The legal age for a child to hunt in the state of Montana is a hot topic.  I cringe when I think about my kids having to wait until the age of 12 to pull the trigger.  Something needs to change!  A big congrats to my buddy, Ben Wohlers on
his effort to make things happen.  For the sake of our hunting heritage...we need to do things differently.  Please get behind this thing and help push for better laws allowing more hunting opps for our children. 
Check out the article at the link below...
http://helenair.com/youth-hunting-legislator-to-introduce-bill-allowing-youth-to-hunt/article_b843c29c-68cb-11e2-a435-001a4bcf887a.html   

There's  still a few days left of waterfowl hunting opportunities in some states around the country.  Want to try a unique challenge?  Try baggin' birds with your bow!  Check out my latest article at Bowhunting.com on Bowhunting Ducks...
http://www.bowhunting.com/blog/2012/12/30/bowhunting-ducks/ 

Branden VanDyken put his Core4 gear to the test on his Christmas cat hunt in Montana.  Check out the video he put together documenting his story.  Also, be sure to check out all the latest on the gear at www.core4element.com 

Mike Lloyd checks in on his post-sesaon routine...

With the hunting season long gone and the cold winter months setting in, it is time to dive into your hunting gear.  For me there is no off-season when it comes  to archery. I know lots of people that will put their bow into the closet
to  hibernate till August.  However, I believe that this is the best time to look into your  setup and do some tweaking. The little things that you told yourself that you  were going to change or look into should still be fresh in your mind.  I shoot a lot of 3-D archery tournaments and I am always looking at changing things like arrows, rests, fletchings, and string and cable.  This is the best time to look  into those things. The archery companies are coming out with new equipment and  gear and it is fun to see what new gadgets are going to hit the market.  With my  first shoot coming in February I need to get my gear going and dialed in. Who  knows what I will change and try but when I find out, I will let you know.

I've enjoyed the opportunity to work with John Hafner and some pretty cool companies in the hunting industry.  Be sure to check out John's work at www.johnhafnerphoto.com. 

Heath (H2O) Helgert tagged along on a recent duck hunt as the season was wrapping up.  The day before, the guys limited out in 30 minutes.  Will it happen again??? 

I'm really excited to be blogging with the crew at Bowhunting.com.  There's a ton of great stuff for archers and bowhunters at Bowhunting.com.  Be sure to check it out. 
My latest blog shows that kids can turn whitetail does into trophies like nobody else.  Check it out...

http://www.bowhunting.com/blog/2013/1/15/trophy-does/

The sun finally set on the last day of deer hunting opportunity for bowhunters for the 2012/2013 deer season in Montana.  It's always a bittersweet day for me to see the end finally come. Even with my buck and doe tags punched, it still brings a solemn  sadness as a year of highs and lows comes to an end.  Unlike many in the past, on this last day of deer season, I was not in the stand.  I watched the sun slip behind the mountains from the comfort of my own living room.  I was wrapped up with the awesome obligation of taking care of my newborn boy, Remi, while his mom did her best to get some sleep.  My family has always been one of the few things that could pull me from the woods...gladly.  And this day was no different.  I was thrilled to be sitting there watching and listening as the little dude squirmed, and whined, and filled up his diaper.  Life is good! 

There's a new boy in the Swisher House!  At Amanda's doc appointment on Thursday, they scheduled her to be induced on the following Tuesday.  However, the Lord had different plans.  Amanda woke me up at 2:00am on Friday morning (1/11/) saying she was having contractions 10 minutes apart.  With the roads pretty nasty from the snow-storm the day before, we figured we'd better get rollin' and not take any chances.   We got to the hospital around 4:30am and they confirmed that she was far enough along to stay and have a baby.  However, it wasn't until about 3:30pm that we'd fnally have the opportunity to hold the little guy.  His name is Remi Gray Swisher.  (Remi is just a cool name we liked...Gray is in honor of my dad and brother, "Graydon").  He was 8#  and 20.5".  He and Amanda are both doing well.  We hope to be home with him soon!  Thanks to all that have prayed with us through this journey.  Please keep it up! 
We thank God for His incredible gift!   

"Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." Psalm 127:4-5

Mike Lloyd checks in from the stand...

I decided to give it one last go before  the season was over.  I knew going in that it was going to be cold...and cold it 
was.  When I arrived at my stand around noon, it was 15 degrees.  I had on many layers of clothing and a pack full of hand warmers to keep me from being too  uncomfortable. I did see deer early feeding and bedding around my stand. With a buck and doe tag still in my pocket, I would take anything that moved.  As I sat there I could feel the cold creeping in.   I was trying  my best not to think about it.  When I left my stand that night I did not even get the chance to draw my bow back.  Was I bummed?  Nope!  It was still a great day to be in the woods, sitting on stand one last time.