Last year, on the day after Christmas, my Dad took Vayda and I to the pet shop to pick up our new Kitty. As we drove down the road past “Greenhouse Park” my Dad yelled, “Look at that Eagle!” The Big Bird was sitting right along side the roadway and then flew up into a nearby tree. Dad pulled his truck off the road and tried to get a few pictures with his cell phone.

Then we thought, we have to call my Grandfather, he’ll bring his camera with a telephoto lens. I called him and was really excited to tell him about the Eagle. We had to leave for the pet shop, but when we came back the Eagle was gone. My Grandfather was waiting for us in the parking lot of Greenhouse Park. He thought the bird would be near the Stoneycreek River, but he didn’t see the Eagle. Then my dad said, ”Get in the truck and we’ll drive up and down the road to see if we can find the Eagle.”

Well, as we drove towards St. Andrew’s Church and School (Their Sports Teams are called the “EAGLES”) we saw the big black and white bird perched in a Sycamore Tree.

It was really cool to see our Nations most famous Bird, The Bald Eagle. When I went back to school I told some of my friends that we saw a beautiful Eagle near my house. Some of them couldn’t believe we saw an Eagle there. Some people told us we probably just saw a buzzard, not a Eagle. Then the Johnstown Tribune Newspaper published one of the photos that my Grandfather took. Then every one knew it really was an Eagle.

 

I’ve been deer hunting with my Grand Father for the past 3 years. We set up two tree stands and we also use a ground blind when we hunt on our property around my house in Somerset County. I also hunt at my cousin’s property about 15 miles away in Cambria County. I like to go there  just for a change of scenery and because my cousin, Danny, has shot 5 deer there and he’s only 9 years old. So, for 3 Deer Seasons we have scouted, used our trail cameras, watched for buck rubs and buck scrapes. During that time my Grand Father and I have spent many, many hours in the tree stands and in the woods hunting with my Parker Crossbow or my 50 cal. in-line muzzle loader. Some of our hunts were in the rain, snow, sleet, wind and cold. A few  of our hunts were in beautiful Indian Summer Days. In all that time I never had a really good chance to shoot at a buck…until October 20 of this year.

Ruby will be appearing at the Allegheny Adventure X-Fest on Saturday, October 3, 2015. She will be doing fly tying demonstrations, talking about fishing, her outdoor activities and topics on her Website. You can see Ruby at the “People’s Natural Gas Park” in downtown Johnstown from 10:00 am. till 3:00pm.

Stop in, say hello and see Ruby tie her Black Flash Streamer!

 

This summer is coming to an end, school has started and we’re ready to put our boat away for winter. I went on some nice fishing trips this summer with my sister, Vayda, and many of my cousins.

We love to go to Paul and Connie’s farm. The pond has big bass, bluegills and some fat catfish. Vayda caught a nice bass all by herself.

Vayda got a big catfish that almost pulled her fishing rod into the pond. She could barely hold it up for a photo.

Best of all we can fish and still all hang out on the dock with our feet in the cool water.

Or you can jump in to cool off, like Travis does. Edye and I like to fish from the dock most of the time.

I was fishing off the dock with Edye and a few minutes after this photo was taken… a big catfish grabbed my bait and dragged my new spinning rod into the water! We never found the rod and reel.

We also caught a few catfish at Raystown Lake at our camper.

 

 

On these trips we swim, ski, go tubing and just float around on our pontoon boat and spend time with our family at our camper.

Every summer my Dad takes me fishing at the beach. We’ve been going to Myrtle Beach for our family vacation for years. Sometimes we fish from the surf or from the pier. But, this year my Dad rented a nice center console boat. We went out into the bay and we had a great day in the sun just watching all the big boats go by. Noah and I caught some Sea Robins, Whiting and I got a Sheepshead. Noah also got a Puffer Fish. Next year were going to get this boat again and go for a big Sea Bass. Now, we have to start planning for Archery Season!!!

After Noah and I were done shooting the 22 rifle, we went fishing with Connie (Paul’s wife) and Sarah (their daughter). They travel to the ponds on their quad, so they can carry lots of gear easily.

On this trip we used our fly rods and spinning rods and I caught a couple bluegills, a large mouth bass and a big catfish!

 

When Sarah and I were on the dock…I set my new yellow Spinning rod down  on the dock to get a drink.

Just then a catfish pulled it off the dock and into the water.

We tried to find it, but the rod and reel and the fish were gone.

 

Connie kids, Travis, Emily, and Sarah enjoy hunting, fishing, riding dirt bikes and four wheelers and playing with their cats and dogs.

They have chickens, too!

(see my video clip, “Shooting the 22 Cal.” for more chicken info.)

 

I love going to their farm, a few years ago they gave all us kids Hay Rides on a big wagon pulled by a big tractor. That was a great Labor Day Party.

 

My cousin Noah caught all the same kinds of fish that I did!

We were using special catfish bait that looks like little hot dogs. Sarah uses chunks of real hot dogs or even a slice of bologna lunch meat for bait.

Sarah is a really good angler. She caught two big catfish on her bologna bait. They were hard to reel in and the ones that she caught were the biggest of the day!

The catfish are really hard to hold for a picture,

This fish bit my thumb.

Even Noah had a tough time trying to hold the catfish up for a picture.

 

We had a great day fishing at the Farm, and as always at Ruby’s Outdoor Rendezvous, We’re on Target for all Seasons!

Last week I went to my cousin Paul’s farm to shoot target practice and go fishing with my Grandpa and my cousin Noah. Paul has two nice size ponds stocked with big catfish, bass, and schools of bluegills!

Paul also has a mini shooting range where we often shoot our 22. Caliber rifles. They shoot at clay birds with shotguns too!

First, Noah and I wanted to shoot my Dad’s 22 Marlin rifle. It’s very accurate and we shot balloons and targets at 50 yards and way out to 100 yards away. We use this adjustable tripod to shoot from. I use this rest when I’m deer hunting and spring turkey hunting.

My Grandpa brought along my Mom’s 20 gauge Browning shotgun. He bought this auto-loader for my Mom when she was 13 years old.

It is a youth model and my Mom hunted with this gun all through High School and even College. She was on a couple magazine covers with this gun and the pheasants she shot. It is still a bit too heavy for me to carry and shoot at moving targets. The 20 gauge fit Noah just right and he hit the first claybird he ever shot at. It was a fun day!

Sweat poured off my face when I was playing outside in the summer heat. We have been having some really hot weather so far this summer! Then, my mom yelled at me to get in the car to go grocery shopping.

As we pulled away from our house and went down our driveway I caught a glimpse of my tree stand up on the hill.

A big turkey vulture was floating by and I thought about how cold it was when I was hunting in that spot 6 months ago last winter!

 

 

I’ve been winter hunting from a high tree stand for about 3 years now. Being up in the tree stand in the snow is very beautiful even though in Pennsylvania it’s freezing!

 

Even with no snow on the ground, I’m usually really cold in the tree stand. That’s why I wear the right parka, bibs, boots and other equipment that will do the job.

And we always bring a blanket and I use some hand warmers, too.

 

 

Some people think that it’s dangerous to be up so high in a tree stand.   Well, it is if you don’t have the right equipment. But, I do have the right equipment.

 

First, my tree-stand is a “River’s Edge” two person stand. I’m in the PA Mentor program and my Grandfather has to be hunting with me at all times.

 

 

 

My stand is roomy enough for both of us when we use my black powder in-line rifle or my Parker Challenger crossbow.

 

I use a good safety harness so I’m secured to the tree and I WON’T fall out. It’s called a Muddy safety belt.

 

I like it because it’s made for smaller people and fits me perfectly. My Pupup has a Muddy Safety belt that he’s used for years.

He really likes his and thinks they are the best. Some belts make walking through the woods hard to do, not these.

We also use a lifeline as we go up and down the ladder. So, if you slip off a step this rope will stop you from falling to the ground.

 

 

This is a special knot that you hook your clip to. It’s called a prussic knot and it slides up the rope easy. But, if you pull down with force the knot squeezes together and closes tight. Then you can’t fall down.

 

 

Look Mom…No Hands. I am in my Safety Harness and connected to the tree, but I got yelled at for doing this. Don’t be careless when in your tree stand!

 

I’ve never shot a buck during winter hunting from my tree stand yet. I have seen some deer, but they were too far away.

 

I saw doe’s that were far out of our shooting range. Some bucks went by my tree when I wasn’t there.

 

The Trail Camera takes photos of a nice buck …when you didn’t hunt that day.

That can make you mad!

 

 

 

 

Our Trail camera get pictures of deer, turkeys, crows, racoons and all types of creatures.

 

It also gets many shots of us as we go to and from my tree stand on a snowy cold hunt.

 

My River’s Edge tree-stand works really well and I love hunting in the cold, fog and winter snow. Sometimes you have to take a nap!

 

 

Thanks for reading and until next time, at Ruby’s Outdoor Rendezvous, stay outdoors, stay active, and stay… “On Target for All Seasons!”