Time For Governor Dayton To Go Sit In The Woods

Ever since 2003 the Governor of Minnesota, then Governor Tim Pawlenty, has honored the deer hunting tradition in our state with the Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener celebration.   It mostly just amounts to a bunch of pomp and circumstance for the Explore Minnesota Tourism Department and the Minnesota Deer Hunter’s Association, but rightly so it spotlights a big industry in Minnesota which includes lots of orange-clad participants who enjoy their time spent in the woods.

IMG_0279In full disclosure, back in 2006, I got to host Governor Pawlenty here at the farm for that annual deer hunt.   Each year it bounces around to different areas of the state and this year the 2013 celebration is in Fergus Falls, Minnesota beginning on Friday and lasting into Saturday.

Okay, further disclosure I am not a big fan of our current Governor Mark Dayton.   Fair to say we don’t share many similar views on politics.   But apparently we also don’t share similar views on deer hunting.   Ever since becoming governor he makes a token appearance and departs the GDHO event stating he is not a deer hunter and doesn’t want to take part in the actual hunt.

Therein lies my frustration with the current Minnesota Governor.   Oh, sure, when he took office he was quick to leave his own impression on the sporting world by starting the Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunt.   But he refuses to hunt deer.   Why?   Claims he’s not a deer hunter and doesn’t care to shoot a deer.

Fair enough, but there’s much more to deer hunting than actually pulling the trigger.   How the hell is a politician going to adequately claim they can relate to me as a sportsman when they refuse to experience the sort of outdoors activities that fuel my soul.   In Minnesota each fall there are over 10 deer hunters afield for every pheasant hunter, and that ratio is growing each year as folks give up on the AWOL pheasant population.

When Governor Pawlenty hunted with me he spent time with other hunters in my camp.   He learned what motivates a person to get up at outrageously early times, dress in layers of warm clothes, and then head for the dark woods to sit and wait.

When Governor Pawlenty hunted with our group he got to experience nature come to life as the sun peaked over the horizon to slowly warm the frosty morning air.   He witnessed nature at what I believe is its finest hours of the entire day scurrying to life.   Indeed, the deer hunter is sitting in a balcony theater seat watching the drama known as nature unfold 360 degrees in all directions around them.   How can life get any better than that?

Deer hunting is very different than pheasant hunting.   Oh, sure, both activities enjoy nature in its own unique way…but calling yourself a pheasant hunter in no way provides any understanding as to how life as a deer hunter is enjoyed.   There simply is no substitute for experiencing deer hunting first hand.

It’s almost like the backyard bird watcher who enjoys feeding and watching birds from the kitchen window.   Gives them a better sense of nature when they can observe it with their own eyes.

But remove that wall and pane of glass and suddenly it opens up a new dimension to be sitting out in the woods motionless and have a Black-capped Chickadee land on the barrel of your rifle completely oblivious to your presence.   Or a flock of wild turkeys completely surrounding your tree scratching in the leaves unaware they are being watched ever so closely from a perch above.   Or a pair of red squirrels frolicking in the nearby tree attempting their death-defying acrobatics.

Notice I made no mention of deer.   That’s right.   Deer hunting is so much bigger than just killing a deer and bragging about it to your friends.   Of course, I would expect a non-deer hunter to assume bringing home the venison is the sole motivation for being in the deer woods this time of the year.   Yet, that’s the sort of misguided notion people have about things when they don’t take time to experience an activity first-hand for themselves.

Surely, if deer hunting is important enough for 500,000 Minnesotans to spend countless hours out sitting in the trees this coming weekend, our state’s chief executive officer can share a few hours of his precious time discovering for himself the many wonders of deer hunting.   Governor Dayton, deer hunters deserve that sort of respect and showing of support from you when acting in the capacity of governor of a sportsman-oriented state like Minnesota.

©2013 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Members Of Oakdale Gun Club Are As Special As Their Facility

A few weeks back I spent an afternoon at an east metro gun club in the Twin Cities and I walked away quite impressed.   In fact, I learned something about gun clubs that day.   It’s not just the facility’s modern equipment and location that makes it so great.   It’s the people who all share in the experience and their love for guns that is the true foundation of any successful club.

Now, mind you the Oakdale Gun Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota is no ordinary club.   In fact, with 1,500 members and a waiting list that takes roughly 3 years to get in as a new member, the OGC is one of the largest clubs found in Minnesota.   It’s boasts members from throughout the Twin Cities, but predominantly within a 20–30 minute drive from its gates.

IMG_0476Like I said this gun club has all the amenities of what you would expect in a first-class operation.   A modern trap range, competition range, various pistol and rifle open ranges, a clubhouse and even a classroom that stays busy with lots of educational activities.   Recently OGC spent over $640,000 to update the facility and to ensure it will be meeting the needs of its shooters for many years to come.

But let me get back to what make this or any gun club special.   It’s the people.   People who care about their passion, but also people who care to share their knowledge and experience with other like minded individuals.   And this is what makes a gun club like OGC really stand out from the crowd.

I met Mike Emery, the owner of Northern Rifleman, who also is OGC’s Marketing and PR director.   Mike helped me host the first Annual Midwest Fishing & Hunting Bloggers Day at their facility and ensured all bloggers who attended received a top-notch experience at the event.   My hat’s off to Mike for all he did to assist us that day even though participation by bloggers did not exactly overwhelm us.   But that’s for another story.

I also got to meet one of the other personalities at OGC who made a big impression on me.   His name is Michael Gerster who happens to be the club’s legislative director.   Michael is a tireless advocate for our shooting rights and spends a great deal of time working at all levels of government to ensure politicians don’t trample on our gun rights.   He works with local landowner-neighbors to the club when they have noise concerns, he lobby’s park boards, city/county government, all the way to the Minnesota State Capitol where he advocates for gun owners statewide.IMG_0475

I also met a host of members who are proud of their club as they very well should be.   Each year OGC teaches between 400–500 firearms safety students for the MN DNR which I believe is the largest single facility in the state to accomplish that task.   Speaking of classes, the OGC puts a lot of emphasis in education.   Take a quick look at their class offering HERE.   I’d venture to say just about any type of class on firearms or safety a person might need can be found at the Oakdale Gun Club.

Now, you might think why should any of this matter if I’m not a member.   Please check OGC’s website before making plans, but much of the facility and education is also available to the general public.   While the facility is open year-round to members who pay a fee and volunteer club service hours annually, non-members can also enjoy much of what the club has to offer on a more limited basis.   For instance, OGC offers a Novice Trapshooting Night to encourage the general public a chance to get some coaching and participate in a safe, fun, low-pressure environment.

IMG_0459Indeed, I’ve spent a great deal of time touting the wonderful people and opportunities at the Oakdale Gun Club.   Certainly, if you are within easy driving of OGC you need to check it out and make some new friends who share a common passion.   On the other hand, if OGC isn’t nearby it should still serve as a great inspiration to check out what your local gun club has to offer.

All across this great country you’ll find gun clubs providing opportunities for shooting fun and learning.   In many instances they are only a short drive away.   If you’ve been considering a gun club membership take the time to act soon.   You’ll discover you’re not just joining a club with access privileges…you’ll also be opening the door to make many new friendships with some of the best people around.

©2013 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

That Awkward Moment When All You Hear Is Silence

As the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) annual conference kicks off today in Columbia, South Carolina, I can’t help but think back to the time I last attended the event 5 1/2 years ago held in Minneapolis.   Unfortunately, something occurred leaving a lasting impression on me.

Now, for folks who have never attended such an event there’s an assortment of socializing activities mixed in with business learning activities where speakers present on various topics.   In most cases, there could be two or three seminars going on at any one time allowing the communicator attendee to pick and choose what they want to learn from the event.   It’s fun.   It’s often inspiring.   And most often a person leaves feeling energetic and refreshed with a new skill base.

But on this particular early August day back in 2007 I happened upon a train wreck.   I settled into my seat…pulled out a pad to jot some notes…and prepared myself to be dazzled by a speaker who could enhance various elements of my professional life.

That simply did not happen.

SpeakerInstead, what I witnessed was every speaker’s worst nightmare.   As I recall it may have been 15 minutes or so into his presentation…the speaker simply froze.   SILENCE.   Not for a few seconds…but for several minutes.   Occasionally the silence was broken by filler sounds such as…”Ummm” “Ahhh” “Hmmm.”   I doubt there was a person in the room who could not empathize with the speaker and his sudden oratorical predicament.

As time grew on we all could feel the growing uneasiness of watching a college professor and book author collapse before our eyes (mostly our ears).   The pressure of public speaking…at least on this particular day, was far too overwhelming.   A few gentle nudges from audience members to get the author back on track was to no avail.   The synapse activity of the brain was short-circuiting before our eyes.   The speaker, in my opinion, was on the verge of a total mental breakdown.

Here’s a learned guy who was flown in from some part of the country to speak to probably 50–60 of us in the room and it was a complete and utter failure.   Whatever his original message happened to be was lost and far overshadowed by his sudden vocal paralysis.

After about 15 minutes I could no longer bear the pain.   It was time for me to leave the conference and head home.  

So, what does any of this have to do with the outdoors?   Well, I do think there is a take-away lesson from this conference experience.

Like most things in life, preparation is key.   You can be one of the most knowledgeable musky anglers to be found several counties around…but how do you react when the moment of truth presents itself and that Suick is inhaled but for only a slight moment in time?   Do you choke when the chips are down?

When the big tom is strutting slowly into shotgun range and your heart is pounding wildly inside your chest…can you finish the deal?   Or, when the buck of a lifetime gives you no warning and you now only have six seconds to react…and to perform a perfect shot placement.   Will you leave the woods disappointed or elated?

Indeed, my heart went out to that conference presenter who suddenly experienced a case of lock-jaw and could not go on.   It’s humiliating.   It can be aggravating.   But often in life—particularly in our outdoors life—we must be prepared to fight through such sudden mental challenges in order to be on top of our game.   Often, that keen mental preparation will determine if we are to succeed in our endeavors on any given day.

©2013 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

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