It is my hunter’s birthday today!!!

I think this says it all… 

Everyone have a safe and Happy Halloween and a fun safe weekend!

Any wife of a hunter knows she has a bit of competition.  It isn’t the competition of another woman, the competition of a friend or even the competition of his Mother.  It’s the competition for the love he has for his deer.   It’s the big buck that their hunter so eagerly awaits every hunting season.  The buck they’ve waited years to see.  The buck they’ve dreamt about many times mounted on the wall.  The buck they worked so hard to get.  The buck that ends up mounted on your wall. 

Then it’s the buck that you feel is staring at you every time you walk in the house.  The buck you hear him tell all of his friends about.  The buck your hunter feels he needs to tell your female friends about and the neighbors and anyone walking past your house.  Then it’s the buck he’s awarded a Buckmasters Trophy Record certificate over.   Then it’s the buck that he just so perfectly mounted so that passer-bys can see through your curtains.  Then it’s the story of the buck when he sees someone he hasn’t seen since he got the buck.  Then it’s the never ending story of the buck.  Then it’s the buck you wish you never allowed mounted on your living room wall. 

Then it’s the buck you’re asked to bring to a hunting show because your hunter didn’t have time to bring.  Then it’s the buck he asked you to gently set in the front passenger seat so the buck doesn’t get damaged.  Then it’s the buck sitting next to you in the car like he’s your best friend.  Then it’s the buck you hope no one sees you in the car with.  Then it’s the buck you’d like to say accidentally fell out of the car. 

Then it’s the buck you’re asked to clean. Then it’s the buck you accidentally knock off the wall.  Oops! Then it’s the buck whose picture has replaced yours in his wallet.  The buck, the buck, the buck.  Well the buck stops here.  I’m his wife for goodness sakes.

I will be posting later this morning! Be sure to check back.

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Judy Israel a BP Pro Bass Angler who in 2004 became the first woman to win the Wal-Mart FLW tournament.   From a teacher in the Bronx, to an owner of a security alarm company, Judy has found her passion in fishing, the outdoors and believing that a female of any age can follow their dream. 

Judy’s fishing career began from the encouragement of her husband Abbie.  Abbie had been in Florida on a business trip when a group of colleagues invited him out for a day of fishing.  I should point out that Abbie arrived in a dress shirt and jacket as any businessman would on their first fishing expedition.  From a husband who truly knows his wife, Abbie knew this was something Judy would truly enjoy. 

Fishing wasn’t exactly something new to Judy.  She holds dear the memories of growing up fishing for flounder on Saturdays with her Father.   When she started fishing with her husband, she fell in love with fishing all over again and as Judy pointed out, “You never do forget fishing when you were a kid”. 

Judy and her husband Abbie, who she likes to refer to as her “Bass Caddy”, eventually packed up, moved to Florida where Judy began her fishing career.  Judy and Abbie spent a lot of time fishing and soon after she was asked to join the FLW bass tournament.   Being the only woman against 300 men, she is well deserving  of “being a pioneer for women in the fishing world.” 

Judy had to overcome a few obstacles along the way.  On her very first fishing tournament,  Judy left empty handed her first day out because she couldn’t set the hook.  This didn’t discourage her because the very next day she placed in the tournament and was rewarded her first check.  On another fishing tournament, Judy was partnered with a male who told her he wouldn’t fish with a woman.  She is one competitive, strong lady who wasn’t  going to let the likes of a male’s insecurity stop her.  The man was thrown out of the tournament and Judy found herself with another partner.

Judy’s passion for fishing doesn’t just stop there.  Judy was asked to be a part of the BP Wish to Fish Clinics and has found a way to combine her love for teaching and her love for fishing together by bringing fishing to the youths of the Boys and Girls Clubs across America.  It’s a wonderful program where Judy feels, “Our youths today need to come back to the outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer.” 

I look forward to following Judy’s fishing career, the Wish to Fish Clinics and hearing more about Judy’s fishing tales.  She promised me she had a few we all would have a good laugh over.

Thanks to BP and Judy for allowing me such a wonderful opportunity to share her story here.  She’s strong, competitive, has paved the way for other female anglers and someone I can look up to when I join my first crappie tournament.  Is there such a thing?

How to stop your husband from going hunting did not come out of my mouth however, someone did type this in google and reached my site. 

My immediate reaction was I could never imagine thinking this, feeling this and then searching this.  I understand that everyone’s situation is different.  There are some women that just like having their husbands around, maybe they have kids at home and it’s difficult when their husband is gone or maybe it has something to do with trust.  Whatever their reason, it was important enough to search.

Then I received this comment on my post about things to do while your husband is hunting.

this list is so stupid, well things on it that make it easier for the lazy hubby to find the tv remote when they come home after a nice day away from home in the wooods w/nature! lazy husbands suck!!!!!!!!! poster you need to post a TO DO LIST FOR the wives when 4 when (the HUBBY’s) come home! PLZE get up to date in your time………..

I can only share with you the things that I do while my husband is hunting. What person loves to clean? Not many but it has to get done and for me that is the perfect time. As for a list for my husband when he gets home after enjoying himself in the woods, he’s a grown man and knows what needs to be done. We don’t have list’s for eachother. We don’t tell eachother what needs to get done nor when. I think in both situations there is something much deeper going on than just a problem with deer hunting and I would like to address this next week in a post.

I’m not speaking for other wives, I can only speak for me. I’m sure there are lazy husbands out there but my husband isn’t one of them. He helps around the house with cleaning, laundry, dishes and cooking without being asked. He works a 40+ hour week, takes care of the house, yard and anything else that needs his attention. He isn’t one to sit down and enjoy himself all that much. So when hunting season approaches I have no problem with him taking time to do what he enjoys. He deserves it.

As for me getting up to date in my time - or the times.  If you’re a regular reader here you will understand the following …

After spending a long day cleaning and making my home sparkle for my husband, I will await his arrival home after a long day at the office while I sit here in my June Cleaver dress and pearls. I’ll be sure to take his shoes off for him, light his cigar, have his 4 course meal on the table and a homemade apple pie. 

Oh heavens, I forgot to iron my apron.

My hunter Mark and Marc at NYBowhunter.com are having a deer hunting showdown this year to see who gets the biggest buck.  Please note, hunting season isn’t all about who can get the biggest buck.  It is just a friendly contest going on between two avid hunters.  There are a lot of wonderful things hunters do and Marc at NYBowhunter has already donated some of his venison to one of his local food shelters and my Mark does the same each year.   

Over the weekend I received an email from Marc at NYBowhunter.com that he has scored again.  He is having one heck of a year and just took his second biggest buck of his life.  Congratulations Marc! Head over to Marc’s blog and you can take a look at a few pictures he has posted.

My Mark started his hunting season late this year and has only been out twice. Twice meaning two whole weekends. I really don’t think he has seen much. I need to start paying better attention for goodness sakes I write about this stuff.

Have a great day all!

We Have A Winner for the $100 BP Gas Card Giveaway -

Congratulations #55 Tammy

E-mail me at jody {at} thehunterswife {dot} net to claim your card.

We have a BP station right down the street and I have to say I only fill up my car there. My gas seems to last much longer when I use BP gas. It was a great giveaway!

Thanks so much everyone and have a safe weekend.

First, I would like to say thank you all so much for joining my $100 BP gas card giveaway.  I hope you stick around and enjoy the fun here.  You all have been to some amazing places and I’ve enjoyed reading them all so far.  I am also trying to visit each and everyone of your sites, for those of you with a blog.  It really means a lot to me.

Also today is the final day of the contest.  The winner will be announced first thing tomorrow morning. 

On to today’s post…

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The beauty of fishing is something I never thought I would ever say.  I’m the girlie girl with the painted fingernails and never thought I would ever enjoy fishing.  Fish are slimey, they can poke you and having to put a worm on a hook wasn’t something I thought I would ever find enjoyment with.

But fishing to me isn’t just about all the screaming girlie fears.  There is something about being on the quiet water at 5:00 a.m. when the sun is rising and the fog is lifting. 

This is one of the pictures I took at that time of morning.  I just love it. 

It’s about spending time with my hunter.

It’s about meeting new friends on the water.

It’s about fishing with long time friends.

It’s about getting to drive the boat.

And fishing with a bobber that matches my pink fingernail polish.

That is the beauty of fishing to me!

Don’t forget to enter my $100 BP Gas Card Giveaway.

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I’ve added my post from yesterday to Rocks In My Dryer - Works for Me Wednesday - so I updated it a bit because it works for me.

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My Mom’s long time friend is here from Florida and today is her birthday. Happy Birthday Betty! I think this photo is from the 70’s. I don’t even think I was born yet.

My Mom and Betty raised their kids in our small town where my parents still live. They were little league Moms, knew everyone in town and somehow knew what skeletons everyone had in their closets. I tell you, it sure was hard hiding as much as I did growing up.

Here is Betty sporting her little league jacket.

And my Mother at the little league parade. Sporting some short shorts. I think her purse looks bigger than the shorts she has on.

And what exciting things do they have on their agenda. Eating, updating Betty on the town gossip, eating, visiting, eating, celebrating Betty’s birthday with umm…

Eating

Fish Fry at The Hunter’s and The Hunter’s Wife house.

Have a great day all.

Don’t forget to enter my BP $100 gas card giveaway.

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Over the past few years of fishing with my hunter I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what it would be like to fish without him.  Don’t get me wrong, I love fishing with my hunter.  I love just swinging my body and pole around and having my hunter take my fish off my hook.  But I’m beginning to realize that I’m not just fishing to fish.  I’m not just fishing because he does.  I’m not just fishing to take a vacation.  I’m fishing because I really do enjoy it.

But there are many issues I struggle with.  I want to be able to put the line on my rod myself, take a fish off the hook without fear, when my line breaks I want to be able to put all the thingymajiggers back on, I want to be able to take the boat out and drive myself, everything an experienced angler would do.  

Then reality kicks in when we get to the boat dock.  I panic and jump out of the truck while my hunter backs the boat in, ties it to the dock and then pulls the truck out.  Then I promise myself I would start out with a small fish and take it off the hook.

On our last trip, I caught a tiny, little, itty, bitty fish.  I turned my back so my hunter couldn’t see me.  He would have insisted I give him my line but I wanted to do it for myself.  With my back to my hunter, I try to grab ahold of the fish without screaming then the fish flip flops on my line and I just can’t bring myself to touch it.  My hunter finally notices and grabbed the camera.  I tried and tried but I just couldn’t do it without, well ….

my handi-wipe…
 

Isn’t he cute!  I would say I’m making a little progress.