Outdoorsman 360 : "Credit and the Outdoorsman"

The purpose of Outdoorsman 360 again is to enable the everyday outdoorsman with the knowledge in three major areas - Health, Finance, and Life Balance.  Today's segment falls under the finance category.

The are few things more frustrating and stress inducing than issues regarding credit.  Today I am joined by longtime friend, Jordan Goldberg.  Jordan is an 18 year veteran of the credit industry.  He shares his insight regarding the factors that make up the credit score, how to protect your credit, and some tips on how to get off all those mailing lists!

I know many of you are still wondering about what Health, Finance, and Life Balance has to do with hunting and fishing.  It is simple - reduce the factors that create outside distractions and stress so you can enjoy your passion more.

I hope that you found this segment educational and helpful.  I also want to hear from you about what topics you would like to see us address on Outdoorman 360.  You can e-mail me at rb@rbwrightoutdoors.com.  I appreciate your feedback and look forward tohearing from you.

Thanks for you follow.

r.b. wright



Looking forward to the change

Typically at this time, we release a “Tuesday's Tip”. Due to equipment upgrades and changes that we are making there will be no tip this week. However, I would like to take this time to bring you up to speed on what we are doing and what we are really about.  "Tuesday Tip" will return at it's reguarly appointed day next week.

On Wednesday, June 1st, 2011, r.b. wright outdoors will be launching a new website.  This blog will go back to the intended purpose of being a place where I will submit my writings dealing with hunting, fishing, and life.

The website is one that I hope will have information that you – the everyday outdoorsman or woman – find of value for your everyday applications. The pages on the new site include the following:


• Tuesday’s Tip – Weekly tips from myself, r.b. wright outdoors’ ProStaff, or people we have come across in our travels. These tips generally deal with hunting and fishing but occasionally deal with life issues.

• Product Reviews – Every product we review goes through a five point checklist. This video diary explains what we like about the product and what concerns we may have derived as a result of the test.

• “The Good Stuff” – Admittedly by nature, I am a fairly conservative guy. You will not see me bungee jumping, you will not hear heavy metal blaring as I shoot a deer followed by excessive celebration. Nothing wrong with that by any means, I watch it as well and enjoy it. My personality is not “wired” that way. This is where you will find our hunting and fishing segments. It will feature various members of the r.b. wright outdoors team doing what we love…hunting and fishing. Just without all the hype.

• Outdoorsman360 – This is one of the features that I believe sets us apart from the other guys. Yes we want to help you become a better hunter or fisherman but we also want to help you enjoy the outdoors more. I believe that this is achieved through becoming well-rounded…hence Outdoorsman360. The page will deal with three main topics…Health, Finances, and Balance. We have connected with doctors, nutritionist, and trainers who will explain not only the benefits of losing 10 pounds, but also how to lose 10 pounds. Getting in shape can give the edge outdoors. We have also teamed up with Financial Planners and experts to share the knowledge in regards to budgeting and investing. I am certain that we all would agree that when our financial house is in order…we can focus better on what we are doing. The final area is balance. We have reached out to nationally recognized speakers, pastors, and counselors to discuss how to find the “true balance” in your life. It took me many years to grasp onto the understanding that when the three afore mentioned items are where they should be – life is good. When life is good I can really focus on what I am trying to accomplish whether it is hunting, fishing, or running a business. As a side note -- each of these contributors are also hunting and fishing enthusiast - so they know the demands you face.

• The Frugal Outdoorsman – this has become one of my favorite segments. We have folks from all over the place sending  ideas on how they save money while in the field. This segment regularly features a longtime friend of mine, Lenox Harrelson. Lenox has spent his entire life building his own blinds, feeders, clothes, and decoys. He has mastered how to hunt and fish effectively with very little money. I look forward to watching this segment grow and hearing ideas from more of you.

• r.b.’s video thoughts – Have ever had a thought that you wanted to share with someone and there was nobody around to listen? Happens to me all the time. This is why I keep a small camera mounted in my truck. Many times when I am driving to our next destination, I have thought that I want to share. Sometimes it deals with hunting and fishing. Sometimes it is just a thought. These sometimes funny segments are designed to really make you think about the topic being discussed.

• The Challenge – This challenge is open to anyone who desires to lose 10lbs. It is on this page that we post success stories from followers across the country in regards to getting in shape. I had one follower who told me he watched one of our segments and quit smoking. Lifestyle changes are never easy – this page is designed to serve as your accountability partner, cheerleader, and yes even your “success stage”.

• Our Sponsors – This page highlights the people who help make r.b. wright outdoors possible. More than that - these guys love the outdoors as much as you and I; they work hard to help conserve the heritage and tradition that we love.  We also only endorse products that we personally use in our applications.  If you are interested in talking about a spronsorship realtionship with r.b. wright outdoors please e-mail me at rb@rbwrightoutdoors.com

• Photo Gallery – This is where followers have submitted their photos of hunting and fishing adventures with a story line. This is the hunting/fishing “Bragging Board”. We are currently looking for more pictures and stories to post prior to launch next month – please submit yours to Jennifer@rbwrightoutdoors.com

• Who we Support – I believe in sustaining the resource. I believe in conservation. I believe in service to humanity. These are the organizations that are on the front lines in these battles and are organizations we support. I encourage you to do the same.

• Guestbook – This is the page where you sign in, leave your thoughts, suggestions, and comments or just say hi.

• Contact Us – We want to hear from you – this is the easiest way to get in touch with us.

I look forward to what lies ahead for us. I look forward to hearing from you and you becoming a part of what is happening here. If at anytime you have comments, suggestions, or questions do not hesitate to contact us.

Have a great week and thank you for your follow.

r.b. wright

Next time ... The one that got away

My entire life I have heard stories about the one that got away. I have had buddies say – “You should have seen this buck” or “I know that bass was a record”.  I have always laughed and knew there was some exaggeration in what they were saying. Now I find myself looking back on those stories and thinking….maybe they were telling the truth. Why am I now second guessing these stories of the past? Because I now have one of my own and there is no exaggeration.



Let me set the stage. It is December 31st, 2010 - the next to last day of whitetail season in N.C. I have been hunting all year and have had a decent season. I have seen some nice young bucks. I have harvested some does and cull bucks for meat. Truthfully, I have not been disappointed. Shortly after the rut began winding down, I began to explore even more the land that I hunt. I know it is odd to do this in the middle of the season, but much of my land was under water during the off season. I hunt an area that has over 2 miles of shoreline on the Black River. It is covered with water oaks and cypress trees (truly beautiful). One of the slews that I duck hunt generally has two to three feet of water; however, in late November of this year it was just a moist bottom covered with acorns and cypress knees. I came across a ridge that allowed me a bird’s eye view of most of the slew and also into an oak thicket. I decided that I would hunt this area the remainder of the season, then further investigate in February for sheds and stand placement. During my hunts here I saw numerous deer, including two of the does I harvested, several young bucks, and the buck that I chose to cull due to its antler growth. I also discovered several rubs and scrapes and knew that there was a larger buck here than I had been seeing. On Friday, the 31st, I was sitting against a tree when the sun came up across the slew. The slew was still covered with a layer of snow that we received five days earlier (something that is highly unusual for this area) The woods came alive as a group of twenty or so woodies flew over the slew. I began watching squirrels as they worked fiercely at accomplishing their mission of touching every single tree in the bottom. I was greeted by a group of hens flying down form the roost above me. A group of does made their way across the bottom feeding on the vast supply of large acorns. It was a spectacular morning….one that I knew should end well. Over the next two hours I lost count of the species of wildlife I had seen. I watched deer, ducks, geese, turkeys, squirrels, fox, a bobcat, and birds of every variety. I remember how amazingly bright the cardinal looked with the snow backdrop. I sat there thinking about how fortunate I was to have a place like this to hunt. I also thought about the doe I had harvested the afternoon prior while hunting for hogs on my buddy's land. Although our primary mission was to harvest a hog, he had made it clear to please thin out the deer population and harvest a doe if the hogs chose not to visit us….this is exactly what had happened. Sorry about the tangent – back to the story - around 9:30 a.m. I began to hear the sound of distant hounds. In southeastern North Carolina, it is still legal to use dogs to hunt deer. For those of you not familiar with this style of hunting, hunters turn a group of dogs out on a fresh deer track and surround a block of woods using the dogs to drive the deer out. Like most deer hunters in southeastern N.C., this is how I was introduced to deer hunting. I have since grown to prefer the art of still hunting but enjoy the sound of the dogs in the swamp. Two of the tracts of land adjacent to mine are leased by “dog hunters” and occasionally the dogs will run the deer onto our land. I must tell you at this point that a buck is a truly intelligent animal. I have seen dogs hot on the trail of an old buck and he (the buck) will lead the dogs into a group of does diverting them to a doe trail and he will slip off unharmed. It is really amazing to watch. As I was listening the freight train of dogs echoing through the woods, I realized they were getting closer to me. I stood up with my shotgun in hand wondering what they could be after. I saw movement across the slew and watched as three does hopped across the bottom about two minutes ahead of the dogs. These deer were coming straight for me. The closer they came the faster my mind began to think... "Do I need any more meat” “Do I want to clean another deer today?" "I think I can get two of the three" You may laugh but this is what I was thinking! I could hear the snow crushing against their feet and the sound of the dogs was deafening in the river bottom. I chose to let the does pass and shortly thereafter the dogs that are hot the trail. As I am watching the last dog leave I hear a crashing in the bushes thirty yards from where I am standing. I turn and see the largest buck I have ever seen in the wild get up from his bed and begin to run full throttle in the direction the dogs had come from. I quickly lift my Benelli to my shoulder trying to get my Truglo site on the bucks vitals. He is moving with such speed and agility that it is near impossible to keep in the line of fire. He, presumably unintentionally, is able to build a barrier of trees between himself and I. I fired at the first three opening I had and each was unable to hit its mark. The buck had already reached 75 yards before I was able to squeeze the trigger the first time. I watched as he danced his way through the bottom and towards the river. I knew that I had done nothing but motivated him to run faster. As I set on the ridge for the next thirty minutes replaying the scene, I realized that I had actually accomplished something here. I had just witnessed a creature that most people would never see in this area. I had proven my theory that big bucks prefer these bottoms, which is why I was trying to find a way to hunt this area in the first place. I also realized that I now have the upper hand. I know where he lives and odds favor the fact that he survived this season. I am already looking forward to next hunting season. By the way, the picture above is not this deer - if I had taken a picture of him, it would be with me holding his head up!  This picture was the closest I could find to resemble him.

Life is funny. There is always something that happens that motivates us to keep doing what we do. Maybe it is that one good golf shot during a round where we shot 112. Maybe is it the line breaking on the one fish we hooked all day. For me it is seeing the buck that I have wanted to hunt my entire life and knowing that I am not hunting a figment of my imagination, but an intelligent, beautiful animal on his turf. I respect this King of the bottom and I look forward to the challenges that I will face this upcoming year in my attempt to harvest him.

I look forward to hearing your stories. Don’t forget about our upcoming challenge to get in shape in 2011.

Talk to you soon,


r.b. wright

Get in shape - get the edge

I know that this video is long…in fact it is about five minutes longer than I like to post. The subject matter however is important so if you can – watch and let me know whether or not you agree. I have realized over the last few months that I AM OUT OF SHAPE. This is something that is becoming more apparent as I grow older. It is the culmination of this thought, gentle hints from my wife, and the onset of 2011 that I realize that now is the time I need to do something about it. The benefits of being healthy for anyone is overwhelming, but if you are having difficulty finding motivation and you are an avid outdoorsman, allow me the opportunity to offer a few benefits that may awaken your “motivation cells”:

1. Stamina

2. Mental focus

3. Confidence

These are but a few benefits that we in the field can use to our advantage. Stay tuned for an upcoming challenge for 2011. No entry fees. No prizes. A simple challenge and accountability set-up for those who love the outdoors that are serious about getting healthy and having an edge in 2011.  I am considering using Fridays as the day we focus on health.

It will also be the day that those who are setting their goals can post their successes and/or failures.

 I know that if someone is holding me accountable, I work harder.  Just my thought -- looking forward to hearing yours.

r.b. wright

Do not overlook small tracts

I was reading an article about the deer population in NC. It stated that there are 45 deer per square mile. The key word in that sentence is SQUARE. Before you react - realize that one square mile is equivalent to 640 acres…this means one deer for 14 acres.Most of us either lease or hunt private land. We do not have the luxury hunting several hundred or thousand acre tracts. It is vital that we do our homework. Remember the figure is based upon the population over the entire region. Like any averages – there are some areas that will have a higher population and some that will have a much lower. Know your area and the herd that you are hunting.

One of the areas that I have hunted for years is a very small 20 acre tract of land in Sampson County. This little area is nestled in the “middle of nowhere” in a highly agriculture area outside of Roseboro near the Sampson/Cumberland County line. This land is the old “home place” for my family. My grandfather lived her for the majority of his life until his passing a few years back. As a kid I would walk through the woods looking for sign of deer. (Truthfully not something I fully understood how to do until much later in life) I was the only one in the family that had the innate desire to hunt. When I was old enough to venture on my own, I built a deer stand just on the inside edge of the woods. I hunted relentlessly for years and harvested one doe from this tract. I grew discouraged from what I perceived to be the lack of success and moved my ventures to “greener pastures”.

A few years passed before I ventured back to the old home place. One evening while walking the edge of the field I began to notice scrapes, rubs, trails, and bedding areas. I grew excited and realized that something had changed and changed drastically. Driving down the road that evening I began to realize that the habitats surrounding this land had changed. There were some new homes, new barns, and pastures in areas that previously had been swamps and fields. The deer had found a sanctuary on our land. I have since harvested several deer on this little tract.

My best friend works for a steel company in Raleigh NC. The is a very small 5 acre tract of woods located behind one of the fabrication shops. After spotting some deer activity in the area, he and his team inquired about hunting the area. Armed with proper permits they have harvested several nice bucks…one of which is pictured above.

I am trying to make a couple of points here:

1. Understand the odds – While you may very hunt a region that is known for its whitetail population there is no guarantee that the small tract you hunt actually holds deer. You may be hunting a “pass through area”.

2. Know your surroundings – The habitat you hunt today can change for the better or for the worse with no notice. Housing developments can move deer into your areas as they did in my situation or natural disasters, loggers, and farmers can cause your herd to adjust. (A farmer switches from soybeans to cotton or tobacco)

I have heard it said that time changes all things. This is true and especially true for those of us who hunt. The habitats that we hunt do morph on a constant basis. This is not always a bad thing. If you are looking for a new place to hunt do not overlook the small tracts but pay attention to the signs and be mindful of the surroundings….you never know – you might find a honey hole.

rb wright

Sometimes we need a good laugh

Now I do not know the true validity of the e-mail below....what I do know is the more I read it - the more I laughed and all of us need a good laugh now and again.

The e-mail reads as follows:

"Subject: Why we shoot deer in the wild
(A letter from someone who wants to remain
Anonymous, who farms, writes well and actually
tried this)

I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in
a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks,
then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure
was getting a deer. I figured that, since they
congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem
to have much fear of me when we are there
(a bold one will sometimes come right up and
sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back
of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be
difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag
over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it
and transport it home.

I filled the cattle feeder then
hid down at the end with my rope. The cattle,
having seen the roping thing before, stayed well
back. They were not having any of it. After
about 20 minutes, my deer showed up-- 3 of them.
I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out
from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope.
The deer just stood there and stared at me. I
wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the
end so I would have a good hold.

The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you
could tell it was mildly concerned about the
whole rope situation. I took a step towards it,
it took a step away. I put a little tension on
the rope .., and then received an education. The
first thing that I learned is that, while a deer
may just stand there looking at you funny while
you rope it, they are spurred to action when you
start pulling on that rope.

That deer EXPLODED. The second thing I learned is that
pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a
cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight
range I could fight down with a rope and with
some dignity. A deer-- no chance.

That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled.
There was no controlling it and certainly no
getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet
and started dragging me across the ground, it
occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was
not nearly as good an idea as I had originally
imagined. The only upside is that they do not
have as much stamina as many other animals.


A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired
and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet
and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me
a few minutes to realize this, since I was
mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the
big gash in my head. At that point, I had lost
my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to
get that devil creature off the end of that
rope.

I figured if I just let it go with
the rope hanging around its neck, it would
likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the
time, there was no love at all between me and
that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing,
and I would venture a guess that the feeling was
mutual.
Despite the gash in my head and the
several large knots where I had cleverly
arrested the deer's momentum by bracing my head
against various large rocks as it dragged me
across the ground, I could still think clearly
enough to recognize that there was a small
chance that I shared some tiny amount of
responsibility for the situation we were in. I
didn't want the deer to have to suffer a slow
death, so I managed to get it lined back up in
between my truck and the feeder - a little trap
I had set before hand...kind of like a squeeze
chute. I got it to back in there and I started
moving up so I could get my rope back.


Did you know that deer bite?


They do! I never in a million years
would have thought that a deer would bite
somebody, so I was very surprised when ... I
reached up there to grab that rope and the deer
grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites
you, it is not like being bit by a horse where
they just bite you and then let go. A deer bites
you and shakes its head--almost like a pit bull.
They bite HARD and it hurts.

The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to
freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming
and shaking instead. My method was ineffective.


It seems like the deer was biting and
shaking for several minutes, but it was likely
only several seconds. I, being smarter than a
deer (though you may be questioning that claim
by now), tricked it. While I kept it busy
tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I
reached up with my left hand and pulled that
rope loose.

That was when I got my final
lesson in deer behavior for the day.


Deer will strike at you with their front
feet. They rear right up on their back feet and
strike right about head and shoulder level, and
their hooves are surprisingly sharp.. I learned
a long time ago that, when an animal --like a
horse --strikes at you with their hooves and you
can't get away easily, the best thing to do is
try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive
move towards the animal. This will usually cause
them to back down a bit so you can escape.


This was not a horse. This was a deer,
so obviously, such trickery would not work. In
the course of a millisecond, I devised a
different strategy. I screamed like a woman and
tried to turn and run. The reason I had always
been told NOT to try to turn and run from a
horse that paws at you is that there is a good
chance that it will hit you in the back of the
head. Deer may not be so different from horses
after all, besides being twice as strong and 3
times as evil, because the second I turned to
run, it hit me right in the back of the head and
knocked me down.

Now, when a deer paws
at you and knocks you down, it does not
Immediately leave. I suspect it does not
recognize that the danger has passed. What they
do instead is paw your back and jump up and down
on you while you are laying there crying like a
little girl and covering your head.

I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the
deer went away. So now I know why when people go
deer hunting they bring a rifle with a
scope......to sort
of even the odds!!


All these events are true so help me God... An
Educated Farmer."

I Hope you enjoyed that as much as I did. I appreciate the pictures that you have been sending. I talked with a friend of mine who just returned from Alberta where he and his brother harvested two nice deer in the 160 class. I am also reviewing/editing some footage form a fantastic red fish and trout bite that is going on here in NC. I will be posting these in the very near future.

Stay safe and do not forget to laugh.

rb