In this episode, the SimplyOutdoors crew chase after some Michigan Whitetails. And, in case you didn’t know, Michigan Whitetails are some of the hardest hunted deer in the country. It could be interesting.
Go to SOTV: Episode 13Author Archive
February 4th, 2012
SOTV: Episode 12
Watch along, as Barry, with many of his family members in tow, chases Whitetails in the foothills of Tennessee. It ends up being a very memorable trip for all involved.
Go to SOTV: Episode 12February 4th, 2012
SOTV: Episode 11
Join the SimplyOutdoors crew, as they head to woods during Michigan’s archery season opener.
Go to SOTV: Episode 11January 25th, 2012
Huntin’ Time Expo/My Lack of Posts
It’s absolutely no secret that I’ve been neglectful of this blog lately. Some evidence: I never posted a few of the deer that Justin shot. I didn’t post anything about Jeff, Barry, Erin, and Josh heading down to the ATA show in Columbus a little over a week ago. And I’ve never posted anything about [...]
Go to Huntin’ Time Expo/My Lack of PostsJanuary 14th, 2012
SOTV: Episode 10
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You have to watch this episode of SimplyOutdoors TV. Sit back and watch as the SimplyOutdoors’ crew put a few early season doe in the freezer, and as we put a few youth hunters in the right spot …
January 5th, 2012
End of Deer Season: Maybe I Stink
Last night I cleaned my muzzleloader. And though I usually love the feeling that comes with cleaning any firearm, last night’s cleaning kind of depressed me a little, because it was a sure sign that another deer season had passed and that I had once again went through an entire season without putting any venison [...]
Go to End of Deer Season: Maybe I StinkDecember 14th, 2011
Bittersweet Hunt: The Rest of the Story
In my previous post, I eluded to the fact that my miss last Sunday morning was only the beginning of a very memorable morning. Here is the “rest of the story”. After my miss, it was still only a little after 8am, so Jeff and I decided that we might as well stick it out [...]
Go to Bittersweet Hunt: The Rest of the StoryDecember 12th, 2011
Bittersweet Hunt
Though I had only been able to hunt a handful of times, it was still a fact that I hadn’t laid eyes on a deer since around October 8th. It was making it pretty difficult to head into the woods, because I honestly wasn’t sure if I was ever going to see a deer again; [...]
Go to Bittersweet HuntDecember 5th, 2011
Another Deer for Jeff
While I don’t have much to celebrate when it comes to deer hunting, after tonight I can bask in at least one thing: that I told Jeff about Hornady SST’s, and that, because of my wisdom, Jeff was able to put down this big doe without fear of his bullet coming apart. Congrats to Jeff. [...]
Go to Another Deer for JeffNovember 28th, 2011
Muzzleloader Season: Coming to a Hunting-deprived hunter near you.
I suppose it’s the way life goes sometimes. While I was hopeful that I could manage to get out and hunt a few times before the end of our firearm season, it just wasn’t meant to be. Everything has been against my hunting season this year – from a premie baby, to unseasonably warm and [...]
Go to Muzzleloader Season: Coming to a Hunting-deprived hunter near you.November 22nd, 2011
More SimplyOutdoors Success
While I keep wallowing in my own pool of deer hunting self pity, the SimplyOutdoors crew continue to have success – Justin shot this nice doe on film a few days ago, and our cousin, Ron, shot his second doe of the season on Sunday night. Jeff and I went old school Sunday evening and [...]
Go to More SimplyOutdoors SuccessNovember 16th, 2011
Successful and Stale (for me): Hunting Season 2011
I’ll admit it – I haven’t exactly been keeping up with my blog duties lately. Because of a few things – our premature little girl finally coming home, my lack of deers sightings, etc. – writing a blog post wasn’t really high on my list of things to do. After a conversation with Jeff yesterday, [...]
Go to Successful and Stale (for me): Hunting Season 2011November 8th, 2011
A Saturday Morning in the Woods
Last Saturday morning found me fifteen feet up in a treestand. And though I wasn’t exactly sure at the time, it was the only time I would be able to hunt the entire weekend. After a few hours in stand, my phone started to ring. Not knowing who could be on the other end, I [...]
Go to A Saturday Morning in the WoodsOctober 31st, 2011
Raining on my Parade
With the new little one in the homestretch, and the buck activity picking up a notch in our neck of the woods, I did manage to sneak out hunting for a few hours on Saturday morning. To start, the weather was perfect – low thirties, hardly any wind, and a little overcast. Soon, though, I [...]
Go to Raining on my ParadeOctober 25th, 2011
For Arthur, Hunting’s on Hold
While Jeff was sitting in the midst of some chasing action this morning, and while the weather has been perfect for hunting, Arthur’s hunting is on hold. Quite honestly, it’s hard for me to even think about hunting. Last Tuesday, the 18th, our second edition to the family, who wasn’t supposed to arrive until December [...]
Go to For Arthur, Hunting’s on HoldOctober 12th, 2011
Hunting: A Celebration of Life
Our hunting season continues here in Michigan, but for Jeff and I it’s been a pretty slow start. Thankfully, though, as you’ve already read in a previous post, the rest of the crew has started off fast and quick. I’ve been kept out of the woods recently because of a much-needed home-improvement project, and Jeff [...]
Go to Hunting: A Celebration of LifeOctober 3rd, 2011
Deer Season 2011: The Success Continues
While Jeff and I sat in treestands last weekend – with nary a deer making their way anywhere close to us – the rest of the SimplyOutdoors’ crew was having quite a weekend. Brent in Arkansas filmed his cousin shoot his first deer with a bow; Jeff shot his first Fall turkey, and captured it [...]
Go to Deer Season 2011: The Success ContinuesSeptember 27th, 2011
Archery Anticipation/SOTV Episode 10
This is the hardest week of the year for me; with the archery opener happening this Saturday, it’s hard to focus at work. It’s hard to focus on any task, actually. And it’s hard to focus on anything besides the cool weather we’ve been having, and the fact that it’s supposed to be down into [...]
Go to Archery Anticipation/SOTV Episode 10September 24th, 2011
Off to an Awesome Start!
If the first day of this year’s Youth Hunt is any sign, we’re in for one heck of a deer season here at SimplyOutdoors. This morning, Jeff’s stepson, Tyler G., put a nice doe on the ground; and not to be out done, Jeff’s son, Tyler D., put a doe on the ground this evening. [...]
Go to Off to an Awesome Start!September 21st, 2011
SOTV: Episode 9
It’s here. SimplyOutdoors TV Episode 9 has arrived! If you want to see the Simplyoutdoors’ crew go cross-country – from Texas, to Southern Michigan, to fishing on the Mississippi – then this is the episode for you. This episode features quite a variety of outdoor adventures, and proves that we love the outdoors in any [...]
Go to SOTV: Episode 9September 19th, 2011
Deer Season is Here!!!
This past weekend, SimplyOutdoors kicked off the start of our deer season; many of the crew were out trying to kill a few does during an early anterless hunt. Some of us succeeded, some of us tried, some of us only filmed, and some of us missed. But we all had fun! A youth antlerless [...]
Go to Deer Season is Here!!!September 14th, 2011
First Goose Hunt
This particular morning, I was a master of concealment. Here I was, at six o’ clock in the morning, pulling weeds from the ground and using them to “brush in” the edges of the burlap I would be hiding under. And after not being satisfied with how that looked, I found myself searching for a [...]
Go to First Goose HuntSeptember 11th, 2011
Remembering Sep. 11th/Celebrating Freedom
Ten years ago today was a day that changed all of us forever; it was our generation’s JFK moment – a moment we’ll never forget. It was a Tuesday morning, my day off at the time, and I had just walked into my parents’ house in order to grab Jeff, and head out to finalize [...]
Go to Remembering Sep. 11th/Celebrating FreedomSeptember 8th, 2011
The Goose and the Gander
The video footage was amazing – a single bird, merely a few feet off the ground, headed directly at the camera, and straight into Jeff’s line of sight. The size of the bird made him seem slow, but Jeff soon found out that looks can be deceiving; what seemed like a gimme shot, turned sour [...]
Go to The Goose and the GanderSeptember 7th, 2011
Not one, but the other.
I’ve always said that I wouldn’t pressure Abby into any of my outdoor pursuits. My plan has always been to introduce her to my outdoor pursuits gradually, and let her make up her own mind as to whether she wants to hunt or fish, etc. I’ve never wanted to pressure her into any of the [...]
Go to Not one, but the other.August 31st, 2011
The Question I’ve Been Waiting For
It was inevitable, really. Growing up in this family, it was only a matter of time before it happened; yet I was still surprised by the question. She looked me right in the eye and asked, “Can I go hunting with you, daddy?” Though I knew this day would come, I honestly didn’t think it [...]
Go to The Question I’ve Been Waiting ForAugust 28th, 2011
Weekend Lessons: A Review
Just before I started to write this, I finished cleaning two guns – a very therapeutic reminder of how well the weekend went. It was a great weekend, but, as with all good weekends, it had to come to an end. Below, I’ve outlined a few thoughts and realizations I learned or witnessed during the [...]
Go to Weekend Lessons: A ReviewAugust 22nd, 2011
Not your Gettysburg Rifle
Considering my interest in the Civil War, I suppose it was only a matter of time before my weaponry took a trip back in time as well. Oh who am I kidding – the only similarity between today’s inline muzzleloader, and the muskets they were using in the 1860′s, is the fact that you have [...]
Go to Not your Gettysburg RifleAugust 17th, 2011
Family Camping Adventure
When my wife first came up with the idea, I thought she was crazy – to put both of our families together in one campground seemed like a silly idea at best. It wasn’t anything in particular that had me scared, it was just the idea of trying to coordinate that many families into one [...]
Go to Family Camping AdventureAugust 10th, 2011
Ringneck Hunting with an Outfitter: Right or Wrong?
One of my earliest hunting memories involved walking through grass as high as my head, and having a hen pheasant flush right between my legs – wings beating against my calves on liftoff, and my heart completely turning inside out as the bird headed skyward. It was an exhilarating experience, and one of those experiences [...]
Go to Ringneck Hunting with an Outfitter: Right or Wrong?