october2012

Editor & PublisherTommy Crow

Pro StaffJoe CrowGenie Hilton

BLAST & CAST STAFF

ABOUT THECOVER

YOUNG HUNTERESSGranddad Troy Nutt nocks an arrow for a younger shooter as he watches Kori Minnix send an arrow straight to the target. This year will be Kori's first year to go bow hunting.

— Photo courtesy of Matt Hilton

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Publisher's PenDear Readers,

I want to thank you for taking the time to read BoneQuest. This first edition has been a labor of love, and I hope you enjoy the articles and photos inside.

BoneQuest is the manifestation of a vague idea inspired by my friend, Jon, of Skull Krazed Apparel, and quickly grew into a reality in a little more than four weeks. Your support has been greatly appreciated throughout this process.

I landed my first journalism job as a 19-year-old sports editor for a small daily newspaper in my home town almost 20 years ago. I left the industry for reasons not worth mentioning, but the desire to write has remained with me. My wonderful wife, Karen, has been telling me for years to start my own business, so it just made sense to combine my two greatest passions — writing and the outdoors — into what follows.I enlisted the help of my brother, Joe, who has been my hunting buddy since we were children together and that of a high school classmate, Genie Hilton, to write the articles that splash the pages to follow.

I have also created the website, which hosts this magazine, with the help of my friend Sherry, of Racked Archer

Apparel. Incredibly, people flocked to the site and subscribed to a magazine that did not even yet exist.

Since this idea came to me less than a month before deer season opened in some states, the timeline for launching the website and magazine was greatly

compressed. My only regret is that I didn't think of doing this many months ago. With so much to do and so little time to do it, this edition is sadly light in content. However, I felt it was important to get a mini-edition out

there, if you will, so those of you who have been supporting this idea can see what the future will hold.

Sincerely,

Tommy CrowEditor & Publisher

[email protected]

n Generation Next..........3

n A Family Tradition........6

n Pink Power..................8

n Guide Posts..............12

n Wheels Afield...........14

PAGE 2 / BONEQUEST A DROP DEAD PUBLICATION

GENERATION NEXT

It was a cool day in October, 2011. The white-wing dove were leaving their roosts and

heading to the fields to feed. It was a great day to be in the field, especially with an apprentice hunter by my side.

My daughter, Malerie, who was 13 at the time, had been with me on several hunts, but had yet to shoot. She tried to use my 12 gauge; but we soon found it was too heavy and cumbersome. Not to mention, the kick was frightening to her. Her grandfather had a single-shot 410 we thought would be a better fit.

Sure enough, she took to the smaller gun and soon knocked down her first bird. She was so excited, she did what any girl her age would do, she immediately posted the picture to Facebook.

!e future of Ame"can OutdoorsBy Tommy Crow Editor & Publisher

A DROP DEAD PUBLICATION BONEQUEST / PAGE 3

Alexis Crow, daughter of BoneQuest pro-staffer Joe Crow, shows off a bass she caught while fishing with her dad in Valdosta, Georgia.

Teaching chi ldren how to hunt creates a special bond, not just be t ween them and nature, but be t ween them and the ir mentor.— Rosa Garofalo

"

"


It was a proud moment for me, as well; not because she killed something, but because of the greater

implications. It was a bonding moment. I've never forced my kids to take part in hunting or fishing. In fact, my son would rather play video games or baseball. But, for Malerie, it's an opportunity to spend time with her dad doing something we both enjoy.

Not so long ago, families spent much more time together. The break down of the family unit has contributed to many of the woes facing this nation, today.

"Teaching children how to hunt creates a special bond," agrees Rosa Garofalo of Avaco,

Michigan. "Not just between them and nature," she adds, "but between them and their mentor."

But, there's more to it than just spending time with our kids. Why is it important to educate youth about hunting and fishing?

"It's part of our history as humans," say Aubrey and Bubba Burt of Angleton, Texas. "It is important to be able to provide for yourself and/or your family."

Garofalo agrees: "It is important for kids to learn how to hunt so they can provide for their families."

Even today, many hunters rely on wild game and fish to supplement their diets. When I was growing up, my father taught my brother and me, not only how to hunt, but also how to clean and butcher what we killed or caught.

As teenagers, most days after school where spent either hunting or fishing. And, because we were successful outdoorsmen, our father only purchased the occasional chicken at the grocery store. The rest of our meat came from the wild — venison, wild pork, duck, dove and fish.

Photo Courtesy of Eric DixonLogan Dixon, 10, has been hunting with his dad, Eric Dixon, co-founder of Full Draw Archery, since he was 3. Logan shot his first deer with a .243 when he was just 5 years old and bagged his first deer with a bow last year.


"Things learned while hunting extend beyond the woods. Quite a bit of the meat we ate when I was growing up was wild meat," echoes Pro-stafer Genie Hilton.

For Hilton, like many others, the benefits she got from learning to hunt and fish extended far beyond the immediate savings in grocery bills.

"In watching my father clean and prepare these animals, I learned about the anatomy (and) physiology of everything from fish to frogs, deer to hogs," Hilton said. "I learned where different cuts of meat came from and how to clean, process, and prepare them. When I was in college biology classes, I breezed right through them, all the while amazed at what other students didn't know, all because they had not been raised by a hunting family."

To the non-hunter, it may seem like an oxymoron, but hunters and fisherman contribute more to the preservation of natural resources than any other interest group. In fact, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, hunters contribute upwards of $4.7 million per day to conservation programs.

In East Texas, where I went to high school, Eastern wild turkeys were all but gone. But, in the late 1980s, the Wild Turkey Federation and Texas Parks & Wildlife teamed up to re-introduce the popular bird to the wild. In just 20 years, there is now a sustainable population.

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/ BONEQUEST A DROP DEAD PUBLICATION

Pro-staffer Joe Crow has been taking his twin daughters — Alyssa,

pictured here, and Alexis — hunting since they were 4 years old. Alyssa accompanied Dad when he bagged this buck in Georgia.

By Joe Crow / Pro-Staff [email protected]

Like most other hunting families, I learned the enjoyment of being outdoors with my father. Just like my father learned from his father before, I lead my daughters into the woods and show them all the incredible sights, sounds, and smells; not to mention the rules and reg-ula-tions which protect our natural resources.

I first took my daughters into the wild-and-wooly plains and hills of Del Rio, Texas. They were about four years of age when I felt they were old enough to accompany me to scout and begin learning the ropes. Of course, at such a ten-

der young age, we didn’t make it much past the first fence crossing. But, in that short trip I was able to show them deer tracks; the differ-ence between a track left by a buck versus a doe, how to age the track, and why it’s important to see where the deer are coming from and where

they are going.

A Family Tradition

Additionally, we had the opportunity to see a rub and scrape before they were hungry or too tired to continue.

I wondered silently to myself if I had made a mistake bringing them out so young. I felt disappointed that I had rushed them into the hunting life too soon and maybe bored them to not want to come out again.

My fears were quickly put to rest the following weekend when they — almost si-multaneously — asked to go see the deer tracks again. It took me about fifteen minutes to get them loaded up in the truck and we were off again.

This time was not much different than the last; we barely made it past the first fence. But this time, they were showing me the tracks, identifying the tracks, and showing me which direction they were heading. At that point, I felt I had left a decent impression.

When I harvested my first buck in their young lives, I got to bring it home and show them. My wife was not too keen on the idea of me showing them the harvesting process; but she eventually conceded to my protesting.

I told them about where all meat comes from — animals just like deer, only packaged differently. We began processing the deer and

A DROP DEAD PUBLICATION BONEQUEST / PAGE 7neither one was in the least bit shocked or put off by the sight.

The lessons I have taught my daughters all those years ago, still remain today. While they can stay in the hunting area longer now and I have had the great honor to take deer with them at my side.

The memories of sitting on an overlook watching bucks grazing in the field and listening to them discussing quietly how to scale the hill stealthfully to get close enough for a bow shot leaves a lump in my throat.

Alyssa's buckLooking back on the first deer I ever took

with my daughter by my side, leaves the same feeling in my heart as if she had taken it herself. Because she was with me when I harvested the lit-tle buck, it’s officially hers. It was her decision to go out that evening, and her idea to sit in the blind instead of the tree stand — it’s her deer.

One Saturday evening in November of 2005, Alyssa, age seven, asked if we could go out to the hunting area and see if we could bag a deer. It was already late, but I saw the want in her eyes and I couldn't refuse.

We didn’t even wash like I religiously do because we had such little time before we ran out

www.motioncameraarms.com

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Editor's note: The views expressed herein are those of the individual and not necessarily those of the manufacturer, distributor, retailer or this magazine.

By Genie Hilton / Pro-Staff [email protected]

From camo to pink, screaming fast to light and agile, the number and variety of bows being produced has exploded in recent years. Specifically, stores across the country have seen a dramatic increase in customers wanting women's or youth bows. Several aspects have contributed to this phenomenon.

In past years, it was difficult to find bows which women or young hunters could draw and would produce significant kinetic force that could truly be trusted to make ethical kills at a distance. Not to say that lower-poundage shooters were not capable of good shots, but that, in general, many of the available

Women charging into field of archery

Photo courtesy of Mike DePalmaTeresa DePalma (above) with a turkey she harvested with her Mathews Jewel during the 2012 Spring turkey season in Wallkill, New York. Debbie Le Gette (below) with her Mathews Passion.


equipment was not up to the job. With the advance in technologies in

bow-making in general, bows for smaller-framed shooters are being made that fit the bill for ethical hunting or stand-out competition shooting for both women and youth.

“Technology has enabled women and kids to hunt ethically with a bow,” emphasized James Stoner of Wulf Outdoors in Athens, Texas.

To demonstrate his point, his co-worker Bobby Craig added, “We recently had a lady who came here and told us how she got her first bear with a bow.”

Lance M., an online archery tech for Cabelas sporting goods, stated that “woman's hunting is the fastest growing market, and we have to offer more products for them.” When asked if there were simply more requests for bows for lower-poundage shooters or if there had been any negative feedback regarding not having these

products, Lance said, “Both; women have been requesting and complaining about the lack of choice.”

When asked if he believed some manufacturers think simply making a product pink will automatically make it more appealing to girls or

women, he said, “Yes and no. There are some manufacturers that sell a youth bow and (are) making it in pink or pink camo for girls and women, but there are some manufacturers that make a new bow and put it in pink for women.

“Deer can't see pink or orange, so it doesn't matter in the field,” he added.However, pink does not necessarily a woman's bow make. Craig

emphasized, “Some (women) don't want pink. They're very adamant about it.”

(Personally, the only pink in my setup is pink fletching on my arrows. --G)

Another advancement has been the


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More Crossbows Are Making Their Way Into the Field

According to James Stoner, in-house archery pro at Wulf Archery in Athens, Texas, crossbow sales at their store have been dramatically increasing.

“Right now, we're selling crossbows three-to-one over vertical bows,” he said.

Changes in crossbow hunting regulations in recent years in Texas, for example, have opened up the opportunity for more people to take advantage of the fun (and extra time in the woods) that archery hunters have enjoyed for years.

Crossbows are often easier to use than upright bows, allowing eager new learners to become very proficient archers in a short period of time. This reduces any frustration in the learning curve and gets these eager new hunters out into the woods faster.

increasing set-up flexibility built into many current bows.

For example, the Hoyt Craze can be adjusted from 19-30-inch draw lengths and a variable of 30-pound to 70-pound settings. This flexibility allows the same bow to “grow” with the shooter as he or she increases in strength or age. These lower-poundage archers can easily start at a comfortable poundage level and work their way up to their poundage goal. The flexibility in draw length accommodates youth growth as well.

Other companies have stepped up, as well, to add more products for women and youth. Great examples are the “Jewel” by Mathews, the “Vicxen” by Hoyt, and the PSC “Stilletto.” These bows are offered in many colors, not just pink, including various camos, pastels, red, yellow, black, and almost any other variation you can imagine.

In addition, several hunters and manufacturers alike pointed to the current increase in media that have featured strong female characters, who are archers.

Movies such as Pixar's “Brave” and the novel/movie “The Hunger Games” have peaked a great deal of interest in the market. The number of hunting shows featuring women has also increased dramatically in the past year, including shows in which the entire cast is female.

The accumulative effect has been a significant benefit to the traditional male archer, as well. Many fathers, husbands, and boyfriends have been eager to get their children and wife or girlfriend into a sport they love so much. They not only want to share the fun, but getting women into archery also provides an opportunity to spend more time together.

“Lots of husbands are creating monsters,” said James Stoner, Wulf archery pro, with a laugh.So gentlemen: begin creating your own monsters. And ladies: don't be afraid to step out on your own into this wonderful and exciting sport. The possibilities are wide open and getting bigger.


of shooting light. We made it out to the woods with less than an hour of sun light left. I felt it was going to be a total waste of gas driving to the spot and back, but she really wanted to go, so I couldn’t disappoint.

We had just settled into the blind, she with her pink Bar-bie toy binoculars; looking around the woods in hopes of spot-ting our quarry moving through the woods.

She, without whispering, asked me to use the grunt call I had hanging from my neck. I felt obliged to amuse her, so I let out three short grunts. She smiled at me and continued to scan the dense forest with her toy binoculars. This grunting sequence didn’t have the instant effect she expected. Only moments later, I had to remind her to sit still and not fidget so much. Within ten minutes, she asked me to try the rattling horns. I couldn’t disappoint, so I took out the antlers and made the forest come alive with a fierce battle. I blew out three aggressive blasts fol-lowing the fight.

She gave me a huge grin, and I felt like a king taking his princess to her first parade in her honor. Again, she scanned the area with the faux looking glasses. I was so intrigued by her en-thusiasm, that I barely notice the little buck standing 50 yards to our west.

When I saw him, I whispered ever so quietly, “there is a buck standing right there.” With the most perfect innocence, she stated without the slightest hint of secret, “where?” I whis-pered and pointed, “Right there.”

She put the binocs to her eyes and still couldn’t see him in the low light. I pulled up my rifle and told her to cover her ears. She did as she was told, and I let the rifle bark. Aiming was so little effort since he was so close. When the smoke cleared, the deer was laying on his side. She jumped up and asked, “Can we go see him?” I smiled at her and said we should just wait a few minutes.

Darkness was settling in at top speed, so we sat there just long enough to pack up the rattling horns and grunt call and grab our seats to carry with us.

We walked over to our little buck. The look of pride in

That's just one example I have personally experienced. Even the white-tailed deer — favored prey for hundreds of thousands of hunters — once neared extinction.

In fact, as recently as 1900, white-tailed deer populations in North American were estimated at around 500,000, according a study conducted by the U.S. Biological Survey. However, in stark contrast, white-tailed deer populations in the U.S. today are estimated at around 36 million.

Many other species have benefited from the conservation efforts of hunters.

Teaching our children to hunt and fish cultivates a continued interest in the outdoors and ensures that this win-win relationship between outdoorsmen and natural resources continues to flourish.

Croswell, Michigan resident, Jason Kidd, owner of Thrill Driven Outdoors, explains: "They (youth) need to know that it is an essential part of life. Natural resources, such as wildlife, need to be managed to control populations, so therefore everything can stay in tune."

"And," adds Russell Grimes, of Lake Jackson, Texas, "it teaches conservation of resources, respect of nature and a whole lot of patience. Additionally, youth will learn respect and appreciation and will have great memories growing up they can pass on to their children."


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Guide

Posts W

ithAndrew Coffey

s an older brother, I was able to witness each of my siblings harvest their first whitetails. We share some pretty special memories to-

gether from those early years, and a few laughs when we think back on the mistakes we made. Now as a dad, I want my kids to associate their earliest hunting experiences with good memories, not bad ones. They are too young to hunt with me this season, but I’m already planning our first trips together. Will they share my passion for hunting and the outdoors? The answer to that question isn’t entirely up to me, but with a little planning and foresight before their first time out, there are a few things I can control that will make the experience much more enjoyable for us.

While putting together the following checklist, I asked outfitters from across North America what they tell their clients who will be bringing their children along on a hunt. I also asked for advice from experienced moms and dads who have spent plenty of time hunting with their kids. Here’s what they had to say:

Safety first: This is a good opportunity to not only teach your kids the basic safety rules, but to explain why safety is so important. Mom and Dad need to make sure safety harnesses are a proper fit, that tree stands are secure-ly fastened to safe trees, and that they have a first-aid kit on hand. But this goes beyond the basics. Be sure you demonstrate the importance of a safe hunting experience to your kids from start to finish, and follow up these lessons

Plan ahead when taking kids hunting

A

Andrew Coffey owns Wild Pursuits Hunting Consultants — a full-service booking agency offering unique and affordable hunts across North America. Andrew is a licensed professional guide, a member of several field- and pro-staffs, and an avid bowhunter. He can be reached at [email protected].


mailto:[email protected]






by actually obeying your own safety rules in the woods.

Know the law: This has more conse-quences for Mom and Dad, but again, it’s an area where parents can instill important values. Study up on the rules, and follow them. It’s that simple, but extremely important.

Do your shooting instruction before you leave home: It’s hard to generalize this, but you’ll need to gauge your child’s abilities and shooting pref-erences before setting out on a hunt. Your eight-year-old daughter might not be able to handle the recoil of a 12 gauge, and your 12-year-old son might not be able to draw back a 60-pound bowstring. Make sure they can safely and ef-fectively operate the weapon you choose, be-cause you won’t want to be teaching them the ins-and-outs of a semi-automatic while a big buck tastes the wind in front of your blind.

Make it fun: If you can manage to coax kids out of the house these days, you’ve won half the battle. The next step is to keep them interested, because it’s just harder for a 12-year-old to stay focused after a few hours in the stand, or glassing for antelope. I’ve been on several outfitted hunts where youth hunters simply “tune” out on the morning of the third day.

As much as we might like to think our

kids are up to the task, consecutive early mornings and long sits in tree stands can wear down any child. If you’re planning a five-day or longer hunt, consider giving your child a day off, or let them sleep in one morning. Perhaps, arrange in-town ac-tivities while you hunt on your own for a day.

Rain, snow, and snacks: All of the outfit-ters I spoke to emphasized this checklist item. Nothing will drive a child home faster than cold, wet weather. Know the weather (as much as pos-sible) before heading out, and avoid taking your kids to the woods on those really cold or rainy days.

It’s OK to be over-prepared for the weather — the alternative might just ruin your child’s hunting experienc. It’s also important to make sure you bring food along for the trip, in case

Photo courtesy of Mike Bowlin Byron Bass, of Missouri City, Texas, and his sons Blake (left) and Quentin made great memories on a recent hunt guided by Mike Bowlin, where each bagged deer.



WHEELS AFIELDBy Tommy Crow / Editor & [email protected]

It was a cool morning. Tall South Carolina pine trees stood sentinel as the sun casted its warming rays across the field where a solitary buck stood below a low-hanging branch making a scrape.

Julian Ohmer, laid his rifle across the make-shift gun-rest cobbled together from a pair of hand crutches, metal pipe and insulation attached

to his wheelchair. The morning quite was then quickly interrupted by the sharp crack of his rifle as a well-placed shot to the neck dropped the seven-pointer in his tracks.

It was one of seven bucks and two does taken the weekend of October 12-14, 2012 during one of three annual whitetail hunts put together by Disabled Outfitters and Ohmer, who himself, is paralyzed from the waist down.

Ohmer and his father started Disabled


Courtesy photoJulian Ohmer, co-founder of Disabled Outfitters and volunteering landowner Larry Rahn show off a seven-pointer taken on a recent event hunt.


growing appetites threaten to derail the hunt.

Communicate: If you’re going on a fully outfitted or guided hunt, let your outfitter or booking agent know what you expect, and agree on a plan before you arrive. Outfitters are generally willing to work with you, and will accommodate your needs. Know what types of stands you’ll be hunting from, whether or not you need to bring a youth safety harness, and if the outfitter has special ac-commodations for you and your child.

One of the keys to avoiding a bad experience on an outfitted hunt is to avoid surprises when you show up in camp.

Share the whole experience: If you’re planning a DIY-family hunt, or just bringing along a son or daughter, engage them in the planning process. Have them look at state fish and wildlife websites with you, and learn about the appropriate tags and licenses.

Familiarize them with maps of the area you’ll be hunting, and even let them sit in on conversations with local biologists and game wardens. Make them part of the entire experience, not just the hunt itself.

Perhaps the greatest thing any hunter can give back to the sport is to take a child hunting. I’m hunting today because someone was willing to sacrifice their own time and opportunity so that I could enjoy my earliest hunting experiences. Don’t be intimidated by the difficulties in that accompany hunting with kids, and use this checklist, along with advice from other hunters you know, to plan ahead and prepare for the little things. It might just make all the difference.

Special thanks to the outfitters who contributed to this article, including Ben Plattner of Timberland Outfit-ters Inc. in Fulton County, Illinois; James Steward of Goose River Outfitters in Edmonton, Alberta; and Lance Crowther of Timberland Outfitters in Flagstaff, Arizona.

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her eyes, to this day, makes my heart turn to pudding. I told her not to touch him yet, and I touched his eye with the barrel of my rifle to ensure life had passed from him. No sooner had I verified his death, she too reached down to touch his eye with her finger to second my opinion he was dead. I tried not to laugh out loud, but she saw I was tickled at her courage and she smiled at me.

“We” drug the deer to my truck and “we” loaded him up. We drove home with an air of success filling the truck. Her pride was evi-dent when I took the picture of her posing with “her” first buck.

The smell of pine and fresh fallen leaves still brings back the memories of Alyssa’s first buck. Because of my military duties, I have not had the opportunity to take another deer with her yet, even though we have been out many times.

Someday, when Uncle Sam decides it’s time to go home, I will take both my daughters out with me every single chance I get. The last-ing memories of our times bonding in the woods keeps me going strong through the distance and time apart. I love hunting with me daughters, and I love getting to share moments like these with them.

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Whitetail Reflections

1880 Beach Dr.Crystal , MI 48818

Clint [email protected]

Hydrographic Camo Printing

Outfitters in 2005 when the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Wheelin’ Sportsmen stopped having events in Colleton County, South Carolina. The organization gained non-profit status in 2010. This event was one of the most successful, Ohmer said.

“Not because of the number of hunters,” Ohmer explained, “we only had 16 hunters where we normally have 18 to 22 hunters; but this year our raffle and silent auction was huge. We had a lot of items on both. And we had 17 dif-ferent landowners where we normally have like seven landowners.”

Landowners and guides all volunteer, allowing Disabled Outfitters to put more money toward ensuring the events are fun and safe for the participants.

The event kicked off with a chicken cook on Friday evening with a silent auction. Saturday’s entertainment includ-ed a pig pickin’ with a raffle and entertainment by Nashville Christian country cowboy recording artist Rene Jones.

“Everything went perfect,” Ohmer said. “Our silent auc-tion and our raffle went great and the deer were moving when we needed them to. We harvested nien deer and there was seven bucks harvested.”

Hunters hunt from platform stands with ramps to ac-commodate wheelchairs. But Claude Gibson Sr., a quadriplegic, had to be more inventive with his approach to hunting.

“He took his able-bodied son, who is 11, to shoot for him to get his first deer,” Ohmer explained.

Ohmer counts himself among the fortunate because unlike many of the participants of the Disabled Outfitters events, he gets to hunt on a regular basis.

That’s why, Ohmer said, his organization puts on three deer hunts and a turkey hunt every year.

“I feel it’s important because they can’t get out and hunt as much as I can,” he said, “because most don’t have property or don’t know people with property like I know, so that’s why I want to give back to them.”And the reward for all the hard work that goes into organiz-ing the events and time spent networking with landowners and guides is “to see the expression on someone’s face when they harvest a deer and to see all the people who come and help,” he said.

Anyone interested in being a participant or to donate to Disabled Outfitters can contact Ohmer by email at [email protected] of message him on Face Book at Disabled Outfitters.

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october2012

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yearold sports editor

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