Boating Safety Begins At Home

© By Othmar Vohringer

As the spring hunting season nears its end my attention is turned to a summer of fishing fun. The preparations for the fishing season go much further than just putting new line on the reels, checking all the lures, rods and doing maintenance work on the reels. Getting ready for the fishing season also means that I pay special attention to the boat and trailer, which have been parked all winter behind the house under a tarp.

A few years ago I saw a horrific accident on the highway involving a utility trailer that had become disconnected from the towing vehicle and had turned into an uncontrolled projectile shooting at considerable speed across a two-lane highway. In it’s course the trailer hit a car that in turn veered off and hit another car. Two people died in that accident and one person was seriously injured.

The main problem with pulling a trailer is user complacency. There is much more to ensure that your boat trailer is safe than just checking if it hooks up properly to the towing vehicle. When was the last time you checked the tires? Electrical connections? The straps that tie the boat to the trailer? The trailer brakes and other essentials that should be checked every time you hook the boat trailer up?

Of course the same attention to detail needs to be paid to the boat. Check the boat for leaks and loose rivets, bolt and screws. If your boat is furnished with pedestal seats check the mounting plates and the seats themselves to make sure it is all in safe working condition. The engine is the heart of the boat. If you didn't change the oil at the end of last season, do so now. After running your boat all summer, it's likely that water, acids and other by-products have built up. It's important to change the oil to prevent corrosion and excessive wear, which can lead to loss of power, poor fuel economy or engine failure. At the same time you change the oil, be sure to change the oil filter too. Finally, replace the batteries if necessary and have them fully charged and then perform a test run on the engine and trolling motor before taking the boat on the water.

Once you have the boat on the lake and the motor quits on you or wont start it is usually to late to wonder why. I still remember a particular fishing trip with a friend. We had been about a half hour on the lake when I noticed a puddle of water around my feet. “Where the heck is this water coming from?” I wondered aloud. We soon found the culprit. It was a small leak at the boat floor. The hole used to be home to a rivet that must have popped sometime during the winter storage. Had my friend have taken the necessary care and diligence to check the boat from bow to stern we would have been fishing instead of cussing and hurrying back to shore.

Do yourself and other road users a favour and check your trailer and boat before you head out to your favourite fishing spot. With due diligence and proper maintenance of boat and trailer you can save yourself and others a lot of problems, even lives. I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable fishing season.


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Tags: Boating Safety, Fishing, Boat Maintenance

Minnesota Court Rules – Scent-Lok Guilty of False Advertising

© By Othmar Vohringer

Some of my regular readers may remember a post I made on September 26, 2007, “Disgruntled Hunters Take Scent-Lok On”. If you can’t remember I don’t blame you because I couldn’t either until yesterday when I read two newspaper articles about the case.

It’s been 4 years since five Minnesota hunters brought a lawsuit against ALS Enterprises, the manufacturer of Scent-Lok products, and some of its retail partners. The plaintiffs claimed that Scent-Lok and its affiliates duped hunters out of millions of dollars with false advertising about the effectiveness of their product.

Last week, in the United States District Court in Minnesota, Judge Richard Kyle ruled that ALS had falsely claimed that its products were based on "odor eliminating technology" or were "odor eliminating clothing." The word "eliminate" was key in the judge's decision. Read the full article here.

The manufacturers of the Scent-Lok products respectfully disagree with the court's ruling that "odor eliminate" can only mean 100% elimination. There are many products on the market advertised as "eliminating" some condition and people understand that they do not eliminate the condition 100%. A search of the term “eliminate odor” produced over 1.9 million references to the term. A search of “odor eliminator” produced 281,000 results.

Of note, the court’s ruling does not relate to the efficacy of Scent-Lok products to perform in the field. Scent-Lok products work, and work well. Laboratory tests, including tests conducted in the lawsuit show that Scent-Lok carbon-containing clothing dramatically outperforms no-carbon clothing at adsorbing odors. You can read the full response here.

It is my personal opinion that companies should be held to certain standard in their advertising. However, on the other hand it just makes me laugh how many people seem to abandon all commonsense and actually believe what the advertising promises. I fear that this case will serve as an example for many others to follow. Who will be next? A broadhead manufacturer claiming that his arrowheads are deadlier on deer then those of the competition? Will it be a camouflage company claiming that their camo pattern will make a hunter invisible to deer? The possibilities for money grabbing lawyers and disgruntled hunters blaming their lack of hunting success on others rather than on themselves are endless.


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Tags: Scent-Lok, Advertising, Court Ruling, Minnesota, Hunting Products

Toddler Catches 20 Lb. Musky

© By Othmar Vohringer

This is not your average trophy fishing story but one that the family of 2-year old Ella Windschitl no doubt will talk about for many years to come.

Ella caught the big one, a 20 lb, 30” brute of a Musky to be exact, and she did so with her Barbie Doll toy fishing rod. Kelly Haag says she was fishing with her granddaughter, Ella Windschitl, off the family's pontoon boat tied to the dock in three feet of water on Round Lake near Randall, MN. Ella was using her Barbie fishing rod and hooked a small sunfish on the line.

That's when a muskie came out from under the dock and attacked the sunfish. Haag grabbed the line as the fish headed for deeper water. After a five minute fight, Haag was able to reel the fish back to the boat where Ella's grandpa, Dave, was waiting with a net.

Talk about a news worthy story, read the full story and view the pictures here.

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What’s the Rush? Slow Down!

© By Othmar Vohringer

Everyday life is hectic, the day only has so many hours and there is so much to do. Our minds are constantly racing. It starts in the morning, there is no time to sit down and drink coffee. Our mind is already fighting the morning rush hour traffic so we take the coffee and drink it on the way to work. And so the race goes on and all day long we try to catch up.

That mentality carries over to hunting and fishing too. It seems we never have enough time to hunt or fish. We’re always in a rush and look for quick solutions that lead to success. I first realized that years ago when I went to my favourite hunting area. On the way to my stand I was in a rush to get it done and promptly jumped several deer that, had I taken my time, I could have avoided. Arriving at my stand I realized that I had forgotten the arrows back at my truck. What should have been a relaxing day turned sour before it even began, adding to my frustration.

Right there and then I decided that things couldn’t go on like this. I needed to change. Slow down. The next time I got up an hour earlier than usual and forced myself to actually sit down to drink my coffee. Arriving at the hunting site one and a half hours before legal shooting light I got dressed in my camouflage, got the gear together and then walked to the edge of the woodlot. There I sat down at the base of a tree and did nothing but simply sit still and just listen into the darkness.

It didn’t take long to completely relax and then something happened that I never had experienced before. Nature took a hold of me and for the first time I could hear the faintest sounds of insects buzzing around in the dark, leaves falling to the ground and animal sounds from far away. I also could smell the fresh dirt under my feet and my eyes could see things they hadn’t before; pre dawn didn’t seem so dark after all.

Time didn’t matter anymore and I actually began to enjoy my little rest under the tree at the woodland edge. That half hour of relaxing did more for me than eight hours of sleep. I got up feeling totally refreshed and relaxed in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time. It was the first time that I didn’t need a flashlight to find the way to my treestand at the far end of the woodlot.

Walking through the woods I became very aware of everything that went on around me. A couple of times I felt like an inner voice was trying to tell me to stop and sure enough, at one such instance a doe walked across an opening in dim light of the awaking day. A little bit later and further ahead on the trail a raccoon scurried across the forest path. Never before did I feel so in tune with nature and aware of my surrounding.

From that day on I made it a habit to rest at least a half hour after I left the truck; either I would lean against a tree or simply sit on the ground before I wlaked to my stand location. Over the years this relaxed attitude has carried over to my personal life too. No longer do I get upset in traffic and I always get up early enough in the morning to have time to sit down to drink the coffee. At work I don’t lose my temper each time something goes wrong or somebody is being an idiot.

Because of this I have become a more mellow person and this in turn has improved my overall happiness too. I have learned to enjoy the little things in life that I would never have seen before. Not so very long ago I read an interesting study where it was said that stressed people get into more accidents than relaxed and calm people. The reason, so the study indicated, is that stress and anger leads to tunnel vision. A person under stress or frustration can become oblivious to their surrounding as the mind closes to everything but the cause of the stress and frustration. A relaxed hunter will have a much more enjoyable experience in the outdoors and ultimately will become more successful too.

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Texas Judge rules on defecating in the woods

© By Othmar Vohringer

I read the following news in the Southeast Texas Record and thought I would share it with you. It exemplifies the idiocy of some people that seems to be so common these days.

Overwhelmed by what he saw as the idiocy of a recent complaint to the Texas Commision on Environmental Quality, Limestone County Judge Daniel Burkeen felt compelled to author an appropriate response after being asked to investigate whether a hunting lodge owner was allowing patrons to defecate in the woods.

"We have had some delay in our investigation of the incidents alleged in the complaint which you kindly forwarded to us," Judge Burkeen wrote in his investigation report to TCEQ. "The problem is, we have recently had a rash of reports of cows, horses, sheep and goats defecating at will in pastures throughout the county."

Read the rest of the article here!

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NRA Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina

© By Othmar Vohringer

The last time the National Rifle Association came to Charlotte, then-NRA president Charlton Heston thrust a musket in the air and shouted what would become a signature slogan: "From my cold, dead hands!"

An estimated 70,000 are expected to attend the three-day Annual Meetings held this coming weekend at the Charlotte Convention Center, making it the largest NRA event on record. Speakers include former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, broadcaster Glenn Beck and actor Chuck Norris. In addition some 400 firearms manufacturers, collectors and other vendors will occupy 300,000 square feet of exhibit space. "It's bigger than anything we've had," said Moira Quinn of Charlotte Center City Partners.

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Tags: NRA, Charlotte, NRA Convention , Charlton Heston, Sarah Palin

Oregon looking at making blaze orange mandatory

© By Othmar Vohringer

I came across a news release from the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission explaining that they plan to make blaze orange a mandatory requirement. The commission claims that its aim is to make hunting safer and prevent accidental shooting of hunters.

Oregon hunters see black and white about blaze orange. “There is a lot of passion associated with (the hunter orange issue),’’ said Richard Hargrave, information and education division deputy administrator for the ODFW. Most hunters are either for wearing blaze orange while others are dead against it. The anti blaze orange group poits out that:

• Hunting is already a safe sport and I can’t argue with that. Numerous studies and recreational accident statistics show time and again that it is more likely to get hurt or killed jogging or bike riding. Heck, according to statistics hunting is safer than playing baseball.
• The Oregon Hunter Association says that the vast majority of hunters in that state don’t want to be told what to wear and I can clearly see where they are coming from, especially if this blaze orange law is just cosmetics to please some special interest groups.

While I personally can see the benefit of blaze orange and have worn it many times where not mandatory, I would object of making wearing hunter orange mandatory for all hunters. Simply put. I don’t believe it is the government’s job to make ever more regulations in an effort to safeguard us from some perceived problem. There always will be unfortunate accidents that could have been prevented, no matter how many laws and regulations there are. Trying to safeguard everybody will lead inevitably to a nanny state and we sure don’t want this.

How do you feel about wearing mandatory hunter orange? Do you think that this is a good idea or should be voluntary?


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Best Month Ever – Thank you

© By Othmar Vohringer

April has been the best month ever since the launch of “Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer” in January of 2006, and I want to say thank you for your incredible support. Traffic wise April has been the best month in the off-season traffic, exceeding 10,000 visitors. May has just started and the stats show over 4,000 visitors. If that keeps up this month may yet turn out to be another record, better than April.

I can’t wait to see what the statistics show when the season starts. Lot’s of new stuff will be happening and you will be reading all about it right here at “Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer”. Talking about “happening”. What are you all up to? Chasing gobblers? Stalking black bears? Going fishing or cranking up the old barbecue and grill deer meat? Tell me!

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Meat eaters to blame on oil rig disaster – According to PETA

© By Othmar Vohringer

Just when you think that PETA possibly couldn’t get any crazier they proof you wrong.

PETA is blaming the oil disaster on meat eaters. According to an article in The Daily Caller, one week after the oil from the exploded Deepwater rig began to contaminate coastal areas, PETA people flew a message over the heads of despondent Alabamians that read, “Meat on your grill=Oil Spill. PETA”.

If you wonder, as I did, why meat eaters are to blame on the disaster leave it to PETA to come up with an explanation. “Oil spills can be blamed in large part on the oil-guzzling meat industry, which owes its existence to the meat-guzzling public.” Explains Karin Bennett, PETA spokes women.

I always knew that those PETA people must be crazy but that story removed any doubt I might have had in the past.

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PETA Buys Advertising Space on Dying Mans Urn

© By Othmar Vohringer

When I read the press release about PETA buying ad space on a urn, issued by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, I thought it was a sick joke. Well it is sick but no joke. PETA is known to stoop to the lowest depth of good taste and common decency.

PETA has given new meaning to the phrase “ashes to ashes and dust to dust,” after the animal rights group purchased advertising on a dying man’s urn.

Aaron Jamison, a comic based in Oregon who suffers from a terminal case of colon cancer, offered to sell advertising space on the urns that will hold his cremated remains in order to avoid having his wife pay the costs associated with the process.

PETA pounced on the idea and offered $200 for the space. One will read: “'I've Kicked the Bucket - Have you? Boycott KFC,” and another, “'People who Buy Purebred Dogs Really Burn Me Up. Always Adopt.”

“If taking advantage of a dying man and publicizing insensitive ads is your thing, I guess PETA’s latest antics are no big deal,” said Doug Jeanneret, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president of marketing. “However, for normal citizens, this animal rights group has stooped to yet another low just to get some publicity.”

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Man found guilty of poaching 707-pound Pennsylvania bear

© By Othmar Vohringer

From a press release.

HARRISBURG, PA. — A Pennsylvania man has been found guilty of using pastries to illegally bait the largest bear killed in the state during the 2009 season.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission says the 39-year-old Wilkes-Barre resident was found guilty Thursday and was ordered to pay $6,800 in fines and restitution, plus court costs.

Game Commission officials say the man admitted using bait to help him attract and kill the 707-pound bear. They say he first raised suspicions when he was spotted a week before the hunting season driving a truck loaded with pastries through a heavily hunted area.

Olsen also stands to lose his hunting and trapping privileges for at least three years.

“What is most unfortunate is that law-abiding bear hunters in the area were robbed of the opportunity to legally harvest truly a trophy bear by fair chase means,” said Northeast Region Law Enforcement Supervisor Dan Figured.

News like this really upsets me. It’s bad enough that poachers steal our game and the media confuses poachers with hunters (I changed “hunter” with “man” in the original press release). But that a poacher kills a state record animal is just heart breaking.

This is one huge bear, probably the largest black bear I’ve ever seen dead or alive. The picture doesn’t do the bear’s size justice. Look at the critters feet, huge like a grizzly.


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Tags: Pennsylvania, Black Bear, Poacher

Hunt Club Subs N Grill Franchise Opens In Jacksonville, Florida

© By Othmar Vohringer

I know the following press release is a bit late but when I came across it on the Internet I found the idea so neat that I thought I had to share it with my readers.

Hunt Club Subs N Grill, a new outdoor themed quick service restaurant franchise, opened its first restaurant on Jacksonville, Florida’s southside on March 1st.

Located at 6426 Bowden Road, the rustic style restaurant, featuring a hunting/fishing cabin décor with a fireplace, wooden floors and video screens with outdoor and sports programming, offers a selection of hamburgers, sub sandwiches, hot dogs and beer, in addition to a breakfast menu.

The franchise concept is the first store for the husband and wife ownership team of Bo and Violet Lawrence. Bo Lawrence has over 15 years experience in developing and owning several nationally known fast casual food franchise operations in Northeast Florida. Violet Lawrence has a background in advertising/marketing for national companies in Chicago and Atlanta.

“Hunting, fishing and sitting around the hunt camp has been a part of my whole life,” Lawrence explained. “So I wanted to create a local place where the whole family can come and enjoy great food and share their outdoor experiences with friends and neighbors.” The tables throughout the restaurant display photos of hunting trips, trophies and catches from friends and families in the Jacksonville area.

The signature menu items include a section called “Wallhangers,” an oversized serving of hamburgers, subs and hotdogs. And the signature side is Redneck Fries named for its special Redneck pepper. All hamburgers are made from fresh 100% Certified Angus beef instead of frozen beef patties.

“I believe we have a great concept for building a new business, particularly in today’s tough economy,” Lawrence said. Two more franchises in Northeast Florida are currently in the works. “Our goal is to have 25 – 30 stores throughout the Northeast Florida region,” Lawrence said.

In addition to developing the concept into a profitable business, Lawrence plans on using the franchises to help support local and national outdoor conservation groups.

The Hunt Club will have a grand opening celebration on March 13th with specials and prizes for customers. Captain Kevin Favor, Jeff Lageman and Captain Kirk Waltz of The Outdoor Show from Radio 1010XL will broadcast live at the restaurant from 7 – 10 AM. A 2-night/3 day turkey hunt trip with Captain Favor (filmed for a TV show) will be given away as the grand prize.

The restaurant is open 7 AM – 9 PM Monday through Friday and 8 AM – 9 PM on Saturdays. For more information, contact info@huntclubsubsngrill.com.

There is a website for Hunt Club Subs N Grill that is still not fully set up but nonetheless worth to have a look at.

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Tags: Hunt Club Subs N Grill, Restaurant Franchise, Jacksonville, Florida