2007 Year End Whitetail Report

As 2007 comes to an end we anxiously wait and hope that 2008 is even better. For all of you that visited us this year we would like to say thanks for all the great memories and for all the great stories we shared together. We met lots of friends in 2007 and we hope that 2008 will bring us even more. With all the great memories in 2007 I thought I would share some with everyone.

For many years hunting as taken a back seat for me. Most of my falls have been tied up in my boat fishing professionally, guiding and fishing the fall feeding frenzy. This year was a total different story. I decided to put my fishing adventures to the side and get back to what was once the most important part of me. Every once in a while a person gets a wake up call in life whether it’s family, physical, or emotional problems. For me, not sure what it was this year but I just think I finally realized in am not a kid anymore and just grew up. Some of the little things and the of course the big things that happen in one’s life just become more important. Some people tell me it was just burn out (18 years of guiding) while some people say, “Jarrad are you finally growing up?..LOL!”

However, I still wasn’t happy to just give up on guiding. After taking a little break from guiding I decided I wasn’t really happy with not meeting people, hearing there stories, or the camaraderie shared while in the boat. This is how Rutting Ridge Outfitters was spawned. See I still can’t get fishing out of my mind. Growing up in Buffalo County I have had it pretty easy in harvesting many of great deer. Just like fishing we were both spoiled in the fisheries that we have in our front door. I wanted other people to start sharing what we have had at our fingertips for many years with out all the pressure and numbers of people. We wanted to take a different look on outfitting. We have heard too many stories of candy wrappers and pop cans at the stands, mud trails to the stands, and deer looking up at them from long distances, from other outfitters and did not want to have that reputation. That’s were the idea of only 10 hunters a year came from, Quality not Quantity. Plus I didn’t want to make a passion of mine turn into work. Also we are able to actually meet the people and share their passion.

All summer long my brother and I played on our land and other leases preparing it for the fall hunts. Soy bean fields, Rape Plots, clover plots, watering holes, brushed trails, and hung tree stands, hung tree stands, then hung more, were many of our weekend chores. Needless to say the boat never touched the water but twice since FLW Bay De Noc that was in July. With our hard efforts everything started to pay there reward. We ended up hunting 10 people on our leases like we promised. 6 of the 10 hunters were rewarded with a 130” or better. The other 4 hunters you ask? Let’s see; 1 hunter had a opportunity at a 140” on opening morning of gun season, along with a couple of 120-130’s through out this 5 day hunt but passed; 1 missed a 140” 10 pt. 40 yards away with the gun; 1 passed on a couple 120-130’s; and the last 1,well, we think he napped all day…The biggest memory was filming and taping and old friend harvest a 150”+ deer on film. If you have never filmed a hunt with a friend and then get a harvest you are missing a major adrenaline rush. I was more excited filming this last year than actually hunting. Keep in eye on the site for that hunt to be shown…..

What’s in store for 2008? I have not totally decided in which direction to go yet but I think you will see me on the river a lot more with friends, family and guiding. Which means more reports and more pictures? I don’t think I need to travel as far any more with the kids getting older and them wanting to fishing all the time. Also in the line up is more videoing of hunting and fishing adventures……so Stay tuned…….We still have until Jan 6 to harvest a couple more slobs!!!

Hope everyone has a safe, happy and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!