As I sat watching my son this morning, I couldn’t help but think of Harry Chapin’s lyrics. In Cat’s in the Cradle, he sings “My Boy Was Just Like Me.” After preparing lunch for the two of us, strapping him into his booster seat, and presenting him with his favorite lunch, grilled cheese and sliced…
Time has passed slowly and steadily since my last post. I strive to publish at least once a week – at least during typical weeks. The past two weeks have been quite atypical due to the holidays and the increased number of occupants in my home. In lieu of working on something to publish, I’ve…
Success is such a loosely defined concept. I suppose that we each define our successes based on our personal views and beliefs. Some would consider success a large, beautiful, boring home with a Lexus and Hummer in the driveway. Add to this a membership to the country club and you’ve got just about all the…
The past couple of years have been disastrous in terms of my hunting success. Last year’s efforts were many. However, they resulted in an empty freezer. Worse yet, this year’s bow problems and lack of a suitable hunting location have all but eliminated my zeal for venison. Even so, I’m not one to allow a…
Yesterday was Saturday, September 28th, 2013. I’ve been focusing on this date for months now and to my dismay, it passed without grand stories of whitetail deer, incredible patience or tenderloin dinners. I had imagined myself putting my gear on beside my old Ford, walking through the wilderness with only my headlamp to guide me,…
OK. So the title is a bit exaggerated. But I can’t help but feel like I’m part of a personal disaster. I live in West Virginia. And it affects my hunting season. Technically, I’m not being misleading… Anyhow, if you’ve been visiting SmoothingIt.com, you know that I basically live for the outdoors, particularly archery season.…
You just spent a couple hundred bucks so now you’re wearing the newest Real-Oak X-Treme 3-D Disappear camouflage outfit. You’re camouflage gloves cover your hands and wrists. You’re boots are not only matching camo, but scent blocking rubber. You’re trusty boonie hat is blending in nicely with your other camo and now you’re ready to…
Prior to last year’s bow hunting season, I was complaining to my buddy about how much money I’d already put into my bow and gear. Between clothing, bow and arrows (with accessories,) tree climbing gear, etc., my meager bank account was looking pretty grim. I was talking about needing to purchase a target or some…
For those of you who didn’t read the previous “Posted” Dilemma post, I’ll provide a very brief situational report. While scouting a local Wildlife Management Area, I came across an area that appeared to be WMA according to quite a few online resources but was in fact “posted.” I was confident of my location as…
Slowly and steadily I stepped silently through the forest. The USMC Assault pack was loaded heavy with a deer attractant that eventually went from weighing a few pounds to weighing a few tons. All the while, the sweat began to accumulate and dripped down the sides of my face and into my beard. After countless…
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