More of this Feature • Part 1: More Hunting and Fishing • Part 2: And More Care with Equipment

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"What are your New Year's resolutions - have you broken them yet?  Do most of them deal with the outdoors? " Ronnie

Related Resources • Fishing with family • Fishing with Mom • Camping with Family • Fishing with my Mom

Past Articles One Year Ago - 01/08/01 - Fishing Products Reviews Two Years Ago - 01/03/00 - Where To - Fish A Jig and Pig Three Years Ago - 01/04/99 - Winter Fishing Memories Four Years Ago -01/05/98 - Winter Bass Patterns

A little late, but I did not resolve to be on time!

I resolve to stand in a tree more next year. I will sit quietly for a greater length of time and will also stay later. When I see a deer I will not get so excited my heart starts pounding, my hands start trembling and my breath gets faster. Instead, I will remain calm, watch the deer, see how it is moving and take my time. I will look to see if a bigger buck is behind the doe or buck I see first and will not shoot immediately.

On second thought, I want to get so excited I can’t stand it every time I see a deer, but I will wait for a good shot.

I resolve to spend more time in my bass boat, standing with one foot on the trolling motor hour after hour, fishing hard and trying to win a tournament. But I also resolve to spend more time sitting down in my boat, making leisurely casts and even dropping jigs down to crappie or hybrids. I will relax and enjoy the water without trying so hard to catch a fish.

I resolve to sit on the bank of a pond with an earthworm suspended under a cork and thrill to the sight of the bobber trembling and then going under. I will also have a chicken liver on the bottom on another rod while it is propped up by a forked stick, and I will watch the tight line for movement indicating a cat is nibbling.

I resolve to go to a lake I have never fished and learn about it. On that trip or others I will take someone with me that does not get to go as often as I do. I resolve to take a kid fishing - and not use them for bait.

I resolve to go quail hunting and watch the dogs work, even if I have to go to a place where the birds are pen raised. I will also go squirrel hunting and thrill to the effort of stalking a tree rat and getting close enough for a shot. I will remember old tricks like throwing a stick on the other side of the tree to make the squirrel come around to my side. And I will try to remember how to ease through dry leaves without sounding like a heard of elephants stampeding.

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