Neverlost Ipad Pouch

19 02 2014

neverlost_logoNeverlost has an entire line of hunting and outdoor gear that is predominately orange and black, to make you most visible to other hunters, and others in your party.  The bright orange also makes it easier to locate your Items when you set them down or drop them in the outdoors.

Neverlost Ipad

You can access all your information while your iPad is in the NeverLost pouch.
Photo: Diane

I was presented an iPad waterproof pouch at the 2013 SHOT Show.  The style of this product is completely different than of the styles currently available on the market. This pouch sports an internal earphone attachment that allows you to listen to your music while maintaining a silent space around you. With the earphone attachment being internal, the pouch maintains its waterproof ability while you have easy access to all of the information on it.

This pouch is extremely sensitive for the touch screen, and weighs very little, it is made of 420D Nylon and is very durable. I used this product recently while in Alabama. With predictions of tornadoes moving into the area, we were dealing with terrible weather.

Normally I would not take my iPad into a tree stand with me but I wanted to see how effective the pouch would be in extreme situations. I do a lot of work on my iPad, so I was concerned! If I were to lose my iPad or even the data contained in it, it would be a terrible set back. I deliberately left the pouch exposed to the elements, while I tried to dodge the rain myself. It performed exactly as described-waterproof. Whew! Now if only my rain gear had been waterproof, I was wishing I had a Neverlost pouch big enough for me to fit in!

Neverlost Ipad 2

The NeverLost iPad Pouch kept my iPad safe from the elements.
Photo: Diane Hassinger

Next, I summoned up my courage to place my iPad, protected only by the pouch, into the creek. I am very pleased to tell you, I am typing this review on that same iPad! I wouldn’t recommend taking your electronics for a swim or using them for diving toys, but you could get soaked in the rain with no ill effects. This pouch will not protect your gear from falls, so you still need to handle your electronics with care. This is a new item for 2013, and can be purchased at http://www.opticsplanet.com/neverlost-ipad-tablet-waterproof-pouch.html?

The MSRP is an affordable $69.99, making it easy to keep your expensive tablets safe from the elements.  See the entire line of NeverLost products at http://www.neverlostgear.com/

Neverlost logo is the sole property of it’s rightful owner and used within this writing solely for the promotion of products herein as requested by the product’s manufacturer.

Endorsement Disclosure: Per the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission, the products reviewed in these product reviews is an endorsement and the writer may have been compensated by “in-kind” payment to review the product.


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Categories : Ladies in Camo, Product Review

Cass Creek’s Nomad Wild Boar Call Brings in the Bacon

14 12 2013

cass-creek-logoCass Creek Outdoors makes one of the few wild boar calls I have been able to find. Their Nomad Wild Boar Call with Moving Sound Remote gives you a wide selection of hog calls designed to help you bring home the bacon!!

cass creek hog call

Set up of the Nomad Wild Boar Call is easy.
Photo: Cass Creek

I set the receiver up near our hunting condo, aka blind. There are no wires to the call, and the receiver is very light to carry into the fields.I attached a lanyard to the remote so I would not have to search for it, while the speaker/receiver can be clipped onto your pack or belt.

You are able to control up to 3 receivers from the one remote, which will make the sounds as if they are moving toward or away from you area. The system has 5 calls you can chose from: Feeding Frenzy, Contented Feeding, Social Grunts, Fighting, and Feeding Piglets. My favorite combination was the Social Grunts coupled with the Feeding Piglets. I have heard the same grunts and squeals when we have stalked up onto a feeding group of hogs. 

I started calling just shortly before dark, and it didn’t take long before we were seeing results. The various series of calls sound very realistic, and the volume control adjust in a clear concise sound. There was a lone boar cautiously making its way into our clearing. I made short work of the hog and quickly got set up again. I had a reddish sow come back in before long, and she also rode home with us.

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The Cass Creek Nomad Wild Boar Call was used to call this sow in.
Photo: Diane Hassinger

Remember to check with your local regulations before using an electronic call, as they are not permitted in some areas. Where they are legal, these will be a huge advantage to filling your tags.

The Nomad Wild Boar Call is available for purchase at http://www.casscreek.com/Cass-Creek-Nomad-Wild-Boar-Electronic-Game-Call, Amazon.com, Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, various other sporting goods shops or at http://www.casscreek.com. The MSRP is $79.99. They also offer these calls in Predator, and Moose.

Cass Creek Logo is the sole property of it’s rightful owner and used within this writing solely for the promotion of products herein as requested by the product’s manufacturer.

Endorsement Disclosure: Per the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission, the products reviewed in these product reviews is an endorsement and the writer may have been compensated by “in-kind” payment to review the product.

This post was originally published at http://ladiesincamo.com/licpr/2013/10/28/cass-creeks-nomad-wild-boar-call-brings-in-the-bacon-diane-hassinger/


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Categories : Ladies in Camo, Product Review

Swhacker 100 Grain Crossbow Broadheads

10 10 2013

Swhacker-Logo-300x159

I have been using Swhacker Broadheads for the past several years. I have built up a tremendous confidence in their products, so when they came out with their new Swhacker Crossbow Broadheads it was a natural transition to start using them. The 100 grain expandable broadhead incorporates two razor sharp .032″ thick stainless steel blades that measure 1 inch in flight and 2 inches after penetration–a lethal combination for any game animal I have plans to hunt. The broadheads themselves are tough, but in the event that you bend a blade or damage them otherwise during your hunts, all replacement parts to rebuild them are available for purchase.

Spring Turkey 003

Sarah with her Gobbler taken with Tenpoint Crossbow and Swhacker Crossbow Broadheads
Photo Credit: Diane Hassinger

Sarah, my 10-year old granddaughter, used my crossbow and the Swhacker Crossbow Broadheads during the Spring Turkey Season. Sarah dropped her Gobbler on the spot with the Swhackers. This was the second gobbler with Swhackers; her first with the Swhacker Crossbow Broadheads.

Spring Turkey 017

Spring Gobbler taken with the Tenpoint Crossbow and Swhacker Crossbow Broadheads
Photo Credit: Diane Hassinger

This June, I used the Swhacker Crossbow broadheads on my Saskatchewan Black Bear hunt in combination with my Tenpoint Stealth SS Crossbow. These broadheads truly fly like a field tip. The main blades are designed to open only after the high carbon steel point and wing blades have penetrated through the hide and ribs; therefore, leaving a fresh set of blades to cut their way through the vitals for an exit would that is unbelievably large.

I was hunting in poor conditions for both bear and archery. The winds were blowing hard and rain was falling fast.  My bear crossed to within 10 yards of my treestand when I let my Swhacker fly!  The broadhead performed flawlessly!  My bolt passed right through the chest cavity and lodged in the dirt on the other side.

The 7′ black bear traveled a mere 15 yards before crashing to the ground.  Even if I had not seen the bear go down, anyone–yes, I mean anyone–could have followed the blood trail.  The blood trail looked as if you painted it with red spray paint. The exit wound was a 2″ long slice.

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7′ Saskatchewan Black Bear taken with my Tenpoint Crossbow and Swhacker Crossbow Broadheads
Photo Credit: Diane Hassinger

The Swhacker Crossbow broadheads have a MSRP of $34.99 for a set of 3 broadheads. You can find this product at most sporting goods retailers and they will soon be available on the Swhacker website at  http://www.swhacker.com/swhacker-products. In my opinion, with my experience using this product, they are well worth the money.

Swhacker Logo is the sole property of it’s rightful owner and used within this writing solely for the promotion of products herein as requested by the product’s manufacturer.

 

 

Endorsement Disclosure: Per the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission, the products reviewed in these product reviews is an endorsement and the writer may have been compensated by “in-kind” payment to review the product.

 

This post was published on Ladies in Camo at http://ladiesincamo.com/licpr/2013/09/02/swhacker-100-grain-crossbow-broadheads-diane-hassinger/, and also at Bowhunting.net at http://bowhunting.net/2013/09/gear-review-swhacker-100-gr-crossbow-broadhead/


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Categories : Archery, Ladies in Camo, Product Review

Junkyard Bear-Tails of the Hunt

10 10 2013

This post was published originally at Ladies in Camo’s website at http://ladiesincamo.com/lictoth/2013/09/09/diane-hassinger-junkyard-bear/

Every hunter has their favorite type of hunting; for me it is Black Bear hunting with my crossbow.  I have taken several trophy bear with my Tenpoint, and each hold their place of honor in my memories.  This years bear was no different, well maybe just a little.

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Junkyard and his girlfriend. You can see how bad the rope had cut through the hide. Photo: Diane Hassinger

Dale and I arrived in Deschambault Lake to tales of a huge black bear that had been spotted on cameras,with what appeared to be a rope tangled tightly around his neck.  Our Outfitter Mike Grundmann asked if one of us would be able to target that bear, since his health was declining due to the ever tightening rope.  Dale and I both agreed one of use would focus our attention on him.  Dale started out his hunt looking for him, and for 3 days Junkyard was not seen, even though his big blond girlfriend would come by every evening.  On the 4th day, Dale moved to a new stand, and I moved into the stand to wait on Junkyard.

The weather turned horrible as soon as we left the lodge that evening.  Rain was pelting us, and the trees were swaying.  Not a nice evening to be outside, and definitely not a good night for bear hunting.  Erin was filming me that night, so we got settled into the stand and tried to stay dry.  It wasn’t long before I spotted black circling the area.  I nudged Erin and asked if she could see any better.  See quickly responded “It’s him, it’s the Junkyard Bear”.  As he came closer, I could see the rope swaying as he walked, but as he turned sideways I could also see white flesh where the rope had cut through the hide.  He glanced at the bait barrel, but decided to just move on.  As he walked under my stand, I let loose my bolt, and watched as it hit it’s mark perfectly.   I got a complete pass through with my Swhacker Broadheads.  Junkyard only went 15 yards before he expired.

It didn’t take us long to determine;

1.  We couldn’t move him ourselves and

2.  We were getting soaking wet just standing there.

So we headed back to camp, and to enlist some help moving him.  Dale and Mike returned just minutes after us.  They also had taken a huge bear that night; a 7’6″ behemoth.  So with the 4 of us working together, it took no time to get Junkyard back to the camp, and get dry.

I really feel I was in that stand that night to help Junkyard out of his pain.  I regret that infection made it impossible for us to use any of the meat, but Junkyard will live on in lots of memories and stories.  And because of his big blond girlfriend, his genes will be around for generations to come!

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Junkyard with his embedded rope. I will remember this hunt always!
Photo: Diane Hassinger

 

 


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Categories : Archery, Bear

My First Big Game Animal-How I got started hunting.

10 10 2013

This post originally appeared on Ladies in Camo website at http://ladiesincamo.com/lictoth/2013/05/04/diane-hassinger-my-first-big-game-animal/

Life is not fair!  Or at least that is how it seems to a twelve year old.  Add to that wanting to hunt and fish when neither of your parents enjoys either.  Add to that being a girl in 1972.

I wanted to hunt so badly, I would check out every magazine and book on hunting I could find at our local library.  Outdoor Life and Field and Stream became my educators.  I asked so many dumb questions of anyone who even vaguely knew anything about hunting.  I spent hours weekly riding the deer trails on our horses, observing the patterns of the deer.  I could ride right into a group of deer without them taking too much notice.

It seemed like divine intervention when my friend Cheryl talked her father into taking us for our Hunter Safety Certification.  We had about 30 participants in the course; 28 boys, me and Cheryl.  We took a lot of ribbing from the boys, and even a few of the fathers.  They felt we had no place in a “boys” class.  We didn’t mind, or at least didn’t let on to anyone that it bothered us.  Cheryl’s dad, having 6 daughters, was very supportive of girls being able to hunt.  His support made a huge difference in the tender sensibilities of a teenage girl.  By the end of the course, only 2 students rated a 100% on the test; me and Cheryl.  Instead of the boys being happy for us, they made sure we knew that hunting was a male sport.

I spent my teenage years fishing, hunting small game, riding horses, and high school sports.  I didn’t have the opportunity to do a big game hunt (anything bigger than a turkey) until I married Dale in 1979.  Both of us hunted to feed our growing family, and after the kids got big enough they joined with us.

My first BIG game hunt was for Elk of all things.  I had always enjoyed shooting my bow, but lacked the courage to try to hunt with it.  Finally I gave in to my need to go further with hunting and scheduled a hunt.  To say I was scared is an understatement.  I had studied shot placement till everyone was sick of listening to me question them.  I was shooting my bow hundreds of times a day to build up to a higher poundage.  I have the need to over study and research anything I am doing.  I guess that is my OCD.

Finally the day arrived and we took off on this next chapter of my life.  Dale was and still remains very supportive of me.  So I needed to do this not only for me, but to prove to him his support was not wasted.

I remember climbing into the “tree stand”, which was an old pallet nailed into a Y of a tree.  I had to watch where I placed my feet, for fear of slipping through the slats.  When I think of this now, I have to wonder “What the heck was I thinking!” No harness (no one wore them then), no pull up ropes, you toted everything up on your back, no cell phone, radio or gps (GASP!).  My tree stand was on a well-worn trail on the side of a steep embankment.  I tried to listen to every little noise, and kept glassing, looking for any sign of movement.  I did have a range finder with me, and had ranged several trees and rocks in hopes that I could use them as a range indicator.

Suddenly I hear what sounded like a stampede.  There were several cow elk and a 4X4 bull elk coming into range-fast!  I drew my bow and waited for the 4X4 to get close enough, and shot!  He turned tail and ran back down the hillside.  My guide who was a short distance away, heard the commotion, and headed over to me.  I still don’t know how I got down that rickety wood ladder; my knees were shaking something terrible.

We waited a short while, all the time my guide was asking was it a good shot.  HUH??  I think so, I don’t know, I was so nervous I couldn’t even remember.  Finally he gave up trying to get any useful information out of me, and we started after my bull.  We found him about 60 yards below my stand.  However he was still on his feet, although he was swaying back and forth.  The guide said to stick him again when I had a shot.  I told him I could shoot now.  He said “no you can’t”.  I said I could and released the arrow.  My shot was perfect!  He dropped instantly, of course rolling further down the hill.  “I can’t believe you made that shot” to which I replied “I told you I could”.

diane elk

The bad part of all this was that my elk was now at the very bottom of a very steep incline, and the truck was at the top.  By the time we had it loaded onto the truck, I was exhausted, but still exhilarated!  Later when we butchered the elk, we found that my first shot clipped the heart.  He was dying, just didn’t know it yet.  The second shot was right through the heart and 1 lung.

My 4X4 was mounted and hangs on our living room wall.  He is not a trophy to a lot of hunters, but he is a trophy in the true sense to me.  He was a big part of my confidence in my hunting abilities to be able to go on any hunt that catches my attention.

To this day I feel the pressure to prove myself capable, to prove my abilities, to compete with ghosts of my past.  Now I know I am up to the challenge!

Photo Credit:  Diane Hassinger

Excerpts from Huntingmotherearth.com in Hunter Safety Course 1972  https://huntingmotherearth.com/2012/03/15/hunter-safety-course-1972/


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Categories : Archery, Elk, Hunting

The Important Stuff

22 10 2012
This post originally appeared in Ladies in Camo Field Journal  http://ladiesincamo.com/fieldjournal.html
21 Oct

Some of the important stuff in my life!

Some of the important stuff in my life!

I have spent the last 2 weeks on the road hunting in Georgia and Alabama.  During that time I have made many great lasting memories and made some new friends.  This morning I was stalking hogs with my husband Dale along with Terry and Dillon from Racknine Outdoors.  I was really enjoying our time, the weather was beautiful and we were finding lots of fresh hog sign.

Should have been a perfect day, but it wasn’t.  Maybe I got homesick, I don’t know.  But we were walking along one minute with me thinking how I really love hog hunting, and the next minute my son popped into my head.  I started thinking how Matt would have really loved this, but he will never get the chance to experience it.  You see he died in a boating accident 16 years ago at the age of 16.  His death has changed our family forever.

That got me thinking (and crying) about how we need to focus on the important stuff.  Family, God, friends and health. The rest of it really doesn’t matter.  Get your kids and grandkids out in the woods, take them hunting, fishing, hiking or bird watching if that is what your are into.  Spend quality time with them, bonding over the simple things in life. Teach them about the outdoors so they in turn can teach their children.  Make sure they know your love, don’t let a day go by without telling them.  You really don’t know how long you will have them for.  Help them create wonderful memories that will comfort them in the future.  Life is a double edged knife, any of us could be gone tomorrow.

So enough said.  Next weekend Dale and I are taking our family and going camping and fishing in New York.  We will laugh, play, fish and have memories to sustain us.  I am going to help untangle lines and unhook fish for my grandchildren, take lots of pictures and ingrain every minute into my heart and brain.

“Love the Life you Live, Live the Life you Love” – Bob Marley


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Categories : Fishing, Grandkids, Ladies in Camo, Life, Rack Nine Outdoors, Travel

Hunter Safety Course 1972

15 03 2012

Life is not fair!  Or at least that is how it seems to a twelve year old.  Add to that wanting to hunt and fish when neither of your parents enjoy either.  Add to that being a girl in 1972.

I wanted to hunt so badly, I would check out every magazine and book on hunting I could find at our local library.  Outdoor Life and Field and Stream became my educators.  I asked so many dumb questions of anyone who even vaguely knew anything about hunting.  I spent hours weekly riding the deer trails on our horses, observing the patterns of the deer.  I could ride right into a group of deer without them taking to much notice.

It seemed like divine intervention when my friend Cheryl talked her father into taking us for our Hunter Safety Certification.  We had about 30 participants in the course; 28 boys, myself and Cheryl.  We took a lot of ribbing from the boys, and even a few of the fathers.  They felt we had no place in a “boys” class.  We didn’t mind, or at least didn’t let on to anyone that it bothered us.  Cheryl’s dad, having 6 daughters, was very supportive of girls being able to hunt.  His support made a huge difference in the tender sensibilities of a teenage girl.  By the end of the course, only 2 students rated a 100% on the test; myself and Cheryl.  Instead of the boys being happy for us, they made sure we knew that hunting was a male sport.

To this day I feel the pressure to prove  myself capable, to prove my abilities, to compete with ghosts of my past.  I know I am up to the challenge!


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Categories : Family, Hunting, Life, Nostalgia

Safari Anticosti

11 02 2012

Diane's velvet 8 point

Anticosti Island has long been a big draw for whitetail hunters.  With only a little over 3000 square miles and more than 160,000 deer freely roaming the island, this island is a hunter’s mecca.

Dale and I had the opportunity to travel there the fall of 2011.  You are limited to only 70 pounds of clothing and gear, which makes packing a bit difficult.  We arrived on the island in a downpour of rain, making us wish our rain gear was on our backs and not in our bags.  We were met by a school bus, and transported to the lodge that would be our home for the next week.  There were 5 other hunter’s besides us, 4 longtime friends and longtime hunters on this island, and a Canadian who was paired with Dale and me.  Martin was extremely easy to get along with and we had a great time together.  Christian was assigned as our guide, which was also a good fit!

The first morning I got to hunt alongside Christian, while Dale and Martin hunted on their own.  We must have seen 50-75 deer that morning.  Putting a stalk on several nice bucks, but with 100-150 eyes on you, it is not as easy as you would think.  That evening I was on my own.  At home I mainly hunt stands, so the spot and stalk was not what I was comfortable with.  I found a stand of pine trees that were on a shelf about 75 yards above a river.  I waited for 2 doe to come out to feed, and waited, and waited.  I could have shot either of these doe many times during that hunt, but I wanted their boyfriend.  Right before dusk, he came out.  I let him settle in feeding with the does, which put him about 80 yards from me.  Finally he gave me the shot position I was waiting for, and I squeezed the trigger.  I watched as he crossed the river, and then lost sight of him in the tall grass.

Since my guide and Dale would not be back for another hour, and the light was fading fast, I decided to go looking for him.  Finding the blood trail was easy, until I got to the river.  I marked the last location with orange marking tape and crossed the shallow water.  I looked up and down for 10-15 yards before I finally found the blood on some tall weeds.  I had to cross the river a second time, before I found him buried in the river muck.  He must have died in mid leap and buried himself up to his chest.  I couldn’t even see any of the antlers.  I dug enough to get his head out, and was thrilled to see my nice big 8 point in the velvet.  Other than digging him out, I could not move him at all.  After marking his spot with orange tape and with my GPS, I headed back up to wait for Christian.  After a lot of dragging up the face of the shelf we finally got the buck to the quad.  When we got back to camp, several other deer had been shot, but mine dwarfed them!

The next couple of days were in the 80’s.  The deer were not moving and the hunters were moving slowly.  We were all hunting hard, but it just wasn’t happening.  It took the rest of the week for our tags to all be filled.  I took a doe the last day, a perfect broadside shot at 20 yards.  She fell right where she had stood.  That last day our group took a buck, a doe, a salmon and a whale bone.  Dale had been hunting the ocean side and found the remains of a whale.  That had to be the coolest find all week.

Our group of 7 filled all 14 of our tags, and had a lot of fun doing it.  I look forward to returning to the island to hunt with our new friends again.

Anticosti Island - Landsat satellite photo (ci...

Image via Wikipedia


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Categories : Fishing, Hunting, Outfitter Trip, Travel, White-tail Deer