A look back at 2012

I would like to welcome all of our new readers. 2012 has been a great your for me and R-Dub Outdoors. Lots of things happened in my personal life as well as my outdoor life this year.

Here are some high points of the year.

-2012 produced another Deer for the freezer.
- I shot a limit of ducks and geese in the same day
- I got my first real coyote kill.
- R-Dub Outdoors signed up new pro staffer Ron Oules.
- I shot and edited my first duck hunting video.
-We did our first big giveaway from Muck Boots.
- I even grabbed a live and wild cougar by its tail.

Those are just a few of the great moments we have had from 2012.

There are many great things to come in 2013.

-I hope to get more sponsors for the page.
-We will be doing some fishing videos.
- We will be doing some great giveaways.
- Of course doing a lot more hunting and fishing.

The last thing I am expecting in 2013 is the newest member of my hunting party will be arriving around June 13th of 2013 and My wife, Maddy and I are very excited.

Have a great New Year, We hope all is well for everyone.

The Importance of Gun Safes

 

Most people I associate with really enjoy talking about hunting and its related equipment.  Discussion topics range from guns, bows, ammo choice, optics, dogs, boots, and everything in between.  The bothersome part for me very seldom is there talk about how to protect all of the hunting gear.   I never once had a person tell me I should buy a safe.  I was in my early 20’s and had just walked out of a gun store with a brand new rifle and scope for $1200.  On the way out I saw a Browning safe sitting by the door on sale for $800 but I didn’t give it much thought. 

I leaned the rifle up against the back wall of the closet next to my only other long gun when I got home.  Then it hit me right in the ear just like my dad did when I was a kid.  I could hear his voice very clearly “What in the hell were you thinking?!” after I had done something utterly beyond stupid.  I realized, in 10 seconds with one grab some POS (Parasitic Opportunistic Soul) could take my new $1200 gun and my old $20 gun.  I called the shop and put the safe on hold before I could talk myself out of it.   Without a doubt that gun safe was the best sporting goods purchase I have ever made.  The more I age (not grow up) the more I realize the huge benefit of a gun safe.

I am talking about a real gun safe not a tin box with a 10 cent lock that weighs 10lbs.   The heavier the better, and if it takes 4-5 guys to move that is good.  When you have to bribe more with Beer and BBQ to get them to show up is an even better safe.  I would also encourage you to buy a fire resistant safe.  Always remember the largest size and longest fire rating you CAN NOT afford.  I am tight with my money like crazy tight, but if I buy something I buy value and quality.   I don’t care what it is, quality costs more - but that does not mean value costs more.  I’m telling you to spend more then you really want to on a gun safe.  A safe would be the only thing I would suggest anyone to spend more then they really wanted.  Do your research and it is all about the steel…the more the better and the same for the fire rating make sure it is UL or other “Officially” rated.    

The good safes really work and protect everything in them.   Make sure you bolt the safe to the floor if possible and preferably concrete.  Yes the POS’s can and will take the entire safe if they can tip it over.  You can put anything of value in them from papers to photographs.   Luckily you can also deduct them off from your taxes.   Just make sure the receipt says safe or home security safe not “Gun Safe”.  Don’t think just because you spent $2000 you will get an additional 2K back.  It is a DEDUCTION not a refund, but every penny of your income you can get back before it is given away you should. 

I have witnessed house fires and every time the guns and papers were in great shape if they were in a fire safe.  Don’t worry about if you move…contrary to popular belief it is not that hard to move the safe or safes with you.   I have moved twice and it is not that big of a deal.  Besides, there is Beer and BBQ on both sides of the move for your buddies and you. 

A couple things to consider are if the safe is rated to hold 50 guns it won’t.   The only way possible to get any safe I know to hold the rated guns are to have them banging into each other.  I would also suggest a “U” shaped storage rack for at least half of it.   This allows you to use your guns frequently without having to remove a bunch of others or bang them into each other getting them out.  I’m into taking care of my two long guns not damaging them in and out of the safe.  Buy a safe instead of a new firearm, and you will realize you should have bought a safe a long time ago. 

That is, unless you don’t have an AR, AK, FN, etc. type rifle and some semi auto handguns with a lot of High Capacity magazines for all of them.  Of course, I would suggest you buy those immediately without hesitation.   Then of course the required ammunition or reloading supplies for said firearms.    Sorry got off topic, but it was worth it.

 

-Ron Oules

The Muck Boot Winner

First of all I want to thank The Muck Boot Company for giving R-Dub Outdoor the opportunity to test out and give away a pair of Muck Boots. The winner is going to enjoy the very much.

And the Winner will be........Announced Right after this commercial break.  DUN DUH DUN....

Just kidding.

 Tony Beal from the Down East Duck Hunter Congratulations. You have 30 days to send me an e-mail with your address and boot size.  I hope you enjoy your new boots.

Great Photo of a Bird Dog and Hunter

Found this picture on the Birdy Sportsman's FB page. I asked him if I could share it with my readers and he gave me the go head.

Pan Fried Steelhead with Lemon Garlic Sauce

Start with how ever much Steelhead (Or Salmon) you want to cook.(with skin on)  Place fish skin down in pan. Sprinkle fish with pepper, salt and dried dill. Place thin strips of butter on top of fish. Usually 2 thing slices per fillet. Then put slice of butter under 2 edges of each fish. Turn range on medium, cover and cook till fish is pink on the inside.

Sauce:
Take 3 cloves of garlic and place them in a blender. Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and blend. Add 1/4t of salt and 1/2t of pepper. Melt one stick of butter and add slowly while blending. (sauce can be frozen and reheated for another meal as well.)

When serving spoon sauce over fish to taste.

Goes good with rice or veggies.

R-Dub Outdoors Going Green, The Video

So here is the first video I have ever filmed, edited and published by myself. Luckily hunting was really good. I missed some shots of the kills but that is what happens when your filming by yourself.

Who is Ron Oules

I would like to introduce the newest R-Dub Outdoors Pro Staffer Ron Oules. He will be writing about all sorts of hunting and fishing gear and techniques. He has taught me a lot so far and I know he will pass it on to the readers of R-Dub Outdoors as well.

Who I am:

I grew up in rural Eastern Washington on a small 200 acre farm.  Just like all farms it was work and life skills building from as far back as I can remember.   I believe every person should have the incredible fortune of being raised on a farm.  I grew up learning and doing things we just thought were normal, but when people hear about it today they have a hard time believing it.    The diversity of things I was able to do growing up was pretty amazing.  

Two things have stuck with me for as long as I can remember.  Hard work not luck produces success, and the best things to do are hunting and fishing.  

I was around hunting and fishing with my grandpa and started on my own when I was eight.   I was given a single shot .410 for my 8^th birthday and that was the real start of my personal hunting.  The surprising thing to many is I was 95% self taught.  I got my first German Short Hair bird dog at 10, and we spent a lot of days hunting Quail and Chucker together.  Shooting varmints from starlings to feral dogs was pretty much just the norm, and would be a everyday thing if I still lived on the ranch.  I even ran a short trap line for rabbits going to and from school.

I still remember my first deer hunt at the age of 10.  Dad dropped me off at the top of the hill (many would call it a mountain) in the dark and went back to work.   He had told me to walk over the edge, sit down, wait until 10:00, and then hunt down to the house.   Of course I knew I could only shoot bucks, and had a good idea of how to gut a deer.  Remember those life skills from above?  I had seen and helped gut a lot of animals butchered for food.  I shot three times at what I thought was a huge (reality 18-20”) 4x4 Mule Deer, and missed every single shot.  The first of two deer I have ever missed.  When I walked out of the trees on my way home my dad was waiting for me because he heard the shots.  Having to tell my dad I missed hurt more than missing the deer.  My dad was very supportive, but I was not going to ever tell him I missed again. 

I was slow to start Elk hunting but if I can only hunt one big game animal it would be Elk.     They are impressive animals who live in beautiful country.  I also was late in starting my bow hunting, but I wish I had archery hunted from the beginning.   One day I will go archery Elk hunting when my schedule allows it.

I have been reloading since I was 10 also starting with shot shells.  I had to reload because all the ammunition I was shooting was too expensive to buy new.   I cannot even remember the last time I purchased a center fire metallic cartridge loaded.  Reloading has helped my shooting probably the most in being able to practice more combined with the ballistics knowledge.   

I fished growing up for fun.  I was not as dedicated to the fishing as much as the hunting.   I fly fished for trout some, plunked bait, threw spinners, but really did not troll very much.   The only trolling I remember was with my Grandpa on Lake Chelan for Kokanee.   The trolling gear had more weight and drag then the fish did.  My limited fishing was always enjoyable, but I had never really caught any “Big” fish.  I started fishing for Salmon in the mid 90’s and I was immediately in love.   Then in 2000 we had our own local Chinook fishery, and my hunting had a very serious competitor for my off time.   The enjoyment of Salmon fishing just continued to grow, and I started providing guided fishing trips with my company Reellentless Guide Service.   I have to admit the Salmon fishing has taken over quite a bit of my hunting time now.  My fishing details of gear and technique have less time in then the hunting, but it is quickly gaining and will surpass it very soon I believe.

I have also been lucky enough to spend time with my kids hunting and fishing.   It is so much fun just to spend any amount of time I can with them in the outdoors.  All of them are very good athletes playing all year long.  There has always been a conflict for time, so we take advantage of what time we have.  The boys are several states away during hunting season now.  I’m planning a out of state hunt next fall to Nebraska.  My daughter (Teenager) told me last year she would go deer hunting only one day.  We were dragging out her smallest buck to date. I told her how much I loved being able to watch the sun come up with her.   She asked what about the deer?  I told her I could care less if she got a deer or not.  She had a odd look on her face.  Not now but I know she will understand later on.   I am a Hunters Ed Instructor also, and that has been a very rewarding thing for me.  Just today I saw two nice first bucks from students from my spring 2012 class.

I hope I can share my experiences from equipment to technique to help others, and at the same time they get enjoyment out of my information.

Ron