Jeff initially came up with the idea, created a Myspace page (remember Myspace? Oh how times have changed), and that is where SimplyOutdoors initially started. 

After I took a look at the Myspace page, however, and noticed how weird some of the layouts looked, I started looking into creating a new site.

And that is where SimplyOutdoors began.

At first, it was just a means to share a few pictures, to share some stories about our love of the outdoors, and see where it took us.  And as the years passed, I discovered that I really loved to write – and that was really the main focus of the site for a few years.

Underneath the blog, however, was Jeff’s passion for hunting.  And, though it took a little while for it to reach the surface, Jeff’s true goal of having an outdoor website – to share our love of hunting, fishing, and all around being outdoors -has really taken shape in the form of SimplyOutdoors TV.

The last four and half years have been a blast, and we’ve loved sharing our outdoor pursuits with all of you.  And now, being able to share even more of those experiences through your television, and through this new site, is just another dream come true.

SimplyOutdoors.net has definitely morphed throughout the years, and, as you can see with the new site, is definitely more focused on our new approach to sharing our hunting lifestyle with everyone:  through motion picture. 

But the blog is still there, too, the passion for the outdoors is still there, the passion for getting kids involved in the outdoors is still there, and we’re still the same guys who started this site back in 2007.

We can’t wait to share all our upcoming hunts with all of you – in whichever way you choose to enjoy them – and we’re looking forward to everything that is in store for the SimplyOutdoors crew.

We thank each and every one of you for coming along for the ride.

Wildlife officials in Pennsylvania are refusing to let a wandering elk back into the state in fear of possible chronic waste disease contamination.

The 3-year-old male elk is one of three elks that escaped from a farm in Aleppo, Pa. last year when a gate was accidentally left open. The two females were returned shortly but the male was nowhere to be found.

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Wildlife officials in Pennsylvania are refusing to let a wandering elk back into the state in fear of possible chronic waste disease contamination.

The 3-year-old male elk is one of three elks that escaped from a farm in Aleppo, Pa. last year when a gate was accidentally left open. The two females were returned shortly but the male was nowhere to be found.

read more

by Scott Bestul

I’m the first to admit that I’m no rifleman. I've always lived in shotgun-only country. While I've taken my share of deer with a gun, all have been at close range. What's more, for many years now my primary weapon has been a bow--either recurve or compound. All of this adds up to one simple fact: Deer beyond 70 or 80 yards seem a long way out there to me.

So when I was invited on a rifle hunt in Alabama last week, I did what I always do on a rifle hunt--pray the deer stay close. Oh I know what a centerfire rifle is capable of, but I'm just not enough of a rifleman to let the weapon realize its potential. On the last morning of the hunt I proved it, whiffing on a buck that was an easy target.

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Australia’s environment is being ravaged by invasive species, and some tactics currently being used to combat them have produced minimal results. An Australian scientist recently suggested that introducing top predators and large herbivores like elephants and rhinos might remedy this situation.

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by Phil Bourjaily

My post about the Haint gobble call made me think about turkey hunting safety. When I started turkey hunting back in the 80s it had the reputation for being very dangerous since it is an activity where you hide in the woods and make sounds like a turkey while others are doing the same. While you would think the use of gobble calls and strutter decoys might increase the danger, I’m not sure they do. According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, turkey hunting keeps getting safer. Accidents occurred at a rate of 8.1 per 100,000 participants in 1992 and had fallen to 2.95 per 100,000 by 2005.

I think turkey hunting is safe precisely because we know it’s dangerous and act accordingly. Hunters tend to be on their guard and most follow the rules of turkey hunting safety that have been drilled into our heads: don’t wear red, white and blue, be sure of your target, sit against a tree wider than your shoulders, and so on.

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If you're interested in an example of how politics and bureaucracy can screw with your hunting, just take a look at what's happening in Iowa.

The Iowa house recently voted 68-27 on a measure to overturn the rule banning use of lead shot for dove hunting. Initially, the Natural Resources Commission banned the use of lead shot for doves, but now some lawmakers are saying the commission overstepped it's bounds and doesn't have the authority to estate such a ban.

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With all the beauty and natural wonder of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, it is not surprising that the pretty town of Gatlinburg has become one of the most sought-after vacation spots for families looking to get away from it all.

On the doorstep of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are lots of fun outdoor activities. When you take your kids hunting in Gatlinburg’s beautiful surroundings, you can teach them in some of America’s most pristine wilderness.  Book a comfortable cabin right in the woods and enjoy some family time on your own out in nature.

Teach the Kids about Hunting

Gatlinburg is ideal for family hunting trips. There is a variety of game in the Cherokee National Forest, including deer, grouse and wild turkey. Before heading out, it is important to note that certain areas of the forest are closed to hunting, and a valid Tennessee or North Carolina hunting license is required.

There is also hunting in the nearby Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests across the state line in North Carolina, where a North Carolina hunting license will be needed.

Kids under the age of 10 do not need a hunter safety certificate, but they must always be accompanied by an adult over age 21.

The Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide is a great resource for information about hunting in this area, including the dates of the various hunting seasons, bag limits and necessary permits and licenses. This guide can be found at any sporting goods store in Gatlinburg.

Other Things to Do in Gatlinburg

If the kids are done with hunting and want something else to do for the day, there are plenty of great attractions and other outdoor activities all around the Gatlinburg region. There’s excellent whitewater rafting for kids over the age of 12, and more than 600 miles of marked trails for hiking. Young anglers will find hundreds of places to fish in the region’s lakes and streams. Fun urban attractions right in Gatlinburg include bumper cars, go-karts, mini-golf and the famous Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, with an aquarium, a theater and a “fun zone.”

Where to Stay in Gatlinburg

With all the natural beauty surrounding you, the best place to stay is in one of the hundreds of excellent Gatlinburg cabin rentals in the woods. There are plenty of authentic log cabins available, many with modern amenities like satellite television and hot tubs. A vacation cottage rental in the woods will offer gorgeous views across the Smoky Mountains and plenty of room for the kids to run and play, not to mention the privacy and relaxation of being surrounded by nature.

Every kid deserves to spend time learning about the joys and wonders of the great outdoors, and the outdoors doesn’t get any greater than here in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Start planning today to take your kids hunting in Gatlinburg on a trip that will create wonderful memories to last a lifetime!

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Take Your Kids Hunting in Gatlinburg

From clothing and firearms to wallets, flashlights and even furniture, hunter-styled camouflage has become an essential feature of the products hunters buy for use in the field and at home. Asked by HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com what percentage of their hunting equipment purchases were in camouflage patterns, less than six percent of respondents said none. That means a whopping 94 percent of the sportsmen surveyed purchased at least one camouflage item in 2011.

As such, it is no surprise that the second most deciding factor is brand loyalty itself, which was the second most selected factor on HunterSurvey.com (56 percent) and AnglerSurvey.com (57 percent). In breaking down the larger numbers, 18 percent of sportsmen said between 71 to 80 percent of the items they bought were in camouflage, 11 percent said between 81 and 90 percent were camo and 15 percent said at least half of their purchases were camo. Just over 7 percent reported everything they purchased for hunting had some camouflage on it.

This just goes to show how sporting consumers identify with the look and perceived benefits of camouflage products. Since its initial development in the 1980s, camouflage can be found on virtually every product a hunter wishes to own,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designs and conducts the surveys at HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com.

While the survey did not question the motivations behind purchasing camouflage-covered equipment, likely reasons include the concealment benefits of camouflage products while in the field and the prevalence of hunting products on store shelves in camouflage. Many sportsmen also identify with and prefer the look of camouflage on items, which help them announce to others that they are proud sportsmen. “Wearing or displaying camo is a lifestyle choice, announcing to others they are a proud hunter or closely associate with the hunting lifestyle,” reports Rob Southwick.

Interestingly, professional endorsements by sporting and other celebrities were only chosen by 9 percent of sportsmen as having an impact in their purchase of a particular brand. To help continually improve, protect and advance the shooting sports and outdoor recreation, all sportsmen and sportswomen are encouraged to participate in the surveys at HunterSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com. Each month, participants who complete the survey are entered into a drawing for one of five $100 gift certificates to the sporting goods retailer of their choice.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Camouflage Covers Most Hunter Purchases

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) adopted notices of intent for the 2013-14 hunting season and the 2012-13 Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) General Rules and Regulations at their Feb. 2 meeting.

The notices of intent include proposed hunting season dates and changes from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) for the upcoming fall hunting season and provide for a public comment period.

Some of the proposed changes include:

• Continuing restricted deer harvest for 2012-13 within Area 6, specifically on land within the Morganza Floodway from I-10 south.
• Modifying the deer season bag limit, beginning with the 2013/14 deer season, to allow for a hunter’s choice option: season limit will still be 6 deer per year, but hunter would have option to harvest as many as 4 antlerless deer.
• Amending the Primitive Firearm language by removing the pre-1900 designation to allow for additional types of firearms.  Additionally, specify that only Commission approved calibers will be allowed.
• Allow the use of air rifles for the take of squirrels, rabbits and outlaw quadrupeds.
• Allowing youths 17 or younger to use any legal weapon during the primitive firearm season on WMAs.  This would align WMAs with the change made during the 2011-12 hunting season on private lands.
• Providing additional opportunity to take feral hogs on Atchafalaya Delta, Pointe-aux-Chenes, Salvador and Pass-a-Loutre WMAs.  Additional opportunities to recreationally take nutria will be provided from Sept. 1 to March 31.
• Maintaining the deer season on Attakapas WMA established by Declaration of Emergency for the 2011-12 hunting season.
• Plus modifications to hunting season dates per species and regulations on select WMAs to provide additional opportunities.
• A nine-day “with or without dogs” deer season on Kisatchie National Forest, December 15 to 23, 2012, bucks only.

To view the full notice of intent and all proposed hunting season dates and regulations changes for the upcoming hunting season, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items.

Public comment will be accepted at LWFC monthly meetings from March through May and/or can be submitted in writing by mail to: Randy Myers, Wildlife Division, LDWF, PO Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000, until May 3, or by email to rmyers@wlf.la.gov through that same date.

The public meeting schedule for the proposed hunting season dates, general hunting regulations and WMA regulations is as follows:

March 13 at 6 p.m., Alexandria Convention Hall located at 915 Third St.

March 13 at 6:30 p.m., LDWF Office in Minden located at 9961 Hwy. 80.

March 14 at 6:30 p.m., Yambilee Festival Bldg., 1939 W. Landry, Opelousas

March 15 at 6 p.m., Bastrop Visitor Center, 124 N. Washington St.

March 15 at 6:30 p.m., LSU Ag Center, 7101 Gulf Hwy., Lake Charles.

March 21 at 6 p.m., St. John Parish Council Chambers, 1801 W. Airline Hwy., Laplace

For more information, contact Randy Myers at 225-765-2359 or rmyers@wlf.la.gov.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Louisiana Adopts Notices of Intent for 2012-14 Hunting Seasons, Hunting Regulations and W.M.A. Rules