There are many reasons I’m thankful for being born and raised in our wild and wonderful state and being able to witness the change of seasons is one of them. The first official day of fall arrived on September 22 and you can definitely feel the change. September is one...
Fall is no doubt my favorite time of the year. With school in session and football season in full swing there’s no questioning that fall is right around the corner. It’s so close I can almost smell the falling leaves and the cool crisp mountain air.Soon the mountains will show...
I remember a time when birthdays use to be fun and exciting looking forward to the big day with plenty of cake and presents to open. You got to have a party with all of your friends running around without a care in the world. I’ve relived the excitement all...
With summer winding down Tara and I ventured south to good ole rocky top Tennessee for one last weekend getaway before school starts. The school part use not to be an issue but not anymore as we have a use to be lil one that’s starting school. We’re having a...
It never fails that every year around this time I see a nice buck and my thoughts start to look forward to the cool, frosty mornings of fall. Just this past weekend while working on a new hunting shanty a nice buck jumped up while we were going up the...
I always like fishing a creek or river for the first time. There’s the challenge of figuring out what is the best section to fish and where the fish are hiding. Usually any of the bigger holes especially those in the bend of the river are a good place to...
I’m not sure where spring went but summer time is here. School’s out and the pools are filled with happy kids. Anywhere close to water is the place to be when the heat and humidity returns.I have fond memories of spending my youth swimming and fishing the Greenbrier River. There’s...
The constant rain has finally stopped and the sun is shining once again. It definitely feels more like summer than spring out there with the humid air. May always goes by fast for me and this year was no different.When I think of the month of May, visions of trout...
It’s amazing to watch the leaves on the trees pop out and grow so quickly. The bare woods are now shaded with lush vegetation as the warmer temperatures return. Spring gobbler season is over and summer will be here soon. The abundant rain showers have kept the rivers running full...
There’s nothing better than climbing to the top of a ridge and watching a beautiful sunrise come up as the woods come alive. From the top you can see rolling hills and hollows in every direction. The fragrant blooms not only smell delightful but add an array of color to...
It’s that time of the year where everything wakes up and comes back to life. The trees and wildflowers are blooming providing a colorful landscape once again. Various shades of green are taking over the dull drab woods of winters past. Spring in West Virginia is a wonderful time to...
Daffodils, forsythia, redbud and soon to bloom dogwood are a sure sign that spring is here. Although those early bloomers may wish they would have waited to pop out with the cold and freezing temperatures we just experienced. Things are about 2 weeks ahead of schedule this year.The turkeys are...
A phenomenon that happens only once every 17 years is about to take place in central and northern West Virginia this spring. The periodical cicada, also known as 17-year locusts, will emerge in mid to late May. This particular cicada emergence is referred to as Brood V and they made...
With a break in the weather and all of the snow melted off Sammy and I took the opportunity to finally get in the woods for a grouse hunt before the season ends. The temperatures warmed into the 40’s and the ground was still moist from the recent rainfall...
With snow continuing to fall and winter finally making its presence known I thought it would be appropriate to write about the winter woods this week. It’s amazing how different the landscape looks with a covering of snow. The snowflakes glisten as they slowly fall to the ground and...
The year 2015 was good to West Virginia deer hunters as 138,493 whitetail deer were checked in on the new electronic check in system for all seasons combined according to a recent press release from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR). The buck season will be one...
It appears that West Virginians will get to see elk make their return to the mountain state for the first time since the late 1800’s. Over 32,000 acres of land has been purchased in Logan, Lincoln, and Mingo counties for the elk restoration project. In a recent press...
As we enter a New Year winter has finally decided to make an appearance but last month felt more like spring. I cannot remember a December like this one in which the temperatures were well above normal for the whole month. There were only a couple of cold days on...
With the 2015 deer seasons winding down and a New Year on the horizon, hunters have a couple of opportunities left to fill the freezer with tasty venison during the late split antlerless deer firearm seasons. The first half of the split antlerless season ran last week from...
It’s always good when a plan comes together especially when it involves getting a shot at the big buck you’re after. All of the pieces fell in place and things happened quickly on the morning of November 16. I was closing in on a buck I’ve been hunting for a...
