Nebraskaland Magazine
February and March just seem like the months for reflection. Maybe Hershy hit the nail on the head when he said February-March were the months for planning…for me it is reflection. I was born with really only one skill. Had to learn the others. Now when I say learn…I use that term loosely because life is full of trial and error. Some years more error than trial. When I was 12 I started reloading my own ammo. I won’t suggest the 44 magnum is the cartridge to start with but it was for me. Didn’t know you had to crimp the bullet to the case. Learned that one after the first shot. Convincing Dad to drive out to the farm to go shooting that day was easy. Convincing him we were done shooting after the first round was less fun. Or there was the time my father-in-law locked the keys in the truck on the first morning of a four day fishing trip at Lake Mac. I heard a big crack and saw a rock fly through truck. He looked at me and said “now lets get fishing!” I knew right then and there I was going to marry his daughter as there was a man serious about fishing! The journey of outdoor skills development has been the journey of a lifetime and it is far from over.
Skills
1. Gun safety
2. How to learn about game
3. Proper shooting techniques
4. How to “properly” bottle skunk scent
5. How to read a dog and know when they are laughing – You can’t fool your hunting dog…they know who you are
6. How to stay warm when it is bitter cold
7. How to get out of work/school to go hunting/fishing when the birds are flying or the fish are biting
8. How to remove skunk odor from your dog….and sadly your clothes too…
9. How to gracefully miss a close bird
10. Excuse development when close bird is missed – “I ate too much fried food last night”
11. How to break into your vehicle – sadly I have learned on several vehicles and saved many a hunt in the process
12. How to get back into your boat wearing a life jacket (don’t ask)
13. How to remove cow manure from your rifle barrel (again don’t ask)
14. How to field dress a deer and still be clean enough to make it to church that morning
15. How to negotiate land access (this works best if you own the land)
16. How to answer the call of nature while in…well….nature – If you forget TP then this skill becomes less useful
17. Making sausage gravy in a duck blind – believe it or not, coffee can work well in a pinch here should your forget the milk
18. How to sharpen a knife (and actually know when it needs sharpening)
19. How to start a fire
20. Hunter Education/safety skills
21. How to track game – not all tracks are created equal
22. How to justify buying more hunting/fishing equipment – see Hershy’s recent blog…he is a genius on this one!
23. How to hunt all season long without paying for gas -this is where hunting buddies really come in handy
24. How to choose hunting buddies – make sure they have a truck and a job!
25. How to let a hunting dog choose you
26. How to just enjoy being out there
27. How to match camo patterns to all dress up occasions
28. How to fish
29. How to tell stories
30. How to give back
31. How to get out of dishes at deer camp
32. How to blood trail game
33. How to avoid having to blood trail game
34. Patience
35. How to go in the wild (already mentioned this one but it is so important thought I should mention it again)
