I recently discovered the Fuse Plus You website, www.fuseplusyou.com that offers a wide variety of quality cell phone cases that not only fit my iPhone like a glove, they come in fabulous camouflage options. Score!! The Mossy Oak Rugged Orange iPhone Shell Case had my name written all over it. Ever since it arrived in the mail it has been protecting my phone. I've been using this case for about a month and LOVE IT! I should confess that I am really hard on phones and cases (just ask my husband about the time his truck ran over my phone), thus the reason why it is so important for me to have a case on my phone that performs well, at ALL times. Trust me when I tell you that I have put this case to the test. It has been dropped multiple times, yet still looks great and most importantly, my phone has remained undamaged while wearing this slick cover. It has done its job ... protecting a phone from it's worst enemy: Me. One thing I really like about the case is how easy it is to remove, yet still stays in snugly in place. I've often gotten so frustrated with other cases when I want to take it off, and have to practically break my phone in order to get it off. Isn't that defeating the purpose? Anyway, with this case there is no problem. When I want it off, it comes off. When I want it on, it stays on. You may be wondering, "Why do you need to take it on and off so often?" The simple answer .... I like to keep my drivers license or hunting license tugged safely behind my phone in the case. It fits perfectly. So.... If you are looking for a new phone case, check out Fuse Plus You. There are plenty of options to choose from. It could also make a great Father's Day gift. Check it out and go shopping! Disclaimer: The reviews on FromtheDraw.com are solely the honest opinions of the From the Draw team. The cell case cover in this review was provided at no cost by FusePlusYou.com for the purpose of this review. FromtheDraw.com is not sponsored by FusePlusYou.com and received no monetary compensation in exchange for this review.
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We journey through wooded lands, in pursuit of wild game, traveling along unfamiliar paths, known to only those who call the forest home. With each step taken, we neatly tuck memories in our packs, a keepsake to carry home. This memento is enough, as the hunt lives on and dwells in one's memories, impressed in the hunter's thoughts for years to come. For the hunter who carried home more than just memories, the recollection of last season's hunt comes flooding back with each winter meal. The smell is mesmerizing. One taste and you can't help but smile. Thankfulness overflows as you acknowledge the strength and nourishment it provides; a healthy meal placed before you. The hunter is reminded again of the path traveled, and the pursuit's reward. Yes, each meal prepared in winter months, reminds us of our journeys from the previous year, and brings new hopes of replacing retrospection with new destinations. An upcoming adventure that fills the freezer once again! For those who are fortunate to have wild game in their freezer, dig out some breakfast venison sausage, or sweet Italian elk sausage, and find out what happens when homemade biscuits, gravy and elk sausage collide .. WHOLE WHEAT BISCUITS 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup regular flour 4 1/2 tsp baking powder 2 Tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp cream of tartar 3/4 cup cold butter 1 egg beaten 1 cup milk In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add egg and milk. Stir quickly and briefly. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly (do not over mix). Roll or pat gently to 1-inch thickness. Cut into the desired size biscuits (don’t worry about being perfect – the unique shapes are the best)! Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes. Prepare a basic white gravy by melting 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add several tablespoons of floor (one at a time), mixing well with each addition. As the mixture thickens to a spreading consistency, slowly add 1 1/2 cups milk. Whisk to combine the butter / flour mixture in with the milk. Continue stirring with a spatula over medium heat until gravy thickens. Season with pepper.
Fry breakfast sausage until browned. Add to gravy, and heap generously over biscuits fresh from the oven! Then sit back, and let the recollection of your last hunt flood your memory as the biscuits, sausage and gravy collide and dance over your taste buds. When first shooting a bow there is a lot to learn ... stand this way, find an anchor point or two or three, back tension, don't punch the trigger, level, breath, etc.
The list goes on and on. I remember getting so frustrated with my husband when I was first learning because he wanted me to get everything right. Now don't get me wrong, he had my best interests in mind which is admirable. While I appreciate his concern for my accuracy and desire for excellency, it can also be exasperating when you are trying to remember everything and your spouse is whispering in your ear, "You did it wrong, again." I know he was just trying to help, but I felt like he was secretly enjoying pointing out my errors. Ugh. I wanted to throw an arrow at him, and since I'm confessing, I think I chased him around with one at some point. Don't worry, a broadhead was not fixed to the tip of my arrow! Gals, if you are just learning to shoot, here's a piece of advice: Find a non-biased friend or someone from a local pro-shop to help with your shooting technique. I've found that it is much easier to hear constructive criticism from a non-husband source. With that being said, after years of shooting a bow, I am still working on perfecting my shot. I know there is always room for improvement. Sometimes a minor adjustment here or there can bring you to that next level of consistency in your shot. Since we are now in a hunting off-season where most deer hunting has come to a close, don’t put your bow away! I would encourage you to take a look at your form. Is there any room for improvement in your shot? Video yourself and evaluate your form. Have someone else give you a second opinion. I know what I’ll be working on … how I hold my bow, specifically loosening my grip. I need to make sure I’m holding it correctly with the bow grip in the meat of my palm, letting my fingers relax, and trusting my bow sling. After a missed shot this last year, I can almost guarantee it was because I was so excited that I gripped my bow which ended up giving just enough torque to throw my shot off. So, I know I need some work in this area. I’ve asked a friend at a Pro-Shop to make sure I’m holding my bow correctly. I know it will take practice… I can consistently shoot 20 yard shots all day long, but I quickly learned the hard way that if I haven’t formed the habit of consistently holding my bow correctly, it is way too easy to grip and torque your shot during the heat of the moment when the shot counts. I have a date with an elk in about 9 months from now, and I’m not going to make the same mistake twice! What about you? Are you taking strides this winter to improve your shot? What areas do you need to improve on? Carrying bow in hand and arrows in the other, the archer journeys through the open field. An established target lays waiting along a well worn path. The archer doesn't want to miss the moment. She makes an appearance briefly each morning, nods and slips away after illuminating the land with glorious stretched out rays. Each new day is introduced in morning splendor as she swings her lantern of light across the horizon. She is making her way, evidenced by the surrender of darkness, so the archer quickens his step. Dawn is drawing near and the archer will be there to greet her. They rhythm of the draw, aim, and release is mesmerizing, which somehow pauses the spinning of the world as an arrow slices through the crisp clean air. Fingertips begin to grow numb as Jack Frost makes an appearance, but Dawn's soft golden rays greets the archer with a kiss simultaneously as the string is anchored to lip's edge. The favor is returned as glistening rays dance off the tip of the arrow now slicing through the thin veil of breaking light. The dance continues... Anchor. Breathe. Aim. Release. Morning is now chasing Dawn across the prairie, threatening to snatch up her golden rays as the sun inches higher in the sky. The brilliant rays of first light has done it's job and pierced through the archer's heart. Dawn's tranquility has swept by, leaving an archer in an open field, thankful for another day. Through the peep hole of a bow sight, the archer winks and watches as she introduces the day gracefully. She winks back and slips away with a promise to return, to catch the next arrow in flight.
Ready to face the day, the archer gathers arrows and journeys on, with the promise of Dawn coming again. Day two at the Archery Trade Association (ATA) had us once again busy checking out new product, but we first took some time to shoot a few of the new bows for 2015. ATA has rows and rows of shooting lanes, with all the new bows available to test out. We fell into the little slice of archery heaven, shooting and comparing the various bows. The Hoyt Nitrum was at the top of our list as favorite bow, although I will admit that the shootability of the Elite bows had my attention. Troy enjoyed shooting the Prime Rival, but in the end held true to his Hoyt, which is a good thing because he already has his Nitrum on order! (I think I may be close to follow suit.) As promised, here are a few more of our top picks for 2015 ... VappleWe walked by the Vapple booth and the apple scent waffling through the air immediately caught our attention. Troy stopped in his tracks and we looked over towards the source of the smell. The owner was in the middle of a conversation, but eyed us, and motioned for us to hang on while he wrapped things up. Somehow picked up on the fact that we were elk hunters, as he stated, "I've been waiting to talk to some elk hunters." I guess the well-used Badlands pack and elk ivory necklaces gave us away. Vapple product can be used as both an attractant and a cover scent. While attractants / baiting material is not legal in Colorado, cover scents are okay to use. Troy and I will be testing out the cover scent during our next elk hunt. Considering the positive testimonials on their website, I'm also looking forward to trying it out on the whitetails in Kansas next Fall. Fast Eddie Spot Hogg SightI'm in serious need of a new sight this year, which is why I was intrigued by what Spot Hogg had to offer. Their new Fast Eddie is the latest addition to the Hogg Mobb adjustable sight series. This sight is designed specifically with the hunter in mind. It features silent click free adjustments, is lighter, and has a double pin scope / pin housing. Also included: micro-adjustable 2nd and 3rd axis, tools adjustment, and bulletproof pin technology. This sight very well could find a home on my Hoyt Carbon Spyder for 2015. Prois Galleann Rain Jacket and PantsProis has done it again - created a must have item for the series female hunter. Their new Galleann Rain Jacket and Pants are extremely light weight, waterproof / breathable, and the best part (in my opinion) is the fact that it packs down into its own pocket! My current rain gear takes up almost half of my back pack. I'll no longer have to be jealous of my husband's packable rain gear that he whips out whenever the storm unleashes it's furry on the mountain.
Some other great features of this rain gear include: Deep pockets, 20,0000mm/10,000mm WP, Storm hood with 2 directional adjustment, pants full length zipper for easy on and off, and built in "gators" for keeping pants secured to boots. Color options: Realtree APX, Realtree MAX1 and Olive There was a moment after I found my buck this fall when I looked down, felt the warm blood on my hands from the fresh kill, and realized the significance and symbolism all wrapped up in 'having blood on your hands.' I was responsible for this animal's death. A death that would give life. A life was taken so that another could be sustained. In the quietness of the night, I knelt next to my deer, felt the warmth of the body and my now blood soaked knee that was plugging an exit wound made moments ago by a broadhead on the tip of my arrow. After I picked up my bloody arrow and helped drag my buck up out of a ditch, I glanced down and noticed my blood soaked hands. It was a moment in time that struck in my heart, the reality of how messy it all is. As humans we often make a mess of life so to speak. The murk and mire of life tends to muddy everything up. We are far from perfect and all have stains. The cloak of life we don day after day, has figuratively been stained by our imperfections ..."all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Quite simply - we have missed the mark. The arrow released from our bow is dripping with sin and will never reach the intended target. But praise God, that is not the end of the story. There was a Saviour born unto us who has the power to hit the target. The God of creation stepped down into the confinement of time, picked up our arrow, and with one quick release hit the bulls eye, swiftly nailing our sin to a cross and paying the price that we never could. "But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord." At this time of year, we like to package up the Christmas story and present it in a way that glitters and shines. Yes, it is a beautiful message and my prayer is that all my friends and family would understand, know how much God loves them, and accept this ultimate gift... the gift that God loves them enough to get blood on his hands and pay the price for our sins, so that we can someday stand before God with a clean cloak. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole and by his bruises we are healed." Beloved reader, may you take a moment this Christmas season to reflect on the mystery of it all. Ponder the purpose of a Christ child born to die. I am brought back to a moment in time where I am kneeling next to an arrow pierced deer in the woods and am struck with how the blood on my hands now reminds me of a different blood. A messy, bloody death that also gave life, but not just sustaining life. No, it is life abundantly. A life was given so that another could live. A Saviour died and conquered death itself. And the angels proclaim... "Glory to God in the highest!"
MORNING HUNT: Wednesday, September 19 Today we woke up early with the plan of getting into the upper part of the lakes before any glimpses of daylight made an appearance. We snaked our way down into the meadows under the cover of moonlight and were situated by first light. I had the lower middle, Garnet the left side and Troy on the right. Todd was up on top calling. Not even 15 minutes after we sat down, there were bulls coming in. Unfortunately a bull was not taken this morning. But it was an action packed hunt that I can still close my eyes and remember the sound of the bull we named "growler" stomping around down below, just out of danger from my arrow. After a long hike out, we arrived back to camp late and ate a quick meal of eggs, elk chorizo and whatever else we could round up. Then we all succumbed to our full bellies and quickly fell asleep which led to a long afternoon slumber. Our bodies were tired, but even after waking up later than intended, no one wanted to waste the opportunity for an evening hunt. So we rallied the troops and headed down to the lower beaver ponds. EVENING HUNT:
We quickly worked our way down the upper trail to a location where we figured elk may be crossing. Upon reaching the designated spot, Garnet, Allen and I sat along the upper drainage while Todd and Troy went down below. When the signal was given that everyone was situated and ready for the action, Todd and Troy began to do their best elk impersonations. Not long after, I heard a commotion of branches breaking and something trying to break free from the thick alders. I asked Troy afterwards, "What was going on down there?" He had a spike (young bull) just about run over the top of him, which in turn ended up scaring the snot out of both of them! Oh how I wish I had that on film! Nothing else came in, so we decided to mosey on back to camp. We bugled back and forth with what we think is the big bull in the area... he was smart and simply wouldn't stick his nose out for us to get a view of him. He was always just out of reach and during the last bugle exchange, we listened as he made reaching the top of the mountain appear to be child's play. I'm simply amazed at these animal's strength and stamina. They truly are magnificent animals and I treasure every close encounter I am able to experience with them on the mountain. Troy's 2012 5x5 CO DIY Public Lands elk If you have been following along in my elk journals, you may have noticed that I skipped over Thursday and Friday. I'm sorry. I honestly didn't journal either of these day's hunts. While I do remember the details, I've decided to cut to the chase and get to the last day... the one I've been waiting to blog about. Plus, I have some Christmas giveaways to get to this week, so I need to wrap up these journals. So, without any further ado... here is the day a tag was punched in our household, or as some call it, the last day cliche. MORNING HUNT: Big Bull Meadow Saturday, September 22 Wouldn't you know it! Our favorite meadow is the spot where Troy arrowed an elk and on the LAST DAY of a month long adventure. Here is how the morning unfolded... Wanting all of the cards to be in our favor, Troy, Allen, Todd and I woke up way before dawn knowing today marked the last chance of the season to arrow an elk. During the long bumpy ride down the mountain road, the following words escaped from someone's lips, "I've got a good feeling today." It's not something we say often in an effort to simply will a good result. So, we all take heed in the fact that God may just be smiling on us and whatever the results, we will give thanks. We arrived in our favorite meadow just as the first glimpses of the morning began to crack the darkness of night. Our footsteps were cautious as we edged the clearing. The darkness from the thick timber quickly allowed our eyes to adjust to the light beginning to play and lift dawn's shadows in the meadow, which meant our cover could be blown if we weren't careful. We scanned the openness before us for a few moments before determining it was safe to scurry across to our designated spots. A coyote or two began making horrible noises just beyond the bottom portion of the meadow, and I quickly grabbed the back of Allen's pack stopping him in his tracks. The lower meadow was my agreed upon location, but I was now uneasy about sitting amongst the ruckus. Don't get me wrong - I would shoot one in a flash, but being surrounded by a pack of coyotes potentially after a fresh kill wasn't my cup of tea this morning. Allen agreed to switch spots. We quickly split, and made a dash to get set up. Troy went high, Allen low, and I moved to the right, while Todd nestled in an aspen grove in the middle since he was the main caller, which allowed him to move as needed once we figured out where the elk were at. After finding a spot with good shooting lanes, I removed the loose debris, and sticks from the ground around me. An arrow was nocked, several spots measured with my ranger finder and mentally noted. I was ready. I called three times on my cow call to let everyone know... it was game on! Troy had picked a spot in the upper meadow. He was situated basically in the very middle of an open field with his back to a huge pine tree which concealed his frame. If a bull made his way into the open, he would have a good chance at a 30 - 40 yard shot. Normally it is probably not ideal to be situated so out in the open, but we've seen bulls make a dash for "cows" below IF they are hot. Allen suggested Troy try it this morning. I'm pretty sure I heard Todd bugle once, and then Troy returned the bugle from up above. I cow called in between to complete the elk ambiance. We had been sitting maybe 15 minutes and then I heard a noise... I was inside the tree line watching an open section just west of the meadow Troy was sitting in. Instant adrenaline filled my body. I could tell elk was in the area, but they weren't talking. I heard footsteps above me. Then I heard a bark, and then some calling over by Troy. I heard a moan. Was it a death moan signaling an elk's final breath? Did Troy shoot something? Not wanting to spook anything coming near, I knew I had to stay put until someone cow called three times in a row indicating to rally the troops. I waited. And waited. Nothing. All was quiet. I began to second guess what happened. I was hopeful that someone shot something, but as the minutes ticked by, slowly turning into an hour, I didn't know what to think. Todd continued to call down below. I called some and Troy also cow called now and then. Finally, Troy couldn't take it any longer. Three short cow calls were let out. I quickly emerged from the shadow of my pine tree and made my way towards the open meadow. As I rounded the edge of a pine, I saw antlers laying just beyond where Troy was standing!! He HAD shot a bull first thing that morning and then sat nestled against the big pine for an hour, while watching his elk only 30 yards away, because he was hoping more elk would come in for Allen and I to get a shot also. Wow! (Before you start thinking that is crazy, let me tell you that it has happened before - Allen and Troy each shot an elk within 15 minutes in this very meadow several years ago.) After Troy and Todd's quick bugle exchange, followed up by Big Al cow calling down below, this bull elk came RUNNING down from the top of the meadow. He was on a bee line straight for Troy's tree. Since it was the only cover in the meadow, the bull was most likely going to stop right above the tree and use it to peek around to try and locate the "elk" he heard. The only problem... Troy was also using that tree for cover. The Kryptek camouflage Troy was wearing did the trick because just as they were about to be eyeball to eyeball, Troy let out a soft cow call. The bull turned broadside as he put the brakes on and slid to a stop. Mr. Bull was met with the broadhead end of an arrow. Troy said his bull basically did a backflip, ran 30 yards and died right in front of him. What a way to end the last day of the season! Congrats, Troy! The guys: Troy, Todd, Allen Emily Now that's a good feeling!
MORNING HUNT: Road to the Lakes Tuesday, September 18 After all the fun we had yesterday, we decided it would be appropriate to head back to the same location for round two. We ran into elk again but it wasn't until later that morning, and unfortunately the scenario, while memorable, was anything but ideal. I don't know if it is ironic, karma, or the forces of nature playing a cruel joke on me, but here is how it went down that day... While taking a short break from the hunt, I realized that I would need to sneak off into the woods to, well, let's just say become one with nature. I've learned that when you hunt in a group it is a good idea to let everyone know your plans when duty calls so that a search party isn't sent your way or worse yet, they take off hunting without you. It is just one of those things, as I'm often the token gal in the group, that I've learned to get over. I'll even admit that I once got 6 inches from Al's face, opened my eyes as wide as I could and whispered in a very serious tone, "I have to POOH." So, this morning I let someone from the group know which direction I was headed and quickly vanished into the woods. Upon finding a perfect location that was my own little secret pine tree cave, I unloaded all my gear and dug a nice little hole. Just as everything became quiet, I heard it. A bugle! Are you serious? Okay, I'm sure most of you have seen the comical pictures of hunters caught with their pants down and the bull / buck staring them down from the other side of a tree, while the hunter's bow is just of reach. That was now happening to me. I couldn't believe it. I guess it was bound to happen one day... this was my day! I couldn't see the bull, but I knew he was close. It was a comedy act trying to finish the deed, gather my stuff and sneak back to the guys as quickly as I could. As I was making my way back to the guys, they were already headed my direction because they also heard the commotion. I quickly got a short lecture on never pooping in the wrong direction. What? Apparently, you should always go back the way you came. Yadda Yadda. The bull was still up there, so he wasn't spooked too bad. As I motioned to Troy to stay away from the "danger zone," he waved me off and moved closer to the bull. I followed. We ended up sitting right around my pine tree cave hideout. Uncomfortable. I don't think that is the scent cover we were looking for. After a several bugle exchanges, we never did draw him in, and realized the bull was on his way up the mountain to bed down for the day. Let me tell you - I was more than happy to call it a morning and when the suggestion was made to settle in for our late morning snack before heading back to camp, I was all in! I don't have the evening hunt documented in my journal for this night, and either I'm getting old and can't remember the details, or it truly didn't exist. Sheesh! Tomorrow is another day...
I forgot to mention that we did actual hunt last night... Todd brought his elk into the local processor and Allen, Troy and myself hunted the top of the beaver ponds. We went as far as the "crossroads" and Allen saw the monster bull. He peeked his head out just enough to prove he was there. Big. He was big. MORNING HUNT: Little Mountain Monday, September 17 We hunted the top of Little Mountain this morning. Only one bull was spotted and no shots presented. Troy spied him at about eighty yards. He was peeing all over himself. (Of course I'm talking about the bull - not Troy) It rained a little on us first thing in the morning, and luckily it didn't amount to much so the ride back to camp wasn't a repeat episode of the giant mud slip and slide we experienced the other day. Upon returning to camp, we chatted with the guys from Utah camping next to us and then it was nap time for me. One of my favorite parts of having a camper... crawling into your sleeping bag and dreaming of elk during a mid-day slumber episode. EVENING HUNT: Road to the Lakes The 2:30 wake call sprung me back to reality. A reality I was happy to wake up to... Hunting time! We figured enough time had passed since packing out Todd's elk yesterday morning, so we headed back to the side of the mountain where we knew the elk were hanging out. Moving methodically through waist high ferns, listening and using hand gestures, we were beginning to look like a well-oiled team on a mission. The first small meadow, we split up and strategically picked our spots. Troy and Todd stayed up top to call, while Allen and I split the lower section of the open area. I heard a bugle below not long after we set up and signaled to the guys to keep calling. We were set up for maybe a half hour and I began to notice vultures flying above. They most likely had found the remains from Todd's bull. Or maybe it was something else... While everyone else was hunting, Allen was trying to escape from the confines of his pants and long johns. I'm not sure who's cooking was responsible for this eruption or interruption from the morning hunt (I forgot to write it down in my journal - or maybe I intentionally wanted to block it from memory), but he found himself scrambling for cover while simultaneously searching for tid-bits of tissue. Jim caught a glimpse of it from his ill-chosen location above. And the vultures above had a prime view and were left wondering if they should begin circling a new target, as surely something was about to die. Even after all that ruckus, a bull was still bugling below us. Allen didn't believe me. I offered to restock his q-tip supply. We regrouped and headed to the next meadow over. Making our way through some thick pines, we stumbled on a few large pines that a bull raked the snot out of. I tried really hard to suppress the "I told you so" look from displaying on my face. Troy let out a bugle and we decided to set up in the meadow just in case Mr. Bull was still in the area. Troy boogied across the meadow, Allen skirted the edge of the meadow to the right and I headed down below. This is where hind sight is 20/20. First, we probably shouldn't have bugled until we were set up. Second, I was focused on quickly finding a spot to set up with good shooting lanes instead of checking my surroundings. Let's just say it doesn't work well when you are on a collision course with a bull. Apparently we were both walking in the same direction and didn't realize it until we were right on top of each other. Me, searching for a spot to set up. Mr. Bull, carelessly meandering towards the bugle he heard moments ago just above. When we were about 10 yards away, he caught a glimpse of me. I caught a glimpse of fur, which seems to be a recurring theme for me this year. I quickly cow called and he started bugling again down below. We ended up having 2-3 bulls come back in, but never close enough to seal the deal.
Allen cooked chili tonight, so there may be a few more mad dashes for pine trees tomorrow!! |
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