"Redneck" Popularity

Well, the title say's it all. Being a so called 'redneck' is a popular thing to be in today's world, isn't it? I don't understand why... I mean, on popular hunting/fishing networks ya can't help but read 'Redneck for life', 'Fell in love with a Redneck', 'Proud to be a Redneck' and Redneck, Redneck, Redneck.
I find that it is a popular, and rewarding thing to have this on profile names, titles, status changes etc but why? Who really, in their right mind wants to be a redneck?

Redneck:

1.	an uneducated white farm laborer, esp. from the South.

2.	a bigot or reactionary, esp. from the rural working class.

To me, this is the last thing I'd want to be, but I guess it doesn't help when ya have icons like Jeff Foxworthy, and Larry the Cable Guy boasting this, and promoting it. I mean, it's funny to some degree but if I were to class myself as anything I'd want to be a good ol' country boy, or an outdoorsman(woman). I guess I get a kick out of this, and laugh outloud to myself on a regular basis because it has become so popular.
It is amazing how easily people are influenced into thinking that being a Redneck is cool and the person to be when they really have no idea what they are. I chew Copenhagen, I listen to country music, hunt, fish and wear camo almost daily I even drink the cheapest beer that is available at times but I sure as heck won't be a Redneck anytime soon and by these examples I just I gave I suppose I would be a Redneck.
This is just a little rant, because I get tired of seeing all this Redneck crap all over the place and my laughs are getting played out. Get real folks, Rednecks aren't the 'class' of people ya really want to be.

Our Father

As most of you know, it is our fathers who have introduced us to the outdoors at an early age and now for some it's mom, or woman just wanting to get involved but no matter who or how, your birth into the outdoors will be your most memorable time of your life.
I find that of all the groups out there in this world today, outdoorsman have a different bond with each other than almost any and are far more in touch with themselves as a person. Hunting and fishing is a way of life, its a breed, its a memory and a religion; but it is also a lesson that no school can teach. It teaches you about patience, passion, dedication and to have that fire of love grow untamed. For some, they like to get out and away from the real the world and escape into Gods Country where as others it is simply a way of life.
For me, I will say right now that it is all of the above and I have learnt more from hunting and fishing then from any school teacher, who was my mentor? My father, Stuart Heather.
Looking back as far as I can remember there are memory's that will never be lost, they are engraved in my memory, even though some are blurry as far as images go, the experience will never die. I can remember being about 6 years old fishing for Rainbow Trout with my dad and younger brother fishing from shore smashing off trout by the dozens (this could be a fish tale), or being in the Bronco sitting on top of a coulee looking for that big buck at sunset. To my dad, it was more of taking us along just so he could get out but to me, it is the start of something so amazing. At that time, being 6 years old or even 12, you don't see how those key moments are going to affect the later days of someones life but being 24 now, I can see it clearly!
My father is my idol, my hero and my mentor even though we didn't get to experience adventures every year but no matter where I lived or how far away I was he was teaching me every time I stepped foot into God's Country. I will never forget my first elk hunt back when I was 18 years old.
I was playing junior hockey in Golden, British Columbia and had a turn for the worst and was released from the team. My first place to go was back to Medicine Hat and I was back home within 24 hours of my release. Stuart (dad) had his special bull licence for the Cypress Hills management hunt and was left alone on this hunt. Even though I should have been looking for work I was going to be his pack mule, and I will tell you this right now, I was the happiest mule alive. Finally, I get to hunt with my idol and we are going for elk!!
So we headed out a few days prior to the hunt and at this time the elk 'should' be coming off of the rut so we figured that it would be a good idea to find where they are travelling in hopes of cutting a herd off coming from the fields. Well, I will tell you what, the picture perfect scenario of having bulls screaming, charging in was an under statement. We were just walking back to the truck and had about a 1/2 mile to go and we decided to give one last rip on the tube to see if we could at least here a bull. Not 10 seconds later, he answered and wasn't that far away. So we both looked at each other, grinned and said "should we try to get close?" both knowing that we could end up spooking that bull we couldn't help but go in after him (with only calls as our weapon). We worked this bull hard, getting closer and bugling, it sounded like a war zone and out of nowhere this small 3x3 pops out into the perfect bow range and stands there looking for this bull. We froze, I can remember being in a half squat and holding it for about 5 minutes inching myself to my knees with this bull standing less than 30 yards away looking around. I got down on my knees finally and out popped another small bull, we thought we were in for the show of a lifetime! They two stood there staring each other down and barked back and forth. I don't know who was more excited, the pack mule or the veteran. After some time they both decided to leave but the bull we were after was less than 200 yards away and it was getting dark. We made the brave move to head back to the truck and wait yet another day until we could hunt.
That memory alone being along the side of Mr. Great White himself will never fade or blur but it becomes more clear every day that passes by. That day was a lesson for me, it was a lesson of patience, composure, relationships and adrenaline and most importantly a bond that the two of us haven't experienced for a long time, too long if you ask me.
To close this hunt off, the next day on our scouting trip we ended up calling in a different bull to touching distance and watched him KO a spruce tree 20 yards away and on the second last day of this 4 day hunt we ended up getting our bull. It wasn't the biggest elk out there but it was the biggest memory saved on my internal memory card.
I want to close this off by saying this, Dad without you introducing me into the outdoors I wouldn't be where I am today and even though I had to teach myself a lot of techniques but you taught me the importance of hunting, the heritage and the way of life and that is something that only a father or mentor can teach and for that I thank-you. You always said that you want to be able to hunt and fish with your boys, and you are and will for the rest of our lives!

One last thing, that drives me to succeed, write and try to teach others, when I was again a young boy on a family camping trip I was fishing by myself from shore and caught a decent sized pike. Now, I wasn't exactly old enough to go out on my own but I did and my Gramma Marge came over to me and said " Brandon, you are going to be a great fisherman when you grow up, you know so much and love every minute of it"; well Grandma I am getting there and without all the support and introduction at an early age I wouldn't even be writing this. I love you guys. God Bless!

Dollar Store Flies - Part 2

Well, ya didn't have to wait long to get part 2 of the Dollar Store flies. I snapped a few pictures of materials and a few flies that I have tied. There are only 3 flies, I apologize, but I can't give away all my secrets now can I? haha.

Well, here is a good selection of beads that you can buy at most dollar stores in their craft section. These beads are a clear outer, and colored on the inside. They leave an excellent 'hidden' accent to the fly. I like using these to tie nymphs, puppa and using them for heads on other flies. There are a ton of different colors that are good for doing natural patterns and attractor.

Next on the list are just some miscellanius materials that I picked up that work well and are very affordable. There is a super glue, necklace (use them for eyes), containers and doll eyes. All products that would cost a heck of a lot more than at a dollar store.

Last but not least, its just 3 patterns that I have tied with these materials on popular patterns. You can virtually use these in any pattern that you choose, your options are wide open. There are two Booby Clousers and one Deceiver. I don't know why the pictures are being posted the way they are, if someone can troubleshoot that for me it would be great.

CWD and YOU, WE, US

Man... what a horrible disease isn't it? It is sick to see a deer stumbling around because it's brain is malfunctioning and in turn the animal is dieing. It is amazing that they manage to live that long in Alberta with our vast amount of predators.
Correct me if I'm wrong but is the disease not the outcome of too many animals being bred together (family) and is it not the same thing as what goes for humans? So, how does this disease enter our wildlife population... my only logical assumption is that there are too many game farms! Have you seen the height of the fences, if a deer really wanted to jump it they can and they will during the 'rut' for the simple fact that the buck is going to get that doe and that is all he has on his mind. It is starting to make sense now isn't it?
Alberta doesn't have a lot of game farms but Saskatchewan is littered with them hence the reason being on the eastern side of the province. So, what solution is there? Shut down game farms. I DO NOT see a reason to have them, at all.
If the regular city folks want to eat 'wild' meat then go shoot a deer don't buy it, some people want the velvet, so put up a fence that is 30 feet high and do your thing, and of course some hunters want their fresh dose of natural urine for the upcoming season, what is wrong with synthetics? I have used synthetic scents for years and have had endless amounts of deer come and sniff what I put in my scrape.
I just don't see a reason for it and it is ruining our wildlife.
Do you see a reason for it? If you do, I want to hear from you...

Thanks Deer Passion for your inspiration to quickly rant about this.

After looking into CWD, I will admitingly say that DeerPassion is more accurate than I am or was, atleast from all the records here in Alberta it has always been said that it was caused by excessive breeding which in turn reflects back to game farms. I now have read that it is in fact a protein from contaminated soils. What I don't understand is this... why is it not addressed more? and instead of examining the heads (brain) of the animal look into where this animal was shot and do the research on the soil. It is weird that only certain area's of our province are affected and not the rest. Very interesting, thanks Passion... I stand corrected :)

Dollar Store Flies- Part 1

Let me start this off by saying this, you don't need top dollar products to tie flies. There are plenty of cool materials that you can pick up from a dollar store or the local halloween shop and that is what I am going to talk about this time around.
It seems like tyer's don't like admitting that they are buying cheap materials from places other than a fly shop, why? I have no clue but there is the odd material that can create some pretty cool flies!
I just got home tonight from stopping at one of the many dollar stores here in Edmonton with a hefty bill of $6.50 and two packs of doll eyes, crazy glue and those cheap shiny plastic necklaces in silver, blue, pink, gold and green. Now, what in the world are necklaces used for when it comes to sitting at the vise and tying? Eyes, the answer is eyes and you can tie a clouser style minnow pattern without all that weight! They are attatched by a string and all you have to do is snip them off as you go in pairs (same idea as using bead chain) Now, you have a clouser that is light, flashy and affordable.
Moving on to the glue and doll eyes... well, I am sure you can guess what these are used for, Monster Pike Flies. I don't know about you folks but I absolutely love chasing Northern Pike on a fly, it is an experience that everyone needs to get out and do! Even a 6-12 lb northern will give you a heck of a fight and another photo for the brag book. My personal best on the fly is about a 20lb that I caught on a lake in Central Alberta three years ago on a 6w.
Heading to shops like Michaels Crafts, Dollar Stores and Halloween shops can provide some cool synthetic materials from yarn to wig hair and hackle to beads all at an affordable price and double the quantity.

In part 2 of this blog I will post some concepts and different materials I have used to create some exceptional flies and maybe a recipe or two as well.

Tight Lines

LaDredge Outdoors Free Giveaway

Alright folks,
On the Xtremely Alberta Outdoors website we are having an ice fishing picture contest and the winner gets two predator series Teaser Leaders.
The teaser leaders are amazingly effective for ice fishing on a dead line such as a tip-up, dead rod but can also be vertically jigged or trolled to help entice the bite. The leaders were designed to mimic schooling baitfish from a distance and coax that monster in for a closer look! Personally, I have used these leaders and on days when nothing is happening whatever tip-up this is on gets slammed!!
So get to the website, join the forum, post your best ice fishing picture from 2008-09 and thats it! That easy.

What are you waiting for?

Xtremely Alberta Outdoors
LaDredge Outdoors

First Times a Charm?

Well, I tend to believe that I am not the first car in the blogging train as this 'blogging' has become quite popular for the average individual to speak out what they want heard and for that reason I think it can be a great tool, especially to us outdoors men(woman).
I started up a website called Xtremely Alberta Outdoors and its primary focus was to educate the average folk, like myself, on what really works in the field; whether that be gear or tactics we are always looking for that extra edge to up our game and why should we have to fall short? The truth of the matter is that these 'pro staff' members of the high volume company's are in fact great hunters and fisherman but at the same time they also possess the ability to hunt where the big bucks are, to pull blades over North America's finest walleye waters and showcase this with the 'best' gear on the market. So I guess it raises the question, does all this fancy equipment really work or are we being fooled?
Chances are that it does in fact work but like I stated above it is being used in the best circumstances which again, goes back to the average folk like ourselves reading the magazines, watching the DVDs and gocking at banners on every online source that is available to us tempting our weak minds to BUY THIS NOW because Lee and Tiffany use it, or Bill Dance swears by it. So, we buy it.. try it and just can't seem to produce the size or numbers that they do! Why? Because the secrets will never be shown for the simple fact that it leaves that feeling of wanting something ya can't have. And in their defense, they are so busy marketing, filming and going to trade shows that it is hard to really show what to do with the merchandise so that is where I wanted to come in and really break it down for all of us.
In regards to my website, Alberta is a popular choice when it comes to a trophy class hunting destination but as far as the outdoor industry goes it is virtually untouched. The goal at Xtremely Alberta Outdoors and now, my personal blog site is to explain how to use, where to go, times of the year and the simple but forgotten things to do when on your next adventure.

For example: Personally, I have been an avid follower of the In-Fisherman Magazine from the day I was old enough to bend my finger and click 'on' the remote and my network of choice was TNN Outdoors Saturday and Sunday mornings so I, Brandon Heather, could out fish my mentor and sportsman idol... my Dad! These shows would break things down to what seemed so simple.. like "Jigs for Post Spawn Walleye". Man, Ill tell you this right now... I am almost certain that the average weekend angler wouldn't be able to tell ya what that means by hearing it and to watch it only adds a small portion of skill and more than likely that episode was watched for sheer enjoyment. There just isn't enough time in a 20 minute episode to explain what they are really doing, so I took what I watched and applied it on the water and believe me when I say this... I invented some pretty wacky rigs. ha ha. Just ask my dad. But it takes trial and error and that is what I am trying to get at here and why I want to post blogs, editorial and reviews so that the rest of the world can get a better understanding of what the pros really mean.
I am not saying I know it all, because I don't but what I do know is from extensive amount of hours on the river bank, in a float tube, crawling through cactus and brush, driving back roads and sitting in a tree stand.
I really hope that this can give a better understanding of what it is I personally would like to accomplish and what this blog as well as the website is all about. By all means, criticize this and leave comments because that is what matters to me. If I am not easily understood than I need to look at another approach to help better everyone who reads.

Thanks for reading,
Brandon Heather