Digital Scouting Cameras: One Year of Testing

by: John Cook

It has been a year since I decided to test and review digital scouting cameras. Through doing these tests I’d hoped to give hunters some good information that would help them as they shopped for a digital scouting camera of their own. I think I have accomplished this and fortunately for me, I’ve had a lot of fun doing the tests.
I’m not sure exactly how many pictures I’ve taken but it is over 10,000. I received the first bobcat picture in the last batch and have yet to get a picture of a coyote, but sooner or later I’ll get one. It’s still exciting to get each group of pictures.
So far I have used eleven digital scouting cameras and am currently trying to decide which one I will try next. There are still plenty to choose from.
What have I learned over the past year?
For the most part you get what you pay for. Although there are some expensive cameras in the $300 plus range that aren’t much better than the cheaper ones there aren’t any in the under $200 range that come close to those in the $400 plus range.
You can’t beat a real digital camera for good picture quality. There are some hunters out there that do not care an ounce about picture quality but there is a difference. The higher mega pixel scouting cameras that have come out are an improvement over their predecessors but their prices are higher and they do not match the picture quality.
If the possibility of your camera being stolen is a factor you have a tough decision to make. The cheaper cameras are lacking in their ability to be locked to a tree whereas the better cameras come with much more secure locking capabilities. This makes for a tough decision. Buy a cheap scouting camera that is easy to steal or buy a more expensive one that is harder to steal. Whatever you do, don’t buy an expensive one that does not have good locking capabilities.
The latest is an infrared model and I’m not completely sold on it although it is still early in my testing. I’m not sure about the pink black and white (can this be) pictures, I’ve been somewhat spoiled by good quality nighttime pictures. I’m not convinced that these cameras are less susceptible to thievery either. An intruder would definitely see the flash but the red IR lights are very noticeable as well and they stay lit for a few seconds. I’m thinking a flash could possibly be mistaken for lightening whereas the red IR lights are a real eye catcher. As far as your digital scouting camera being stolen the IR versus flash may be a wash. The real advantage with the IR may be the distance issue.
For me batteries are a difference maker. The cameras I have that use AA rechargeable batteries and/or get six months plus from a single 9-volt battery are head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd. One of the major advantages of digital scouting cameras is how cheap they are to operate as compared to 35mm models. If you are buying a lot of batteries the advantage of a digital camera is lessened somewhat and more importantly it is a pain in the rear end.
In 2006 I’ll continue to purchase and test digital scouting cameras, have the enjoyment of viewing another 10,000 pictures and hopefully help the hunting community in the process.

An Introduction to the Game of Bowling

by: Ray Gaunt

Bowling is a game of scoring points by knocking down pins with balls. Fundamentally, a player rolls a heavy bowling ball into a flat surface to knock down arranged pins of nine or ten, depending on the game you play. There are several forms of bowling; some are played indoors which usually uses a lane or a long flat polished wood surface with gutters along the length of the lane. Primary examples of these indoor types are the feather bowling, duckpin bowling, candlepin bowling, ninepin skittles, five pin bowling and the most popular form of bowling which is the Ten-pin. Ten-pin bowling is very similar to the other forms, except the game obviously uses ten pins which the player should attempt to knock down as many pins possible to score points. The game has ten frames with each frame consisting two rolls for each competing player. Another popular bowling variant is the Five-pin bowling which is often played in Canada. It is a recent modification of Ten-pin bowling but instead of two attempts, Five-pin has three attempts, and each attempt can be thrown in quick succession. The game employs smaller balls without fingerholes, making it difficult to attain a perfect score since splits are more frequent. The outdoor type usually utilizes a lawn, or a patch of gravel. The examples of which are Lawn Bowling, Bocce, and Petanque. Petanque is widely played in especially in France. Tracing up bowling's history, it is widely believed that the German culture was the cradle of this sport. Though there have been substantial evidences of bowling-like games in ancient Egypt, history clearly points that bowling really did occur in Germany since its dark ages. In those days, heathens and heretics abound the land and the usual practice for the German clergy was a simple test of knocking down clubs called Kegel by rolling a stone or a wooden ball. If the individual succeeds in knocking the club down, he is considered free of sin. This practice eventually made its way from the secular world to the common people and along the way got more refined until ultimately became an interesting sport that survived till this day.

"Las Vegas" - Gambling, Golf And Good Times

by: Mike D'Auria

In my previous writings I spoke about my Myrtle Beach and Disneyworld golf vacations, which are two excellent choices for golf and vacation destinations, no two ways about it. I had been alternating between both places for about ten years and had some great times but we were ready for a change, for something different. Where would we go next ? I had always wanted to return to Las Vegas since my first visit there in 1976, but just never had the opportunity. I had stopped in Las Vegas for three days on my return trip home from my Honeymoon in Hawaii, my favorite place on the planet, met some friends there and had a blast. In 2002, my 50th birthday was quickly approaching and my significant other surprised me with a gift that I did not expect, a four day golf trip to Las Vegas. Can it get any better ? I guess maybe a five or six day trip would be better but she wanted to make sure we did not go broke while we were there so four days was a good compromise. We were staying at the MGM on Las Vegas Blvd., more commonly known as "The Strip", where most of the more famous hotels in the city were aligned.
From Mandalay Bay, The Luxor, Excalibur and New York, New York on the one end to Circus, Circus, The Riviera, The Sahara, and The Stratosphere on the other, and The Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Paris and Bally's in between how could you go wrong ? Then there was the golf. Upon review of the available golf courses we chose three venues that we thoroughly enjoyed. We played Bears Best, a Jack Nicklaus design and who is my favorite player of all time, as some of you may remember from a previous writing, Angel Park, an Arnold Palmer design and another magnificent golf venue, which includes three courses, The Mountain being my favorite, and last but certainly not least is Bali Hai, adjacent Mandalay Bay, right on the Strip. Jacks' Bears Best course was designed by utilizing the signature hole layouts of some of his other outstanding golf course acomplishments to date and reproducing them in the Las Vegas landscape. The green fairways contrasting with the desert mountains and sand dunes in the background was a breathtaking site, especially if you have never been in the desert before. Angel Park was also very enjoyable and there was a great view of the golf course and a real green miniature golf course, (the only one I had ever seen) right off the dining veranda and the club house. It was a great setting for lunch as we took in the gorgeous panoramic view. Bali Hai was as exotic as the name exudes. With well over two thousand Palm Trees imported by the course designers, and many thousands of other varied forms of exotic plant life, complimented by the beautiful white sand bunkers, it added a tropical touch of the South Pacific to the desert, a unique and fun innovation to say the least. After 36 holes of golf at Bali Hai, my birthday celebration meal was a real treat. Dinner at the elegant Wolfgang Puck, "Cili" restaurant located right on premises, in the club house, at the Bali Hai golf course. The design and the ambiance of the restaurant and clubhouse was a continuation of the tropical theme so blatantly displayed on the golf course. Great food, fine wine, dessert and espresso with a touch of Sambuca to top off the meal, which included some live piano music playing in the background was the icing on my birthday cake so to speak. After our dining experience at Cili's we headed to the casinos. New York City is known as "The City That Never Sleeps", but Las Vegas is the literal personification of that expression. We walked from one end of the Strip to the other stopping at almost every well known Casino in town and all the joints were hopping no matter what time we went in. New York, New York, MGM, The Bellagio, Caesars, Bally's and Paris were our favorite stops. I actually won a few grand at The Bellagio but gave it right back at the Paris, but you only live once ( or do you ? - a topic for another time)so having fun should be the priority. It's only money. Once you become enamored with the casino atmosphere and lack of daylight and get into a hot run on the Blackjack or Craps tables, it is very easy to transpose night and day. The hours pass quickly and I see many people having dinner at 5:00 or 6:00am and breakfast at 10:00pm or midnight for that matter. Since we were playing golf , we usually went to sleep around midnight and were out and about by 5:00am or so the next morning, which is when we noted the varied dining habits of the habitual gamblers and night time crowd. As we strolled down the Vegas Strip I could almost feel the presence of some of the larger than life personalities who frequented Las Vegas in the 50's, 60's and 70's - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy and the rest of the Rat Pack to name a few. I was especially reminded of Frank because Frank Jrs.' face was plastered on the big sceeen video monitor and he was singing all of his dads hits and doing a pretty good job of it at that. Wayne Newton has been a lifer in Vegas and is still as popular as ever. Las Vegas has perhaps the biggest line up of top notch entertainment in the world. Wayne Newton, Barbra Streisand, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Tony Bennett and The Blue Man Group plus the first class Magic acts and much more all entertain in Las Vegas. The list of famous Las Vegas personalities from the Golden Age would not be complete without including mention of perhaps the most well known and idolized entertainer of all time, Mr. Las Vegas himself, the veritable "King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley". His name is synonymous with the hierarchy of Las Vegas Royalty, they don't refer to him as the King for nothing. The list goes on and on, but just check on line if you are planning a visit and you will note a dozen or more top rated shows at any particular time you may choose to plan a trip there. On our next night we walked the entire Strip again (aka Las Vegas Boulevard) starting at Mandalay Bay and finishing at the Sratosphere. We stopped in a least a half dozen Casinos, including MGM, New York, New York, Paris, Ballys' and The Bellagio. The lights were incredible and the water light show in front of The Bellagio was most enjoyable and entertaining. It also kept me out of the casinos for a while longer and saved me some dough which made the time spent there that much more rewarding. We revisited Las Vegas about four months later and we got some great deals on golf and hotel rooms. I guess they figured they should lower the rates for anyone crazy enough to play golf in 114 degree temperatures. It was tough I must say, but we played and still had a good time, wet face cloths and all. It was another wonderful vacation under our belt and they just keep getting better. If you're considering Las Vegas for your next trip, I can guarantee you won't be bored. It truly is the "City That Never Sleeps". You can get some terrific packages, both for golf or just to stay and play at the resorts. Las Vegas is truly the ultimate playground for the over 21 crowd. Happy Vacationing and Golfing To All!

4 Fatal Muscle-Building Myths Revealed

by: sean Nalewanyj

If you’re serious about making a solid commitment to a muscle-building program, you need to be very careful of who you take advice from. Bodybuilding and fitness is literally a multi-billion dollar industry with new websites popping up every single day. Many of the so-called “experts” out there really don’t have a clue of what they’re talking about and are only motivated by pushing expensive pills, powders and “miracle programs” on you

that you don’t really need. If you don’t watch your step you may end up falling for some fatal muscle-building pitfalls that will literally destroy your gains. In this article I’m going to expose 4 very common muscle-building myths in order to keep you on the proper path to the mind-blowing muscle and strength gains you deserve. Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your workout. The greater the pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build. For those of you who are just starting out, a “pump” is the feeling that you get as blood becomes trapped inside the muscle tissue when you train with weights. The muscles will swell up and leave your body feeling bigger, tighter, stronger and more powerful. While a pump does feel fantastic, it has very little, if anything to do with properly stimulating your muscles to grow. A pump is simply the result of increased bloodflow to the muscle tissue and is certainly not indicative of a successful workout. A successful workout should only be gauged by the concept of progression. If you were able to lift more weight or perform more reps than you did in the previous week, then you did your job. Myth #2: Building muscle will cause you to become slower and less flexible. Contrary to what you may think, building a significant amount of lean muscle mass will actually speed you up rather than slow you down. Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes, from running to jumping to throwing. The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply. Having stronger, more muscular legs means increased foot speed, just as having stronger and more muscular shoulders means the ability to throw farther. Myth #3: You must always use perfect, textbook form on all exercises. While using good form in the gym is always important, obsessing over perfect form is an entirely different matter. If you are always attempting to perform every exercise using flawless, textbook form, you will actually increase your chances of injury and simultaneously decrease the total amount of muscle stimulation you can achieve. It’s very important that you always move naturally when you exercise. This could mean adding a very slight sway in your back when you perform bicep curls, or using a tiny bit of body momentum when executing barbell rows. Myth #4: If you want your muscles to grow you must “feel the burn!” This is another huge misconception in the gym. The “burning” sensation that results from intense weight training is simply the result of lactic acid (a metabolic waste product) that is secreted inside the muscle tissue as you exercise. Increased levels of lactic acid have nothing to do with muscle growth and may actually slow down your gains rather than speed them up. You can limit lactic acid production by training in a lower rep range of 5-7, rather than the traditional range of 10 and above. If you want to clear up your confusion and learn the truth behind many other popular muscle-building myths, visit my website by clicking the link below. I'll reveal why 95% of people in the gym fail miserably and will teach you how to get on the proper path toward muscle-building success.

Will Bad Weather Ruin Your Day On the Water?

by: Ken Leatherman

The Weather Friend or Foe....

A calm lake or seas, brought on by beautiful weather, can make a day extremely enjoyable on the water while fishing, water-skiing or just simply taking a cruise on the boat. To really take pleasure in sailing, the fresh breeze, which blows across the water, is needed and preferred. The weather can really be something wonderful or it can suddenly become your worst enemy Suddenly the weather changes, from out of nowhere, huge dark clouds begin to appear. The wind shifts and begins to cause the water to become choppy. This sudden squall of a torrential downpour, with blasts of thunder and lightening popping around, can quickly turn an enjoyable boating experience into a complete disaster. By observing a few safety tips, the disaster can be avoided or minimized, with few if any injuries or property damage. Recommended Safety Equipment.... · NOAA Weather Radio · GPS/Compass · Marine Map · Emergency Equipment As Required By State and Federal Law Plan Ahead For Fishing and Boating Fun..... Begin monitoring the National Weather Service extended 5 day forecast on your NOAA Weather Radio, National Weather Service online, AM/FM radio and TV. The weather forecast will provide general information which will enable a logical decision to be made if the trip should go forward. Just Before Starting Out.... Double check the weather and conditions on the TV weathercast. Pay special attention to the marine weather forecasts. These advisories will provide details about small craft warnings, wave height, storm and gale warnings that may be occurring now or over the next 24 hour forecast. While Traveling to Destination.... Leave the NOAA Weather Radio turned on. Why? The weather can change dramatically in a matter of minutes. Many times those changes can occur miles away, but can still be headed for the launch site. The really great thing, about NOAA Weather Radio is that new weather advisories are broadcast immediately. This will give the time to decide if the trip should be continued. Stay Alert On Water.... Once launched it is imperative to remain alert to the weather conditions in the immediate vicinity and on the horizon. Be especially vigilant for any sudden increase in the winds velocity, from the opposite directions of the current, this may cause increased wave height that could swamp the boat. By continuing to remain alert to the weather signs, personal safety and protection of the boating equipment will be ensured. · Listen to your NOAA Weather Radio for updates · Visually check the horizon for changing weather condition · Flashes of lightning · Sounds of distant thunder · Check for dark rolling clouds · Increase in wind velocity · Increased static on AM radio (may signal approaching thunderstorms) Bad Weather Catches…. When thunderstorms and bad weather crop up suddenly while on the water, immediately take the following steps to ensure personal safety and to protect the equipment. · Run for shore if it is practicable · Once on shore seek shelter away from the water (Do not stand under trees) · Put on personal flotation equipment · Get to the lowest point in boat (or below deck) · Do not touch any metal objects unless grounded to the boats protection system Take Action…. The fact of the matter is that all the weather forecast, weather advisories and safety tips don't mean a thing unless they are heeded. The personal safety of an individual and protection of the equipment comes down to the individual accepting personal responsibility and taking action.

Golf - Learn To Play

by: Mike D'Auria

There are many options available to learn to play golf. You can self teach, have a relative or friend teach you, go to your resident pro at the driving range, take lessons from the golf professional at your country club or pro shop, go to golf-tec at the Golfsmith locations or if your high school or college offers a golf program join the program. The method you choose can greatly affect how quickly you learn and how adept you become at the game. At the time I started playing I opted to teach myself. I read "The Golfers Bible " and "The Five Fundamentals of Golf" by Ben Hogan. The books were both very informative and contained valuable information to help one get started to play. In my opinion, and any one who knows about the history of golf would agree, Ben Hogan was one of the most natural and skilled golfers who ever played the game. I was confident that any book that he authored on golf could only be informative and benefit someone who wanted to learn to play. I can attest first hand that it helped me tremendously. In retrospect, depending on one's budget and how quickly someone wants to develop their skills, I would recommend lessons from a teaching professional. Unless you are born with a natural talent for the sport, which from my experience those so gifted are few and far between, lessons are the way to go. As I stated earlier I am self taught and have been playing for about 30 years. The learning curve is different for everyone, but I noted that most golfers who are good at other sports, especially baseball and hockey have a tendency to learn to play well. Having been self taught I had to experiment with different techniques over the years to improve my game. Until today I am still reading up on the latest and greatest on Instruction and Equipment and continuing to experiment to try to play better. With the increased popularity of golf, thanks in most part to the arrival of Tiger Woods on the scene, the teaching techniques and availability of teaching professionals has increased tremendously. I would strongly recommend that lessons are the way to go. Golf is a sport which requires muscle memory for a repetitive swing. Once your swing techniques and mechanics are ingrained in the subconscious, it will be harder to correct if you do not learn properly at the onset. Having the proper basics is crucial for learning to play the right way. Golf will be so much more enjoyable if you play well and learn the proper techniques for the swing. There are a number of steps to master the correct golf swing and a teaching professional will be able to show each of them to you. You will learn much quicker than reading about them and experimenting for years like I did. Some of the steps are as follows: The Grip - How you set the club in your hands, The Set-Up - (How you address the ball) the positioning of your body and alignment in relation to the ball, The Waggle - This is a trigger or initial movement to allow the swing to start properly, Tempo - The speed and timing from the start of the backswing through the hitting area and the follow thru, Backswing - the move immediately following the waggle -the cocking of the wrist and the turning or coiling of the body together with the arms and shoulders away from the target to prepare for the Downswing, The Downswing - immediately follows the backswing and is the part of the swing where impact with the ball takes place including the pronation of the hands thru the hit, The Follow Thru - the completion of the golf swing which concludes the transfer of your weight from your right side to your left (for right handed golfers - opposite would be true for lefties) and body positioning to face the target. If any of the aforementioned steps is not executed properly it can greatly affect the result of the shot. With the advent of Video Instruction, the instructor can play back the video and explain and show you exactly what you were doing right or wrong during the course of your swing. You've heard the expression that "One picture is worth a thousand words", well it would most definitely apply in this case. Although you can read a book on golf or watch golf teaching videos ( some are very good), it is still not the same as being taught first hand by a professional.

Why Do We Like To Watch Sport Competitions?

by: Marcia Henin

Why do we like to watch sport competitions? Even people who never engage in physical activity often find themselves in front of the TV, watching football and tennis, basketball and rugby. Sports fans around the world watch with excitement their favorite team play, and never miss a single competition. This Sports articles presents several reasons, trying to solve the mystery involved in this known phenomena of love for sports. One of the main reasons people like to watch competitions is because they tend to identify themselves with the winners. When they watch the precise moves of Rafael Nadal or Maria Sharapova, see the winning game of Champions League, they feel as if they themselves perform the brilliant move, and brought a victory to their team. Winners get attention from the media and the public, they are interviewed, they appear on TV – the public enjoys watching the known faces and see the winning formula. A fan, who may have never played football in his life, likes to see UEFA Cup, because he can identify himself with the top professionals. Another reason is the unpredictability of sports games. You can never know how the game will end, which forces you to sit tightly and wait for the crucial moment, which designate all the twists and turns of the game. The course of sports game is always unpredictable: although you can make bets and try to guess the today’s winner, but it is never certain, which makes the game interesting to watch. Different, but also important reason for watching sports has to do with our national identity. When British watch Liverpool and Chelsea groups, they tend to identify themselves with the players and see all the failures and winnings as if they were their own. Sports games are nowadays considered to be one of the most important factors which help to raise the persons’ national identity.