Wildlife Wall Decor

Its an amazing part of nature to watch the cycle of migrating birds each year.  I have a premonition . . . that even if humans had all the facts about weather and natural disasters like plagues, droughts, floods, the phase of the moon, and now global warming . . . that the birds really don’t care, nor do they understand!  They still nest and raise their brood.  They still fly and make magnificent wildlife silhouettes across the North American skies.

“The Amazing Journey” is an informative article in the Ducks Unlimited magazine, May/June 2008, pages 34-39.  Scott Stephens, Ph. D. is the writer and director of conservation planning at DU’s Great Plains office in Bismarck, North Dakota.  Dr. Stephens gives the reader a better understanding of migratory flights of ducks.

Hunters depending on the rut of Whitetail Deer are usually disappointed . . . says Doug Howlett.  Doug is author of an article, “Rut Reset,” in the magazine Outdoor Life, November 2009, pages 61-68.  I understand from this article that there are just too many variables to use the Rut Season to determine when and how to hunt the elusive Whitetail Deer.

However, according to Doug Howlett, there are three “Rut Stands that Work” #1 . . . The Seeking-phase Setups. (Does are running from the bucks.)  #2 . . . The Chasing-phase Setups.  (Does are coming into estrus, and the bucks shadow the does.) and #3 . . . The Breeding-phase Setups.  (Both animals tend to lay up in thick areas of cover.)

The author suggests “Hot Zones” and “Best Stand Locations.”  Should I be a hunter again, I would check this out.  Since I’m not a hunter, I depend on displaying my wildlife trophies in beautiful metal pieces of outdoor wall art.

The origins of much of the wildlife wall art produced in the United States raises concerns of both hunters and politicians in all of the continent of North America.  Most migratory birds find food, water, and nesting areas from Mexico, all the way into the protective wetlands of the United States and Canada.

Here is an article with beautiful photography about the migration of Mallard and Pintail ducks published in the magazine, Ducks Unlimited, November/December 2009, pages 48-55, interestingly and informatively written by Mike Anderson, PH.D.

The article is “Conservation in Canada,” but the focus is on the harvesting of ducks in the States . . . of a natural product, waterfowl . . . that find their origins in the bountiful water marshes, lakes and natural resources of Canada.  Good reading!

During high school I participated in many sports, and was dedicated to every team I was on. While I would train year-round for athletics, my parents were often more avid about the athletic competitions than I was. Our house has always adorned with a variety of school memorabilia.

As our mascot was the Wolves, we naturally had a fair amount of wolf art throughout the house. My sister, who is an artist, even created a mural-sized portrait that takes up most of the living room wall. Although I appreciated there support, even I felt that my family went a little bit over the top.

Growing up in a small mountain town, I became accustomed to people being friendly and out-going. Everyone in my community knew everyone else, and there were always welcome signs on people’s porches. In recent years, I have grown to learn that this sentiment towards your neighbors is not the norm around the country.

When I moved to Los Angeles to go to college, I had a quick reality check. My neighbors there were not sociable, and even exhibited skepticism for one another. While there are many benefits to a bigger city, I still enjoy the familiarity of the small town.

One of the most memorable vacation trips my wife and I made formed a circle in the great outdoors.   The trip included the 4 Corners of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and the panhandle of Texas.  The National Parks that we visited were the Mesa Verde, in northeastern New Mexico, Bryce Canyon and Zion in southern Utah, and the Grand Canyon in North Arizona.  These beautiful red rock formations and canyons not only broadened the historical appreciation of our American history, but also expanded our vision of the awesome scenery provided by our North American National Parks.

Reciently, I picked up the Highways magazine, May 2009, and read pages 32-36.  There in print was an article about the National Parks that we visited on our Red Rock Vacation.

With the rapid urbanization taking place around the globe it can be difficult to preserve our vision of nature. Few of us have the opportunity to live in areas that have rich wildlife and scenic landscapes. One of the easiest ways to satisfy your desire to experience the wilderness or countryside is through artwork.

As citizens from rural communities continue to migrate to cities, it can be therapeutic to maintain a connection with the country. Country wall art is an easy way to quench your nostalgic thirst for home. Art is no longer limited to simple paintings; you can find a variety of exquisite pieces, everything from metal wall hangings to lamp shades.

Bow hunting with a cross-bow, long-bow, or compound-bow demand different styles of hunting, and each have their own set of problems and type of equipment.  It seems there’s a revolving technology shift during the previous centuries, from long bow, to cross-bow, to compound-bow, and today . . . back to cross-bow.  This paradigm shift is connected and/or influenced by political, social, physical, and economical events, each having their own place in history’s archives.

For example, not all states in America have the same hunting and fishing seasons, and each state has special requirements for licensing, as well as age limits.  Available materials and the cost of equipment also create changes through the generations.  For more information, read the article in Outdoor Life magazine, May 2009, pages 46-52.

For years I had searched high and low, near and far for a Beatles poster that truly encompassed the melodic spirit of this legendary band. More than just a concert poster or a snapshot of the group, I wanted an artistic ability and the essence of the band to be captured in the masterpiece I had constructed in my head. The representation that stood out to me over and over again was the Abbey Road album cover. It seemed to be everywhere I looked.

And when I was least expecting it, I stumbled across the vision I had waited endless nights to discover. I hadn’t even been looking for it at the time; instead I was out and about looking for picture frames for my bedroom. But there it was, Abbey Road all over again, but this time the images leapt out of the picture in an amazing new way: 3d wall art. Never had an image I’d seen hundreds of times look more alive and vibrant. I bought it without hesitation.

Today, information is more abundant, affordable and user-friendly.  The best teacher, of course, is a member within the family, passing information to others.  However, where there are no fathers or older siblings to learn skills of hunting and fishing from, experience is taught and information is shared by friends from printed materials written by experienced outdoorsmen.

Every young hunter can glean wonderful insight into hunting strategy from the Whitetail Handbook published in the Field & Stream magazine, August 2008 and 2009,  pages w1-w30.  The reader can learn tactics for successfully hunting the elusive whitetail deer for food, for sport, and even wildlife management conservation.