WHAT A NEAT DEER STAND!!!

How many ways are there to hunt deer?

-stand

-still hunting

-stalking

-pushing

-using dogs

-???? how many more ways

I would think that the terrain would eliminate some options but ultimately there are several different approaches for chasing that whitetail. I grew up stand hunting (mainly sitting on the ground up against a tree). As I grew older I built many different types of tree stands. Some of these stands were probably as dangerous as trying to wrestle an alligator but it was sure fun fabricating the idea. Later I got into box or tower stands. These were more comfortable than the rickety wooden structures I put in acceptable trees. I really enjoy hunting out of tower stands. On cold days I could take a little heater with me to keep toasty! One thing I miss though when hunting in a tower stand is the close proximity of the wildlife. Other types of stands (climbers, ladder, and lock-ons) have you right there with the game. The sounds of the rustling leaves, squirrels so close you can touch, and the feel of the fall breeze can put you in a trance. 

There are definitely many different ways to hunt deer. I would love to have the one in the picture above. That is so cool!!! What type of ways do you hunt deer? What is your favorite way? 

What a foggy day!

This fog is so thick you can stir it with a stick this morning! For some reason I feel like deer move a little better in this type of condition. I have had many good outings in dense fog. Maybe the moisture in the air makes it easier for them to smell things. What do you think about this?

A few years ago a friend and I were hunting in south Texas. It was a morning similar to this. The temperature was around 50 degrees and the fog was intense. He was seeing a few deer when two bucks began to fight in the distance. He couldn't see them because of the fog but the crashing of the horns made it apparent it was to bruisers battling it out. This went on for a few minutes when out of no where a giant buck appeared through the fog. The word he used was "majestic" as the animal slowly came into view through the fog. It was the biggest buck he had ever taken scoring a gross Boone and Crockett score of 173". I'll never forget the smile on his face when I pulled up and he was standing beside this magnificent whitetail buck!

What a hunt for my friend huh??!! Have you ever had similar experiences hunting in the fog? Maybe a deer just materialized out of no where?

Why do we hunt?

Do we hunt for the fun? Do we hunt for the meat? Do we hunt for the trophy? Do we hunt for the social aspect? No matter what the reasons we hunt it should be done to fit our own desires. I have went through all three of these stages. I currently am hunting for the trophy and the meat. I love just being out there enjoying the great outdoors. I try to be respectful of other hunters who are in it for different reasons. The trophy is in the eye of the beholder. Some people shoot deer because they like shooting deer. Some people join a camp to hang out with the gang. Some may hunt to just get away. 

The ones that are hunting for a specific type of deer, (say a big buck), are in the majority of the older hunters I would think. I believe first time hunters and kids should not worry about the size of the buck. Their goal should be to have fun and learn the tactics for bagging any type of deer. Some hunters set their goals too high for the region they may be hunting and end up not shooting anything. The Outdoor Channel and similar hunting networks are great but they can paint a picture that may not be the truth for a region you may hunt. Be realistic about what type of trophy lives in your area and focus on doing your best for that area. Sometimes the television networks make it appear that all you have to do is put in your time and be patient and your eventually going to bag that big old buck. Well their are lots of variables to this way of thinking. Hunting pressure, deer population, nutrients, etc. all go into what might be lurking in your woods. Do some research on these topics and set your goals on what is respectable in your area if your are the one who is chasing the big one. Fall is in the air. I have my cameras out and am getting some good pictures. I hope this hunting season is fulfilling for all. Remember, sometimes you don't have to bag an animal to have a great time in the field.

Social Networking

In the first blog "Blogging May Have Positive Psychological Effects For Teens" the research indicated that blogging was a good source for teen morale. It talks about how face book and other media sources are susceptible to cyber bulling but it appears that the feed back on blogging was positive and encouraging. I feel like this is a good tool for teens to express themselves. They can talk about their experiences, thoughts, and ideas where the feed back is supportive and informational. This tool can be helpful for the blogger as well as the follower. 

In this second blog "The Positive and Negative Sides of Social Networking [Guest Post]" it talks about just that: the positive and the negative. The explosion of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc. was created to be fun but has turned into a positive marketing tool. American's spend 22% of their time social networking. The study says spending too much time on "useless conversation" is not a good idea.

Within both of these blogs there are good and evil per say. I feel too many people waste their day away in "junk mail networking" but their are definite benefits to this new craze. Businesses can be productive in many ways through social media and individuals can express many different ideas this way. There just needs to be care taken in the amount of time spent plugged into the network and the quality of the information that you are getting.

In my future blogs I will be trying to explain some of the benefits of being "unplugged" from all of this technology and enjoying the great outdoors. It is an amazing feeling when you find yourself in a place with no phone service or you don't have any electricity to charge your devices for a few days. No one can distract you from what you went to do. How would you cope with this dilemma? Do you think you could survive a few days without it all at your fingertips?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/teens-blogging_n_1186435.html

http://www.converstations.com/2012/05/the-positive-and-negative-sides-of-social-networking-guest-post.html

About me

Hi. My name is Chad Breashears. I am 42 years old and from Arkadelphia, Arkansas. I was born in Malvern, Arkansas. I played baseball, football, basketball, and ran track. I got drafted by the San Francisco Giants to play baseball out of high school but decided to go to college instead. I went to Ouachita Baptist University on a football scholarship and played baseball/football. After three years of not figuring out what I wanted to be I quit school. I laid out of school for a year and went back this time to Henderson State University. This stint lasted a whopping one year. I quit once again and went to work. I got married to a beautiful Kentucky girl and she gave me two amazing little boys who are now 18 and 16 years old. We live on a farm fourteen miles south of Arkadelphia. We have cows, wild hogs out the wazoo, deer, turkey, an occasional bear, and many other wild animals to keep us entertained. I have been building houses as a contractor for the past seventeen years but the housing market has taken a nose dive. This turn of events has found me once again back in school at guess where...Henderson State University.

Along the way of trying to go to school twenty plus years ago I developed a passion for hunting whitetail deer. This interest kept me out of class too many times. It was apparent back then my priorities were not in the right place and ultimately caused me to miss the boat with graduation. Things have changed a lot since then and I am limping along trying to learn the digital world on the fly while attempting to pass my classes. I am interested in becoming a teacher at the 4th-6th grade level. I want to be around this age group because I feel like they are at the perfect age for learning and having fun. They are jacked to go to the play ground, see what mom has packed for lunch, and to come to school and be with all their friends. I think in many ways I am still that little kid at heart.

I am starting this blog to share in my past and present experiences in the whitetail world. This pursuit is a year long endeavor for me. Most of my friends hunt but they are seasonal about it. I raced cars, golfed, hunted other animals, etc. but now chasing the majestic whitetail deer is the only game in town for me. I hope that some of my information will help others in their future hunts.