We’ve been vacationing at Barkley Lake, Kentucky for about 5 years.   One of the reasons we continue to go back is the fishing.  We’ve always managed to bring home our share of bluegill, crappie, yellow strippers and catfish.  Between my husband and I, on average, we catch about 100 fish a day. We’ve never had a problem catching fish.  But this year the guys, Mark and Troy, decided to hire a guide to possibly find a few new spots and learn a few new tips.

So we hired Billy Joe Boitnott that was highly recommended by the locals.

And I had no idea what to expect but I was put on the boat with Billy Joe and it was fishing heaven.

Let’s take a look back at my fishing history:

• My 1st year of fishing:  My husband took care of everything but I needed to learn if I wanted to be fishing chick angler of the year.
• My 2nd year of fishing:  I touched worms and baited my own hook.  Because one day I’ll be fishing chick angler of the year that doesn’t need a man baiting her hook.
• My 3rd year of fishing:  I could rig up my own pole in case of brush hangups.  Or tree hangups.  Or my own hair hangups.  No need for a man on this boat.  I’m fishing chick angler of the year.
• My 4th year:  I just can’t take a fish off the hook but I’ll take pictures with it.  Posing as fishing chick angler of the year.
• My 5th year:  Oh Billy Joe where have you been for the past 4 years?

I sat in a chair on the front of the boat like princess fishing chick angler of the year and never had to move.  He baited my hook, fixed my line, baited my hook, took my fish off, fixed my line, fixed my line and fixed my line.

And he called me cute pet names …  Sassy Susie, Sassy Jo, Sassy Jane and Sassy Frassy.

And I’m not sure why?  ‘Cause I’m not Sassy.  I was very proper, polite and well-mannered.  I was the perfect lady and I made sure not to use one bad word.  I had a talk with myself before we went not to use bad words.  No bad words Jody.   It wouldn’t be ladylike.

But then I heard Billy Joe say, “you monkey” a few times.  And just when I lost that monster 10 lb crappie I loudly blurted out …

“Y O U      M O T H E R     M O N K E Y.”

Have a good day all …  I wonder if Billy Joe would paint my toenails next time?

Who needs the title fishing chick angler of the year being all fishing independent when you can be princess fishing chick angler of the year thanks to Billy Joe.

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If you’d like to hire a guide on Barkley or Kentucky Lake, I would highly recommend Billy Joe Boitnott.  For more information and if you’d like his number you can email me at:  jody @ thehunterswife . net.

Thank you all and thank you Billy Joe!

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When I announced I wanted to take up Shooting Sports as a hobby, it went over like a fart in church. I can still smell the distinct odor the affair raised—and it wasn’t gunpowder. I heard the Doubting Thomases and the harshest critics say: ‘JoAnna Zurinsky, if you ever manage to blast a clay bird out of that sky, it will be the day monkeys fly out of our butts!’   Now call it what you will, Daddy says it’s a case of good-old fashion German Stubbornness, I call it American Woman Resolve. I was going to hit a clay bird. I was going to do it regardless of whatever anyone said.  Daddy and I went out to the field in the back of our barn, and he threw the clays.  I took his 12ga Remington pump shotgun, and blasted the smithereens out of a bird, first try!  It felt so good. I did it again, and again that afternoon.  Sure I missed my fair share, but I didn’t focus on what I was doing wrong, I only focused on what I was doing right. I was having fun, and I was hooked!

And Daddy? Well, he was shocked! My mom, who knew all along that I would do it, bagged up little pieces of clay birds for me to take home as a trophy to show my better, and sometimes un-believing half, Larry, as proof that monkeys sometimes do fly. And out of the strangest places!  When I got home, I put the baggie on the table, Larry rolled on the floor laughing.  ‘What?’ I asked.  Larry blurted out, with Chardonnay gurgling through his nostrils (he was that amused):  ‘Hand thrown birds are a great deal different than what you’ll experience at a Gun Club with trap-machine thrown birds!’  Undaunted, I soon got my chance to try Sporting Clays and Skeet.

I asked for a membership to the local gun club for my birthday that year, instead of jewelry—and got it, along with an offer for a full-on psychiatric evaluation.  I started going to the gun club every chance I got; with friends, relatives and any country man or woman who lend me their time and ears, so I could yell: “PULL!”  I befriended a couple of the members, and the nicknames along with the clays, started flying:  JoAnnie Oakley, 12ga Lady, Clay Slayer, The Crapshoot Kid and my personal, but somehow annoyingly favorite, Ram-Jo. These were not all compliments- most of them cute, but condescending in nature.

At the gun club that I discovered Shooting Sports is wonderful fun, it is very competitive, and a boys club.  One particular Sunday, my dad’s friends from work were watching me at the Springing Teal stand, and bet a barbecue lunch on the odds that I would not hit single high or low clay out of the brush. I took on the bet. Now, I did not have the money to buy lunch for any of these fellas, but I couldn’t let that stop me! Not a chance! I was going to stand my ground, if I was going to be wrong I was going to at least be bold about it. The taunting began.  ‘Hey Ram-Jo, you gonna slay that Springing Teal today?  You got a reputation to keep at this club! As long as you’re here, the clays are safe!’  Daddy looked at me, and I looked at him, the stubbornness and resolve creeping out of me, a sly smile crossed my face. We looked at Earl and Joe and yelled: Game On!  With Daddy as my cheerleader, and pulling for me in the literal and figurative sense, I knew I could lick the Springing Teal stand. That day, there would be a thing such as a free lunch, but just desserts as well!

I got my clays, and Joe and Earl just stood at the bottom of the stand, jaws on the ground. I came over and they stammered out: “we guess we owe y’all lunch, and Crapshoot Kid, well, we’re kinda sorry.’  I took out my ear protection, and said: “Guys, I have my ear protection in. It silences the loudest of critics!’  Lunch was good. We were all sitting around, and Daddy asked: “Is this the best barbecue you’ve ever eaten or what?!” I smiled and said, “Dad, the chicken sort of tastes like Springing Teal, and I think that Joe and Earl’s ribs must taste like Crow.”

Till the next time: Shoot Straight and Aim High!

J.Z. Zurinsky- My Bullet Points

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I only started fishing a few years ago and I fell in love with …

The beautiful sunrises…

The peaceful scenery…

Spending time with my husband …

Spending time with friends with big fishing poles …

The fish we catch …

The evening cookouts …

The guys that clean my fish …

And taking pictures of crusted fish guts on my leg …

Have a good day all … I think I might need to go tanning before our April fishing trip.  Or maybe I’ll just wear pants.

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Nancy Jo Adams – Shenanigans from the Field
I know our paths will cross sometime in the future and we will meet in person…however, I do know it is highly unlikely it will be in THE WOODS!…

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Tonight on the Sportsman Channel is the new 13 week series, Battle of the Bow where 10 -  2 person teams from Wisconsin document their recent hunting season.  What I find interesting, as mentioned on…

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A couple of things I’d like to mention today:

Outdoor News:

Norcal Cazadora’s first deer:
Congratulations to Holly for harvesting her first deer. It was a spot and stalk but not tackle like my deer. But I tell you, Holly always amazes me. Not only did she harvest her first deer but she did it all alone.

Stacey Huston’s cover shot:
This months Primitive Archer magazine features Stacey Huston’s photograph on their cover. Congratulations to her and what a beautiful cover shot.

The Book by Dayne Shuda:
Dayne Shuda of Hunting Business Marketing has written The Book for simple strategies for marketing your hunting business on the web. Even if you’re blogger running an outdoor site, there are many helpful tips and strategies to help you market your name on the web.

Outdoor giveaway:
Ben G. Outdoors is giving away 4 great prizes on his blog. Muck boots from Hank’s Clothing, A Warrior Outdoors Hoodie, A Magnet Gun Caddy from Spec Tech and a copy of Warrior Outdoors Rack Attack. All you have to do is leave a comment telling Ben G. what you’d like to see more of on his blog.

Indoor news:

Wednesday’s at The Hunter’s Wife:

Starting on Wednesday’s here on my blog I’m going to share certain conversations I’ve had over the week with a particular person that made me laugh, made me think or made me want to smack them. Tomorrow will be an interesting conversation I had with my Mother the other night.

Have a great day all!

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net

It’s our 10 year anniversary today and I wanted to wish my husband Mark a happy anniversary and thank him for putting up with me.  I know it hasn’t been easy living with a girl that can’t even take a fish off a hook without a handy wipe.

And after seeing what his fingers look like, ouch. Bluegills poke and that would hurt my little fingers.

And while he cleans over 700 fish, he lets me sit and relax.  After about 5 minutes I’m bored, so I take pictures of myself. Then when we get home and he sees our pictures I hear, “What are you doing? Your flapper is on your forehead.”  Except he used the right word for flapper.

Or when I take pictures like this one he has to be all serious like, “What are you doing now?” Me, “Taking a picture of the crusty worm guts on my leg.”

There are times he doesn’t think I’m funny. Well…most of the time.  So this is why when I do the things I do, I make sure he doesn’t see me.  And I almost got caught with his 6 pointer.   I was almost on a made dash with his deer.  Morning news: Crazy chick with fake deer running down the street.

But he’s my driver…

And he takes my fish off the hook.

And he cleans all my fish.

While I…ummm…yea..

I luv him!

Have a good day all … and for those of you who follow me on Twitter, I might have to bring out the tinkies or the hoppes.  It is our anniversary you know!

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net

It’s hunting season and hunters are catching deer and taking pictures with their harvest.  So here’s mine…

My harvest:

• It was spot and stalk and tackle.
• In my backyard.
• Before my hunter caught me.
• And I didn’t spook him at all.  He just stood there.
• It looks like it took 6 shots.
• And someone doesn’t have very good aim.
• But it wasn’t me.  I don’t have a bow.  If you notice the grass on his paw, I tackled him.
• Maybe he’s an 8 pointer.  I think I see 2 little baby horns by his ear.
• I didn’t need a team of hunters to help drag him out of the backyard.
• I eat cupcakes.
• If my sister knew how to take a picture she would have said, turn around so the deer is facing the camera.
• It looks like my right foot is bigger than my left.

Have a good day all…I am off to mount my deer.  Right back in the yard before my hunter notices he’s missing.

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net