BACKWOODS BOUND NEWSLETTER #4

James & Maggie Burns and Kenny & Susie Settle would like to welcome you to the December issue of the Backwoods Bound Newsletter! Our goal at Backwoods Bound is to provide information for people who like the outdoors! We currently have information on hunting and fishing tips, product reviews, wild game and other recipes, fun facts, links to game and learning sites for the kids, and links to a variety of resource sites and companies where you can purchase supplies or gifts for those on your list. We're proud to announce our NEWEST feature...THE FISHIN' & HUNTIN' PHOTO GALLERIES! See the monster trout from Great Britain, photos from some of our Backwoods Bound friends and their hunting and fishing adventures, and even catch a glimpse of two of the Backwoods Bound owners! We're working hard to develop this site into something for the whole family. We want our site to earn first ranking in the sites you frequent...your input is important! Do you have photos you'd like to share with the world, favorite web sites you'd like us to link with, tasty recipes you'd like to share, new topics for our site, etc? E-mail us anytime at editor@backwoodsbound.com. The best photo, tip or recipe, most exciting suggestion, hobby, or craft idea each month wins a free gift! We'll also make sure we include your name on the submission so the whole world can know you're a Backwoods Bound type of person!

Growing Up With Sheep
The following has been adapted from a speech given at a ceremony honoring Mike Kish, principal of Immaculate Conception Grade School, for 25 years of outstanding service. Part of my "Backwoods" history included growing up with the author of this piece on a small farm in Illinois. If you're familiar with sheep you'll be able to relate. If not, maybe you'll learn something new. Hope you enjoy!___Maggie B.

"I was asked to speak about the significance of sheep to our childhood. As I remembered growing up on our farm, I was overwhelmed at the strong mental images that came rushing back.

So many "spring" lambs born on bitterly cold nights in January. So many difficult births needing assistance. The weakest lambs were brought in and placed on an old blanket in front of the fireplace. We kids always thought it was great having baby animals in the house but I could tell from the look on mom's face that she wasn't thrilled.

Then the bottle-feeding. This was a highly coveted and fought over task among the youngest in the family. You filled the 16 oz. Pepsi bottle with formula and covered the top with a huge black rubber nipple. One little hand held the nipple on, the other hand held the bottle. You braced your feet while they sucked and suffered the consequences on the occasions when the lamb pulled the nipple off and you toppled to the ground.

The many times the sheep got out of the fence. So often, right before church on a Sunday morning. Imagine the confusion of a half dozen children running out into a manure strewn pasture in their best clothes trying to round up a group of frightened sheep when mass was starting in 15 minutes. If one sheep found a hole in the fence the others would follow it through and stand on the other side crying "baa" because they didn't know how to come back in again. sometimes one had to be pushed back through the same hole so the rest could follow.

The excitement of shearing time. Fighting to keep the sheep on their backs long enough to finish the job. And the smell of my brothers from the lanolin oil in the wool. It's not a pleasant smell. Though it didn't compare with their odor after shoveling manure. My poor brothers! If there was one sincere prayer in my childhood, it was 'Thank you God for making me a girl.' Girls didn't have to shovel manure.

There are many references to sheep in the Bible. It was a subject that was well understood by the people of that time. As a child, I resented the teaching that Jesus is the shepherd and we are the sheep. I knew how stupid sheep could be and didn't appreciate the connection. But we are all like sheep. We all need help throughout our lives. From birth and childhood to adulthood and death, we are like sheep, needing direction and loving care to develop our minds, bodies, and our spirits."___Mary O.

Bushnell 10 x 25 Compact Binoculars
These compact binoculars are just what every hunter needs whether you are going to the fields or the woods. They are light weight and pack easily into your pack or coat pocket. They are engineered with an Insta-focusŪ system. Check them on our Huntin' Page!

Merry Christmas!
The team at Backwoods Bound wish all our visitors a safe and enjoyable holiday season! We've assembled a collection of Christmas trivia for our Backwoods Bound friends. Stop by and visit our page. Besides trivia, you'll find a great recipe for Sugar Cookies.
*Christmas Fun Fact - Did you know a Christmas tree decoration was banned by the government? Tinsel contained lead at one time, now it's made of plastic.
---Click here to visit our Christmas page!

Recipe of the month:
Many thanks to Lynnie Soffio for submitting this great recipe!
Venison Casserole
~ 1 pound ground venison or beef
~ 1 small onion
~ 1 can cheddar cheese soup
~ 1 can cream of celery soup
~ Frozen french fries
~ Pepper
**Dice onion and mix with ground meat. Pepper to taste.
**Press into the bottom of a 9 x 9" pan.
**Mix together the two cans of soup - do *not* dilute with water. Spoon mixture over meat.
**Cover the entire surface generously with frozen french fries.
**Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until done, fries should be golden and crispy. Enjoy!
---For more recipes and a variety of wild game cookbooks visit our recipe page!

Backwoods Bound Visitor Survey
Results of November's survey are in.................!
**67% of visitors surveyed hunt from a tree stand and a ground blind!
**Our visitors were split three ways regarding their favorite fish to catch. The winners were bass, crappie, and trout!
**The preferred way of cooking squirel according to our visitors is grilled with 36% of the vote. Hey folks, how about sending us some of those grillin' recipes?
~~Maggie's editorial interpretation: Backwoods Bound visitors do what it takes to get the job done, enjoy challenge and like spending time in the outdoors enough to risk a few bugs on their food. I guess we're just regular folks livin' life with gusto!
*Stop by soon to place your vote for the current survey! Let us know how you think!

Prizes!!:
*Congratulations to Lynnie Soffio for November's winning entry...Venison Casserole! Lynnie has won a gift certificate to Bath and Body Works, one of our great affiliates! Thanks, Lynnie, for taking the time to share this delicious recipe.
*Don't forget folks! The best tip or recipe, most exciting suggestion, hobby, craft idea, or photo each month wins a free gift! E-mail us at editor@backwoodsbound.com

Wyoming Knife - Razor Sharp Skinner
This knife is as handy as a pocket on a shirt. The unique replaceable blade is designed to easily skin your animal on one side and open the belly cavity on the other without cutting or knicking the guts. This knife is a must for all big game hunters! Click here to view the product on our site!

Deer vs Car

Deer are more active in fall and winter resulting in more car-deer collisions. The Illinois State Police warn motorists to use extra caution while driving at night in rural areas. A collision with a deer can happen anytime and anywhere.

When a collision with a deer is unavoidable, the Illinois State Police report it is usually better to go ahead and hit the deer instead of swerving and hitting another vehicle or another object head on. Most serious crashes involve the driver swerving to miss the deer and hitting something else. Colliding with a deer will damage your vehicle but usually results in little to no injury for the occupants who are properly using their seatbelts.

If you do collide with a deer contact the local authorities ASAP to report the accident and to get help for anyone that is injured. In Illinois if you do actually hit a deer, it's yours. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources' digest of hunting and trapping regulations states: "The driver of a motor vehicle involved in a vehicle-deer collision has priority in processing said deer. If the driver does not take possession of the deer before leaving the collision scene, any citizen of Illinois may possess and transport the deer." (Resource: Clarion Journal, Nov 29, 2000)

Affiliate Review:
We've assembled our favorite affiliates in one place to make shopping for that certain someone even easier! Our goal is to save you time! Time for the important things like huntin', fishin', craftin', and family. There's nothing like gettin' that shoppin' done without even having to scrape the ice off the windshield or warm up the car.
****Cheaper Than Dirt provides a wide variety of hunting gear and accessories!
****Hickory Farms. Who doesn't like some kind of sausage, cheese, or crackers?
****999 Central provides a wide variety of products all $9.99 or less!
****Cyber Rebate provides full rebates on many of their products. Be sure to check this out!
****Dreamaker Gift Baskets provides a wide variety of unique gifts for those collectors or "hard to buy for" folks!
****Candle Mart provides a wide variety of candles at very reasonable prices. If you like candles, check this out. They even have drawings for free candles!
****Furryboys - loungewear for your active boys. An intimate gift for your special someone!
We also have Craftopia, Things Remembered, and more.
Visit our shopping page now while there's still time for Christmas delivery!

Kenny's Corner: An editorial view of the Backwoods Bound experience!

As I sat down to write this edition of Kenny's Corner, which was going to be about a recent deer hunt I was on, I caught myself thinking about something that was more important. Yes, that's right, even I think some things are more important than hunting or fishing! It is, after all, December, meaning Christmas, which is also the time of year I start thinking about how fortunate and thankful I am.

~I'm thankful for the ability to hunt and fish, something not everyone gets to do.
~I'm thankful for my wife and children who put up with all my hunting and fishing trips.
~I'm fortunate to have such wonderful business partners, James and Maggie Burns, the co-owners of Backwoods Bound, without whom this website would not exist.
~I'm fortunate to be part of a great family; brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, brothers, sisters, moms, and dads, all of whom have so much love and devotion in their hearts; a lot of it has rubbed off on me.
~I'm a sucker when it comes to kids, and I feel very fortunate to have so many nieces and nephews, who I think know have special places in my heart.
~I'm thankful to have great friends who can offer me good advice or say a kind word when I'm feeling down.
~I'm fortunate to have you, our newsletter subscribers. You see, I always wanted to be able to write something and have someone read it. You have given me that opportunity.

I sincerely hope that all of you have a great holiday season. If you do a little reflecting of your own, I want you to remember the people whose lives you have touched and the people you have allowed to touch your life, is what defines you as a person.

My friends, no matter how big a buck you have harvested or how big a fish you have caught, in the end it's your family and friends who are the true trophies that you should keep in your mind and heart. I'm Kenny, and I hope I have all of you in my corner.