Within a few days of each other, two gobblers are down. An Eastern and a Rio. Since us guys only like our pictures taken if there are animals involved, there I am sitting behind each tom - feathers fanned and me as proud as a peacock.

It was opening day in Tennessee. The Game Commission had moved the date two weeks later than usual, and the limit had been reduced as well.

I don't remember being so annoyed as I was the other day. There I was sitting with a friend, sulking about a lost opportunity to pull the trigger on a tom turkey. The night before, we had seen a gobbler and a hen move into a certain part of the woods.

I live in a Tri-State area. Where I live in my state is less than 2 miles from two other states. When I consider bag limits, I think I have it made. When I consider out-of-state licenses, I think I don't have enough money.

Some of my most vivid memories come from the days of being on the lake.

There's a lot of fishing going on right now. I've heard stories from those catching bass, crappie, walleye, stripe, and trout. It is the perfect time of the year for fishermen, no matter what species you're after.

I think of all the hunters who are enjoying the spoils of victory right now. They are making some of the best chili or spaghetti sauce with the ground deer from their freezer.

It looks like we can dust off those dollflies. The walleye are finding their way upstream to spawn and need a tasty meal. I'm hoping some of them will become a good meal for me.

In my area there are a few small streams that feed into the rivers. When I say small, I mean only about 10 to 15 yards wide.

I don't fish as much as I did when I was a young adult. I enjoy going, but after a long deer season, I have a lot of catching up to do at home and at work.

I'm always amazed at those who can make things with their hands. I too enjoy creating, but my talents are very limited.

I spent the afternoon looking for antler sheds. It's really too early, but the weather was beautiful, especially for February.

I get excited this time of year. The deer season is over but another season that involves deer is just around the corner. It's the season to hunt antler sheds. If you don't know, each year bucks shed their antlers and grow new ones.

I have to admit, I like watching fishing on TV. Not the everyday programs, but tournament fishing.

I'm always excited about the times I get to go on an extended hunting or fishing trip. The expectations are always high and the opportunity to go with a friend makes the miles pass quickly and the laughs come in abundance

A beautiful buck came out about sixty yards to my right. Just by the size of his rack, I knew he was a good deer - a definite ten-pointer. I didn't have much time to gather myself for a good shot because he wasn't going to stay around long.

I used to write with a very narrow mind when it came to the outdoors. I only imagined my little area when it came to things like weather and the activities that one could be involved in.

An arctic cold wave has swept across the country. It was short-lived, but it was brutal. My own temperatures dropped to -13 degrees with the windchill. I had no plans of hunting during this time, but I did go hang out in my barn, around my Buddy Heater, on one afternoon

I've always considered myself a prepared hunter. Some would say over prepared. I very rarely go into the woods without my backpack. During the colder months, this is especially true.

We're coming down toward the end of deer season. I have not put any meat or antlers down at this time. I'm still waiting a little longer before I take a doe, but I hope I don't wait too long.

I'm not a very good deer hunter. Oh, I've harvested several animals over the years, and I have had my share of good days, but I'm really not very good. I scout. I plant fields. I put out cameras.

This time of the year, my preferred hunting location is close to a heater. That means I'm either in a barn or a blind. Since I'm either rifle or muzzleloader hunting, I can give myself a little leniency when it comes to smell.

This the time of the year I spend most of my days hunting in the barn. I've enjoyed the past several years so much, I have added another barn, at another location, and have started turning it into Barndominium West.

I've often noticed how deer live mostly in a quiet environment. Even this morning I watched one particular city dwelling doe begin to get a bit nervous when the noise of traffic began to surround her.

For the past few days I have sat in a tree stand while temperatures soared into the seventies. And I'm hunting in the Midwest in November! During each afternoon's hunt, I only wore a T-shirt and carried a light jacket in case I needed it.