tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728578120722312912024-03-05T14:16:41.025-08:00Chevalier AdvertisingAt CA, we specialize in specialty markets - whether it's hunting and shooting, camping, fishing, marine, or tactical/law enforcement. We know how to talk to your potential customers, because we make it a point to also be those customers.Chevalier Advertisinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10448204095638586186noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-5819650003105018372012-02-02T15:52:00.000-08:002012-02-02T16:10:28.487-08:00Last Weekend at the Range<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHB6DM7wy04yoN_e4_r0Y03ry2T-ENtj1uyOyHeKB6s1hISTsXn6mVbjGQvlXrLsr8jYUrbx7LiVMLE-ai4ULf7bNvrZ4YqiZUKJMwXNpLhH-utHpbik4Z4cAX_m6ZFwUqVuw8aJGu2Onx/s1600/Schiffty.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHB6DM7wy04yoN_e4_r0Y03ry2T-ENtj1uyOyHeKB6s1hISTsXn6mVbjGQvlXrLsr8jYUrbx7LiVMLE-ai4ULf7bNvrZ4YqiZUKJMwXNpLhH-utHpbik4Z4cAX_m6ZFwUqVuw8aJGu2Onx/s320/Schiffty.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704691929736839234" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">It’s great working at an advertising agency where almost everyone is interested in shooting or hunting in one way or another. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Last weekend, I went out shooting with John, one of the guys from our art department.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We shot a Lewis Machine and Tool CQB MRP<sup>TM</sup> Defender Piston Model 16 5.56mm.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We were shooting with open sights at fifty yards.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m really kicking myself for not taking pictures of the targets when we were through because I thought we shot some pretty tight groups for a couple of desk jockeys!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here are a few pictures from a cold and rainy morning at the range. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As you can clearly see, we are company men who proudly shot nothing but Winchester ammunition the entire time we were out there. <span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_rIji9H7jWC6-eFNw7_PZmO0tlxBypY498uM3QwdnE0jJbjUPQ_zBTGGV5ZYtMW9yT3Azv_emsYbN0r0KnR8tESaLXCX21pNs2prqjN1LOF50mGkL8Ly_FW0-iOdA0oAS9aZKGk15qht/s320/Red+Bull.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704692082363131522" /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Tim Zickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833458125708878085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-16005256895832491752012-01-30T16:26:00.000-08:002012-01-30T16:34:31.566-08:00R&R - After All The Trade Shows<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRH7Hd2wTB-e1ldGzSs61CAu-5-GZAWJJ2PZWo9Qgz9G1xdokgYbZRDqp_81eAVNhSwhotbKgzAbVjOhXpmq3OqCpbXRgd3YKrivv1w5F0s5u3NsHHfFEU__LUNI7g21ulhSijxQTp81K/s1600/photo.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRH7Hd2wTB-e1ldGzSs61CAu-5-GZAWJJ2PZWo9Qgz9G1xdokgYbZRDqp_81eAVNhSwhotbKgzAbVjOhXpmq3OqCpbXRgd3YKrivv1w5F0s5u3NsHHfFEU__LUNI7g21ulhSijxQTp81K/s320/photo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703586422762160370" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">January is a big, chaotic month in our industry. With the ATA, SHOT, SCI and the distributor shows, I am on the road for the better part of the month. By the end of January, I am in serious need of recharging my batteries. One thing I look forward to is my annual “de-briefing” duck hunt. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I love living in the pacific flyway, not to mention, living 15 minutes away from a prime waterfowl hunting honey-hole. Sunday was the last day of the season. I met up with the usual suspects before sunup. We motored out to a modest blind and set up for the day. In the distance, you could hear the birds start to stir. About 10 minutes from shooting light, I could hear the teals starting to whiz by.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was excited for the day’s potential, but more importantly, I felt myself relaxing from the month-long trade show tour. My heart would race as we called in birds. At this point, these birds have seen decoy spreads, heard every call in the book and shot at all season. Many circled high, leery to come in.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When birds finally committed, we let them have it. A friend, Randy Hynes, describes it best:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“The whistling of wings at the first light, the landing gear down when they come into sight. The smell of the powder and getting your limit, you wouldn't understand...unless you just did it.”<o:p></o:p></i></p> <!--EndFragment-->Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-48482942176489551762012-01-25T11:46:00.000-08:002012-01-25T12:06:58.939-08:00A PR Rookie's Perspective on SHOT ShowWell, I’m just now starting to get back into my normal routine after my first SHOT Show.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In other words, the energy drinks have finally worn off and my feet don’t hurt anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Overall, the show was bigger, more crowded, and infinitely more exhausting than I could have ever imagined.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"> <p class="MsoNormal">I split most of my time between Winchester Ammunition and Nikon Sport Optics.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I helped send out press releases, facilitate media tours and keep press materials stocked in the booths.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was an awesome experience working with such respected companies and I was so immersed, I think I fell asleep each night still mumbling about M-223 Riflescopes and Blind Side Ammunition.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It became a routine for me each morning to get ready and then go straight to the press room to fill up on some of that strong coffee (an ample amount of caffeine was necessary before going to actual show).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The show floor was crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Once, while attempting to systematically walk the entire lower level, I walked by the same booth three times.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Never in my life have I met and been introduced to more people in a short time frame.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The overwhelming friendliness of everyone I met is a testament to the shooting industry.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I had communicated with some people via email already and as they say, this was just a great opportunity to “put a face to the name.”</p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFs2PMJX0qNUzgvVJVYyevW_r2CbDARpfU9tmFN6znKvUmLasaszosQjn5F9EIh27FFAIOKDvc9V7mynpWqBKkDxMUtDxEiPU3GhIlsxSEPGASKFIGyWeL54lHzNzKjVrIwrdk8VrvSU1K/s320/12+GA+Segmenting+Slug.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701659413305939442" /><p class="MsoNormal">Media Day at the range is a perfect way to start off SHOT.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nothing puts one in the mood to look at shooting products more than SHOOTING!!!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I spent the entire time in the Winchester bay, mostly talking to writers and refilling magazines.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After the media had finished up, I stepped in and fired my share of Winchester PDX1.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The evenings in Vegas were a great time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I particularly enjoyed getting to know my co-workers better.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>On Tuesday night, I was fortunate enough to go out to dinner with the Chevalier creative team – a collection of some of the best graphic artists in the business.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Although we work in the same office, I really haven’t gotten to know them all that well until now and it was a lot of fun to hang out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Aside from that, I attended the award ceremonies on Wednesday and Thursday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>On Friday night I watched an Aaron Lewis concert from backstage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Unbelievable! </p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmTn4dxeKCTX0jaT-U1Iwe7mOrAzZ7sc_cU1Z1pSz46f5JlGdhDK0OtW7ilmSoj-tSlAFXJQQ_J-IbEgnceI6Utl8WYm97qP10a-AdW91ZrxVv07V6HU6Tiz4_XVWVt5YUs9zL5JkRCx5/s320/Vacuum.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701659126080674754" /><p class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The funniest moment at SHOT was seeing my colleague, Michael Turbyfill, vacuum the Winchester Booth one evening after the show.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We truly are a full-service agency!<o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The only thing that perhaps should have stayed in Vegas is the new nickname I seem to hear floating around behind my back lately….RED BULL.<o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div><!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment-->Tim Zickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833458125708878085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-21204986737744536102011-11-28T09:16:00.000-08:002011-11-28T09:38:32.360-08:00Everybody Loves a Happy Ending<div style="text-align: left;">My friend, Ed, and I were miserable, disappointed, frustrated and sick at our stomachs on the night of Nov. 13. Shortly before dark, both of us arrowed magnificent, Pope and Young-class bucks on Ed’s small, 45-acre farm in Knox County, Ill. And both of us, no matter our excuses, made horrible shots.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Luckily, my wounded deer headed through the woods toward Ed’s tree stand location after my poor shot. From his stand, Ed watched him walk across a cut cornfield onto the neighboring property – giving us a 500-yard headstart on the tracking job – a small miracle if you ask me. Minutes later, Ed also made a poor hit on a bruising, wide-horned six pointer he hoped would qualify for the record book. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After dark, we headed to back to camp to recount the stories and seek advice from Ed’s dad, Dave, who is the most seasoned and experienced archer I’ve ever met. Dave has harvested big game all over the world with his recurve bow and has truly forgotten more about archery than most of us will ever know.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Dave’s advice, we decided to begin tracking the wounded bucks the next morning at 10 a.m. Needless to say, I got a miserable night’s sleep.</div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Ed had another buck tag and with the rut being in full swing, decided to hunt again before we tracked the bucks from the night before. At 7:30 a.m., Ed shot another big Illinois buck – 400 yards from where he shot the big six-pointer the night before! This time, Ed made a great shot and the big, tall-racked buck went a short distance and expired.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The stars continued to align, as against the odds (and my gut feeling), we were able to also recover both bucks from the night before. The end result was three bucks that each qualify for the Pope and Young record book, harvested in a span of 15 hours, on Ed’s 45-acre hot spot. It was an incredible rollercoaster ride for those few hours and I’m so blessed, lucky and thankful for the happy ending. Enjoy the photos!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQNt9le04oKUfZsftVVdmmbQdekI4EJTe7ST1leEmcPkvWLw2XzoxjfXI_Zgps1iEdqSkvkgZ8OADZ4bHE7-ef8SGVSx4W1dqiRpatab7Zg5H7XWBiFXh2SG5lKlXTm2VFDMMRTZ7iuQ/s400/ED-TURB-15-HR-CARNAGE-6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680100835466560930" /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3hZuFmvHE64g7WEJKOKhyphenhyphenk4c7Zx5C5oqIqrBJxa4lIrJ66JZx7j4e8plGvdKc5bme-I5v8IoZPUGIXCoSggOkM6JC1-_5YWQ_2V2idDI-am4b2UOViiri84DfeNdv5rq3TlSBqcfcrk/s400/ED-TURB-15-HR-CARNAGE-4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680100843499994514" /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAcx23X-9zAzE3yZEmwYgOhcopEjq7BbgQm0yr9b8xDb8WWi9oKtHKSqfyobuilsMOIM5GdUa1uAJ6sQcLKYtTfeoole4SxsqQ0C5NVsC5lfg1YWGExtdcZ0_puO-mg_MePUvZEOmvLQ/s400/ED-TURB-15-HR-CARNAGE-8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5680100837146873442" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><br /><!--EndFragment--> </div></div>Michael Turbyfillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10646452572852494737noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-40305387556660791982011-11-11T13:20:00.000-08:002011-11-11T14:09:26.084-08:00Deer Hunting in Minnesota<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztecJo-_FujEymowZLRQ5R_3dpvHlgoPMxb0fVSEZJQNgc0Roy77IhHsVAcAXc7Mlf0CMBzTB2z_uQBt1tELUm2lSp1Ti6QkpNDAJYFLU-94BNvT22b45Tji8KuS5dIMhdfxcqs5HdFfh/s1600/DSCN0565.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztecJo-_FujEymowZLRQ5R_3dpvHlgoPMxb0fVSEZJQNgc0Roy77IhHsVAcAXc7Mlf0CMBzTB2z_uQBt1tELUm2lSp1Ti6QkpNDAJYFLU-94BNvT22b45Tji8KuS5dIMhdfxcqs5HdFfh/s320/DSCN0565.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673854329907254578" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Last weekend I left the warmth and comfort of the Chevalier PR office and flew home to Minnesota for a four-day deer hunt. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I hadn’t been home for ten months and the opportunity to visit the family farm was a welcomed one.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On opening morning, I snuck down to my stand (which we call “The Hotdog Stand” because of its shape) with high hopes.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Because the leaves on the ground were wet, I made it to stand about as quietly as it is possible. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As morning light made its presence known, so did a six-point buck about </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">25 yards away from me.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It came out of the woods to my right, alert and head held high.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It stepped out into the corn field and began eating.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This buck was not in full rut.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I pulled my gun up and eyed him through the scope.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was a small six-point "hat rack" buck.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I had to make a choice because he wouldn’t be in front of me for long.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I thought about how much more time I had to hunt, about how many small bucks like this one I’ve shot in the past, about how many bigger bucks are probably in proximity to my stand….and he was gone. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">About an hour later, I saw a fork-horned buck approximately 200 yards away.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This took less deliberation to let go.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Weather: The first two days of hunting were plagued by 30 mph winds coming from the South.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I think it was because of this that the deer weren’t really moving. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The wind certainly made the stand sessions seem longer than they were. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Monday afternoon, the wind stopped.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">While on stand that evening, there was no sound.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There were no deer either.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tuesday morning displayed an impressive frost but the temperature and wind during the day were ideal.</span></p> <img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSoBD8v_Yea1w5yrfCyvyoFX8TWtV5lXhuQl8UMrLR8Clbdb1Iqbjc4xoCNKElMe4BeLjReEWUd1L8rUQqlCQ0uplWjwk3c_D1nojM4VLNA_4qK_VTljz95sOlcogchZJ42G3o5blZOIR/s320/DSCN0558.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673853922314323778" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My dad is a hunter (in it for the food) and I suspect that my failure to down that buck opening morning raised concerns in his mind that his son has become a sportsman (in it for the trophies).</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On Sunday morning, my dad was sneaking around in our pasture and spotted two fawns on a knob quite a distance away.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He worked his way closer, then crawled on his hands and knees to get close enough for a shot.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Instead of shooting one of the fawns, he called out on his deer grunt.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A small six-pointer immediately came out of the woods behind the fawns.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My dad dropped it where it stood.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For me, the most treasured aspect of the hunt was doing small drives with my dad and my uncle on Monday and Tuesday afternoon.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My dad always does everything in his power to put me in a position to kill a deer.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We’ve done little drives together since I was just starting out and he is usually able to chase me a deer.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For this hunt, I thought it was kind of neat that my dad, my uncle and I were doing drives together.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We didn’t see one deer while doing them but in this case, the act is more important than the outcome.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tuesday evening was my last change to get a deer. Before going out on stand that night, I pledged to my dad and my uncle that I would shoot any deer that stepped out in front of me.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They were in agreement.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Instead of going out on my stand, which I’d hunted religiously all season, I chose a different stand for a change of scenery. Within 45 minutes of being on stand, I had a tiny fawn on the field in front of me.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He walked around the field, eating, for well over an hour. Eyeing him closely the entire time, he refused to grow any bigger. I let him be.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All total, here’s what I saw for wildlife during the hunt: 32 wild turkeys, 3 ruffed grouse, 1 red fox, 2 bucks and at least six or seven fawns.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In summation, I probably should have shot the six-pointer I saw on opening morning.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hopefully I see him next year as an eight or a ten-pointer. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That said, deer hunting to me is more than just shooting a deer.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It’s a time to be with family and enjoy the land I grew up on.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It’s also a time I use to reflect on where I’ve been, amuse at where I am, and wonder where I’m going.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These thoughts pile on top of one another until ultimately, I reach one of man’s most satisfying realizations: l</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ife is good!</span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Tim Zickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833458125708878085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-13743740588173168602011-11-04T11:46:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:58:13.186-07:00South Dakota – The Waterfowl Sleeper State<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNbitqvq9s-JpnsHpHx9n8kF5y4orFGZFtH7Q0DAOMMj96rA5LoFLPc9nbBWyAqjCPv_TOPO8JYVX4sNIOmjDYzKDex12ckwBECTkgw31DpiW9-1zBqAGvc2Tb-phPOM8fn8W2fibcyDn/s1600/IMG_0563.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89ovoZP1wroNeP7ZtsZbv6o6fPv6gSO_YtXWmPNPL85vzYQdJ-gKo4vpIU4etKhIrvrgEgxIboEAoiit3XhbbqYPAQ1tL8lqSUMTqdFPtyZLqIAsxOWq3Qd2DC1BATLonjq_i8-IHfcJ8/s1600/SoDak_Pheasant.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89ovoZP1wroNeP7ZtsZbv6o6fPv6gSO_YtXWmPNPL85vzYQdJ-gKo4vpIU4etKhIrvrgEgxIboEAoiit3XhbbqYPAQ1tL8lqSUMTqdFPtyZLqIAsxOWq3Qd2DC1BATLonjq_i8-IHfcJ8/s320/SoDak_Pheasant.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671215358753892098" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">A few years ago, on a Winchester Ammunition ladies hunt, I met Heather Reddemann. Heather is a prostaffer for <a href="http://www.winchester.com">Winchester Ammunition</a> and <a href="http://www.shesafari.com">SHE Outdoor Apparel</a>. She is a person I instantly clicked with and stayed in contact with over the years. She is a dog trainer at <a href="http://www.oaktreefarm.com/">Oak Tree Farm</a> in South Dakota, as well as a full-time pharmacy PhD student. She has been hounding me to get out to South Dakota for not only pheasants, but ducks as well. This year I was fortunate enough to draw a limited tag for waterfowl.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">I have always known South Dakota is notorious for pheasants, but what about ducks? Our first adventure out was started with an argo ride (which is now on my must-have list). We found a nice waterhole and hid in the cattails. We saw and heard so many ducks that morning. It became clear to me that South Dakota is a sleeper state for waterfowl.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">I could tell it was my first duck hunt of the season, my shot was lousy, but I still had a lot of fun and managed to shoot a nice bufflehead, something I haven’t shot before. That afternoon we got in some pheasant hunting at Oak Tree. I was thrilled to finally say that I had hunted pheasants in South Dakota!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNbitqvq9s-JpnsHpHx9n8kF5y4orFGZFtH7Q0DAOMMj96rA5LoFLPc9nbBWyAqjCPv_TOPO8JYVX4sNIOmjDYzKDex12ckwBECTkgw31DpiW9-1zBqAGvc2Tb-phPOM8fn8W2fibcyDn/s320/IMG_0563.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671215530931708114" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px; " /></span></span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">I have always hunted behind German Shorthair Pointers; this was my first time behind flushers. I always thought I liked pointers, but Heather’s labs changed my perspective; I think I am a flusher kind of girl! Her dogs can go from a duck blind in the morning to a pheasant field in the afternoon and perform like rockstars.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">The next morning we got back into the waterfowl frame of mind and hunted a little waterhole right behind Heather’s house. We had action all morning! We had pintails, teal and every duck imaginable come into our little spread.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">My favorite moment was when I heard a WHOOSH…a small group of green winged teal came firing in like a bunch of fighter jets. I couldn’t believe how quick they were. I was able to drop one of them. I was super excited! The thrill of hearing those quick birds and being able to bring one down picked up my shooting confidence.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;">I was bummed my trip was so short, but I am glad I got to experience South Dakota. Working with Heather’s retrievers was a treat. They are such versatile and smart hunting dogs. The hunting was great. I can now finally say that I have pheasant hunted in South Dakota, as well as waterfowl. I am also glad I got to share that time in the field with a dear friend.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWzfeXMA_ZiZ6z5iT9oOIyW52vaaEN7SJXU3uLNFmPAg3_VcEix5ZIPD7JaGeeoo3CL8Og7GYwCst9KQsiYYSmBTn09nQ61hkHoEmsbyxkwA_JEy8nFbZDO6BO2YoaeA2Whc3uDqJU320/s320/Screen+shot+2011-11-04+at+11.48.24+AM.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671214634553173074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 198px; " /></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-39679889547118664122011-10-17T16:13:00.000-07:002011-10-17T16:24:58.819-07:00The Best Warranty For Safes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKMXigWO97cLwKymPI25UWm0NrFAd_Sa35u2vd133ATBI64gJga7YIUd3wH3l9oqhxKuhyS0-kDMsq-hr5QE9umzoWC-Qll5A5xiNCJWH7AizF5JHjG1Nv3zCNDZHs8lNJKtqkXFRgDKp/s1600/CANNON_LOGO+_COLOR.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKMXigWO97cLwKymPI25UWm0NrFAd_Sa35u2vd133ATBI64gJga7YIUd3wH3l9oqhxKuhyS0-kDMsq-hr5QE9umzoWC-Qll5A5xiNCJWH7AizF5JHjG1Nv3zCNDZHs8lNJKtqkXFRgDKp/s320/CANNON_LOGO+_COLOR.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664604633546570098" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Chevalier Advertising has handled the marketing, PR and advertising for Cannon Safe for many years. We have always promoted their warranty as “the best one in the industry.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I challenged their warranty and put it to the test. In the PR office we have a 2004 Dangerous Game series safe. This safe is opened and closed multiple times throughout the day, much more often than your typical residential safe. Recently, the safe would not lock consistently when closed. The safe worked, just caused a minor inconvenience to my day. As it was Friday at 4:30pm, this was the perfect opportunity to challenge Cannon’s Lifetime warranty.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Disclaimer: Not once did I specify who I was, or what my relation was to Cannon. I wanted to experience this as an average consumer.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I called the 1-800 number on the door panel of the safe. No automated menu to navigate, but instead, a real live person picked up on the second ring, “Cannon Safe, how may I direct your call?” I was immediately connected to a “Level 1 Customer Service Representative.” They were very patient and clear with their trouble shooting directions. We did the obvious: new battery on the keypad and made sure the door was clear of obstructions. When the problem was not solved, I was transferred to a “Level 2 Customer Service Representative.” After additional troubleshooting, it was determined that an authorized locksmith would need to come see the safe in person. The customer service rep took down my information and told me one of their locksmiths would be in touch with me to schedule an appointment. The call to Cannon took all of about 10 minutes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Shortly after, I got a call from the local locksmith. They were available immediately and offered to be at the Chevalier office in 15 minutes. Now being 4:45pm on a Friday, I asked if we could schedule an appointment early the following week. The locksmith happily scheduled an appointment at my convenience.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On Tuesday morning, the locksmith and his apprentice got to work on troubleshooting the safe. They pulled off the door panel and exposed the inner workings of the safe.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> I learned that Chevalier’s safe had endured so much wear and tear, that one of the bolts was slightly rubbing against another part, which was why the safe had a difficult time locking consistently. The locksmith told me he was going to have to order the right part from Cannon, as he did not have one in stock. Before leaving, he made sure the safe could still unlock, open, close and lock.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The local locksmith called throughout the week to let me know the status of the part. A few days later, the same locksmith was back with the new part. It was installed, tested and ready to go within an hour. Also while working on the safe, he never once asked for the combination. I did not have to pay for any of his services either, it was all covered by Cannon.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">A nice touch to everything was the follow up call I received from Cannon two weeks after I placed my initial call to customer service. A customer service rep called from Cannon to make sure I was satisfied with the repair. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Overall, I was very impressed with Cannon’s lifetime warranty. They were courteous from the first call and followed through with a great local locksmith to fix the safe in-house and free of charge. I am proud that Chevalier Advertising represents a company that stands behind their warranty and products.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">For more information about Cannon Safe’s warranty, go to http://www.cannonsafe.com/warranty.html</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-29543709317512658042011-09-16T14:49:00.001-07:002011-09-16T16:23:30.992-07:00Photos - SHE Media Trip - South Africa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIB99m957Blbd6XZcmjLSiLWDSPxn3XY1_BBR5GVEQgPXgtu0OG5g8LzXae7dkc6ghR10OGo42fqlGxXZXCmXMEsvtyxoNKjV479xWTN8ZLgiJYWzuLkkrY96xSNGLs6NsityGCD7-qYR/s1600/1DSC_0081.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioIB99m957Blbd6XZcmjLSiLWDSPxn3XY1_BBR5GVEQgPXgtu0OG5g8LzXae7dkc6ghR10OGo42fqlGxXZXCmXMEsvtyxoNKjV479xWTN8ZLgiJYWzuLkkrY96xSNGLs6NsityGCD7-qYR/s320/1DSC_0081.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653092217312278770" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Afton House - Johannesburg </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp27m_9zxzX2AXg8FTY82Hl9mf_D9OhnvdZ33JKBwwIkSON_GTXhsJGZAgw4TV-j5S9tW-8tmYTqPpxcXokmRCjNlI5jhavL7tMGIMTEfahiXlutPQ6sNLzL9Y5jNgJDgj_dk3BCHZ5nPt/s1600/2DSC_0088.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp27m_9zxzX2AXg8FTY82Hl9mf_D9OhnvdZ33JKBwwIkSON_GTXhsJGZAgw4TV-j5S9tW-8tmYTqPpxcXokmRCjNlI5jhavL7tMGIMTEfahiXlutPQ6sNLzL9Y5jNgJDgj_dk3BCHZ5nPt/s320/2DSC_0088.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653092213813329794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Jeffreys Bay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsWlLtDh5mtRSZAKvX_AccTBh9tvoUDxh8gtGfjZ8baQJnH_O0hy2vZVgaj8SxeHbimJ4sYWT-8Bk8d7OfM2i1Nw3gWnWoKv8Y-33dMeta24OjmDf668F6uGsHzTSrZbEWOFwGLXDmFUa/s1600/2DSC_0105.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsWlLtDh5mtRSZAKvX_AccTBh9tvoUDxh8gtGfjZ8baQJnH_O0hy2vZVgaj8SxeHbimJ4sYWT-8Bk8d7OfM2i1Nw3gWnWoKv8Y-33dMeta24OjmDf668F6uGsHzTSrZbEWOFwGLXDmFUa/s320/2DSC_0105.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653092208971106098" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Karen, Hilary and Shannon - Jeffreys Bay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoWgjwN9LZg2eUVjMwkSczwqhPDQiXxvf4aPpdOOv64HkHcUVSTSlzhghjUh1YnQTwMG_nMFbV_f1FxXusec3tXjsIdyob1fRdxqiQBOlhDalzXHKp_hBaDKpDf3TTke3GyrlzLCTEvKC/s1600/2DSC_0106.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoWgjwN9LZg2eUVjMwkSczwqhPDQiXxvf4aPpdOOv64HkHcUVSTSlzhghjUh1YnQTwMG_nMFbV_f1FxXusec3tXjsIdyob1fRdxqiQBOlhDalzXHKp_hBaDKpDf3TTke3GyrlzLCTEvKC/s320/2DSC_0106.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653091811672151042" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sea of Seashells</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5xGBD-kAvpaVN_nZswTh2EzHil7daCFAmBff9Kc5XoS2XjNgWbShNF09RHaBMjcID4JtouEFK0O8ytdgWEszkQ8pZLoE1ehZJ0WjkOLSCATEMOyffmmbNbrYslAmmE9gYUfRQ-Ftzi3I/s1600/2DSC_0111.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5xGBD-kAvpaVN_nZswTh2EzHil7daCFAmBff9Kc5XoS2XjNgWbShNF09RHaBMjcID4JtouEFK0O8ytdgWEszkQ8pZLoE1ehZJ0WjkOLSCATEMOyffmmbNbrYslAmmE9gYUfRQ-Ftzi3I/s320/2DSC_0111.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653091810518063410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Tollie's B&B - Jeffreys Bay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EI9wIhKSsncbYdx-hnkv0plmZ_sKKPBuQF1-H9gnuKLwrID6-RQUNsAyWBez_UpLr6PE0SX4z-ZY6L-UfzpPnrnaOJefhteUeiJz-YrZbgjuDSJvjXWKIFqkOyy6O0_-TpoCIQXrdGKf/s1600/2IMG_6535.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EI9wIhKSsncbYdx-hnkv0plmZ_sKKPBuQF1-H9gnuKLwrID6-RQUNsAyWBez_UpLr6PE0SX4z-ZY6L-UfzpPnrnaOJefhteUeiJz-YrZbgjuDSJvjXWKIFqkOyy6O0_-TpoCIQXrdGKf/s320/2IMG_6535.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653091806401016802" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Jeffreys Bay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kbDk4Ro096zM2duWA59xYob_XcuJPQjzctf2TBGVh6BPJ_soWzP5-ecZgPm2nB2vkyTIAeCXrHFLEnh_ZcjIneomSJSy9DOnjm4qeFu8qGtw9zo6R67OxRsvY7zxvxVHkbnoOwn9aJAe/s1600/2IMG_6573.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kbDk4Ro096zM2duWA59xYob_XcuJPQjzctf2TBGVh6BPJ_soWzP5-ecZgPm2nB2vkyTIAeCXrHFLEnh_ZcjIneomSJSy9DOnjm4qeFu8qGtw9zo6R67OxRsvY7zxvxVHkbnoOwn9aJAe/s320/2IMG_6573.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653091801420479346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Karen, Tollie and Shannon - Jeffreys Bay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7XDigNULKRwH7ZZAA6qPsCEaIZBS5bNVHlf9U66GJVjUwpaAnIbb0yArf959Z3WIzKhhEkDH2ye8fR7y7B2N7x34G6xl_e9shYV5D-4tfdm_SRAelq9KPqY8QkQ7EiPLYIBimG3Y7HED/s1600/3DSC_0113.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7XDigNULKRwH7ZZAA6qPsCEaIZBS5bNVHlf9U66GJVjUwpaAnIbb0yArf959Z3WIzKhhEkDH2ye8fR7y7B2N7x34G6xl_e9shYV5D-4tfdm_SRAelq9KPqY8QkQ7EiPLYIBimG3Y7HED/s320/3DSC_0113.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653091342759893778" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Shannon & Brittany on a game drive</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdCcpc8Q1Sz_Ur_0gTTY11Irk2FZx33B5MMGWh9McpYbgYgx0vv3tgr4NJpBORflu9TWLEKuRi4CWb0l2ZzXkwO8mPblmZ8mQpBlCMNkLYAfz2HfNXVGycllkuDwaYf05Y7VFRJwdNa41/s1600/3DSC_0204.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdCcpc8Q1Sz_Ur_0gTTY11Irk2FZx33B5MMGWh9McpYbgYgx0vv3tgr4NJpBORflu9TWLEKuRi4CWb0l2ZzXkwO8mPblmZ8mQpBlCMNkLYAfz2HfNXVGycllkuDwaYf05Y7VFRJwdNa41/s320/3DSC_0204.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653091337335033826" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sunset - game drive - Jeffreys Bay</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwEM4AmP_xa4KcGXZP_IMTfj77_0PTvaGdUema9TVHVG_bfQlqlx6MfuvE1jph39huUsytiVZLqYK6iKCkAX-oueK_YfR7KqytZfQ9pWSYGBIOxKy9a3XnZjsZAVHP9iChW7mywPfF-ys/s1600/3DSC_0209.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwEM4AmP_xa4KcGXZP_IMTfj77_0PTvaGdUema9TVHVG_bfQlqlx6MfuvE1jph39huUsytiVZLqYK6iKCkAX-oueK_YfR7KqytZfQ9pWSYGBIOxKy9a3XnZjsZAVHP9iChW7mywPfF-ys/s320/3DSC_0209.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653091333835737554" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Up close with Rhinos</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLStk9OvkJGrQS3CRAbNOLI1VH1CQMLgKsiTOlHSZFwIZCklJjT5XqP9vFbH6-TRSoE2r1-M6Fl0_MXds4WNRzz6JI5cmug3-79mx__Xwc_N43qNRrmHqVxpYfkkWKOUGJ5yRKLsQjP3xm/s1600/3IMG_6536.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLStk9OvkJGrQS3CRAbNOLI1VH1CQMLgKsiTOlHSZFwIZCklJjT5XqP9vFbH6-TRSoE2r1-M6Fl0_MXds4WNRzz6JI5cmug3-79mx__Xwc_N43qNRrmHqVxpYfkkWKOUGJ5yRKLsQjP3xm/s320/3IMG_6536.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653090922945492754" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Nyala - game drive</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAbYGpYsyQ0x3V8taVsMNmNdixlRPDlyAKh7WJ2vaXS1pEe9lAgZ2NZzcZ3L88Ik0nU_RUxemH2hLuw5e9mLzVToDHHmzl8NokLyU3TwH6RWeDoKzRDjx-tuKq2JQZJPd-nw7bdj859CT/s1600/3IMG_6538.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAbYGpYsyQ0x3V8taVsMNmNdixlRPDlyAKh7WJ2vaXS1pEe9lAgZ2NZzcZ3L88Ik0nU_RUxemH2hLuw5e9mLzVToDHHmzl8NokLyU3TwH6RWeDoKzRDjx-tuKq2JQZJPd-nw7bdj859CT/s320/3IMG_6538.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653090915900074162" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Bontebuck - game drive</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdz51sZ1UrxWmhMKb99hKuHZBNZXY9_oxgNdVvT7XM1Tlu42JaDk_WbdyAwdpQUSVi0x_XZG7mwaFkW4gwyJoHD5IiBJwVWhrU03It8d2eewy3EhWQ-wCrj0sXSkogcsbeEef4R_TnJ5LC/s1600/3IMG_6542.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdz51sZ1UrxWmhMKb99hKuHZBNZXY9_oxgNdVvT7XM1Tlu42JaDk_WbdyAwdpQUSVi0x_XZG7mwaFkW4gwyJoHD5IiBJwVWhrU03It8d2eewy3EhWQ-wCrj0sXSkogcsbeEef4R_TnJ5LC/s320/3IMG_6542.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653090215105489890" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Momma & Baby Rhino - game drive</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00BdwhnyQJYrRdjHtI4njJicPvLfaq8aCN96-eVEASjC4NOGrw45Q2N1c8T1i8Utv0JteIHCdR8ezzwWXhcsMzlp5mTJYf-nmO_GgSrxzuyvT4wRQdMkL4iLkv13FLKdu0ISUxNPpC8no/s1600/3IMG_6556.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00BdwhnyQJYrRdjHtI4njJicPvLfaq8aCN96-eVEASjC4NOGrw45Q2N1c8T1i8Utv0JteIHCdR8ezzwWXhcsMzlp5mTJYf-nmO_GgSrxzuyvT4wRQdMkL4iLkv13FLKdu0ISUxNPpC8no/s320/3IMG_6556.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653090206220570882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Cape Buffalo - game drive</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZVEwLxeqst4sE0IEsuXASrBheRBc4hyk7hbSqD76gzzng9a0kkp4m3wKE8gqr91hYDKm6c-FF3G2X0l08iP06OBhr7A-0tFb28YzLXe9BFA7fDbXAEEU9snudn9zhBvUq_lnAGG0Sr_z/s1600/4DSC_0128.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZVEwLxeqst4sE0IEsuXASrBheRBc4hyk7hbSqD76gzzng9a0kkp4m3wKE8gqr91hYDKm6c-FF3G2X0l08iP06OBhr7A-0tFb28YzLXe9BFA7fDbXAEEU9snudn9zhBvUq_lnAGG0Sr_z/s320/4DSC_0128.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653090203897375794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Warthog - Addo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3CleY5VibDFi7VDJwypD2-if9ySeVwkyGer048T63Y3kwBlL1VxMOsb8ptxGEB2CI3iKP0rxonvDNl9vgk874rBw9dV9SkClkbHq8oDn5FOY1Hh-tGU4qg9PH18uwUaHZog8R3xlOyp3/s1600/4DSC_0140.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3CleY5VibDFi7VDJwypD2-if9ySeVwkyGer048T63Y3kwBlL1VxMOsb8ptxGEB2CI3iKP0rxonvDNl9vgk874rBw9dV9SkClkbHq8oDn5FOY1Hh-tGU4qg9PH18uwUaHZog8R3xlOyp3/s320/4DSC_0140.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653090197410820370" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Tollie Our Tour Guide - Addo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lJcF2WGdLqmKnAiv5Xcbih2IJyom6njzilMp_1yrKgR1P59-FIhrh842Zb9DQEG-tiTV3zaTgpUebn7pgjGrOtbELsCxaHfBZk2mu24M9rNYft3zbIg12m9INEReuh7GI-nvUc29gLuT/s1600/4DSC_0174.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lJcF2WGdLqmKnAiv5Xcbih2IJyom6njzilMp_1yrKgR1P59-FIhrh842Zb9DQEG-tiTV3zaTgpUebn7pgjGrOtbELsCxaHfBZk2mu24M9rNYft3zbIg12m9INEReuh7GI-nvUc29gLuT/s320/4DSC_0174.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653090194927792338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Obey the sign</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIb6e3l0KSq2NC5z2aUYhMD3Vhc7lq3yOurlKvvA8c-PoOfzMBgpWtNjvJhWGp8JE5hFhcfGqyc-mZ98LEgg0m-2REODfjssgRjEvZhtBoAkr6yYyODq-Fb0ambgTkXbJwlO_IcSy2H_o/s1600/4IMG_6627.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIb6e3l0KSq2NC5z2aUYhMD3Vhc7lq3yOurlKvvA8c-PoOfzMBgpWtNjvJhWGp8JE5hFhcfGqyc-mZ98LEgg0m-2REODfjssgRjEvZhtBoAkr6yYyODq-Fb0ambgTkXbJwlO_IcSy2H_o/s320/4IMG_6627.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653089590286638002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Kudu - Addo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8Sl5rWC1-riJhKVwGB8eN9NXDdZR70I2O_oykGLz46mFZEyvQek1vmce0WbS45lxUoI6V7JZscgakgTEwIBCdOfvLzP0YW8-scdx5z8aIwvrKmtRmNZC2PFE6_RGDx5xBA56ScU1ZuJk/s1600/4IMG_6640.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8Sl5rWC1-riJhKVwGB8eN9NXDdZR70I2O_oykGLz46mFZEyvQek1vmce0WbS45lxUoI6V7JZscgakgTEwIBCdOfvLzP0YW8-scdx5z8aIwvrKmtRmNZC2PFE6_RGDx5xBA56ScU1ZuJk/s320/4IMG_6640.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653089580957134114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Zebra - Addo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixw5KMCLs4mrsn1NdwyHMiOSP4KfK6eQaUPVZpMlPIRNsff4wjLEhTH8rWjMpVUCoqHxFrNHLOO2ys6jmH56wFhPLitw__y0Lg2k8PszLsK-1llrPSNU3Cnx1-ITdISrsnb-SOyw8ICmup/s1600/4IMG_6654.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixw5KMCLs4mrsn1NdwyHMiOSP4KfK6eQaUPVZpMlPIRNsff4wjLEhTH8rWjMpVUCoqHxFrNHLOO2ys6jmH56wFhPLitw__y0Lg2k8PszLsK-1llrPSNU3Cnx1-ITdISrsnb-SOyw8ICmup/s320/4IMG_6654.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653089571460028338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Elephant - Addo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlnRqZpBuJybEpK4x5FtMKT1IP-MVD3ksAd3trQ1z75KmGEDohiMaBqq6UZfQaD7FOfCuZJaDQZ-YM1oaPbhZ_dq-15BjH4PtcswZhHEwscwYUgnicCeFJKi8HT8RHUJH29jwBNrS56Oa/s1600/4IMG_6666.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlnRqZpBuJybEpK4x5FtMKT1IP-MVD3ksAd3trQ1z75KmGEDohiMaBqq6UZfQaD7FOfCuZJaDQZ-YM1oaPbhZ_dq-15BjH4PtcswZhHEwscwYUgnicCeFJKi8HT8RHUJH29jwBNrS56Oa/s320/4IMG_6666.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653089161332727794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Emu - Addo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccFAacJ3KnQmvjUqEIf-ijP4tsc1TNYxYeY1MfXxlk4dLp3_nsCi7CwA1iUzhy58fZJsnGaDjQ7pcqCw_JvN-cfFGHjebwTHyw_2qB8RJQwJsGOy6z-GHoiZNz1bT1jerOwKeO7aS0Zfc/s1600/5DSC_0343.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccFAacJ3KnQmvjUqEIf-ijP4tsc1TNYxYeY1MfXxlk4dLp3_nsCi7CwA1iUzhy58fZJsnGaDjQ7pcqCw_JvN-cfFGHjebwTHyw_2qB8RJQwJsGOy6z-GHoiZNz1bT1jerOwKeO7aS0Zfc/s320/5DSC_0343.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086687298390626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Love this sign</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QEWkAmV2ZZja116zIfwbZXF3fB7Sf_-ysFscKZEp03JzBl968T1yzzpLrSjTtilDJLdbuFHjGEOYLADMUcAWl5HaidUmhcxG5jzYEmzbIPmkrY6Auh4FqXeeunT8OCY-2nR9CShyphenhyphenBWRf/s1600/5DSC_0388.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QEWkAmV2ZZja116zIfwbZXF3fB7Sf_-ysFscKZEp03JzBl968T1yzzpLrSjTtilDJLdbuFHjGEOYLADMUcAWl5HaidUmhcxG5jzYEmzbIPmkrY6Auh4FqXeeunT8OCY-2nR9CShyphenhyphenBWRf/s320/5DSC_0388.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086683062862402" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The Lodge</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMLFyRKT_TNJJgi0EaYAZ1MMdGLzc9xzRT93P0zvIcwlgK4quQzM4JdJzvJqspYHjrVjInH7r4-VdhXMnyJjkByGcHp3pOpZrC-JuGcjxiHrjFCJNz87HSaytNpXODrjdHiknLbQCVQlU/s1600/5DSC_0399.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMLFyRKT_TNJJgi0EaYAZ1MMdGLzc9xzRT93P0zvIcwlgK4quQzM4JdJzvJqspYHjrVjInH7r4-VdhXMnyJjkByGcHp3pOpZrC-JuGcjxiHrjFCJNz87HSaytNpXODrjdHiknLbQCVQlU/s320/5DSC_0399.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086679664532610" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Backyard - Lodge</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWU7yj-gZc5VKac9tCXX3xjHLrn1Q_NbGmlGoPHNqk2RvRCJdP44Ug437T0xBYDh4dboMS4dcJJ3mluf_gzSPwbkml48OfVmBaXpDG1Fh3RcAqVISDkSgJbJtIlBwz84TbYlXnkqATc9uu/s1600/5DSC_0543.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWU7yj-gZc5VKac9tCXX3xjHLrn1Q_NbGmlGoPHNqk2RvRCJdP44Ug437T0xBYDh4dboMS4dcJJ3mluf_gzSPwbkml48OfVmBaXpDG1Fh3RcAqVISDkSgJbJtIlBwz84TbYlXnkqATc9uu/s320/5DSC_0543.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086671306837794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hilary feeding Bonty and Ears</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGjEuweYNu1eThlntKrsegGSvwL3xh_1HCaaDkfMOb6XyFHhds56P55_mpofD45E70k2zg210MlZRFoo6uajkMQLr-sGCUwpgbdgzMPbz97z6MBK-r5PZaX-uYlru64SMt-4rScNx5EQT/s1600/5DSCN0137.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGjEuweYNu1eThlntKrsegGSvwL3xh_1HCaaDkfMOb6XyFHhds56P55_mpofD45E70k2zg210MlZRFoo6uajkMQLr-sGCUwpgbdgzMPbz97z6MBK-r5PZaX-uYlru64SMt-4rScNx5EQT/s320/5DSCN0137.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086670213549138" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The rooms</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJwIqvevJe2DsCjmLa5QYj20oSoBzGo_iYjuIIbZpzi58CDJfFTsz4giCKIb9e1vUOYhz0T6DOn_b2voV34Mcbhtf7xcjW4ezkhmpblgnu5eLwY9cswgc9KhajMtF4UrYZrtjtl9E8AaX/s1600/6DSC_0248.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJwIqvevJe2DsCjmLa5QYj20oSoBzGo_iYjuIIbZpzi58CDJfFTsz4giCKIb9e1vUOYhz0T6DOn_b2voV34Mcbhtf7xcjW4ezkhmpblgnu5eLwY9cswgc9KhajMtF4UrYZrtjtl9E8AaX/s320/6DSC_0248.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086027384840306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">These thorns were EVERYWHERE</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGrFLz1xQW_SDjeHN68gsO4esPymlX3-p3B6cnHCvIE6VQuUbIrCDYNcQuMnhmL_r5UHVucojl6S0ONK2qaWSBtK9d7cpGlhMrEQBYfBaZ2hJ6lhBTOEB2sTvOUIZFo9-RL5NsfORdPYF/s1600/6DSC_0356.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGrFLz1xQW_SDjeHN68gsO4esPymlX3-p3B6cnHCvIE6VQuUbIrCDYNcQuMnhmL_r5UHVucojl6S0ONK2qaWSBtK9d7cpGlhMrEQBYfBaZ2hJ6lhBTOEB2sTvOUIZFo9-RL5NsfORdPYF/s320/6DSC_0356.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086023076246530" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Sunset at Tollie's</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_54AwaXiuLoW5aXo7jO3d2sEuipKUQYJebeo9sGjXGvkUrxZqEyPk2tNFzlU2HFF1nrtZ2Fb37Nqxm61yX1r44mkUg4A4JycEIk8ObUkwBcg8EcPkE97uXnmz38H638UJysBWEh4IDOH/s1600/6IMG_6717.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_54AwaXiuLoW5aXo7jO3d2sEuipKUQYJebeo9sGjXGvkUrxZqEyPk2tNFzlU2HFF1nrtZ2Fb37Nqxm61yX1r44mkUg4A4JycEIk8ObUkwBcg8EcPkE97uXnmz38H638UJysBWEh4IDOH/s320/6IMG_6717.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086017732370338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Chuckie</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoMQF7BXWOtalgwZ_6nHK3mcq-55J1PRFqN4TWhjJWx-NVF_65UxWVaU9-2KnqUCfM0AQWk6gDm1S52UH0S27xJtrr0Ab_WrZsV-5VTmaK6vzBKDHnTQ4axgUoKAnRT74nSyH6QM2h-eH/s1600/6IMG_6795.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoMQF7BXWOtalgwZ_6nHK3mcq-55J1PRFqN4TWhjJWx-NVF_65UxWVaU9-2KnqUCfM0AQWk6gDm1S52UH0S27xJtrr0Ab_WrZsV-5VTmaK6vzBKDHnTQ4axgUoKAnRT74nSyH6QM2h-eH/s320/6IMG_6795.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086015795782450" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hilary and Shannon participating in a tradition at Tollie's</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvt07DpNpvjX27acbiByn86UpRQEToFCw4lNUncXyTHD_4Idah-_Zuhfvw6-y0G13fFs4ACMxa4c35kD91yyFEwXpEPrErgZE1Nq-WW1HVIcGj6pnb-e4RGRBtttG3QCxRFj5wrd-yRtI/s1600/6IMG_6847.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYvt07DpNpvjX27acbiByn86UpRQEToFCw4lNUncXyTHD_4Idah-_Zuhfvw6-y0G13fFs4ACMxa4c35kD91yyFEwXpEPrErgZE1Nq-WW1HVIcGj6pnb-e4RGRBtttG3QCxRFj5wrd-yRtI/s320/6IMG_6847.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653086008459528146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Traffic Jam</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESWlofwzxUexbzZZB3i7GlgxGjsOYQFVTFSK5iR3fgCcPjRYmMlkYl1pkFC1LsbXrWTeF3pCHCh1JjHxC2auTrAc24pACnhMAuXRUReiZbzNcfkTD7lEiwNlvs6Y9vpcf8WAhQ4_qKHDf/s1600/6IMG_6813.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESWlofwzxUexbzZZB3i7GlgxGjsOYQFVTFSK5iR3fgCcPjRYmMlkYl1pkFC1LsbXrWTeF3pCHCh1JjHxC2auTrAc24pACnhMAuXRUReiZbzNcfkTD7lEiwNlvs6Y9vpcf8WAhQ4_qKHDf/s320/6IMG_6813.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653085197666340322" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Family meals</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeSjJwi_LBvhDUAoiZEiwL9ZUL5ptDlgzRW34QIJy4AXnd1wZEmxaHt062YV7Z9Eh02JYB8-wrJm9SmPvmF_oN2sOYZNG0IpY66wbOf0-djGl2F_payPNWn_BTDoKXu3GVcIOYnXDgev5/s1600/7DSC_0256.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeSjJwi_LBvhDUAoiZEiwL9ZUL5ptDlgzRW34QIJy4AXnd1wZEmxaHt062YV7Z9Eh02JYB8-wrJm9SmPvmF_oN2sOYZNG0IpY66wbOf0-djGl2F_payPNWn_BTDoKXu3GVcIOYnXDgev5/s320/7DSC_0256.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653085194583383154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Karen's Blue Wildebeest</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXT_xP-6Vo3c3MqDyBeIGoUu55zAOW8W1OEfturxxFkAgZ8yKL3u0iNv7rwnkZHVphWTTsEIzoAI4wsOQSY8VYKWveTX7_MiaCKRw5C8O4uYQpm5YwljPhVlXsgObqG8BQWZOdw-skC_W/s1600/7DSC_0290.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXT_xP-6Vo3c3MqDyBeIGoUu55zAOW8W1OEfturxxFkAgZ8yKL3u0iNv7rwnkZHVphWTTsEIzoAI4wsOQSY8VYKWveTX7_MiaCKRw5C8O4uYQpm5YwljPhVlXsgObqG8BQWZOdw-skC_W/s320/7DSC_0290.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653085184054733410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Tons of glassing</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TnwOxBvTXPzSs0sDRffbN0yXMpnLHHOkEHLHh_BPdqiUsabq3N3VdI3-43tXaUkbkLm0Pf91riCDx5HcW-L9f4FtXBSFIA2r2fjQNdNseUfgX3UCUbTXiCYb8Blj1eSWcPJgkmLKHtNU/s1600/7DSC_0299.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TnwOxBvTXPzSs0sDRffbN0yXMpnLHHOkEHLHh_BPdqiUsabq3N3VdI3-43tXaUkbkLm0Pf91riCDx5HcW-L9f4FtXBSFIA2r2fjQNdNseUfgX3UCUbTXiCYb8Blj1eSWcPJgkmLKHtNU/s320/7DSC_0299.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653085183071267970" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hilary's Springbuck</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXzP7tD4Rh-TkOfDIoUv72JQ-02BanBbJOWaazQPuU_g9-ss0qI9XvAzfSpcGVooETYytgsSUC8qoXhtV6D4xLfUydp36srdPJRxKae3DF7RQFu1VUA7NMpm5ZwKwvBYo8XQ3lNHlqI4b/s1600/7DSC_0312.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXzP7tD4Rh-TkOfDIoUv72JQ-02BanBbJOWaazQPuU_g9-ss0qI9XvAzfSpcGVooETYytgsSUC8qoXhtV6D4xLfUydp36srdPJRxKae3DF7RQFu1VUA7NMpm5ZwKwvBYo8XQ3lNHlqI4b/s320/7DSC_0312.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653085177553612482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hilary's Impala</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8ZUEvJ4nNekiTMQKSYQ-Vj5oP2AfvjJakgsbSECSFEiGl1rVL2Swz34Gah9yX21fUy1zGSLK31e0i3hvOcSS5ZW_bD0QnJkm-LBhTwFuuJUNNU8jLUPSeabOKs542Rhc2GMcysgsLgms/s1600/7DSC_0315.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8ZUEvJ4nNekiTMQKSYQ-Vj5oP2AfvjJakgsbSECSFEiGl1rVL2Swz34Gah9yX21fUy1zGSLK31e0i3hvOcSS5ZW_bD0QnJkm-LBhTwFuuJUNNU8jLUPSeabOKs542Rhc2GMcysgsLgms/s320/7DSC_0315.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653083577603564322" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Termite Hill!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFnc2rbfHWxxPGT5yEQGfNItAn_6KAoQwez9An8YusbsWwHAlJOb91AMePDzonB0gjfroWcf-s7hnjkzskybYiYM9fnBiuqClu9_yY1r7cWTsoaPyYVpxtppGQdZ-O0tIgWeKVWrRjBwp/s1600/7DSC_0321.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFnc2rbfHWxxPGT5yEQGfNItAn_6KAoQwez9An8YusbsWwHAlJOb91AMePDzonB0gjfroWcf-s7hnjkzskybYiYM9fnBiuqClu9_yY1r7cWTsoaPyYVpxtppGQdZ-O0tIgWeKVWrRjBwp/s320/7DSC_0321.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653083572154677602" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Giraffes </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KqOavwQFynf3a3AQ4aY1V6pzgcSTgVwA_dc87lOmT4xZCwDGTTR-edXOairZ480nyZd1TSdGsBofaFPYusikPTs9f0elJPEeoSpvG7fVxpG2mmDnaQXcdKZF_eU2a5TbgfmRisQlusl0/s1600/7DSC_0335.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KqOavwQFynf3a3AQ4aY1V6pzgcSTgVwA_dc87lOmT4xZCwDGTTR-edXOairZ480nyZd1TSdGsBofaFPYusikPTs9f0elJPEeoSpvG7fVxpG2mmDnaQXcdKZF_eU2a5TbgfmRisQlusl0/s320/7DSC_0335.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653083566305189986" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Karen's Impala</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4ipICpLNWsIjRoBbdMBEmS9dLAXdnavAAq-o0ph99BTlKwMLMKV97plOX6ld-CxsUffuV3X2qdsLJ3LEAzCn-Kvon1Jn3yfBB0ecolvrldOclUn-tlAjDC8jJOAx-Mk1MiRRquppbgUz/s1600/7DSCN0121.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4ipICpLNWsIjRoBbdMBEmS9dLAXdnavAAq-o0ph99BTlKwMLMKV97plOX6ld-CxsUffuV3X2qdsLJ3LEAzCn-Kvon1Jn3yfBB0ecolvrldOclUn-tlAjDC8jJOAx-Mk1MiRRquppbgUz/s320/7DSCN0121.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653083557058433250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sherry's Springbuck</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g9Zmy4NC6BqfBmnSE_lC_WyTj-XK0QlJ_4jrDCLnyD-r9QyrtlJr2u2Jj1jSn7Zq5Rz2sKMLocnIexujwx5V1XjVPxq6JLvev0hyphenhyphenjBauQHjeRDgShyhqm8Nwdpa2I8QcCO7OLUjO6NaU/s1600/7DSCN0132.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8g9Zmy4NC6BqfBmnSE_lC_WyTj-XK0QlJ_4jrDCLnyD-r9QyrtlJr2u2Jj1jSn7Zq5Rz2sKMLocnIexujwx5V1XjVPxq6JLvev0hyphenhyphenjBauQHjeRDgShyhqm8Nwdpa2I8QcCO7OLUjO6NaU/s320/7DSCN0132.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653083557926423698" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Dawn's Black Wildebeest</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoY_7pfUxPHJexMaKhIXwOq2s7NK6CJK0OJjpXK4EEIFjGj8y8jvgbd6zhkVTRDTro3fWw-20Nno9hkcA4iYePY_ue5vi9uLqwX3qL-uI3x5bbLq3c6ZopuVsrXTVgnyELV5FD75fkKTi/s1600/7DSCN0177.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoY_7pfUxPHJexMaKhIXwOq2s7NK6CJK0OJjpXK4EEIFjGj8y8jvgbd6zhkVTRDTro3fWw-20Nno9hkcA4iYePY_ue5vi9uLqwX3qL-uI3x5bbLq3c6ZopuVsrXTVgnyELV5FD75fkKTi/s320/7DSCN0177.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653082274703935954" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Amazing views</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEVX2Wb5SGTHgcBFL9B72kz610D2nA39mWp1xs7hyphenhyphen44yzHyW2QL6oV0Bt0FEEJB4xg7IOUCLX0xrjULuqU9iZlz-RwWYebanT1ql_dpMWRshoUv15iwJgrSbStrgGe7LPzU0zxkFOXNzj/s1600/7IMG_1826.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEVX2Wb5SGTHgcBFL9B72kz610D2nA39mWp1xs7hyphenhyphen44yzHyW2QL6oV0Bt0FEEJB4xg7IOUCLX0xrjULuqU9iZlz-RwWYebanT1ql_dpMWRshoUv15iwJgrSbStrgGe7LPzU0zxkFOXNzj/s320/7IMG_1826.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653082267614002082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Shannon's Black Wildebeest</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipO8aoAHh9mVdJjJOcy7_R0OmRyXH-SbVpWYaTtEXpbrlylWz6STJLKYn_O8U5joVd1JOR_rQZICUgCxPANWErg0-KRFgaxE0vaksv6BgLAi6XzohE08E-B7O3Hpl8NNaqcCZ8K-9Wcou-/s1600/7IMG_1840.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipO8aoAHh9mVdJjJOcy7_R0OmRyXH-SbVpWYaTtEXpbrlylWz6STJLKYn_O8U5joVd1JOR_rQZICUgCxPANWErg0-KRFgaxE0vaksv6BgLAi6XzohE08E-B7O3Hpl8NNaqcCZ8K-9Wcou-/s320/7IMG_1840.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653082255199938274" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Shannon's Impala</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZJzGPLdVwVsN30c2nr9r9xrayLUDSdEci83NjFm77OWCcScAA8glVjwVP-1mXsq415av_rrptilJpD227IHOdS4uiUXZh7jnhFbXim5Bg9whNmfYOypwCz0Miy-Q7RHjf6i-rMujgpoV/s1600/7IMG_6683.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZJzGPLdVwVsN30c2nr9r9xrayLUDSdEci83NjFm77OWCcScAA8glVjwVP-1mXsq415av_rrptilJpD227IHOdS4uiUXZh7jnhFbXim5Bg9whNmfYOypwCz0Miy-Q7RHjf6i-rMujgpoV/s320/7IMG_6683.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653082253581544882" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Cape Buffalo</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhhaicIdMMH4V8O2AWCahyNldtTOjlpN2MN9JR6V8JYuvrxLsU9XL5bUkdjvl5SjL4a0937zVylMk0Es_jsSMNwl4yhbrcIS-UeHSRvmYFEi2_VisTlkLn_tN6c3ji6Qn-2isS0frVIxL/s1600/7IMG_6684.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhhaicIdMMH4V8O2AWCahyNldtTOjlpN2MN9JR6V8JYuvrxLsU9XL5bUkdjvl5SjL4a0937zVylMk0Es_jsSMNwl4yhbrcIS-UeHSRvmYFEi2_VisTlkLn_tN6c3ji6Qn-2isS0frVIxL/s320/7IMG_6684.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653082248998811522" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Taking a quick nap</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjjIO0uL4JzKi2CKFTINfinsAwo5nZ3CEI3SmxR5AcSJa0dz-MQ0n1sQ2S_lfP8UBl5_QzCB9IR7uac1WGKzKdfBhPT3dfdjPC0O_AcN7uc3Q7bnP1SbQm9yNGI6gn6vK_S2SHngJVu6Z/s1600/7IMG_6727.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjjIO0uL4JzKi2CKFTINfinsAwo5nZ3CEI3SmxR5AcSJa0dz-MQ0n1sQ2S_lfP8UBl5_QzCB9IR7uac1WGKzKdfBhPT3dfdjPC0O_AcN7uc3Q7bnP1SbQm9yNGI6gn6vK_S2SHngJVu6Z/s320/7IMG_6727.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653080326642628482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sherry's Blue Wildebeest</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXagzuBrn6-XVTES0gW6oIOo14t3PKXKNy5bF8G7eDOrBm-pBEKB4iLNcGpHSw7BjyHPT5s1OrSWMgxW2ALkiC-MaPSSruraQtDxM0H0ElK_G6pe_ypz4NzoaS5ak-w6hBJ33OjhB3-rYZ/s1600/7IMG_6816.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXagzuBrn6-XVTES0gW6oIOo14t3PKXKNy5bF8G7eDOrBm-pBEKB4iLNcGpHSw7BjyHPT5s1OrSWMgxW2ALkiC-MaPSSruraQtDxM0H0ElK_G6pe_ypz4NzoaS5ak-w6hBJ33OjhB3-rYZ/s320/7IMG_6816.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653080325874789906" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Karen on a stalk</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWMrcrsYq04niOYByNcP63aObdTAJBok_1eMWzjW3hzGkinMbWnO_tanA5ihQ-cZ3N0iK66myP0tBG4hh-1fwxYjPnsdXpoMu4PcfmvyOPXvp1TbA88XbpXih-mXdHzAU0QD029DkzHhA/s1600/7IMG_6841.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWMrcrsYq04niOYByNcP63aObdTAJBok_1eMWzjW3hzGkinMbWnO_tanA5ihQ-cZ3N0iK66myP0tBG4hh-1fwxYjPnsdXpoMu4PcfmvyOPXvp1TbA88XbpXih-mXdHzAU0QD029DkzHhA/s320/7IMG_6841.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653080313676034930" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Karen's Springbuck</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1qWC6qtRujU8JbIkN0r5FgiKqTypSnl9m6K726dLyMBC1uMMI0F0wvH1TaXIF7igYxnh9eU46vyr1zeoUJTs7BJpEY-l5Vi5p_aUClVkHsD8-1ktN5PVgIBzy2OjC5dQKEC_Qjz2xNir/s1600/7IMG_6865.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1qWC6qtRujU8JbIkN0r5FgiKqTypSnl9m6K726dLyMBC1uMMI0F0wvH1TaXIF7igYxnh9eU46vyr1zeoUJTs7BJpEY-l5Vi5p_aUClVkHsD8-1ktN5PVgIBzy2OjC5dQKEC_Qjz2xNir/s320/7IMG_6865.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653080310114125266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hilary's Red Hartebeest</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Rx83QHrafMpw1ZXzg344U2cbgpSqWYiktdPXzcLrL-8_wAmQMVt69UbxgDkzJaL7-3F-CkL1Olr7LS-dEcQ-DiZenVVU2UPvJCFZoI9TSbRrVXnzNizJqUhwmaIRAzQeJ2fMx-fU1o04/s1600/7IMG_6890.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Rx83QHrafMpw1ZXzg344U2cbgpSqWYiktdPXzcLrL-8_wAmQMVt69UbxgDkzJaL7-3F-CkL1Olr7LS-dEcQ-DiZenVVU2UPvJCFZoI9TSbRrVXnzNizJqUhwmaIRAzQeJ2fMx-fU1o04/s320/7IMG_6890.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653080304469934002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Shannon's Springbuck</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-15583516591469941842011-09-16T14:40:00.000-07:002011-09-16T14:48:02.383-07:00SHE Apparel, SHE Expeditions & Tollie's African Safaris<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vepkUfL2Uut3nL338dzIBzfd94ZDiuP5YcR8o5a_LWM6Cm0vQjZy4bOlHwH-u-QrYtnyy7LhUIoZy6FUFWMymA7_n7Hv2qJ6sEZFVlZxJ57tEiiuIlaDPmZGrJPM0vBz9UDFhVFUz38R/s1600/6DSC_0502.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2_sM1Yq-WzKgb8reP7cYIE3KhmEPR7S1S-F_BvhH3IfJEsVLRJDKxMzIdUusOzyr30OaaF4YUaoIBYdDaanHS5wtFEffH3drJfYHp1feAAeZ5bYOzPcFGIUUC6eGQob3tGUDgjy7n94a/s1600/Safari+Shan.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2_sM1Yq-WzKgb8reP7cYIE3KhmEPR7S1S-F_BvhH3IfJEsVLRJDKxMzIdUusOzyr30OaaF4YUaoIBYdDaanHS5wtFEffH3drJfYHp1feAAeZ5bYOzPcFGIUUC6eGQob3tGUDgjy7n94a/s320/Safari+Shan.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653076587903148338" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Warning…long blog post. Photo blog will be available for lookie-loos shortly!</i><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I sat anxiously in 42A on South African Airways flight 208. Our flight was taxiing the runway at Washington-Dulles airport. We were racing to get the heck out of dodge before hurricane Irene’s arrival. I wasn’t worried about Irene, I was more concerned about how I was going to occupy the next 16 hours of my life as well as how the next 10 days was going to pan out. I was more excited than nervous, as this was my first time going to South Africa. A dream was finally becoming a reality.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After a rather uneventful flight, I met up with a group of ladies in Johannesburg. This group was a diverse, yet accomplished group of women from the hunting and shooting industry. Sherry Crumley, the first lady of camo, was on my flight from IAD. Once through customs we met up with Karen Davis, industry veteran and editor of Turkey Country Magazine, along with Hilary Dyer, managing editor with Grand View Media Group.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After clearing our rifles and obtaining our South Africa gun permits we spent the night at the Afton Guest House. There we met up with our trip hostess Corinna Slaughter, President of SHE Expeditions and her friend Dawn Peeples. It was an early night as we all were flying to Port Elizabeth the next morning.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After re-checking all of our luggage and rifles (picture a group of women, toting firearms and large luggage going on safari, yes we got interesting looks), we met up with the 7<sup>th</sup> member of our group, Brittany Boddington of Intermedia Outdoors.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our short flight to Port Elizabeth was pleasant, it was nice to step off the plane and feel the cool refreshing ocean breeze. There, a tall and cheery man, Tollie Jordaan, owner of Tollie’s African Safaris, greeted us. We spent the day at Jeffreys Bay, collecting amazing seashells. In the evening, we went on a game drive at a local ranch. It was incredible to see so many different species as well as get up close with dangerous game. Hello momma rhino and baby at 15-yards!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We stayed the night in Jeffreys Bay at Tollie’s B&B right on the beach. The next day we toured Addo Elephant Park. The history behind the park and the elephants that inhabit it are very interesting. There, the land and the animals were very diverse. It was a lot of fun to spot the animals and discuss what our shot placement would be if we were hunting. We saw elephants, kudu, zebra, monkeys and so much more, too much to list!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tollie’s lodge is about 125 miles north of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. The terrain is mountainous and rocky, approximately 6,000 feet above sea level. It is a 5<sup>th</sup> generation family operation; they know the land very well, and are passionate about keeping it pristine. Most of their properties are free-range, which is nearly unheard of in the region.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our accommodations were excellent. We stayed at the guest lodge that had five bedrooms, kitchen, sitting room, den, living room, pool, cabana and full-service spa. We had our meals at the main homestead. Karen, Tollie’s wife prepared all of the meals. Oh boy, were they incredible! I could get used to Nyala and Kudu for dinner!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of Nyala, they have a couple of interesting pets at the lodge. There are four orphaned plains game that roam the property and are domesticated. We would hand feed Ears, the Nyala as well as Bonty, the Bontebuck. There also was a pair of Springbucks, Hansel and Gretel, but they were very shy.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Each person was allotted three plains game species to take during the week, with the exception of Brittany. She was after the highly elusive Bushbuck and Mountain Reedbuck. The hunting was absolutely incredible. Every animal was a different hunt, on different terrain and a different chase. I have a new respect for the people and the animals that call South Africa their home. It is tough out there and survival of the fittest is more than just a saying. It was exciting to stalk several animals and exhilarating once you were able to take a shot!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was paired up with Karen and our PH was Beans. He has worked with Tollie for over 15 years and knows the land very well. Riding in the back of the truck was our tracker Kombutay (sp?) and Beans’ dog Rigby. We lovingly called our motley crew “Team Beans.” I am pretty sure this group was meant to be. There was never a dull moment hiking in the bush or driving around in the truck. We got to know each other very well. Karen was the ringleader of questions and quizzes. My favorite, if you were a cookie, what would you be and why?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Team Beans did exceptionally well in the field. Karen and I each took an Impala and Springbuck. Karen took a great Blue Wildebeest and I got a Black Wildebeest. I really feel like I got to experience so much of the hunting because I was there for most of Karen’s. Beans did an amazing job finding us the best, most mature animals for our hunt.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I could go on and write for days about this trip. The people I’ve met, the places I have seen and experienced, I really feel like I have accomplished something. I am a much better hunter. I experienced things outside of my comfort zone and as cheesy as it sounds, I really do feel like I bring more to the table of life with my experiences in South Africa.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vepkUfL2Uut3nL338dzIBzfd94ZDiuP5YcR8o5a_LWM6Cm0vQjZy4bOlHwH-u-QrYtnyy7LhUIoZy6FUFWMymA7_n7Hv2qJ6sEZFVlZxJ57tEiiuIlaDPmZGrJPM0vBz9UDFhVFUz38R/s320/6DSC_0502.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653077057919074610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-60351342368375637572011-07-19T15:40:00.000-07:002011-07-19T15:56:39.246-07:00Bowcast at the Bird 2011<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdssSrZZXG-SMt-S5aOUN59TcqGkQiXIfAgUiVdjQkdZSxM4IFfYzX-TDtHJ28mpZ8ZIgrhH3IffinzVgvwKKFEHeRIdpLIuy7vW9BH0XyVVY3MMik43VFQtMwSug_LkAP6ULIhLYydiT0/s1600/DSCN1473.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKUuKfOEYf38MId7mNjeMF0MTjBDHtKj5VA95-0bnMed5GyxbpuBTRXfCVY57YqRXeR6-6HDugK-tb5K2VXEBXxu9NDZOQMhH5bbXe0PEJeH0AHYTmoTkuQJllu4LieXGCn8BoL5OmrbT/s1600/010.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKUuKfOEYf38MId7mNjeMF0MTjBDHtKj5VA95-0bnMed5GyxbpuBTRXfCVY57YqRXeR6-6HDugK-tb5K2VXEBXxu9NDZOQMhH5bbXe0PEJeH0AHYTmoTkuQJllu4LieXGCn8BoL5OmrbT/s320/010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631199401378762114" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKUuKfOEYf38MId7mNjeMF0MTjBDHtKj5VA95-0bnMed5GyxbpuBTRXfCVY57YqRXeR6-6HDugK-tb5K2VXEBXxu9NDZOQMhH5bbXe0PEJeH0AHYTmoTkuQJllu4LieXGCn8BoL5OmrbT/s1600/010.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>For those who know me well, know that I love archery (thanks CJ for getting me hooked). One of my favorite Nikon-sponsored event is </span></span><a href="http://bowcastatthebird.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bowcast at the Bird</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. This extreme 3D shoot is unlike any other in the country. This high elevation, high-octane shoot is not for the leisure shooter. Targets are difficult, 50-yards is considered a close shot and angles are realistic to a backcountry hunt.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKUuKfOEYf38MId7mNjeMF0MTjBDHtKj5VA95-0bnMed5GyxbpuBTRXfCVY57YqRXeR6-6HDugK-tb5K2VXEBXxu9NDZOQMhH5bbXe0PEJeH0AHYTmoTkuQJllu4LieXGCn8BoL5OmrbT/s1600/010.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What makes it even more fun is the people and the overall laid back atmosphere. You don’t have to keep score. In fact, my score was either the "thunk" sound of foam, or me mumbling expletives because lost my arrow over a cliff. This shoot also pushes you and your gear to the limits.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The first day I tackled the FMP and Elite courses with my friend Kelly and Rick Hanson (Bowcast & Bowhunting.net contributor). The target average was 70-yards on these courses and required a gondola ride to the top of the mountain at 11,000 feet.</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqWX1swziK1qDLZ6vPjA4SZDI_vILchaapk9OwBs8VzDKjLI6lSBxAZZpBIMV_u826xHbj59tUvPUNDPKOBdOvOZZbOUumY3InvRER44eD7Ngo5zxL7A5P-HVA9ZSSqQeFYMhhfo9yq4Y/s320/040.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631199505152509890" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Shooting that high up, in the snow and in July was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had. It took us four hours to navigate through deep snow, incredible canyons and shoot 20 extremely difficult targets.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I never really knew the importance of an angle compensating rangefinder until I shot these courses. I had guessed an uphill mule deer target to be about 60-yards. When I ranged it with my </span></span><a href="http://www.nikonhunting.com/products/rangefinders/riflehunter_1000"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Nikon RifleHunter 1000</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, it read 40-yards exactly. I didn’t want to believe it, but I trusted my gear and placed my 40-yard pin on the deer’s vitals and watched as my arrow went exactly where I wanted it.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The next day was the ladies social shoot hosted by </span></span><a href="http://www.afistfullofarrows.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Carrie Z</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Women from all over the country took over one of the many courses for an afternoon. I had the pleasure of shooting with </span></span><a href="http://www.realtree.com/hunting/articles-and-how-to/bowcast-ladies-shoot"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Michelle Brantley</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> from Realtree.com, my friend Kelly and Katy from California. It was really neat to see all of the enthusiastic women conquer one of the toughest 3D courses in the country. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I may have lost and broken more arrows than I wanted, but my shooting confidence is at an all-time high and I can’t wait for fall to get here!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdssSrZZXG-SMt-S5aOUN59TcqGkQiXIfAgUiVdjQkdZSxM4IFfYzX-TDtHJ28mpZ8ZIgrhH3IffinzVgvwKKFEHeRIdpLIuy7vW9BH0XyVVY3MMik43VFQtMwSug_LkAP6ULIhLYydiT0/s1600/DSCN1473.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdssSrZZXG-SMt-S5aOUN59TcqGkQiXIfAgUiVdjQkdZSxM4IFfYzX-TDtHJ28mpZ8ZIgrhH3IffinzVgvwKKFEHeRIdpLIuy7vW9BH0XyVVY3MMik43VFQtMwSug_LkAP6ULIhLYydiT0/s320/DSCN1473.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631200112489746434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div></div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-22626841323411464332011-06-06T06:05:00.000-07:002011-06-06T06:28:49.705-07:00Turkey Hunting with The Admiral<p class="MsoNormal">I’m a die hard, ultra competitive, super sleepless, ridiculously relentless,</p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdyWqyqj0sJ2LbHexbeJ7eSnQqiMkxNgPBoDCcmNwqmmvo6UmYy6cdUnBLyLUHW_Zmv3AyLalHjhgnIkCsJrav55bdmJMFMT7Gv2QTnpxsiAHQh_DfcQrusqZ5BrRrk7sF6uSwV0PCxXQ/s320/SD-Range-3-Web.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615095586425212482" />gobbler getting turkey hunter. Spring is my thing. Period. When I go turkey hunting and come home empty-handed, I’m usually really disappointed. And grouchy. And irritable. And down right unpleasant.<p class="MsoNormal">So when I got skunked on my recent turkey hunting trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota, I was disappointed, but I was also thankful. I had the privilege of spending five days introducing a person I admire to my favorite thing in the world. I took the United States Navy’s recently retired Vice-Adm. Carl V. Mauney, or “Uncle Van” as I know him, on his first turkey hunt.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I can make a long story short when it comes to the hunting: for five days, it rained for 70% of daylight hours (even snowed one day), we got soaking wet and cold more than a few times and the few Merriam’s gobblers we found were unresponsive to calling. We didn’t even come close to getting a turkey.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Even so, Uncle Van (in his late 50s and in great shape) trudged up and down the Black Hills listening intently as I tried to teach him everything he had to suppose I’ve learned about turkey hunting over the last 13 years. I had to admire him for his effort and dedication to the hunt. Here’s a guy who’s led thousands of men on missions and assignments for the last 30 years, and he’s willing to listen to his nephew, who’s half his age, tell him where to sit in the pre-dawn minutes before gobbling time.</p><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Dxd-txLTfEObvamSjTQRM923dGWw3wuqLZlMTnJMacVE7IIVyKW0tBWcTzNVEGrWOxpjzcXfVVL1J5Ru_RPUVLbBUWPvVyN-D7op7abu5cX1W6iTaTUKU_W2L83Qv8wMPve_Eo2qi_A/s320/SD-Range-1-Web.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615095592863301922" /> <p class="MsoNormal">As hard as Uncle Van listened during the hunting, learning as much as he could, I felt like I did the same when we were lucky enough to have him to recount stories from his brilliant career.</p>Naval assignments forced Uncle Van, my aunt Debby and their three daughters to move often as I grew up, and in turn, they were in and out of my life. The hunting trip allowed us to catch up on years gone by.<p class="MsoNormal">I heard how he helped lead the investigation in the aftermath of the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole in 2000, which was one of the first pre-9/11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda terrorists. Then, when Army Gen. Tommy Franks led U.S. forces into Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks, Uncle Van was at his side as his Executive Assistant. Sitting in the lodge during our hunt, as Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke on FOX news, Uncle Van commented, “he’s one of the finest men I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was surprised that Uncle Van kept smiling and enjoying himself even though the hunting was miserable. I spent months telling him how awesome the trip was going to be. I should have known better than do doubt his vigor though. It was almost as if he had a little experience with things not always going according to the plan. Thanks U.S. Navy for preparing my uncle to be a turkey hunter! </p> <p class="MsoNormal">On most turkey hunting trips, a 20-pound, loud gobbling longbeard is normally the star of the show, but that wasn’t the case on our trip. Uncle Van, and his tales from oceans and command posts around the world, stole the spotlight – and I’m so thankful I was there to listen. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Big thanks to Winchester Ammunition and the National Wild Turkey Federation for teaming up to introduce my uncle to the sport of turkey hunting and for always supporting veterans and the U.S. Armed Forces. Uncle Van can’t wait to get back into the turkey woods, so I consider the hunt a huge success!<o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Cambria, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; "> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </span></span>Michael Turbyfillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10646452572852494737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-38185046264980669162011-05-13T10:26:00.000-07:002011-05-13T11:01:57.689-07:00Visit to Cannon Safe & GunVault<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UlDwdtSq-2X3UpXFAoxKoSd7O7uf8yPmOSb0JSW9lv3lVzG0kAHIgDRObGS4mAE-90FOixKam2j7-mzTBz4L0cNwopF4LRNSTtZhg9hQq25avHiMp5LN3BBn-YPsU_PgfKJ-LI58Eg-w/s1600/DSC_0120a.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UlDwdtSq-2X3UpXFAoxKoSd7O7uf8yPmOSb0JSW9lv3lVzG0kAHIgDRObGS4mAE-90FOixKam2j7-mzTBz4L0cNwopF4LRNSTtZhg9hQq25avHiMp5LN3BBn-YPsU_PgfKJ-LI58Eg-w/s320/DSC_0120a.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606261366279050114" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Last week I visited Cannon Safe and GunVault headquarters and manufacturing facility in San Bernardino, CA. A really cool aspect of my job is being able to go behind-the-scenes and see how everything is made.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg5929A06AMnYRmBBeuwDUOOmguWf1KGQnjBWec0Iw2UoOnplCjg1nex4p5JpnJYA1ahKwbV_ACs57_hs9X5B33fym_BsHPWt3-lA0zbjWRMcSZabQXHouQA3HYo5BllMN-XCK0TUXJtS/s1600/DSC_0120a.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I settled on one of the oversized couches in the Cannon Safe show room floor, which would put many Cabela’s trophy rooms to shame. I heard the hustle and bustle of the manufacturing facility behind two over-sized fully functioning safe doors, curious as to what was behind them.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sure enough, welders were sparking, forklifts were racing around and painters were meticulously painting safes, all signs of a healthy company. I then got to see a variety of safes being built from start to finish.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Every employee on the floor has a specific task, and boy are they efficient! Not one step was wasted, cuts were precise and safes were moving along the assembly line in a fluid motion. It was neat to learn that a lot of the employees at this family run business have been on the job 8-25 years! It sure did show too, every safe was inspected for perfection.</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi388-S7gxOXkm25wfux2FjnedCzowQsq4ub9Uu2A-xRs8FcrPp6-UYH77_nOD_JlyUEDYwQ5W8U1dywQqIUIjODjBxF35I9kpTg65q4NyV0Nh4MIjShj8bJeeHwMvViU_nY_q81vfrYVPr/s320/DSC_0204a.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606255084072125218" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /></span><div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It is the attention to detail that has made Cannon a leader in the safe industry. They also stand behind what they make. To them, it is important that they take care of the customer after the sale. They offer free parts, free labor and free freight for repair of a safe after burglary, natural flood or fire for the LIFETIME of the safe.</span></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was neat to see the safes being made. I am proud to be representing a company that has been in the Baker family for generations as well as a company that produces a quality product that is customer-focused.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I also have to admit, being a Southern California native, it was nice to visit the sun and enjoy a double-double from In-N-Out! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIRYKnMQrKcjoFsOABmjUnr77wAjzWnw1FY_rMXloSga-Lib8L3XbeJhe1CwEw-ZuGohgj-vBPpUV9IjfEzJLpsbpNxj7fKl06_VHla35cRQl_KWalTpupHJZJkFb_R4ae5GWRE3hR4_K/s320/218952_828377862158_19706048_41159115_5629598_o.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606260988758086274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-29805632156625875802011-05-10T08:09:00.000-07:002011-05-10T08:19:18.742-07:00Hi - I'm the new guy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFAacrB-2rm2pHPcUpsWrUKgv0_ltjL9qSC2yk43Ky9e5J-q5Y22S9dSUm8hVsMih0vp7_E-Diw9mk4k-RAw3ZO8tXXwNXYttYUFEraTKB_v3Nb4mvQ6CA4WZpibVqzR97S25GJah9vw/s1600/IMG_4840.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFAacrB-2rm2pHPcUpsWrUKgv0_ltjL9qSC2yk43Ky9e5J-q5Y22S9dSUm8hVsMih0vp7_E-Diw9mk4k-RAw3ZO8tXXwNXYttYUFEraTKB_v3Nb4mvQ6CA4WZpibVqzR97S25GJah9vw/s320/IMG_4840.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605106381130470866" /></a><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">Hey everybody, my name is Michael Turbyfill, but lately everyone is calling me “the new guy.” I’m a new public relations specialist for Chevalier.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My situation gives me the new guy label with both my coworkers at Chevalier and our client, Winchester Ammunition. Unlike high school, when it was cool to be new, now I’m just the guy who needs to know where the bathroom is located and how to use the copier.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">New guy or not, I’m extremely excited and blessed to support the PR efforts of one of America’s most recognizable and respected brands. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In Winchester’s office lobby, a giant, bronze statue of American icon John Wayne holding a Winchester rifle reminds me each morning that the Winchester name is truly timeless. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Heading into my recent job change, the only negative part of the switch was I’d have to move smack dab in the middle of my favorite time of year – spring turkey season. Lucky for me (not so lucky for a couple gobblers), I was able to get in a few last-minute hunts in the Carolinas.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">On April 8, I was fortunate enough to harvest a testy gobbler on public land in South Carolina. Less than 72 hours later, in the mountains of western North Carolina where I grew up, I smoked an old, mountain gobbler in the same hardwoods where I first learned to hunt. Ironically, both longbeards met their demise with a face full of Winchester Xtended Range #6s. Check out the photo of my S.C. bird and I'll look forward to sharing more of my adventures in the future.<span style="mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Michael Turbyfillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10646452572852494737noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-19127309139910389382011-04-12T15:28:00.000-07:002011-04-12T15:39:35.824-07:00Chasing Easterns in Alabama<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPMHhUHVnl4Rf7N6oi6IhYfEGQakvCd7DcY6D98GagSk4GZ4ilqQ2uRRoVhyphenhyphenw_wdC4ENZ-5pYJqwRss9DVGGKZARnaWpjwZiryjLsLxRfPFVrFa1sOZ9Z4fKa3Y9msz0TxQw10gbWGKtR/s1600/IMG_8694.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKqCXldQ6vfNtwlhGo3ig2Bc_7G57I6mlxRf4dLNsxKikh5wNGeaj780WVWqVI2Z5A0HzjZqBpnF2CGnK2nNFRFPjz4BYquJbWTzjouDcClqKLSkIaHCFtirzYT6uMV_c24uatXJz1lC2/s1600/DSCN1220.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKqCXldQ6vfNtwlhGo3ig2Bc_7G57I6mlxRf4dLNsxKikh5wNGeaj780WVWqVI2Z5A0HzjZqBpnF2CGnK2nNFRFPjz4BYquJbWTzjouDcClqKLSkIaHCFtirzYT6uMV_c24uatXJz1lC2/s320/DSCN1220.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594829653112802962" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’m sure you all remember my quest to shoot a turkey with my bow, but </span></span><a href="http://chevalieradv.blogspot.com/2010/05/confessions.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">failed miserably</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This year I changed my game plan entirely and headed south to Alabama with a shotgun to chase Easterns. I met up with my friend Hilary Dyer of Grandview Media at the </span></span><a href="http://www.davisquailhunts.com/index.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Davis Quail Hunts</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> lodge. Our host Field Trial Hall of Famer, Colvin Davis and his wife Maize Davis, greeted us. We all got a laugh at Hilary’s expense when she left her choke tubes at home and had to use the loaner gun – a 10-gauge pump. After that laugh we ate a good southern meal and prepped for the hunt.</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There was turkey sign everywhere and I was pumped! However, that feeling was short-lived as Murphy’s Law crept down to Alabama. Next thing I know, turkeys aren’t answering my calls, turkey tracks lead to nowhere, roosting spots disappear and hens are aplenty but toms are absent.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I hunted three times a day with no luck. I sat…I spot-n-stalked…tried every method in the book with no results. On the last morning, determined, I set out with Hilary and Maize. The night before they were able to locate a roosted gobbler not far from the lodge.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We set up our decoys on an elevated field and started calling at first light. Within minutes we heard a gobble probably 300 yards behind us. He was fired up too! However, behind us was another field sandwiched between two ditches. It became apparent that the gobbler was walking up and down the ditch line, refusing to cross over.</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPMHhUHVnl4Rf7N6oi6IhYfEGQakvCd7DcY6D98GagSk4GZ4ilqQ2uRRoVhyphenhyphenw_wdC4ENZ-5pYJqwRss9DVGGKZARnaWpjwZiryjLsLxRfPFVrFa1sOZ9Z4fKa3Y9msz0TxQw10gbWGKtR/s320/IMG_8694.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594829806571020562" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If this gobbler wasn’t coming to us, we were going to him! We left our decoys and blind behind, as we knew we had to move fast. We crossed one ditch in hopes our big boy was in the field. After calling again, a silhouette appeared. My stomach turned when Maize confirmed our guy was about 200 yards across the field and on the other side of another ditch!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After strategizing for a brief moment we determined that Hilary and myself were going to army crawl to the other side of the field and set up right along the ditch. Maize would stay back about 50 yards and call. The game plan was to lure the tom right along the ditch line and shoot him from the other side. It was a fail-proof plan.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I took off my pack, clipped my ThermaCELL to the small of my back and started crawling. Hilary and I slowly but steadily made our way across the field. My motivation came when our tom would gobble. We got set up on the edge of the ditch and waited….and waited.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After a long sit we heard crows overhead causing a ruckus. Shortly after that Maize walked up to us and said she saw the crows harassing the tom and he took off in flight. Bummer!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Every Spring I am haunted by Facebook status updates and Twitter feeds – photos of successful hunters smiling while displaying a fan of feathers and long beards. Men, women and children, young and old, experienced and novice all are mocking me for one simple thing.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I can’t seem to kill a turkey. People now have a name for it…the Slayer/Salyer turkey curse.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLQhZzEQgN5xJZqPBA4VVSP7ZNWkivLfTTPhn632gIrdyclYinr__jqNIvsxK32hQUTTP56eG2vXV6QkRdyDUXv-lj6LMQR0-B-v1oeQnlL3DBJca2I5Y1gvR5hcWsjcaWkLlAzlu8Bz4/s320/DSCN1230.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594829025276039106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-58477024475905107932011-03-21T15:38:00.000-07:002011-03-21T15:52:54.384-07:00Introduction from newest member of Chevalier!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZ4_2QlstHoKMgqj6_mPcb4j3Ua1QXJczU1vGjUJ6CRZRAUxYuRZZoEIs_M03FY8gQFj9tr5akRIBpJosESBbMkfTsED8MfNM7CcXZCpxiIwz4a9kl4QE-_royGXYjI3lgqG1SWpGqf7U/s1600/2007.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZ4_2QlstHoKMgqj6_mPcb4j3Ua1QXJczU1vGjUJ6CRZRAUxYuRZZoEIs_M03FY8gQFj9tr5akRIBpJosESBbMkfTsED8MfNM7CcXZCpxiIwz4a9kl4QE-_royGXYjI3lgqG1SWpGqf7U/s320/2007.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586668042009333778" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">My name is Tim Zick and I am thrilled to be the newest member of Chevalier Advertising Marketing and Public Relations.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>As a public relations associate, I’ll be able to utilize the bachelor’s degree I earned from Minnesota State University, Mankato.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I majored in mass communications with an emphasis on public relations.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Prior to graduating, I spent roughly six months interning at a non-profit organization called The Arc of Minnesota Southwest.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Having been raised on a farm in Northern Minnesota, I am very familiar with hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Where I’m from, deer hunting is a major holiday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You either become a hero or have to spend a venison-starved winter waiting for next year’s hunt.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is the only time of year that my dad takes off from work.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Personally, I enjoy grouse hunting and fishing equally as well as hunting deer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Spearing Northerns during the winter is fun as well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Other outdoors activities that interest me include four-wheeling, snowmobiling and looking for sheds in the spring.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>I’m very excited at the opportunity to work in this industry and to be a part of a great team at Chevalier Advertising.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Check back later for more posts!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Tim Zickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833458125708878085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-50166991735907029442011-03-10T10:10:00.000-08:002011-03-10T10:43:21.177-08:00Early Opening to Turkey Season<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeIcIB32EXyNX7J4agww4TVP-660wiRez_UmT31XRCR7fuJNFczIvE660OEoZJOkb3WXlH-jl3nSrRXGmAqEPm1PMgOdoXdInlRaPgZ7Cd_002QTSy3bNCsR8QCJeOVKwIaK4X4YlmsU/s1600/CJ.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeIcIB32EXyNX7J4agww4TVP-660wiRez_UmT31XRCR7fuJNFczIvE660OEoZJOkb3WXlH-jl3nSrRXGmAqEPm1PMgOdoXdInlRaPgZ7Cd_002QTSy3bNCsR8QCJeOVKwIaK4X4YlmsU/s320/CJ.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582518516126079554" /></a><br />Florida is a destination for a lot of people but it interests me for one reason only....Osceola turkeys. When I worked for the National Wild Turkey Federation I help trap and transfer some birds once but had never hunted. Thanks to an invite from good friend Greg Gatto, that was all about to change.<div><br /></div><div>I was lucky enough to have Ray Eye to help with the calling for me and videoing the proceedings for <a href="http://outdoorlife.com/chasingspring">Outdoor Life's Chasing Spring</a>. Actually, when hunting with Ray you have to work pretty hard to get a yelp in....he does love to call. A trait I admire in a turkey hunter. The hunt also served as another chance to put my <a href="http://www.nikonhunting.com/products/riflescopes/turkeypro_btr/1.65-5x36_Turkey_Pro_BTR/8457">Nikon Turkey Pro scope</a> and <a href="http://www.winchester.com/Products/shotshell-ammunition/supreme-elite/xtended-range-hd-turkey/Pages/default.aspx">Xtended Range</a> shells to the test. Happily I can report it all worked as planned.</div><div><br /></div><div>The bird was a good one even by Osceola standards, sporting spurs well past the inch mark. And he completed my Grand Slam. A great trip with some good friends. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you go, even this early in March, do not forget your <a href="http://www.mosquitorepellent.com/">Thermacell</a>. You'll thank me for reminding you.</div>C.J. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03533093220672645750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-43084538758429277042011-02-11T07:43:00.000-08:002011-02-11T08:05:44.843-08:00Livin' the DreamThroughout the course of a year I get to work on a lot of cool projects and one of my all time favorites has been Nikon's Livin' the Dream magazine. In printed form the magazine is bound with the 2011 <a href="http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/18f308e7">Nikon catalog</a> and available at dealers across the country. But we wanted to do something special and expand on the content and interaction..... So Livin' The Dream digital was born.<div><br /><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 96px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvALh_C1ZNugfab9USv8VpL3FT_wridB1wcfQ4SkK7pFSny8ROLLojKgkKrlz4d6y4Z9fQvAqR3mFQWyL4fQhcThABHwHeXHQcY0nf0YhdJsr3BmqZCZQzPG3uk9iFrHM-3koMx2omU0M/s200/Screen+shot+2011-02-11+at+10.45.37+AM.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572461335267375506" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://nikonhunting.com/">Livin the Dream digital</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There are hotlinks to products, advertisers and web addresses. We also linked videos to almost every article title. It's located on <a href="http://nikonhunting.com">nikonhunting.com</a>. Check it out if you have a little down time.</div></div>C.J. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03533093220672645750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-33035191864672578352011-02-03T10:35:00.000-08:002011-02-03T10:54:52.167-08:00Happy 100th Post!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFePSznMN_mZUnUvxD1peX_ufXPEkWvUnoa6swvF0Er8dFN_Xa_ByoYEOp_UCOZlYpfPIlFVVmZE8OQU7o5xnXjNFZvqge1wLK27KckG7iWNSutCTZisQUnYblCYQ95F8MmmjU9M_uDGT/s1600/DSCN1080.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguFePSznMN_mZUnUvxD1peX_ufXPEkWvUnoa6swvF0Er8dFN_Xa_ByoYEOp_UCOZlYpfPIlFVVmZE8OQU7o5xnXjNFZvqge1wLK27KckG7iWNSutCTZisQUnYblCYQ95F8MmmjU9M_uDGT/s320/DSCN1080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569536436746253794" /></a><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I think everyone in the Chevalier Advertising headquarters in Oregon has finally recovered from whatever crud followed us home from the 2011 SHOT Show. I usually try to scout out the coolest/most unusual stuff at the shows. </span></span></span><a href="http://chevalieradv.blogspot.com/2010/02/most-interesting-thing-at-ata.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remember ATA 2010</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">?</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> As a waterfowl nut, I am totally stoked for Winchester Ammunition’s Blind Side! Watching Winchester Ammunition’s own Brad Criner demonstrate the capabilities of Blind Side at the Bass Pro Media Day was pretty neat.</span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The tightly packed and stacked Hex shot hit the ballistic gel like a ton of high-velocity tumbling bricks. The channel was massive on the gel from the Hex shot. Since the Hex shot is stacked, you’ve got 15% more shot pellets in a shell.</span></span></span></p><img style="text-align: center;float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxBsCUanKMGk9VcCbqjmq4DL14fWkDTqtO9_oapy-QTb28blyfU4TaoZ32jAsndn9nzNyvDjUsrxyPcTK2axHgp6GvEXa8one0jDnQVocnzugwuC25h1bPiW6IPsNt1p5hqMt10JJWk_q/s320/DSCN1084.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569536556267909858" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">The math for me is simple:</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">More shot + Hex Shot + Massive Wound Channels = Happy Hunter!</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-41092829005294259702011-02-01T12:29:00.000-08:002011-02-01T12:54:47.569-08:00Unstrung bows<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-f6rqc9bSMxXUP7j65_qAFGgKF9Z3rpr7GrpRuchThwuT3k3ZO5kPqngebCBhoYrhHHQ978SNou0eJWPZsMHh8t7w27tPi6RrF_EXrwQlqNMw8yt6WH8CM7Ht6EK6yDtJMxxd4voiTs/s1600/Ala+Doe.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-f6rqc9bSMxXUP7j65_qAFGgKF9Z3rpr7GrpRuchThwuT3k3ZO5kPqngebCBhoYrhHHQ978SNou0eJWPZsMHh8t7w27tPi6RrF_EXrwQlqNMw8yt6WH8CM7Ht6EK6yDtJMxxd4voiTs/s200/Ala+Doe.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568826219317942594" /></a><br />This morning I crawled out of bed early, not to carry my bow into the woods for a hunt....only to unstring it. That act always means the closing of a hunt or a season, and in this case it was both. <div><br /></div><div>Fortunately I did extended my season by hunting a friend's property in Alabama. It's a beautiful place that's loaded with deer and it gave me my first deer with a longbow. Something that has been much harder for me than tagging deer with my recurve. Not sure why as the mechanics of shooting both are very similar. However, the stars aligned and a healthy doe got a little too close.</div><div><br /></div><div>But of course I'm bummed that deer season is officially closed for me now and I have no more options until this fall. Guess I'll have to make do hunting pigs until turkey season gets here....</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>C.J. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03533093220672645750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-69048718117214772362011-01-16T10:19:00.000-08:002011-01-16T10:23:44.381-08:00Tis’ The Season Of Tradeshows<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">January marks the end of deer seasons across the country. For manufacturers in the hunting and shooting industry, January means trade shows, and lots of them.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">January 6-8, 2011 hundreds, if not thousands of bow-geeks invaded Indianapolis for the Archery Trade Association Show (ATA).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I hung out with my buddy <a href="http://www.bowcast.com/component/option,com_myblog/blogger,CarrieZ/Itemid,63/">Carrie Z</a> from Bowcast. If you have never heard of her or <a href="http://www.bowcast.com/">Bowcast</a>, be sure to check them out! Carrie and I set out on a quest to find the latest and greatest the bow industry had to offer.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Carrie and the crew from Bowcast put together the video below, it gives you a small taste of what ATA 2011 offered. Stay tuned for coverage from the 2011 SHOT Show!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pl_X_75uyRY?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pl_X_75uyRY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-75150659436438261322010-12-13T10:26:00.000-08:002010-12-13T10:33:51.630-08:00Finally Filled a Tag<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNwmtQQa68U7Y6_8a0R91oUMOA1JINju8UhvgwjVhqyMN-3UP62T4dvAxX1xmqvYy_0vlERKM3QEbCTQv5qkCtfFGOKCwTgSqkXsjiiG5B8uWnrA_lK_KCOv8mi0g0cqEdMz74dupw0ON/s1600/DSCN1017.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNwmtQQa68U7Y6_8a0R91oUMOA1JINju8UhvgwjVhqyMN-3UP62T4dvAxX1xmqvYy_0vlERKM3QEbCTQv5qkCtfFGOKCwTgSqkXsjiiG5B8uWnrA_lK_KCOv8mi0g0cqEdMz74dupw0ON/s320/DSCN1017.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550235449725336866" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">I finally filled a tag this year!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With a zip tie in hand, I tagged a nice <i>Abies Procera</i>, more commonly known as the Noble Fir.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Every year the USDA Forest Service offers Christmas tree permits for $5. I always wanted to try “the Griswold family Christmas tree” outing, but procrastination gets the best of me year after year and I usually end up getting a tree from a local U-cut.</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>We loaded the truck Sunday afternoon; a good handsaw, warm clothes, water and survival gear. We stopped at the Estacada ranger station to purchase a permit for the Mt. Hood National Forest.</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3TMg0_R2w75HeRzJZiCgtWtUvQaq6SmFjTQPN6X2w52aphdHGUnC-vGDTv1CED3glEvkXCcHlxYVWfRET78_OvrDWlJKCLTXl6ejJq6ckr3UnsNpeItTlPrWFY8snHtDMO5Uix4V9nVr/s320/DSCN1004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550235618898642674" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>The ranger gave us a topo map of the area, pointing out units where he saw good Douglas and Noble fir trees. After coming up with a game plan we got in the truck and started our trek to the wilderness. I made one last call before we got out of cell service:</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>“Hi Mom it’s me, we are going to the Mt. Hood National Forest to get our Christmas tree. We are going to be along fire road 4016, if you do not hear from me by 9 o’clock tonight, call the search party. No, really, call the search party.”</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>We zigzagged what seemed like forever on logging roads. The higher up we went, the hairier the road conditions got, thank goodness for four-wheel drive! We finally made it to our location circled on our topo map. No trails and knee-deep snow, we found ourselves in a winter tree-hunting wonderland.</o:p></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJJSsnludAmQ7umIwobuuy5DrPvfNtgir9F_0hloufkK4yOgmB5BOihf-EXx6EO8ROGRWka53-n_Zz1s-MSMM-8K2fNGlSPwmhddSMnyJUTL27jIjiLikTAQ1ybFOUHKl-LbELCW2fU0S/s320/DSCN1019.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550235847172444386" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>I realized that when at a U-cut place or a Christmas tree lot, much time is spent finding the “perfect” Christmas tree. You usually narrow it down to two or three choices and do a side-by-side comparison.</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>When out in the wilderness, the first one that meets your criteria is the one that gets the axe! Finding the tree is the easy part, packing it out and getting it on your vehicle is the hard part!</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>After setting the tree up in the house last night (it touches our 18-foot ceiling), I had a sense of pride similar to that when I hunt. I didn’t go to the store to buy my tree; I scouted in on a map, went out in the wilderness and cut it down with my two hands.</o:p></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-ks-RHvBpUtCE3gFtZxohnjUwbqRe9RXvcqnohzGB-OyaRs3G-70r_UfbPE_ak4AySd-cusWx9QhOEtq4slhyphenhyphenMRPx1GhndJ-iLHNxQEnOa0wnC3swbGZwsCzB2p9rZ3kKpNaVzfUXutO/s320/DSCN1023.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550236008209695746" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-60897949420934832532010-11-12T10:26:00.000-08:002010-11-12T10:35:31.280-08:00Babes With Bullets Rifle Camp<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U2XveBJa0nZaHJwFSSMblKO0NBVDFxFMrCYF2l-u4QPiJtD7o59hiDTcfvIW8yhmdOQWVFzX0ijOKjjUAcyBxh6uT4zC0hlqoqE6XJnj9DLzEoFZYwdLI6N0qVgEGufGBKBtXyrbGlUb/s1600/DSCN0903.JPG"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPIjUWQ7Z-MxfQQDuimW6mKHUPL9JuuJwt1kDt2lDzO_a2j9onYFcQxt_6RIl3RizZ6agMwVoOc-f1KVlhpDn9odEweth434c7qKc9ddWZ90PeJuZEjUcn_cnWVqQFx50bH6zvZI3Xyob/s1600/DSCN0901.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPIjUWQ7Z-MxfQQDuimW6mKHUPL9JuuJwt1kDt2lDzO_a2j9onYFcQxt_6RIl3RizZ6agMwVoOc-f1KVlhpDn9odEweth434c7qKc9ddWZ90PeJuZEjUcn_cnWVqQFx50bH6zvZI3Xyob/s320/DSCN0901.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538732849488577474" /></a><div><p class="MsoNormal">Shooter make ready...Stand by...BEEP!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>And with that, my heart starts racing. I quickly aquire my first target, two shots fired, I move onto several more in the vicinity placing two shots on every target. Feet shuffling, finger on the trigger I get to my next target, it is a hostage situation. I place my crosshairs on the head….CLICK.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Without a second thought, I rack the slide clear the jam and two shots to the head. I then move past a wall. Now is the time to change magazines. I don’t miss a beat as I pass through a doorway that activates two moving targets, each get two shots. I stop, assess that all targets have been shot. I drop my magazine, clear my chamber and show a safe firearm to my timer who happens to be Kay Miculek.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Kay has won several USPSA National Women’s Open Championships, three-time IPSC world champion, 13 time USPSA National Women’s Multi-gun Champion and the list goes on and on.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>“25.8 SECONDS” she yells. I follow her fast pace through the course. “Two alpha, alpha Charlie, two alpha, two Charlie, one alpha and ouch, one Mike” she yells to the scorer following behind us. No, I’m not at a match and I am not at a tactical training center. I am in Louisiana attending a Babes With Bullets Rifle Camp.</o:p></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U2XveBJa0nZaHJwFSSMblKO0NBVDFxFMrCYF2l-u4QPiJtD7o59hiDTcfvIW8yhmdOQWVFzX0ijOKjjUAcyBxh6uT4zC0hlqoqE6XJnj9DLzEoFZYwdLI6N0qVgEGufGBKBtXyrbGlUb/s320/DSCN0903.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538732982711378850" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Nikon is a sponsor of the rifle camp. Smith & Wesson is also a sponsor and provides M&P15s. Nikon tops them with the new M-223 1-4x20 riflescope with the Point Blank Reticle.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>I am not going to lie, I expected us to be spending all of our time learning about functions of the modern sporting rifles and shooting paper the rest of the time. Boy was I wrong! We were shooting three yards out to 100 yards. We were shooting prone, off-hand and on the ground. We were moving, working through malfunctions and strategizing when to change our magazines.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>It was intense, but I loved every minute of it. The campers were from every walk of life and from around every part of the country. Most had some sort of shooting experience, while others competed at their local ranges in 3-gun competitions and were looking to improve their times and scores.</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>I learned how to score a match, how to maximize those five minutes to analyze a course and strategize how to move through it and engage all targets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have never had any experience shooting competitively, but after this camp, I now have the desire to compete with my AR at the local range!</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 12px; white-space: pre; "><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NbDdPSYN-go?hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NbDdPSYN-go?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-24787500120341167382010-11-01T07:53:00.000-07:002010-11-01T08:30:59.222-07:00CO Hunt a Success<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfDoGoVpj03zaktCoNgSAsO5vsFemH_CCbVtvwk_XAOsLs0mYIp3RLV9oJeJa17sStv8TqSEq6gWX9L-TsHQJvcjwVK8I_qyQIH4T5tAIxtG2f2wAxOmyMA-LydnmM0TXZXPlDjhDOIM/s320/CO+Deer+Jonathan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534596634785182258" />I just returned home from a great mule deer and antelope hunt in Colorado.<div><br /></div><div>WinchesterAmmunition, Browning/Winchester Repeating Arms, Mossy Oak and Under Armour teamed up to host a cold, snowy, successful hunt.<br /><div><br /></div><div>We hunted in Craig, Colo., with Dick Dodds of Elkhorn Outfitters (www.elkhornoutfitters.com).</div><div><br /></div><div>We tested a variety of calibers in Winchester's Power Max Bonded line and their new Power Core 95/5 line, which is a lead free (copper/zinc) product that will be available in 2011.</div><div><ul><li>Power Max Bonded: 270 Win, 270 WSM</li><li>Power Core 95/5: 30-06 and 300 WSM</li></ul><div>The animals were taken from 80 yds to 400 yds and the ammo performed great. Not to mention, the guys we were with could shoot. Most of the shots were taken around the 200 yd mark.</div><div><br /></div><div>We were able to recover a few of the bullets. Here's the 300 WSM Power Core 95/5 bullet that was recovered from John Taranto's (Outdoor Life) mule deer.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOyq_a_A7alObBtm40YDN_BhsHT3i90188lqR4zBCfgpdrlKylPJdMN_moudY-zXcnOfJ89oXGWweUsJJqHSF5DV1R4zCK_hSHycGcVO8rgXtjWsovQAEkgkGs1La0qc5yXItINRaXJs/s320/PowerCore300WSM2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534599559792063138" /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWc9ign9yQq8j1c_L6c97Ppdb3XJViRZ6j21Ngw2k15hRZf1Ir1IzgNRv5DEZaqbM9xFQ4hFE5BwgsH6c6rvO3lVX2hkaMUvJ06SdCPswbflS5tk0Hv9JKTSFKa4CZogZbL1_0rFe5L5c/s320/John+Taranto2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534599561932709218" /></div><div><br /></div><div> As you can see, all four petals are still attached and are rolled back perfectly. Nearly 100% of the weight was retained from this shot. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We are only days away from launching Winchester's 2011 new product line, so keep your ears and eyes open for the latest information about their new product.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Jonathan Harlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08487053767743023638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-32679681187238260242010-10-25T09:36:00.000-07:002010-10-25T19:12:50.826-07:00Why I Love my Backyard Part 2!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLt40FZ-NZeTznBl53T4Hsc1VCbGQRzB_SZJRLFkcUayNqHInXnKfETL3oy17tLmXiyEkwyiIbQaRXE8cfxBFAdr-SzC7QgVgSC9UiUcwiEGkUiEhSf_S4UVNZlOjghPYqRq5WkLSJu4/s1600/6pt.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLt40FZ-NZeTznBl53T4Hsc1VCbGQRzB_SZJRLFkcUayNqHInXnKfETL3oy17tLmXiyEkwyiIbQaRXE8cfxBFAdr-SzC7QgVgSC9UiUcwiEGkUiEhSf_S4UVNZlOjghPYqRq5WkLSJu4/s200/6pt.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532028526698414482" /></a><br />This guy made the mistake of walking by my treestand yesterday afternoon. And while he's not big by even South Carolina's modest standards, he's my first buck with a recurve and I'm more proud of him than any buck I've taken.....other than my very first.<div><br /></div><div>If you're interested, I was shooting a Stalker recurve built by South Cox. <a href="http://www.stalkerrecurves.com/">Stalker Recurves</a></div><div><a href="http://www.stalkerrecurves.com/"></a><br /><div>Despite getting a doe every year, it's taken 3 years of hard hunting to get a buck with my recurve. All the close calls, missed opportunities and missed shots have be worth it. I'm hooked forever.<div><br /></div><div>Something about hunting with a recurve reminds me of when I first started bowhunting. Introduced by a neighbor and his wife, who both hunted and shot competitively, I bugged the heck out of them for stories and advice. I can still remember the way my first bow, an old Jennings T-star with a metal rise, felt in my hand. That bow is long gone as are a lot of the woods I used to roam, but it hooked me on bowhunting. Not a year has gone by that I don't spend as much time as possible chasing whitetails with a bow of some kind. </div><div><br /></div><div>From failing my first period algebra class in 12th grade due to absences (still made honor society much to my mom's anger) or taking a semester or two off in college, I never let the less important things get in the way of hunting. It's good I landed a job in the outdoor industry sinc no doubt I'm unfit for any other form of employment.</div><div><br /></div><div>We all hunt for the same reasons, but those reasons may not always apply to the same deer. And that's fine. For me, this little 6 pt, taken no more than 100-yards from my back door, from a stand I hung, near a plot I planted and no less than 30-minutes afterI stopped hearing my son and wife playing in the yard, sums up the reasons I hunt. </div></div></div>C.J. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03533093220672645750noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-872857812072231291.post-71905628341600757592010-10-22T15:42:00.000-07:002010-10-22T15:55:07.790-07:00Pike County, Illinois with My Bow!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh4cEayUnR9m0qVYHTvZe_nBmAJNBfKIJg2W2QF4CvDVNFjdyDGbWNpvuLWOOjohhYW9US4HlqRjUa6XL9jQVgc1MQbmbTruAZzG9LKPoNyhkyCXVwaEBNb2IwuKUf-U9BwLnCObDR8uS/s1600/DSCN0820.JPG"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjbh0cPHPf90vT4hQ9KbjlJB3nrXM43Vxl4J_8IrHzfd8pDLPT5V75Ybo7e9sxBatGUKbr5fBp-xSgSM8WRAGHYpyXdhjxGIat_18PjSbJraH_Kspx-mB12LGYlaigRVDoPqTYP3gfr01/s1600/018.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjbh0cPHPf90vT4hQ9KbjlJB3nrXM43Vxl4J_8IrHzfd8pDLPT5V75Ybo7e9sxBatGUKbr5fBp-xSgSM8WRAGHYpyXdhjxGIat_18PjSbJraH_Kspx-mB12LGYlaigRVDoPqTYP3gfr01/s320/018.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531005607195424434" /></a><div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For three years I have been going to the same deer camp to film for Archer's Choice TV. I swear, every year the trip gets better!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I landed in St. Louis and met up with my friend Katie from Ameristep. We drove to Eagle Lakes Outfitters in Pike County, Illinois. For one week, women from all over the country gather to share camp and bowhunt the legendary whitetails the area is known for.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Once Katie and I arrived at the lodge, we met up with our good friends from Archer’s Choice Media and Eagle Lakes. We got our gear settled and teamed up with ladies for the next day’s hunt. What made this hunt TRULY a ladies hunt was the fact that women were filming women hunt (prior years we would have guys film us). How cool is that?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I paired off with Jen Johnson from Archer’s Choice. Jen and I hunted together for the first half of the trip. We I had several encounters with the local wildlife that included a bird flying in our blind, being chased by a crazy groundhog and occasionaly being puked on by a squirrel. However, we hadn’t had a bow range encounter with a deer yet. Being superstitious, Jen and I went our separate ways and she shot a doe!</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__uJINZf-OxrZYlXbslVHU7HPgwC_c_IlrUG9GSbxT61AHe_hv-GroiVVg959lqlHgu_ofaqOXCHfj5vrtVt4SLjdpgetdNQA8pIqV8DojRqxmMF4lTBpL7K-M1kpPG0FJOcUwLVBfVYX/s320/DSCN0825.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531005983864746210" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span><div></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One afternoon my guide asked me if I was afraid to climb anything. Some of the women in camp didn’t feel comfortable climbing into stands. I told my guide that I would climb anything (lies, I was really only comfortable with ladders and low hang-ons). I figured he had a honey hole and I didn’t want to wimp out on it!</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He took me to a stand that had the screw in pegs and let me tell you…it was WAY up there. Whoever put up the pegs must have been 6 feet taller than me! My camera guy scooted up the tree like a monkey. I was shaking at the bottom not knowing what to do. I took a deep breath started to climb and only focused on where my next step would be. Before I knew it, I was on the platform. I got my Hunter Safety Harness tethered to the tree, and took a breath. I was still shaking, but I was thrilled that I faced my fears and got into that tree. I felt like I was on top of the world.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I got settled in and looked around. I was in timber, and every tree within 30 yards of the stand was TORE UP. I got excited seeing all the rubs on the surrounding trees. My excitement was quickly overcome with boredom, as nothing was moving.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Just as the sun was going down, I heard my friend say, “BUCK.” Instantly my knees went weak. I got a glimpse, a nice 9-point. The next words my friend said broke my heart, “Don’t shoot, he’s a 120, maybe a 125.” We were hunting in an area where you must shoot a 130 or better.</span></p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh4cEayUnR9m0qVYHTvZe_nBmAJNBfKIJg2W2QF4CvDVNFjdyDGbWNpvuLWOOjohhYW9US4HlqRjUa6XL9jQVgc1MQbmbTruAZzG9LKPoNyhkyCXVwaEBNb2IwuKUf-U9BwLnCObDR8uS/s320/DSCN0820.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531006775110924946" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I watched as he stood 25 yards broadside, his head behind a tree. I would have smoked him with my Hoyt! It was hard to watch him walk off, but I need to tell myself he will be even bigger next year! It was so neat to have an encounter with a good buck.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The week went by fast. It is hard to be back in the office. I would love to be back in a treestand and sharing camp with girls from all over the country who share the same passion: bowhunting and whitetails.</span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div>Shannon Salyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097761851277015610noreply@blogger.com0