archery tagged posts

Laura Francese

Thanks so much to Laura Francese for taking the time to answer some questions. I first interviewed Laura about four years ago over on Desert Rat Outdoors, another part of the OutdoorHub family. In a post-interview conversation with Laura, I mentioned what a tremendous ambassador she is for the industry and a great role model too—especially for younger folks like my teenage daughter. After following Laura all these years she remains honest, charitable, approachable, and scandal-free. We need more like her!

The Desert Rat: It’s been 4 years since I first interviewed you! It looks like you have a lot going on. You’re doing some cool things. What’s a day in the life of Laura like?

Laura Francese: I’ve been busy as usual...

If you’re contemplating starting to hunt, step one is to complete your state-approved hunter education. Summer is a great time to take the course so you’ll be ready for hunting season, which is coming right up!

Many states allow, or even require, you to take a portion of your hunter education online. Other courses include a classroom course and other require a “field day” to demonstrate hands-on safety skills. Check with your local Department of Natural Resources or Fish & Game to find out your state’s requirements – or your local sporting goods store will likely be able to point you in the right direction if you’re not sure who to call.

If you can (or are required) to take an online portion of hunter education, there are a lot of options to choose from. Here are a couple to check out:

• Hu...

Photo Credit: GoPro

Whether or not you realize it, you’ve likely watched a video captured by a GoPro camera.

The lightweight and durable little cameras have gained popularity because they catch the action in ways your typical home video camera can’t. Outdoor filmmakers have figured out how to attach the GoPro camera to guns or fishing poles to get point-of-view videos – but now GoPro has introduced its own mount specifically for sportsmen and women.

From the website: Mount your GoPro to guns, fishing rods and bows. This versatile mount is compatible with most shotguns1, rifles, revolvers, airsoft, paintball and pellet guns, and fits bow components and fishing rod grips with a diameter of 0.4” to 0.9” (10mm to 23mm)...

By Carleen Soule

I took my son camping this weekend. Despite the fear of encountering wood ticks (I plucked yet another—amid blood-curdling screams—from his scalp just last week), he was quite excited to venture forth. We packed the tent, bicycles, and fishing gear and headed up to Lake Sakakawea State Park.

We’ve tried our hand at river fishing, but that fast river:small child factor only tries my nerves; lakes are the preferred speed for this momma. I knew Riverdale boasts a kiddie pond, and since I really wanted my son to enjoy the thrill of catching a fish, I thought it would be the ideal destination. We decided to explore the road further past the pond before circling back to it and found ourselves at Government Bay...

While pundits may still be arguing over how much of an economic recovery the United States has experienced since the recent recession, companies that make and sell shooting and hunting products have been fortunate to enjoy a steady stream of business. For 2014, outside of firearms, things don’t look like they are going to slow down either. According to a recent HunterSurvey.com poll, the majority of shooters and hunters expect to spend as much on shooting and hunting equipment as they did last year.

Considering accessories and shooting supplies, of those sportsmen surveyed, nearly 52 percent reported they plan to spend at least the same amount as they did last year, while 20 percent anticipate spending slightly more and almost 10 percent expect to spend “significantly more” in 2014...