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!”

 

 

 

Every Winter the PA Bear Biologists check out Black Bear Dens in the mountains near my home. They go right into the Bear’s Den. They tranquilize the Mom…then see what they find!  A big surprise!

Vayda wanted to go fishing with me to try and catch a trout. At first all she caught was a bunch of really little sunfish. She then caught  a nice rainbow trout on a worm and bobber.

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This was her first ever Rainbow Trout. I got a Rainbow, too. We were all happy anglers! Vayda  found out that’s it’s hard to hold a fish for pictures.

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Here we are with our Rainbow Trout. After using all of our worms, I started using my Fly Rod with a tiny Dry Fly.
Last week I caught a nice Brown Trout on this same Dry Fly, but the fish got off right at the shoreline because we didn’t have a net.

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We went fishing at the Ferndale Sportsman’s Club after school on May 19, 2015. I caught this nice Rainbow on my new spinning rod. The fish hit my worm and bobber rig. It was so nice to be outdoors on the warm Spring evening. Best of all, there were no other anglers there. I also used my fly rod and as the sun started to go down a bunch of trout began jumping on the surface. Later I hooked a big Brown Trout on a dry fly and reeled it all the way to the bank before it got unhooked. We have that fishing action on Video though!

 

 

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