Social Outdoorsman (2024)

05/11/2023

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." Martin Luther

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

A European hornet worker feeds on a ripening apple. She looked a little moody, but *knock-on-wood* I have never been harassed or stung by one. They are imposing, nearly the largest wasp we have commonly in Missouri, second to maybe the cicada killer. They are cavity nesters and build a large paper nest inside something like a hollow tree (or the walls or roof of a house).

29/10/2023

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. ‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2:1‭-‬6‬

Just a selection of native wildlfowers observed on a walk searching for peace. We had just lost my grandfather and it was a tough week. I walked along a field edge and into a mostly dry creekbed and talked to the Lord. Asters, lobelia, jewelweed, arrowhead, poke, and boneset.

09/10/2023

...for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:14

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Isaiah 55:6

On opening day of dove season, I was blessed with a near-limit harvest on public land! The only things that kept us from our limit was our shooting ability and dedicated hours. It was great to get out and enjoy the morning with a good friend and meet new folks who were helpful and safe sportsmen.

06/10/2023

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

I've been looking for pears lately and the trees in my area are LOADED! I have no pear trees of my own, so I went around town knocking on doors, offering canned pear products, and getting permissions to collect! I ought to have enough pears now to fill my little truck bed 3-5 times... No joke! Looking forward to making pear butter, pear pies, canned pears, poached pears, and maybe try new things like perry, pear honey, and pear jelly or preserves!

Do you like pears? What's your favorite way to prepare them?

05/10/2023

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
Ephesians 3:18

Another sad post about the "dog days" being finished for the year. I observed this freshly-molted dog days cicada "curing" this summer. The hardening of the exoskeleton and wings takes a couple hours or so before the adult insect can fly off to safety. They are vulnerable in this soft stage. I wish their singing could go on a little bit longer.

04/10/2023

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9

This photo of a garden tiger moth was taken in northern Colorado several years ago. As fall has just begun in Missouri, moths are about all in seeing around my porch light at night. Soon, even the crickets will hush until spring. I hate to see the warm months leave because that means no bugs! But the cool weather brings hunting and trapping into focus and renewed reasons to be outdoors.

What do you love about fall?

14/09/2023

The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves. -George Washington

According to the internet, Martha Washington had a recipe for cherry bounce that George liked to take with him on all of his trips. It's fairly simple (I found easy videos online), depending on the recipe, add a certain volume of cherries, cover with your choice of whiskey or hard liquor, add sugar now or later, and let sit for a number of months. What you should have later is a cherry-infused drink! Fancy folks would sip it from a cordial glass around dinnertime. Mine should be ready in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!

13/08/2023

Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! Psalm 112:1

If I could layer photos, I'd have really had something! After a misty morning, I noticed every serration on our strawberry leaves possessed a droplet of water.

08/08/2023

"The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments." -George Washington

Zooming out... Recently on a walk at my local city park, I observed several, large black cherry trees absolutely covered in ripe fruit! One of my friends suggested I make cherry bounce. What is cherry bounce??? Check out the next post to find out...

06/08/2023

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes he who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life. - John 5:24

30/07/2023

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. Romans 11:6

Caught a stringer full of slabs yesterday! They're in the freezer now. Have you checked out Brent Reaves' podcast on the Bear Grease feed? He's one of the best storytellers I've ever heard. Give a listen to This Country Life and learn about fishing for bream, or sunfish as we call em where I'm from.

29/07/2023

‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’ Numbers 6:24‭-‬26

This oakworm moth stopped by the backporch light the other day. It's part of my favorite moth family, Saturniidae, the giant silk moths.

04/07/2023

For freedom you have been set free, do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. -Galatians 5:1

27/06/2023

"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts?" -Aldo Leopold

I noticed these shiny gold insect eggs on the underside of a leaf while it was blowing in the wind. I would have missed the coolest part had I not gone back and looked at the photos closer. In the second pic on the first egg you can see a small, black spot on the side. That spot looks to be a parasitoid wasp! She was laying her egg within that egg! I placed a small jewelry bag around the twig in hopes of rearing out the new little wasp to ID.

Does anyone have an ID on the eggs?

27/06/2023

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. Psalms 138:6‭

The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
Psalms 138:8

My wife netted this one for me last night! I've been targeting carp the last couple months and so far have caught three... Saturday night at this same spot, I had dozens of carp within 15' of the bank. Finally caught this one over panko/jello/corn chum on a treble hook with fake corn under a bobber. Cleaned it and scored it with my Wiebe Knives Mila fillet knife! Hoping to fry it for lunch today!

26/06/2023

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

Did a lot of fishing, but not much catching this weekend. I've been targeting carp but haven't cracked the code yet. They came into the chum bait I threw out (panko/jello/corn from Catfish and Carp) and I got bites but no fish. Hoping to go again today!

11/06/2023

I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. I am tired of living among people who hate peace. I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war! Psalms 120:1‭, ‬6‭-‬7

In mid-May, I came home late in the evening and was blessed with this little guy crawling across my front porch! This is a special cicada nymph because they're not supposed to be out this year! This is a periodical cicada and depending on species, they emerge every 13 or 17 years. This one was labeled as a stragler by entomologists working with Cicada Mania and iNaturalist.org. I kept it overnight and it emerged as an adult male!

04/06/2023

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? Matthew 6:26‭-‬27

A friend gifted me a few birdhouse gourds last year which I finally hung up. Looks like someone is making use out of one of the four so far! I'm excited to see who this might bring to our yard.

25/05/2023

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:34‭-‬36

I don't know that I had ever seen a stinkpot turtle except in extreme southeast Missouri, though they are supposed to occur nearly statewide, south of the Missouri River and along the Mississippi. The turtle gets his name from the stench he creates when disturbed! Phew! We saw 2 live stinkpots and 2 empty shells on this latest trip to the swamp.

21/05/2023

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
Psalms 116:1‭-‬2

Do you see those green fins?! This is a grinnell or bowfin caught in the swamps of southeast Missouri. This male was exceptionally colored, with the bright green fins and orange outline around the black spot on his tail. We cleaned more than enough for a mess and enjoyed them fried for dinner. Such a cool fish, fun to catch, and a great day with friends.

13/05/2023

Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.
Psalms 107:43

My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
Psalms 108:1

The details in this fish were just spectacular! Look at those fuzed plates in his snout with the sunlight shining through. I believe this is a shovelnose sturgeon (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). My brother caught this on the Missouri River last night and we released it after some quick photos.

09/05/2023

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. -John 5:24‭-‬25

I had a great night fishing this weekend! Didn't catch any cats, but the new rod holders from Takedown performed perfectly! Check out Takedown Rod Holders LLC, they're a small but mighty, Missouri-based company.

02/05/2023

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
Romans 12:10‭-‬12

This past weekend, I finally connected with my second wild turkey ever! A huge thank you to my friend who helped me find this turkey and called them in. I am very grateful for this bird and getting to share the experience with my friends and family.

22/04/2023

They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Romans 1:19‭-‬20

Did you know some wild things glow in the dark??? Where I live, there are at least two fairly common fluorescent critters, a millipede, and this scorpion! The striped bark scorpion is widespread throughout its range in the southcentral US. It's fun to go out with a blacklight at night and search for them! Yes, they do sting, haha.

21/04/2023

...Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed!

Joshua 23:14

This was a crazy experience. I've never seen hail this big, caught me in my truck. Many were less fortunate with home damage and even totaled cars in the area with bigger hail. I'm grateful everyone was safe and in shelter.

20/04/2023

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13‭-‬14

In Missouri I believe we only have one species of false morel, Gyromitra caroliniana. Some people call them reds, red morels, or even beefsteaks. It's taught here that these are poisonous and shouldn't be eaten, but that's because they have lookalikes and other members of their group that ARE poisonous. ALWAYS positively ID your mushrooms (and plants) before eating. Join mushroom ID groups on Facebook and sample a small portion of COOKED mushroom before consuming a lot. Some people have different sensitivities than others.

Now is the time to be out searching for morels!

09/04/2023

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this?” -John 11:25‭-‬26

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. -John 14:6

Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” -Matthew 28:5-7

Dutchman's breeches, Dicentra cucullaria, always blooms near Easter in my area and is a sign of spring and "rebirth." Are you born again? Will you walk from death into life? Having faith in Jesus is the only way to leave here alive.

But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” -Luke 23:40‭-‬43

07/04/2023

Something has to die for us to live, for our body, that's plants and animals. But for our soul, something much greater was required to save us from death. The creator, God loves you so much that he sent his son Jesus to die so that we might live forever, even after our physical body dies, our soul can live for eternity. Today is what Christians call "Good Friday," we celebrate and are grateful for the fact that Jesus came to earth and died so that we might have life. He took all our wrongs with him into death so that we can be separated from those things as far as the east is from the west!

A green butterfly! This may be the first truly green butterfly I have ever observed in the wild. I found this juniper hairstreak walking across my driveway yesterday. It had likely just eclosed near a cedar tree and was looking for a place to climb up and fly away. The upper sides of its wings were bright orange! Certainly a stunner!

Callophrys gryneus

06/03/2023

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. -Romans 12:12

There are ghosts in the forest. I fear we could be the last generation (at least for a while) to know an entire genus of trees in North America, the ash trees. This looks to be at least a couple years after the tree was killed by emerald ash borer, a non-native invasive species accidentally introduced from Asia. The ash tree had many uses, from baseball bats to pallets.

This is not the first time a foreign species has wiped out a genus of North American trees, the chestnuts and elms are just a mist compared to what they once were before diseases were introduced.

My hope is that groups like SUNY Forestry could work to develop a tree that can withstand the invader and the trees could again live in our forests.

05/03/2023

Spring is coming whether we like it or not... I could have gone for some more snow. What do you call these flowers?

01/03/2023

Well, the first morel of the year was found in McDonald County, Missouri last week! Here's a cluster I found last year. It's the most wonderful time of the year! Usually I have to wait until turkey season in April for mushrooms to be popping near me. It's looking like an early season. Do you know the secrets to finding these mushrooms?

27/02/2023

Having not taken a deer this year, I finally tried out my Big Game Processing Kit from Wiebe Knives on a 40lb beaver! I use several of Wiebe's products; their heavy-duty skinning apron and 4" skinning knife are essential in my fur shed. Follow them for some fantastic giveaways.

03/02/2023

Here you go folks! The Chinese spy balloon is over Jefferson City, Missouri and maybe coming to a town near you.

03/02/2023

Here you go folks! The Chinese spy balloon is over Jefferson City, Missouri and maybe coming to a town near you.

02/02/2023

I love winter!

There, I said it. All these negative posts hating on such beauty and purity! Bring on more snow! Of course, I hope everyone is safe and smart in any weather condition. And hey, you can always put more clothes on to stay warm in winter, but you can't always take more off in the summer... know what I mean? I would move north if I didn't have to leave the Ozarks. The Driftless Area looks mighty inviting if I wouldn't be so far from family. Trapping in the negative teens with 10" of snow on the ground and chopping through 6" of ice have been some of the greatest days of my life! Coming into a warm house with a fire and drinking some hot chocolate... What could be better?

Love all you winter haters!

02/02/2023

Sending these guys off to a seller! Happy to get the last of the old stock out the door and send this year's furs to the tannery.

16/01/2023

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."

-Pastor Martin Luther King Jr.

01/01/2023

Happy New Year!

After the beaver is caught, I skin it and flesh the hide. The step pictured is stretching to dry the hide, known as boarding. Those boards are thirds of a piece of plywood meaning they're 4' tall and 2.67' wide. I believe beaver furs this size are called blankets and both of these animals weighed 50+ lbs. After the hides are dry, they'll be removed from the board and stored until they're shipped to the tannery. They'll come back as high-quality, garment-tanned furs to be used in making hats, clothing or anything else! I do currently have tanned muskrat and beaver furs available for purchase. Shoot me a message if you're interested!

23/12/2022

Beaver trapping is such a cool thing. As far as animals you can trap, it's arguably the best tasting. The animal provides many useful parts, including fur, skull, tail, meat, and glands, all which can be legally sold. Oftentimes these animals can be pests where they occur. The individuals caught this particular trip were damming up drainage outlets in a managed wetland. The one pictured is likely 3+ years old and weighed over 50 lbs! Family groups usually contain the parents and two generations of kits. They have such unique skills and adaptations to get them through a winter under the ice, but more on that later! I hope you pick up some new outdoor skills in 2023 whatever they may be.

21/12/2022

It's with ! This is a deceased lesser chestnut weevil, Curculio sayi. I don't know whether the fungus came pre or post mortality. This is a fairly rare species since Castanea (chestnuts and chinquapins) are functionally extinct in North America due to the chestnut blight fungus introduced in 1904 from Asia. Many groups are working to restore those species, especially American chestnut to our forests through backcross breeding and genetic alterations.

What's your favorite weevil?

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