Tom Ware - Make A Kid's Dream Come True

To everyone who has kids or has the ability to take a kid hunting. October is a great time to take a youngster hunting because we all know the giant whitetails that we all want to hunt aren’t moving much until later. It’s usually not too cold for a youngster in October! So take some time off work and make a kids dream come true. Most beginning kid hunters don’t care if they shoot a giant buck. Most just want to spend some time outdoors doing something “different” than shooting hoops or going to school. Hunting is cool to most kids. You have to admit that! So make their day or their week or their season by taking them hunting. You don’t have to use your best honey hole or your best stand, but get out there and let them see some deer. If they are too young to hunt just let them go in a ground blind and hunt with you. These trips hunting will actually be remembered way more than doing the “normal” things as they get older. They won’t remember the times you watched their favorite tv show with them, but many will remember the times you took them hunting and a special moment about each hunt. That will make all the difference down the road and the tradition will carry on.

Most states have an early youth season and are usually very economical. Take advantage of these. Many states have also gone to an over the counter purchase system for the youth hunts just in case you forgot to apply. The opportunities are out there if you just do a little planning.

I got my oldest girl involved in deer hunting at the age of 8 years old. It really depends on the maturity of each kid. I’m not sure my 7 year old will be ready next year, but she sure is trying to convince me she will be. Take them through a hunter’s safety course and see if they listen. If they listen and pay attention, then my feeling is they are probably ready. If they are running around playing and talking during the course and don’t care about what is being taught to them, then maybe wait a year and try again. Just take them hunting with you a time or two and then they will want to hunt themselves. They will see the passion in you and it will develop in them. I promise!

Good luck to all of you this season.

Here are a few pictures of my daughter’s successful hunts. She is only 10 years old now. I can’t wait to see what the next 20 years brings our way!

Tom Ware

Dave Kramer - Burning Lungs, Blisters & Bulls

Burning lungs, blisters and bulls....Not to mention a swollen left knee. That's what you get when two old flat-footed Iowans head out to the higher elevations of western Wyoming to chase giant rocky mountain bull elk. That said, this turned out to be one of those hunts of a lifetime. One in which we hope to continue to do as long and often as our bodies allow.

Being from the upper Midwest, Bill and I cut our teeth on hunting whitetails an turkeys. There's no place like home when it comes to chasing those cagey old mature bucks. However, the older we get the more we feel the need to venture out of our element and try and add a few of the other trophies that call this great country home. Bull elk have been on our list of to dos but have basically kicked our butts each time we've tried to bring one home. This hunt turned out no different than the others as far as filling the freezer goes but was no doubt the closest we've come thus far.

It all started about a year ago when Bill contacted outfitter Tedd Jenkins of Jenkins Hunting Camps in Freedom WY. Tedd told Bill that he, his wife Christy along with his brother in law and sister Brian and Maurie Erickson had just recently purchased the business from his parents Larry and Shirley Jenkins. He also said that they specialize in big bull elk along with Shiras moose, bear, antelope and some of the best Mulies in the lower forty-eight. It worked out that we were able to book the hunt for prime time in the elk rut Sept. 20th-25th. Things were set and it couldn't get here soon enough. Bill and I prepared ourselves for the hunt by biking and hiking as much as possible.

When time finally arrived for the hunt we started things off by heading to ST. Louis for the annual Drury Outdoors meeting and Shoot to Thrill Awards banquet. It was great to see all the guys and get fired up for the upcoming season. In order to get to camp for our first mornings hunt we said our goodbyes and left the hotel at 2:30 AM to make the long 22 hr butt-kicking drive to western WY. We arrived at 11:30 PM Mountain time at camp. The next five days were filled with encounter after encounter as well as breath taking beauty of the Bridger national forest. We saw and videoed elk, Shiras moose, antelope, and mulies. We stayed in heated wall tents and rode in on horseback for a couple day's hunts. We ate like kings and hiked it all off during the day. There was no time to waste as Tedd and Larry kept us at from dawn to dusk to try and make this hunt successful. I can't say we've ever met an outfitter more sincere and prepared to do what it took to make our hunt the best it could be, and we definitely got our moneys worth on this one. We would both like to thank them for all they did and let them know what an awesome experience it was. Regardless of all our efforts, Bill was unable to take his bull on this hunt but you can bet we'll be back again next year for another try. This time I'll be in front of the camera with PSE in hand to try for my first ever Rocky Mountain Elk.


PS. Anyone interested in any of the big game hunts they have to offer, contact Tedd through his website www.jenkinshunt.com.

Jeff Lindsey - Rain Makes Corn...

Rain makes corn, beans makes booners. Too much rain makes for stressed out farmers and deer managers. Ever since turkey season we have experienced excessive rain fall that would make Seattle jealous. However over the last couple of weeks we have gotten a break and the beans have really shot up. The corn has been spotty but we look to be having bumper crops on the high ground.



Rainy growing seasons usually make for great antler production and this year it looks like that is going to be just the case. The first two rounds of Reconyx cameras have been a little slow but have shown us some good growth on some up and comers. The big boys haven’t really appeared yet but every year it seems when the calendar flips to August they decide to go public on their appearances.



August is my favorite month to get a buck inventory on our farms, it seems the big boys let their guard down to fill the desires of their stomachs and we hope to take advantage of that with some well placed cameras and glassing the bean fields the last 2 hours of light. As hard as it is, I have been trying to give the cameras 2-3 weeks before checking them to keep my scent at a minimum. This makes for a serious waiting game but the moment I get those cards in my hands its like Christmas morning all over! Till the next round of pictures I’ll be waiting and trying to imagine what might show up. -Jeff

Steve Coon - Workin It!

On a hot July day with temperature near a 100 degrees, I found myself doing my first in store for the up coming deer season! One of the owners of Dunn’s Sporting Goods asked if I would be available to work the opening of their fall sale and without hesitation I said yes.

Dunn’s is a store where you can get up close and personal with the consumer and it gives you a chance to show your knowledge of the products that we at Drury are sponsored by.




So whenever I get a chance to do that let me tell you I’m there! So prior to the store opening I did a little scouting to see where all the products were located and I was pumped to see that they carried all of sponsor’s merchandise.



As the doors open that morning, it was time to work the crowd. When I was asked what I thought was a better product there was no hesitation on what to show the customers, from the new Early Dream Season Suit from Scent Blocker in the new Infinity by Mossy Oak to all the Scent Blocker products.



Even though the store had numerous tree stands on sale I was able to give my honest opinion on the Big Game Tree Stands on how rock solid they were along with being one of the most comfortable stands that I have ever hunted out of.

So as I represented Drury Outdoors on that hot July day, I had a chance to show case my knowledge on all our products from PSE Bows, Rage, Bio-logic, Nikon, and Scent Blocker. Funny though I tried to get behind the gun counter to sell a few Thompson Centers, but the guys said the way I shoot it might not be a good idea. Wow a comedian in every crowd!



It just goes to show you when we work an in store we can be a great salesmen, because who has better knowledge of the products then us! The boys at Drury Outdoors!!!!

Next stop Bass Pro Shop August 7th with Terry and a few Drury Team Members. I hope to see you there!

Before I end this I did meet one special fan Anna. When her mom told me that Anna and her brother were big fans of Drury Outdoors and that she wanted a photo with me to show her brother, I knew right then and there that my day was complete. So Anna thank you from all the guys at Drury for being one of our fans and make sure you thank your brother also. Again thank you Anna!

Bric Steward - Hitting The Streets

Tic-Toc,Tic-Toc, the time has finally came! May 15th Baby! The release of the new videos: Dream Season 13, Whitetail Madness 13, and 100% Wild Fair Chase Vol 10!  Every year before I was part of the DOD Team, I could not wait until the new videos came out. I would sit and wonder of what giants where slain. And now, well it's even more of a tease because we've got a thing called..."The Journal."  If you haven't checked it out, brother you are missing out. We are like a donkey with a carrot dangling in front of our nose, we can see the pics of these behemoths and read the story of these behemoths, but have to wait until this very date, until they "Hit the Streets", May 15th. Now you know what I'm talking about. Well for the "Hitting the Streets" event this year a lot of the DOD Team was going to be out and about doing what we love to do (other than sittin' 25 ft high) talking to You, the fans, about our new videos! I went to St.Louis

Cabelas along with "The Marine" Aaron Bennett, Matt Drury, Taylor Drury, and Steve "Coon Dog" Coon. While there we got to meet a lot of great hunters. This is what it's all about, all the hard work comes down to actually seeing you guys come out and share these experiences with us through these videos. And these videos are "Off the Chain!" Every year I wonder how they are going to top last years, but WOW did they. We truly have the best editors out there! If you don't believe it just watchem'! Well, now it's time to do a little target practicing with the PSE, hit the river for some sun, and make up some brownie points with the wife for this coming fall(I love you Rachel)! HA!  Hang in there ya'll, it'll be fall soon! (at least I keep telling my self that)
            Bric

 PS. Thanks to Everyone who came out to see us, as Mark and Terry always say about the videos, "They were created for you!"

Kyle Lamore - Off Season Antics

What to do in the off season?? That is a question we find ourselves trying to answer every year about this time. To try to keep our shooting skills sharp, for the last eight weeks, we have been involved with our local bow shop's shooting league. Myself, JJ Kolesar, and our two buddies Ben and Todd have been trying our best to oust the 25 competing 4 man teams. Although we didn't bring home the trophy, we had alot of fun shooting the DART target system and a variety of pop up targets every week. However, it is the "iron buck" that creates the most havoc every Monday night.

The iron buck is the last shot of the evening, although not required to be shot, it can earn each shooter 10 bonus points at the end of the night, which I usually need! That's the good news, however it can also destroy an arrow quicker than any shoulder blade! The hole is roughly the size of a baseball, and from 30 yards, along with plenty of verbal jabs from buddies, can be quite interesting. I have been fortunate enough to slip a couple through in the last few weeks. However, as you can see, sometimes the arrows aren't so lucky! Despite a snowed out shed hunt this past weekend in Iowa, the weather looks to be turning and Kansas spring gobblers are less than 2 weeks away! Good luck this spring!

-Kyle and JJ

Bric Steward - "Gobble Gobble"

"Well if ya'll are like me, you are counting the days until it is time to "whisper sweet nothings" to the ears of big Timber Chickens! Since the day I put my the Buck Growl up, I've been sanding the "Cherry Bomb" and yelping on the mouth calls. It also means it's time for the pilgrimage to Nashville, Tennessee for the NWTF National Convention. I'm telling ya straight up, if you are a turkey hunter and have never been to this show...you are missing out brother!! It is jammed full of the industries newest products! Some of the DOD family was there to do a signing and give out some hot new shirts and PSE Bow Madness Hats at the Mossy Oak booth. We got to meet a lot of great people,talk a little turkey, and see the amazing new Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity camo. This stuff is going to be the ticket to hiding form those bug eyed old gobblers.


We also got to see the new King Strut flocked decoy from Flambeau...yes I said new King Strut! I know,I didn't think it could get any better either but, when they added the flocking material (which is kind of like a soft fuzz) to the decoy, it came to life!  I just hope I can get my hands on one in time for my season opener in central Florida. It will be my first time hunting these angry Osceolas, and after talking to John O'Dell and Joe Shults..it sounds like I'll be in for a treat. Stay tuned to the Blog and the Journal as you will soon start seeing these big black birds hit the dirt. But, before then we've still got a shed hunt at Marks which is always a treat!  Gobble Gobble!!" -Bric
 

Oh yeah, don't forget to become a fan of Drury Outdoors on Facebook! There are more pics of the DOD Team on there!