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By Rod Smith

Going out on the water is a great experience for people of all ages, full of fun, sun, and great sights. However, being prepared for all kinds of situations is important. Ensuring that you have these five items is a great start to having a fun, and safe, time on the water.

ONE: Life Jacket or PFD (Personal Flotation Device)

Probably one of the most obvious things that you should have when out on a boat, however, almost 85% of deaths from drowning could have been avoided by wearing a life jacket or PFD. 

What is the difference between a life jacket and a PFD?

A life jacket is designed to float someone on their back, which works if the person is unconscious to get their face away from the water.

A PFD is designed to be more comfortable to wear as they are less bulky, and keep a...

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Hunters who are getting ready to go outdoors this fall should perform some extensive preparations far ahead of time. You never know what is going to transpire out in the wilderness. You might get stung by a bee, you could twist an ankle or you might even get lost. Let’s take a look the typical shopping list for a fall hunter.

Clothing

When you’re at the sporting goods store, be sure to purchase some high visibility clothing. This will ensure that you are clearly distinguished from other hunters, animals and anything else that moves. The last thing that you want is for your hunting partner to mistake your movement for that of a deer or other animal and shoot you. Pick out the brightest clothing you can find so that there is no questioning your identity...

Crossbow hunting is one of the most challenging ways to hunt an animal. It takes so much patience to wait for an animal to get close enough for the kill shot. Hunters need to master the skill of tracking and calling the animal they are after if they want to have any chance with a crossbow. You can’t sit in a tree stand in the middle of an open field and hit something 250 yards away like you can with a rifle.

If you are going to teach your teenager how to hunt, crossbow hunting is the way to go. It teaches them everything they would want to know about hunting while having plenty of fun. This is a great way to teach your young one how to be patient and wait for the right time, a quality that is hard to teach.

When looking for the right youth crossbow, you will want to focus on a few differ...

Thanks to The Desert Rat for letting us repost these great tips on getting girls hunting early!

Chris and Cidney McCotter with two Arizona javelinas.

It’s not much of a secret that lady hunters are the fastest-growing demographic in the hunting community. Part of that is due to families starting their daughters, nieces, neighbor girls, and granddaughters early, and making it fun for them with no pressure. My daughter is not an avid hunter, but she has hunted and has a javelina under her belt. As a matter of fact, she got her first javelina before I did! My friend Chris McCotter is well-known in Arizona hunting circles for not only his hunting prowess, but his support of wildlife organizations...

By Mia Sheppard

Growing up as a kid I have found memories of catching fish with my family.  I still visualize clear river bottoms, playing on the shoreline and watching the wiggle of a fish on my line. Those memories kept me going back to rivers and eventually  I started fly fishing. There was a lot to learn about a fly-rod such as, what weight rod and line to use,  how to cast, tye on a fly and where to go, it was intimidating but achievable and something new to learn.

 My first introduction, I borrowed a rod from a friend and he showed me how to tie on a fly and the basic casting stoke of stopping the rod tip at 10 and 2 o’clock, an hour later  I was on the river fishing.

Fly fishing is simple and fun, this is how to simplify.  Start with a singlehand rod...