Back onboard, and looking forward.

It has been a long time since my last post, and I feel really guilty!  - But life happens, no?

Since that time, I have started working at a Florida prison teaching inmates that are soon to be released.  We have a good curriculum, but we go beyond that in our everyday discussions.  The goal is to give them practical skills to help them find success.  Over time I will be sharing with you some of the topics of our discussions and how they relate with our daily walk with God.

Another important note - I am being called to the ministry in a more important and significant way.  I'm not sure what that quite looks like yet, but its exciting.

Convicted Felons and Hunting

I understand how someone who has "paid their debt to society" may feel it's their right to hunt again. Indeed it may be, but be careful. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has posted Florida statute loud and clear in their proclaimation, as follows...  Use of Firearms by Felons - It is illegal in Florida for convicted felons to possess firearms, including muzzleloading guns, unless the convicted felon has had his/her civil rights restored by the state's Clemency Board or the firearm qualifies as an antique firearm under Florida statute 790.001(1). Properly licensed convicted felons may hunt with bows, crossbows or antique firearms per Florida statute 790 during hunting seasons when such devices are legal for taking game.

The 2005 Florida Statutes Title XLVI, Section, 790.001(1) states "Antique firearm means any firearm manufactured in or before 1918 (including any matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar early type of ignition system) or replica thereof, whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1918, and also any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1918, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade." The fact that the firearm is an antique firearm is an affirmative defense that the defendant has the burden of alleging and proving. Williams v. State 482 So.2d 1051 (Fla 1986). Convicted felons should be cautious about being in a location where a firearm is present as they may be in constructive possession of that firearm. Constructive possession occurs when the person knows about the firearm and is in a position to exert dominion and control over that firearm. A felon who is riding in a truck with other hunters who have firearms with them may be in constructive possession of those firearms, depending on the circumstances.

In the May 2009 story, Can a Felon Possess a Firearm in Florida?, the author David M. Goldman relates a decision made by Florida's 5th District Court of Appeals (DCA) that the court agreed that he (the defendant) was able to own an antique firearm but disagreed that his firearm was an antique.  The court stated that Florida case law defines replica as a reasonably exact reproduction of the object involved that, when viewed causes the person to see substantially the same object as the original. The DCA found that (the defendant's) gun was not a replica because the original did not have a fiber optic sight that was present on his gun.  The court also stated that merely having an ignition system similar to that found on an antique firearm is not sufficient to render a firearm a "replica..."

If this story relates to you or someone you know, my advice is to check the laws again before you touch or get in the same proximity as a firearm, and (more than likely) plan on learning the great sport of archery.  If you take the Florida Hunter Safety class, be sure to advise your instructor of your situation before you begin the class.

The Beauty of the Portuguese Sinnet

For a few extra Christmas dollars I'm making bracelets out of parachute cord and selling them for $5.  They go by the names Paracord, Survival, Cobra Stick and rope bracelets.  The reason for survival bracelet, is when it is disassembled, a large one may have as much as 10 feet of cord you can use. You know I never ever make too much money at these kinds of things, because I teach people how to do it!  That's okay though.

Photo from Knots by Grog

I learned this knot a few years ago from ITS Tactical  (he does some really beautiful stuff) but today I'd like to especially highlight Animated Knots by Grog.

 Search for Cobra Knot or click here.  A great webpage with some neat links and animations.  Also checkout some of the phone apps they highlight.  The reason I'm partial today to Grog, is that he is quick to reference the source of all sources, the Knotter's Bible and my favorite book, The Ashley Book of Knots, written in 1944.  This book is worth a write-up all of its own.  My dad gave me a copy of this $50+ gem when I was 14 and I've loved tying ever since.

Here's another great source, that shows step-by-step how to make a bracelet.  Great job Wilderness Wiki contributors!  So for fun, money or carrying on the tradition of knot tying with your children, grab some rope and learn a new knot!  If you want parachute cord, check out your local Army/Navy store first or google it.  I happen to love the Supply Captain.

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.

My First Product Review, the NIV Outdoorsman Bible by Zondervan

I find it a little ironic that my first commercial product review is the Holy Bible.  It is also a little daunting and strange - but I am honored. I think my next product review will be a gun - the other most favorite possession of many (of us) in the south!

I'm not just reviewing any old Bible off the coffee table, but a recent gem of publishing, the NIV Outdoorsmans Bible by Zondervan. This is a review that should be read by both men and women. Men because it may relate to you, and women - to you who love God, and Camo, or love the men in your life that do.

Published in 2012, this Bible is in the New International Version, red letter edition. The words Jesus spoke are written in red and the cover is in Mossy Oak. This is my first red letter edition of the Good Book, and I really love it. In my opinion, this is for every outdoors type person who wants to get a Bible. Honestly.

What makes this Bible unique, is that throughout the new and old testament, christian author, pastor and speaker Jason Cruise from Tennessee shares his outdoor stories as a hunter, father, man and how they relate to walking a christian life.

Pastor Jason is an expert on drawing parallels to a person's spiritual life from a woods point of view. He talks about chasing the elusive gobbler through the woods, fine tuning the sights of a bow and my favorite - hearing the boom of his black powder rifle aimed at a big buck!  Then he connects his woods scenario to walking daily with God, and what one has to do with another. These are real, moving short stories that can cause any person to pause and reflect.

When reviewing a product, every writer needs to take into consideration the perspective of the reader. For the person looking for instructions on how to build a fire or set up their tent, this is not the book for you. You need an outdoors guide or a similar "how to" book for skill building. But for the outdoor person (of either gender) who is a Christian young or old, or is seeking to know more about God or how the Bible relates to you, this is definitely something you should acquire.

When I review a product, I put it to the test. I carried this NIV Outdoorsman Bible with me for a week straight. You wouldn't believe how many positive comments I received!  Be aware that its not bullet or waterproof, it could get damaged in foul weather.  It is handy though, and is in a convenient size.

This week I taught in the high school. I'm around young people all day long, and I carried the book with me from class to class and left it on my desk while I taught. For the person who chooses to be less conspicuous about their faith, this is a good way to do it. However during the week, six teenage boys asked me, "Where did you get that Bible?" Its not obvious, but they saw the words Holy Bible embossed in the spine.  "That's really cool", several of them said. The cover alone helps me feel more comfortable carrying a Bible in public.  I'm always trying to be a better man, and the camo allows me to carry God's Word and not feel "preachy".

This book would be a great gift for yourself or others. I hope to buy several copies for my boys and friends.

NIV Outdoorsman Bible, eBook 

Here are some technical aspects of the book you may like to know, and it also comes in an eBook for you techie folks....

NIV Outdoorsman Bible

Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: 05/22/2012
Price: $29.99
Format: Italian Duo-Tone™, Lost Camo Woods Print
Language: English
ISBN 13: 9780310441694
UPC: 025986441692
Weight: 1.41 lb
Size: 8.75 × 5.81 × 0 in
Length: 1152 Pages

Zondervan Synopsis: This Lost Camo woods print pattern Italian Duo-Tone™ Bible, graphically designed for the sportsman’s eye, is a one-stop destination for the person who is serious about both the outdoors as well as the Word of God. With the clear, accessible NIV translation and special devotions, the NIV Outdoorsman Bible is a great resource for you, and it also makes the perfect gift.

Why Teach Outdoor Education?

Here it is 2012 and it seems like there's an abundance of outdoor programs to choose from.  There are more than there was ten years ago.  That's probably because of the educational studies that have come out in response to what's now known as Nature Deficit Disorder.  Are more individuals and families participating in these programs because of this child malnutrition of outdoor experiences?  It doesn't appear to be the case.

Something is still keeping the kids inside, and parents don't really seem to care - for the most part. The result is a host of youth not having a thorough knowledge and appreciation of wildlife, living in the outdoors or how crucial it is to preserve our nation's natural resources.


When I was a boy I loved being outside, mostly because there was nothing to do inside! In 1967 when I was eight we didn't have home computers, video games or more than six channels on the black and white TV set. Even the channels we did have came in fuzzy. Occasionally I did go down to the creek and catch crawdads. Photo credit flickr.com

In order to keep me from driving my parents completely nuts, they enrolled me in Scouts. Of course I didn't have any real opinion about it, I'd just did as I was told because I was eight, but I did have fun. In Cub Scouts we did mostly crafts with the occasional outdoor event. When I became a Webelos Scout (age 10), we started to camp, but then as a full-fledged BoyScout we were outdoors most of the time, especially in summer.  Out of the 20 some-odd merit badges I received, a good portion of them were in skill areas of hiking, camping, canoeing and similar.  Through the merit badge program, I learned real outdoor skills some of which I can still call up and use even to this day!

When I was 19 I attended the Brigham Young University, YouthLeadership 480 course (now managed by B.O.S.S).  That was my one and only BYU class.  YL480 was an evolved course originally designed by the great survivalist Larry Dean Olsen, to help reform troubled youth offenders.  In the class we spent 30 days in the southern Utah desert living off a pocket full of minor supplies and gathering the rest from a less than abundant supply of plants and an occasional aquatic critter from a creek bed.  On one segment of the survival excursion, we were granted 1 red shiny apple, and to this day I still eat ALL of the apple but the stem.  I am also still known to eat a bug now and again.  I digress.

In my later associations with 4-H, we  had a good share of outdoor activities, but no hard-core outdoor programs in "roughing it" type camping in that sense, at least in my geographic region. 4-H environmental and camping programs such as fishing, shooting sports and kayaking were (again, in my experience) are mostly day activities with cabin lodging or going back home in the evening.  In that job, I was a paid Youth Development Agent and we did teach some really neat skills, but the focus was more on developing well rounded leaders and citizens, and less on the skills.

I think people trying to answer the question about why teach outdoor education will mostly come from a philosophical perspective like, "giving an appreciation of the outdoors, or of what it’s like to…”, etc.  In my honest opinion, the value of learning ONE outdoor skill really well, will give a child something they can use later, perhaps as a necessity.  For example, if a child learns to start an outdoor fire with natural (local) materials, and just one match (or no matches!), that skill may come in handy later in life.  Now add to that skill another, like building a woods shelter, or purifying water, a child will begin to gain a sense of self-reliance, and confidence that they will carry on for the rest of their lives and probably build upon themselves.  In the meantime, while learning these specific skills; they will see deer and other wild animals, and unspoiled land and appreciate the setting.  They’ll remember and know why our forests, wild lands and waters are important and will naturally grow an attitude of ecological stewardship that they hopefully will try to pass on.  So I guess, the bottom line for me to teach outdoor education, is to impart new skills primitive to them, to teach self-reliance and connect kids to our ancestors by stories,  people who did this out of necessity, while building self-confidence and esteem.

I think I’ll sleep outside sometime this week.