Category Archives: Uncategorized

Only when the squirrels manage to outsmart my arsenal of prevention devices does monitoring the birds in my backyard cause me any angst at all. I love to stare out the window watching them fly, flit and fight over free seeds. Obviously the food is free for them and not for me, but I canContinue reading “Backyard bird feeder brightens bleak winter background”

Anyone who has been around a while has seen his share of advancements. From the guy who was using stone tools when metal made its appearance, or the horse and buggy driver who lived long enough to own trucks and cars, or the bow and arrow native Americans who found firearms as an option, theContinue reading “Changes in camera technology add to hunting adventures”

With a little luck and a bit more ambition, I may have added to Jefferson County’s archery deer harvest tally. For the tenth consecutive year, Jefferson County maintained its reign as the top county in the state with 1,563 reported to the state’s Telecheck system. The total is below the record setting 1,645 from lastContinue reading “Ten-year streak: Jefferson County holds top archery status”

Maybe it is for the best, because I have had mixed success trying to grow the trees I have ordered from the George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking, Missouri. When I went to the website this winter to place an order, I found that nearly 75% of their trees were sold out. IContinue reading “Most species of seedlings sold out at state nursery for 2022”

All around my hometown of Crystal City you can find signs with an iconic little insect pleading with everyone who passes, “Don’t be a litterbug. Help keep your community clean.” If only it were that easy. Actually it is as simple as that. If people heeded the message and disposed of their waste properly, thereContinue reading “Litter pick-up programs could be eliminated if people policed themselves”

All of the First Day Hikes planned in the Jefferson County region have been canceled due to the forecast for inclement weather on Jan. 1. The preview column posted in the Jefferson County Leader newspaper on Dec. 30 highlighted all of the area state parks where events were planned, but a check of each locationContinue reading “Area First Day Hikes canceled due to inclement weather forecast”

Obviously children are the future of everything, and the case is made frequently by those who promote outdoors sports like hunting and fishing. Less than a century ago, kids spending time trying to catch or kill a meal for the family would have been common. “We want kids to discover and learn outside as muchContinue reading “Workshop welcomes teachers to add fishing, hunting to school curriculum”

Over the past few years I have talked to Jasmine Batten several times, so when I answered a phone call from a number I didn’t recognize, it was pleasant to hear a familiar voice. If her name doesn’t ring a bell for others, her work certainly will. Batten is the wildlife health program supervisor forContinue reading “Spread of chronic wasting disease in county strikes close to home”

For all the things you hope to bring home from hunting camp, the most important may not be venison, trophy antlers or the thrills of being outdoors. The memories you make are the true treasures, and they can last a lifetime. Big Ken Ebert was the patriarch of our small Camden County hunting camp. AroundContinue reading “Deer hunting memories are the sport’s best rewards”