Having a "primitive" day

It was a great day to be outside. I experimented with a couple of primitive craft ideas that were new to me. The first was a "figure 4" deadfall trap. This took a little time to get set up, but is very simple. There is a variation that uses a cord and trigger mechanism that I will try soon.

The second project was to make a bark basket. As you can see, I peeled the poplar bark and formed it, but will need to finish it after it dries in the sun and stiffens. I will drill holes and lace the edges together and use a split green shoot to reinforce the top.

These items are not required in today's world, but by doing this, we gain a greater appreciation for how our ancestors lived and the challenges they face to sustain life.

Get outdoors and try something new. You will be surprised at the pride you will have in becoming more self-sufficient.

Palmetto Dock Dogs Event

 These neat photos were provided by Erin Owen to illustrate the intense competition of these dogs in an exciting new sport. Dogs of all breeds are invited to join Palmetto Dock Dogs to be able to compete in events such as "Big Air", "Extreme Vertical" and "Speed Retrieve".

Anderson Civic Center will be hosting an event on Saturday and Sunday, August 25-26 that will include Palmetto Dock Dogs. The event is a Premier Outfitters Sportsman's Weekend and will have

Erin Owen is the President of Palmetto Dock Dogs and is excited to help bring this event to Anderson. She said, "It's an awesome sport. My Chesapeake Bay Retriever has been dock diving for three years and we have traveled to several states, and we are excited about being a part of a Premier Outfitters Sportsman's Weekend and bringing the sport to the upstate of South Carolina."

If you have a dog and are interested in joining Palmetto Dock Dogs, visit www.palmettodockdogs.com or email palmettodockdogs@gmail.com.

The Sportsman's Weekend event will feature national and local businesses in the hunting, fishing and outdoor industry. A wide array of state-of-the-art products will be on display and available to attendees. Outdoor personalities will be present and it will be a day of entertainment as well as instructional information about outdoor activities.

A day on Clark's Hill Lake

Chris Cade with bow-fishing rig

It was a cool day last Wednesday, June 6, and Chris Cade and I decided to try our luck with archery and atlatl for carp and gar.

As luck would have it, the fish were shut down due to the cool snap and cloudy conditions. Very few were near the surface.

We only had one opportunity and I missed with the atlatl rig that I have hastily put together and Chris stuck one, but it pulled free.

It was great to be on the lake and we had a good time. We went to his farm and checked food plots, shot his rifle and had a lazy day.

I will definitely try the atlatl again. That would be a great way to take a big fish.

Tight lines to all!

Egrets on lake

L. Ross with atlatl fishing rig