Success Story – Fish Stories, One of Success and Courage

While teaching a group of fourth graders, I gave them an opportunity to exercise their public speaking skills. The lesson was not on public speaking but on fresh and saltwater fish identification. As they were working in their activity book and were all engaged, I saw the opportunity for a parallel activity instead of having them just sit there quietly.  I invited the students to come to the front and tell a favorite fishing story, true or fictional.  Many raised their hands to participate and several did, some stories long and some just a few words such as, “My grandpa caught a shark!”   A young lady by the name of Eliza raised her hand and said she had a story.  When she accepted my invitation to come up front, she just stood there and stood there with a blank stare.  At that moment, her lower lip started to quiver, her eyes showed a look of fear and she bolted out of the classroom.

I was able to call her back into the classroom and calm her down.  I knew I had a teachable moment available to me, so I took advantage of it.  I then explained to the group that speaking in public is a fear most people experience, and it can be overcome with a little practice. Eliza then agreed to start again.  This time, every eye was on her, and every ear listening intently!  When she finished her story, all the children exploded in applause and kudos for her.  Eliza beamed with pride and accomplishment.  This will be a “fishing story” of courage that will probably have a lasting impact upon her and the group. – G. Koerner


According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy. - Jerry Seinfeld

The Prodigal Parent, a Poem

When I was a young man, my parents let me go. They loved me and trusted me to the extent I didn't know. When I messed up they didn't seem to mind; they loved me and forgave me and all was forgotten over time.

0h, how blessed is the prodigal parent, who prays, and teaches the lost. How indeed can I ever thank them? For my debt they incurred a great cost.

My brothers were'nt so lucky, my parent's anger quickly wore thin.  What I was able to freely do, to them it was a sin.

Consider the heart of the righteous, and blessed be the one, who doesn't have to learn life's lessons taught to a prodigal son.

My heart goes to the parent that does the best they can, who tries to make a proper choice for a boy to become a man.

Thank God we have a Savior who takes away all debt, the perfect parent up above, whom now mine have finally met.

0h, how blessed is the prodigal parent, who prays, and teaches the lost. How indeed can I ever thank them? For my debt they incurred a great cost.

A tribute to Karl and Irene Koerner, and all parents who pray for their children, from their son Gus. Jan. 2, 2014. Reference Luke 15:11-32.

Easy Mountain Man Breakfast

• 1 lb pork sausage, or bacon or ham – cooked and crumbled
• 1 bag (~2 lbs.) frozen shredded hash browns, or raw potatoes
• 12 eggs
• 1 lb shredded cheddar cheese

This recipe was adapted from Mountain Man Breakfast by ScouterMom and can be made indoors or out.

Prepare meat as necessary. Grease the bottoms and sides of a deep camp Dutch Oven or camp stove. Spread hash browns in the bottom of the oven. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl and pour evenly over hash browns. Sprinkle with meat and bake, salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cheese before serving. If using whole potatoes, wash and cube to one-half inch pieces, peeling is optional. Increase cooking time until the potatoes are tender.

Outdoor cooking instructions: Place about a dozen hot charcoal briquettes beneath the oven and about another eight on top. Cook until the eggs are set, about 20 – 30 minutes. Indoor cooking instructions: Bake in a 350 oven until eggs are set, about 20 - 30 minutes.

Serves 10 – 12

Skill level: Easy.  Any teen could make this one!

Photo: borrowed, original coming.

Estimated nutritional summary: Serving size about 1 cup, Calories 600, Fat 38 g, Carbohydrates 45 g, Protein 22 g

Acknowledgment - many thanks to people like ScouterMom who posted this recipe, and she has others like it!  When I was a Scout, we did cooking like this all the time because it was simple, fun and nutritional.  No-nonsense cooking.  Nowadays simple skills like this are being lost with our younger generations.  Next time you want to make something like this, grab a kid and let them help.  We can't all be Scouts, but we can enjoy some of the same things, and can still teach wholesome values. -  Mr. Gus.
 

From One Kid to Another, "My First Deer Hunt"

My First Deer Hunt
By Harley P., age 12, Titusville, FL

  October 11th:  840 miles and 36 hours before the start of the 2012 Kentucky Youth season and with my license and two youth deer tags in hand my dad and I are finally on the road. The butterflies in my stomach feel like a swarm. Dad said if I passed the Hunter Safety Course we would go to Kentucky and could hunt on a couple of farms owned by family and friends.
     We arrived at my uncle’s house Friday morning and after a quick breakfast I got to practice shooting an inline 50 caliber, a percussion cap 50 cal black powder, a lever action .22, and a scoped single shot .243. My uncle said that I had great shooting skills and that made me very happy to hear that because I have not gotten to shoot a lot. The first time I shot the inline, I shot 100 grains instead of 80 because my dad tricked me. But 100 grains was still very fun to shoot. The Rossi .243 single shot had no kick but it was loud and we decided that was the gun I would use since we were going to be hunting open fields and shots over 100 yards were possible. After shooting, my uncle gave me some hunting clothes that my cousins had outgrown.  I packed the inline 50 caliber, the .243, the hunting clothes my uncle let me borrow, and my dad’s first bb gun into the car and then we had to leave and go to my dad’s friend, Mr. Frank’s house.
       When we got to Mr. Frank’s, we took a ride down to his hunting stand and saw several deer out feeding. After a dinner of pork roast and baked beans cooked by Mr. Frank, I finally went to sleep thinking about tomorrow and my first deer hunt.
        I woke up early the next morning and immediately got my hunting clothes on and got all the things I needed for the hunt. When dad and I were ready, we headed to the deer stand at about 6:00 A.M.  The trail getting there was very steep and it was really dark at the time so we had to watch our step. It was still dark when we got to the deer stand and we had to wait for legal shooting hours to start hunting but we still had to be very quiet. At about 7:00 I saw two deer, a doe and a little button buck. I waited a while thinking if I wanted to shoot the doe because I wanted my first deer to be a buck. While I was trying to decide, she walked 50 yards from us and stood broadside, offering a perfect shot. After watching her for several minutes I said “Dad I’m going to shoot this one.” When I was about to shoot she started to get nervous, blew, and ran.  I got really frustrated because my finger was on the trigger before she started to run. I never had butterflies in my stomach like that before.
         About twenty minutes later, a small eight pointer showed up but I had to pass on him. Mr. Frank’s rule was “the antlers had to wider than the ears”. We watched him feed for awhile and I wanted to shoot it so badly but I couldn’t. After the 8 pointer left, a small spike came into the field that I could not shoot.
           After the morning hunt I went to my cousin Levi’s house because he wanted us to hunt with him and his dad at his dad’s friend, Mr. John’s farm. It was early afternoon when we got to the farm and we headed straight to the stand. It was very hard to stay quiet because my dad and I both had a very bad cough. But I waited and waited, watching the soybean field, trying to be quiet.  Finally we saw a deer and it was a big doe. I was ready to shoot that deer even though it was not a buck. I got my gun up, focused my cross hairs on the spot where I wanted to hit the deer, put my finger on the trigger and “CLICK!”- I forgot to take the safety off! She left the field very fast. About 20 or 30 minutes later we see a really good sized doe so I picked up the .243, cocked it, took the safety off, aimed, and pulled the trigger. The deer fell right in her tracks and that made me the happiest person ever.  I went to get my cousin so he could help me load her up but we couldn’t put it on the 4-wheeler by ourselves so I got my uncle to help and we still couldn’t pick her up so we ended up pulling her with the ATV.
     We put her on the trailer and took it to my cousin’s house to skin and butcher her. We put her on the scales and she weighed 170 pounds live weight and after taking pictures and I had to eat part of its heart raw and I did because of tradition. After we cut the deer up and packaged her, I had to go to bed because the next day I was going to try to get another deer.

     Sunday morning we woke up and it was raining very hard. After the rain stopped we went back to Mr. John’s farm. It was still cloudy and looked like it was going to rain again. We went to the same stand and about 30 minutes later it started to rain so I put the rifle under a rain jacket and then I put a rain jacket on. It stopped raining about an hour before dark.  Thirty minutes later, I see a 4 pointer standing near the same spot were the doe had stood. I took the .243, cocked it, took the safety off, and shot.  When I shot him, he fell, got back up and RAN.  Then it really got hard because I had to track it through some very thick bushes in the dark. Levi brought flashlights and I had to find the blood spots and Levi stood at the last place I found blood. After 60 yards I found my first buck and that buck made me even happier than the doe that I got. Levi got his dad and Mr. John to help us and we finally got it to the 4-wheeler. It was hard work to cut it up and get the meat but it was fun and I got to fill out 2 tags in 2 days which made me happy.
     Deer hunting in Kentucky was amazing and I want to thank God for the 2 deer that I got during that weekend. Deer hunting in Kentucky made me so happy I will never forget everything I did there.  Deer hunting in Kentucky was really fun and I hope to hunt there again someday.

End Note by Mr. Gus...
I'm really proud of Harley, not only for this story he submitted and his successful deer harvest, but also for his completion of his Hunter Safety course where we met.  He and his Dad are also strong supporters in our 4-H club, the Mosquito Lagoon Muzzleloaders.  Stories submitted by guest writers are not edited for content, punctuation or length, because it is their story!  If you have a story you would like to have us share with the world, please let us know.

A Gentle Reminder of the Classic Books for at Home or the Woods

Last night I was surfing for free books to read in iBooks, and there are tons of them available!  Most of the older classics are at places like Gutenberg eBooks, but there are many outlets.  From an iPhone, the best way to hunt for them is install the free iBooks app, and then search the library.  They separate the books by author and whether it is free or to buy.

I was in kind of a hurry, so I was looking for small files sizes for a quick download.  That's when I ran into Aesop's Fables!  I knew they were on the web, not not available as an ebook.  Here is one of my favorites...

The Lion and the Mouse
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him, and opened his big jaws to swallow him.  "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn some of these days?"  The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.  Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a waggon to carry him on.  Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts.  "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse.

The Moral is - Little friends may prove great friends.

I just can't wait to read the rest of the stories again, to myself and my grandchildren!  Here is where I found this story. About Aesop the author.

Are you a Safe Hunter for life?

Last weekend I helped teach Florida Hunter Safety at the Titusville Rifle and Pistol Club in Mims, FL, my local gun club.  It was a great class as usual, with about 38 students.  We spend time in the classroom reviewing the different parts of the course such as Safe Gun Handling, Ammunition Types and Wildlife Conservation.  We also get to hear about the Florida Hunting Regulations from a real-live Game Officer.  That part is pretty cool. Finally before the students get their card, they have to show their safety skills with a firearm.  Last weekend we shot .22 rifles and shotguns.  Sometimes we shoot muzzle loaders and bows.  If the students can shoot safely and score 80 out of 100 on the exam, they pass.

It dawned on me a little while back that the Florida Hunter Safety Certification cards have no expiration date!  That means that if I certify a young person, the youngest I've had is age 8, that certification will be good FOREVER.  All my other certifications including those I possess as an instructor, and even a Drivers License all expire within three to five years.  When that time rolls around, I have to take a written or practical exam and sometimes both!

After I calmed down from the shock of a person never having to show their hunting safety skills ever again, I felt a very heavy burden as an instructor.  I realized that every word out of my mouth should be carefully chosen, and I should pay close attention as an educator to make sure the students realize the great responsibility they have.  I also have started to encourage the students to participate in other courses and programs to sharpen their skills, and reinforce the safety knowledge they possess.  I urge parents to take their kids out regularly and practice safe skills.

In my last class, I called up a 12 year old young man and told him, "Bud in 50 years you'll be 62 and still have the same hunter safety certification that you get today, and I'll be long gone.  Make a decision now to be a safe hunter for the rest of your life."  He gulped and said okay.

If you're an instructor, keep this all in mind next time you teach.  If you're a parent, always always always be an example of a safe, ethical hunter to your children and fellow hunters.  If you're a kid or a teen, make a commitment while you're young to be safe forever, and encourage others to do the same.  Be safe, and take the time to enjoy the incredible privilege of hunting we've been given.

FL Hunter Safety is a lifetime certification.

 Photo credit: NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife 2007

Last weekend I taught Hunter Safety class for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and I realized something that blew me away!  When someone receives their Florida Hunter Safety certification, there is no renewal or retesting - ever.  Florida is not unique to this rule.  So everyone, including the 11 year old I passed will be potentially hunting in the woods, FIFTY years from now, with the same certification and approval I gave to him back in 2012.  That's kind of scary.


I worry when every five or so years and I have to get my driver's license renewed, that I'll l still be able to remember the rules and my eyes will work like their supposed to!  Here we are giving an average citizen who is able to pass a fifty question test, and shoot a gun down range, permission to do so for the rest of their lives!  That is a lot of responsibility.


Is that student still going to remember when Mr. Gus taught them?  I doubt it.  Will they remember to be safe, ethical and responsible hunters?  I hope so, but there are no guarantees.  Note to fellow instructors - take your job seriously, knowing you MAY be the only one to instruct this person for the rest of their lives.  Have you adequately driven in the points they need to know and remember?  Note to parents - folks, please reinforce safety and wildlife conservation with your children.  Someone's life WILL DEPEND ON IT.

Just an air rifle?

How many kids and families do you know that got an air rifle for Christmas or have one in the house??

Those of us who teach firearms safety stress some version of the National Rifle Association, 3 Always of Guns Safety, namely 1) keep your gun pointed in a safe direction, 2) keep your gun unloaded until your ready to shoot, and 3) keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target. In order for a firearms accident to occur, all three of these rules have to be broken, at the same time!

A tragic story was reported in England today:

Boy, 10, Killed With His Father's Air Gun While Playing Cowboys and Indians with His Friends
Thursday, Jan 05 2012, Swansea, England, UK
By JULIE MOULT, DailyMail.co.uk

A BOY of ten was shot dead in a game of cowboys and indians as he and a friend played with his father's airgun. Rhys Johnson was fatally wounded when the weapon went off, blasting pellets into his chest. Full story.
Photo: Rhys Johnson is pictured here with his older sister Ashleigh. By http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Parents please keep in mind that although BB guns and Air Rifles are less powerful than their high-power counterparts, they are still not toys and can cause serious property damage and personal harm, as shown in this story.  Air rifles can be a great tool to teach young people safe handling of firearms and marksmanship with a gun that is void of recoil and designed to fit kids 6 and up, BUT they are guns.  Make sure they are treated with the same respect as any other firearm.

Springtime Is A Perfect Time to Scope Out Summer Activities in 4-H

The 4-H Extension Agents in Brevard County, which include Vanessa Spero-Swingle and Gus Koerner are planning a bunch of fun learning opportunities for kids this summer! Some of the activities are open primarily to those enrolled in 4-H, but there are also a bunch open to anyone in the community. One of the 4-H mottos is Learn By Doing, and we are firm believers, that kids and young adults, learn the most and have the greatest amount of enjoyment by jumping in and getting their hands dirty! (Photo caption: Planting today for something beautiful tomorrow at the Budding Gardener’s Camp 2009)

The best place to learn about these camps is on the County Extension web page. Another great place is the semiannual Extension insert in the Florida Today, which is published in March – watch for it! Did you know we’re also on Facebook?? Search for Brevard County 4-H!

Some of the fun activities include: in April – The Brevard County Fair in Melbourne, in May – Youth Fly Fishing Clinic in Cocoa, in June – Outdoor Adventure Camp and Budding Gardner’s Camp in Palm Bay, 4-H Legislature in Tallahassee in July – 4-H Congress in Gainesville, 4-H Shooting Sports Camp in Lake Placid, and in August – 4-H Summer Camp at Ocala in Altoona.

From customer feedback we know the kids and volunteers leaders have fun at these events, and learn so much! Another common comment from the parents and kids who attend these activities is that they are some of the most reasonably priced in all of central Florida. So check some of them out, and come join us in the fun! For more information with dates and times, please call Ms. Vanessa or Mr. Gus Koerner at 321-633-1702.

“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!” Part 1 – Air Rifles

…this doesn’t have to be true or even a threat this holiday season, if you’re considering getting your child or grandchild an air rifle. When I say “air rifle,” this also includes the whole family of pneumatic firearms, which also take in pellet and BB guns. The first and foremost safety rule is, Keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction. If this were the only rule that people followed, there would never be an accident! Also see my blog, Oops, Sorry About Your Cat.

There are many companies out there that market and sell air rifles, the primary ones most advertized include Crosman , Daisy and Gamo. Within those companies, you have probably a hundred to choose from, ranging from $30 to well over $500, but be sure of this – all of these companies make fine equipment. Which one to buy? That’s a great question, but to answer it you need to ask yourself why you are buying the rifle for your youngster?

Air rifles are for competition, training, hunting, recreational plinking, and for potentially getting some kids in deep trouble. Adult supervision is always required for kids shooting air rifles, not just as a good precaution but in some cases, it is the law. Be Aware - modern air rifles, even the least expensive ones can easily kill a domestic pet or cause serious property damage.

Now to the point of really helping you to buy the right one for your young Olympian or hunter to be… 1) do your research before you buy. Each of the companies I mention have very informative web pages, and may give you a discount if your child belongs to a bona-fide youth shooting sports program. 2) Look around locally for youth programs such as scouts or 4-H. They can provide shooting opportunities for your child with air rifles and some of them may allow you to try some of their guns prior to purchase, or inform you of special purchasing options to save you money. In addition, they will more than likely host or attend competitive events which may require a specific gun, or one with special requirements. 3) I would consider this most important – consider this an opportunity to have a fun, safe, healthy outdoor hobby with your young family member so as to make memories and establish safe habits for a life time.

Professional Shooter

I get paid to see that kids get a safe, fun and rewarding experience in the shooting sports. I guess by that definition of my job, you could say that I’m a professional shooting instructor. Technically its true, but something about the statement seems false. Perhaps it’s too good to be true. Don’t get me wrong, its not like I’m out there teaching defensive tactics or how to put a sniper round through the target at 1000 meters. It’s more like taking a covey of 8 year olds and making sure they don’t shoot each other’s eye out. I’m joking. It’s more than that. It is about fulfilling a kids basic need to squeeze the trigger or release the bow string to let that projectile fly, just like the heros they sometimes imagine to be. At the same time, I might be able to influence the child into becoming a better citizen or someday making wiser choices. Very rewarding.

Last night I skipped out on archery class so that I could attend the Jr. Air Rifle Class up North, which meets the same time. Although I was reluctant to miss archery, it was a good thing. The clubs are supposed to be run by volunteers, and when I’m there the leader lets me take over. I need to help them grow in independence, relying on the parents to step in. I also had to miss seeing my daughter shoot, but that's a good thing sometimes too as she acts differently when I watch. Reports of the meeting were that although things did not go as smoothly as usual, it was a good night anyway.

This is the my first posting...

I call myself a “regular Joe” because I think I am fairly typical of a lot of guys out there.


I’m the grandson of immigrants along with my five siblings, the child of parents growing up in suburbia, a parent of four great kids and the grandpa of four youngins’. I work hard for a living, knowing that while I’m at work I think about home and while at home I think about work. It seems I always need to be somewhere else. My Dad and brother served in the military. Of my children, one of my sons is a student and one is a US Marine. Of my daughters, one is a teacher and one is a student. My Step-daughters are jewels and one of my many many blessings.


Professionally I am an former NASA program manager, and a current government employee working with kids in youth development, teaching all of the shooting sports disciplines. In the program I developed, my volunteers and I teach approximately 1000 kids per year of every imaginable background. I owe my successes to the gifts I’ve received in building partnerships, relating with people (especially youth), a love of the outdoors, great mentors, and an understanding and loving wife. Even though I do not directly mention God. He is creator of all good things to whom I am grateful beyond words.  Listen to this podcast, Size: 1.5 mb, Time: 1:36.