Archive for May, 2006
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We have definitely been flooded lately with some great turkey success stories. What I am excited about is how well received our Desert Shadow and Mountain Shadow Camo patterns have been for the spring turkey hunters. Here is another one to add to the list. Jim Wiseman and Clint Player were the winners in the Campbell Outdoor Challenge. We sponsored Jim and Clint with our ShadowCamo and it helped bring them home with the trophy. Read below for more on the event.
Gusting winds raced through the Nebraska plains at 40-50mph last week as ten teams from nine different states matched their skills in filming hunts for wild merriam turkeys. Over $7000 in prizes was at stake April 18-20 in the 2006 Turkey Challenge for the Campbell Outdoor Challenge TV Show, hosted by Prairie Ridge Outfitters in Paxton, NE.
Team Hoyt of Jim Wiseman and Clint Player, UT, videoed their way to victory by successfully filming two muzzleloading turkey hunts for a final score of 388. Second place went to the IL duo of Team Consolidated Grain and Barge (CGB), Ken Landingham and Jason Shaw, as they filmed two shotgun hunts, earning 381 points. The Virginia entry of team Rut N’ Strut, Brian White and Chad Lancaster, gained 320 points and finished third by also filming two shotgun hunts.
“ As the final hours of the challenge grew nearer and the blowing winds got fiercer, we realized that we had to re-think our strategy,” commented Wiseman. “On Sunday afternoon we had only one filmed hunt and knew that if we were going to win, we would have to make a change. In an effort to gain five extra points, we switched to our Knight muzzleloader. Our strategy proved a success and we were able to film another hunt and gain several points. We would have liked to use our Hoyt bows, but due to the weather conditions and time restraints it simply didn’t work out.”
The Campbell Outdoor Challenge features the sport of filming hunts and is open to anyone wanting to compete, regardless of age or experience level. Teams are awarded points based upon required video footage and the maturity of the animal filmed during the hunt. All outdoor challenge events are for wild free-ranging game and hunts being filmed are conducted under the rules and regulations of the hosting states.
“Most of the viewers of wildlife hunting shows and videos have no idea how much of a challenge (hence the name of the competition) it is to successfully film a hunt for free-ranging animals in the wild”, stated Campbell, host of the Campbell Illinois Outdoors TV Show. “This competition highlights the skills of the cameramen who help bring the ‘outdoors’ indoors to millions of viewers.”
Many exciting events are yet to come for 2006. Teams can participate in the fist ever bowfishing challenge to be held at Barkley Lake, June 1-4. Also, several events for whitetail enthusiast are scheduled for this Fall. In the spring of 2007 The Campbell Outdoor Challenge will feature two turkey events where filming crews will once again return to Prairie Ridge Outfitters in Paxton, NE and will re-visit the former site of the 2005 Turkey Championship, All American Outfitters in Clarendon, TX.
The Campbell Outdoor Challenge airs nationally on The Sportsman Channel Monday at 7 p.m., Thursday at 12 p.m. and Saturday at 2 a.m. and on the Men’s Channel Sunday at 9 p.m., Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Wednesday at 5 p.m. The show airs locally on WFIE Evansville channel 14 on Saturday and Sunday at 5:30 a.m. and WSIL Harrisburg channel 3 on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. For more information on “The Sport of Filming Hunts” visit www.campbelloutdoorchallenge.com.
May 17th, 2006
I wanted to share a book with you that I think is one of the most incredible stories of survival that I have ever read or heard about. Last fall I had a pretty harrowing experience on my Utah wilderness mountain goat hunt. I was a little reluctant, but ended up sharing my story in the March/April 2006 issue of Hunting Illustrated as part of our Annual Adventure Issue. Shortly after my hunt, my brother -in-law Scott was talking with somebody about my experience. He ended up referring Scott to a great book he needed to read. Scott ended up buying Touching the Void - The True Story of One Man’s Miraculous Survival and gave it to me to read.
Touching the Void is a book by Joe Simpson recounting the true story of Simpson’s and Simon Yates’ disastrous and near tragic attempt to climb the 20,813 foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. This mountain had been climbed by some German’s in the 1930’s, but nobody had been able to ascend to the top going up the West face. Simpson and Yates took on the challenge. The story is one of the most incredible accounts of survival I have read about. The interesting thing is that Simpson himself authored the book. This allowed for incredible detail and insight to the story.
This story has it all when it comes to intense situations and deals with a very controversial issue in the fact that Joe Simpson ended up breaking his leg just after they started their descent. This put them in a very serious situation. Using ropes to lower his partner down in 300-foot intervals, Yates was faced with a decision after he lowered his friend over a cliff. It was dark and in blizzard conditions and he was holding onto Simpson. He couldn’t hold him any longer and instead of both of them dying, he ended up cutting the rope that was tied around him sending Simpson falling into darkness. Yates, thinking he had just killed his friend, had to struggle to get off the mountain alive himself. However, Simpson did not die in the fall. This story takes you through his amazing struggle for survival to get back to base camp with a broken leg and no water or food before Yates and others leave off the mountain.
The book is a quick read and captures you in vivid detail the events of two men’s will for survival. A must read for all. What is cool is this book was made into a documentary 15 years after it was published. My wife saw that is was showing on PBS and ended up taping it for me. The documentary was great, but nowhere close to the detail of the book.
For those of you looking for a great adventure while enjoying the comforts of home, pick up a copy of Touching the Void. You will appreciate your life all that much more. Now I just need to convince my wife to let me go goat hunting again!
Get the book and the DVD at PBS
Buy it at Amazon and even read an excerpt
View excerpt from Google Books
May 11th, 2006
I was checking out the Outdoor Life web site and saw a very interesting photo of a tattoo. Apparently they were having people send in photos of their wildlife and outdoor tattoos. Here is the short caption they had posted with the photo:
Ron Wells - Ron’s wife hated tattoos, but surprised him at Christmas when she paid a local artist to do this image of “Mr. Mule Deer” on Ron.
This one sure did look familiar. Probably because that is my buddy Mr. Mule Deer from our Hunting Illustrated Magazine. Those of you who read Hunting Illustrated and frequent our www.KingsOutdoorWorld.com web site are very familiar with this guy. He answers all of your hunting questions. Here is a sample of the original artwork for Mr. Mule Deer.
Read a Sample of “Ask Mr. Mule Deer” from the Oct/Nov. 2003 Issue of Hunting Illustrated
May 10th, 2006
Win a Yamaha Grizzly 660 ATV or Rhino 660 SxS
I just received this press release and thought it was definitely worth passing along since all of you have a chance at winning this thing. Before we have told you about two Yamaha Rhino Giveaways at the SCI show and at the SHOT show. This one you do not have to attend any show to have a chance. Read below for the details.
Yamaha and PBR Launch “No Bull” Online Sweepstakes
Winner Takes Home a Rhino 660 SxS or Grizzly 660 ATV
Cypress, CA – May 4, 2006 — Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. and the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) are proud to announce an exciting addition to their already innovative sponsorship platform. Yamaha, the Official All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and Side-by-Side (SxS) Vehicle of the PBR, recently launched the “Yamaha No Bull Sweepstakes.” Fans can enter online at www.yamahaoutdoors.com/pbr for a chance to win a tough-as-nails Yamaha Rhino 660 4×4 SXS vehicle or a rugged Grizzly 660 4×4 ATV.
Online entries for the Yamaha No Bull Sweepstakes close on 12:00 p.m. pacific time on October 1, 2006, and the winner will be determined from all eligible entries received in a random drawing. The grand prize winner will have his/her choice of one of the following prizes: a 2006 Rhino 660 4×4 SxS OR a 2006 Grizzly 660 4×4 ATV. Complete contest rules are posted in detail at www.yamahaoutdoors.com/pbr.
About Yamaha:
Yamaha ATVs and SxS vehicles are designed, engineered and built tough! Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. was started in 1977 and is a Japanese-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation. Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. headquarters are located in Cypress, California. For more information on Yamaha, visit www.yamahaoutdoors.com.
About PBR:
More than 104 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on NBC, OLN (Outdoor Life Network) and on a host of foreign networks across the globe. With over 500 hours of prime time programming annually PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over one million live event attendees each year with its multi-tiered event structure which includes the marquee Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler, the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour, designed specifically for entry level contestants. The PBR’s governing board of directors is comprised of renowned bull riders who have developed the event into a stand alone sport which is experiencing unprecedented growth in global popularity. The PBR is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., and has over 600 athletes competing in more than 100 PBR sanctioned competitions.
May 8th, 2006
For those of you who are familiar with the annual shed hunting run in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you will get a kick out of these photos. As you can see from the photos below, it can get pretty crazy. Justin R Williams took the time to travel to Jackson Hole and get his chance at shed hunting on forest land that borders the elk refuge. This special area where a lot of elk winter is closed off to the public from December until May 1st, therefore no shed hunting until May 1st.
Here is some great commentary from Justin along with his photos of his Jackson Hole Shed Antler Run! Click on photos for a bigger image.
May first is the opening of the public land(National forest Land that borders the National Elk Refuge), Elk Refuge land is off limits all year long except for the road that passes through it. After May 1st you can drive up to the National Forest land any time until season closer in December. There are antlers all over up there, all year long if you look for them. The line up happens only on the opening day and has gained popularity over the past few years. This year we talked to some guys at the front of the line that were there 3 days before to wait in line!!! Most people are from Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, even saw plates from colorado, Oregon, and Arizona!! Lots of horse trailers, about half of the line had horses this year. There were about 200 vehicles in line Monday morning when the gate opened. When the gate opens you have to stay on the road until you leave the Refuge boundary before you can get out. It is illegal to walk on Refuge property, there are antlers on the side of the road through the boundary but only for decoration, because you can’t stop to pick them up. Most people are there for the opening of the gate experience and top it off hopefully with a load of antlers during the first day of the run
Well I made it again up to the Jackson Hole antler run. We got there at 10 am the day before and were 88th in line!! The usual crowd of horses and foot people. There was plenty of excitement waiting in line, the drunk folks, horses running wild and what not. I met the Teton County Sheriff and visited with him while he was assessing the crowd. I froze during the 26 degree morning and the exhaust from vehicles warming up and the whiff of the portapotty nearby about did me in. Excietment in the air at 8 am opening morning was fun and we hauled butt up the mountain. I was able to scrounge up two six pointsand a two point moose bone. It was alot of fun. The other guys I was with came home empty handed, so I guess I was lucky. Here are a few pics to share.
Front Line of the Refuge
Back of the line, Jasons truck on the left, the big ol muley
The Tetons
Buried Treasure!
From both Ends, Moose treasure!!
The lucky dog!!
May 3rd, 2006
You might be asking, what does MySpace.com have to do with hunting and King’s Outdoor World? That is a good question. One I asked myself recently when I was looking over our web site statistics. Lately I have been finding more and more hits coming from MySpace.com. What is MySpace.com? Well, I am not here to plug this web site at all (too late). If you have been oblivious of the news recently about this teen hot spot, then do some news searches and find out the latest.
Back to my point. The internet can be a beautiful place. A place where you want to find things that interest you, photos of huge deer and elk, and people to interact with. MySpace.com is a huge (did I mention very heavilyHowever, I will not let me kids on the web site and am very careful about were they go and what they do. In fact, my nine year old daughter has her own blog. However, it is behind a password protected page and only gives the password to her close friends and cousins. She actually had her blog going before I did (it was a good testing site for me but don’t tell her that).
So what’s your point? OK, let me get to my point. Lately I have noticed an increase of hits from MySpace.com that seemed kind of odd. Just yesterday, there were a total of 523 hits from this domain to www.kingsoutdoorworld.com. After doing some investigating and following return links, I found that there are a bunch of kids out there that love King’s Outdoor World and the images that we have on our web site. This is good right? Well, yes and no. Most of all of these hits come from images that they have posted on their personal pages that reside on our site. For example, our Magnificent Seven is a definite favorite. Linking to it displays the image on their web page, but I now have to pay for the bandwidth and the fact that others are using our images without permission (definitely a problem I continually face). But they are just kids right? Yes, they are. And it is good to know that in their list of favorite hobbies and interests, they have an image of a record class muley and a 400 point bull instead of something else. Maybe our kids today are going to be just fine.
May 2nd, 2006
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