We are only as strong and creative as the experiences and new opportunities that we present to our children.
I promise to give my daughter the same guided attention as my parents did I.
(A very proud father smiles today — every day:)
Fat Man’s Landing, MN
Posted in Activities & Events, Outdoors, Outdoors for Kids | Tagged FML Outdoors, Minnesota, Outdoors, Young Hunters | Leave a Comment »
A beautiful fall day hunting.
Fat Man’s Landing, MN
Posted in Activities & Events, Grouse, Outdoors, Photography, Upland Gamebirds, Woodcock | Tagged Hunting, Minnesota, Outdoor photography, Ruffed Grouse | Leave a Comment »
It’s 2 o’clock in the morning…I wonder what the other half of the world is doing right now?
Fat Man’s Landing, MN
Posted in Activities & Events, Fishing, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged Fishing, FML Outdoors, Minnesota, Outdoor photography | Leave a Comment »
Mushrooms gather on fallen tree.
Fat Man’s Landing, MN
Posted in Activities & Events, Outdoors, Photography | Tagged Hunting, Minnesota, Mushrooms, Outdoor photography | Leave a Comment »
Some call it luck…I call Fate. This fall, my buddy Brian and I walked the trails hunting for grouse only to find this ivory memento of a large eight-point buck.
Congratulations! What A great find!
Fat Man’s Landing, MN
Posted in Activities & Events, Adventure, Grouse, Hunting, Outdoors, Outdoors for Kids, Upland Gamebirds, Whitetail Deer, Woodcock | Tagged Deer Antlers, Minnesota, Woodcock | Leave a Comment »
A Star-of-a-buck in Starbuck, Minnesota.
Whether it’s “First blood gets the deer” or “The person who makes the killing shot?” In either case, it’s not an easy answer.
My friend hunts private property near Starbuck, MN. He usually hunts a fence line dividing two fields. On this day, the neighbors were hunting close by, so he decided to hunt the adjacent woods. From his stand he heard a shot and watched as the neighbors drag a doe to their vehicle. While watching the hunters, a massive buck moving slowly, through tall switchgrass, caught his eye! The deer was between my friend and the other hunters. As the deer moved passed the other hunters, a safe shot presented itself. He took the shot and the deer dropped! You can imagine how excited he was! He yelled from his stand, “I have a big buck down!” The other hunters walk in his direction as my friend climbed down from his stand. The hunters and my friend walked towards the deer from opposite sides — at 30-yards the deer gets up and starts to run. A hunter from the other party shoots and hits the spine — killing the deer.
The Loaded Question?
Later inspection, my friend had hit the deer in the hind quarter. It was a deer of a lifetime! A huge 11-point buck worthy of a wall mount!
As everyone stood around the deer, the question came up, “So who’s deer is it anyways?” The hunter who shot the second time felt it was his deer. My friend feels that if he had not called the others over — that he would have had a second shot. In the end, my friend decided it wasn’t worth arguing over and walked away the better man.
So what do you think? Please share your thoughts.
Posted in Big Game, Camping, Elk, Hunting, Moose, Outdoors, Whitetail Deer | Tagged Deer, FML Outdoors, Hunting, Minnesota, Monster Buck 11-pointer, Starbuck, Whitetail Deer, Who's deer is it? | 2 Comments »
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=11212
Doctor, Hunter Promotes Deer Stand Safety: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com
Posted in Outdoors | Leave a Comment »
Posted in All Videos, Big Game, Chasin' Tail TV, Hunting, Outdoors, Whitetail Deer | Tagged Chasin' Tail, FML Outdoors, Live, Minnesota, Northern, Outdoors Channel, Videos, Web Cam, Wisconsin | Leave a Comment »
Each year, the summer heat lifts and the first fall breeze fills my head with excitement. This is a time for hunters, near and far, to dial in their groups, rig decoys, ready their best four-legged friend and put the finishing touches on the gear. Yes! This is a magical time — when we reflect on seasons past and prepare with anticipation for this years harvest.
With the 2011 hunting season upon us, there’s no better time then RIGHT NOW to start setting goals.
Having yearly goals is a great way to achieve success.
The same principles translate to everyday life. When we focus on something important — something we really want to achieve and work hard towards, we truly maximize our potential. From a hunting standpoint, you’ll soon realize that by doing this, you gain much more from the experiencee of planning. Before you know it — your skills, knowledge and overall enjoyment of the outdoors has also increased!
The goals you set — whether it’s herd management, shot proficiency, gaining greater knowledge or simply forming a better attitude; the fact is…it makes you a better hunter! The next step is to recognize what’s realistic (especially with the amount of time you have to invest with each goal).
For as long as I can remember, I’ve set goals for each season. Because I have new goals, I’ve matured as a hunter and a man. I remember some of my earliest goals: “Shoot my first grouse” or “hear a buck grunt.” Even as a bright-eyed youngster, I became less concerned with killing the buck I saw chasing a doe, but rather — THRILLED with seeing the whole experience! I realized that it isn’t so much about the destination, as it is the journey getting there.
There are many ways to measure success. If you fall short of reaching your goal — what matters most is the experience you gain and lessons learned in the process. It will certainly give you a sense of accomplishment and a better outlook on what it means to “pursue game.”
Whether you enjoy chasing fur, fins or feathers — start setting seasonal goals and before-long, you’ll start to experience what I like to call, “Increased Hunting Success!”
Posted in Adventure, Big Game, Bird Dogs, Fishing, furbearers, Grouse, Hunting, Outdoors, Outdoors for Kids, Small Game, Upland Gamebirds, Whitetail Deer | Tagged Deer Hunting, FML Outdoors, Preseason, Success | Leave a Comment »
So what is the best waterfowl ammo? I hear this question a lot, so I decided grab my trusty Remington 870 and pattern the new 2011 steel loads myself. Last year — Black Cloud was a big-hit (no pun intended). In 2011, Winchester is introducing a new load called, “Blind Side.” I purchased the top six waterfowl loads for 2011 and shot them into a 30-inch circle at 30 yards. Here is a list of what I tested:
Winchester (Blind Side) 3-inch, #2 and BB
Federal (Black Cloud) 3-inch, #2 and BB
Remington (HyperSonic) 3-inch, #2 and BB
Hevi-Shot (Hevi-Metal) 3-inch, #2 and BB
A pellet in the wing doesn’t count as a Kill Shot
Together, I shot a total of 16 times; 8 each (#2′s and BB) with improved cylinder and modified chokes. I then took a picture of the large pieces of paper and increased the contrast so that you could see the pellet holes. I then counted all the shot inside the 30-inch circle.
What I found is Black Cloud is still the superior load at 30-yards. The pattern is very tight. I counted a total of 10 pellets within the Kill Zone. You will see that the improved cylinder choke with BB is a killer! Next was Black Cloud with #2′s (8 pellets in the Kill Zone) using IC choke. It was interesting to see that the Winchester’s Blind Side did not do as well with the improved cylinder choke tube, but I DID noticed the increased number of pellets! The third runner-up was Hevi-Shot’s, Hevi-Metal with #2 (6 pellets in the Kill Zone) and a modified choke — I also notice that Hevi-Metal was 10 less pellets then Winchester’s Blind Side! Less noticeable, was Federal’s HyperSonic with OK number in the Kill Zone, but found the pattern wide — even with the modified choke.
Posted in Duck, Geese, Hunting, Outdoors, Water Fowl | Tagged 2011 Steel Shot Review, Best Ammo, Black Cloud, Ducks, Federal Black Cloud, Geese, Hevi-shot Hevi-metal, Load, Pattern, Remington HyperSonic, Shot Size, Shotgun, Winchester blind Side | Leave a Comment »
After a weekend of catching monster sunnies — the whole family sat down to enjoy a world-class Fourth of July fish fry and fireworks!
Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Outdoors for Kids, Sunfish | Tagged Fishing, FML Outdoors, Summer, Sunfish | Leave a Comment »
As I formulate my thoughts about Earth Day — I’m drawn to memories and the enjoyment of a campfire. Sitting by a campfire you may have experience many of these same sights, sounds and feelings:
Not only is fire essential for the survival of many plants and animals, but for our own life as well. Below is a list of uses fire has given us.
Fire provides:
Of course, the list goes on, but I want to bring to attention what truly happens when we experience a campfire.
Centuries ago — Neanderthal’s would huddled around a fire to keep warm and most likely shared stories of that days events. It brought light when it was needed and time for bonding.
Today, families enjoy campfires for many these same reasons. We gather around a campfire, share tales, sing songs and dine on hotdogs and laugh over burnt marshmallows. Many families have made campfires a tradition.
Campfires creates memorable moments everyone will cherish. Once the fire gets roaring and everyone settles in with their favorite beverage — listen to the stories and be sure include your own. You can spice things up with a few creative ideas such as:
I clearly remember camping and sitting by the campfire as a kid and I’ll make sure my daughter has similar memories to share with her family someday.
From Fat Man’s Landing…sitting around a campfire…Celebrating Earth Day.
Recipe reprinted from Allthingshearandhome.com
Super easy my friends and really yummy!
“If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer . . .
If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire.
For we have some flax golden tales to spin.
Come in! Come in!”
~ Shel Silverstein
Posted in Activities & Events, Outdoors, Outdoors for Kids | Tagged Celebrate, Earth Day | Leave a Comment »
Come visit Twin Cities Outdoor Adventures Group (TCOA) new site. It’s the best way to connect with other outdoor enthusiasts!
Located in the heart of the Twin Cities Metro area, TCOA consists of a growing number of outdoor enthusiasts who thrive on sharing new experiences, while building camaraderie with others who also appreciate the great outdoors.
Get Off the Couch
If it’s exercise you’re after…come breath in the fresh, clean air and feel rejuvenated. Join us in planning fun-filled activities such as hiking, biking, camping and many other exhilarating outdoor pleasures.
Outdoor Learning Activities
If you’re interested in knowing more about the outdoors…growing TCOA connections in the community have led to a plethora of learning opportunities, including how-to camping seminars, wildlife identification field trips, local geocaching events and more.
The Right Gear
Having the proper equipment is essential to every safe, successful outdoor experience. If you’re a little low in the outdoor gear department, don’t worry. TCOA’s 1000-plus membership allows us to pool our efforts, so participants have access to the appropriate equipment for their event. Additionally, local sponsors offer informative seminars highlighting equipment, tips and techniques to further ensure that our outings proceed as planned.
Community-Grown Success Starts with our Members
As the foundation of our growth and success, TCOA members are committed individuals who generously share knowledge, volunteer and help plan outdoor activities while engaging others to do the same.
Join us in pursuing our mutual passion for the outdoors! FREE! Join TODAY!
Posted in Activities & Events, Adventure, Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Hunting, Outdoors, Outdoors for Kids, Photography | Tagged Minneapolis – Saint Paul, Minnesota, Outdoors, Recreation, Saint Paul Minnesota, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Outdoors Adventures | Leave a Comment »
Fat Man’s Landing enjoys every season!
When the nights are cool and the days start getting warmer you’ll find us out tapping maple trees, collecting sap and making homemade maple syrup — but even more fun is celebrating our harvest with family and friends. Below are some unique Fat Man’s Landing Libations to keep you warm and smiling.
Hot Pants (Hot Drink)
Altitude with Attitude (Cocktail)
Kiss Me Fat Man (Martini)
White Mountain Parfait (Non-Alcoholic)
True Canadian (Shooter)
All I can say is…“Keep the sap and the beverages flowing!”
Posted in Outdoors, Recipes, Specialty Drinks | Tagged Fat Man's Landing, Maple Syrup Drink Recipes, Non-Alcoholic Drinks Made with Maple Syrup, Specialty Drinks, True Canadian | Leave a Comment »
I love spring crappie fishing in waders!
Fat Man’s Landing, MN
Posted in Black Crappie, Fishing, Outdoors | Tagged 2011, Gander Mountian, Lord Fletchers, Minnetonka Crappie Contest, Spring crappie fishing | 1 Comment »
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