From the Editor

Fall is here with a vengeance. I am wondering where the sun went. I don’t think it has shown itself the whole month of October. It has been a busy month for the web site. We are approaching 140,000 bowhunter visits the past 12 months. All of you that are contributing are doing something great! Hunters are coming to see the quality information we have
assembled.

Bear season for me has come and gone. I think it has been a good year for hunting bear. The outfitters I have talked to had some good success. I received some “email thanks” from some hunters who were referred to guides by Strictly Bowhunting. They were successful hunting with the guides we suggested and have already booked some hunts for next year. If you go on a guided hunt and had a good time please send me an email about it. The best way to find out about good guides is through “word of mouth”.

The election is coming up. Take time to look at candidates at all levels of government and how they voted on hunting and anti-hunting issues. Your vote is important to the survival of our sport.

I have heard a lot of grief from non-resident hunters about the new law that recently passed that matches hunting license fees. Basically if you are a non-resident and want to purchase a license in Minnesota you will have to pay what your own state of residence charges for that same bow hunting license. I think it is a great idea and hopefully it will bring the cost of all bow hunting licenses down! I got a chuckle when a friend of mine called me complaining about paying $180 for a bow license in Minnesota because he was a resident of Wyoming. I asked him, “Why are you yelling at me?”, you should be asking why your state of Wyoming is charging so much for non-residence bow licenses.

It has been a privilege working with many of you to make this web site a great bowhunting resource. Keep up the good work!

Well bear baiting starts in just 15 days. I picked up 6 barrels of bait. The bait is a mixture of marshmallows, cookies, m&m’s, etc. The bait looks delicious. One of the barrels was more whole cookies, fig newtons and Christmas cookies. They look good as well. Three boxes of filling each wrapped in tubes to smear over the logs on the bait is all that is left to bringing those bruins in. Well it is not that easy otherwise I would shoot a bear every year. Weather, natural food sources and habitat have a lot to do with seeing bears. Fortunately I will be hunting way up northern Minnesota in the Lake of the Woods area. This is prime habitat for black bears. I may hold out for a blonde bear, which may mean going home empty handed again. Won’t know until the hunt. Here is a price list of what I paid for the bait. It is not cheap. Throw in the price of gas to bait every other day and it can get costly.

$60 6 barrels cookies/marshmallows/m&m’s
$6 1 box gummes
$6 2 box crème cheese

Got my Garmin GPS 72 out yesterday. I bought it new early summer but I haven’t had a chance to play with it. I bought this one because it has a big display for my tired old eyes. It is over kill for what I need it for. Still you can never make enough waypoints or create too many routes. I use it mainly for a back up to my compass. I still believe that a hunter needs to rely on a compass. For one thing the batteries never go dead in a compass! I really only use a gps for marking waypoints. I don’t use the fancy maps or other features. I paid $169 for mine but you can get one for as little as $89 if you watch the sales. They are a must for the hunters who venture into unknown territory often.

I recently attended some training at work. As a result HP ponied up a free ipac. For those of you older hunters this is basically a pc in the palm of your hand. At first I thought what would I use it for. Well, over the years my mind can’t track every little thing. I basically put a list together on a pc and download it to the ipac. I can either update it on the ipac itself or make changes on my pc and download it again. I was at the store the other day and couldn’t remember what I was there for! Or at least had forgotten an item that I needed. I just pulled out my ipac and there it was. Good thing to. It was something for the wife! I use it now to track my hunting pack list, phone numbers, etc. It is another must for those who go on several hunting trips a year.

Several of us from Minnesota Bowhunters, Inc and Strictly Bowhunting got together and assembled some motion detection cameras. I just completed the purchase of the digital cameras on ebay so as soon as I get them I can start setting them up in the timber. Hopefully I will have some pictures for you soon.

There is still some time to scout for the upcoming deer season so get off
that couch and start scouting!

July is hot and I am not talking about the weather. Baiting starts in just
six short weeks. That means I need to get out and get my bait sites ready.
A shovel is a must along with a good handsaw. First a hole is dug 2ft
square. Then logs cut about the size of a normal mans thigh in diameter
that will span across the hole. These logs need to be heavy so the raccoons
can't get at your bait. Bears will move the logs in search of the delicious
morsels awaiting them. Some times the logs can be thrown quite a ways. I
will need to take my annual trip over to Wisconsin and load up my truck with
55-gallon drums of cookies. Cookies mixed with corn and malaces is gourmet
to the bears. This year I will be using a camera that some of us from
Minnesota bowhunters put together as a project. I hope to have some
pictures for you mid to late August.

In the mean time I have to contact some logging companies and the Ontario
Ministry about possible logging and burn areas in the Longlac, Ontario area.
I need to pour over maps and come up with at least 6 spots per day during
my 6 day moose hunt at the end of September. That is alot of research.
Hopefully one of those spots will provide me with a close encounter with a
bull moose. Until then I listen to tapes in my truck on the way to and from
work practicing my moose calls. Thank goodness my truck is somewhat sound
proof!

Hope your summer is going well. Remember, this is the time to practice
practice practice.

FROM THE EDITOR BY JON NYSTROM - May 2004

We have added more quality outfitters for you to take a look at. Lukinto Lake Lodge and Rock Creek Outdoors.

Lukinto Lake Lodge offers some fantastic bear hunting opportunities and they have a few moose tags as well. I met with Jody Bengtson for supper over the winter. I had a great time talking with Jody. He isn't just a Lodge Owner, he really cares about providing you a quality hunt. Keep him in mind and let me know how your hunt goes.

Rock Creek Outdoors Outfitter Ron Hartman offers great opportunities hunting mule deer and whitetail in the Badlands of North Dakota. I spoke with Ron and he comes with some great recommendations. I have always wanted to hunt muley's in the black hills. Now I know where to go. He has some good access to private ranches and there are some big bucks roaming throughout his properties. Take a look at his web site. His bucks are eye-popping big!

Strictly Bowhunting and Minnesota Bowhunters, Inc have teamed up with PIX Controllers. They make the circuit boards for making motion detection camera's. Our hope is that we can provide you with easy instructions on how to build a cost effective quality camera. It will be a challenge for us to get together and make this happen. Our goal is to provide you in addition to the instructions some great pictures this summer and fall.

Don't forget about our food plot this year. Along with Wildlife Buffet we are glad to tell you that Plot Saver is participating in our project. If you remember last year we planted Wildlife Buffet and the deer hit it so hard the food plot was kept to less than an inch tall. This year we are going to put Plot Saver around the food plot to keep the deer out until hunting season. Don't worry, we will leave some open for the deer to munch on during the summer.

We took the big plunge this spring and bought a pointing labrador. Now I know what you are thinking? Labradors are flushers not pointers. Well that is not entirely true. My project is this. I want to train this dog so she can point pheasant. The lab was dog of choice for our family. I intend on shooting pheasant with an arrow while in flight. Wouldn't that be something! Stay tuned on this one. It is pie in the sky stuff!

Strictly Bowhunting had a great year in 2003. 91,000 bowhunter's visited and took advantage of some good information and great stories. Our success is a measure of your commitment to make Strictly Bowhunting successful.

Personally, I had a great year. I harvested a bull elk, 10 point buck and two doe. It was a great year full of surprises, laughs and all around good times. I especially appreciated my elk hunt with an old friend Dan Tiller. He took a rookie bow hunting for elk and provided the best time I could have ever imagined. We had so many adventures that will be fond memories forever. I think we proved once again that it isn't about the harvest but the camaraderie. Ofcourse it didn't hurt that we shot an elk. Thanks again Dan for a great time!

My whitetail hunt in Southern Minnesota was just as satisfying. I got together with another old friend from California, Todd Thiesse. Dave De King (another good friend), Todd and I go way back to high school together so it was very special to me. Joining us was a new comer Scott Stroyny. He brought a younger personality to our group that encouraged us old timers to get into the woods no matter what the conditions. Everyone had opportunities and that made for good camp talk. I don't know if it will be an annual or not. Each year brings different surprises.

I spent another week hunting in Northern Wisconsin with my Uncle Bill Schuttie. It seems every year I go our friendship reaches another level. He has taught me so much about hunting and life in general. I can't imagine a fall without his companionship. He is truly a good friend.

What is in store for 2004? That my friends is up to you. This is your web site. I don't make any money at it. I just wanted to provide an environment for bowhunters to feel comfortable in. I think all of us did that. I hope those of you that contributed still plan to do so. Those of
you that just like to visit keep coming. The more visits we get, the better the site. If you haven't contributed and want to just send me an email with your story or interest. Remember this is your web site and its successes are based on you contributions.

I don't know about you but I am dreaming of hunting turkey, wild boar, bear and whitetail at a minimum this year. You never know what else might present itself. It always starts with a dream and sometimes dreams become reality. Stay tuned.

My dream Elk hunt was a big success. My elk hunt beat my expectations in so many ways. I got together with an old friend. We shot an elk. Dan and I reconfirmed our mutual bond to bow hunt. I was with Dan when I harvested my first whitetail and now elk. I told him he is my lucky charm and asked him what we were hunting next. He mentioned Caribou so we will see. There isn’t anything better than going into the timber with old friends, talking about old memories and creating new ones. That is really what it is all about.

I am leaving tonight for one last chance to harvest a bear in 2003. I called an old friend in my zone and asked him if he had an extra bait to sit on for a couple of days. He said no but that he could start one. The cold weather last week as started the bears to slow down. They aren’t eating as much and aren’t hitting the baits as hard. I am hoping the unusually warm weather we are having through the end of this week will get them going for one last feast. I will be hunting bears in the evening and will attempt to harvest a deer or two in the mornings out of my new Double Bull Blind. I hope to where my new camo from Beagle. It is all wool. I practiced shooting with it on yesterday and was right on at 20 yards, which is the distance I am hoping for. Hopefully I will be able to add some bear and deer meat in with my elk. I purchased a new stand up freezer so I wouldn’t have to bend down so much to grab a steak.

I missed the last couple of releases. Sorry about that! Everyone was on vacation and the articles have been coming in slowly. We are gearing up now with September only a week away. My baits for bear hunting have been hit already and I saw 15 deer the other night in our food plot in Northern Wisconsin. I made the necessary adjustments to my arrows, sight and broadhead for my up-coming Idaho elk hunt. My partner called the other day and told me he saw 150 elk in a meadow where we are going to hunt. He walked within 100 yards or so of them. If that didn’t get me excited he said the salmon are so thick in the river you can walk across their backs in the deep pools. I don’t know about that but I am going to buy a fishing license and drop a line. There isn’t anything better than fresh fish while camping. I am not looking forward to the washings I’ll be doing in the mountain water run-off. It will be cold! Waking up to cold mornings seems a bit early for me since I am a Midwesterner but I’ll manage some how.

I hope your broadheads are sharpened and shot ready. Make sure to use your safety belt and hunt safe. This fall is shaping up to be the best ever and I so excited I could burst.

I know everyone is busy preparing for a hunt or hunting in just a few weeks. Don’t forget to send in your article. So many have already read your stories and want more. Keep up the good work.

The days are heating up and it isn’t just that the sun is higher in the sky or the days are longer this time of year. There is much to do. Shoots are going on all over the country. If you want to go to a 3D shoot you don’t have to go far.

Some are saying the heck with the 3D shoots. They are going wild boar hunting. There are some great hunts available in states such as Florida, Texas and California. I personally have never hunted boar before but I hear it can be a blast and meal of boar is on a plate of it’s own if you know what I mean. A wild boar hunt can be a great tune up for hunting season three months away.

The other day I saw some bowhunters bow fishing for some carp. Again I have never done this but I see these guys on the lake all the time and they look like they are having a blast. One thing I noticed is they are at full draw a lot. Sounds like a great way to build up your arm strength for the upcoming season.

Last weekend I happened to be in Central Wisconsin. It was a fluke that I was there. It didn’t take much for me to take advantage to check out some bear bait. As I approached the farmer’s house I saw a field of 55-gallon drums positioned perfectly across the landscape. There must have been 300-400 barrels. The farmer gave me the tour showing me cookies, cookie dough, pie fillings and some other stuff that smelled so good it made me hungry. I was there to get cookies and there was know changing my mind. I asked for two barrels but I ended up leaving with six. I didn’t need six barrels. I already have three barrels of donuts in my garage. I have enough bait to last me a couple of years! So why did I give in? Because a true bear hunter never wants to be caught short on bait. The best bait always wins when there are other bait sites close by. Because I am a crazy bear hunter possessed about collecting bait is most likely. It is fun and I won’t apologize for it.

I keep all my bait in the garage to keep it dry and out of the heat. My wife complains about it being in the garage and the sweet aroma. I always tell her the house is the women’s to do with as she pleases but the garage is the man’s world. She doesn’t like that so I always add that starting August I will start baiting so the bait will disappear. She gives the “well okay then” and then mentions that I should start building that shed in the back to store this stuff. That gives me something else to do in the next two months! My own shed for bait! Isn’t she wonderful!

FROM THE EDITOR BY JON NYSTROM - May 2003

While some are turkey hunting I am at a loss as to what to do. I am getting excited about the prospect of bowhunting again. What can I do to satisfy my urges? Food plots is the answer. Saturday I am meeting with Wildlife Buffet experts to lay out a plan to plant food plots on 9 acres of land. I am from the city so my farming skills are weak. I am relying heavily on Wildlife Buffet to help me with the specifics.

Questions like type of soil and normal planting seasons are tops on my list for us to discuss. It will be fun and a challenge to plant different varieties of food. Some are spring crops and others are fall. For now we will be planting spring seed. With binoculars from the house we will be able to pin point which food works best by observing the deer. There are plenty of deer that are in the area as seen visiting the pond in the middle of the acreage for a drink of cold water.

The soil we are dealing with is clay so a lot of black dirt had to be brought in. Clay is hard to deal with. After the planting is done we will hit Lake Superior for some walleye and northern fishing. I will probably catch less fish than my partner. This usually costs me a lunch. That doesn’t matter, I would buy Bill as many lunches as he wants in exchange for the opportunity to spend time fishing and doing projects like planting food plots. Stay tune for an article coming later this year on our adventure into planting food plots.

FROM THE EDITOR BY JON NYSTROM - April 2003

April brings spring showers and more importantly outdoor 3D shoots. There are many to choose from starting in April. It is time to take your bow out of storage and look to see if anything needs to be repaired or replaced. Those of you who have been shooting in leagues all winter are way ahead of the rest of us.

There are more reasons why you should start looking at your equipment. How many times have you cursed yourself in the fall because the line is long at your local archery shops? Those experts are twiddling their thumbs right now. Another reason to tune your bow and buy any necessary accessories is because of the cost involved. I don’t know about you but I spend enough money on gas, food and hunts in the fall. It stretches the budget and the wife doesn’t like that. So if I need a new string, arrows or bow case, etc I try and buy it in the spring. Sometimes you can get some pretty good deals. Remember that cold day last fall when your gloves got wet. Buy a few extra pair now and spread out the costs so it doesn’t kill you budget in the fall.

I have an Idaho elk hunt planned in September and there are some special let-off and arrow weight requirements. It takes time to make these adjustments and I need some quality archery expertise. All I have to do is call the local shop and ask when he is available and I get all the expertise I need without any pressure. There isn’t anyone waiting in line behind me! That is the way I like it.

You will also find the personnel in those archery shops more polite and less stressed out. Remember these guys spend all their days answering the same question’s everyday. It can get pretty monotonous. Make sure you tell them how much you appreciate their expertise and patience. It will go a long ways the next time your bowstring needs to be replaced and you are leaving for a hunt the next morning.

My phone is ringing again. Hunting buddies who disappeared all winter are coming out of the woodwork and wanting to get together for a 3D shoot. After a long winter I look forward to talking with fellow hunters about last years hunts. So get your bow out and go to a shoot. You might just have as good of time as if you were hunting. Don’t forget to take a child to a shoot. It is a good way to get them involved. Good luck and have fun!

As I am writing this editorial I am finding that the urge to hunt has started to trickle back into my blood. The cold dark days have been replaced temporarily by 44 degrees and sunshine. Talking with friends and others that are getting ready for turkey season is making me whine to myself that I didn’t put in for a turkey license last December. Emails are flying around asking questions like “who makes the best blind?” or “where can I get the best priced blind?” I answer simple, go to www.huntingblinds.com. That is where I recently picked up my Double Bull Blind. I couldn’t pass up the price and they are offering free shipping too.

I set up my blind in just a couple of minutes in our family room without watching the video. It was a cinch to set up. The kids are running in and out of it playing peek-a-boo because you can’t see into it. I realized instantly that even though I was illiterate about blinds I was thankful I upgraded it to the tall version. I am 6’2” and I can stand up in it. It would be pretty easy to fall asleep in it too. Even though I won’t be turkey hunting this year I can use it this fall hunting other things like bear and deer.

In one minute I packed up the blind and it now stands in the corner. Every time I walk by it I can hear the blind pleading me like a new bicycle wanting to be road for the first time to take it out for a hunt. I have to walk by it and respond, “sorry, I don’t have anywhere to take you right now!”

I have watched the video and now am way beyond whining to myself about not putting in for a turkey license. How am I going to last until September waiting to get back into the timber? I doubt that my new Double Bull blind can wait that long. If I don’t use him soon, he is liable to leave me and go hunting with some other hunter that appreciates him more.

So if you see a Double Bull blind walking around trying to blend in, please return him to me!

February is upon us. I have not been a couch potato this winter. I attended a local Sportsmen’s banquet. It is always fun to talk with outfitters. I spent a better part of an afternoon. I didn’t buy anything except some mini-donuts. I ate them instead of saving them for bear bait. My barrels are filling up slowly. I don’t need any donuts this fall but through habit and not wanting to miss an opportunity to get them I pick them up every few days or so. You can never have enough bait.

I also attended the All Canada Show. That was fun but again I didn’t have any significant money to buy a hunt. Like most bowhunters money is always in short supply for those sorts of things. I did make some contacts and if a great Uncle leaves me a bundle when he passes on then maybe I can finally go on one of these rich mans hunts.

Several banquets coming up. I always enjoy these things. I get to talk with friends and make some new ones. The Safari club banquet is always fun. It is fun to watch people bid on auctioned hunts and the food is good too.

After that Minnesota Bowhunters has their banquet. That is going to be good this year too. They have a lot of prizes this year. I am hoping to win the Double Bull blind or a GPS. If I get lost because I don’t know how to use the GPS I can always sleep in the blind.

I have been researching an elk hunt this fall, so far without luck. I want an opportunity at a bull but I don’t want to spend a fortune on a guide. I keep telling myself that there are bowhunters out there that will take me under their wing. I just have to keep networking. That is the life of a bowhunter with a budget.

I find that hunting is becoming a rich mans sport. I am seeing elk and moose hunts for as much as $12,000. These hunts are always on private land and very successful. The wife said I could spend that kind of money on a hunt. Then she added as soon as the kids are through college and I can find the money. Why not just say “start saving for that trip on the next shuttle”! Maybe those tax cuts the president is talking about will kick in and I will get a big return this year, NOT!

For now I will have to spend my time reading about other hunters adventures in the many magazines I got or video’s that were given courtesy of last years Christmas.

Sometimes I even think I see elk running across my front yard. They I shake my head as to wake up from the trance I am in from watching the snow fall. Ofcourse there aren’t any elk in Minnesota! Or are there!

It seems a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. The 2002 hunting season has officially ended. I have a new 8/11 picture to put on my wall displaying a bull moose I harvested in Canada. It was a hunt that I have dreamed about all my life. I saw many whitetail this past fall. Some real bruisers that didn't give me a shot but none the less a terrific hunt. Bear season was fun and I saw a bear. He was too small so I passed on him. That in my book was also a successful hunt.

As I said a sigh of relief has come to me. Know more getting up early. Know more long travels in the truck. Even the most dedicated hunters need to take a break from it for a while. If you don't take a break you stand to loose the very thing that excites you every time you think about the timber.

This is my break time. The Sportsman's show, Deer Classic and bowhunting banquets still fill my winters keeping me close to the sport I love but giving enough distance so I don't get burnt out. I have some bragging rights to use up at the banquets about my hunts last fall. It is always fun to exchange stories. That is why I built this web site, so you have a place to display your bragging rights too.

Dreams of next years bear and whitetail hunts will have to wait a few months. The planning of an elk hunt must start soon if I expect to go fall of 2003. That will keep me busy.

Keeping the web site updated with fresh content in the winter is always a challenge. Everyone else is taking a break as well. I do hope that all of you will put together your stories now while they are fresh in your mind.

I do appreciate your contributions in 2002. This web site wouldn't be successful if it weren't for your help. Keep up the good work. I hope 2003 is a very successful and happy year for you.

December is here. What happened to the fall? It was only yesterday that I was passing up another small buck or mature doe in hopes of harvesting a big buck. As in every year I wait until the last minute to put some venison in the freezer. Curse me for passing up so many deer. Now the pressure is on!

Colder than normal temperatures across Minnesota have scared away even the most dedicated bowhunters. I found myself sitting in a tree shivering so much my tree was acting like it had a mind of its own. I had a doe come across the field instead of skirting it. Since I am left-handed I was unable to turn all the way to my left to take the 15-yard shot. What do I have to do to harvest a doe for the freezer? Wait for the planets to align!

I hope my December hunts bear fruit or should I say fill the freezer. Hunting December allows you solitude and frost bit toes. Each time I get into the timber and come home freezing it reminds me of younger days. As a young teenager I spent endless hours playing outdoor hockey in Northern Wisconsin. I would come home and my mother would hold me as I cried sitting next to the electric heating vent thawing out my toes and hands. Yet the next day you would find me back on the ice skating with my friends and doing it all over again. I still get cold after a hunt and some times it seems unbearable like the days of hockey. Yet like hockey, I keep going back into the woods. Like hockey, my love for bowhunting pushes me into the woods for another day of hunting.

Bowhunting in December can be a very exciting time but also a very frustrating hunt. Deer have been chased around for 3 months by bowhunters, gun hunters and muzzleloaders. They are fewer in number, on high alert and moving less to conserve energy. The only advantage the bowhunter has is to find a good food source. Deer still are filling fat reserves for the oncoming harsh winter. Their stomach will force them to come out of hiding. It is their very nature to survive and to do that they must eat as much as possible, especially for the bucks. The bucks have been burning their fat reserves to near extinction chasing does and fighting other bucks for the right to the does.

Every bowhunter to really experience our sport should hunt at least once in December. Hopefully there will be a light snowfall and a doe will feed near by. Snow will accumulate on her back. Every once in a while she will shake her whole body and the snow will fall to the ground. Then the process will start all over again. You were there to see it and will probably say the same thing to yourself that I do. "That is the most beautiful thing I have every seen."

Ps. Don't forget to get your Christmas list to your spouse and family early. You don't want to miss out on this opportunity to get some needed bowhunting equipment! Have a great holiday.

This is the time of year that the fall and winter seasons are fighting. Fall wants to stay around as long has he can, but winter looks like he is in the mood to spoil falls fun and everyone else's as well. All the signs are there, one day the wind can bring a warm breeze from the south giving us hope and then winter slaps the door shut with a cold front charging through. It seems every other day a cold front other wise known as a clipper gives us a taste of what is coming. Think of someone prodding you with a stick saying: "Does that hurt?" or "Does that hurt?" One morning you see your breath as you make your way to your car. Your feet get wet from the frost that came earlier that morning. You defy the inevitable by wearing your fall coat. It is not warm enough in the morning and to hot in the afternoon. That is if you are lucky. The cold winds cut through your jacket making you wish you had your winter coat on instead.

Your fall hunting clothes are know longer warm enough. Layering now is a reality so out go the shorts and in come the long underwear, a sweater and even a hand warmer or two for those of us who really hate cold hands. My big packs come out. They say 1000 grams of thinsulate is enough, but then why do my feet get cold at 30 degrees.

It had been easy getting up in the morning for a hunt when it was warm. Now my alarm goes off and I pull the covers tight for one last minute of warmth and then drag myself out of bed to face the elements that I disregarded only a couple of weeks ago. My shower lasts a little longer in an attempt to postpone the cold breeze in my face.

As each year passes I find myself getting up less and less. I long for the hunt but the challenges are to many and rewards to few. Friends call and ask; "Did you see anything this morning?" Alas I say know not willing let them know that I all but have given up.

Finally one morning when the highs are in the 30's and lows approach 0 I find I can't sleep. With all the might I can muster I put on my gear and take one last trip into the timber. To say goodbye for another season perhaps. I find myself in my treestand well before light. The woods are quiet but I can feel a slight breeze in my face. I looked at my watch and read the date, November 5. I realized that old man winter and almost lulled me to sleep prematurely. I almost missed the rut.

Snap! What was that? I could barely make out his form. He stood at twenty yards looking at me as if nodding his head in respect that I got into the timber before light just to get a glimpse of him. He slipped into darkness and was gone. Darn the old man winter. He almost cost me the rut!

I wish I could say it has been a quiet month since my last editorial. As undoubtedly most of you know by now an elk in Minnesota was been found to have Chronic Waste Disease. This has caused wide spread conversation at every level within the State. The DNR has starting to shoot deer within the area where the elk was found dead. CWD testing is being done as we speak. We will know in a couple of weeks whether CWD has been found in the whitetail herd.

Whether they find it or not, I want to remind all bowhunters that the licenses you buy still pays for many good projects in support of our sport. The money you spend still helps support those rural towns that you hunt by. Now is not the time to stop hunting. Now more than ever we must participate in our sport and support the DNR where ever we can in battling this new threat to demoralize our sport and us. The anti's will surely use this opportunity to gain ground in their pursuit to ban hunting. I encourage you to support organizations like Minnesota Bowhunters, Inc. ( www.strictlybowhunting.com/mbi ) that are on the front line of this latest assault. Your membership is critical to winning the battles and the war.

Our neighbors in Wisconsin have had a lot of bad news in the past six months. CWD appears to be wide spread and they just found the disease in the first captive whitetail. The deer was outside of the hot zone so they are frantically getting more samples to determine if the wild-herd in that area is infected. If it is then CWD can't be stopped. It is only a matter of time if it isn't already here to be found in Minnesota. We need to support Wisconsin hunters any way we can. Right now they are working hard to stop the spreading of the disease.

As of late September Wisconsin hunting licenses purchased is down over 22%. Can you imagine what the size of the deer herd will be next year because of this! This will only contribute to the CWD problem. Minnesota bowhunters must learn from the mistakes of our fellow bowhunters in Wisconsin. We can't say we didn't know or didn't see it coming. What happens next year in Minnesota is directly related to you hunting this year. I for one have already purchased my three tags in Minnesota and tag in Wisconsin. Make me proud and be proud of yourself. Buy licenses and let's shoot some deer.

Fall is fast approaching. Already the summer air isn't as hot as it was late July. My equipment checklist has grown from a few scratches on paper to a computerized list of every piece of equipment I own. My new Buckmaster's G2 made by North American Archery Group is now tuned and shooting straight out to 50 yards although I would never take a shot that far away. I only practice that far because it makes the 30-40 yard shots easier. The Buckmaster G2 is small and light to carry. This bow is packed with power.

Installed on my new Buckmasters G2 is Timberline Archery Products no peep sight. This is a nifty little gadget that eliminates your peep sight. I have grown tired of not being able to see through my peep sight in low light conditions. By aligning the two circles it guarantees the same anchor point every time. In just a few minutes I was shooting with confidence without a peep sight. I have been practicing in low light conditions and I am now ready for anything.

Another product I am trying this year is Tropy Takers drop away arrow rest. I was complaining to an archery expert at a local shop about having to constantly replace the velvet on the prongs of my arrow rest. He suggested this drop away rest and since installing it I have been shooting better and there isn't any maintenance replacing the velvet so far and I have been shooting a lot.

Saturday I leave for a couple of bear hunts. With my Buckmaster G2, Trophy Taker, Timberline no-peep sight and equipment checklist I appear to be ready for another season. I know even though my best efforts have been put forth in preparation I will be stopping somewhere along the way picking up something I forgot.

The question is "Are you ready for this season?" Put together a list of all your equipment. You will be surprised how much you have and DON'T HAVE!

60 days until the bear season opener. I drew a license in Minnesota, which I thought would be impossible since it was my first year applying. I thought since I was on a lucky streak I should buy some lottery tickets. I found out later there were more licenses available then hunters this year. Lucky for me I didn't buy those lottery tickets.

I am starting to walk more to get in shape for another hunting season. There is an area mixed among the houses in our neighborhood that has a path about a quarter mile through a slough with a creek flowing through it. As I am walking each evening I can feel the thermals switching from hot to cold and then back to hot again. It reminds me of early bow season and daydreams flow through my thought cycle of my tree-stands. I can feel those same thermals ever shifting, hopefully carrying my scent away from the game I am pursuing. Most often that is not the case and the game is spooked.

The fresh smell of a bog surrounding the creek is another reminder that bear season is not far off. The constant crooking of bullfrogs and the conversations going on between the local birds is a sign while hunting bears are not in the vicinity. It is when these sounds that signal the woods are alive stop, notifies me that a bear is near. You can't see him at first. Then suddenly a patch of black sleeks by or a black head pokes out from behind a bush. Of course that won't happen on the trail I am on but the similarities are too much to ignore. After all, bears do occasionally get this far south. In fact a bear was spotted not to far from here last year.

I think we are safe on our walk for now. My partner in life who walks with me only hears the birds or bullfrogs as the choir of the forest. I see them as a sign that all is okay for now. It is when they stop that you have to be aware and ready to RUN!

After all these years you would think I could appreciate all four season's that come about. Early spring buds push to full bloom, grass greens up from the spring rains and lawn mowers start their brief 3 month season by making their first cuts of the year. Like the Robin, who is constantly building her nest for the new babies, I have much to do. You see this is pay back season. This is the time of year I must attack the never-ending list of chores around the house. I must achieve this if I want to find time to hunt this fall. I don't mind the chores if I could only keep focused on the task at hand.

You see, when hunting season ends, my mind takes a break from hunting for a brief three months or so. This is mostly due to exhaustion and fatigue. My mind and body are now rejuvenated like the new grasses and leaves of spring. Only now do I dare start thinking of fall fast approaching. I don't want to miss the summer but yet my soul yearns for fall. I don't want to jeopardize my fall by being burnt out because I started getting pumped up to early. How many times have I missed summer all together looking forward to fall?

This year would be different or so I say. Yesterday I got a call from a long forgotten bakery in town. I had left them my phone number last fall incase they came across a good amount of donuts that failed to sell. Like always I stopped what I was doing and broke all speed barriers in fear that someone would beat me to the source. I got enough sweets to fill my freezer. I didn't need the bait. I took it out of habit.

So it begins, a little at a time. First the donuts appeared, then I purchased a new bow and what about a new site, quiver and arrow rest? Each day I think more of practicing with my new bow and less about choirs. I swore I wouldn't wait until the last minute this year. I would be faithful to my obligations.

Alas, why bother. A bowhunter can never really stop thinking about the timber. It is a year round calling that never dies. There are to many constant reminders that fall is around the corner. Emails start appearing from hunting buddies who disappeared since last fall. The phone starts ringing with hunting partners wanting to get together to shoot. 3D shoots are going on every weekend of the summer and everyone is showing off their harvested game from seasons past. New products are hitting the market to distract me further. Spring turkey hunting shows start appearing on television and I am out of venison.

How can I get my choirs done with all of these distractions? I don't know but I better stop writing this editorial if I am going to get anything done!

I remember back to the day I had a brainstorm to build a bowhunting web site. I didn't know how to build web sites. I didn't have a computer that could run the software needed to build the site. All I had was an idea. A year and a half later a lot has changed. As you can see I bought the PC, software, scanner, printer and everything needed and put together what I consider a nice site. I am not in it for the money. That is good because I haven't made any. I have spent countless hours in our spare basement bedroom putting out page after page.

The question is where has it gotten me! Did I achieve my goals? Was it all worth it? The answer is yes and here is why!

Since building this site I have made many new friends. I never seem to get tired of talking to bowhunters. There is a camaraderie among us that is special. I hope to hook up with some of you this fall hunting!

I have been amazed that bowhunters from all corners of the globe are coming to visit Strictly Bowhunting. We have visitors from Singapore, Sweden, Slovenia, Russia, Norway, Croatia, China, Japan, Austria and Australia just to name a few. The next time you are in the chat room, don't forget to ask them where they are from. You might get a big surprise. If they are some of our fine military serving us abroad don't forget to thank them from all of us back home.

Hunting opportunities have presented themselves. I have talked with some great bowhunters and some have offered to take me bowhunting. That is too good to pass up!

I have met some great outfitters. Outfitters always seemed pricey to me but now that I have talked with so many of them I realize how hard they work. Most are worth every dime.

I have had opportunities to look at bowhunting products that I otherwise wouldn't have known about. You would have to be superman to keep tract of it all.

I have learned a lot about archery products. I have been blessed with some very knowledgeable writers and they have educated me and hopefully given you valuable information about archery equipment. Make sure you thank them if you get the chance. We are always looking for more writers. You would be surprise how many people say they can't write, try it once and then find out that they are great at it. You may have noticed some months we don't have releases for the site. That is because we don't have enough stories or articles for that month. I challenge you to give something back to your sport of bowhunting. Write a story or article and send it to me. Wouldn't it be great if someone in Singapore had read your article? Doesn't it seem odd that 20,000 bowhunters can visit but we don't have enough stories or articles for a monthly issue?

Awareness of what is going on in the bowhunting world. I have gotten many emails and information about everything between terrorist groups terrorizing bowhunters, protesters at hunts to ATV issues in parks. There are many opportunities available to get involved to protect your right to hunt. Why would anyone ignore the chance to protect those rights? Try looking into MBI. This organization has been rejuvenated with new people and now is the time to get involved. New ideas are welcome and needed.

Last year we had 20,000 bowhunters visit Strictly Bowhunting. This year we are on target to reach 25,000-30,000 bowhunters visiting. Make sure you tell a friend about the site. Don't forget the challenge to write articles for us. Most of all get involved in protecting your right to bow hunt. Get involved for yourself, your children and fellow bowhunters.

So often we read articles about scouting in the spring. There are many reasons for this including lack of foliage on the trees, easier to spot rub lines, old scrapes, etc. The deer at this time of year most likely have moved to their winter feeding grounds. If a deer happens to be in the area it isn't a big deal if they are spooked. They have all spring and summer to get over it.

In Minnesota we are having an exceptional warm winter. In fact it is going on record as one of mildest of all time. Only one day so far under freezing. The other day I saw a deer cross the road in the middle of the day. I saw 5 deer moving across some wetland coming home from work. I heard on the radio that there were 3 car/deer collisions that morning. The other day I talked to a friend of mine and he said he saw two huge bucks in his yard. He usually never sees deer in the winter. All of this happened in February. What does all this mean for bowhunters? Well it could be a bonanza for us.

Many bucks apparently are still carrying their racks. I spoke to a DNR representative the other day. My question to him was? "In cases where a winter is so mild like the one we are experiencing, is it possible the deer don't use their winter feeding grounds? In fact won't they stay in their normal patterns throughout the winter?" DNR answered the question by say "yes, this year most deer haven't yet migrated to their winter area and I don't believe that they will". Well this can be just about the greatest news for any bowhunter wishing to scout.

Why, well you can see the trails they use because they are using them. With the rain and wet snow these trails are going to be really run down. That in it self is good news but you can also find a big track. That is the one of the best ways to locate a big buck. Use that knowledge along with the rub lines and old scrapes, you just might have found the home range of the buck. The difference here is you might just see the buck itself.

Can you imagine walking through the woods and stumbling onto a bedded Pope and Young buck. Now you know his bedding area and his escape route. With a little luck you might get to follow his tracks to his secondary hideout. You can also get a good look at his track and burn it into memory for later scouting. You also know he is alive and barring a car collision will be in that same vicinity next hunting season. The best part of all is that he will forget all about you in the coming months and return to that same area. All of this is available because of the mild winter we are having.

Most bowhunters don't scout in the spring like experts' advise. I think this is one winter you can't miss out on. Get scouting!

How did I get started in bowhunting? My story is similar to many other bow hunters. I grew up in Superior, WI. My father, uncles and cousins would get together every year in November for gun hunting. My mother wouldn't allow me to hunt with a rifle until I was 16. I think she was afraid that I might get some undo influence at the hunting shack or maybe she thought I was too young to be hunting with a gun. Either way I had time on my hands to explore with my friends.

We always hit the alleys and looked for any trouble we could find. We would make our rounds to Bob's hamburger joint for a 35cent hamburger and some fries to go with it. We would make the trek towards Pickles pond and check our rabbit traps. Upon catching a rabbit in one of our snares we would cook the rabbit over an open fire. I am sure we didn't do a good job cooking the rabbit but at the time it was the highlight of our afternoons.

One day we explored the most distant alleys and found a few broadheads and some arrows lying in a field. There was an old stockade just down the road. Naturally we thought that we had stumbled onto an ancient burial ground. Why else would all of this stuff be there! So the stories began and they were exaggerated to the highest extent given our childhood imaginations. I remember telling one of those stores to my Dad. He sat there as I went into detail about some big battle that had occurred hundreds of years ago right here in our backyard. They fought ferociously with only bow and arrow. They were probably buried right there in that field.

My Dad, after I was done shrieking at the end of my story burst out in laughter. I asked him what was so funny? He said the broadheads and broken arrows I found weren't from some big battle long ago. Hunters use the broadheads and arrows. They hunt with a bow. They are called bowhunters. I ask, "Are their deer in that field that bowhunters hunt for?" My Dad replied "No, but there is a company over there that makes archery equipment. The stuff you found was probably just waste that they were throwing away."

Well, the next day my friends and I couldn't wait to get over to that company. We went right for the garbage cans. It was like winning the lottery. We found all kinds of stuff. We wondered why they were throwing so much away. We didn't understand that broadheads or arrows some times don't meet specifications. Even back then there were standards that had to be kept to provide quality merchandise.

We found ourselves going into the building and a man approached us. "Can I help you boys?" he said. We asked him if we could keep all the stuff we found out back. He said that would be fine. He asked us if we wanted to learn more about archery and we said yes. He took us on a tour of his small but efficient warehouse. We met some mighty fine people that day. They answered all our questions and then some that we didn't ask.

From that day forward I was hooked on bowhunting. Most kids had pictures of the Beatles on their walls. I had pictures of every kind of animal that could be hunted. You couldn't even tell what color the paint was on the wall. It wasn't long before I saved enough money from my night crawler stand and paper route to buy a bow. It was the proudest day of my life when my Dad took me to Northwest Outlet to make my purchase. I had a smile from ear to ear. It was one of those moments when a father and son bond.

To this day, when I see my father, the first thing that comes out of his mouth is "how is the bowhunting going?" That usually starts a conversation that can last for hours. You see, my Dad never bowhunted.

Even though he doesn't know what it feels like to be so close to a deer that you can count his eye lashes, he always pays attention to every detail of my adventures. It is as if he was there with me every step of the hunt. One might say I was lucky that day finding those broadheads. Yes it is true, but more importantly my Dad and I found something that will keep us together that only he and I can share. BOWHUNTING!!!

FROM THE EDITOR BY JON NYSTROM - Dec 2001

Most Bowhunters have harvest all the deer they are going to for the year. Others have given up. There are still a few diehards that will brave the weather the last few weeks. My vacations are all but a memory.

So what does a bowhunter do now? Most will take time off from the everyday consumption of the sport. I am one of the few that for better or worse goes on. My bait supplier went out of business so I have to locate another source. This is no small task. Companies don't have a problem throwing away there waste but they do have trouble giving it to bear hunters.

Then there is the banquet. Minnesota Bowhunters, Inc. is having a banquet this year. I showed up to a meeting and got volunteered to help out. "Why did I show up!" Truthfully I don't mind helping and it is for a good cause. This is their big fundraiser for the year. This is where they get all their money for donations to DNR research, etc. I do enjoy going. I never shy away from a chance to talk with other bowhunters.

Then there is the Safari Clubs banquet. I went last year and had a blast. They have great food. You can talk with some outfitters and schedule a future hunt. Archer equipment manufacturers are struttin their products. Or you can sit back and listen to the auctioneer. There are plenty of hunts for sale at bargain basement prices. That reminds me to empty out my change jar and see how much money I have to spend on a hunt next year.

Did I mention the Deer Classic. This is a great time after a long winter to look into that fishing trip, see what the new record whitetail is or book a hunt for the coming fall. It takes a good half day to see everything and talk to all the outfitters.

Then there is the get together at the fair grounds. There are some outfitters and archery equipment manufacturers there as well. These special times can give you the jump start you need for the spring turkey season that will be starting shortly after. I may have to volunteer at the MBI booth. Make sure you stop by and say hello.

Is there more to do? You bet. How about scouting for next year. Topo maps and phone calls to land owners are a top priorty. Don't forget to put your boots on and walk potential new areas. That is the best time to scout.

All of this is going on in the Twin Cites area. Each state has at least this much going on and more. I encourage you to participate in any way you can. Bowhunting is a year round sport. I am proof to that!

FROM THE EDITOR BY JON NYSTROM - Nov 2001

I can't think of any other holiday or vacation that actually relaxes me more than a good bowhunt. From the moment I start packing my equipment, loading my truck and then starting the long drive to my hunting cabin I feel the tension of every day life leaving me. My tightened jaw becomes more relaxed and actually starts working like it is suppose to. My mind is focused on only one thing: having a good hunt. All my family obligations are put on hold with their support. Work has to be shelved in the back of my mind or it will ruin the hunt. Volunteers have stepped forward to help with coaching the basketball team. I have made all emergency preparations incase something happens while I am gone.

The neighbor will help with the driveway in the event of an early snowfall. Another will feedthe rabbit, lizards and fish. Thus is the life of a family man and the rut.

Arriving at camp I see some familiar faces. They all stop what they are doing to come and shake my hand with such passion that is only displayed by bowhunters. The handshake that you get when you know the other is really glad to see you. The rest of the evening is for story telling, organizing gear and playing some cards.

The next morning there is always one guy who gets up and starts a pot of coffee. Bacon
is in the frying pan and eggs in another. Hunters are awakened by the smell of a bowhunters breakfast. Bowhunters start the slow ascent into the gathering area. There is never enough room for everyone but know one cares. The eggs may not be prepared the way everyone likes. The toast may be burnt and there is never enough bacon for everyone know matter how much you cook. Lunches are being made and thermos bottles filled to the brim with coffee. I don't know why but the food always tastes better at times like this than if you were in the finest restaurant.

Everyone starts walking in a different direction waving and saying good luck. Finally in my tree I can reminisce of hunts gone past. Some memories might include when I was a boy and my first hunting experience. Another memory may be of the last deer I harvested while bowhunting or of all the great people I have met. The naps are fantastic and there isn't anything like hearing a twig snap, open your eyes and their stands a deer. It is not about the kill but the hunt and everything that goes with it.

Your hunting buddies are there at night when you come out of the woods. Everyone wants to tell a story first. Excitement is in the air at the mention of a big buck. A son or daughter will tell their stories and they will be added to the long list of stories that already exist in the camp. Every story will be told again and again. One hunter may remember a story one way and then another will say: "That isn't what happened! It went like this!" The stories go on until the last lamp is out and all you hear is the snoring. The kind of snoring that makes you feel at home. The hunting camp snore.

FROM THE EDITOR BY JON NYSTROM - Oct 2001

September is now a memory. As I drive north I begin to see the trees turning color as if they are having a big farewell party and inviting anyone who cares to come. Lawnmowers are being heard with less frequency and some have been winterized already. I see more neighbors working in their yards by day feverishly trying to get everything done.

In the evening I see a hint of what the hurry is all about. Bowhunters are checking their treestands for any repairs needed. Camo washed with either baking soda, some magic soap or just plain water and then hung from a tree to dry in the wind. New bow strings replacing old ones, broadheads checked and knives sharpened.

I can't help but do the same. I know that the magic time of the year is coming. There isn't anything in the world that compares with trees in full color. Leaves dropping at the rate so fast that I am afraid the special time will only last another moment. A cool morning hunt is only weeks away where I will hear the foot steps of a deer or squirrel running through the crisp leaves. My heart beating a mile a minute waiting for the animal to appear, hoping to see my first deer of the year. A doe and then a fawn. They look so natural in their surroundings and I am so blessed to be part of it. They pause for just an instant and then disappear and the timber becomes silent again.

I am sad they couldn't stay longer. I thank them for sharing their home with me.

All of a sudden I hear a lawnmower start up. I look around and realize that I was having another one of those daydreams again. The breeze that had been blowing in my face had stopped. I wondered if "fall" was sending me a message:

It is July, the hottest month of the year. These days are mostly known as "dog days" where the lake water is brown, days are hot, and longer than at any other time of year. Most people lounge around drinking a nice cool drink enjoying summer activities.

I on the other hand call these days "collecting bear bait days". With bear season only a month or so away I start to shore up my bait. I have a theory that the more variety a bear gets at the dinner table the more likely he will return. So I spend these "collecting bear bait days" calling every bow hunter I know and asking where he got his bait, what kind of bait is for sale, how far did you have to travel to get the bait and around a hundred other questions.

This year with bait going at a premium I thought I would try and eliminate the middleman and find a source for some cookies. I called a friend that owned a convenience store and asked him for any information he could give me in this endeavor. He told me about a company that delivers cookies to his store and gave me a telephone number.

I called the company and talked with the receptionist. She was very kind and offered all kinds of help. She conferenced me in with an employee that worked in receiving. I told the guy I was looking for damaged or old cookies that they throw away. This guy was very friendly and told me that they were just a distributor and that they get a refund if they send any of those cookies back to the manufacturer. I asked him if he could help me contact these manufacturers and he gave me to contacts. He then asked me why I wanted the cookies. I responded that I wanted them to feed wildlife. I thought that was the politically correct answer. He then said "what kind of wildlife"? I told him that I was a bowhunter and that I use them to feed bears. His immediate response was "I am sorry but I have to end this conversation right now". We said our good byes.

As I hung up the phone I realized how guilty he made me feel that I was a hunter. I hadn't done anything wrong. I wasn't doing anything that affected him or his company yet I felt like a criminal. Well I am not sure whether this was his or his companies political agenda but it doesn't matter. I realized right then and there that my bow hunting days are coming to an end.

What do I mean by this? We all sit back on our couches nine months a year waiting for the next season to come around. Most including me don't give any time back to our sport of bow hunting. I say to you that don't be surprised if the next season "your waiting for" comes around and someone sitting in an office in some big city has taken your rights away to bow hunt. You can say "Oh, that will never happen". I say to you that it is happening already. This article is just one example of many instances where people say that animals have more rights than bow hunters do. Public opinion is being swayed as we speak.

What if I told you the 2001 bow season has been canceled. You know longer can bow hunt in the state of Minnesota. We as an animal rights group have decided that it isn't proper for you to bow hunt. We don't care about what you think. We just want you to stop.

Well I can tell you what this editor did. I went out and joined Minnesota Bowhunters, Inc. This organization is fighting for our right to bow hunt. I even went to a couple of meetings. Guess what. This room full of people is giving up part of their lives so you can bow hunt and all you do is sit on your rears.

After attending those meetings I was ashamed of myself for not joining sooner. I am getting actively involved but we need more help. There are many organizations across the state but they are in need of help besides you yearly fees. Are you going to take up the challenge, carry the flag, and take the first step?

I challenge you to donate 4 hours a month to help a bow hunting organization. Did you know that there are approximately 65000 bow hunters in the state of Minnesota? Do the math. 65000 * 4 hours.

I am putting my email address here so you can send me a note telling me you have contributed time to some organization. If I don't hear from any of you bow hunters then I will know that: