Keeping Things In Perspective

Keeping Things In Perspective….

Being an older citizen comes with certain advantages. Perspective is one of the bigger ones.

When I was a kid we fished from the bank of the lake-river-pond. There wasn’t a boat. Matter of fact, I’m not sure I even knew anyone who had a boat. My folks did OK financially, but we were by no means wealthy. We had food on the table, Dad had a job as well as working the farm to make ends meet. Mom was simply a “housewife”. That’s the way it was after WWII.

When fall arrived and hunting season came in we trapped rabbits using a wooden box with a “figure 4” baited trigger, hunted squirrels with a 22, quail with a 410 shotgun, and went after our “one tag” deer with a plain old curved bow or a shotgun loaded with slugs (Indiana did not permit rifles or handguns at that time).

It was pretty common for Sunday dinners in the fall to consist of fried squirrel and rabbit served with green beans, mashed potatoes and milk gravy, boiled turnips and corn from our garden, and real sorghum molasses mashed with pats of butter smeared on homemade buttermilk biscuits.

Summer meals often included fish fry’s of bluegill, bass, and catfish fresh caught in the farm pond or a local lake or river. The “fixin’s” were the same except there was always a bigger variety of vegetables such as parsnips (ugh!), broccoli, tomatoes, Brussel sprouts, etc.

Life was pretty simple back then. Then Dad bought a jon boat from the hardware store.

This “first boat” was, as best I can remember, about 10 foot long and had oar locks – no motor – and was launched on the pond in the summer when the fish went deep. It served its purpose and often was used when me and my buddies decided a cool swim was in order. Dad was OK with this as long as we pulled the boat on shore and flipped it upside down when we were done.

These experiences gave me perspective relating to what’s going on today.

I honestly don’t know any kid today who’s first boating experience was with a 10 ft. jon boat. Nor do I know anyone under 30 who has trapped rabbits or used a simple bow and arrow to bring down a fully grown deer. It’s all different today. Not saying it’s bad, just saying it’s different.

Today we have boats that are faster than the cars we had back in the 1950’s. They have more electronics than our house had back then. And they don’t leak, they don’t sink, and they start when you turn the key the first time. How many of you remember the choke lever that was so temperamental that if you didn’t get it just right you could easily run the battery down just trying to start the engine? How many remember the bailing can that was always included in any boat? Or the boat cushions? Or the mixed gas?

Why when I was a boy (Dixie and the girls hate it when I use this phrase) we didn’t have waterproof hunting boots unless we smeared them with mink oil before every outing. Insulated hunting jacket and pants? We called that “long johns” and wore them under our shirt and jeans before donning our hunting pants and jacket.

Our shotguns were either handed down from our Dads or Grandpas or bought at Sears, Roebuck & Company or the local hardware store. Our ammo was rationed by Dad and our “hunting arrows” were only used on a hunt with adults, as these “arrows” (not bolts) were sharp and you could seriously cut yourself if you didn’t handle them properly.

My oh my, how times have changed!

I’ll be the first to agree that fishing and hunting is a hell of a lot better than it used to be. Fish and game management is better and we have a lot more fish and game to go after than we did when I was a kid. The equipment is magnificent compared to 10 or 20 years ago, never mind 50+ years ago. The boats don’t leak, the engines start, the bows are powerful and accurate, and the tree stands actually don’t fall out of the tree if properly installed.

Today’s clothing is “purpose built” and will keep a fisherman cool or a hunter warm regardless of conditions.

So what’s all this got to do with perspective? Well, simply put, you have to experience the not-so-good stuff to really appreciate to very-good-stuff. The worse you had it way back when the more you can appreciate just how awesome our gear is today. And just how much better things are.

And if you’re my age, you have an awful lot of perspective that helps you really, really appreciate what we have today.

You youngsters? You’ll get there someday too. You’ll be older and prone to look back at the way things were and reminiscence about the “good old days”. Then you’ll suddenly get back to reality and realize just how much better things are. And you’ll be right. Things just keep getting better and better. That comes from perspective…………

This week we have a great mix of new products and sale items to tell you about.  Some items you will surely want to have. 

Thanks to all of our great friends and customers who have supported us and passed our name on to their friends. We know we are only here by making sure your needs are our first and only priority. Please let me know if we ever fail to meet and exceed your expectations.

Tight Lines,

Tom Ashby