes competed in the tournament held at the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, IL. MyOutdoorTV.com took camera and crew behind the scenes and captured inspiring and informative back-stories that introduce viewers to the shooters, their families, and the organizers that make the SCTP championship happen.

MyOutdoorTV.com’s foray into original web TV strengthens its leadership position in internet-based outdoor television, utilizing the company’s production resources and offering timely event coverage.

“Our goal is to fill a niche with our original programming,” explained Craig Lamb, Senior Editor. “This positions us as an exclusive producer of custom, original web TV programming, complementing our existing library of prepackaged programming.”

The first episode of the SCTP series introduces viewers to two shooting brothers from California who connect through the sport and enjoy some friendly sibling rivalry. Their father joins them to support his sons and talk with MyOutdoorTV.com about the influence of the SCTP on his family.

Other episodes to be added to the site throughout the week include an expert’s advice to newcomers on the importance of hearing protection; an overview of the SCTP and its national championship; a parent’s viewpoint on the activity as a varsity high school sport; and a young lady’s perspective on competitive shotgunning, underscored by her father’s expert advice.

The Scholastic Clay Target Program provides school-age participants the opportunity to shoot competitively and earn state and national recognition. It is a cooperative effort between NSSF and the governing bodies of skeet, sporting clays, trap, and the Olympic versions of skeet and trap.

MyOutdoorTV.com is the world’s largest internet network for outdoor TV programming, currently streaming over 225 show titles on the shooting sports, fishing, boating, and conservation. Use of MyOutdoorTV.com is always FREE to viewers, 24/7, with no registration required and no software to download.

The site streams TV shows featuring some of the leading names in the outdoors, including Bill Miller, Todd Jarrett, Jerry Miculek, Jackie Bushman, Bill Dance, Hank Parker, Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, and many others. In addition, it hosts radio shows, outdoor videos, the Explore the U.S. section, The Showroom product video section, links to outdoor blogs, and sections for cooking, outdoor news, and much more. Visit our website at www.myoutdoortv.com.

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BOGgear L.L.C. Announces Complete Redesign of its Popular RLD1 Monopod

The already popular RLD1 BOG-POD Monopod from BOGgear has now been completely overhauled to offer sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts the greatest level of usability and versatility - no matter what their passion.

Starting on the very top, the old style head which came with a conventional screw off shooting rest in the past now has been completely redesigned. The innovative new stick now sports a permanent, yet compact, adaptor plate which will accommodate the BOGgear Quick Change Head System called the “Switcheroo” . . . along with all the other quick change accessories designed for it. With this modification of the monopod head, all BOG-POD models which include the RLD3 Tripod, the RLD2 Bipod, and this RLD1 Monopod are now fully compatible with the Switcheroo.

The new Monopod also features: A sturdy wrist strap for those who want more control, improved and longer “soft feel” cushioned grips, an inch scale on the middle leg section for instant and personalized height adjustment, improved leg stops to eliminate over extension of the leg sections, new threaded rubber feet that will not detach in mud and soft ground, a free carry bag with built in Switcheroo/Cell Phone/GPS storage pocket, and finally, the RLD1 Monopod comes with a quick detach shooting rest installed from the factory. This Monopod with the Switcheroo kit is now the ultimate, must-have tool for hunters, still photographers, hikers and campers, and the ever growing population of professional and weekend videographers.

There is simply not a more affordable and versatile monopod on the market today.

For more information, images, and or additional specifications log onto www.BOGgear.com. Press release and images can be downloaded at www.howardcommunications.com.

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From The Arizona Star online: Pecan exec dies in plane crash

Single-engine craft went down in Santa Ritas, killing VP of FICO
By Eric Swedlund

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.17.2008

Layne Brandt, longtime manager of a Green Valley pecan farm and an avid outdoorsman and hunter, died when his single-engine plane crashed in a rugged area of the Santa Rita Mountains.
The wreckage of Brandt’s Cessna 182 was reached Saturday afternoon near the mining ghost town of Helvetia, about 10 miles northeast of Madera Canyon, by Pima County sheriff’s deputies and the Southern Arizona search and rescue team.
Brandt, 63, was vice president of farm operations for Farmers Investment Co., better known as Green Valley Pecan Co., which is one of the largest growers of pecans in the nation.

An experienced pilot with more than 5,000 hours over 25 years, Brandt made the flight routinely, once or twice a week, Walden said. Because of his experience and the lack of inclement weather, she said a health problem likely caused the crash, though an investigation hasn’t been completed.
Born in Michigan and raised in Wyoming, Brandt had a passion for cattle ranching and big-game hunting, especially lions, and authored “Lucky Shot: Favorite Hunting Stories of an Arizona Sportsman.”

Thoughts and prayers out to Mr. Brandt’s family

I found this tidbit on the east Valley Tribune website - it speculates that ASU is considering selling Camp Tontozona, and that Arizona Game and Fish is interested in buying it.

Arizona State senior associate athletic director Mike Chismar confirmed during Saturday’s scrimmage that the university has had internal discussions about selling Camp Tontozona, the Sun Devils’ summer retreat since 1960.

“I know this is a place that is costing ASU money, and that’s not a good thing,” added senior associate AD Don Bocchi. “Not in this age of entrepreneurship.”

There was talk among fans and football staff that ASU already has put the property up for sale for $5.5 million, and that the Arizona Game and Fish Department is interested in purchasing it.

But school spokeswoman Terri Shafer said, “There are no plans to sell it at this time.”

Note the phrasing: At this time.

ASU already has began to phase out the bucolic site Frank Kush discovered.

For 47 years, the Sun Devils stayed at Tontozona for at least a week, practicing twice a day and pulling pranks on each other at night. This year, however, coach Dennis Erickson bused his team north only for Saturday’s scrimmage, and he did that just to throw a bone to ASU’s fans.

You can read the full article at the link above.

You can read the most recent installment of my bow project HERE.

My bow and all the accessories are now safely at Professional Bow Tuning Services and in Adam Guggisberg’s very capable hands.

Adam will be working his magic on my bow. While he is at it, he will take some photos and document what, why and how he is doing to the bow. All of that information will appear here as some guest posts.

I can’t tell you how excited I am that Adam generously offered to take part in this project!

Now if he can just help me find javelina!

Click here to read about the most luxurious hunting lodges in the world

Thanks to Johnny Testa of AskMen.com for sending along this cool article!

I won’t go through them all, but here is a sampling:

Number 10:

No.10 - Rancho Caracol

Brownsville, Texas

Hidden in the undulating foothills overlooking Mexico’s famous Lake Las Alazanas, Rancho Caracol allows guests to live out their very own Mexican fantasies in a luxury beach resort-style hacienda. Set adjacent to the largest white-wing nesting colony in the world, your accommodations at this luxurious hunting lodge include spacious suites with daily maid service, an outdoor swimming pool, a hot tub, and a rooftop bar. And if that isn’t enough to ensure you’re on top of your game, the clay pigeon-shooting and gourmet food available on-site certainly will do. With species of bird that include dove and quail, each hunt incorporates Texas-style rigs, well-trained dogs, seasoned guides, and your very own Berettas. Take two of them for a proper Tarantino-inspired experience.

Gourmet game: Mexican duck with peptita sauce

A look at Number 5:

No.5 - Glenroy Hunting Lodge

Queenstown, New Zealand

Haven’t heard of the Remarkables Mountains? You should have. Head to New Zealand and go on the prowl for Himalayan tahr, red stags, fallow deer, and American elk with your shotgun slung over your shoulder in a manly fashion. Afterward, hunker down at Glenroy Hunting Lodge, a rustic ranch just 15.5 miles from the glitz of Queenstown. Set beside the craggy Kawarau River canyon, famed for the goldrush that took place here in the 18th century, the lodge is New Zealand’s largest private hunting reserve and can accommodate you and 11 of your closest pals. With everything a man could ever need on a hunting trip, including a large barbecue area, a house bar and a spa pool, Glenroy Hunting Lodge will make you feel like you’re the king of the land.

Gourmet game: Chef’s saddle of wild rabbit with a spinach puree

And how about Number 1? Naw, you’ll have to go to the article to see that one. Here is Number 2 though:

No.2 - Barnsley Gardens

Adairsville, Georgia

Voted as one of the Top Places to Stay in the World by Conde Nast Traveller, it’s hardly surprising to find Barnsley Gardens on this list of luxurious hunting lodges. Comprising of shooting grounds, historic ruins and 30 acres of heirloom gardens, the sprawling resort offers wingshooting in the type of scenery only imagined by the most experience huntsman. While its game isn’t as extensive as that offered by other lodges in other parts of the U.S., the surroundings are unsurpassed. Accommodating guests in 87 guest suites and 33 Old World English cottages, Barnsley Gardens makes any average-Joe guest feel like lord of the manor.

Gourmet game: Pot-roasted quail with Muscat and grape risotto

I don’t imagine I will ever get to a place even remotely like any of these, but they are sure are interesting to read about!

Passing this along on behalf of my friend Chris over at OutdoorProfile.com:

OutdoorProfile.com is looking for Pro Staff qualified in one or more of the following: Hunting, Fishing, Hiking and Camping. They will have the opportunity to participate in factory discounts from a variety of our sponsors, as well as being invited to attend a booth at shows in the near future. Serious applicants should send resumes to
chris@outdoorprofile.com

Resumes should include (but not limited to):
1. Where you Hunt, Fish ,Camp and Hike
2. How long have you been Hunting, Fishing, Hiking and Camping
3. State you live in
4. Sponsors you have now
5. Past success and future goals
6. What could you bring to Outdoor Profile

Bigfoot Trackers Say They’ve Got a Body - From an article found on FoxNews.

Bigfoot Trackers Say They’ve Got a Body
Thursday, August 14, 2008

E-Mail Print Share:

AP

A still from the famous 1967 Bigfoot film, which may or may not show a man in a gorilla suit.
Bigfoot may have been found. Maybe. We’ll see.

Two Northern California men and two Georgians say they’ve got a body, a photo and DNA evidence pertaining to the elusive forest-dwelling man-ape — and that they’ll reveal all at a press conference in Palo Alto, Calif., on Friday.

“I think you’ll find that this is the real deal,” Robert Barrows of Redwood City, Calif., told the Bay City News local wire service.

Read the rest of the article at the link above.

Arizona youths win national titles at shooting competition

Aug. 8, 2008

PHOENIX – Arizona shooters garnered five medals, the most of any state, at the Scholastic Clay Target Program National Championships for skeet and sporting clays Aug. 1-2 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Ill.

Arizona competitors brought home two national championship title gold medals, one second-place silver medal and one third-place bronze medal from the skeet competition, and one third-place bronze medal in sporting clays.

This is the second consecutive year that Arizona came away with the best showing. There were 356 competitors in skeet and 338 in sporting clays.

“Everyone in Arizona should be very proud of our young SCTP shooters. Each year we come away from these events as one of the top competitors, and that only happens through the hard work and support of the parents, clubs, certified volunteer instructors and many volunteers,” says Bill McLean, chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. “We are very happy to administer this shooting program; it’s a winner – just like these young shooting ambassadors.”

Shooters competed in five divisions for both skeet and sporting clays: varsity, grades 9-12; junior varsity, grades 9-12; intermediate advanced, grades 6-8; intermediate entry; grades 6-8; and rookie, grades 5 and under.

The Red Mountain Target Terminators won the skeet national championship in the junior varsity division by breaking 570 out of 600 targets, with team members Wesley Borie, Luke McCabe-O’Donnell and Kyle Johnson, all of Phoenix,

The IA1 Ben Avery Clay Crushers won the skeet national championship in the intermediate advanced division by breaking 567 out of 600 targets, with team members Tanner Bissell of Desert Hills, Perry Miller of Goodyear and Holden Huff of Scottsdale.

The IA2 Ben Avery Clay Crushers took third place in the skeet intermediate advanced division by breaking 552 out of 600 targets, with team members Shelby Shank of Phoenix, Austin Elbert of Waddell, and Chase Karvanek of Anthem.

The Red Mountain Target Terminators took second place in the skeet intermediate entry division by breaking 553 out of 600 targets, with team members Stephen Fuller of Phoenix, Kent Everett Thomas of Mesa, and Eric Fleming of Chandler

In sporting clays, the Ben Avery Clay Crushers took third place in the rookie division by breaking 350 out of 600 targets, with team members Casey Coleman of Peoria, Mitchell Jones of Glendale, and Tyler Sims of Dewey.

“Our teams did awesome,” says Ashley Lynch, the department’s shooting sports coordinator. “Once again, they have worked hard all year long, and now they have medals to show for their effort. I’m very proud of them all.”

Prizes in the form scholarship I-Bonds, ranging from $100-$1,000, are awarded to the winning squads from varsity through intermediate entry.

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Department began funding and administering Arizona’s SCTP in 2004. More than 500 kids participated this past season in Arizona.

Nationally, SCTP was launched by the National Shooting Sports Foundation in 2000 to offer students in grades 12 and under an opportunity to compete as a team in trap, skeet and sporting clays. The ultimate goal is to instill a commitment to safe firearm handling, teamwork and leadership. More than 9,000 competitors from 41 states competed this past year across the country.

Many SCTP shooters go on to compete at the collegiate level. Olympians are rarer, but former SCTP stars Corey Cogdell of Eagle River, Ala. and Vincent Hancock of Eatonton, Ga. will represent the U.S. in Beijing in women’s trap and men’s skeet, respectively.

To learn more about Arizona’s SCTP program, visit www.azgfd.gov/sctp.

For all the results from the national SCTP competition, visit www.nssf.org/sctp.

Hunting Website Wins Case Against Anti’s over You-Tube video!
8/11/08

Anti-hunting extremists who want to use copyrighted material to make their videos for Youtube should start thinking twice after Bowsite.com fights back.

Bowsite.com, one of the Nation’s top hunting websites, won a copyright infringement case against a known anti-hunting extremist who posted vitriolic material on You-Tube.

Bowsite.com owner Pat Lefemine and his attorney notified You-Tube that a well known anti-hunting extremist had been using copyrighted images from one of its popular online games to make a hit piece You-Tube video.

As Lefemine said, copyright infringement on You-Tube is a huge problem,” “We knew we faced an uphill battle. But we weren’t about to back down.”

Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) copyrighted work is protected under law, however cases are difficult to fight and nearly impossible to win. The You-Tube page containing the video is still up, but now displays a message stating that the video had been removed due to copyright infringement against Bowsite.com

Well done to Pat and his legal crew!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly?
Two California Bills Could Have Major Impacts on Sportsmen
8/11/08

Two bills nearing passage in California show just why the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance partners with groups like the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA) to help hunters and anglers nationwide. One bill, supported by USSA and COHA, helps sportsmen while the other could unfairly penalize them for doing what they have always done.

The good bill, Assembly Bill 815, makes it clear that the state is solely responsible for the regulation of hunting and fishing, not local authorities. The legislation would prevent the possibility of local governments placing unreasonable restrictions and outright bans on hunters and anglers. It also prevents sportsmen from becoming victims of a patchwork of differing fish and game laws that could change from one township to the next making it impossible to know what’s legal and what’s not. While the bill has not yet been voted on, it could be called up anytime. California sportsmen are urged to contact their Senator today. To contact them, use the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org.

Meanwhile, the bad bill, Assembly Bill 1634 would force an owner of an unsprayed/unneutered dog to pay a fine when a local animal control agency receives a complaint about his or her dog, if they are cited. While the original legislation was even worse than the one ready for a vote in the Senate, it still has many problems for sportsmen. The biggest problem is that the animal control agency does not actually have to prove a violation has occurred, they only need to receive an allegation that a violation has occurred in order to cite someone. If a third citation is issued, the bill goes from bad to ugly. Even if none of the allegations are proven, it will mandate the dog be spayed or neutered on the third one. So now, taking the normal precautions that sportsmen always have with their dogs is not enough if they become targeted by someone who wants to give them a problem. California sportsmen are urged to call their Senator today. To contact them, use the Legislative Action Center.