In this fast paced style of life that we seem to complain about but rarely change, it’s interesting to “remember when”.
My take on this premise will be from an outdoor perspective:
Remember when you didn’t need a $15,000 ice castle to catch fish?
Remember when there was one style of camouflage?
Remember when there wasn’t an Outdoor channel?
Remember when you fished without electronics?
Remember when you relied merely on your duck call and decoys instead of using robo ducks?
Remember when you didn’t use a rangefinder?
Remember when your binoculars weighed significantly more and had less power?
Remember the old goose gun with a 36″ barrel?
Remember when a 3″ Magnum shell or shotgun was the “must have”?
Remember when you never used a portable deer stand that leaned or was hung on a tree?
Remember when you made your ground blind out of branches, cattails, etc.?
Remember when we used fiberglass fishing rods and still caught fish?
Remember when your boots didn’t have a Gore Tex liner?
Remember not using a flashlight that attached to your cap?
Remember using clothes that didn’t breathe?
Remember using your senses or experience to determine direction instead of using a GPS?
Remember shooting shotguns with no ribbed barrel and with a full choke?
Remember your first shotgun? Probably a single shot…
Remember when you cleaned the entire duck instead of filleting-out the breast?
Remember the paper shotgun shells?
Remember shooting a slug without a rifled barrel?
Remember when a box of magnum shells cost $5?
You obviously get the picture…..Good or bad?
As with most things, vast improvements have been made to improve our outdoor equipment and skills but take time occasionally, to remember how simple life was “back in the day”. Most changes are for the better but you still need to respect mother nature and don’t assume that you can buy your hunting or fishing success.
With the cold front looming on the horizon, this weekend could be very interesting from an outdoor perspective. There is snow in North Dakota and the cold temperatures and cold Northwest winds will definitely put “things in motion” tomorrow through the weekend. We will probably lose our resident wood ducks prior to the season re-opening on Saturday but there should be a new delivery of a variety of ducks we normally would not see this early.
Deer will be feeding aggressively tonight and during the weekend when the wind and front will have passed through so spend some time in your deer stand if possible. With the early corn and soybean harvest season, I have noticed deer moving at all hours so take note of this and try patterning the deer in your area. Water is a rare commodity this year so don’t forget to factor this into your stand placement.
Good Luck in your quest and remember to practice safety and introduce someone new to the outdoors…