Up North Journal Podcast

Mike and Dan talk with Chris Schnur of Beyond The Ears about arrow tuning and custom tuned arrows.

1. Mike had Chris set up a new dozen for his new PSE Shootdown
2. Forgiveness in an arrow
3. Arrow stiffness affects
4. Front weight and how it affects the arrow
5. Speed vs Kinetic Energy
6. The bow vs the arrow, which part should you put the most thought into?
7. Putting more thought process into the arrow choice
8. Aluminum shafts Easton Gamegetter XX75
9. Carbon shafts
10. Stainless steel cores
11. Parallel shafts
12. Tapered shafts
13. What is spine?
14. How an arrow is manufactured affects spine deviance
15. How broadhead air foil affects fletchings
16. Trend now is going back to 3 or 4 inch vanes
17. Blazer vanes developed for whisker biscuits
18. Helical vs offset vanes
19. Arrow components are often overlooked
20. New technology
21. Grouping 20 yards in a 8 inch pie plate
22. Why custom vs boxed arrows
23. Crossbow bolts

Western Hunting Clinics

1. How they got started at the shop
2. What type of gear are they offering
3. Workshops that teach them the gear they should consider
4. Helps to prepare them for the extreme conditions they will endure
5. Western hunts vs Mid-west hunts
6. The elk calling academy

Mike drew a Michigan Elk Tag!

The Hunt, Hike, Train Podcast

Mike and Dan talk about how the wet weather is affecting outdoor activities and the upcoming seasons.

1. Another week of rain
2. Trimming unwanted growth with EZ Kut
3. Black Walnuts used for trapping
4. Wet ground at our Indiana hunting lease
5. How will lack of agriculture sources this fall affect the fall migration of waterfowl?
6. Could mean beef prices rise which will cause us to put more deer in the freezer

The guys are getting their target bows tuned up

1. Mike is getting new arrows for his outdoor set up
2. Danny is undecided on what arrows he's going to use this season
3. Mike shot about 75 arrows this weekend through the Shootdown
4. Getting use to the weight
5. Shooting with a magnifier
6. Sight placement
7. Shooting form and finger placement on the release

Black Bear euthanized due to human involvement.

1. Oregon black bear was fed by people so they could take a selfie with the bear
2. Game officials killed the bear due to human interaction
3. Said it could not be rehabilitated
4. Mike and Dan take exception with their killing the bear

Mike's Michigan camp looking at not planting food plots this year

Getting fit for hunting season

1. Time to start thinking about getting fit for hunting season
2. Possible UNJ Workout group
3. Holding each other accountable

This week the guys talk about their fathers and how they set them up for success in the outdoors!

Ken Talks about his bass tournament on Thursday night

1. Mike and Dan show up at the weigh in
2. Ken and his buddy take 3rd place on a lake that is typically hard to fish
3. New electronics on the boat didn't work
4. Ken caught two fish to limit out with 30 minutes to go!
5. Flying blind sometimes puts you in places you wouldn't normally be in which can lead to success
6. NBAA tournament
7. Is Danny selling secrets?

Ken's fishing trip on Father's Day with his dad.

1. Went to mid Michigan to do some fishing
2. Caught a ton of fish
3. Talks about the lack of vegetation
4. His dad comes in and gives Ken the business
5. Ken's fond memories of fishing with his dad as a youngster
6. Ken talks about helping the next generation get into fishing
7. Fondest memory fishing with his dad from the guys

Mike and Dan talk about the hunting side of things and how their dads impacted their lives.

1. Danny going pheasant hunting with his dad as a kid
2. Hunting in the U.P. with his dad
3. What did Dan's dad think about him working in the outdoor industry
4. Mike talks about hunting with his dad
5. Mike's only deer taken with his dad in the blind with him
6. Mike's dad understands what direction Mike has helped take the camp

Mike's groundhog problem

Trail cam surprise photos

The guys catch up with Tred Barta again this week in Valdez Alaska to see what he's been up to these last two weeks

1. Close encounter with a Grizzly Bear
2. Don't pee near a stream
3. Pepper dealing with the bears
4. Fishing was fabulous in Valdez
5. Animals that Tred has seen while there
6. Beauty of Valdez
7. Taking care of camp duties
8. The rod holders on the ceiling
9. Tire blowouts on the trailer
10. Loves his Hunter's Blend Coffee
11. Why does Tred keep his fishing rods on the ceiling?
12. Valdez snowfall
13. The fishing trip
14. 245lbs of fish
15. How is he keeping frozen fish
16. Bear activity
17. Hunting season starts at the end of August
18. Fishing license cost
19. Hunting as an out of state resident
20. Moving to Valdez?
21. Vehicles
22. Wants to get his pilots license back
23. How Denali has been commercialized
24. Creation and the beauty of it

Mike and Danny attended the Total Archery Challenge in Michigan this past week.

1. Extreme archery targets on Boyne Mountain
2. Set up on the ski slopes
3. Extreme angles
4. Need to be in shape to climb the hills and angles without getting winded
5. Long distances
6. Practice range was set up at a 10 degree incline
7. 100 Yard warm ups
8. Wind and elevation and how the two play together to affect your shot.
9. Nock times and the ski chair lift to the top
10. 500 feet elevation change
11. Shooting the targets
12. Targets were set up for difficulty
13. Bucket of busted arrows!
14. Working with Rambo Bikes
15. Taking people for rides on the bikes
16. Danny spent the day on the bike!
17. The Rambo Smile

Local Bass Tournament with Ken Scicluna

1. Started out the week on a bad note
2. Thursday got the win
3. Saturday won Biggest Bass
4. Transitioning from a bad Tuesday to a great Thursday
5. Pontiac Lake
6. Fishing a public lake and dealing with other boaters
7. Fishing docks and dealing with land owners
8. The winning lure combination

How attitude plays into success in the outdoors

1. Keep stress low
2. The mental game is so important in outdoor success
3. Keeping things in perspective
4. The weather can change your attitude
5. How kids can keep your attitude in check
6. Staying true to what you know and keep it simple
7. Don't over think things

Introducing Ken Scicluna as a new contributor at Up North Journal

Getting to know Ken.....

1. How he got started
2. The fishing side
3. The hunting side

Tournament fishing season is in full swing

1. Fishes local tournament leagues
2. Mainly fishes for bass
3. Catching other fish during tournaments

The boat set up

1. Getting boat ready for season
2. Late February getting spring prep done
3. How size of boat motor can make or break you
4. 20 rods on the boat
5. Why so many rods
6. Who gets the front of the boat

Talking what baits to use

1. Basic set up when fish are not biting
2. Different ways to rig a worm
3. Colors
4. Crank bait
5. Alabama rig
6. Drop shot
7. Texas rig

Are more people getting into fishing?

1. Bass fishing tournaments are exploding
2. High schools and colleges are forming fishing teams
3. New fishing league
4. DNR involvement
5. DNR getting fish number information from tournaments
6. Lake cycles

Ken's thoughts on deer hunting

1. Dabbled in food plots
2. Baiting vs not baiting
3. Bow practice

Mike helped out at Spot Shooter Archery's new shop

1. Helped build new shooting range
2. Looking forward to the grand opening

Dan has encounter with a fawn and a doe

Danny makes his annual trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to open his cabin for the first time of the year.

1. Made it to camp
2. Roof is still on the cabin
3. No water leaks
4. Getting work done at camp
5. Got the PackerMaxx out to work on the food plots
6. Took soil samples
7. Trees planted last year got a little nibbled on from the deer
8. Cleaning up around camp with the EZ Cut gear, the loppers and 20 foot pole saw
9. Water in the woods and the creeks are running high
10. Looking to trim a few shooting lanes

Talking a little bit about velveted bucks

Mike got out to tune the Evolve 28 this weekend

1. Got 20, 30, and 40 set on Saturday
2. Really like the way this bow shoots
3. Fits Mike better than the 31
4. Took a few cool pics on Saturday with the bow
5. Working with grip position

Reflecting on Memorial Day

The guys talk about their workout plan and how it's going and what they are working towards.

Mike and Danny talk with Tred Barta about his cross country trip to Alaska

1. Tred made it to Alaska!
2. He is in the water on Squirrel Lake!
3. Became emotional when he made it!
4. Seeing all kinds of game
5. Scenery is amazing
6. Almost flipped his trailer
7. The outdoors is good medicine
8. Ran out of gas twice
9. Crossing into Canada
10. Setting goals for yourself
11. Made it without any major mishaps
12. How the trailer made it
13. How well it works for disabled people
14. What the outdoors does for usBrush

Mike is back from vacation

1. Spent time at Gulf Shores Alabama
2. Crane on the beach near a fisherman
3. Grabbed a Ballyhoo fish
4. A seagull and a crab going at it
5. FloraBama

Danny talked to Nick Percy of Killer Food Plots and is getting ready to plant his food plots next weekend.

1. Danny is getting ready to food plot
2. Opening up camp
3. Using the PackerMaxx to bust up the ground
4. Planting oats and clover
5. Taking soil samples
6. Putting a few cameras out

Choosing a deer camp to join

1. How do you choose the right camp to join
2. What are you walking into
3. How many members and how do they hunt
4. Being like-minded
5. What do you expect out of camp
6. Hunting areas
7. Types of hunting allowed
8. Hunting philosophies
9. Interviewing the camp as they interview you as prospective member
10. Purchasing an opportunity to hunt is what it boils down to
11. What game is offered
12. What are the neighbors like around the property
13. Knowing your own members in your camp
14. Hunting rules
15. Sharing areas or private areas
16. Traditions can get in the way of camps
17. Making memories at camp
18. Big timber in Alabama

The kickoff of the Tred Barta Get Off The Couch Expedition!

His first three days on the road

1. Tred has made it to Lewiston Montana in three days!
2. Pushing and testing his limits
3. Hates Chicago!!!
4. Harbor View travel trailer
5. Truck takes a long time to get to speed
6. 5 miles per gallon gas mileage
7. 13 hours a day driving
8. Taking a few days to recoup
9. Western towns
10. Things got a little shuffled while traveling
11. Crazy encounter with a woman at a gas station
12. Gas situation is critical
13. Anyone can get out and travel
14. The sights and sounds of his travel so far

The tremendous loss of a close friend and how it relates to life

1. He lost a dear friend today
2. How life and the world around us work to the realization of God
3. Help others

What's in store for Tred

1. Mileage update, almost 2300 miles so far
2. Crossing into Canada
3. Shipping pistols to Alaska due to Canada's gun laws
4. Dealing with fuel situation that is looming ahead for Tred
5. Managing Risk
6. Bathroom risks for Tred
7. Other RV'rs not so friendly
8. What happens when you get to Alaska
9. Want's to be around people and enjoy seeing things he's never seen
10. Is Hunting and Fishing really about Hunting and Fishing?
11. The slideout mistake....