The inaugural Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience is set for Friday, Feb. 3.

“This event is being organized as a fun field-trip for students from Explore Knowledge Academy and the Innovations International school,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Students will arrive at the Las Vegas Convention Center at 9:00 a.m. and begin a lesson that’s seldom taught in public schools—how hunters have helped so many species go from vanishing to flourishing.”

Following a short lecture on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, students will tour the exposition hall, enjoy the booths and attractions and hear from biologists, hunters, outfitters, conservation groups and agencies about sustainable use of wildlife resources.

“We’ll treat the students to lunch and send them back to school, hopefully with a much better understanding of how true conservation works,” said Allen.

There is no cost for the students or schools.

Funding and support for the workshop are being provided through an endowment from Larry and Brenda Potterfield of MidwayUSA.

“We continue to be amazed at the vision, commitment and generosity of the Potterfields and MidwayUSA. We’re very grateful for their partnership,” said Allen.

The RMEF convention and expo, nicknamed “Elk Camp,” is an annual public-welcome conservation fundraiser hosted in part by International Sportsmen’s Expositions. The Feb. 2-4 event includes the expo hall and hundreds of booths, seminars and other attractions, plus the 2012 RMEF/Leupold World Elk Calling Championships, all at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Full convention registrants can also enjoy banquets, auctions, entertainment and other festivities planned for the Riviera Hotel.

For more information, visit www.rmef.org.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
RMEF is leading a conservation initiative that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6 million acres—an area larger than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined. RMEF also is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. RMEF members, partners and volunteers, working together as Team Elk, are making a difference all across elk country. Join us at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

About International Sportsmen’s Expositions (ISE):
Founded in 1975, ISE produces five consumer sportsman shows across the western United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada (Las Vegas) and Utah. Check dates and show special events atwww.SportsExpos.com.

Bodie, the Black Mouth Cur, sees his shadow on Groundhog's Day 2012. Photo courtesy Tammy Ballew.

 CAMO MOM

Groundhog’s Day is not just for groundhogs. Bodie, our Black Mouth Cur, seemed to be smiling as he saw his shadow this morning. I know that means we are due to have six more weeks of bad weather, but with a day like today, which is gorgeous, that doesn’t even seem like such a bad trade-off.

The groundhog is a “stocky, North American burrowing rodent, Marmota monax, which hibernates in the winter.” I was interested in other names the groundhog is known as, so I Googled it.  Some were familiar to me, but others I had never heard of.  Woodchuck and chuck are common names in my area of the country, while whistle pig and land beaver are very new names to me.  If you have any other groundhog aliases to share, please leave a comment below.

ORIGIN:  1665–75, Americanism ;  presumably a reshaping by folk etymology of a word in a Southern New England Algonquian language; compare

Narragansett  (E spelling) ockqutchaun  woodchuck.*

Groundhog, whistle pig, woodchuck ...

Check out who won here.

Ted and Shemane Nugent are the ‘host and hostess with the most-est," winning Fan Favorite Best Host for Ted Nugent "Spirit of the Wild." Photo by Amy Brown

"Driven" with Pat Reeve and Nicole Jones takes both Best Show Open and Best Big Game honors. Photo by Amy Brown

Willie Robertson of Outdoor Channel's “Duck Commander” goes in for a big hug with host Waddell. Photo by Amy Brown

Jim Shockey's "Hunting Adventures" and Jim Shockey's "The Professionals" were awarded Best Adventure, while Best Videography also went to Jim Shockey's "The Professionals." Photo by Amy Brown

Outdoor industry veteran Jim Zumbo receives a well-deserved standing ovation in receiving the Golden Moose Honorary Lifetime Achievement award. Photo by Amy Brown

The Zac Brown Band played. Photo by Amy Brown

Captain of Team Smith & Wesson Julie Golob signs ball caps at SHOT Show. Photo by Barbara Baird

Tracy received her hat in the mail this week, and she just had to share her photo on Twitter. We think she looks, mahvelous, dahling!

Tracy Hughes likes her new Smith & Wesson ball cap, signed by Julie Golob! Submitted photo

Next week we’ll be giving away another fabulous Smith & Wesson item. Come on back and check it out!

Meska wasn’t the only person to contribute, though. Scarves came from 45 states, Belgium, Canada, South AFrica and the United Kingdom. Rick Callahan, with the Associated Press, wrote about the effort and also featured Meska.

Check out some of the super scarves here. And wasn’t that a heart-warming scarf story?

Recently I went fishing at one of my favorite winter fly-fishing spots, a great public tailwater fishery on the Taylor River called the Catch-and-Release Area right below the Taylor Dam. It is a great place to catch large trout year round because it never freezes. I wrote an article last year about my talent for falling while fishing, but only while other people are there to witness my feats of incredible clumsiness. Yesterday I was true to form and had my most impressive winter fall.

I had hooked and lost two upper 20-inch trout that day and was determined to land the third nice trout I had hooked. I scrambled to catch up as the fish rushed downstream. As I have mentioned in my Big Trout Tips in the past it is very important to stay parallel to a large trout when attempting to land it on light tippet and small flies. I had this trout hooked on a size 20 fly and 5X tippet. As I scrambled to rush downstream to land the trout, I slipped on a shifty mossy rock and went down in epic form. I belly flopped in the river and indescribably cold water drenched my whole upper body. It was a warm day for midwinter at the Catch-and-Release Area, but warm for there was about 25 degrees Fahrenheit. I kept my rod up, floundered to right myself as quickly as possible and managed to land the trout, a nice 22-inch brown.

Though he was smaller than I had originally hoped, and smaller than the other large trout I had hooked that day, the story alone was worth a picture.  I turned away from Eric – who was holding the trout in the net underwater – to take off my gloves and grab my camera, which is most appropriately waterproof.

I turned around to an empty net. My husband had released the fish, thinking my turning away was a sign that I didn’t want a picture. Oh well. The image is indelibly burned in the minds of my husband and the only two other guys who were fishing there that day and happened to be only about 30 yards away as I swan dove into the river. We ran into them as I headed to the truck to change out of my soaking wet jacket and shirt and they asked if I was all right. I joked that I was fine, I was used to falling while fishing – though I generally avoided belly flopping in the river in the middle of winter. I could tell they were highly amused and very pleased that they were able to witness my spectacular display once they found out I wasn’t hurt. I have come to the conclusion that I am willing to risk body and limb in the name of landing a nice trout. They were also impressed that I was willing to keep fishing for the remainder of the day and that I landed the fish.

Luckily, I always pack extra layers for winter fishing.  My Prois gear is great, but unfortunately it is not made for diving. Perhaps I should invest in a dry suit for winter fishing. Fortunately, Eric had a big bag of giveaway clothing – that had not yet been donated – for me to use in his truck. Eric also had an extra pair of gloves after I had soaked through my second pair of the day.

Unfortunately, the author has no photos of herself after the flop. She does, though, offer this one of another successful catch! Photo by Eric Grand

My other great winter fishing talent is dropping gloves in the river.  Eric and I had both dropped my gloves in the river that day. I think I am going to outfit my favorite winter fishing and hunting jackets with mitten string – like little children have. I never did land my monster trout that day, but I am headed back out this weekend.  I did manage to land and get a picture of a cuttbow that I landed directly before my aerial display. I find that it is important to be able to find the humor in our embarrassing situations, and I have had lots of practice at laughing at myself. Tight lines and thanks for reading!

Learn more about Pennsylvania Women in the Outdoors and the upcoming event.

One of the country’s most successful professional crappie fishing teams, Barbara and husband Jim are masters of fishing with spider rigs.

We met on a lake near the Reedy home base of Charleston, Mo., for a morning of crappie fishing using spider rigs.

With two anglers in the boat there is a division of labor that proves successful for over past nearly 20 years of crappie fishing. They have been competing in tournaments for 18 years.

Jim Reedy nets Barbara's fish in a show of partnership that is played over at each tournament. Photo by Don Gasaway

The Reedy team travels about 20,000 miles per year fishing about 20 crappie tournaments. They are popular participants in all of the Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters events. A 2009 winner of Angler Team of the Year, they backed up their success with second places in 2010 and 2011. Their principle sponsors are Bass Pro Shops, Vicious line and BnM Poles.

Barbara worked 23 years as assistant to the controller of Gates Rubber Company. In addition to fishing today, she also has some car washes and mini storage businesses. She also does some substitute teaching.

Jim runs the trolling motor, watches for fish on the locater, catches fish and nets fish. Barbara gets the poles and minnows to the front, nets fish and takes caught fish to the back to put in a live well. She also brings drinks and more minnows if needed. Both are responsible for their own poles.

At the ramp, it is Barbara who backs the boat into the water and then parks the truck and trailer. Jim handles the boat in the water and picks up Barbara at the ramp.

Team Reedy prefers pre-rigged minnow rigs that have a hook at the end and a ½ ounce egg sinker 8 inches above it. Twenty-two inches above the sinker is a three-way swivel. One eye of the swivel is tied to a line going back to the pole. The other has a 9-inch line with a hook on it. Both hooks are baited with a minnow.

The main line is composed of 6-pound Hi Vis line which allows for viewing any sideways movement made by a fish taking one of the minnows. Barbara explains fishermen often miss bites when they miss that sideways movement.

Other than the number of poles, spider fishing is basically jigging with 14-foot poles. That is where the resemblance ends. On the front and back of the Reedy boat are mounted brackets that will hold multiple rods. Fishing from the front is spider rigging and from the back it is referred to as trolling or long line fishing.

We have six rods in a fan pattern out from the bow. Each rig is set at a different depth as we slowly troll forward over submerged boulders and brush piles.

The rods are placed in a spider rig of rod holders available from marine supply catalogs or on line from BnM Pole Company (www.bnmpoles.com). The boat seats are near enough to the rods so as to be easily reached. They are also far enough away that they do not interfere with movement from the seats to a particular rod.

By fishing from a position down wind of a brush pile and then gradually moving into the wind, we ease the lines into the brush without the wind pushing us too and getting lines hung up.

The Reedys fish all sides of the piece of structure as well as the top. Barbara can scan a particular location using a side scanning fish locator. It tells her exactly what is going on down there.

Once the depth of the fish is found, the baits that are at different depths are adjusted to the desired depth to improve chances of catching more fish.

Once a fish is on a hook Barbara is careful to maintain pressure and not to drop the tip of the rod which provides slack. With slack on the line the fish is likely to get away. With larger fish a dip net is used to keep from breaking the line lifting a fish into the boat.

Spider rigging for crappie is a highly effective method of finding a limit of slabs for the dinner table. The Reedy team has also put tournament money in the bank using it.

~Outdoor writer Don Gasaway, from Southern Illinois, contributed this article. Thanks, Don!

And then, I got ‘Ambushed’ 

Actually, Jeff Patterson, of Swanson Russell, asked me if I’d like to look at a Bad Boy Buggies’ Ambush, and take a ride. I like Jeff. He is a great guy to work with, and frankly, I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I said I’d look at it. But then, when I saw it … Did I mention that its name is Ambush?

I wanted not only to take a ride in it, I wanted to drive it!

Eric Bondy, vice president of the consumer value stream for Bad Boy Buggies, said, “This vehicle is easy to handle. Short wheel-based, but the big thing is … whether you’re a woman or a man, it’s the ultimate hunting vehicle. The ability to switch between gas and electric in a moment’s notice makes all the difference.”

Then he said, “You wanna drive it?” Oh boy, did I. Eric rode shotgun.

Getting a quick lesson from Eric Bondy. Photo by Jason Baird

We headed out through the parking lot to the desert, and that’s where I floored it, kicked it up to (get this) 17 miles per hour, took a hill, veered off the path, almost dived into a ditch and killed the engine. I looked over at Eric. James Bond cool and calm. “Why don’t you just start it up and put it back on the course, Barb?” His knuckles weren’t even white.

Getting it up to 17 mph. Photo by Jason Baird

I know you’ll want some of the specs, so from the Bad Boy himself, here ya go:

Hills? No problem. Photo by Jason Baird

DUAL DRIVE TECHNOLOGY: THE POWER TO CHOOSE

A rugged and dependable 16-hp V-Twin gas engine delivers more range and supplies the muscle to the rear axle while a stealthy-quiet 48-volt DC electric drivetrain powers the front. Switch from one to the other, or engage both at the push of a button for true 4×4 capability.

MAKE SHORT WORK OF THE LONG HAUL.

Bucket seating for two and independent front suspension cushions the ride

9.6-cubic-foot roto-molded cargo bed carries all your gear, stands or your kill

Manually locking rear differential offers additional torque and traction in extreme conditions

Blackout switch turns off vehicle lighting for better concealment… ideal when it’s time to slip into “stealth mode”

12-volt outlet can be used to power small electronics and equipment

25-inch all-terrain tires keep a firm grip on the action

Hydraulic front and rear brakes and regenerative braking to recharge electric batteries on the fly

1,000-lb towing capacity

No leaning required. Not like an ATV at all. Photo by Jason Baird

I like how it rolls in real quiet. Imagine being able to sneak down a logging road, or through a valley. And for those of you who think, “Hey, I’ll just walk!” All right, go ahead and walk, and maybe you’ll be in with all the others on public lands, or maybe you’ll fall into a rabbit hole, or maybe you’ll slip down a stream bank and twist your ankle. I like this idea because you can get in, get close and still have a vehicle that will take you and your child and your two does back to camp afterwards. Or, actually, I’m thinking my three girlfriends and our four 22-pound toms.

You know, I think if I played golf, I’d just use this on the golf course, too. Why not?

So, after that hair raising ride, we coasted back to the staging area and I asked, “So, what’s the writer’s discount on this thing?” And with a straight face, Eric replied, “Well the MSRP is $13999, but for you, it’s $14500.” No problem. Guess I’ll just have to write four more articles.

Alive and well. We sneak back. Photo by Jason Baird

Check out Bad Boys Buggies.

Athena explains the concept for GunGoddess

I started shooting competitively about 18 months ago. My own frustration with trying to find feminine, colorful shooting accessories gave birth to the idea. I mulled it over for a few months, then started working on it. It took about a year from first having the idea, to getting the website launched.  While I am serious about my shooting, I also like to look like a woman while I am doing it.  Initially, it was just going to be t-shirts to wear to the range … it sort of mushroomed from there, because it’s hard for me to do anything in small measures!

She’s a real shooter, too!

My husband first took me to the range in 2004. He was about to deploy overseas for a year, and felt that I needed to learn how to use the guns that were in the home. I didn’t care either way, but I went, and loved it!  The gun I learned to shoot with was a Beretta F92. Big, heavy and clunky, but it has a special place in my heart!  After that, I took some classes and bought my own first gun, a Kahr P9. That’s the gun I still carry – it just fits my hands well, and I like its size and weight.

About 18 months ago I decided to try competitive handgun shooting, showed up to watch a USPSA match and the next week I participated with my Kahr. It didn’t take long to realize that I needed new toys for this sport (any excuse!). I now shoot both USPSA and IDPA with my Glock 34, which I love! It wasn’t my first competition gun, but it is the one that suits me best!

I also recently bought my first shotgun, a FN SLP Mark 1. I had borrowed different shotguns before making that decision, and again, that just felt like the best fit for me. I got to shoot it for the first time last week! I now have my sights on a rifle.

She’s got plans!

There’s a lot about GunGoddess that is trial and error; what products will women like? Or not like? What products are they asking for? It’s just all so new, that I’m sure as the year goes there will be many tweaks and changes to the products being offered. With a lot of the products, I am just sourcing them from other manufacturers and bringing them together in one place.

I would like to move in the direction of more GunGoddess-branded items. I definitely plan to expand the t-shirt line. I am also working on a GunGoddess line of range bags and gun cases.  And I am just staying open to new ideas and new products. I am working on shipping within 24 hours for as many products as possible.  And I am leaning towards American-made products, if I can. It’s not possible for all products, but I am focusing more and more on that.

Quality is critical. I test and use every product before offering it. If I wouldn’t use it myself, I wont sell it.

And, that’s not all. It’s not all about selling stuff. It’s about networking and inspiring, too

Well, initially I wanted GunGoddess.com to be a resource for information, and not just shopping. Then it dawned on me that other sites are already doing the information, article and educational material, and doing it well. So I scaled the idea back to just focusing on linking to women’s courses and shooting leagues. I’m still working on what the permanent format for that will be. My hope is that if there’s a growing and permanent link that is state-specific, it just becomes an easy place for women to go to find what’s going on in their area. While they’re shopping, they can look into taking that next course, or joining a women-only club or league. That’s the idea, anyway!

What’s hot at Gun Goddess?

My top sellers are the leopard print range bags and long gun cases, the bullet casing necklaces, the engraved Glock magazine floor plates, and the t-shirts.

Winged revolvers tee.

About those shirts …

They are my “baby.” I can’t even draw stick figures, but I am working with two wonderful artists who take my ideas and turn them into gorgeous artwork. The shirts are one of the reasons GunGoddess began. I wanted tees with fun, shooting-themed designs for myself, and I think the current three ladies’ designs are just gorgeous. Here again, quality is very important to me. I use higher-quality garments because I want my tees to have a super fit and feel. The water-based inks discharge into the fabric, so you can’t even feel the design. It will never crack or peel!

I just introduced embroidered polo shirts, as well the embroidered polos with a padded shoulder.  I am so excited about the apparel ideas I’m currently working on! Ladies just love the logo, which caught me by surprise! Although when you think about it, it’s not just a logo, it’s a statement … a woman who shoots IS a Gun Goddess! I am getting requests for more “Gun Goddess” items, and I can’t wait to introduce some of the new products!

Men's cufflinks come in many calibers!

Not just ‘for the ladies’

My focus is absolutely the women, but as I was searching for women’s gear, I kept finding “unisex” items that I thought guys would like too. That’s why I created a small men’s section, with a lot of gift ideas and original t-shirt designs, so that while a woman is shopping for herself, she can pick up a little something for him too. My “young shooters” page is expanding too. And the gift items are something I’ll be working to expand this year, too. I want the site to be THE place to go when you’re gift shopping for someone who shoots!

Visit Athena at GunGoddess.com.