Life doesn’t suck but it does if you let it.

My life doesn’t suck but if someone else was in my position they might have a different outlook. I am not saying that my life is all balloons and puppies but if you choose or decide that your life is going to suck, I guarantee you it is. Life doesn’t suck.

It’s easy to blame someone else for your life but there’s only one to blame and that would be yourself. Life doesn’t suck.

If your life sucks now but it was great a couple months ago, it’s not anyone’s fault but your own. It blows my mind that people think their lives are so greatly changed by a simple vote. If your happiness depends on that vote, you have bigger problems. Life doesn’t suck.

I too have those days that I think to myself poor me. But guess what, that gets you nowhere. Thankfully I only have those days very rarely. I couldn’t imagine waking up every morning not being upbeat. Life doesn’t suck.

Every once in a while, when I am having a down in the dump’s day, I remind myself that there is always someone who is worse off. I been around enough to see stuff and things, and there are people way worse off than I. I’m lucky that way. Life doesn’t suck.

I like to keep busy. Some people tell me that I do more than they do. Like I go out more on the town, I go hunting more or I just have a busier schedule than they do, and they are able-bodied. I laugh at that. Sometimes I wonder what I would be doing if I wasn’t a quadriplegic? I think I probably would be doing the same stuff except for just more of it. I love life and I love living it. It doesn’t matter that I am physically handicapped. That just puts a limit to the stuff and things I can do. Notice how I said can and I did not say can’t. Life doesn’t suck.

A lot of people need to pull up their tighty whities, pull up their big boy panties. Life doesn’t suck.

If I feel like doing something, I can pretty much find someone to help me do that something. If I feel like going ice fishing, I can usually find someone to make that happen. If I want to go hunting, I usually have more than enough help or opportunity. If I want to go out on the town, I can find someone to go with. Life doesn’t suck.

If your life sucks because you are more worried about politics and elected officials, I believe your priorities are backwards. My advice to you is too quit watching the news and start living life. I used to watch the news religiously every day, multiple times a day. Mostly local. But when I quit doing that a handful of years ago, it really freed up my cranial region for other stuff and things. The other stuff and things are fulfilling not depressing, like the news. Life doesn’t suck.

Republican, Democrat, green jacket, gold jacket who gives a shit… Get over it. If your happiness depends on that, that is a sad life. Life doesn’t suck.

So, get out and go outside. The more you are with nature the less stress and other stuff will be on your mind. Life doesn’t suck.

Of course, it helps if you have family and friends like I do. Thankfully I have the support of a great family and great friends. My family and friends do not suck. Life doesn’t suck.

These are some of things I think of when I’m staring down an ice hole waiting for something to bite my hook. Life doesn’t suck.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Trackchairs plus stuff and things.

Trackchairs have been around since the first rough prototype was built on November 27, 2008 by the original founder, Tim Swenson. On January 19, 2009 the first working prototype complete and operational was built, named Freedom One. This first Trackchair is proudly displayed in the showroom at the Action Manufacturing Inc. based in Marshall, Minnesota.

Adam Henning the Marketing Manager for Action Manufacturing explained, “The first 50 or so Trackchairs were sold through Action Sports, which was Tim’s powersports dealership. October 1, 2009, Tim sold Action Sports to his son Jim, and founded Action Manufacturing, Inc. to focus on building Action Trackchair.

Action Trackchairs are all-terrain tracked electric powered wheelchairs. Basically, they are wheelchairs on steroids that are made to go through places that a regular manual wheelchair or electric wheelchair could not even think of going without getting stuck. These all-terrain wheelchairs give disabled individuals freedom to go places they did not think was possible.

Now disabled individuals have the opportunity to use and try one of these chairs with help from North Dakota Game & Fish, South Dakota Game Fish & Parks and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Trackchairs provide comfort, stability, and safety for outdoor users whether they are looking to hunt, fish, or simply get out outside in areas they would normally not be able to go.

North Dakota:

The North Dakota Game & Fish Department has a Trackchair available for use at the Outdoor Wildlife Learning Center located in Bismarck and at NDGF Department sponsored field events. There is no charge for the use of the chair. When the chair is not being used by the NDGF, the Trackchair can be reserved by approved user groups for offsite use at outdoor educational or hunting programs.

A waiver of liability must be signed by the user or guardian before using the Trackchair. The Trackchair may be reserved for offsite use for up to 72 hours. The Trackchair must be picked up by a representative of the organization responsible for the outdoor program or event at which it is being used. An enclosed trailer is provided for transporting the chair. Towing the trailer requires the towing vehicle have a 2-inch ball. A short tutorial on how to run and load the wheelchair properly will be given upon pick up of the chair. To reserve the use of the Trackchair call 701-328-6615.

South Dakota:

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department has partnered with South Dakota Youth Hunting Adventures to provide physically disabled individuals with an Action Trackchair. The chair is available free of charge and can be reserved up to two weeks by calling the Outdoor Campus West at 605-394-2391. This number can also be reached if there are any questions about the Trackchair.

Minnesota:

Trackchairs are available in 13 different Minnesota State Parks for visitors with mobility issues. The chairs are available year-round in some locations but only seasonally in others. The state does not charge for the use of the chairs but a state park vehicle permit is required for all vehicles entering the parks. People with disabilities can get a discounted vehicle permit for entering parks.

Jamie McBride is the State Park & Recreation Area Program Consultant in the Parks & Trails Division for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

“The parks with the highest visitation generally get the most use,” said McBride. He went on to say, “In our first year most of the chairs were used an average of three to four days per week in the summer, and one to two days per week in the spring and fall. Use at Fort Snelling State Park had the highest use (five to six days per week in the summer and 3 to 5 days per week in the spring and fall). Their increased use is likely due to its proximity to the population based in the metro area.”

McBride explained about the positive feedback, “Users have told us that using the chair is life-changing, that they are now able to get out into the park to see the major attractions rather than staying on the paved surfaces while their friends and families explore overlooks, waterfalls, and other significant natural and cultural resources.” 

McBride said when asked if there had been any problems or concerns with the chairs, “Our planning worked to anticipate all of the problems we have faced thus far. For example, we have a plan for when a battery runs out while a chair is in use.” He went on to say, “Almost all of the feedback we’ve gotten has been focused on how to make little tweaks to the program or equipment to make it better.”

When users sign in for the track chairs, the length of use varies in each park. McBride explained, “Some parks let you use it just for the day, and if you want multiple days, you must bring it back to the storage location for an overnight charge. Others have opportunities for overnight use for as long as the user is in the park. In those cases, we send the charging cord and cover, making sure the visitor knows how to charge it between uses. All chairs need to remain in the park at all times. If the user has a campsite or lodging unit with electricity it’s possible to use some chairs overnight.”

The Minnesota DNR received the first track chair by donation in 2016. McBride said, “Four additional chairs were rolled out in the summer of 2022, with eight more arriving in August of 2023. We’re in the process of purchasing ten more chairs which will start arriving in the parks and 2025. This expansion is funded through 2023 legislation called Get Out More that dedicated $1,000,000 to track chairs and other adaptive devices.” The Minnesota DNR has not awarded the contract to build the new tracked chairs to any company in particular.

“At this point they can only be used on DNR’s Parks and Trails managed lands. There is some future possibility that they’ll be able to be used on other DNR managed lands, especially for specialized hunting, and we’ve explored the idea of allowing use on public lands that neighbor state parks but those details are yet to be fully realized. We don’t have plans to allow visitors to transport the chair by vehicle to another location,” added McBride.

Contact the Minnesota park you plan to visit ahead of time to reserve a Trackchair. A waiver must be signed before use. For more information contact the individual Minnesota State Park you wish to visit or call 888-646-6367.

Henning said, “They roughly sell 550 to 600 Trackchairs in a given year and we are looking to grow that number in the next couple years.” Action Manufacturing eclipsed serial number 7,000 earlier this year.

“Battery life is highly dependent on many variables including terrain, weather, weight of the user, battery age, etc., but the AXIS 30 and AXIS 40 can get up to 10 miles on a charge. Or about 2-3 hours of continuous use,” explained Henning.

Henning went on to say, “We proudly offer a one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. Three years on the welding/frame. Three years on the tracks. Two or three years on the battery charger, depending on brand. Very little maintenance is needed in regard to the tracks. But, they may need replacing several years after the warranty expires depending on the application and how often the Trackchair gets used. Replacement tracks are available for order through our dealer network.”

Action Manufacturing has a new model that is only 30 inches wide, which is a game changer for a lot of users that do not want to transfer in and out of different wheelchairs just in order to get into a house. Most doorframes in homes are at least 30 inches wide these days.

Trackchairs can be modified/fitted for each individual user. Leg rests, armrests, controllers, seat cushions, backrests among other parts can be adjusted and changed depending on the disability or size of the user.

The different models and options can be found on the website (www.actiontrackchair.com) under the models page. For more information contact: 507-532-5940.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

High School Clay Target League story and stuff.

There is an opportunity for student athletes in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota and that is to get involved with shooting sports. More specifically, clay target shooting. 

Spring 2015 was the first year for the North Dakota High School Clay Target League. Four high schools took the initiative to be the first in North Dakota to offer this opportunity to their student athletes that first year. They were Enderlin, Devils Lake, Oak Grove and Larimore with a total of 92 student-athletes. 

John Nelson has been the President of the USA Clay Target League since 2018 which is based in Eagan, Minnesota. Nelson has been with the League even prior to 2008 when he and founder Jim Sable started the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League. The Minnesota League started with three teams and 30 athletes. Nelson explained, “We became a virtual competition (shoot at your local range) the following year because two outstate schools wanted to join.” Wisconsin was the second state to have a High School Clay Target League. South Dakota started theirs in 2016. There are 39 states now that are part of the League.

In the 2024 Spring season the League grew to 75 teams in North Dakota with 2,025 student-athletes participating. Along with trap, there were 35 teams that participated in skeet, sporting clays and 5-stand collectively. Minnesota had 348 teams with 11,200 student-athletes participating. There were 80 teams with 700 athletes that competed in the shooting clay sports. South Dakota had 55 teams with 1,400 student-athletes that competed. They had 25 teams with 200 athletes that competed in the other shooting clay sports.

Any student enrolled in school or homeschooled at the time of the student athlete registration deadline date is eligible to participate if the student is in 6th through 12th grade, has completed firearm safety course, meets all school eligibility requirements, complies with league policies and the team has room to accommodate the student-athlete. Also, the League is an adaptive sport, which allows students that have physical disabilities participate in this extracurricular coed activity. The League promotes and emphasizes these priorities in this order; safety, fun and marksmanship.

The 501(c3) nonprofit USA Clay Target League is the largest clay target shooting sport organization in the world with 51,866 student athletes, 1,795 clay target teams (Including High School, College & Homeschool Teams), and 10,316 coaches and volunteers who participated in 2023-24. Those numbers are expected to climb every year like they have every year.

Students who participate can also participate in other sports at the same time. The League allows teams to shoot up to one day a week, including weekends, which gives flexibility for practices and games in other sports.

Besides trap shooting the Clay Target League also offers skeet, sporting clays and 5 stand depending on what your shooting range in your area has to offer. The cost per student is $40. The money goes towards the administration costs associated with League operations. The cost of participating at the optional state tournament is also $40 per student. North Dakota’s state tournament has been held at The Shooting Park in Horace every year since they joined the League.

What is trap shooting? The shooters fire from five positions in an arc shaped formation 16 yards behind a throwing machine in a small enclosure called the trap house. The machine throws the clay disc targets at different angles unknown to the shooter. Hearing and eye protection are mandatory for every shooter. Shotguns are not loaded and no shell is in the chamber until a squad member's turn to shoot. Each person fires at a clay target. Each target is only fired at once. After each shooter has fired five shots from a particular position on the arc, all shooters move one station to the right until everyone has fired from all five positions. There are a total of 25 shots per round. Each week every student athlete shoots two rounds of 25 shots. 

Scores are tabulated and put on the League’s website. The students do not have to travel to other ranges. There is a Spring and Fall season. The Spring season includes an optional state tournament, in which every student athlete has the choice to participate. The Spring session is a nine-week season that starts in early April and finishes in early June. The Spring session consists of two practice weeks, one reserve week, five competition weeks and a fun week. The Fall season starts in September and ends in October. The six week Fall League consists of one practice/reserve and five weeks of competition.

The cost of shooting sports is not cheap. Nelson estimates that 90% of the teams are self-funded. But some schools actually pay for the sport. When President Nelson was asked how much does it cost to supply a student with shotgun shells and clays he responded, “Costs vary by shooting range. Easy estimating, you have nine weeks of practice and competition at 50 targets ($20/ammo, $15/clays x 9 = $315, one state tournament at 100 targets ($40/ammo, $40 tournament = $80) = TOTAL about $400.” Additional expenses may include mandatory ear protection, eye protection, shooting gear or uniforms. Conservation dollars raised by the League total over $17 million through the Pittman-Robertson tax since 2020.

The shooting sports became a sanctioned high school sport in Minnesota in 2014. Nelson explained, “We are talking to a few other state high school athletic associations to do the same as Minnesota.” There has been no talk of North Dakota sanctioning trap. “We need NDHSAA-member schools that have clay target teams to propose the opportunity. The Minnesota model has been very successful and they are very supportive,” said Nelson.

There have been zero reported accidents since the League started in 2008. “Nobody can argue with our unblemished safety record. We’re the safest sport in high school and the data, not theories, proves it,” Nelson said proudly of the League.

Nelson added, “The League’s continued success stems from the commitment, knowledge, and understanding from all participating parents, coaches, shooting ranges, and education communities that when students are involved in school-sponsored activities, they are better humans. For almost 40% of all clay target student athletes, this is their only sport that they participate in. So that means that the positive impacts on these students will include better grades, better chances to go to college, lower school drop-out rates, increased self-esteem and discipline, create new friends, less likely to use drugs/alcohol, and they are more likely to participate in their community, vote, and become a volunteer.”

“I have been an assistant coach for the Enderlin Trap Team since the first year. I can’t tell you how much fulfillment a person gets out of helping these student-athletes become better marksmen, gun handlers and just more confident young people. If your town, school or wildlife club is looking to start a school trap team in your area, don’t hesitate to get a hold of the League. They are great to work with and will help your team get started on the right track,” added the article Author Clint Lindemann.

For more information go to the League website: https://usaclaytarget.com/

Thanks for reading, Clint.

The Memories of Paper Hunting Licenses and stuff.

Everyone probably remembers filling out paper licenses before a certain hunting season started and it probably took place at a local gas station.

The gas station probably had two gas pumps, with only one in working order. But the pump in working order had one dial of numbers that didn’t work, so you were pretty much on the honor system when you went inside to purchase gas.

This gas station probably had a back room where the locals gathered for coffee. Mostly farmers and ranchers with a retired utility worker plus a possible postal worker or two.

I have been in a gas station similar to this, all around North Dakota and the surroundings states, you probably have to.

This gas station probably smelled like cigarettes and coffee. It wasn’t a bad smell, but it was a smell you knew and you looked forward to.

People from cities probably came to this gas station after filling their tank and didn’t realize they needed to tell the person behind the till the total dollars of gas purchased because there was no readout inside.

This gas station probably had homemade donuts and cookies for $0.25.

This gas station was probably open from 7 AM until at least 7 PM. It opened after the newspaper was delivered and closed sometime after Wheel of Fortune.

This gas station probably was always a treat to stop at after a long morning of pheasant hunting for a warm cup of coffee or a bottle of pop to get reenergized for the afternoon hunt.

This gas station probably had a TV running and the radio on constantly. The radio was probably on a station covering a local sporting event.

This gas station was probably open seven days a week and maybe even holidays.

Finding a gas station like this in the middle of nowhere while hunting antelope is probably like winning the lottery.

If you got some gossip from the coffee crew from this gas station, you should probably verify before repeating.

This gas station probably sold coffee for $0.25 a cup, with unlimited refills.

If you needed help trying to find somewhere to hunt a certain critter, don’t worry, the coffee guys at this gas station would probably point you in the right direction.

This type of gas station is probably a dying breed.

This gas station probably always had at least one dog and some random cats. The dog was friendly unless you tried to move him from his “spot” on the floor.

If you tagged a big buck, you probably came to this gas station to show to the coffee crew in the back.

The owners of this gas station probably worked there every day for years and years.

This gas station probably sponsored every broadcast on the local radio station that covered high school sporting events in the area.

If you were lucky, you probably had a gas station just like this.

This gas station probably had all of the snacks and pop anyone could possibly want during your upcoming hunt.

The owners of the gas station probably had names like Dick and Jane.

If you ran out of gas or your car broke down someone at this gas station would probably give you a ride to wherever you needed to go.

This gas station would probably heat up your Pugsley sandwich with the microwave behind the counter if you asked nicely.

If there was a bad blizzard and travel was not advised, you probably still tried to make it to this gas station to get the Sunday paper and grab a cup of coffee to see who else was able to make it.

If you wanted to know who owned a particular piece of land someone at this gas station would probably know.

You probably brought the owners of this gas station some deer sausage that you processed during the off-season.

I think every small community probably had a gas station like this.

I hope you remember those yellow paper copies of hunting licenses that you probably got at gas stations.

The gas station probably had a name like Miller’s Service.

I miss these gas stations, I’m probably not the only one.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Deer Season Breakdown article for Dakota Country Magazine.

This article was published in Dakota Country Magazine. If you want a print or digital magazine subscription or looking to do some advertising click the link Dakota Country Magazine.

Every deer season you will hear hunters talk about the, “rut.” Rut is a broad term describing the mating period of the Cervid family, including deer, elk and moose. Hunters are interested in this time because increased testosterone in the males makes them reckless while pursuing females. In short, the bucks become dumb in love.

After years of data collection and research by many wildlife agents they have proven that rut is triggered by photoperiod, which means the length of daylight. But other factors do affect the timing like moon phases and weather patterns. But year after year, just like clockwork the photoperiod causes the estrus in the does to flow which in turn makes the bucks change their behavior.

Whitetail bucks will start making scrapes and rubs to mark their territory by spreading their scent. Scrapes are when bucks scrape the ground bare while adding urine and rubs are when bucks rub their antlers on trees and branches to spread their tarsal gland scent. During this time when daylight is diminishing, the velvet on the antlers start to shed. As soon as their antlers are hard enough, they will begin sparring. Just for play at first but then it becomes aggressive for the right to breed. Physically the buck’s appearance will change also, their necks start to swell in order to look bigger against their competition.

Pre-rut:

Deer will begin feeding mostly during dawn and dusk. Their patterns will begin to limit daylight movement each day, every day. Middle to late October in the northern states, bucks will begin making rubs and scrapes. During this time their necks will begin to strengthen and swell as they begin sparring to establish dominance. Where there is a scrape there is usually an overhanging tree branch which becomes a marking spot for deer in the area. Both bucks and does will lick and rub their foreheads to mark their territory. These rubs, scrapes and licking branches allow bucks to find receptive does and rival bucks.

While hunting pre-rut find the areas with rubs and scrapes. If you have a trail cam this is a great spot to find out what deer are in the area. Rubs and scrapes can be found anywhere but target field edges and travel routes in between food sources. Bucks will be keeping tabs on their rub and scrape lines searching for does that are active. 

Rut:

Rut takes place early to mid-November depending on your area and daylight hours. During the rut bucks become more and more active searching for does that are in estrus. Bucks become very aggressive towards each other trying to establish hierarchy in their territory. Sparring becomes a real fight for dominance between bucks with similar rank. Their typical routine goes out the window as they only have one thing in mind and that is to find an open and ready doe. Bucks become distracted and are in some cases easier to hunt. During the rut you can find bucks chasing does throughout the day and night. Bucks have been known to chase does over a day or more until the does are ready. Bucks even forget about eating during this time. 

Hunting during the rut can be very productive. During the rut you can hunt all day long and have a good chance seeing deer movement. As mentioned, bucks throw caution to the wind and become less concerned with their surroundings. If hunting during the rut, set up your stands between bedding spots and on trails to food sources. If you find does, bucks will be there also. Does tend to stick to their regular routine and trails while bucks will be going every direction. Grunt tubes during the rut can be used very successfully to challenge other bucks for breeding rights. Also, during this time doe bleat calls can be used to call in bucks looking for does. To bring in deer from a little farther away you can try rattling antlers to mimic fighting bucks. But with calls and antlers, start quietly to not scare away deer that might be close that you cannot see. With the deer cruising everywhere, deer attractants including different urines can help lure deer in and cover your scent.

Sometimes there is a lull in activity when bucks in your area are locked down with hot does. This could last a of couple days. Don’t get discouraged because they will start moving again.

Post-rut:

As winter begins to take hold deer rut starts to shut down. Bucks that have been chasing and does that have been running are now focused on making it through the winter. Food becomes the number one objective to regain strength and weight lost during the rut.

Bucks will still be interested in chasing and breeding does but the pickings are few and far between. You begin to see less and less deer during daylight hours. While hunting post-rut, target in between food sources and bedding areas during dawn and dusk.

Second rut was not mentioned earlier but happens every year. This is for the few females who were not bred during the first rut. Bucks will seek out these few does the first couple weeks of December.