Hartsel Outdoor Supply

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Barber Chair Hunting in Michigan

I’ve never been hunting in Michigan. But for years I have heard the story of Sig and how he hunted from his barber chair in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Now I live in Colorado and I had never even heard of anyone using a tree stand, much less a barber chair. Things are different east of the Mississippi.

My family was in Newberry, Michigan one August afternoon and I was surprised to see 50 lb bags of carrots at the gas station. Knowing a little about how they hunted in the UP I knew it was deer bait and let my family in on the joke. The hunters would pick their spot in summer and bait that spot until the season opened to hopefully bring in the trophy buck. It does sound a little like cheating to me but when in Rome.

So Sig lived in Engadine, Michigan (Engadine is 5 miles north of the northern most point of Lake Michigan) and had been the barber in town. He was a member of the Hiawatha club and had access to the property for hunting. I got to know him after he had retired. At that point, His blind, (more like a shed) was only minutes from his house and he could drive right up to it. I remember my Grandma Ruth shaking her head and laughing about hauling bait out to that shed all summer. Then in fall, Sig would haul his barber chair to the shed. He was set up for his hunting “trip”. He would hang out in his shed, relaxing in the barber chair until the deer he had baited all summer showed up. All he needed to do was pick his favorite, one shot, pull the truck up and hunting was done. I never heard that he actually processed and used the meat. My guess is that he donated it to families in need. He just wanted to hunt.

I know guys who have hunted in much tougher terrain for years and barely see a deer if the condition aren’t right. I think all hunters might like a set up like Sig’s for even one year. But I know that Sig had that shed for closer to 50. Hopefully Sig has found his new favorite hunting spot in the great beyond and hopefully Grandma Ruth is with him and is still laughing about hauling bait so he can get the big one.

Check out our latest blog post! Sig hunted Michigan deer from a barber chair. http://bit.ly/XaeZrH

Camping with small children

Want to have a great trip with your small children? A little planning will insure that everyone who is going will have a great time. I have taken children as young as two and we have had a great time.

First, make sure that you have plenty of clean clothes for your little ones. Your children will get really dirty and will enjoy every minute of it. Remember that God made kids washable for a reason. They won’t die if they don’t get a bath until them get home on Sunday afternoon.

Make sure you take enough toys to keep the kids busy during the day. We usually take balls & games of some kind and let the kids come up with their own fun. It really is OK to back off and watch your kids use their imagination to keep themselves busy. That’s the fun part. You get to sit back to watch.

When you plan a menu for a camping trip you want to use the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid). That is never truer than when there are children involved. Make sure you throw the peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, and the makings for grilled cheese or quesadillas into your supplies. Also include lots of quick snacks like, peanut butter crackers, cheese sticks, yogurt, and crackers. Keep in mind that your kids won’t eat peas any better out camping than they do at home. Just enjoy the weekend and don’t stress the small stuff.

I went with a couple of families to a campout and we had nine children. Five of them were under three and there was a set of triplets. After the dishes from breakfast were done, we went for a short hike in the morning to burn off the kid’s excess energy. Then we sat in the shade and watched the kids play on the rocks. They collected a large collection of treasures that kept them busy. My son found the cold fire pit and ran matchbox cars through the ash for hours. When the cars got too dirty, he would wash them in the dog’s water and go back for more. The picture of him with his face black with soot is priceless. When it was dinner time we rounded up the kids, used a small dust broom to get off the worst of the dust, washed hands and faces with a rag, and set them at the table to eat. Next, was s’mores by the campfire and more dirty hands and faces. All of the kids went bed early and easily after that day.

Remember to relax when you take your kids camping and enjoy the time together. Don’t’ panic about nutritional labels, dirty clothes or faces, and let the kids enjoy there time in the great outdoors. Look to Hartsel Outdoor Supply to equip your next camping trip and enjoy the view.

Setting up a camp site

Getting ready to get your campsite ready for your next trip out? There are many issues to consider when buying equipment for camping.

Type of camping
Number of people
Accommodations
Equipment needs
Meal planning
Activities

Type of Camping
The type of equipment that you buy will depend on this type of camping you are doing. Are you camping out of a car/camper or are you backpacking/canoeing? A trip involving hiking and packing your own food and equipment is entirely different than a car campout.

A planning a backpacking trip is all about weight. Hartsel Outdoor Supply carries backpacking (think light weight) and other tents that take up more space and weight. Decide if you or your car is going to be doing the heavy work.

Number of people
Who is going with you? Are you taking small children who will need to be closely watched and need additional equipment or is everyone self sufficient. I’ve taken children as small as two on camping trips and it involves a lot more work to take small fries. Just make sure that everyone will be comfortable during the day and at night.

Accommodations
Are you tenting, using a popup, camper, trailer or RV? Knowing who is sleeping where is important before you ever hit the great outdoors.

Equipment Needs
Don’t forget a table to use as your kitchen. You never know what there will be at your campsite. You will need pots and pans or my favorite, cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens, plates, glasses, (paper or sets and silverware, including knives . Bring two wash basins, one to wash dishes and another to rinse. Don’t throw the water out after dinner. You will need it to put out the campfire if you are burning one. Sleeping bags and chairs are another essential to make camp comfortable.

Meal Planning
What to eat. Keep in mind that you will be using more calories than normal since you will be active and outdoors. Use the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid) to plan meals on camping trips. It’s OK to use prepackaged foods. Hartsel Outdoor Supply is also carries Thrive Freeze Dried Food . This is another option for putting healthy and tasty food on the table while camping.

Activities
Where to go? Are you going to a National or State Park? Will there be water? Is there fishing, hunting, hiking or other activities available? The internet is a great place to help you decide where to go and what to do on a camping trip. Use your imagination and enjoy the trip.

Check out our latest blog post! Setting up a comfortable campsite. http://bit.ly/XaeZrH

New Products on Hartsel Outdoor Supply

www.hartseloutdoorsupply.com has added Flashlights and lighting to the website. We have what you need to keep the lights on in camp or at home in case of emergency. We have a selection of battery, crank, and solar operated lights for any use. Come and take a look our selection in Camping - Flashligts.

We also have added firearm hearing protection products. Ladies there are a few that are pink. Take a look Hunting - Firearm Accessories.

Want to eat better at your next camp out? Try this lasagna recipe, but remember to make enough for your crew. It always goes fast around our campfire. Throw in a loaf of French bread and dinner is ready.



Dutch Oven Lasagna

Sauce:
1 pound hamburger or sausage, browned and drained
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
Cottage cheese layer:
16 oz. cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup grated parmesan
4-6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
9-12 regular lasagna noodles
Combine sauce ingredients, season to taste, and bring to a boil. Simmer at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cottage cheese, egg, salt, parmesan and garlic. Mix well.

Breaking noodles to fit your Dutch oven, add small amount of sauce to bottom of oven, layer 1/3 of the uncooked noodles, about 1/3 of the meat sauce, 1/3 the cottage cheese and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice.

Cook with 17 coals on top, 11 on bottom for 45-55 minutes. Uncover and allow the bottom coals to continue cooking for 5-10 minutes more. Let stand 5 minutes with no heat.

Hartsel Outdoor Supply just became a distributor for Thrive Freeze Dried foods. I will post the link to my thrive website as soon as it's up. Volunteers for hosting a party are welcome.

Camping with Hartsel Outdoor Supply

If you are a camper or backpacker or want to start out, there are literally tons of options for camping gear. First of all, what type of camping do you want to do? If you want to camp like I do, which is off the grid & away from the crowds at the established camp grounds, then it’s really easy to figure out what you need. Food, shelter & warmth are priorities anytime of the year. Here in Colorado nighttime temps in the summer can get downright cold at higher altitudes very quickly. Shelter can be anything from a tarp spread over your sleeping bag to a camper trailer or a truck camper like I have. Shelter considerations need to include things like weather you expect to run into. If you have a leaky tent and its raining or snowing, that will really make your experience dismal not to mention potentially dangerous if it’s cold weather. Wet and cold at the same time is a condition I prefer to avoid.

So starting with a good quality tent is a must. You really must keep your gear & sleeping bags dry. Choosing a good spot to set up a tent includes finding a level spot that shows no signs of water running thru it. Then use a plastic tarp to keep a barrier between the tent & the ground. Tents come in an almost unlimited array of sizes and shapes, you can pick one that is light or heavier depending on how you plan to carry it in, and back pack tents are much lighter.

Once the tent is set up, make sure you have a good ground pad or inflatable mattress. Believe me, waking up in pain from rough ground is no fun. Cots are also a good option. Using an air filled mattress in cold weather is not usually a good option; it will draw heat away from your body. I personally have camped out in a tent in sub-zero weather at Fraser, Colorado, in January, and slept very warm on a cot. It’s not real difficult. I have a -30 bag, a dry tent, and a cot with a pad.
Cold weather camping is for me as enjoyable as summertime, there are always fewer people out, the weather in Winter is always more challenging but its really worth it. A hot cup of coffee over a small campfire when it’s really cold out, with snow squalls or sunshine, is a great start to a day.

Slumberjack makes a great selection of sleeping bags & tents that will fit just about any condition that you can encounter while camping, so if you know that the nighttime temps will be below 10 degrees, make sure your bag is ready for the job. The same considerations apply for summertime camping, staying warm & dry will make the campout 100% more enjoyable. Where I camp in the Colorado mountains we can have extremes of weather inside the space of an hour, so your gear must be up to the job.

Check out Hartsel Outdoor Supply for Slumberjack products.

Attitude and preparation will make a cold weather camp much more enjoyable. When I campout in January I am always prepared with the right gear, & the right attitude. Dealing with extremes of temperatures is always easier with quality gear, a good attitude & preparation.
Camping is a great way to get away from the stress of daily life, & enjoy the outdoors away from the crowds.