August!!!

Can ya'll believe that it's August?! With the weather we have been having, it has felt like mid-October! We have been stayin' incredibly busy with my graduation and starting my new job! Now its a count down to taking the state boards and then I will finally be freeeeeeeee!!!! Free to finally be able to keep up on the blog ;).

It's been motocross and bonfires for us mostly the last few weekends. This last weekend however it was a nice change to be able to stop out at a local mud bog benefit for a friend who wrecked his motorcycle while traveling to see his mother in the hospital. What a successful fundraiser! There were a ton of trucks that came out as well as the most spectators I have seen at this local pit. Next time I will have photos posted of all the jacked-up trucks. Check out the video of my brother's friend running his Bronco through...

Soon I will be able to post better videos and exciting footage when we are able to use the GoPro! We have heard that there will be at least one more mud bog at this particular spot this year so I will be sure to get more pictures.

This weekend is our Wolf Lake Onion Days. It is a festival held annually at the Wolf Lake Park in Indiana. In the early 1900's, Wolf lake was comprised of mostly onion fields. Being close to the railway located in Kimmell, farmers had easy access to shipping their crops all over the country! Onion Days began after the harvest and the crops were shipped out. It was then that the towns people were able to relax and gather for celebration of their small town. We continue this festival today, beginning on Wednesday August 7th to Saturday August 10th. You may find the schedule of events below. Hope to see you there!

The band Gunslinger's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BandGunslinger?fref=ts

Tri-State Archery & Sportsman's Center

Piggy backing on the post from Sunday, I want to share a local place where you can test out that new bow you are looking for or shoot the bow you already have. Tri-State Archery & Sportsman's Center is a complete archery pro shop as well as NASP certified. They carry Prime, High Country, Bear, G5 Quest, and Genesis compound archery equipment. They are also able to serve the needs of traditional bow hunters as well.

Tri-State has an outdoor 3D range as well as a newly added indoor range. You can shoot aerial targets, take archery lessons, join a league, play mini-golf, hit a few baseballs in the batting cage or a few golf balls at the driving range.

Personally, I absolutely LOVE aerial shooting! It's so much fun and perfect for a family night or date night!
(Below; last year at Tri-State Archery, aerial shooting). You don't really need experience, in fact Hannah (right) shot better than all of us with no experience! :)

Check out Tri-State Archery on the news and see just what all they have to offer... just click the link below!
http://cdn.bimfs.com/WISE/6f9cd0eeaf3ef97935cb960f08acce107553f0c4_fl9.mp4

Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tri-State-Archery-Sportsmans-Center/395945023820875

Bows, bows, bows!

We've had several thunderstorms roll through Northern Indiana lately. Luckily, not too much damage was done from the extreme wind, flooding, hail and lightening. I think it's safe to say we are starting to get sick of the rain but thankful that its a 180 from last years drought! :)

I have been doing some research on bows lately so I asked a few of the NoCo folks what kind of bows they shoot, what they like or dislike about it, and if they would recommend it. This is what they said...

Zane shoots a Fred Bear Truth 2.
"I got this bow when I worked at Dicks for half off. I don't like it at all, it shoots terrible. I am uncomfortable with it and cannot shoot it. I got rid of my Hoyt Ultramax and wish I wouldn't have replaced it with this bow."
Desirea shoots a Parker Side Kick, in pink camo.
"I love the weight, sights, and compactness of the bow. It's easy to adjust and accurate. I have shot a Diamond before and found it to be super smooth and accurate as well!!"

Josh shoots a Mathews Heli-m.
"I love the Mathews Heli-m I used last year! It is light, quiet, and fast! I'm a big fan of the lost camo and their solo cam's. I had no problem shooting 60 yards! I won't be switching from Mathews but if I was going to shoot another bow it would be the Mathews Z-7 or Z-7 Extreme which isn't as light as the Heli-m but with the right arrows and set up these 2 bows are single pine'd out to 40 yards and that could help any hunter!"

Justin says,
"Well i have always been a Mathews guy. That's what I was first really taught on so I feel the best shooting Mathews. I have owed the Switchback, DXT, Monster, and Heli-m. I like the way that Mathews fits and the balance. With having a short draw length, I like the speeds I get. I get tired of hearing the debate  "my bow's better than yours". "This bow sucks". People dissing the others shooting a 200 dollar bow cause their bow was $1000. It all comes down to what feels best to you and it doesn't matter the price tag if your accuracy sucks. I have been out shot by a 10 year old $150 bows plenty of times!... I have tested other bows the past few years and anymore, with the research that goes behind them, they all are good. I encourage others to try the Athens bow also. Great bow and, what do ya know, made right here in Indiana!"

Justin has taken two large bucks in the last few years with a Mathews and Heli-m. He has decided this year to shoot a recurve, no sights. 

So the search continues... but you'll never know what you prefer 'till you try it! What bow do you shoot?!?

Summer is finally here!

It seems like spring drug on forever here in Northern Indiana, not that we would complain. A few days ago was the official first day of summer and we have been feeling it since! A high of 92 degrees, grass fading to brown as well as some storms rollin' in tonight from Illinois prove that summer has arrived. Crops are popping up all over the place and everything seems to be doing well compared to last years drought.

This is what the whole northern half of Indiana is looking at for tonight...

So far in the NoCo area we have had one canoe trip as well as a few mud bogs here and there. Not much lake action happening so far and we all most definitely forget to take pictures! This year has flown by so fast for most of us here, we cannot even keep up with our own lives let alone try to share it!

Our cousins just got home a week ago from their Austria trip and it looked like it was a blast! You can follow their adventures on https://www.facebook.com/pages/GSE-Austria-2013/137719339728169. She had some amazing photos from Untersberg Mountain, the Alps...

Isn't she awesome!? 

Camping season is in full force and Chain O' Lakes is hoppin'! Pink tagged vehicles coming from the campground pass our house at least once a day. If you have never been to the state park, we recommend it! In fact, we encourage you to check out the nature center activities, the school house and canoe or kayak down the winding, wooded lakes. http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2987.htm Check out the dates for the floating campfire... pretty rad. https://www.facebook.com/chainolakessp?fref=ts

Sorry!!!

I cannot believe how long it has been since I have posted! I truly am sorry!!!

It is finally nice here in good ole Indiana. Gardens are getting planted and flowers are blooming. People are finding themselves busy with home improvement and outdoor projects. Some folks are even getting their mud trucks ready for the first mud bog of the season, coming very soon! A few folks just got married this past weekend in a mud pit, on his and her mud trucks!

This turkey season was slightly uneventful compared to previous years. We unfortunately had few birds harvested. Luckily on the upside, its fishing season!!! Jason just posted this picture recently...

Also, I would like invite you to join my Light the Night walk team for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on September 24, 2013. I know it's still a few months away, but that just means there is more time for fundraising! My team name is "Strength Striders" and you can find our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Ltn2013StrengthStriders . I would be honored to have you all as part of my team for this years walk. If you are interested in signing up, you go to http://www.lightthenight.org/register/ and type in "Strength Striders" when it prompts you to join a team. You may also create a team of your own if you are interested! If you don't think you can make the walk, but still would like to help, just let me know! I also have paper balloons to give out to businesses to sell, so if you or your company would be interested send me an email at ashstew90@gmail.com. Our team will be selling t-shirts in the very near future and I will let you know soon!

Send me your outdoor pics and stories behind them! ashstew90@gmail.com

What's new?!

Good Mornin' ya'll!

How goes it!? It's been a minute since I have gotten to post, so I apologize. We are getting into the last few weeks of the semester and final exams are fast approaching! I have spent most of my time preparing for it so I have not had the time to look at the blog.

Unfortunately, I don't have anything exciting to post from the fields. Everyone has been seeing birds but not close enough to take a shot. Hopefully I will have turkey report soon! What have you been seeing? Send me pictures and stories from the home-front! :)

Spring is in the air finally and the trees are flowering! Hannah took some really great pictures the other day...

Such beauty! 

Have great stories and pictures??? Send them my way at ashstew90@gmail.com!

Turkey hunting; COMING SOON TO A FIELD NEAR YOU!

Happy Hump day NoCo Followers!

Since Turkey season is fast approaching I wanted to talk about a few relevant topics. Firstly, Indiana DNR has launched a relatively new CheckIN game system. You can literally go online and check in your harvest and that's that! This is obviously beneficial if you are far from a check in station or you have to go out and look for your turkey and don't get back until they are closed. Simply go online to checkingame.dnr.in.gov, and type in your customer ID number. This number is located on your license in the top left-hand corner. If all else fails and you cannot find or retrieve your CID number, they can make you a new one to use. This is what the screen will look like..

 After you are all signed in, it will ask you a series of questions about your harvest! Finally, you can review your entered data and hit "submit"! Make sure to save and/or print your confirmation page. It's as simple as that! As of right now, this system is only set up for deer and turkey seasons. 

Here is a calendar to show sunrise and sunset times for our area for April. Beginning April 24th, sunrise is at 6:49 a.m. and sunset is at 8:31 p.m. You can find this calendar and download your own at http://www.sunrisesunset.com/predefined.asp. All you have to do is plug in your zip code and tell it exactly what you want and it makes it for you!

Finally, I want to note that we condone ethical hunting only. It isn't right to break the law and deprive others of hunting rights and opportunities because someone decided they weren't going to follow rules and regulations. Turn In a Poacher is ran by the Indiana DNR to keep this from happening and to arrest poachers who violate those rules and regulations set before us. You can either anonymously fill out their online complaint form at http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/7608.htm, or you can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-TIP-IDNR. 

Hope everyone has a quick and painless rest of your work week! If you have any questions or topics you would like to see us talk about email me at ashstew90@gmail.com or comment below!

Take a minute...

Good afternoon everyone!

I just wanted to take a moment and slow down our lives to think about how blessed we are. Sometimes when things get busy and we are runnin' around every day we forget this. Take just one moment out of your day and think about all you have to be thankful for. We all have experienced one tragedy after another recently and we need to come back to our Christian roots. My thoughts and prayers go out to the runners, their families and the people of Boston.

The rain has been fallin' and creating nice green grass and buds on the trees. We can't ask for much more than that after last years drought. Spring is finally here and summer is just around the corner. This also is the start of motorcycle season so keep an eye out for their debut. Look left, right, and up and down as they're everywhere and to those that ride, please wear your helmets. Everyone be safe!

God bless.

In Spring, we strut...

Share day!!!!

I love this song from Blake Shelton featuring Pistol Annies!!! Red-red-red-red-red-redneck!!!!

Well the boys 'round here don't listen to The Beatles
Run ole Bocephus through a jukebox needle
At a honky-tonk, where their boots stomp
All night; what? (That's right)
Yea, and what they call work, digging in the dirt
Gotta get it in the ground 'fore the rain come down
To get paid, to get the girl
In your 4 wheel drive (A country boy can survive)

Yea the boys 'round here
Drinking that ice cold beer
Talkin' 'bout girls, talkin' 'bout trucks
Runnin' them red dirt roads out, kicking up dust
The boys 'round here
Sending up a prayer to the man upstairs
Backwoods legit, don't take no sh*t
Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit

Aw heck
Red red red red red red redneck

Well the boys 'round here, they're keeping it country
Ain't a damn one know how to do the dougie
(You don't do the dougie?) No, not in Kentucky
But these girls 'round here yep, they still love me
Yea, the girls 'round here, they all deserve a whistle
Shakin' that sugar, sweet as Dixie crystal
They like that y'all and southern drawl
And just can't help it cause they just keep fallin'

For the boys 'round here
Drinking that ice cold beer
Talkin' 'bout girls, talkin' 'bout trucks
Runnin' them red dirt roads out, kicking up dust
The boys 'round here
Sending up a prayer to the man upstairs
Backwoods legit, don't take no sh*t
Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit

Let me hear you say
(Ooh let's ride)
(Ooh let's ride)
Down to the river side

(Ooh let's ride…)
Hey now girl, hop inside
Me and you gonna take a little ride to the river
Let's ride (That's right)
Lay a blanket on the ground
Kissing and the crickets is the only sound
We out of town
Have you ever got down with a…
Red red red red red red redneck?
And do you wanna get down with a…
Red red red red red red redneck?
Girl you gotta get down

With the boys 'round here
Drinking that ice cold beer
Talkin' 'bout girls, talkin' 'bout trucks
Runnin' them red dirt roads out, kicking up dust
The boys 'round here
Sending up a prayer to the man upstairs
Backwoods legit, don't take no sh*t
Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit

(Ooh let's ride)
Red red red red red red redneck
(Ooh let's ride)
I'm one of them boys 'round here
(Ooh let's ride)
Red red red red red red redneck
(Ooh let's ride)

(Ooh let's ride…)
Well all I'm thinkin' 'bout is you and me, how we'll be
So come on girl, hop inside
Me and you, we're gonna take a little ride
Lay a blanket on the ground
Kissing and the crickets is the only sound
We out of town
Girl you gotta get down with a…
Come on through the country side
Down to the river side

Opening Night at Montpelier

Ladies and Gents its that time of year again!!!!! Let's go RACING!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Stewart household is getting ready for tonight's opening races at Montpelier Motor Speedway. This is the 27th Annual Season Opener Double header so there will be racing both Friday and Saturday night. It marks the 110th Anniversary of racing at Montpelier! Tonight and tomorrow they will be featuring  Midgets, Super Streets, Thunder Cars, FWD compacts and UMP Modifieds.

My dad and brother both race UMP Modifieds. Troy Stewart (my dad) races the number 63, white and orange car seen below. Josh Stewart (my brother) runs the number 14, black and orange car seen below. This is truly a family affair! The name of their racing team is "Dunitall Racing" because although my dad has only been racing Modifieds for 3 years, he has raced practically everything else for years. From motocross to drag racing, he's almost "dunitall"! My brother started out as the pit "crew chief" and decided he wanted to race so this will be his second year racing UMP modifieds. You can find their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dunitallracing.stewart?fref=ts. They usually race at Montpelier and Gas City, but sometimes they will venture to other tracks. Stay tuned throughout the summer to find out how they are doing!

Last years photo... Troy, left.  Josh, right. 

Montpelier Motor Speedway's website is http://www.montpeliermotorspeedway.com/. Join us sometime!

New hunting dates up!

On the right side of the page you will find the hunting dates updated for the 2013-2014 season! I have also posted youth seasons as well.

Don't  forget turkey season is just around the corner so make sure you are ready! The turkey workshop on  the 14th is from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Tri-County in Syracuse and I think I'm going to go. It will be a really great experience and I am excited to learn. If anyone would like to attend with me, let me know!

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, visit the DNR website at http://www.in.gov/activecalendar_dnr/EventList.aspx?fromdate=4/14/2013&todate=4/14/2013&display=Day&type=public&eventidn=6037&view=EventDetails&information_id=12136

Spring is finally here and we have to start thinking about planting. Zane and I have been looking at adding more trees to our yard and I wanted to share with you an awesome website.

Arbor Day Foundation is a website with a plethora of information on trees and the environment. You can put in your zip code and it will tell you what would grow for your area! You can also receive 10 trees for "free" with a 6 month subscription to the foundation for only 10 dollars; a dollar per tree is pretty awesome! You can even pick what you want sent to you from flowering trees, oak, white pines, blue spruces, maple, and many more.
http://www.arborday.org/index.cfm 

Tri-County to offer Turkey Workshop April 14th

Good afternoon!

I just wanted to post a quick note on a cool workshop that I found for our area!

Tri-County will be offering a workshop on turkey hunting April 14th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the property office in Syracuse.

Activities will include, tactics for turkey hunting, equipment needs, cleaning and preparing the harvest, safety, history and biology of the wild turkey and even field demonstrations! If weather allows, there will be shooting opportunities as well at the range. This is geared toward beginning turkey hunters however all levels may benefit from this workshop.

They are even providing refreshments! :) How can you pass up this awesome opportunity!

Here is the DNR link below to view a map and other details.

http://www.in.gov/activecalendar_dnr/EventList.aspx?fromdate=4/14/2013&todate=4/14/2013&display=Day&type=public&eventidn=6037&view=EventDetails&information_id=12136

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Sunday ya'll! He has risen. God bless you and your families.

Have an amazing day!

March Madness... Literally!

Sorry for the delay in posts these past few weeks. It has been a busy time for us all. This month has brought us many trials and tribulations but we stand together as a community. I am proud to call Noble County my home. The Luce family submitted a very lovely letter to the editor to the Kendallville paper. "The family of Kaleb Luce wishes to thank the community for their love and support during this difficult time. We have been overwhelmed by your letters, emails, phone calls, texts, flowers, gifts, food, memorials and service. The love and encouragement you have shown our family is a precious gift. This love will help us in the coming weeks and months."
"We are planning to clean up the accident site on the Wolf Lake Road. Thank you to the Noble County Highway Department, Stewart family and Ott family for allowing this work to be done. We will meet at the CNHS parking lot on Saturday, April 27, at 8 a.m. We will go to the area and place Kaleb’s Cross and plant flowers at the foot of the cross. We need to make sure that everyone in the area that day is safe from traffic on the Wolf Lake Road. We will need to carpool or travel by bus, since there won’t be places to park. Look for more details in the upcoming weeks. It will be announced at CNHS and in the local newspapers."  http://www.kpcnews.com/opinions/letters/kpcnews/article_821b8993-e602-53b3-bf3d-256c4adfedd6.html

I will keep you all informed of the new details when they are announced.

We've had the "First Day of Spring" and we currently have approximately 6 inches of snow throughout the county! And it's still snowing, and snowing... and snowing! If this came a few months earlier I would say its beautiful, but at this point winter is overstaying it's welcome. Hey, that's our Indiana weather for ya!

Turkey season is just around the corner so if ya don't know the dates, here they are!

              April 20th, 21st, Youth   (1 bearded, male)
              April 24th to May 12th   (1 bearded, male)

Here are a few safety rules posted on the Indiana DNR website for Turkey hunting:

• Select a calling position where you can see for at least 50 yards in all directions.
• Whistle or shout to alert hunters of your position, never wave or stand. 
• Never shoot at sound or movement.
• Disregard peer pressure just to bag a bird.
• Be careful using turkey decoys.
• Do not wear red, white, or blue outerwear or exposed inner clothing. 
• Don't assume you are the only hunter in the area. 
• Know what is beyond your target.
• Always keep your gun pointed in a safe direction.
• Respect property rights and secure permission before hunting. 
• Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. 

Here is the link if you would like to find out more!!! http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2344.htm

Want me to do a story? Send me your info and pictures to ashstew90@gmail.com. 

Thoughts and prayers...

This week has been extremely difficulty for our little town. We have lost a few so near and dear to our hearts.

Early morning on Friday, one of our beloved teacher's from Central Noble High School passed away. Darwin Sievers  taught at CN from 1970 to 2010 and also instructed English Comp at IPFW for 22 years. At Central Noble he taught English, history, and government as well as was the sponsor for National Honor Society.
http://www.kpcnews.com/?x=newssun&_dc=236730646574.86975

I didn't know it at the time, but he was by far the best teacher I have ever had. He was extremely dedicated to the success and accomplishments of his students, although some did not see it that way. He would challenge us to think outside the box which made some nervous but it ultimately made us better people. We were confronted daily with differing opinions in order to form our own and I could not thank him enough for what I learned from him.

Funeral arrangements for Mr. Sievers are as follows:
Viewing at Smith and Sons in Columbia City from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 12th.
Burial service at the Agape Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13th with a viewing one hour before the service.

On Saturday evening, a 17 year old crashed in front of my parent's home. My brother went down to assist the person, who he found out was one of his friends from Central Noble High School, Kaleb Luce. He was thrown from his vehicle and it rolled onto its top. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Prayers are requested for all the friends and family of Kaleb to get through such a tragic time. His mother, Tammy is requesting that if you have any memories or pictures of him to please write them down and get them to her so she can turn to them when she needs comfort. Visitation is Wednesday from 2 to 8pm at Brazzell Funeral Home in Albion. The funeral is Thursday at 11am in the Central Noble Auditorium with an additional 1 hour of visitation prior to the funeral on Thursday at the auditorium.
http://www.kpcnews.com/?x=newssun&_dc=236730646574.86975

I am proud of our small town for coming together and supporting each other. I know that we wouldn't find that just anywhere. In such a time, we need to stand united and turn to the Lord when we need to find our way.

NoCo Livin'... what it means to me.

Good mornin'!

For a while now I have been wanting to write this post and I have finally gotten to it! I want to share with you what NoCo Livin' is all about.

First and foremost, you don't have to be from Noble County, Indiana to understand what NoCo Livin' is about. Some of our friends and family don't live right here by us. NoCo Livin' just means that you share the same interests and way of life that we do.

Most of our friends have all grown up together since kindergarten. Many of us went to the same elementary school and have been close ever since. You may have lived one house down from your best friend, or two dirt roads over. That's just how it is around here, you start together you end together; not many leave their hometown. Some might think that it's a tragedy not leaving where you are from and think that you need to experience the world, but we don't. Many of us have moved out of our area for college, trade school, or the military but we always end up back here. Some of our friends are from other areas and didn't go to our high school, but they're from neighboring towns and schools. There is a sense of belonging and that is what NoCo Livin' is all about. You don't have to be from here but we will always treat you like family.

Being a part of NoCo Livin' means that we all love the outdoors. We like to hunt, fish, go to the rodeo, canoe, mud bog, swim on the lakes; anything to be outside! You might do 1 or 2 of those things or you may do 10. It doesn't matter. We like to support each other in any way we can, even if it's just tagging along.

You better believe that if anyone needs help and you call, we will be there. Even if you're four counties over and you don't have a ride. That's just how it is. We will always help a friend in need because we know they will have our back some day.

I feel that we all have a relationship with the Lord in one way or another. You don't have to attend church every Sunday to have that. We have all been through different trials and tribulations in our lives and we are not so righteous that we are able to judge whether or not your relationship with God is right or wrong.

In our area our parents and grandparents show us the way that we should live our lives and teach us right from wrong. Our parents instill in us values that are very down home and old fashioned but we wouldn't have it any other way. We say “Yes sir”, “Yes ma'am”, “Please” and “Thank You” always. We will always work hard for what we have and we won't settle for any less. That's what NoCo Livin' is all about.

Some of us are construction workers, factory workers, farmers, electricians, delivery folks, mechanics, nurses, dental assistants, hair dressers, waitresses, college students, babysitters, veterinary techs, and policeman but we are all apart of the same family... NoCo Livin'.  

That's what NoCo Livin' means to me... what does it mean to you? Feel free to comment below, we'd love to hear from ya!

2012 Deer Harvest Results

I was as curious as ever to see the final numbers for this deer season to come out. With the lack of deer spotting and the drought bringing EHD into the picture, I was expecting to see the number of harvests significantly smaller this year from last. I was wrong...

Statewide, a hunter could harvest 2 deer within archery season; either a doe and a buck (antlerless and one antlered) or 2 does. You could only harvest one antlered deer in all 3 archery, firearm, or muzzleloader seasons. In Noble County, you could harvest 8 bonus antlerless deer but throughout the state the numbers ranged A through 8.  "A" meant that it could only be used after November 29th and you could not harvest bonus does before then.

A grand total of 136,248 deer were harvested in the state of Indiana during the 2012 deer season, archery to late firearm season. This number is 6% HIGHER than the 129,018 deer harvested in the 2011 season. I was very surprised at these numbers as many of us around the Noble County area didn't see the number of deer we have in the past. Antlered deer harvest was down 9% from last year however, but the antlerless deer taken were 15% higher. Over 50% of all deer harvested this season were taken in the firearms season from November 17th to December 2nd.

For the first time, Indiana held a late antlerless season in counties with a bonus county designation of 4 or more. The reported number was 10,091 taken during this season.

Counties with the highest harvest numbers were as follows; Switzerland, Dearborn, Harrison, Franklin, Steuben, Parke, Washington, Kosciusko, Marshall and Noble.

Indiana DNR then came out with a section called "Disease Monitoring" with the number one being EHD, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease. There were confirmed cases in 29 counties and 38 other counties reporting occurrence totaling 67 out of Indiana's 92 counties.

EHD is a disease that mainly affects white-tailed deer in the U.S. It is caused by a virus that spreads by biting flies typically in late summer and early fall. Outbreaks are usually worse during drought years, which makes sense as to why it was so prevalent this year. In the beginning stages, deer appear feverish and tend to seek water. Other signs and symptoms are blueish tongue, eroded dental pad, and sloughed hooves. It is usually fatal to deer, however some may survive. If this is the case they can pass antibodies onto their offspring making them less susceptible to the disease but unfortunately, much like the human flu, there are many different strands of the disease. Many folks were concerned about contracting EHD from the deer meat, but humans are not at risk at all. I will post later on what I find out about specific numbers for the death toll from EHD in Indiana and how it will impact us in the future. For more information on this disease click here... http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-EHDFaqSheet.pdf

As you can see the numbers from the 2012 Season Summary were elevated compared to last year. I was honestly very surprised because I myself saw less deer out hunting than I had previously. Many folks that we have talked to and everyone up at our deer shop agreed... this year was MUCH different. I am anxious to see what next year brings! What do ya'll think???

If you would like to read the full summary of the 2012 deer season you can click the link below.
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-2012_Deer_Season_Summary.pdf

Recipe of the week

Hey ya'll! Its been a busy week so I wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you! :) Here is this week's venison recipe:


Venison Meatballs
1 lb. ground venison               1/8 tsp. pepper
½ c. chopped onion               1 tsp. Worcestershire
¾ c. dried bread crumbs  
1 T. parsley                           1 egg
2 tsp. salt                               ½ c milk

SAUCE:
¼ c. flour                           1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika                     2 c. water
½ tsp. salt                           ¾ c. sour cream

   Mix together venison and other ingredients.  Let stand in refrigerator 2 hours.  Roll into
balls and brown in skillet with ¼ cup oil.  Drain.  Mix together sauce by combining dry
ingredients.  Add water.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Stir in sour cream.  Add
sauce to the meatballs.  Heat through.  Can be cooked on low heat in crock-pot.


I wanted to let ya'll know that I am working on a story right now to explain what "NoCo Livin'" means to me and to the folks who are our family here. If you have any input or something you wish to include, please comment below or feel free to email me at ashstew90@gmail.com.

Shed hunting... AND Birthdays!!!

Good morning! TGIF!!!! Hope your Valentine's day was as good as mine was! Zane and I went shed hunting for about two and a half hours yesterday after we exchanged gifts. I decided to bring along Harley as well, just to make it a family affair! We had so much fun and hiked all over but unfortunately we didn't find any sheds. It is still a little bit early so hopefully next time we go out we will have better luck. In the first hour we kicked up about 4 deer in the woods and didn't see any until on our way back out when we saw about 20! The crazy thing is that 24 deer is an incredibly small number for the area that we were in. It could have been the time of day we were out and about, or the fact that it was a little warmer than it has been here in Indiana. I just hope that it's not a prediction for next hunting season! I took several pictures of our shed hunting adventure...

That right there is what we like to call the "deer highway". You can see that they move a lot through that area! There are several different places that you can visibly see these areas throughout the 100 some acres that we were at.

Zane and Harley. 

Harley just sniffin' away!

Just because we didn't find any this time, doesn't mean we won't be back out again very soon! It keeps us and our friends together and having a good time. If you have any stories or pictures of shed hunting, or hunting in general, please send them to me at ashstew90@gmail.com or simply comment below!

Here are a few pics of our friends at Boneheads Outdoors goose hunting this week!

Finally, I want to start doing NoCo birthdays every month so we make sure to wish all of our friends and No Co families Happy Birthday!

So here it goes... FEBRUARY B-DAYS; Carl Saaf the 11th, Hannah Carter TODAY the 15th, and Veronica Miller the 21st!

Happy Birthday guys and gals!!!

Shed dogs... my new obsession!

Hey everyone!!!

I am going to be upfront right now and tell you that this post is going to be short, sweet and to the point. I am a Nursing Student and this is a test week! :) As you can imagine studying is my priority this week so I don't have too much time to spare... BUT I want to share with you my new obsession... Shed dogs!

I have been researching for quite some time about dogs that find antler sheds and I want to find out what you know... and what you think!

I have found a few websites that have captured my interest, one being Antler Dogs, http://antlerdogs.com/Default.aspx. Roger Sigler is the owner and dog trainer. I have emailed him with questions and he is very excited to help answer them. I wanted to share this particular website because he is going to be in Indianapolis THIS WEEKEND! What a coincidence!

He will be at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Friday from 3pm to 9pm to answer any questions you have about shed dogs and training them! He will also be there Saturday 10 am to 9 pm and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm! If you have the time and the means to head down there I sure encourage it. Check out his website too to find out what he's all about!

Again I am sorry for the shortness of this post, but I promise that here in the next few days I will share with you what I have learned about Shed Dogs and how excited I am about it! ;)

See you soon!

Happy Friday ya'll!

Good mornin' everyone!

Harley and I got to play outside and get our picture taken yesterday by Simply Samantha Photography, creator: Samantha Allred. We had such a good time and Harley of course hammed it up! If you can't tell... he LOVES getting his picture taken...

Didn't she do a fabulous job!?!? I was really happy to see how amazing the photo turned out. If you would like to see more from Samantha, check out her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/simplysamanthaphotography?fref=ts

I want to give a reminder that rabbit season is open until February 15th which is a week from today and coyote season ends March 15th! Amazing how fast this winter is going, and to think I would be saying that in Indiana! 

It's starting to warm up from below freezing and the snow is quickly melting...I see some shed hunting in my near future!!! Anyone else???

Venison... it's whats for dinner.

How many times have you tried to think of new ways to use your deer meat???

I am a newbie at cooking as it is, and it's hard for me to be creative in the ways that I cook deer meat. ESPECIALLY with people who don't eat deer as their primary source of protein. Look no further, because every few days I will be posting new recipes and ways to use deer meat in your dinner plans!

Let me be clear, I have not made any of these recipes on my own... if I do make one up, trust me I will be bragging for days. You will find the links for the recipes at the bottom of the page of each post so that you can see where the creative mind lies.

Here is one my mom usually uses for our steaks:
Venison Steaks with Gravy

2 lbs venison steaks                           1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt                                           1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder                         2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 can mushroom pieces                      1 large onion, sliced
2 cans condensed cream of 'shroom soup

Combine flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bag and shake until well blended. Then put one steak at a time in the bag, shake until completely covered. Put oil in a skillet and heat until hot. Brown steaks. Remove from skillet and add the mushroom pieces and onion into the oil and cook until tender. Remove from skillet. Lay steaks in a 9x13 baking dish and spread onion and mushroom pieces over the steaks. Take the mushroom soup and spread over the steaks. Cover the dish with foil. Bake at 325 degrees for about 1 hour until the steaks are done!


Or how bout the Indiana version!

Hoosier Fried Venison

2 lbs venison                                1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt                                      Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp bacon fat                          1 stalk celery, cut up
3 medium onions, sliced                1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomatoes, chopped            1/2 package dry noodles

Cut up meat into serving size pieces. In bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper. Coat the venison with the flour mixture. Heat the bacon fat in a skillet and brown the venison on both sides. Add celery and onions, brown. Add Worcestershire sauce and tomatoes and cook, covered, 1 to 2 hours or until tender. Cook noodles separately and drain. Add venison on top, and serve.

Try them out and let me know what ya think!

Recipes found at:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-wild_game_recipes.pdf

Boneheads Outdoors

Hey ya'll! Happy Super Bowl Sunday!!! 

This week we are featuring a branch of our NoCo family... Boneheads Outdoors. We got a few questions answered from Josh Combs, the creator. Don't worry though, If you would like to show your support and be a part of Boneheads, feel free to email, message and Facebook them! They would love to hear your stories and see your pictures from your outdoor experiences! 

It seems like Josh and I created our pages to bring together our friends and family and show the world what we're up to! We love it here in Indiana and we love what we do!

Me: "What made you start Boneheads Outdoors?"

Josh: "I started boneheads as a way to show people what my friends and I have been doing when we go hunting, how often we go, and the highs and lows of our seasons. Also started it in hopes of a sponsor to help extend the brand."  

Me: "That's great! What does it mean to you?"

Josh: "What boneheads means to me, would be a way to bring me and my friends closer, you know it's kinda labeled us but we don't mind it! lol"

Me: "Who can be involved with Boneheads?"

Josh:  "As far as who can be involved; anyone can be. Anyone who wants to post hunting or fishing pix to our Facebook wall is more then welcome. They can also email me photos and a short story and I can put it on our page or my up coming website. I also have people message me on Facebook to talk hunting and set hunts up."

"The main people are Jeff Anderson Jason Brock and me. (Josh Combs) Anyone is  more then welcome to get a hold of me for any more information!"

They have also created a label and shirts for Boneheads Outdoors (below). They aren't sure when they will be placing their next order but if you are interested in a shirt and pricing, message them on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/boneheads.outdoors  Also ask them about their women's shirts! 

They will be more than happy to answer your questions or add your story on the page. Be sure to check them out!

https://www.facebook.com/boneheads.outdoors

Stay tuned to hear more from Boneheads and as soon as they get a web site address, I'll be sure to post it! 

Boneheads Outdoors

Jason Brock, Jeff Anderson

Jeff Anderson

Josh Combs

Sunday Drive

Today Zane and I went out for a Sunday drive and we decided to take the long way home. This is what we got to see.....

About 20 turkeys just chillin' in the middle of a lane.

Hope its a sign for what we can expect next season!

Don't forget, we are still accepting donations for the children at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis until February 10th. So if you haven't gotten anything but still want to, there is time!

Been ice fishing or huntin' recently? Share your photos and story with me! Just email 'em to ashstew90@gmail.com or get ahold of me on facebook!

Donate to Riley

One of our Noble County ladies has decided that she would like to take up donations for Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. We all would appreciate anything that you would like to donate however being a hospital for sick children, there are some restrictions...

• Safety and infection control are priority standards. 
• Toys must be new and clean.
• No used or previously owned stuff animals can be accepted. 
• Please do not gift wrap any donations. 
• No food or candy. 
• Children's books, magazines, movies and library materials may be new or used but may not have any violent, sexual or religious content. 
• Items must come from a smoke free environment. 

To view the full list of acceptable donations please visit;

http://iuhealth.org/riley/for-patients-and-families/child-life/donations-to-riley/donation-guidelines/

Veronica is going to be taking the Indy trip in February so she was hoping to receive all donations by Sunday, February 10th so she can get everything together in time!

To donate please email Veronica at vlnapier09@gmail.com  or Me (Ashley) at ashstew90@gmail.com and we can set something up! Thanks for your generousness! 

Chain O' Lakes State Park

Harley, my German Shepard/Lab mix, and I decided to go for a nature walk yesterday. It was a really great winter day at just above freezing and the sun shining. We went out to Chain O' Lake State Park, which is local to Noble County, specifically Albion. The park is absolutely beautiful with 2,718 acres of rolling hills, 10 miles of trails, and 212 surface acres of water; 9 connected lakes and 11 all-together. If you are a local of Noble County and don't know the story behind Chain O' Lakes and what its all about... I suggest you click here to find out some really awesome facts that you might not know!

http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/sp-ChainOLakes_IMP2010.pdf

The changes they are making is really exciting!!!

Harley and I walked Trail 5, around Sand Lake.

 

Chain O' Lakes is hosting the "1st Annual Indiana Trail 100" this April. It is a 100 mile run lasting 2 days throughout the park.

http://www.indianatrail100.com/

People from all over the country will be participating! 

Useful Links:

Chain O' Lakes website and Facebook

http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2987.htm

https://www.facebook.com/chainolakessp?fref=ts

BBD!!!!

BIG BUCKS DOWN!!!

Today I wanted to feature some of our past bucks and reflect on the awesomeness!!!!

Zane

Carl

Justin & I

Joel

Me

Dezi

Jason

Justin

Brian, Ed & Jeff with this year's bucks

Jeff

Justin

Cory

Jason

Zane

Zane

Buck wall

Jason

Justin

Zane & this year's buck

Joel

Jeff

Zane

Zane

If you have any pics or stories you wanna share, email 'em to me at ashstew90@gmail.com! :)