Tag: deer

Shed Hunting with my oldest

Hokey Poké

July 14, 2016 / / 0 Comments

I am sure by now most of you have heard about this new app/game taking the nation by storm, Pokémon Go.  It seems to be everywhere.  I have heard of companies calling in employees to human resources for playing a game while at work, people walking into dangerous situations without paying attention.   Driving home Tuesday night, two boys walked into the road next to me without even looking up at traffic.  I am sure my wife is cringing as she reads this, worried that I will sound like a member of the cast of “Grumpy Old Men.”  She warned me I was going to sound old if I approached this topic, however I keep getting asked about this app.

I have to be honest. I did not know the purpose of the game, but some people seemed to be fanatical about it.  After looking into it, I was told that the game was made to get people off the couch and move. While I am sure that is not the only reason, it was the reason people kept landing on.  Years ago prior to my wife and I tying the knot, she and some of her family were doing challenges on Nike+.  I found myself joining the Nike+ movement.  I can admit that I am ever so slightly competitive on occasion.  Yes, I have gone for a run just before midnight to win a challenge.

After my pregnant wife’s insurance offered her a Fitbit to track her movement in hopes of bringing down her BMI, she started using it. Yes, you read that correct.  Due to being pregnant, which the insurance company’s program could not account for, they wanted her to lose weight. Ironically she did just that months later when our son was born, no Fitbit needed.  The neat part of the Fitbit was that it was cumulative on steps/miles. Soon I was changing over to be able to join the challenges. There were whole online communities that revolved around finding the group that you most associate with.

Now there are numerous companies that have such products, such as Garmin and Under Armor. Each of these products has their own version of apps that track and encourage society to get up and move.  So as someone that has used such devices as a fun and entertaining way to get myself up and going, I understand and appreciate what the Pokémon Go app is doing for people. Just remember to be safe and use some sense while following the game.  After all, tracking and hunting for Pokémon can lead to drastic life changes for some.  As my cousin Ryan told a group of Pokémon enthusiasts (maybe they are called Pokés), if you like Pokémon Go, you would love hunting… or looking for sheds.

Shed Hunting with my oldest

Shed Hunting with my oldest

The Big Why

July 8, 2016 / / 0 Comments

It always amazes me how life unfolds.  Over the past several months I have caught up with or run into many friends and business associates that I had otherwise lost touch with. The same daily lives that dominate your time causing you to lose touch with people can bring them right back smack dab in your life. It got me thinking of the times that we have all shared and the way our lives have played out.  It got me thinking of what we had learned together. One such event happened sitting in a seminar on business several years ago, we were challenged with coming up with our big why.  The reason that you do what you do. Our “Big Why” should be the driving force behind our business and personal life.

At that time, I thought I had it figured out.  The top priority was spending time outdoors with friends and family. Shocking I know. The other was helping with various organizations and service groups. As with most of us, obligations and running my business interfered often.  I always justified it to myself as necessary for the business to be able to focus on the “Big Why” later in my life. I spent time with friends and family enjoying the outdoors as I could, but did miss quite a few as well.  No matter what you do, life throws you a curve ball from time to time.

Merely months after my wife and I said “I do,” she said “We are.”  We had talked about having kids down the road; little did we know that road was only about a block or so. The emotions ranged from joy to panic to anxiety and back to joy.  Soon the time came to have our first son. Honestly, that was the most helpless I recall feeling.  Spending time outdoors, your success and failure many times depends on you.  Putting in the effort and work to get back into the back country, stalking the animal, packing it out; all pit your perseverance and stamina against Mother Nature.  This was different. I was just moral support.  Not really even the camp cook, I was more like the person that tags along that has never left pavement and ends up just sitting in camp needing people to take care of them. Don’t get me wrong, I tried to help and was very supportive.  I didn’t even hit the wrong buttons on the bed, unlike my sister in law! However, no amount of effort I made to push helped bring that child out.  No amount of energy I willed to my wife made her any more comfortable. My world was changing and all I could do was sit there and being supportive.

Now my outdoor adventures have grown to include 2 boys that couldn’t be more content than they are when they are outdoors. The great outdoors always have provided me with an opportunity to recharge my soul and my passion for the outdoors had been what I thought of as my “Big Why.” I was wrong.  It was only my why. Spending time with my boys in the outdoors changed my ever evolving idea of what the outdoors meant to me.  I cherish every memory I have of the adventures I had growing up. I enjoyed it all whether it was fishing, horseback, camping, exploring, or my favorite; hunting with Papa and Dad. I now know why they spent that time with me.  To them it was more than teaching me the respect, conservation and heritage; it was the bond.  The bond that made the outdoors common ground those years that wwdblog2e couldn’t really agree on much. I now see the wonder and excitement in the eyes of my sons.  I have the opportunity to teach them the respect for nature and the heritage of those who have come before us. I find myself planning our next adventure, large or small.  I find myself safeguarding those times as much as possible. That is not to say that life doesn’t still throw curveballs, just that I find myself focused on making things work.  The things that I used to just pass by to make it to the top of the mountain, I now look at through new eyes.  Places I used to 4-wheel to get to, I find myself packing into.  I always took in the vast beauty and ruggedness of my surroundings, but the goal was mainly the destination. For the first time in my life, my wife and boys have brought my “Big Why” into focus.  As cliché as it sounds, the journey has far exceeded the destination. Focusing on sharing time with my family and having the opportunity to transfer the love and respect for nature with another generation of outdoorsmen. My “Big Why” is passing along the heritage and outdoor lifestyle.

The Journey Begins

June 17, 2016 / / 1 Comment

Growing up in northeastern Nevada helped fuel my passion for the outdoors. Most of my favorite memories growing up involved excursions into the great outdoors.  Whether it was loading up to go hunting with my Dad and Grandpa, fishing, gathering pine nuts, swimming in lakes, or just exploring the outdoors; I loved it.  Not only have those memories stuck with me, they have molded me and the lifestyle that I live.

About 9 years ago I changed careers to join an industry that mirrored my passion.  Through this change I have had the opportunity to meet some truly amazing people that share similar passion for the outdoors.  This career change is what lead me to meet my wife, which in turn placed me in the delivery room to welcome a bouncing baby boy…twice.  The trade off to this career switch was going from creating my own schedule to working rotating shifts. Don’t get me wrong, I would not change it for the world. Not only did the career bring me into and industry that I truly enjoy, it brought me the amazing gift of my family.  It also seemed to bring with me an eating lunch or dinner on the run lifestyle. I got away from the routine I had and working out. I was making gains in my life, and many of them were on the scale.

As an outdoorsman, my mind is always wondering about what is over the next ridge. I would find myself pushing further and further on my hunts, only to realize that my mind was writing checks that my body was struggling to cash. I started to think of the dream hunts, dream trips, and goals I had for myself.  I thought about my son. How would I teach him about the back country if I couldn’t get there?  I was done. I started hiking more.  I came up with reasons to push myself beyond what I knew I could do.  I learned from some amazing back country athletes. Yes, they are athletes.  They push themselves hard in every element Mother Nature throws at them, while taming rugged terrain.  These friends offered support and encouragement.

As it seems to happen, it started to pick up steam.  I had become friends with the founder of Wilderness Athlete. Mark started checking in on me and what I was doing. I had been using some of their products and was very happy with the results. I started the 28 day challenge before telling Coach Paulsen that I was doing it.  My weight started coming off and my energy level started to increase dramatically.  It was noticeable.  I was doing more with my family, which now include 2 little boys.

Soon it was very obvious that my lifestyle change was yielding results.  I had lost nearly 50 pounds and was spending a lot more time in the outdoors, which had a profound impact on my outlook and demeanor. In today’s society it seems that people are suspect of change. This apparently was also the case with my lifestyle switch and healthier living.  I was approached by an acquaintance who asked me if I was having a midlife crisis.  I laughed at first, as they went on to ask if I was slimming down to become more marketable.  It took a few moments for the intent of the conversation to sink in.  This person thought I was looking for someone new! I was in shock.  My reply was fairly curt.  I was doing this for my family.  I wanted to be able to share more time and energy with my beautiful wife and amazing boys.  That was it.  The reason I changed my lifestyle was to get more out of the outdoors.  I wanted to share these adventures with my wife, sons, family and friends. While I have not hit the elite physical Adonis type of stature, I really have not had a desire to.  My goal is the adventures with my family. It is about passing along the love and knowledge that I have about the outdoors.   It is about creating memories for my family.  It is about the adventure. It is about the WildernessDadlete lifestyle.

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