Thank you Moose, Steve, and Tom for your prayers and thoughts.

My dad is doing fine. They moved him today from ICU into a regular room. His lung is remaining clear and should be filled back up completely by tomorrow. He is obviously sore and will be for several weeks.

Don’t wanna brag on my old man, but…. he’s tough!!! More importantly God’s protective hand kept him safe.

Again, thank you for all your prayers and thoughts. Continue to pray for a quick recovery. I will be back on by Monday morning with a daily post again. Sorry for any inconvenience to folks that come in and check on the site.

We’ll be back bigger and better… new theme “Go big or stay home”….: )

Sorry folks for not being able to post anything yesterday. Early afternoon I received a phone call stating that my dad had an accident at work. He had fallen around ten feet off a boat he was working on. My sister told me he’s been life flighted to Bangor hospital. Needless to say I immediately dropped everything and went to be with my dad.

Upon arriving at the hospital I found out he was going in for a cat scan. I was able to see him for a couple minutes. At this point we knew he had some broken ribs, a punctured and collapsed lung, and a big nasty cut on his head.

After cat scan we found out he had six broken ribs. His stomach was fine, nothing wrong with his neck, back or spine. Us Sargent men have hard heads….just ask our wives…: )..

Other than some pain from broken ribs dad should be just fine. This is where I say a big thank you for God’s protective hand. My dad is 65 years old. Now a ten foot fall onto a concrete floor for anyone let alone a 65 year old man is pretty rough. So there is no doubt, God protected my dad from anything further happening to him. We will continue in prayer that he keep dad’s recovery as painless as can be. We also have to keep an eye on dad catching pneumonia which at this point is our biggest concern.

One of the sure signs that hunting season is just around the corner, is all of the outdoor shows, events, and sales.
These weekends will bring manufacturers, hunting personalities, and the general public, all together. There are seminars and autograph signings to go along with the good deals.
After checking my calendar, I realized that the next several weeks are covered with these types of events. I’m lovin’ it! And it’s all one big crescendo leading to the big event…….. Opening day!
It seems odd to make hunting plans so early in the year. We’re still in September, and the days are continuing to hover in the 70 degree temperature range. This hardly puts me in the mood for hunting, and it sure doesn’t look like opening day is anywhere near.
But the truth is, hunting season is near; in my area, only a little over a month away. It will come whether I think it’s coming or not, whether I feel like it’s coming or not, and whether I’m ready or not.
The Bible talks about another day- a big event. It’s a day the Lord has set aside to take his children to heaven. He has promised that this day would come. He has even given us some signs that would point to that day. But he has also warned that some would doubt and even deny the reality of this event.
The tragedy of this doubting and denying is that some will not be ready. They’ll have relied on the way things look and feel, and not on the fact that the day has already been set.
I hope that you’ll make sure you’re ready when the Lord’s Day arrives. The Bible says it will come in an hour that you never imagined.
Will you be ready for “opening day”

James 4:8a Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

First and foremost I love my Lord, Jesus Christ. Then it would be my wife, kids and other family members. Then without a doubt it would be hunting whitetails. It doesn’t matter what state i’m in or what the weapon of choice is. You can count me in. It has been a few years since I have had a chance to go out and spend anytime bowhunting. The drawing for bow hunting is the challenge of getting a deer close enough to make a sure shot. I want the deer to come as close to me as possible. Things I notice when bow hunting and the deer is within a few yards from me instead of one hundred yards, typical in my area for rifle hunting. I am more confident in my shot. The deer will appear much larger ten yards from me. There will be less chance of obstacles getting in my way of a clear shot.
The same is true for my walk with Christ. I want to be as close to God as possible. When this happens I am more confident, God becomes larger in my life. He becomes a larger part of the decisions I make. Also, the closer I am to God it seems that there are less distractions to get in the way of doing His will.
Both bow hunting and our walk with Christ require a lot of preparation and work. We must spend time to get in as close as we possibly can.

Most deer hunters are shooting their bow right now in order to be ready for opening day. Some are adding new accessories or making sure that the old ones are still in working order and are mounted and tuned precisely. .
As bowhunters know, adjusting the sights on a bow, sort of goes against logic. If the point of impact is too far to the right, the pin on the sight must be moved to the right as well. And if the point of impact is too far left of the bullseye, the pin must be moved to the left. It seems wrong, but it’s not.
When the sights are adjusted perfectly, a hunter can simply hold the pin on the exact place he wishes to hit, and, if everything else is right, the arrow should hit that exact spot. But it is easier said than done.
When the sights are not adjusted perfectly, you simply miss the mark.
What you don’t want to do is have to aim left or right of the bullseye in order for the arrow to hit it. That means that you would actually be moving the target to adjust for your poor sight adjustment.
The Bible gives us an illustration about this same thing. The scripture says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” This phrase, “come short,” is the picture of someone firing an arrow towards the target and the arrow falling well short. It missed the mark.
The verse describes our inability to get to God on our own merit. Our sin has caused our sights to be off. Our equipment is out of tune.
Not only is our equipment defective, but the target can’t be moved to adjust for our error.
We need someone who can get us to God, who has their sights adjusted perfectly.
Jesus became that man. He was without sin. And when He died on the cross He took our sin with him. Now we all can get to God through Him. All we have to do is admit that we have missed the mark and that we need Him to be our perfect substitute; standing in our place, drawing his bow, and hitting the target that’s been set by God.

One day long ago, a master fisherman was walking by the water’s edge. Upon seeing a group of tired fisherman washing their empty nets after the fruitless efforts of a long night’s labors, he got in a small boat and put out a little from the shore. He called out to them asking if he could help them. He said, “Would you like to catch the “Big One”? Responding with a rousing chorus of “Yes!”, “You Bet!”, and “Of course we want to!”, the seasoned angler said, “Drop your net in the deep waters.” Suddenly, to their surprise the weight of their net tugged and pulled nearly bursting as it teamed with fish to overflowing. Startled and puzzled by the strange ability this man had to attract the catch to their net from another boat, the rowdy fishermen determined to hang on his every word until they discovered the secret to the irresistible lure that could hook the prized trophy from afar.
Passed on from man to man, and as effective today as on that first fishing excursion, the bait that never fails is yours for the taking.
B. Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Acts 16:31)
A. Acknowledge and repent of your sins. (1 John 1:9)
I. Invite Jesus into your heart and life (confess with your mouth).
(Romans 10:9)
T. Tell others about Jesus as Savior and Lord. (Mark 16:15)
Don’t miss the catch of your lifetime! The “big one”, eternal life, awaits you. The prize above all trophies is Jesus Christ. He is calling you into fellowship. He wants more than anything to share his secrets with you so you too can become a fisher of men. (Luke 5:1-11)

The deer seasons of 2006 will provide the first results from antler point restrictions implemented in Vermont last fall. Legal bucks now must have at least one antler with two or more points one inch or longer.

This regulation was put into effect in 2005 as part of an experimental deer regulation that will sunset following the 2008 deer season unless re-authorized by Vermont’s Legislature. This experiment will provide biologists an opportunity to determine and measure changes in the deer herd that result from the new regulation. It will also give hunters an opportunity to see if they like the results.

The department has estimated that if the total deer population level remained the same as it was in 2005 that the number of 2 ½ year old bucks should very nearly equal the number of 1 ½ year-old bucks in this fall’s buck harvest. This should be a notable change given that about two-thirds of Vermont’s buck kill has traditionally been made up of 1 ½ year-old bucks.

However, last winter was the mildest winter in the past 35 years. Winter deer survival was as good as it gets in Vermont. This means deer numbers are expected to be up this fall, especially in areas that were hard hit in recent hard winters. This should result in an increase in the number of legal 1 ½ year-old bucks in the field this fall on top of those 2 ½ year-olds that were saved by the antler restriction last fall. Expect the over-all buck and total deer kill to be up considerably over last year.

Did you know that you are being hunted? That’s right. You are being pursued. God is pursuing you and desires to have a personal relationship with you on the practical level of your everyday experiences.
Most sportsmen are wandering through life like a hunter lost in the woods without a compass. Even though the outdoorsman has experienced the magnificence of God’s creative handiwork in the great outdoors, belief in His personal love and concern for each individual requires a certain measure of faith.
The biblical definition of sin is an archery term used to describe the flight of an arrow. When an arrow misses the mark it is said to have sinned. The mark or target for the ideal life has been set by Jesus Christ who is the only human being who never committed sin. Sin or disobedience toward God is bound up in the heart of every person on the face of the globe. “All have sinned and come short of God’s Glory.” (Romans 3:23).

The ultimate experience in the great outdoors, and life itself, is to receive the gift of eternal life that God makes freely available to all. Read through the following information then consider the fact that today could be the first day of a new life of adventure as you begin to walk with Him in a new relationship of trust and everyday practical experience!

The Gift of Eternal Life
What must I do to receive the Gift of Eternal Life?
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3:3)
Acknowledge “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Repent “…But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:3) “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out…” (Acts 3:19)
Confess “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:9) “That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
Believe “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
(Mark 16:16)
Receive “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him to those who believed in hiss name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
(John 1:11-12).

Our response is to receive Jesus. “Dear God, I believe that your son died for my sins and ask your forgiveness. I receive Jesus Christ now as my personal Savior and invite Him to be the Lord of my life from this day forward. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Please let us know about your eternal decision. You can send an e-mail to outdoorswithnorm@adelphia.net

Isaiah 44:3 “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty…”

We as hunters and outdoorsman have a good understanding of the importance of water. The thought “where there is food and water, there will turn up animals” is right on. We strategically place our game stands over watering holes or on a trail that an animal will take in order to quench their thirst.

My wife lectures me all the time the importance of water to my body. She’s one of these people that drink the eight glasses a day. I, on the other hand, think when there are so many better tasting options what’s the point. I’m a big Mountain Dew fan. A glass of water over Mtn. Dew! Are you nuts?

Looking at this scripture it reminds me of our need for water for our soul. We need that daily visit to the watering hole to quench our thirsts. We find this through God’s word, prayer, and continuing to grow in our personal relationship with Christ. The problem today is, this world offers so many “better” tasting options for us. We think these options will fill that need we have. Which for a short time it appears to do just that. We drink up all the “spiritual” Mtn Dew we can find. What it leads too is more of a desire to quench our thirst. It leads us to dehydration.

Are you dehydrated in your Christian walk? Are you drinking up all this world has to offer us? Still at the end of the day you have that feeling of thirst. Let me point you to waters that if you partake of, you will never thirst again. Get in God’s word, spend a few minutes talking with God each day, and continue everyday in finding ways of building your personal relationship with him. Step into the waters. You will find them refreshing, rejuvenating, and rewarding.

The Nashua Fish & Game Association is hosting a Sight-in Day to get your rifle ready for the hunting season on October 15, 2006, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is open to the public and range officers will be available to assist. There is a $5 fee for non-members — 25 rounds (your ammo) or 60 minutes - and a $5 fee for assisted bore sighting or scope alignment. For directions, visit www.nfga.org.

What a great chance for folks to get out and meet other sportsman. Get a chance to sight in at a safe place. I cannot stress enough the importance of taking time to sight in and make sure your gun is on. We owe it to the game we hunt this fall.

Starting in 2006, New Hampshire has a new 5-day fall shotgun season only in WMUs D1, D2, G, H1, H2, I1, I2 and K (the Connecticut River Valley and southwest portions of the state); these areas constitute the state’s most dense turkey populations. The 2006 fall shotgun turkey season will run from October 16 - 20, 2006.
Participants in the fall shotgun turkey season will need both an $11 fall shotgun permit and a $6 turkey license, as well as a current N.H. hunting license. The fall shotgun permit entitles a hunter to take a single bird of either sex with a shotgun. Hunters can take only a single turkey during the fall, either with bow and arrow during the archery season, or with a shotgun during the shotgun season. The bird must be tagged with the “fall” tag that comes on the regular turkey license.
Shooting hours for the fall season will begin one-half hour before sunrise and end one-half hour after sunset. The fully feathered, intact turkey must be registered and sealed within 24 hours of the time of taking.

On Labor day my wife, son, dad, and I headed off for the Blue Hill Fair. This a tradition since I was my son’s age. This year my son will be old enough to remember his endeavours. He made his first ride on the merry-go-round. This was not a real big “hit” with him.

There are so many different things to do at the fair. Out of all these activities my son’s favorite had to be ‘people watching’. Secondly, he was pretty fond of the critters. He comes by this honest as this is also mom and dad’s favorite activity. I was pleased to see my son’s excitement with the animals. He had no fear of walking up to and petting even the largest of the bovine beasts. Fascinated by the horses. Turned up his nose at the smell of the goats and sheep. This not only carries on a labor day tradition. It also carries on our love for animals through our son.

Not only the farm animals that we had seen that day. Also, our love for the animals we will be hunting in a few short weeks from labor day. Rest assured my son will be taught tradition of hunting. His love for the animals at the fair brings on excitement, as I realize that this will transform into a love for the wild animals and love for hunting.

Take the effort and bring your young one’s out to the local county fair. They are a Maine tradition. Pass on other traditions as well. This will be the greatest gift we leave our children when our time on earth is done.