Everybody's first tagged kill is something to be remembered for a lifetime. I remember my first kill like it was yesterday. With the help of my encouraging husband Chris,  I had previously overcome a very strange fear to firearms and shot a rifle for the first time in my life. I felt so empowered, like I could hunt King Kong! I was ready to begin training for my first hunt! I could do this, right? Chris and I began nightly shooting lessons at the range. I completed my Hunter Training Safety course to become eligable to hunt in Canada, and even applied for my own Firearms License. I was on a roll! Chris came home from work one night with my very own Weatherby 243 rifle, my own gun!! Never had I thought I would be the owner of a rifle, now I was. We decided to hunt for a whitetail buck. For whatever reason, I have yet to be able to explain, I cannot shoot anything female. The bucks are a general tag here in Alberta and I did not need to be drawn for it. Every evening, we began "scouting" on land we had gotten permission to hunt on and Chris taught me that it's a great way to see what animals are out there. To me, the best part of our pre hunting training was when Chris taught me the art of "patterning." I have always thought hunting was like this: A deer is in the field and it's eating....you shoot it, that's it. The truth is, I was able to pattern deer movement and behavior every single night! I couldn't believe that whitetails do the same thing and pattern their routines on a daily basis if they aren't spooked...how cool!! This is when it became a real sport for me. I watched does with their baby fawns, bucks fighting and challenging eachother, herd movement, and I even learned which tree they favor. On the third night of scouting, we spotted my first buck! He was a 5x5 whitetail . Not a huge guy, but for my first buck, I felt he was perfect! He walked with pride, and had respect from every other deer...a sign that he is the dominant buck in the herd. It wasn't opening day of rifle season yet so I was unable to set up on him. I watched him for 4 more evenings and I knew what time he would cross the field to eat, and which buck he would fight to prove his authority. I knew where he bedded down and even where his favorite spot was to eat. This was incredible! I always thought deer hunting was point and shoot, done. Not at all. The way I look at it, to be a successful deer hunter even for your first kill, you have to learn the pattern and routine of the herd. Opening day. Finally. I hardly slept the night before. Chris worked all day and we weren't able to go hunting until that evening...that was the longest day ever! Would the buck be there? Would I get a shot? Would I be successful? What if I wound him? All thoughts that ran through my mind and actually made my heart race. 5:00pm and we're off. I didn't say two words the entire drive out there due to nerves. We wanted to be in the field set up before the herd came out for their nightly routine of eating. Chris had been out a couple days before and set up a tree stand over looking the entire field. From there, I could shoot in every direction with my 243 Weatherby. Something we never practiced in the training was sitting in a tree stand. I am not a fan of heights and being in this two person tree stand with Chris was making me squirm. Every move he made, the tree stand would move and I would clutch on like I was falling to my death. "Relax" he told me but I couldn't! How would I tell him that there was no way I would be able to shoot from up there? After 20 minutes, and still no deer in the field, he sensed my fear and we made our way down the tree stand. Time for plan B for this hunt. We would wait until the buck came onto the field and stalk up on him in the high grass. This is not the ideal plan for a first time hunter as stalking takes much more skill and experience. We had no choice. Not every hunt will go as planned and you have to be ready to modify any situation. An hour passed and out came the does. I learned in my training that does almost always step out onto the field first, followed by the fawns, smaller bucks, then the big guy. The most dominant buck will step onto the field last. The deer trickled onto the field one after the other so I began feeling confident that my buck would appear soon. A few minutes later, he stepped out. OK...heart pounding I was trying to organize my thoughts. Everything I had learned in the last two months was flying through my mind like a blur. After a few deep breaths, I was able to gather my thoughts. Patience. He ate at a tree right on the edge of the bush line for quite some time. When he continued to calmly move onto the field I slowly crawled in the long grass. Because I knew from patterning where he loved to eat, I knew I was safe crawling on this specific route to get closer to him. One thing that I realized during my stalk was you also have to be careful not to get busted by the other deer in the herd. That's tough, they're everywhere! We had been crawling and stalking for 35 minutes. With Chris right behind me, I ranged him 220 yards. Ok I can shoot 220 yards right? I did at the range. My hunting instincts took over from that point on and a sense of calming came over me. I knew that 220 yards would work, and I knew that I had managed to stalk up on this buck without any other deer busting me. I was not going to blow this hunt by trying to get closer. I waited patiently as he finally moved broadside for a perfect shot. My patience and skill sort of impressed me at that moment.  I had my chance. I sat on the ground, used my knee as a rest, and I saw him perfectly through my scope, his lung in my crosshairs. I heard "Good luck honey" whispered behind me and that gave me all the courage to take the safety off and shoot. BOOM...every deer around me ran as I automatically re loaded for a second shot, I found the buck in my scope again...running...down! I got him!! I shot my first animal and succeeded with one shot! Chris laughed with me and hugged me and we hi fived about 6 times then I rememberd safety...unload your gun Shelly. It's so easy to get caught up in the emotion and adrenaline and forget about what you should actually be doing. Once the gun was unloaded I sat there reflecting on what just happened. I couldn't help it but happy tears filled my eyes as I realized I could actually feed my family if I had to. What an accompished feeling! I wanted to scream to the heavens I GOT HIM...but in training I learned to sit and wait for about 30 mins to make sure the animal is dead. I could only wait about 10 mintues and I ran up to him in excitement. A perfect double lung shot. I grabbed his horns and beamed as I sat there speechless. I'll remember that day for the rest of my life. That was the most fun I have ever had. It was that night that it dawned on me, I am HOOKED. I can only learn more from here and face myself with new challenges and that is what I continue to do today. I encourage all of you to challenge yourself becuase you can do anything you set your mind to!   Shelly Kruger- Prostaff/TV host for Those Guys Outdoor Adventures on Wild TV Follow me on Twitter @shellykruger

It wasn't until about 9 years ago that I began hunting. Growing up hunting was a man's sport, mainly for meat. My own father went hunting only every 2-3 years for a doe just to fill our freezer. He usually set out for his hunt in the morning and was back within a couple of hours where I assisted and watched in curiosity as we dressed the animal and cut and wrapped it for another long Canadian winter. I understood what the concept of hunting was and was always raised to believe that God placed these animals on our earth to feed us so it never bothered me to see the dressing and skinning of an animal. Besides, I grew up on a cattle farm and the sight of butchering an animal was only another part of our annual routine. It wasn't until my teenage years that I developed an odd fear to guns. Perhaps it was one too many episodes of Cops, or too many action movies? Anytime my father would grab is 30-06 to blast a shot or two into the sky to scare away howling coyotes, I would cringe, and had absolutely no reason to. I knew at a very young age that my fear of firearms was something I would have to overcome in my future. Fastforward to my high school years which was when I met my high school boyfriend who is now my husband and father of my precious two kids. While dating, we discussed our hobbies and what we enjoy doing. I always enjoyed the outdoors, camping and fishing. When he mentioned to me that he loves to hunt, my stomache dropped. Not only did I have zero experience in the sport, I was so afraid of guns that I didn't know how to handle it. How on earth would this ever be something we could do together? For years, hunting season came around and he would hunt for hours, while I sat at home...BORED out of my mind, somehow wishing I was with him out there. Something in me longed to be a part of it. It was unexplainable the unsettled feeling I got of wanting to go along and experience the outdoors right along with him. He would share the stories of things he saw, witnessed, and the gorgeous animals he tagged and I sat wondering if that was something I could really witness myself? Nine years ago, my hubby offered to show me how to shoot his gun. Here was my chance to face the greatest fear I had, shooting a rifle for the first time. At first, I said NO but he of all people knows me so well, and he sensed my curiosity and my urge to challenge myself. He took me to the range, went through a complete lesson on gun safety to which I found quite impressive! When it came time to shoot, I clenched as hard as I could and I think my eyes were shut, heart pounding so hard I thought it would pop out of my chest.  After a few laughs and another lecture about how to hold and shoot properly, I was ready! BOOM....the first shot to the rest of my life! I felt incredible. I felt powerful, accomplished, overwhelmed, and not scared for the first time in my life. My husband was beaming with pride as he showed me how close to the center of the target I was. "Sniper!" he called me which made me feel even more successful. Not only did I overcome the greatest fear I had, but I HIT THE TARGET!!! After that first shot, I challenged myself that fall to tag my first buck! Another unbelievable milestone for me! It was an unexplainable feeling of accomplishment and love for the outdoors that made me realize this was my long lost passion! And somehow I think my heart was always trying to tell me that. As I began to inspire others, especially women like myself, my love for hunting, nature, and the outdoors blossomed into something so much greater then I had ever dreamed. That very day out on our little shooting range was the beginning to a whole new future to me. Once I was able to overcome that fear, I found myself purposly challenging myself, somthing this shy farm girlie girl had never done. It changed the way I lived my life, it completely defined who I was as a woman,  and it was that very "BOOM" moment that formed my future of professional hunting on television. I now film and hunt along side my amazing husband and best hunting partner a girl could ask for. He believed in me from day one and has been such an inspiration to me. I work hard every day to inspire others, especially women and youth, who may have the same feeling or thoughts that I once had. I am blessed to have the opportunity to share my hunting and outdoor experiences with you all. Knowing that I have made a difference in someone's life is the most rewarding feeling :) Face your fears, it may be the beginning for you!   Shelly Kruger Prostaff/TV host for Those Guys Outdoor Adventures on Wild TV twitter- @shellykruger  

A great day of bow fishing and a new huntress added by Mia Anstine We left in the late morning with a friend and his wife. We set out for a day of bow fishing at the lake. As we floated away from the marina I gave our friend a bow and explained to him the jug and reel. (read about his day here) The wife examined the arrow and [...] Read more of this post

Do you have a Passion for the Outdoors? Do you Live to Hunt? Become a Member of the SeeMeHunt.com Pro-Staff. SeeMeHunt.com is Looking for 2 Men & 2 Women to be part of our Pro-Staff    To Apply --   -Tell us in approx 200 words why we should choose you for Our Pro- Staff -Give us a Brief Bio of your Outdoor Life -Show us 3 different successful hunting pics - Would prefer that you live in NY, NJ, Pa, Mass (North East) But not required.   What is Required:-   -You Must be a member of www.SeeMeHunt.com - You Must Post Something about SeeMeHunt.com  at least Once a Week on Your Social Media Pages .-help out at at least 1 area trade show .- Help to promote SeeMeHunt.com   In Return You will receive - Free SeeMeHunt Gear & Other Free & Discounted Hunting Gear.Discounted Hunts & More-    Email your info to SeeMeHunt.com@Gmail.com To Be Considered. We Look Forward to Working with you  less

Mia & The Little Gal: Summer vakay the outdoor way June 20, 2012 by Mia Anstine Leave a Comment What a summer vacation/make-up spring break! They may have missed their spring break, but this family made up for it later. Mia Anstine describes two cross-country pig hunts and other outdoor adventures that she recently took with the LIttle Gal and Hubby Hank. ...Read more of this post at the Women's Outdoor News http://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2012/06/mia-the-little-gal-summer-vakay-the-outdoor-way/

Draw results posted for ELK Colorado – 2012 by Mia Anstine Wolf Creek Outfitters, Inc. Hey you all! Colorado 2012 draw results are posted for ELK. Head over and see if you were successful. Let us know so we can firm up your spot!!! Remember, if you didn't draw your Colorado Elk tag, we have New Mexico land owner tags available. You can choose and five [...] Read more of this post

RZ Mask – Camouflaged & Scentless by Mia Anstine I have been spending quite some time testing out the RZ Mask. When I received it, the package declared "camouflaged & scentless - Give yourself the advantage of complete sight and scent concealment" That sounds like it would be ideal for not only tree-stand, but spot and stalk hunting. At first sight the mask appeared to be [...] Read more of this post

How to Stay Tick Free This Spring by Melissa Bachman • April 24, 2012 •    Although turkey hunting may be one of my favorite hunts of the year, there is always a little bad with the good, and in this case it’s ticks! Not only do they completely invade my space, they can also be extremely dangerous; lyme disease is becoming an all too familiar problem among outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. I speak from first-hand experience when I say this season the ticks are out in full force. Just after completing a hunt in Kansas, the ticks seemed to be out of control, but I was ready for them. Each morning before heading out, I spray down my hunting clothes with a spray that has permethrin such as Sawyer’s Clothing Insect Repellant or Repel Clothing & Gear Insect Repellant. I completely spray my clothing down first, making sure to thoroughly spray my pants waistbands and socks. Then, I take Repel 100, which is 100-percent DEET, and spray down any exposed skin and around my ankles underneath my socks. This helps keep ticks, mosquitoes and chiggers off your skin so you can hunt in comfort and stay safe. This is the most concentrated insect repellent you can buy and works great if you plan to be outdoors for a long period of time. Just remember: If you get it on your hands, make sure to wash them before touching your mouth or eating. Regardless if you just hate the idea of ticks burrowing into your skin or you want to keep safe from lyme disease, these simple tips can be the best preventative medicine to keep you tick free this spring. How many of you have had serious run-ins with ticks this year?

                                                                                                  SpyPoint does it again      It looks like GG Telcom/SpyPoint has done it again. As usual, their tradition of high quality product is unsurpassed. Last years most popular models for Spypoint were the IR-5 and the IR-7. They are both high quality trail cameras. The price points at $129.99 and $159.99 respectively are very affordable. Both of these high quality trail cameras are equipped with Automatic infrared level adjustment which accounts for the high picture quality. They both take color pictures and video by day and black and white pictures by night. In multi-shot mode, they will take up to 4 pictures per detection. They will even give you sound recording! Always paying attention to detail, Spypoint camera’s will give you the time and date stamp as most trail camera’s do, however, they do take their technology one step further by giving you all of the important information so you can fill in the rest of the picture, so to speak. They give you the moon phase and the temperature at the time the pictures were taken so your records of your deer movement are more accurate.   That brings us to the all new 2012 début. If you love your gadgets for the outdoors, SpyPoint has a multitude of new product that is a “Must- Have” for every sportsman.   The BF-7 (Black Flash) Surveillance Camera is equipped with 46 black flash infrared LEDs providing an unnoticeable illumination at night. It is Ideal for security purposes. The BF-7 ensures a superior discretion, even if the subject is close to the camera. With 7 megapixel picture quality, photos and videos captured by the BF-7 are in color by day and black and white by night. It is equipped with an ultra-sensitive microphone at its base, it also captures ambient sound automatically when recording movie clips! Again, This Flash is virtually undetectable to the naked eye. The black flash LED lighting type is exceptional for monitoring the game traffic around your stand or blind. The Black Flash will go completely unnoticed by any game animal which will assure that they will not get spooked or change their nocturnal habits because of the flash. The BF-7 is priced at $199.99 retail. SpyPoint makes a High Definition version, the HD-12. The HD-12 Features a 12 megapixel picture quality and has a built in 3” viewing screen and speaker for audio play back. The HD-12 has an adjustable distance detector sensor from 5 to 50 feet. This unit includes the Spypoint WRL-B detector for wireless triggering of the camera up to 500 feet.   The Tiny-W2 (wireless infrared surveillance camera) should be at the Top of the “Wish List”. This high quality 8 megapixel trail camera is a dream come true. Not only is the Tiny-W2 a trail camera, it comes with the proverbial Black Box. You can hide this Black Box Receiver up to 100 yards away from your trail camera. The images that your trail camera takes are automatically transmitted to the Black Box Receiver. Once you set up your treestand, blind and trail camera, you will not have to disturb your hunting area by constantly checking your trail camera. You can download the images right from the Black Box receiver. It holds up to a 32GB SD card. You will be able to hold all of the data gathered from spring, right through the winter without touching the trail camera itself. If you do choose to check the pictures from the Tiny-W2 and not the black box, there is a built in 2.4” viewing screen so you can check the images unencumbered. If by chance your trail camera goes missing, you will be able to find out if it was taken by a bear or a trespasser giving you a greater chance of recovering your camera. The Tiny –W2 is priced at $299.99 Retail.   If you love your gadgets like I do, you will love the Live-3G. This is the 3G Cellular Camera. This 8 megapixel camera sends 3G cellular photo transmission through mySpypoint website and the camera is fully configurable remotely right from the same website. It comes fully equipped with “Theft Alert”, a built in 3.5 inch viewing screen, time laps mode and so much more. SpyPoint really has too many high tech toys to list in this blog but you can see all of them at www.spypoint.com.

RECENT COMMUNITY NEWS Quickfire Outdoor Interview: Mia Anstine – My Many Outdoor Adventures April 26, 2012 By Rebecca Leave a Comment Blog Url: Mia Anstine – My Many Outdoor AdventuresOnline Name or Code Name: Mia Anstine  1) Outdoor Activity of choice? Riding my horse to someplace I’ve never seen before. Generally this occurs when I a...... to read more of this post click the following link: http://www.outdoorbloggernetwork.com/blog/2012/04/26/quickfire-outdoor-interview-mia-anstine-my-many-outdoor-adventures/