• 6-year-old Sara Foley with a big suckerfish she caught at her Papa's campsite on Current River I'd like to state for the record, that my entry fee for the Ben Kruse Charity Crappie Tournament was meant as a donation, and I was in no way trying to compete or actually place in the tournament… and if you believe that I also have some magic beans for sale! The tournament was a big success once again thanks to all the sponsors, contestants, and most of all the folks that did all the leg work pulling it off. Another record turnout, with 77 boats, and a big crowd of spectators helped raise over $20,000 for the charity! I just can't emphasize enough

    Sep 09,
  • TJ Shands with a big blue catfish from the Ohio River near East Prairie, MO I don’t necessarily believe that karma is a legitimate force of nature, but I’d like to think that those of us who go out of our way to be kind and helpful to others have a bit more good fortune. I have been told by more than one person that I have the uncanny ability to walk through a pig farm and come out smelling like a rose, and I always attribute that to holding the door open for people, being friendly to everyone, and trying my best to be a genuinely nice fellow. Well, apparently I let the door fall on a little old

    Sep 03,
  • I try to remind myself not to spend too much time talking about the weather in this column, as I am not a meteorologist (witch doctor) and some folks won't see the printed version of this article for another week. The thing is though, as an outdoors-man, the only people that are as affected by the weather as much us are farmers, and maybe a bride-to-be on the precipice of her outdoor wedding! Although it's been so hot and humid you couldn't smack a mosquito without making a splash, the holiday weekend is alleging to bring a nice cool front, which should carry with it a big migration of doves. Unfortunately for hunters, and more unfortunately for farmers who are

    Aug 27,
  • The Woods Clan in the 1960s: Paula Woods, Elaine Woods, Doug Woods, Paul Woods, Mike Woods. Now that school has started in most of the area towns, there will be fewer fishermen and women on the area lakes and rivers.  Also there will be fewer hunters in the woods.  The squirrel population in my area has been down even though there are too many ticks for most hunters around here to venture out. On my last trip to the woods I wore boots and used Deep Woods Off on my pants legs and stuffed the cuffs into my boots.  After I got home, I picked about a dozen ticks off my clothes.  I used some bleach on my legs for

    Aug 25,
  • Jon Hunter, Luke Hunter, and Jimmy Ramsey of Semo Bowfishing doing their part to eliminate an invasive species, Asian carp We are collectively closing in on one of the busiest times of the year for avid outdoorsmen. While serious fishermen are no strangers to arduous preparations before a trip (I've certainly had my fair share,) serious hunters work twice as hard and then some. Re-stringing poles and cleaning out guns are comparable tasks, at least in the amount of time it takes, but the importance of the two do not line up. After all, you can't misfire a fishing rod (thinking back to Chippy's first bouts with a spinning reel, I suppose you can misfire one, but the repercussions are far less severe!) Serious

    Aug 21,

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