Oprah's Favorite Things 2007

There is something about watching people get a ton of free stuff that is just mesmerizing. Yes, I watched Oprah give away favorite things, my favorite gift was the United Artist 90th Anniversary Collection...90 of some of the greatest movies all in one commemorative set...Amazing.

Well, the show got me thinking, what are some of my favorite outdoors related things? Well folks, I'll list them here, but don't expect anyone to show up at your door with em'. I don't have the connections Oprah does.

My Favorite Fishing Equipment:

St. Croix Rods: These rods are as versatile and durable as their more expensive big brother G. Loomis. I have six of these rods and not once have any of them ever let me down. I'm not a big Saltwater angler, but St. Croix re-mastered Tidemaster Series is pretty impressive.

I do not own one rod that isn't paired with a Shimano reel. I own three different models: Sahara, Sedona, and Sonora. While they are technically my favorites, specifically for their durability and especially affordibility, I am also a fan
of Quantum's Boca line of Saltwater spinning reels.

Berkley Trilene XL: I still haven't jumped on the copolymer braided bandwagon...I spend most of my time fishing smaller lakes in South Jersey and Berkley's monofilament Trilene has never let me down...Sure smaller diameters, like 4lb test, can get twisted, but 8-12lb test is durable, offers low memory, and great castability.

Gary Yammamoto's Senko: This is the best soft plastic on the market. There are a lot of immitators, but the number of fish I bring to the boat with these things is astounding. I mostly use the 5-inch model in either (901) Watermelon & White or (301) Green Pumpkin with green and purple flakes.

My Favorite Outdoor/Fishing Books:

"A River Runs Through It," Norman Maclean's amazing written portrait of family and fishing in Montana. Because of this book, I have adopted two of the family's most important rules about life: 1. You are never to be late for work or Fishing, and 2. Never call a fishing rod a "pole."

"A Walk in the Woods," if ever there was a book that would make even one of the most laid back individuals among us (namely me) want to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, this book is it. Bill Bryson's humor, voice, and style take you on one of the most challenging hiking adventures this side of the Mississippi.

My Favorite Hunting/Fishing supplier:

I do my best to support local stores, and when I make fishing/hunting purchases I always go to one place first. Blackwater Sportscenter in Vineland, NJ. The guys behind the counter here know their stuff, and unlike the bigger chains you can actually find what you are looking for, and in some cases, things you didn't know you needed.

My Favorite Outdoor Links:

NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife: This is NJs window to all the rules, regulations, wheres, whens, and hows of enjoying the outdoors in NJ. The site is surprisingly comprehensive and easy to navigate for something related to NJ government. You can even buy some of your NJ licenses online through a link on this website.

NJ Angler: The website that accompanies the premiere NJ Fishing magazine, has come a long way in the last year. Useful fishing reports from all over the state are posted by the magazine's major contributors, as well as, weather reports and a list of fishing events across the state. I have to give these guys a shout because they are kind enough to post some of my fishing stories in the print version of the magazine.

Kayak Fishing Forums: The folks at Kayakfishingstuff.com host these forums and the group of kayak anglers that frequent the discussions is probably the most helpful and supportive I've ever run across on an online forum.

The Blog roll at the right...The sites and links listed in my blog roll are not arbitrary. I don't just add a link to a site because someone asks me to. The authors on these sites are frequent post-ers that often have very intelligent things to say. If you have the time, go down the list...It'll be worth it. I've bookmarked all of them for a reason, and so should you.

My Favorite Hunting Equipment:

Hoyt Bows: My Hoyt MT Sport has seen a lot of deer, and unfortunately, it has missed a lot of deer through no fault of its own...It is hard to hold the line when you're heart is beating out of your chest...When I practice and the target is stationary this bow is extremely accurate. The MT Sport was retired, but Hoyt has a host of other bows on the market that are of the same quality and performance.

Beman Carbon Arrows: When I started hunting I only used Easton aluminum arrows, but they took a beating and had to be replaced every year. I have been using the same 6 beman arrows for 2 , and I can still put them in a 4in group at 25 yards.

Muzzy Broadheads: There are a lot of broadheads on the market, but Muzzy's 100gr 3 bladed model is the least complicated for this hunter.

I could go on for days, these are just a few of my favorite things...What about you? What are your favorite things?

We've won the battle...but

I've been steaming about the introductions of anti-hunting/fishing bills recently here in NJ. Thankfully, in our recent election the main sponsors of Assembly Bill 3275, which called for the disassembly of the current NJ Wildlife Council in favor of a governor appointed council. The bill also proposed that hunting/fishing should be a last resort in terms of wildlife management, in favor of non-lethal management efforts.

If the representatives that put forth this bill had succeed in their election bid, NJ would have faced a much longer and hard fought battle for hunting and fishing.

It seems almost as the soon as the bill was introduced sportsman around the state took up arms and bound together to fight this "anti" movement. One of the biggest opponents to the Bill and loudest voices in the fight against the representatives that introduced A3275 was the newly created NJ Outdoor Alliance. The group, spearheaded by a few daring souls in North Jersey, would not let this flaming issue fall through the cracks, should be thanked and praised for their efforts.

Obviously, there are not many willing to give the credit the NJ Outdoor Alliance or any of NJ's sportsmen and women for their efforts at the polls...But I will, it's time that we as outdoor enthusiasts stand together, not just in New Jersey, but the entire nation. There are many people that unfairly link hunting and fishing with the degradation of the environment. It's just not the case. We care just as much as you do, and anti-hunter or not, so long as you cherish the outdoors in any way we should all be able to work together.

For now, we'll fight in our own corners, but as a sportsman and an outdoor enthusiast I support all of the efforts made in the past election, and especially those efforts by the NJ Outdoor Alliance.

Good work, now let's keep it up!

Check this out...

I read a great post on Frank Baron's blog, it wasn't overly complicated or radical...Just a simple write of random things that happened to him this week. Check it out here.
The post got me thinking about other things I am reading or have read recently on other blogs, books, or magazines. I have a different book or magazine in every room of the house, this way if I get the urge to read there is something always within my reach.

First, on the night stand this week I am reading "The River Why". This book is about passion, obsession, the environment and the relationships we have with everyone around us...Not to mention some pretty serious fishing. It is a hilarious, and well written book. If you like to fish at all you should definitely check it out. I borrowed a copy from the library, but I have to own my favorite books, so I quickly jumped on Half.com to pick up a copy for my shelf...Yes, it's that good.

Second, in the master bath I have a copy of Frank Miniter's "Politically Incorrect Guide to Hunting". Now, for many avid hunter's Frank's name might sound familiar. If it does, it's probably because he is an editor and contributor to the NRA's American Hunter.

To the book, if you have ever been confronted by an irate anti-hunter this book discusses how to talk to them, whether your goal is force them to see the holes in their argument, or you actually would like to have an educated discussion with an opposing view. There are some interesting chapters and if you are looking for that solid argument to help your fight against the anti-hunting world this is the place to start. It is written in a very straight forward manner with an excellent and well educated voice. The author sites sources for factual information to ensure accuracy, but keeps the tone of the book relatively light, which makes for a quick and worthwhile read.

In the blog world this week I would check out these stories (as well as Frank Baron's linked at the top):

Rex, an avid hunting/outdoor blogger posted a Halloween Story worth checking out at his Deer Camp Blog.

Othmar Vohringer posted (at Whitetail Deer Passion) the amazing first person account of young Casy Heine and his 35 point monster buck. I don't know that I'd be able to stop shaking enough in the tree to take a safe shot at an amazing deer like that one.

Finally, there is another great post at Field & Streams Whitetail 365 blog. Bill Heavey describes how he deals with what happens when we get too excited in the tree.