Archive for Around the Campfire
1/1/11 – State of the Club
Posted by: | CommentsThe October – December quarter of 2010 was a good one for FCS. Our attendance was 111 people, which tied our fifth best for Read More→
3rd Qtr 2010 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsWe had a major improvement for the July through September quarter of 2010. Our attendance was Read More→
Tempted by Randy Rowley 12/13/10 ©
Posted by: | CommentsNothing was moving on the property near Round Rock, where two friends, two relatives, and I were hunting on the last Saturday morning in November. As the property was small, we were all hunting with shotguns. I was hunting from a ladder stand along a fence by the neighbor’s property. I only had about a 20-yard shot to my left and another 20-yard shot to my right because the trees were thick. I put corn at both spots.
I was getting sleepier by the second when suddenly, my stupor was broken by Ron Denison telling me a buck was heading my way on my two-way radio. Ron and his son, Jake, were hunting southeast from me, so I knew the buck would come from my right. I didn’t have to wait long. Read More→
Judgment Call by Randy Rowley 10/22/10 ©
Posted by: | CommentsIt was a slow morning. The gray skies made the daylight late, and everything decided to sleep in. Even the squirrels didn’t start chasing each other until a good hour after first light. I was beginning to think the deer had decided to take the day off when I suddenly saw movement to my right by the creek bed.
I wasn’t surprised to see a buck, but I was surprised by his antlers’ size. The usual bucks seen at this property includes spikes, four-pointers, and small sixes and eights, but this buck dwarfed them. He had much taller antlers, with considerably more mass than any buck’s antlers I’d seen on the property. Read More→
Choices by Randy Rowley 7/8/10 ©
Posted by: | CommentsBass fishermen have many choices on how we can try to fool bass with artificial lures. We can choose topwaters that make a lot of commotion, such as poppers, buzz and torpedo baits, and dog walkers, to imitate baitfish such as shad and minnows feeding on the surface. Or we can choose soft plastic frogs or toads that mimic the real things.
Or we can opt for shallow-running spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and swimbaits that mimic crawfish, perch, and shad. Or we can decide on crankbaits or jerkbaits that look like minnows and rattle and wobble from side to side at various depths. Or we can choose jigs or soft plastic lures, such as worms, crawfish, lizards, flukes, creature baits, grubs, and tube baits, for slow finesse presentations along a lake’s, river’s, or pond’s bottom. Read More→
Overcoming by Randy Rowley 8/20/10
Posted by: | CommentsDiscouragement. It’s not a frequently used word, probably because the mere mention of it brings to mind thoughts of failure, depression, and hopelessness. It dogs most of us throughout our lives. Even during times of success and prosperity it lurks in the darkness like a thief ready to strike us through our spiritual armor and rob us of our joy. It can lead to isolation from friends and family, physical and mental illnesses, dependence on drugs, and even death. We are taught from early on to “shake it off”, “suck it up”, and “boys don’t cry.” Unfortunately, the bury your head in the sand approach at best only delays the enemy’s attack, and at worst strengthens it. Read More→
Christian Conservationism vs. Secular Environmentalism by Dr. John Murray 8/20/10
Posted by: | CommentsWhat should be the attitude of the Christian sportsman toward efforts intended to maintain, protect, or preserve the outdoor environment? In many areas a strained relationship or sense of antagonism appears to have developed between traditional hunters and the modern “environmentalist” movement. This is somewhat in contrast to past years when hunters (i.e., Teddy Roosevelt) were often at the forefront of conservation efforts. Today many Christians, though wishing to preserve our natural resources and the beauty of the few remaining wilderness areas, still feel ill at ease with some aspects of the modern environmentalist movement, especially the more radical fringes. I believe that the source of this conflict can be found in the clash between basic Christian teachings and the secular philosophies which are espoused by many modern environmentalists. Read More→
The Bible is the Inspired Word of God by Ken Hamilton 8/20/10
Posted by: | CommentsThe Bible says “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16). The Greek word used here is theopneustos, and literally means, “God breathed.” Simply put, the Bible came straight from the mouth of God.
The following are ten Supernatural considerations that offer proof the Bible, is in fact, the Word of God: Read More→
How to Get to Heaven After This Life by Ken Hamilton 8/20/10
Posted by: | CommentsNo one gets out of this world alive, so the question is where do we go when we die?
Most people, when asked this question, will tell you they are Christians and will go to heaven and enjoy eternal life with God, or at worst case, hope they will go to heaven, regardless of their church affiliation, if any. However, according to the Bible in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul said “Test yourself to see if you are in the faith, examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you —unless indeed you fail the test?” To fail the test means we do not have Jesus Christ in us and therefore we will not go to heaven. Read More→
Grace of God by Ken Hamilton 8/20/10
Posted by: | CommentsAccording to James Strong, in his Strong’s Concordance, grace comes from the Hebrew word “chen” (pronounced khane), and Charles Ryrie, in his Ryrie Study Bible, goes on to say it comes from a root word meaning “to bend or stoop”. Donald Barnhouse, Presbyterian Pastor and author of “Exposition of Bible Doctrine” and other books, said “Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.” Lewis Sperry Chafer, founder of Dallas Theological Seminary, said “Grace means pure unrecompensed kindness and favor.” Read More→
What’s The Point? by Mark Dillow 8/20/10 ©
Posted by: | Comments“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after” – Henry David Thoreau
A duck hunter rises well before dawn in the dead of winter. He dons layers of clothing to protect him from bitter winds and cold, then sits in freezing temperatures and watches the brilliant hues in the clouds unique to winter sunrise as ducks pitch into his decoys. Why? Read More→
Snakeproof by Mark Dillow 8/18/10 ©
Posted by: | CommentsA slow buzz filled the air as my sandal-clad foot stepped into the grass at the edge of the field. The buzz increased in speed dramatically with the second step, and the perfectly camouflaged head of a three-foot Western Diamondback rattlesnake lifted from its coils, causing an involuntary shudder to race through my nervous system.
As a lifelong outdoorsman, I have experienced several encounters with snakes. Usually the incidents ended with each of us traveling in opposite directions; neither of us much worse for wear. However I have never encountered a Western Diamondback fully coiled and rattling furiously in my travels until this day. And this day I was in shorts and sandals, poorly prepared for such a meeting. Read More→
Hunting Licenses – are you HIP? by Mark Dillow, 2008 ©
Posted by: | CommentsSeptember in Texas marks the opening of dove season, and the beginning of the new hunting year. Traditionally, the week before September is the week that most hunters purchase their new hunting licenses in my home state.
In years past, this was a pretty straight forward process. Not a lot of thought had to go into your purchase of a license. However in 2002, the US Fish and Wildlife Service instituted the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program also known as “HIP.” This program assists USFWS and state wildlife personnel in gathering information that helps biologists manage North America’s incredible migratory game bird populations. Read More→
Garage Sale by Mark Dillow 2010 ©
Posted by: | CommentsHenry David Thoreau was an American philosopher who in the 1840’s, left civilization behind and endeavored to live a simple life, trying to only have what was necessary to live. His experiment was documented in his work “Walden’s Pond.” For example Thoreau only had two changes of clothing…one he was wearing; the other was to be washed that day.
On the other end of the spectrum is my friend Randy. Going hunting with Randy is like going on safari. Randy epitomizes the Boy Scout creed of “be prepared.” Usually Randy has at least two of everything you could possibly need on an outdoor adventure. I think part of Randy’s obsession with preparedness has to do with the lack of preparedness on the part of others who accompany him on these trips. Sometimes the oversight of a small item like an extra pair of shoelaces or some camp cookware is fairly minor, but other times the forgotten item puts the whole outing in jeopardy. Read More→
Blind Faith by Mark Dillow 2009 ©
Posted by: | Comments
Moonlight was the only illumination needed. Shadows danced across the Texas brush country like phantoms from an old silent picture, for tonight there was no sound.
My eyes strained to make out the form of a wild hog in the darkness. With the flick of a red spotlight, the “hog” became a pile of rocks, or clump of cactus. My eyes and mind teased each other with visions each wanted to see.
Against the wall of my blind was my rifle, yet unbloodied. My hand involuntarily reached out to touch the smooth walnut stock. That old feeling of security and competence warmed me in the cool February night air. Read More→
2nd Qtr 2010 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsWe had an improvement for the April through June quarter of 2010. Our attendance was 89 people, which was our 4th best Read More→
1st Qtr 2010 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsWe had a setback for the January through March quarter of 2010 (our second setback in a row). Our attendance was Read More→
1/1/10 – State of the Club
Posted by: | CommentsWe had a setback for the October – December quarter of 2009. Our attendance was 105 people, which was our Read More→
3rd Qtr 2009 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsAlthough it appears that we had a big setback for the July – September quarter of 2009, in reality we did not. Our attendance was Read More→
2nd Qtr 2009 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsWe had a setback for the April – June quarter of 2009. Our attendance was 80 people, which tied Read More→
1st Qtr 2009 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsThe January – March quarter of 2009 was the greatest one yet for that quarter. We had our best attendance yet for Read More→
1/1/09 – State of the Club
Posted by: | CommentsThe October – December quarter of 2008 kicked off our 21st year with style. We had our second best Read More→
3rd Qtr 2008 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsWhat a quarter! The July – September quarter of 2008 continued our 20th year with style! We had not only our best Read More→
2nd Qtr 2008 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsThe April – June quarter of 2008 continued our 20th year with style! We had our best Read More→
1st Qr 2008 – Club Results
Posted by: | CommentsThe January – March quarter of 2008 continued our 20th year with Read More→
1/1/08 – State of the Club
Posted by: | CommentsThe October – December quarter of 2007 kicked off our 20th year with Read More→
FCS members and future members,
By now many of you have read or at least heard about the article regarding deceased FCS officer, Derrich Pollock, that was on the front page of the Austin American-Statesman, titled, “A generosity of spirit gives way to a legacy of deceit” by Claire Osborn (the on-line version is titled, “Great Hills Baptist Church member who died in plane crash accused of scamming people out of several million dollars“).
In the article Ms. Osborn quotes me several times. I chose to answer her in an effort to present a positive side of Derrich as well as an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ. The quotations were accurate. However, she did not include everything that I stated. I have forwarded my entire reply to you (below).
I want to stress four things: Read More→
Duck Hunting Safety by an unknown author, contributed by Randy Rowley
Posted by: | CommentsDuck hunting season is right around the corner and often involves boat safety combined with hunting safety. A large majority of duck hunting accidents occur while on a boat and are easily preventable. Read More→
Treestand Safety by an unknown author, contributed by Randy Rowley
Posted by: | CommentsGetting off the ground can be dangerous, so always practice safety when using climbing treestands. Treat them with respect and they will not only add a new dimension to your hunting but they will also give you a lifetime of hunting memories. Read More→
Don’t go Hunting Alone by John Bobo
Posted by: | CommentsDon’t go hunting alone. We all think we are great hunters and that nothing is ever going to happen to us, but as I age and encounter more and more of life’s experiences, I have reached the conclusion that one should never “go hunting alone.” The following are just a couple of the things that have happened to me while “hunting alone.” Read More→