This is a bit of advice and reminder to be aware of perverts and sex offenders online. Since most ofus have MySpace and other websites the we correspond on, we must be careful of these predators out there waiting to strike. In the past six weeks, I have received requests from individuals on MySpace to be friends. I Googled their names and any other information that came up and found them to be registered sex offenders on two separate occasions.

One of them was a violent sex offender who lives in my area. This man was MySpacing several different women until he could find one that would chat with him. This is scary and we must protect ourselves. Please be careful about the depth of information that you provide on a MySpace or any other website. Also, do a Google search on who you think you may be dealing with. Also, be aware of these predators checking out your pictures on your MySpace. I would be very careful about posting pics of our children on MySpace, it is unfortunate the amount of pedophiles that our on MySpace waiting to get their kicks.

More than 29,000 sex offenders have created MySpace profiles and are using MySpace as a way to find more victims of their terrible acts, not only to children but also women. 300 on them were arrested in Texas just last year and there are more to come. 100 criminal incidents have been reported in the past 7 months from MySpace perverts trying to lure young children and adults. 25 of these incidents were against adult women that were lured or tricked by sex offenders. We must be cautious about these perpetrators, and not only protect our children but ourselves. Ladies, please be aware of these statistics and protect yourselves from these monsters. Make sure you know who is on your MySpace friends list and if they really are who they say they are.

         I would really love some input on this subject. I have found a variety of outlooks

  and opinions about this subject, even some hardcore emotion. Is hunting and fishing only fun for the guys? I think not. And, do women who hunt and fish have to be unfeminine to fit in? I hope not. Do we ask guys to wear pink and to lose the NASCAR shirt when they come with us to a “chick flick” or to pick out towels? Okay, am I stereo typing what women do besides spending time in the outdoors?

          More and more women are joining in the fun and rush of hunting and fishing. Does that mean we have to be beer guzzling, farting, belching, scratching women? Well, scratch the beer guzzling because I can kick a few back with the best of them and I love it

          Are the guys afraid that a woman will not be able to drag that monster buck out of the woods? Or is it that I won’t be able to hike up to 10,000 feet and carry my rifle too.   Are women actually capable of killing Bambi, not me. I am after that mac daddy big buck in a rutt. What I have found is that I am able to control my emotions and adrenaline a lot more than my husband is able to while we are out on a hunt. I am cool, calculated, and ready to take a buck out. I have found that I do not shake, sweat, or cry. Sorry guys, I have seen a few of you cry after missing the big one.

         What my intentions consist of are to bring more women out into the outdoors and just let them squeeze a round off or pick up their husband’s bow and nail the target. It is addicting and fun too. It is also a great feeling to do it as well as the guys are able to. It is time for more women to come out and play. Women need to find out why sneeking out to hunt and hanging out with the guys is so important. It can also be important for a relationship to share the same interests and passions for something. The outdoors can be a great way to strengthen a relationship and if nothing else have some fun in competing with the opposite sex.

            I think that women can be feminine, fun, and soft as well as a huntress and cold blooded killer in the woods. Why not look good while doing it? Guys, who would you rather have as a hunting partner? A classy woman or your beer bellied, snoring in the tree stand friend? I can think of a few ways to have a lot of fun in the woods.

One of our goals is to find ways to allow all children to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it be fishing, camping, hunting, hiking, or enjoying the fellowship of others, sometimes you have to be creative. When I say “creative” I mean if a child can’t make it outdoors, then bring the outdoors to them.

Our son has Cystic Fibrosis (a debilitating respiratory disease) and because of that he has special needs. He may get sick and end up in the hospital or he may get a cold and not be able to play outside. This disease can be fatal and demands that we stay clear of germs and stay on a strict medicine regimen daily. However, we do not want him to be limited on enjoying the outdoors since he has already shown the passion for fishing and hunting.

We had to “think outside the box” so that he wouldn’t miss out on all of the activities he enjoys. What my husband came up with is great! Anyone can do it and it will keep your child busy and laughing incase you can’t get outside. We created a taped outline of a buck on our sliding glass door then we bought some arrows with suction cups on the tips of the arrows and there you have it. My son can shoot that buck all day long and he loves it. He will inform me that he is going hunting and that we must be very quiet, he then will sneak up on it and shoot it with his bow and suction cup arrow. He usually nails that deer and when he does he yells “Daddy, did you see me shoot that buck?”

The beginning of my hunting obsession all started about 5 years ago. I was going on my first hunt. We prepared carefully by spending time at the range and scouting out where we would go. I slipped on all of my camo and boots (no make up or deodorant) can’t have those bucks sniffing me out, jumped in the truck, and headed for the woods. I planned on sitting up in that tree stand all morning, I was ready. I have to admit, I was a little sketchy about getting up in the tree stand.

My boyfriend at the time (now husband) is a kind of a “do it yourselfer” and I wasn’t sure if those hand made stairs leading up the tree were going to hold my 5′10 frame and size 10 boot. Thank God! I made it up the tree and carefully sat down. It wasn’t too long after, I heard something, a little bit of brush moving around coming up on my left. I pointed it out to him (RJ) and he insisted that I whisper when I hear something and to hold very still. He said, “Here he comes.” I looked out and saw in the distance 8 points sticking up coming my way. I was ready to prove myself and to bag the big one. I replayed in my mind over and over “Buck Fever.” I was anticipating on becoming shaky, sweating, and freaking out. I DIDN’T DO THAT!!!

I was as cool as a cucumber and ready to shoot my muzzleloader. That buck came up on my tree stand perfectly. I watched him carefully, my husband grunted, the buck turned, and I shot. I didn’t shake or hesitate; I took a deep breath in, said a little prayer to the hunting gods, and blasted it. Now, my husband was shaking and was excited. He yelled, “You got it baby!” We climbed out of that treestand, I talked a little trash, and then we went to track him. It didn’t take too long to find the blood trail that led us to my “first blood.” We made sure that he was dead and then admired what I had been able to shoot. I was excited, more excited than what I had expected and from that day on, I knew I was hooked.

As my husband was doing the field dressing, he told me that I had to take and use some of the blood from the deer and swipe it under my eyes. He said that it was the ritual and basically the “rite of passage.” I didn’t want to seem like a wimp, so I did it. He didn’t think I would really do it, and started laughing at me. It was a joke. Anyways, it was a great day and a beginning for something that has become part of my life as well as my children’s, and I have had a lot of fun with hunting and being in the outdoors. This hunt was done up in Northern Virginia and was absolutely beautiful.