Thanks

     As you drive down the interstate coming home from an excruciatingly long and stressful day in your 1997 rusty f-150 you happen to look up over at the dealership and catch the truck of your dreams. For a minute you can actually see yourself in the 2015 GMC Sierra. It actually goes faster than 45 MPH down hill with a stiff breeze at its back. The cab isn't about to rust away, the tires aren't bald, and the odometer doesn't say 175,000. You don't actually wonder if the bed will give way every time you throw a deer, log, or piece of paper in it. The tail gate works, the brakes don't need replaced, and it doesn't burn oil. 

     

     You finally snap back into reality just in time to catch your exit. Before long you have the work boots off, have grabbed your favorite hunting magazine, and open it up to see a 180" monster taken just down the road from where you shot your yearling doe....on the last day of the season...in the snow....after sitting all day.
     Almost sub-consciously you slam the magazine down and start to sulk. Your wife asks you whats wrong, and your kids are staring at you awkwardly. Ever had one of those days? I don't know about you, but it's easy for me to focus in on what I wish I had instead of being thankful for what I do have.
Loving wife, 3 kids, health, vehicles that run, the opportunity to get out into God's creation here in Iowa, an eternity to heaven.....then why is it we have to constantly remind ourselves to be thankful for what we do have?
     Newsflash!!!! This just in: We are naturally selfish. We are born sinners and have the amazing ability to always want to put ourselves first. That's why the Bible has to constantly remind us to be thankful. In I Thessalonians 5:18, Paul commands us to "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." If we spent more time being thankful for what we do have, and if we understood what we all actually deserve, we might not rush to complain/covet so quickly.
     So as another deer season gets ready to kick off, lets be thankful for the opportunities that we have to even be in the stand, that rusty truck many of us drive, and that bow you wish you could upgrade. Lets be thankful for our wives that put up with our wild mood swings from October - December. Let's remind ourselves of the awesome God who spoke everything we get to enjoy in the woods this fall into existence. Then...just maybe then...regardless of the size of the deer you harvest this year, you can be thankful for the opportunity in and of itself.
    Until next time, just GET OUT THERE! I'm looking forward to seeing what deer happen to come my way this fall and seeing what you guys harvest as well!
    Your fellow hunter,
    Mark

Trail Camera Teasers

Most of us were in the habit of putting out around 134 trail-cams per acre to make sure we weren't missing ANYTHING that might possibly have been moving in our woods back in the day. Deer, turkey, cats, dogs, weeds, neighbors, and rabbits had no choice but to be monitored in a big-brother fashion.

 Along the way, we realized the more cameras we put out, and the more we checked them, the more we were guilty of "disturbing the peace." This is especially true as summer gives way to September, and as the bachelor groups finally start to break up. Now, I put my cameras where I can get to them without leaving hardly any scent, in high traffic areas, and over a healthy mineral block, pile of corn, or Deer Cane mineral lick. The idea is to at least get a general idea of the deer population in my area, and how many bucks managed to make it through from last year. Of course if you are like me, you aren't managing a private 500 acre deer magnet of a farm, we just hunt on a transitional piece of property, about 40 acres total. But it's still fun! And it's a great way to get the whole family involved in scouting out next fall's possible hit list.

However, many of the bucks on my camera are merely "teasers." Several 150"+ deer have wondered through on their summer feeding pattern, never to be seen again. Lets be honest, how many of you have waited "for the big one" you saw back in August only to not fill a tag because you passed on several nice deer that just weren't "Mr. Big?" Even so, I LOVE checking my cameras with the kids. It even gives my wife hope that my falls are not spent in vain when she sees a healthy number of deer being caught on tape.

But it's not just the "teasers" that are fun to see. I love seeing the new fawns, especially twins, making their way along the edge of our woods. I don't even mind seeing small bucks, young does, and other small furry woodland creatures. It reminds me of how creative our God is! (And that He has to have a good sense of humor)

So take those pictures for what they are worth, don't get to caught up in "the big one," you may never see him again. And don't get to discouraged if all you see is the neighbor farming on your camera. Who knows what the rut will blow through your property! Just enjoy being able to see all these amazing creatures that are making their way through your woods.

Our thought for the day comes from Psalm 19:14: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Men, too often our thought life and what we say is anything but that! The next time you try to put a nail through your hand or are tempted to look at something you shouldn't, let the challenge of Psalm 19:14 run through your mind instead!

New Product Alert: Auto-Lock Broadheads

I met the guys from Auto-Lock last spring at an outdoors' show in New Hampshire. As luck would have it, the Outdoorsmanswap table was actually right next to theirs. A father and his sons had been brainstorming for a few years about the idea of a modified, locking-broadhead and then one day they decided to take the plunge!

I enjoyed getting to know them, they were easy to chat with, and it was clearly a family business. There business has definitely picked up over the past few months and I believe it is because they have a good product. While many of their sales are happening in the NW, I think it's a product worth looking at, even for us die-haard archery guys here in the Midwest! No, they did not pay me to write about them :) I will be putting them to the test here this summer as I continue to shoot my Matthews in preparation for the upcoming season. For $30, I figured I have nothing to lose.

You can visit their facebook page to see some more pictures and a couple videos, or their website to place an order: http://www.auto-lockbroadheads.com. If you are aware of any new archery products out there, let me know! I'd love test them out myself!

Your thought of the day comes from Colossians 3 where we are commanded to let "The Words of Christ dwell in us richly" Don't neglect spending time in God's Word today! As much as we want to be in the woods, we HAVE to be in the Word! Until next time, just GET OUT THERE! 

Trip review: Operation Branson

Lights & Sound theater in Branson, MO

My job actually intensifies in the summer with deadlines, recruiting, and traveling to speak at camps at churches all across the greatest nation on earth, the good ol' U.S.A. All that to say, there are only a select few days that actually work for my family and I to get away. I was pulling for Estes Park early on in the planning process. I love Rocky Mountain National Park, the trails are easy to navigate, and of-course there are Elk on every corner. However, I just didn't think my kids were up for the 10-11 hour drive and the lack of "things to do" (in their opinion) upon arrival, so our focus shifted to Branson.

I had heard both extremes; people seem to either love or hate the most "family friendly vacation destination in the world," but after looking into it, we ended up heading South instead of West.  From our home here in central Iowa it was only a little more than 6 hours driving time to Springfield ( I decided to see some of the finer parts of Missouri when I veered off the interstate too soon) and our first stop at the Bass-Pro Headquarters. This is a MUST SEE for even the moderate outdoorsy folks. We spent 3 hours there with younger kids and no complaints! The archery hall of fame as well as the rifle museum is there and were well worth the walk-through!

From their we went to Lamberts' just a ways down the road for some over-sized portions of food and thrown rolls (if you have never been there, the prices are reasonable, the portions are unreasonably huge, and they throw fresh rolls to your table, the kids will love it) and then to our destination, Branson. 

When we arrived at our destination at Stormy Point we were pleasantly surprised to find a small village of cottages that were spacious, well-kept, and close to everything.

From there we ventured into town. While our first full-day was spent getting to know Branson, we went to Silver Dollar City the next day and we were not disappointed. I happen to be that annoying guy at work that plays Christmas music year-round so I was delighted to see that Silver Dollar City had a nice-sized stored dedicated to Christmas year round at the park! The park itsef was clean, the rides were great, the shows were fun, and there are over 20 different shops to stop in and browse through as you explore the park; Silver Dollar City was a 10/10 for the Davis Family.

We also went to Jonah at the Sights and Sound theater, another 10/10! A must see. This is a Broadway quality production company that puts on Biblically-themed shows that the entire family will enjoy.

On our other day we also visited the fish hatchery, Pirates' Cove Mini-Golf, and a local ice-cream shop. All this to say that Branson did not disappoint. If you are looking for an affordable, family-friendly vacation with something for everyone, this is a must-do for you!

If you go, there are a couple spots I would recommend that we were not able to get to. The Marvel-Cave, which is at Silver Dollar City, and Dogwood Canyon Nature Park. It's a beautiful state park that does  not require you to have a license or trout stamp to try your luck for some nice rainbows in a much more natural setting than a trout pond in town.

There you have it! I would give Branson a try in the near future if it works out for you. I would also go in late May/early June as the weather was perfect and the "summer crowds" had not quite shown up yet. So what's your excuse? GET OUT THERE!

Your grace for the day come from Psalm 103:2-3a; "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity..." What a thought! Whatever your past, whatever your current struggles, you can experience the forgiveness of sins and the peace that is a bi-product of a relationship with Christ in light of what He did for us on the Cross!

NEXT UP: My next post will be focusing in on what is showing up on my game-cams, the expansion of our elevated blind for early-muzzy season, and how our food plot is coming along.

Transition to fishin'

As the Turkey season came to a close this past week, my family and I made the transition to fishin' from hunting. While I would much rather still be out looking for birds the season has come to a close. It's amazing how I anticipate the next season for what seems like years only to see it come and go in a matter of what can only be described as a few short minutes!

Alas, time is undefeated and we have moved on to spring and summer, and that means fishing for the Davis family. As many of us do, we have a "honey-hole" that we enjoy taking our kids to (and college students when they are living with us) that has rarely let us down, and this past weekend was no exception. There is still something magical about being out with your wife and kids and seeing the excitement that comes over their faces when they watch that bobber disappear under the water! Every few casts that was the case as 8-10" bluegill were all to eager to go after a hunk of worm along with several pan sized bass as well.

As you know, if you want your wife and kids to go fishing with you, don't take them in July around 3:00PM when nothing is biting! Get them hooked this time of the year during the spawn and take them out for short periods of time. When your kids start to get bored, let them roam through your tackle box, teach them how to handle a fish or use the "big boy" fishing poles. And when all else fails, fight the temptation to force them to stay out for hours, pack up the gear, and head home. Remember, this isn't about proving a point, it's about spending quality time with your family. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend at the lake or pond with them when nothing is biting, as they grow older, they can handle more "down time."

Grace for the moment...This past weekend we were at a park with some friends from Church when it started to rain...big, heavy, cold drops seemed to come out of no where! But in a few short minutes, a beautiful rainbow appeared. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture it when it was at its strongest, but was still able to get a decent picture. What a reminder of the promises and faithfulness of God! What a sight that must have been for Noah after spending a year on a boat! Regardless of what you are going through, God is faithful! There is no temptation except what is common to man, there is no trial that God won't bring you through, and there is nothing new under the sun! Resist the temptation to embrace bitterness during life's difficult moments and instead turn to the only one who can bring you through.

Husker State Turkey Hunt

When the snow melts here in Iowa my thoughts immediately turn to one thing; turkey hunting. For me, that means chasing Gobblers in North Central Nebraska. We are fortunate enough to have made this trip for several years in a row, and it has easily turned into my favorite hunting trip of the year.

For some of you, when you think of Nebraska, all you think of is praying to the God of heaven to "make it stop" as you go 95 MPH down I-80 to get to Colorado. But up North off the beaten path lies some beautiful country, and that is where we hunt. The Niobrara River valley is home to coyotes, Bob Cats, Mule Deer, and some beautiful gobblers.

We arrived to our cabin late Monday afternoon (April 20th) and were able to do some glassing. While we saw plenty of birds, and knew where they were roosting, I only had one lonely hen come in on Tuesday morning. However, we moved spots in the afternoon, and was able to take my 8 and 6 year old sons with me to a different blind. After getting the decoys set up, a hen came in. I hit the call and before long a nice Tom stuck his head out to the left of our blind. It was awesome! You know the feeling all to well. You plan the hunt, travel to the perfect place, and a year of anticipation boils down to this one heart pounding moment....

Boom! While Mr. Tom was at 58 yards, I had a clear shot at his head and he went down. While I would have rather shot it with my bow, that just wasn't an option with my two boys on the hunt. I would have much rather had my kids with me to share in the moment, and they went running out of the blind to go grab him "before he flew away." About 2 hours later, my dad tagged out as well.

To me, there is nothing more enjoyable than spending time out in creation hunting with family. And when you happen to be fortunate enough to fill your tag..well...it doesn't get any better! So until next time, just GET OUT THERE!

Your thought for the day comes from Psalm 78 and a gentle reminder to make sure we are not just passing on our love for the outdoors to the next generation, but a passion for God. I would encourage you to read through that Psalm today and ask God for the commitment to do just that.

It's Turkey Time!!

Several years ago my dad was trying to talk me into going to Nebraska to visit family we don't see near enough and to do some Turkey hunting. I'm not sure why but he had to talk me into it. I had never once gone Turkey hunting and had NO CLUE what I was doing. But as luck would have it, we all tagged out and had a great time doing it. Fast forward many years and now I can't wait to pack up my Matthews and head West to Northern Nebraska. 

Last year the hunting was a little slow, but I was able to shoot the coyote that blew my last chance at a nice tom :) 

This year, I'm looking forward to trying out new decoys, (Avian-X, so realistic looking I'm afraid my Dad might shoot them) new broad heads (autolock, brand new, met the owners in New Hampshire 2 weeks ago) and if I need to break out my Remington, a new Turkey load, (Federal premium Mag-Shok Heavyweights) so if nothing else, I will be breaking in some new accessories!

I'd love to hear from you! What decoys do you use and why? What Turkey loads? Blinds? Broad-heads? Feel free to leave a comment or email me at markdavis@outdoorsmanswap.com, I'd love to hear from you! If you convince me to switch I will send you one of our new outdoorsmanswap t-shirts!

Here's your encouragement for the day from God's Word. I was recently out speaking at a banquet and was able to share about the hope of heaven from John 14. The reason we can look forward to spending an eternity in heaven is because of the cross and what Christ did for us. In John 14:6 Jesus says that "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me." The Mark Davis paraphrase: "Jesus is the only provision given by God that makes it possible for anyone to ever get to heaven." If we are willing to admit we are sinners, and in Faith turn from those sins and put our trust in what Christ has done for us for the forgiveness of our sins, we can be saved. What an awesome thought! 

Until next time, GET OUT THERE! And don't forget to let me know how your Turkey season goes. 

March Madness

When you see the title, "March Madness" you probably immediately pictured basketball games, brackets, and fans on the edge of their seats all across the country. But the month of March can drive hunters mad for another reason....we are between seasons. Sure, you can bag a coyote or do some trapping, but the next "official" hunting season is still a few weeks off. While you can see Turkeys out in the field on almost any given drive home in the evening, you won't be trying to call one in for a while. That's why March is a great month to not only continue preparing for the upcoming Turkey season, but to also really crank up next year's deer hunting preparation. Here's why March is a good month:

Reason #1: Signs of the season are still fresh.
It's still fairly easy to pick out rubs that you may have missed from last year. There is a chance you missed a line of rubs that will help you with your set up for next year. Tracks, sheds, beds and the rest might be just the edge you need to help you bag that elusive buck next fall.

Reason #2: You aren't going to ruin anything
So you bumped a deer on the way out to the woods today? Big deal, it's March. Leaving some scent out 6 months ahead of opener isn't going to ruin your fall.

Reason #3: The weather
No bugs. Mild temps. No overgrown vegetation. Grab your chainsaw, move a deer stand, cut a shooting lane, clear out a spot for a new food plot, clear a safer path to your stand.....when it's 55 out. Why battle six foot tall horse weeds and a legion of mosquitoes in June? Sure, you may have to do a bit of tweaking later in the summer, but get the bulk of your heavy lifting done now.

As always, don't forget to include your kids if you can. If nothing else, it will help them to have a better idea of the "lay of the land," and of course they will be spending time with you!

In closing, here is your thought of the day, and it comes from Psalm 115:3, "Our God is in the heavens, and He does WHATEVER HE PLEASES." I know sometimes life can seem a little hectic, and we have all asked ourselves the question, "Is God REALLY in control?" Yes, He is! And nothing happens without His permission. So even though not every event in life is comfortable, He is in control. Trust in the one who knows the beginning from the end.

Why use outdoorsmanswap.com?

A few years ago some friends and I got together after sharing some common frustrations; there was no place to list/buy outdoors gear on a site created by outdoorsmen for outdoorsmen. Ebay has obviously been around for a long time, but they charge you for every transaction. In addition to that, rest assured the execs there don't exactly share your appreciation for spending time in creation. Craigslist certainly has some items, but it's not designed for outdoorsmen. There is only one generic sporting goods category and it remains to be hit and miss. So, a few years back we started to brainstorm in my basement through the different possibilities.

Our goal from day one was to have it always be free. The idea of charging people for every transaction just never appealed to us. Secondly, it had to be easy to use. Not everyone of us is wired to build a computer from scratch (myself included!). And last, it needed to have a clean, professional look.

Fast forward 3 years and here we are! We really believe we have achieved those goals. While it's not perfect, it does provide a new place for outdoorsmen to post items in a safe, friendly, and supportive environment. I've always felt like it's easier to use a product when you are on the same page as the owners, and we are on your page when it comes to appreciating creation, the USA, the 2nd amendment, and traditional family values. If that is something you can support, we would love to have you switch from using Ebay and Craigslist and start using/recommending outdoorsmanswap.com.  We are 95% done, please feel free to start "pre-listing" items and encouraging your friends to do the same! We will not officially launch for a few weeks, but we would like to have as many things listed as possible before this thing is a go!

Thanks for considering our site! If you have any questions, please email me anytime for now at davism@faith.edu. Very shortly it will be mark@outdoorsmanswap.com. I would love to hear your feedback after you have gone through the process of registering and listing an item.

Until next time, just get out there! And get on outdoorsmanswap.com!

Your bald friend,
Mark

No time like the present

I know that for many hunters the current days can be fairly blah. If you are not an ice-fisherman, and don't have access to good yote' hunting property, and have no time to look for sheds, what are you supposed to do? I'd like to offer up a few suggestions in today's post.

1) Learn from this past year's mistakes. So you didn't fill all your tags, why not? Hopefully you are in the habit of taking notes on every day you spend in the stand as it relates to deer movement and weather. Look back over those notes, then get on Google maps and take a look at your hunting property again. Do you need to move stand locations? Do you need to put in/move food plot locations? Do you need to hunt more during the week to avoid your neighbors? What are your trail cam pictures telling you? It might also be time to take a drive after looking at some properties on line to see if you can get permission to hunt on some additional ground. The worst they can say is no, and they might know of someone in the area who would be open to having you hunt on their property.


2) Never stop learnin' yurself more nalledge. Today's high here in south central Iowa is -9....I doubt I will be walking around the property much looking for sheds this evening. Instead, I plan on doing some extra reading. I enjoy Bill Winke's books on hunting strategies and deer behavior. You can check out his books here: http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/catalog/2/books.html. There are several other magazines, blogs, and resources available. One thing I am always looking for are better ways to control my scent. While I will be doing a complete product review here in the near future, let me let one cat out of the bag now. http://conquestscents.com/shop/evercalm/ever-calm-deer-herd-scent-stick-2-5-oz-2/ Ever-calm is the BY FAR the most reliable, effective deer scent I have ever used. It's not necessarily designed to mask your scent, as much as duplicate the calming scent of a deer heard. It's available in Elk scent as well. Do yourself a favor and buy this early, as in NOW, because you will not be able to find it once October hits. More on this later.


3) Include your family in your "off-season" preparations.  As you can see, I really don't think there is an off-season, we are now all preparing to make next year's deer, elk, and turkey hunt more successful. While today I'm concentrating on whitetail hunting, the same types of principles apply to all our our outdoor pursuits. Just don't forget that being a husband/wife/mom/dad is your first priority, period. Don't make the mistake of putting your hobbies above your duties. Instead, use it as a bonding time. Take them out to look for sheds, watch videos with them, read/share old hunting stories with them. Teach them gun safety in the basement now so they are ready to go in the spring. And don't forget to keep these "lessons" short, too the point, and fun. They just aren't as passionate about it yet as you are! But God-willing, if you do it right, in 20 years they will be calling you to hunt with them and their kids for years to come!

I want to conclude with a new section that will be in every post moving forward. This is today's "Strength for the moment" and it comes from my Bible time in Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" Friend, I'm not sure what your going through today, but taste (experience) God's goodness though the free gift of eternal life that He offers only through His Son Jesus. And then when those difficult times come, (and they will) take refuge in Him!

Back in the Saddle

A look back:

This fall's hunting season was well, underwhelming. I was thankful to put some meat in the freezer when harvesting a doe during Iowa's early muzzy season. My archery season did not go nearly as well, even though I saw way more deer than the last several years combined. "Mr. Right" just didn't come my way after passing on a nice mature 8 pointer on November 7, I never drew my bow back the rest of the year. I had a couple decent bucks on the camera, but that is a lot different than having them in the back of my truck! 

A look ahead:

Finally! After 2 years of planning and surveying our on-line classifieds site for outdoorsmen is almost done! Starting March 15, we will be "opening up the floodgates" and inviting men/women/children (who are over 18) to take it for a test drive. It is free to use, easy to use, and we are hoping that in the near future it will be your "go-to" site for listing and finding outdoor gear. 

A look waaaay ahead:

In the coming days I will hit the woods for some shed hunting and I will be sharing with you some tips and hopefully some pictures of successful "hunts." I'm also looking forward to putting in a small food plot with my dad and finishing up & enclosing a nice elevated blind. I can't wait!

That's all for now, it's good to be back and I hope your deer season was much more successful than

 mine! Until next time, JUST GET OUT THERE!