Fred Bear's 10 Commandments of Hunting:

 

1. Don't step on anything you can step over.

2. Don't look for deer; look for movement (and remember, it's what they're looking for, too).

3. Always approach downwind. In the cool of the day, move uphill; in the heat of the day, move downhill.

4. The best camouflage pattern is called, "Sit down and be quiet!" Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat. Think about that for a second.

5. Take only the gear to the field that allows you to hunt longer, harder, and smarter.

6. A rainstorm isn't a reason to quit the hunt. It's a reason to stay.

7. Camouflage your appearance, your sound and your scent.

8. Be sure of your shot. Nothing is more expensive than regret.

9. Hunt where the deer actually are, not where you'd imagine them to be.

10. Next year's hunt begins the minute this season's hunt ends.

Going places close.

There are a lot of neat places to see close to home that most people don't ever think about going or maybe even have never heard of. They might not be the most exciting or interesting to some folks but they are worth the trip. There are hundreds of places like that in every area including the great state of North Dakota. If you like history and scenic views, the options are endless for places to visit. I visited a couple of these places in a day trip a couple weeks ago.

I have wanted to go to the Whitestone Hill historical site for quite a while. This summer I made it happen. It is the site of a battle between Indians and Soldiers. You can read more about the conflict in these two links here and here.

I was a little leery about traveling the gravel roads in that area but coming from the northeast towards the historical site the roads were perfect. We did not meet another vehicle traveling from Edgeley all the way there. It is pretty desolate. The historical site it is well-maintained. There are a couple different shelters, a campground and bathroom.

When doing some research on this place it didn't seem like the hill was very steep. Let me tell you the hill is very steep. When we first pulled up I was kind of bummed because I didn't think I would be able to make it up to the monument. The north side of the hill is very steep but there are steps with a railing. As we went around to the southwest side of the hill I figured I would be able to at least try it. It was sketchy but with mom on the back pushing, making sure I did not flip over backwards, it worked. It didn't take too long to get to the top. I would not try it with a manual wheelchair. I was glad I was able to make it up there. The view is amazing. You can see to the east it seems forever.

As soon as you get there you realize where you are and the history that happened there. You can picture the history unfolding in front of you. You also see that the monument for the soldiers is huge and the monument for the Indians is not so big. Going down the hill was sketchy also. But we made it.

On the way home we decided to stop at the Standing Rock Historical Site. I have been here many times but the view is always worth it. Doesn't matter what time of year but in the Fall the view is spectacular. For more info on Standing Rock, click here.

I can't believe that I have never been to this place before. It is only a couple hours from home. Next summer I hope to knock off quite a few more sites on my list of places to go. For more of historical places associated with the Sibley & Sully Expeditions, click here.

Thanks for reading, Clint.