Milk River Montana

Hello everyone, just got back home to Kansas from the Milk River in Montana after a successful bow hunt. I filmed fellow Ameristep Pro-Staffer and Realtree Pro-Staff Tim Andrus on a do-it-yourself whitetail hunt just outside of Malta, Montana. We worked our tails off for this buck and it all finally came together after moving stand sets every day and getting their movement pinned down. On the evening of October 4, all of the hard work paid off. We saw an unbelievable number of deer and had several encounters. Montana has some of the most amazing landscape and the hunting is unbelievable... I can't wait to go back! Look for the footage next season when the new line up of shows come out.



Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

Deer City USA

Just wanted to let everyone know that this week on Deer City USA. Pro Staffer Tim Andrus is in Iowa hunting whitetails and has an encounter with a hugh 200 inch buck, It is truely the largest deer I have ever filmed. The show times are Monday at 12 pm and Wednesday at 730 pm And Thanks to Glenn Thompson of North American Outdoor Adventures for all the hard work and hospitality..

This weekend, July 31 through August 1, I will be at the Kansas City Cabelas representing Ameristep. Stop in and say hey if anyone is around.

The countdown until season has officially begun... stands are set and I just got my trail cameras put out the past couple of weekends. I will be heading to the Milk River in Montana on September 30 to film Tim Andrus from the Ameristep and Realtree Pro Staff. Then in November, Tim and another fellow Ameristep Pro Staffer - Rodney Evans, will be coming here in Kansas to hunt/film and hopefully we will connect on a few bruisers.

Hopefully everyone's summer is going well and good luck with your summer scouting!

Clint Womeldorff
Ameristep Pro Staff

CHECK IT OUT

See the features on the Ameristep 22’ Skyscraper Truss Ladder Stand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bripFUnG6s

New web special at ameristep.com

Go to www.ameristep.com and check out our web deal on the new Bone Collector blind!

Representing Ameristep in Maine July 31, 2010

Had a fantastic turkey season this spring!! Had 13 mature gobblers respond to the calls and all came into gun range from 38 yards all the way down to 8 yards! Besides filling my own two tags, I called birds in for several other hunters this year, two that were new to the sport.

I will be at Cabela's Store in Maine on July 31st, 2010, demonstrating Ameristep blinds and products so if you live in the northeast, stop by and say hello!

Others that will be on hand include Matt Morrett of Hunters Specialties and Laura Francise, the Martin Archery Girl!!


Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep Prostaff

Taggin Out Hunting

Hey all,

You will all be glad to know that the website is nearing completion. Our final dvd order has been placed and is about 50 days from being in our hands. It has been a touch since I have gave you all the report from the field so lets back this up.

The second week of April, I spent an entire week with dad along the Big Manistee River. This river is highly noted for its excellent fishery of steelhead. For those that do not know much about steelhead, they are an extremely hard fighting fish that naturally spawn in the river systems. It is not uncommon for a fish to fight itself to death during their apparent struggle with man. To get a grasp on just how hard these fish fight, during that week, I hooked 25 and only land 5 fish or about 20%. That rate is lower than some of the seasoned fisherman that I am glad my daddy met on the river. These guys were truly an absolute pleasure to fish aside.

Turkey season got of to a bang. First it was Mr. Russ Vandercook taking a nice bird off of Steve Lovasz property. The footage was great being that the birds nearly ran all the way in after leaving a group of 3 real hens. Then it was my daddy’s turn. He had a giant come into the decoys and the gun went click. If you have seen the footage from last year you would oh boy, another one of those seasons. With the gun jammed up and 10 minites later we had an additional 2 toms and 1 jake pay us a visit. Of course, once that was resolved we never seen another bird that day. But a couple days later dad got his chance at redemption. A bird come in from behind the blind and never did commit to the decoys. We shuffled around the blind and dad took a very nice tom. He sure was glad to redeem himself of the past couple of years… Once that bird was harvested, I took Mr. Rocky Cummins our for some bird action. Now Mr. Rocky has never ever tagged a turkey in 3 years of hunting, and with only 1 day left we were determined to change that. Rocky is a different character though, he wanted his first turkey to be done with the bow. So we got setup and with some miscommunication he threw an arrow through the low back feathers after we called in a pair of jakes. Disappointed and bummed, we eventually seen another pair of birds. A hen and jake worked slowly into the decoys and when the moment came Rocky pinned the donkey! Congrats Mr. Rocky on your first bird! With the action peaking out, I then met up with Mr. Todd Collins. The action continued when the birds were gobbling in the dark. Not too long after, one of those gobblers was making its way to the decoys. Was… Then a big coyote entered the field and it looked like that bird would be a goner. But the bird came back and Mr. Todd centered an arrow though the big tom. It ran off and after a long track job we let it lay for awhile. Luckily, we picked back up on the trail later that evening and found the bird. The Mr. Schumann, the wife, kid, and I went out for a day of moral mushroom picking and found a few. Those babies sure eat good with some batter and deep frying. By this time, my wife was itching at the bit to get out and give it a run. Did I mention with her bow? Mr. Paul Connelly invited us to hunt his piece of turkey field one afternoon and a long while later, guess who showed up? You guessed it, another gianormus tom. Her placement was a touch off and the arrow flew through his wing feathers and out his front breast feathers. It stung a little, for my wife anyway… we have been trying to get her back in front of another bird and I sure it will happen before the end of the month. I got the opportunity to get out a couple days back and had a tom come 30 yards to the side of me. I hit the record button and waited and waited. Smart bird kept about its marry way and left me with my tag in the pocket! Don’t worry I will be “Taggin Out!”

Good luck on all your outdoor quests,

Team Eaton

Smackin' Em & Stackin' Em in Maine

I'll tell you what...alot of guys here in southern/midcoastal Maine aren't seeing the turkeys as much this week and so they're having a hard time connecting. The past two years I had similar issues, combined with not enough time to hunt so I decided to put the old woodsmanship skills to the grindstone this year and scout hard. For those of you who have off-seasons when you just aren't seeing the birds, take a few tips and learn from my past mistakes.

A couple things have happened that are defining the way this season is going; last fall we had a good mast crop, this past winter was extremely mild, and spring came unusually early here, and drier than expected. What's happened, (in my opinion and in a nutshell), is that the hens began nesting earlier, are spending more time on the nest at the start of our season than we, as hunters, are used to experiencing, and the gobblers have more time on their hands. Though still looking for love, they are apparently spending a great deal more time wandering and foraging for food....and finding it in the woods this spring more than in the fields. I got out as much as I possibly could before season and started listening for gobbles at daybreak, rather than evening. That told me where they were and from there I snuck in a few times to observe what they were doing and where they were traveling, by watching the birds and simply looking for fresh tracks, scratchings & other sign. Knowing my areas well, also helped me form a mental picture on what they might be doing. High pressure hunting is hard on turkeys & turkey hunters both here, too, so you'll also have to figure where hunters normally stack up and hunt around them if you have similar pressures. Just be safety conscious at all times.

I set up my Ameristep Doghouse blind in one area, and hand-clipped out some other spots so I could bounce around in areas I knew turkeys were using in the mornings. Youth Day found my son Ryan & I in the blind and though it didn't unfold quite the way I expected, I managed to call in a bird and Ryan took him at 12 yards while he was mounting the hen decoy at 5:27am. The next day was Opening Day for the rest of us and I snuck in on some gobbling between 3 birds in a 400 yard radius, parking myself in the middle. That tidbit of woodsmanship combined with some very specific calls had me filling my first tag at 6:10am. On day 2 of the hunt, I snuck around some more, (in the woods, not in the fields), and struck some more gobblers. I swear, the best thing a hunter can do when conditions are tough is to slip in between any gobbles you hear, (and I mean early early morning!), and set up because one is bound to come in if you play your cards right. I had my first shot opportunity at 5:40am but missed the bird clean at 25 yards! At 10:15am I filled my 2nd and final tag but patience was the key to that harvest.

That bird came to the calling from the woods and popped into a field edge, only to hang up at 50+ yards. He didn't like the wind moving my decoy either but he was interested in hanging around for a full hour and 15 minutes, most of which I was in the "gun up and ready" position, unable to move. I was backed against a wide pine and while I was still trying to figure out if I should just quit, two more toms popped out to the calls at 30 yards but pegged me instantly. It was just enough to drive the first gobbler closer to me in the confusion and I finally dropped the hammer on him at 37 steps. Had I not decided to be patient and wait him out, I would have lost that opportunity. He fed off twice and twice I called him back but he hung up each time.

Three days out and three tags filled so far. My son has one more and I'm supposed to take out some friends who have never been. I love turkey season and the past 2 years experienced less than average results, due mostly to being lazy in my efforts. This year I made the firm decision to get back to basics and put in the necessary time to not only find the birds but figure them out and devise some strategies to make things happen. That, and having the Lord of the Harvest with me made all the difference. Hopefully, with 4 more weeks of hunting left, I'll be able to help my friends fill some of their tags, too.

My sons bird was a 2 year old, 17 lbs and an 8" beard. Both mine were 3 year olds, 20 lbs and 18 lbs respectively, both sporting 9" beards.

-Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep Prostaff

PA Youth Opening

Hey everyone! Just recently went on a hunt in Eastern PA for the opening of Pennsylvania's Youth hunt. Made the 5 hour drive friday after getting picked up from school early. Made it to my good friend Adam Spittler place at about 6. Got all our hunting stuff together and were going to go roost a few birds and set out our Ameristep blinds. We put the one Ameristep Intimidator at the edge of a field where he recently saw a flock of 100+ turkeys and we put another Ameristep Intimidator at another location about 400 yards away. We made it back to the house and went and got a bite to eat and were excited about the next mornings hunt. I was taking my Hoyt and my 12 gauge just in case they didnt copperate for the bow. We got in the blind at 5 and but the decoy out. We heard the first gobble at 5 till 6 and heard 2 more gobbles between then and 8. We working the first bird for quite a while but he just didnt copperate and he got henned up. at around 8:30 we had a hen come to the call and charged across the field right to the decoy but through the whole hunt couldnt get a bird to commit, but the hunt was a blast and we all had a great time. We will have plenty of time to get a PA longbeard in the ground this season. Our regular season starts May 1st and ends May 31st.

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

IBO Shoot with fellow Pro Staffers

Hey everyone! Fellow Pro Staffer Bill Walker and his son Coulter Walker who is also a fellow Youth Pro Staffer gave me a call and wanted to know if me and my dad would be interested in shooting at a local IBO shoot. I jumped at it and was very excited to do so. We met up at 9 a.m and were on our way to the shoot. We arrived and were all very excited to go out and shoot. Bill and Coulter were shooting traditional recurves as well as friends Carl Fowler and his grandson Randy, and my dad and I were shooting our compounds. We had a blast shooting at all the targets and while going through them Bill heard a bird gobble which made us very pumped for the up and coming PA turkey season. At the end of the shoot out of 330 scorable points I shot a 301, Bill shot a 207, Coulter shot a 127, and my dad carded a 266. With Bill and Coulter shooting traditional I was very impressed on there shooting in was very cool to see how it as it was done hundreds of years ago. Thanks Bill and Coulter for inviting us on an awesome time. Had a blast!

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

GOD Is Coming To Huntin' Camp!

Some have heard, some haven't, but for the past year or so I've been gearing up a new Sportsmans Ministry. It's called "Mountain-Man Outdoor Ministries" and it's my country-boy/redneck way to help spread the Word to hunters & sportsmen who just don't have time for regular church services due to work or yes...limited time afield.

That said, the premise is simple...I have the credentials to teach christian studies and will do so online as well as on the road. I have a Myspace page at www.myspace.com/theredneckpreacher but the new Facebook page, started April 12th, 2010, is where the excitement is. I'm All-American, All-Country, and ALL-Redneck so you're actually getting a Redneck Preacher with an attitude.

When I'm not giving sassy christian advice online, I hope to be traveling soon, to make what I'd like to call "Spiritual Roadtrips" across the country. The idea is to take a cameraman along and visit any Huntin' Camp bold enough to invite us in, where we'll hunt with them and toss christian thoughts around; no major studies...just a good time. And we'll film it all. The key is I'd like to be invited, and I'm interested to see just how many folks & outfitters will ask us into Camp.

Other than sharing the Word with my Hunting brothers & sisters, I plan on making an impact with my unorthodox methods and the way I preach. The accompanying photo is me in my "suit & tie" so you can only imagine. And since the Ant-Hunters are starting to bring God into their equation against hunters, I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with you to show them they not only picked the wrong argument but the wrong guy!

Let's support each other, share GOD together, and buck the system a little. This Redneck is ready to take it on the road....

Check out my official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/theredneckpreacher and follow the link to Mountain-Man Outdoor Ministries. Join the group, share comments, and post your hunting photos!!


-Blaine Cardilli
The Redneck Preacher

Kansas Turkey

Finally made it happen in Kansas! The birds were grouped up and just wouldn't work for us the first couple of days. They wanted nothing to do with decoys and our calling didn't seem to phase them either. Saturday afternoon they decided to cooperate and began breaking away from their groups. Hunting out of the Ameristep blinds worked great and helped make the young ones more comfortable and concealed their movement. We had a lot of fun hunting with all of the kids and the mid-day wiffle ball games! Rodney and I would also like to congratulate Austin Waldroup from Georgia on his first turkey. After a few hard days of hunting, his patience paid off and he connected with a nice jake.

Keep checking back, we're going after more in the weeks to come!

Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

Success at Cabela's 2010 Turkey Classic!

Hey everyone! Just recently went to another calling contest at Cabelas Turkey Classic at Wheeling WV. I was the youngest to sign up for the Amatuer Open Division and placed 3rd! I also placed 3rd in the Youth 17 and under division. I got 2 very nice plaques and 125$ worth of Cabela's gift cards! I also hung out with other representives from Primos, Flambeau Outdoors and Mad Calls, Hevi-Shot, and Hunter Specialties. I talked with many people about Ameristep Blinds and got to represent them! I had a blast and it was an all around great weekend!

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

Southern Maine Turkey Expo Was a Blast!

Made the 2.5 hour drive to Kittery, Maine yesterday morning with my girlfriend, for the Spring Turkeyfest event. Got there at 9:00am and worked the floor for 9 straight hours without so much as a lunch break. I couldn't leave...it was too much fun!!!

I was there for 'Hunters Specialties' products & calls, working the slates, box & mouth calls, and had a blast just answering hunting related questions and 'Talkin' Turkey' I also met with Ameristep's regional sales guru, Chris Cobbett, who is also co-owner and co-host of "Northwoods Adventures TV with Nate & Chris", (seen weekly on The Sportsmans Channel, nationwide), and he gave me the heads-up on how I'd be working with him to do even more promotional shows and events coming up. We messed with some of the stores inventoried blinds, talked set-up on a few, and he introduced me to a 'Low Profile' chair-blind for turkey hunting. Even made a sale on a 'Tom Taker' blind myself.

Outside of chatting with folks all day long and demonstrating turkey calls with fellow HS Prostaffer Ken Fecteau, of New Hampshire, I got to spend some quality time with good friends Chris Parrish and Paul Butski. Chris is already heralded as quite probably the world's best and most-titled world champion turkey caller and believe me, he demonstrated his skills all day, as did Paul. I greatly enjoyed each one taking the time to give me tips & techniques on effective calling and how real hens really 'talk'. They even chose their favorite calls for me, from their respective lines, with instructions on how to get more from them....or any mouth call.

Also on hand was the Master himself, Mr.Will Primos. It was an honor to meet him and chat about what we were doing. Well...that's the latest. For more, see Ameristeps facebook page or vist my own! Happy Trails!

-Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep Prostaff

He's Alive!!!

Hey Everyone wanted to share a photo of a buck I named crooked brow I got a picture of him in September in velvet and named him because of his crooked brow tine on his left side. I never seen him throughout the season and was afraid he could have died in hunting season but heard of no one killing anything where we hunt but me or he could have died in the hugh blizzard we got in Febuary. But I got some good news today when I got a trail cam pic of him and he still has both sides on his head which is strange cause of it being late March but I was very glad I know it is him cause on his left side his main beam comes up on his G4 plus of his width and not seeing his left brow tine sticking up making it Crooked Brow!! Im so happy he should be a great deer next year! Tell me what you think!

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

Georgia Tag Stew

What can I say? Without bad luck, Rodney and I wouldn't have had any luck at all! Bad weather and tight-lipped birds makes for a tough hunt but all in all we had a good time, we were out hunting and that beats going to work any day! Everyone we talked to in the area was having the same problems that we were having. Made it back home yesterday and wouldn't you know, the Georgia weather turned out beautiful with temps back in the 70's and dry, just needed a little more time there.

Rodney will be headed here in two weeks to take each of our sons out for a gobbler then try our luck with our bows. Hopefully things will go a lot better for us here in Kansas than they did the past few days of the Georgia season. We will keep updates posted when the time comes. Hopefully everyone is doing well and wish everyone the best this season!

Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

Georgia Turkey Hunt-Taggin Out Hunting

Hey all,

I hope this email finds you all fine and well. If you are turkey hunting or about to be turkey hunting we wish you all the best of luck.

This past weekend I was able to join my good long time high school buddy for a turkey hunt on his lease in S. Georgia. We had not hunted together since high school so that in itself was a real treat. Friday evening Dennis showed me the lay of the land and we quickly determined where we needed to be set up at. We set up the Ameristep Dominator blind in the middle of the field and went back for some good ol’ shut eye.

The morning found us sitting in that blind ready to go. I was talking to Dennis about how usually the birds do not fly from the roost until about 30 minutes after day break. We were in the blind moving about and eating pop tarts when Dennis moves to tell me there was a bird out in the field (10 minutes after day break). I looked up and without question we were busted with pop tarts in our hands. That bird landed at 70 yards and walked right on out of there. A little later we had another tom come out and even though he gobbled and strutted, he wouldn’t budge for that sexy little hen in the field. We decided to make a move to a different section of the field. After a short lunch. We re-set the decoy and got settled in. A short while later Dennis spotted a tom directly to the right of him. I quickly noticed that there were 2 toms and we had to move quickly to get in position. The toms started to walk away and at about 50 yards Dennis tried to harvest his first ever turkey. Two shots later the toms went a new direction. After a small amount of buddy to buddy razing some hens came into the field. Then some new birds caught our attention. 5 jakes were making their way towards the roost but I was able to call them from that. 20 minutes later 5 jakes made their destination to that cute little hen in the field. Dennis with a revenge attitude got in position and made shot 1. 2 birds fall and he quickly swung to the next bird and took it as well. Dennis was truly “Taggin Out!” He was a good bit of spoiled on his first turkey hunt. We know that it doesn’t go like that typically. 2 birds 4 1/4 inch and 1 bird double beards 3 inch and 3 1/4 inch. Birds between 15-17 pounds.


So then it was time to put the gun in a new set of hands. We went back to the same place and set up the following morning. After a few hours of nothing, the gut told me to pack it up and relocate. So we explored some new ground. We were walking along when I yanked Dennis down by the back of his collar. There was a tom about 70 yards ahead of us. We back up 20 yards, popped up the blind, and set the decoy. 10 minutes later guess who showed up? Yup. Tom did. I greeted Mr. Tom with a wad that bounce off his neck at about 12 yards. The footage is great. 9 1/2 inch beard with 1 1/8 inch hooks, 19-22 pounds.


All in all it was an excellent hunt and I look forward to going back again one day. I would like to thank the other lease members for letting me on their lease, Mr. Scott and Mr. Andrew for letting Dennis and I stay in their travel trailer, and the Kent Family for being wonderful hosts.

The dvd samples have been released for our first dvd, “Fillin Tags and Reachin Limits.” Soon we will be placing our order once the quality inspection is completed.

Have safe and enjoyable Turkey Season and/or Easter,

Team Eaton

Georgia Weather???

Finally got a break in the rain yesterday afternoon after a Georgia monsoon with a little bit of hail. Shortly after the sun broke, a strutter and a hen come out into the field along the fence line but couldn't get them to cooperate. We hit the same field this morning, but had to deal with below freezing temps and some snow mixed with sleet. Decided to give it up and hope for the best this afternoon. Rodney and I are getting a little frustrated, we can't seem to catch a break. Tomorrow is my last day here in Georgia so hopefully we can make something happen. Who knew Georgia could have this kind of weather in late March?

Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

Spring Turkey-Fest is Here!

On March 27th, I'll be appearing at the Kittery Trading Post in southern Maine. Gonna work the floor, demo calls, and talk turkey for Hunters Specialties! Hope to also do a "meet-n-greet" with managers there to talk about upcoming promos for Ameristep now, too! I'll post back later with pics but I'm excited to share the floor with greats like Will Primos, Joe Judd of Quaker Boy, Jim Strelec, Paul Butski & World Champion caller Chris Parrish! Stay tuned for more and if you're in the neighborhood, swing by and say hello!

-Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep Prostaff

Rain Out

Our luck hasn't changed... it actually is getting worse! lol Tried to set up on some hogs yesterday evening with our Ameristep blind, but they didn't read the script. No one else in camp had any luck either so we decided that the next morning we would go set up on some turkey that we saw from the road earlier in the afternoon.

We woke up this morning only to find out that mother nature has changed our plans... heavy rain. It should hopefully clear out by this afternoon (fingers crossed) and we will go after them, Rodney and I decided we are fair-weather hunters today! I guess this is why they call it hunting, can't control nature. Going to take what is handed to us and make the best of it.

Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

Slow Morning

Well no luck so far... there wasn't much activity where Rodney and I were set up this morning and it was still a little cool. Headed to a different spot for this afternoon's hunt, might even get a crack at some hogs out of an Ameristep blind. Luckily, I left Kansas just in time. They are calling for 6-8 inches of snow today and tomorrow... highs in the 70's here in Georgia! Will post an update on this afternoon's hunt when we get back in.

Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

First Turkey Hunt of 2010

Hey all,

I am waiting to board a flight here in Kansas City headed for Atlanta, Georgia. Fellow Pro-Staffer Rodney Evans will be waiting to pick me up in Atlanta and tomorrow morning we are headed out for the Georgia turkey opener. We will both be taking turns behind the camera and hunting, keep checking back because we will post updates as often as we can on our hunts and hopefully some picturs too! I am staying with Rodney until Tuesday so we should have plenty of time to take out a few thunder chickens. Wish us luck!

Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

Turkey Hunting Problems and Possible Helps

PROBLEM:
Most hunters place decoys, (when gun hunting), at 25-30 yards; Gobbler hangs up out of gun range; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
Make sure you have good cover and place decoys at 12-15 yards instead. Who says they have to be farther out? Use a rangefinder and mark outlying trees; Gobblers that hung up 15 yards beyond your decoys before may now be in your effective range...even if they remain 15 yards 'hung up'. KEY: Don't sit directly behind decoys so turkeys look past it and catch you; place them to one side or the other; Take the focus off you.

PROBLEM:
You roosted turkeys the night before but when you walked in the following morning they had moved and you either bumped them walking in or found them too close...or too far away for your set-up; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
While there is no solution if you find this to be the case, learn from the mistake. Watch the weather channel in your area and watch for high winds or passing storms coming through. Many times turkeys will 'tree hop' during the night, during inclement weather, in an attempt to find a place more secluded & protected, out of the wind. One thing I do more now than I used to is roost birds at dawn instead of at night. By that I mean I drive to one of the spots I know holds turkeys, shut the truck off and get out and listen. When they start gobbling I can move in close enough to set up and call, especially if I'm familiar with these spots. It saves time and improves my success.

PROBLEM:
You have birds on the roost at dawn, they pitch down but the hens start leading them away; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
1) Start calling to the hens; if there's an Old Mama in the group she'll sass you. Mimic her calls to a 'T' but add more aggression and cut her off. Nine times out of 10 she'll head your way to pick a fight, bringing the gobblers along in tow.

2) Let's say the aggressive calling doesn't get a "boss hen response"; You better stop because the other insubordinate hens will be jealous and will quickly lead the toms away. If this is the case, try starting a fight. Thrash the leaves, snap a twig, and do some aggressive fighting purrs; keep it up and don't stop, and if you wish, toss in a jake gobble or two...but be safety minded if hunting public lands! This will often break a tom away and bring him straight to you. If none of these work, just let 'em go and reposition, but before you do, don't be afraid to be creative.

PROBLEM:
You called to a gobbler and he responded excitedly for the past hour but he's hung up and won't commit; what do you do?

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:
If you know he just won't commit, you'll probably have to reposition, sneak up, and find out why. Oftentimes he's with hens and won't leave them...but is offering you an invitation; Other times he might have been headed your way but hit a barrier or obstacle like a fence, a creek, or a ditch. If there were no obstacles then repositioning just those few yards closer might put you in what we call his "comfort zone"; if it does, try calling again. He just might commit. If you find out he was blocked by an obstacle, make a mental note of it. A good turkey hunter learns by his mistakes and I now consult both top maps AND aerial photos of my hunting areas first...and then I put in the footwork through preseason scouting. Try it.

Hopefully these tips & scenarios will help you on your next hunt. Please feel free to give us feedback & comments here at Beyond the Blind, and check us out at Facebook. I'm running off at the mouth there alot! LOL! Happy Hunting!

Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep Prostaff

Turkey Tip of the Day....

Here's a good tip when turkey hunting....

Decoy set ups can be tricky, depending on flock size and geographic locations across the country but keeping with the basics when placing decoys is always a good strategy. My personal experience in the past 12 years has taught me that as your season starts, using a strutting tom decoy with a breeding hen is the ticket, as boss gobblers will practically knock each other over to get to them; As the seasons peaks, the strutter might spook more than help so I use a standing passive jake and a hen, and that has kept birds coming in. Finally, as the season winds down and the toms are running out of steam, remove the jake decoys altogether...they may still work but not as well...and switch to just 2-3 standing/feeding hens. There are, of course, no guarantees when hunting any game but by sticking to the tried-and-true methods, you increase your chances for success.

This has helped me bag boss gobblers for most of the 12 years I've been hunting them and hopefully it will help you, too!

-Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep prostaff

NON TYPICAL

Call it original. Call it innovative. Just don't call it TYPICAL. :) Ameristep's Non-Typical Series treestands break the mold of conventional treestand technology in ways that will elevate your hunt to the next level-like a multi-position shooting rest that lets you sit, lean and rest, turning tough shots into sure sho...ts-or the Super Cam leverage lock system, which provides unmatched stability for a hang-on stand. All of these features and more make Ameristep Non-Typical Series treestand the perfect chpice for a perfect hunt. Next time your lookin you purchase hunting products look for the NON TYPICAL Logo...can't get much better than that.

Sportsmans Banquet

Hey everyone just wanted to share a photo of me and Chad Schearer of Team Realtree and host of show "Shoot Straight" with Chad Schearer on the Sportsmans Channel and he is also a world champion elk caller, which was pretty awesome considering I love turkey calling contests. Had the banquet in our hometown and had a great time! Great food and some cool giveaways. Hope everyone likes it!

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

A Fabric Fact

A Quick Thanks to everyone who visits and reads our blog :)

A Quick little bit of information for all of you...Our NS3 Fabric Technology is exclusive to Ameristep Quality Hunting and exclusive to our Blinds Only making them the Cadillac of Hunting Blinds. The Premier Microfiber Material is amazingly soft and smooth similar to a fleece feel. NS3 got it's unique name from the 3 key ingredients that make this fabric so great...(1) NO SCENT (2) NO SHINE (3) NO SOUND. Now you can rest easy and know that Any Blinds with NS3 Fabric are made with the highest quality fabric around-worth every penny. You can view which blinds have the NS3 Technology by viewing the Blind Comparison chart in our 2010 Catalog or right on our website at www.ameristep.com under Blinds.

NS3 FABRIC TECHNOLOGY.... Durable is an Understatement.

TOM TAKER CONTEST :)

Ameristep's Tom Taker Contest ....starts....NOW! Here are the guidelines:
Enter to win a FREE Ameristep Tom Taker Ground Blind. The contest
began Monday March 8th and ends Monday March 29th. All entries
must be submitted by 5:00 on Monday March 29th 2010. Email
contest@ameristep.com and submit a photo that includes ...yourself, your
game, and the Ameristep product that you used for the hunt. It can be a
photo of any game and any product. Also include a short story of your
experience/ what your favorite Ameristep product is and why. By
submitting your photo and story you are automatically entered into the drawing. The winners will be drawn on Tuesday March 30th and announced that same day. The winner will receive a Tom Taker Blind Model No 3296 in Realtree APG HD Camo. The Tom Taker includes vertical window technology, shoot through mesh, NS3 Fabric, 10 windows,and is Ideal for Turkey and Deer Hunting. It weighs 16 lbs and its dimensions are 60" Shooting width x 67" tall.

With each photo and story please include a daytime phone number, name, and address for shipping purposes. The winner's photo and story will be displayed on the Ameristep website. By submitting your photo and story you are giving Ameristep consent to use the information on our website. More information on the rules will follow... but hurry up and get yourself entered to win!!!!!

The contest is limited to non-employees of Ameristep and non-affiliated representative groups. Entrants must be of the legal age of 18 to be eligible to enter or have their parent enter for them. Please note: Photographs that are mailed in will not be returned and will become sole property of Ameristep. Ameristep may prohibit an entrant from participating in the contest or winning a prize if, in sole discretion, it determines that entrant is attempting compromise the contest by cheating, deception, or other unfair practices that includes manipulation of the photo image submitted. Ameristep is not responsible for late, lost, damaged, misdirected, incorrectly addressed, incomplete, illegal, undeliverable, destroyed, or postage due mail entries and/or lost, late, misdirected, undeliverable or incomplete e-mail entries due to system errors or failures, or faulty transmissions or other telecommunication malfunctions.

Last but not least...Winners and entrants also agree to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the contest and each of the representative officers, directors, representatives and agents from and against any claims, damages or liability due to any injury's, damage or losses to any person (including personal injury or death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any award or participation in this contest, or any claims based on rights of publicity, rights of privacy and/or merchandise delivery.

-Brianna/ Ameristep Quality Hunting

Good Day In PA!!

Hey everyone!! Thought I would share some cool pictures I got today while walking around some of our hunting property. Found the first shed of the year today! 4 points on the side not big at all but an awesome find! Also found some cool buck rubs, and seen a flock of 30+ turkeys, which got me really pumped for the upcoming spring season!! But what can I say pretty much anything is getting pumped for that!!! Hope you enjoy, Let me know what you think.

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

Hunting the Rut

Many have different opinions on moon phases hunting but I use it each year and have great success. Weather, temps, and deer numbers also have a key aspect to the rut but moon phases generally have a great link to when it will be on.
Look on the calendar and find when fall begins, fall equinox. find the 2nd full moon on calendar after the fall equinox and go back 4-5 days. This will generally show the heat of the rut. Now this can be different in every state in the US. It could vary due to the weather like I mentioned before. I have 12 different Pope and Young harvests that I have used this Moon Phase hunting. I hunt generally in MN and WI so this works great for my hunts. Remember to always be safe and hunt hard....
Rhino
Ameristep Pro Staff
Wisconsin

Warning: Coyotes Come to Turkey Calls, Too!

I've written about this incident in other mags but thought the readers here might learn something from my mistakes. We take turkey hunting for granted when calling and we need to be aware that sometimes even the hunters can become the hunted...

It was May 22nd, 2008, and I was with my hunting partner on a new piece of property we had permission to hunt. It was close to 10:00am and we set up on a small green field in a local farmers 'back 40'. My buddy was set up right on the edge of the woodline and we had the decoys in front of him at about 18 yards. I decided to set up directly behind him about 15 feet to do some calling. Now, I always set up with my back to a decent tree trunk, for both comfort as well as safety, but in this instance... the first and last time I will ever do it... I plopped my butt down with nothing but some heavy brush directly behind me. I was leaning on a small pile of deadwood that came only as high as my lower back, and off to one side was heavy buck-brush, while just off my left shoulder there was some scrubby 2' foot tall firs and some deep dark timber.

Being mid-morning we couldn't get a bird to gobble but we knew they were there so I got into the calling; light at first, then very aggressive. I was about 15 minutes into it, and my partner chimed in with a little of his own when it happened... I never heard nor saw a thing but instantly there was a rush of air from the left as I was hit with the impact of what felt like a locomotive; I had been sitting practically indian-style, and the coyote hit me so violently from the left that I was knocked completely over onto my right side. Images have a tendency to freeze or be burned into your mind when you blink sometimes, and as I held my left arm up in a 'block', all I could see was this face, not 10 inches from my nose and I'll never forget it...

The coyote's teeth were imbedded into my left elbow, lips were curled back in a snarl, revealing how yellow they were, and I can still see the specks of...whatever...that was on them. It's ears were way back and it's eyes were closed, but in the instant it had me it released me and realized I was NOT the dinner it had thought I was! It's clear now that it had stalked my calls, seen my movement, (I was in full camo with a Realtree leafy suit), and then simply charged directly at me, the intention of which we believed was to grab me, (the turkey), and run full bore out into the field with it. When it fetched up on my body and realized I wasn't a turkey, it did a complete somersault on top of me, spinning completely around in an effort to turn inside-out, and get away, back in the direction it had come from.

In the process of it's jumping away from me, it must have kicked me in the face with a hind foot because I felt the explosion against my cheek, as though I'd been punched. (I later realized it had knocked a filling completely out of my mouth!). As the ruckus unfolded, my buddy had spun around on one knee instinctively, but couldn't shoot the animal because I was in the way. We did ascertain it looked like a full grown adult coyote, as it wasn't small by any means. When we got to our feet he said, "What just happened?", followed by, "No way that just happened!", and we started laughing in between the shocked stares at each other. There was no time to be scared as it was over before it really happened but I did notice a slight ache in my cheek and on my arm. I stripped down and removed the slippery, saliva-soaked clothes and found that it had barely left visible scratches and tooth drag marks, except for 2 puncture wounds, small but deep. Blood barely came to the surface of the puffy scratches and wounds but still, blood meant a problem...

The coyote had bitten through the mesh-leaf suit, a heavy cotton shirt with a reinforced elbow patch, and part of my tee. The doctor said the bony part of the elbow had prevented what could have been a far worse bite and I ended up having a total of 9 rabies shots over a period of several weeks, at a cost of about $3500. The doc said the danger, other than the possibility of rabies, was from infection setting in from the bacteria in the saliva from the dead crap in the coyotes teeth, and my arm was gross with saliva. We're pretty sure it was a healthy animal and rather than an 'attack', it was merely a case of mistaken identity, however, the reality is that every one of us who sits with our back against a tree in full camo, with the intention to call in our own turkey, becomes yet another chess piece in the vastness of Mother Nature's world...

I was one of only two documented cases in New England's history of such a coyote attack while hunting and I was lucky. Be sure to plan for such dangers yourselves while calling in the turkey woods this spring because you never know. Since the event, I have had a very hard time sitting alone against even a wide tree, eyes always moving, but nothing will keep me from turkey hunting....Perhaps I should invest in more Ameristep blinds!! lol!

(Images show the bite made through the clothing itself, the scratches, bruising, and punture marks, about 4 days after the event)

-Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep prostaff

Hey everyone!!! Just wanted to show you guys some pics from a local sport show we just had. Me hanging with 2 awesome guys Travis "T-bone" Turner and Nick Mundt. Nick and Travis love Ameristep just has much as us!! Be sure to come back a lot we will have all kinds of stuff uploaded on here. You guys will love it!! Also T-bone and Nick loved the Youth Pro Staff they thought it was awesome!!! Be sure to come back!

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

Birds Gobbling in Maine..

As of last week the first gobbles were heard by a friend of mine, shortly after daybreak. That psyches me right up I'll tell ya!! Hoo boy! Guess I better start paying closer attention now myself. I keep journals and usually about the first or second week in March is when they average but hey...winter's been pretty good on the flocks so far. Snow is all gone, weather has been fairly warm, and traveling/feeding should be easy for them.

I'm guiding the states head turkey biologist on his spring hunt this season and hoping to get him on his bird. I think it'll be a good hunt. I've been enjoying picking his brain lately. Bird flocks are everywhere here and the groups of toms and jakes have been actively strutting now, getting the pecking order in balance and marking dominance. It won't be long before gobbling will be heard all through the woods. The seminars really get going in March and April and I'll be running the gammut of Maine outdoor stores, shows & expos, working the floors, chatting with fellow hunters, and workin' them calls! Yeah, baby!

More reports to come!

-Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep prostaff

Alec Nebel-Ameristep Youth Pro Staff

Hey Everyone! My name is Alec Nebel and im part of and leader of Ameristep's Youth Pro Staff. I have been hunting for 5 years. I love bowhunting, and have been hunting archery for 4 years now. I am either doing or thinking hunting 24/7 365 days a year. I am always scouting and trying to find each and every year the best place for greastest oppurtunity on upcoming hunting seasons. I have harvested 7 whitetails so far of my 5 years hunting, 3 with my bow and 4 with my rifle. I am very avid on filming hunts and have shot 2 deer on film. I am very avid into turkey hunting, and love being in the spring turkey woods. I am also very big into turkey calling contests and call for Spittler's Custom Game Calls and am apart of their Pro Staff. I have been filmed for the show "Archers Choice" on the Outdoor Channel and WildTV for a turkey hunt out of an Ameristep Intimidator Blind. I am a member of the NWTF and many other hunting organizations. I hope I can help anyone with any questions on here and tell everyone very exciting stories and advice. Hope to be talking with everyone on here soon!

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

Spiritual Road Trips Coming Soon...

I recently started 'Mountain-Man Outdoor Ministries as a way to bring God right into the heart of Huntin' Camp, and to also be able to focus on hunters & sportsmen who have suffered the challenges due to disabilities or the unfortunate circumstances of life's tragedies. Obviously it's in the developmental stages right now but in the future, when funding is right, I plan to start my own 'Road Trips', but of the spiritual kind.

Locally I will be teaching adult christian studies by appointment and even online but my real dream is to take my faith out on the road. I'm affectionately, (or otherwise), referred to as "The Redneck Preacher", due to my laid-back, sometimes unorthodox ways, but it works. The profile image you see is my 'suit & tie'. lol. If things work out I'll be traveling cross country 'collecting bone' with my brethren in any and every Huntin' Camp that'll have me! Besides hunting with my brothers & sisters I'll be arranging hunts for the disabled and will be writing about all my exploits afield.

I hope to be invited into many camps, and hope to get my fellow prostaffers from both industry and outdoor television involved to help promotions. No bible-thumping in my camps either....Nothing changes in camp when I'm there except maybe some quality campfire discussions as we will still play practical jokes and share our christian faith. I'm a Teacher and aside from non-confrontational fireside chats, all I'm doing is bringing God back into the lives of sportsmen & hunters too busy to make church a regular priority. My business cards say it all... "Christian Studies for Rednecks & Sportsmen"!! lol

You 'spose Waddell, T-Bone & Nick will ever allow me in camp??? Personally, I'm not sure they could handle the fun and excitement!! LOL

Check me out also at www.myspace.com/theredneckpreacher

-Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep prostaff

Hey Everyone!!!!

Hey everyone! Excited to be blogging with everyone here. Going to be hanging with fellow Ameristep brotherhood crew T-Bone and Nick Mundt tomorrow night! Ill get pics posted on the blog as soon as I can. Hope to be talking with everyone soon!

-Alec Nebel/Youth Pro Staff

Clint Womeldorff - Ameristep Pro Staff

Hey all...

Thought I would drop in and say hello. My name is Clint Womeldorff and I am a recent addition to the Ameristep Pro Staff team. I am really looking forward to meeting new people and hearing tips and stories from everyone! I plan on visiting here as often as I can to share some tips and success stories of future hunts to come. Hopefully we can all share our experiences to help teach what to do (or what not to do in some cases... lol) and make us all better hunters.

Here's the low-down on where I come from... I was born and raised in a small rural community in Southeast Kansas where I continue to live and hunt. I started hunting whitetail with my dad 17 years ago and have hunted turkey for the past 10 years. I have had the joy and pleasure of hunting with family, friends and most importantly my 9 year old son. I hope to be able to pass down to him the excitement and passion that hunting has given to me.

Its about time to get out and start shed hunting and our turkey season is just around the corner. I just got back from the NWTF Convention in Nashville, made me ready to get out and start calling those gobblers! I am heading to Georgia in late March to turkey hunt with fellow Pro Staffer and good friend, Rodney Evans. In early April Rodney and his son are heading here to Kansas to video our boys turkey hunting and hopefully find some birds of our own! Good luck to everybody in the seasons to come and hope to hear from all of you in the near future with some tips, hunting stories and all out good fun!

Check back soon...
Clint Womeldorff

Turkey Hunting From Blinds

Hi All!

There's much that can be taught about turkey hunting...so much so that hundreds of books and articles have been written about it. I plan on blogging a short series on some of the basics to help out new turkey hunters in the near future, (and maybe even refresh some old timers!), but today I'd like to start with "blind hunting". And no, you won't need your white cane for this.
I've always been a traditional turkey hunter myself, in that I most often set up against a tree trunk when I work birds but a few years ago my then 9 year old son, Ryan, wanted to tag along to see what all the fuss was about. It was then that I purchased my first Ameristep Doghouse blind because keeping him still was gonna be dadgum impossible! LOL! I was very impressed with the price and the way it went up and down in no time so before long I had purchased three of them. That said, here's what I like to do when preparing to hunt turkeys from a blind today, as it ain't just for the kiddies anymore...
First of all, I scout hard and I scout early, and by that I mean I'm in the turkey woods in March getting to know my spots, looking for scratchings, and checking droppings. By the time mid-April swings around and Youth Day is within 2 weeks, I'll hit the woods and define where my set-ups will be. Oftentimes, even though it's not necessary with turkeys like it is with deer, to let them get used to them, I'll pop up a blind, anchor it securely, and I'll simply leave it up all season long....and I generally set up all my blinds in this manner. At first I was concerned about wind and the elements beating up the Doghouse but in the past 3 years they have yet to tear or falter.
Normally, I'll find a spot, (not directly under trees whose limbs are likely to land on them), and set them up in semi-sheltered areas in and around the edges of a field or old grassy road, or sometimes even deep in the turkey woods. I always drive the stakes in at sharp angles for extra holding power and tie the center of the roof poles so they don't slide down in heavy winds. Then I'll clear every bit of debris out from inside the blind and set up a small camp chair or two. This makes any internal movement whisper-quiet, no matter who's going to hunt there. This of course, after I've opened all windows and made sure of correct shooting lane placement.
Generally, my Doghouses go out a week before May 1st and they stay out until the season ends, which is the first week in June. Being in the hunting industry I often take friends, outdoor writers, and visiting prostaffers out to hunt, and so I like having blinds up on several properties, which always leaves us with a "plan B" or a "plan C" if "plan A" didn't pan out so well! lol! Not to mention a blind is just absolutely perfect for the kids.
By the time the season is upon us, I'll equip each turkey blind with aforementioned chairs, and maybe even a hand-cut shooting stick or two, just to be sure my clients are well off. And that's pretty much it for basic "blind hunting" on turkeys, except for the common sense things I should probably throw in, such as make sure when you set up your blind, you've considered all possible angles of the sun, you're not set up under a potential "widow-maker", and that the placement is such that you can easily slip in from behind the blind and enter in the door without spooking your quarry....not always possible but plausible to at least attempt! Quick and silent entry to any stand should always be sought.
I'll be back, as will the rest of our staff, to throw more tips and tactics atcha! Until the next blog, stay safe!

--Blaine Cardilli/ Ameristep prostaff

Spider Hub Technology

Keep your eye out for our 2010 Hub Style Blinds! Our Hub Technology has exceeded the limits of quality and innovation yet again! Introducing NEW! SPIDER HUB TECHNOLOGY. Evolved from the rugged HST Technology, the next generation Spider Hub is brought to you exclusively by Ameristep. A superior metal-stamped design maximizes strength over traditional cast hubs and ensures a lifetime of usage, unaffected by extreme weather or the structural inconsistencies of cast material. Cast ball and socket designs, once
considered the industry standard are no match for the indestructible stamped steel Spider. Ameristep-quality products From the Ground Up.

Blaine Cardilli-- Ameristep Prostaff

Hi Folks!

My name is Blaine Cardilli and I'm a prostaffer with Ameristep. It's a fantastic company with great products and great people! I've been using their blinds & treestands for several years now and find they are the most affordable & reliable equipment line on the market today...so here I am! As to who I am, here's the skinny...

I've been in the professional end of the hunting industry since 2001 and have been a part of many prostaffs, including Browning, Winchester Ammo, CVA Muzzleloaders, and Bushnell. I'm currently 6 years with "Hunters Specialties", and am the founder and executive director of "INDIAN WIND Hunting Consultants" and "MOUNTAIN-MAN OUTDOOR MINISTRIES". I've been an outdoor writer and seminar speaker for over 10 years and besides my own column, "Blaine's Outdoor Journal", here in Maine, I've written for quite a few local, regional & online magazines including "Deer & Deer Hunting", "Realtree Outdoors", the NRA, the NWTF, US Hunting Today, and many more. I'm also vice president of our local Maine NWTF Chapter and was formerly president.

Enough said...lol. I like to know who I'm talking to so thought you might like to know, too.

TURKEY HUNTING!!!

Turkey hunting is only 2 months away here in Maine and I'm pumped! Maine started a public season in 1996 where I live, and I've been chasing them ever since. This spring they're allowing us a 2-bird limit so we'll be out hunting alot!! LOL! We, (my hunting partner & me), also do alot of filming for outdoor television so you can bet the cameras will be rolling, too!

I'll be back to post more later and will be adding tips and tactics for turkey hunting so check back often!

Inside the office and Beyond the Blind

Good Morning :)

Just another Thursday Morning at the office...super busy. I have a bottomless coffee cup sitting on my desk. The phones are ringing off the hook. Neighboring cubicles typing away as fast as their fingers let them. A printer that is spitting out papers left and right. Clunky heels and heavy boots stomping up and down the steps. Side conversations are hovering all around me and the southern voice of Alan Jackson is tickling my ears. We are busy! And it is wonderful and exciting.

That is a little sneak peak at a typical day at the office. But it is not your typical 9-5. For one we work 8-5 haha and it is much more exciting than the average job. We get to set up blinds and tree stands daily and sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy story! I get so excited to introduce new products and we are extremely proud of everything we put our name on. We work on photo shoots, commercial shoots press releases and go to trade shows. We have a warehouse and office packed with some of the coolest and hardest working people I've ever met. We NEVER partake in office pranks and there is absolutely no laughing at Ameristep hahaha only work here "sarcasm". But the absolute best part of my job is being able to talk hunting all day long and networking with all of you. Through Ameristep and the hunting industry I have had the privileged to meet some truly amazing people that make coming into work everyday a blessing. We've met everyone from celebrities to business owners, to friends and fellow hunters. This industry just rocks and amazes me daily how passionate everyone is. And I think we can all agree that our jobs allow us one of the best feelings in the world. (Waking up early at the crack of dawn...even before dawn, with dew on the ground and the crisp morning air creeping through all the layers of warm camo hugging out bodies. Making our way through the muddy terrain with our heavy but warm hunting boots and backpacks stuffed with our favorite Ameristep Quality Hunting Gear weighing us down. The journey into the woods is indeed exhausting but incredibly worth every minute. Once set up you sit there surrounded by peace, quiet, nature, passion, anticipation, excitement, thoughts, love, serenity and know that everyone who chose to sleep in are missing out on the most beautiful and precious moments that only hunting can provide.) Yep Get excited for Turkey Season....we all are!

I sent an email out to all of our Pro Staffers today and they will also be logging in and blogging under Ameristep from time to time. With you they will share hunting tips, product advice, adventurous stories of their hunts, hunting news, family news...anything and everything really so stay tuned and get to know our staffers on a one to one basis. They are the best and Ameristep is lucky to have these men representing us.

On that note I will leave you with a little idea of exactly what Ameristep represents and what brings us all into work each and everyday!... "At Ameristep, we believe you shouldn't have to choose between safety and ease of use. Or between quality and cost. We believe in bringing you the newest innovations to enhance your outdoor experience. We believe safety is fundamental, so our products provide peace of mind. We believe in providing the things that allow outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels to enjoy their sport. We believe in PERFORMANCE, QUALITY, VALUE and SAFETY. At Ameristep, WE BELIEVE!"

Have a great day and Happy Hunting to all of you.

Our First Blog

Good Morning Hunters, Readers, Family and Friends. My name is Brianna and I currently work in the Marketing Department for Ameristep Quality Hunting Products. Not only is this my first time blogging for Ameristep but this is my first time blogging ever and so far I love it. Since this is the beginning I suppose I should somewhat explain what we do and how we came about blogging. Ameristep is a Manufacturer of Tree Stands, Ground Blinds, Climbing Sticks, Rapid Rails, Tree Steps, Hunting Furniture, ATV Accessories, Ice Fishing Shelters, and all sorts of Hunting Accessories in between. Ameristep first arrived on the hunting product scene in 1992 offering a single quality tree step and a dream. Every year since then we have raised the bar higher and higher, pushing the limits of quality and innovation- And today...well see for yourself at www.ameristep.com and let us know what you think.

As for blogging. Well just a few weeks ago most of us around the office had never even heard of blogging or were familiar with it. After some research we decided this was definitely something we wanted to be a part of. We ran a contest not only to come up with a fun blog name but because it was important to us to have our friends included; their thoughts, ideas and creativity. The winner of the contest was Chip Hunnicutt who came up with the name "Beyond the Blind". All of us around the office loved the it and can't wait to show you exactly what goes on beyond the blind. :) This Blog is for all of those who have been dedicated to our product for years. This blog is for those of you who are just hearing about us now. This Blog is for all of our fellow hunters, our brothers/ sisters /fathers /mothers/ friends/ neighbors. This Blog is for all of you to enjoy and we hope you do.

Tune back in. I will be posting everything from season dates, to new products, to contests, to hunting news, to juicy gossip around the office :)

Happy Hunting and see you all tomorrow!

-Ameristep