Men of the Outdoors

                    MOTO 2026 Sporting Clay Event Highlights   Our day was off to a good start with some nice weather and very few misquotes. We started by greeting each other and a light centennial breakfast. Our devotional thought for the event was based on Colossians 4:2 . The point of our devotion was the importance of prayer in our lives. Each participant received a Steve Chapman book “The Hunt for Faith – Finding God in the Great Outdoors” After some safety guidelines it was off to the course. The course wasn’t crowded and we were able to move along at a nice pace. The group was above the 50% when it came to hitting clay pigeons. After everyone completed the course and the dust settled, we were back at the club house for a very nice lunch prepared by J&H. After lunch a number of door prizes were given out and we had a little time for fellowship before everyone headed for home. As in prior year’s event, we had a nu...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: 2 Timothy 1:6-7   6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (NIV©) Thoughts: I am at a stage in my outdoors and shooting “career” that would best be described as being a mentor. Much of my time is spent instructing individuals on the safe and proper use of a firearm. I especially like to work with youngsters or new shooters. It’s always fun to watch someone that is a little timid or hesitant to fire the first round from a .22 rifle or pistol and to see both a smile and a look of amazement in their eyes that they did it! A few of times I’ve had youngsters or newbies freeze up and refuse to shoot a .22 rifle because they are afraid, primarily of recoil (I wonder where they got that idea…). In every case I was able...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Deuteronomy 30:19-20   “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witness against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (NIV) Thoughts: I remember thinking the good life was being a great hunter with trophies to show or having the latest rifle chambered in the best cartridge. After achieving these things, I see they don’t make my life any better. Are you wondering what the good life is? Do you feel that the promises of this world don’t last? Has anyone shared what the real good life is? Action Point: In John 1:4 we read “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind....

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Ephesians 6:1-4 -- Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a] 4 Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (NIV©)   Thoughts: I have this dog, a really big labrador retriever. He’s going on five years old this fall and lately I’ve noticed him going through what I call his teenage years. He’s a prankster and will often retrieve his ball only to throw it on the ground right in front of me rather than put it in my hand. Sometimes he’ll do these two or three times before handing me the ball (it’s actually kind of funny to see). But he also knows I won’t throw the ball again until he brings it to me and literally places it in my hand. My respo...

Men of the Outdoors is hosting its annual Sporting Clay Event at J&H Game Farm on Saturday morning, July 25 2026. J&H is located just off Highway 156 at W5810 J H Rd, Shiocton, WI, 54170.  Event Facts : The day starts at 9 AM with a Light Breakfast – Coffee and Doughnuts After a devotion and some logistics, it’s out to the course. The course has 10 different stations with a total of 50 targets. (J&H sells shells if you need them) After touring the course it’s time for fellowship and lunch. Lunch consists of Hamburgers, brats, chips, and baked beans. Cost per person - $40.00 For those who want to attend the event but won’t be shooting the cost is $20.00. If you plan to attend the event, please text Rich Platz at 715-250-0478 or email him at rplatz10@gmail.com . To help J&H prepare for the day, it would be greatly appreciated if you respond by Monday July 20 th . If you have a group, please provide the number in your group. Look forward to seeing  on July 25th ...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Proverbs 4:7,23  “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding… Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (NIV) Thoughts: Anyone who spends time on the water knows how small things can steal a great day of fishing. A frayed knot. A dull hook point. A cracked rod guide. A weak swivel. Or the one we’ve all regretted—telling yourself, “It’ll probably hold,” right before losing the best fish of the season. One overlooked detail becomes the reason the story ends in frustration instead of a full cooler. And compromise works the same way. It rarely comes crashing in like a thunderstorm. It slips in quietly—half-truths, shortcuts, little moral “wiggles” we convince ourselves are harmless. But over time they wear us down just like a bad knot under too much pressure.  Action Point: Solomon is blunt: Get wisdom—Gua...

  Men of the Outdoors is hosting its annual Sporting Clay Event at J&H Game Farm on Saturday morning, July 25 2026. J&H is located just off Highway 156 at W5810 J H Rd, Shiocton, WI, 54170.  Event Facts : The day starts at 9 AM with a Light Breakfast – Coffee and Doughnuts After a devotion and some logistics, it’s out to the course. The course has 10 different stations with a total of 50 targets. (J&H sells shells if you need them) After touring the course it’s time for fellowship and lunch. Lunch consists of Hamburgers, brats, chips, and baked beans. Cost per person - $40.00 For those who want to attend the event but won’t be shooting the cost is $20.00. If you plan to attend the event, please text Rich Platz at 715-250-0478 or email him at rplatz10@gmail.com . To help J&H prepare for the day, it would be greatly appreciated if you respond by Monday July 20 th . If you have a group, please provide the number in your group. Look forward to seeing  on Jul...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Deuteronomy 12:15-16  Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. (NIV) Thoughts: I s it okay to be a hunter? Is it okay to kill an animal? Is it okay to eat the meat of animals? Does God approve or condemn these practices? These verses clearly sanction the slaughter and the consumption of animals for meat. Jesus ate fish while on the earth, and chose commercial fishermen to be among his apostles.  The animals are a part of the stewardship of the earth that God has given to humans. Specifically named in these verses are domestic and wild game animals. He approves the use of animals for meat, leather, and for labo...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Psalm 119:105  Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (NIV) Thoughts:  Years ago, I was venturing out on a fishing trip into Canada onto a lake where some of my family had already fished in previous years. In discussing with them what my options were going to be on this remote fishing trip, my brother-in-law offered me a map of the main lake where I was going to be fishing.  On this map, he had marked out what fish were located where. As I looked at the map, I recognized I was inheriting knowledge from him of years of fishing on this lake. I was going to benefit from years of his trials and errors.  I wasn't going to walk in blind to this lake and have to fend for myself in trying to figure things out. I knew where the small mouth bass were, the pike, and the walleye. It was all laid out for me in the map color coded with notes and lure suggestions to boot. I...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: 1 John 4:19  We love because he first loved us. NIV) Thoughts: Some seasons the harvest is plentiful; other years, it is a grind. Last year, I filled two draw tags and a general season tag with mature bucks, plus a doe. This year, I only harvested one doe toward the end of the season. You have to love the pursuit, or your passion for hunting may fade during a difficult season. Action Point: I love the hunt, not just the harvest. We love because He first loved us. When our relationships struggle, it can be easy to walk away or respond negatively if our love is not rooted in the Father. I don’t give up on hunting when it gets difficult because I loved the hunt before the harvest. Jesus does not give up on us during hard seasons, and we should extend that same commitment to others. Sportsman’s Tip of the Day: Keep game bags in your backpack. They will help preserve your meat and keep it cle...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Hebrews 10:24-25   24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIV. Thoughts: I’ve worked to improve my turkey calling over the years. I’ve practiced with mouth yelpers and various friction calls, trying to imitate a hen turkey and perfect the sounds I can produce. Most of the time, my calls sound good to me. I’ve often asked others to listen and critique my calling. When my wife or grandsons listened, they always told me how good my clucks, yelps, cuts, and purrs sounded, and that it sounded just like a wild hen turkey. When I asked a few friends who are better hunters and callers than I am, I received honest feedback. It wasn’t always what I wanted to hear and might have hurt my turkey-calling pride...

  This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: I Timothy 4:8  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (NIV) Thoughts: This summer and early fall, my son and I have worked diligently together to get our new hunting property up and ready to go. We have cut trails, put up portable tree stands, built permanent ground blinds, put in food plots, developed a spot for us to camp at, and have been scouting together recently. We have prepared well for this upcoming season. We have rolled up our sleeves side-by-side to accomplish our goal of giving ourselves the opportunity to be successful white-tail hunting. My son is learning the value of hard work . . . he is not getting this hunting opportunity without sweat on his brow! Action Point:  Preparation. Preparation. Preparation. This is what we have spent a good portion of our la...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: John 5:22 “...the Father judges no one, but has appointed all judgement to the Son.”  Thoughts: This past weekend, I had a chance to go to Canada to do some perch fishing through the ice. Man, did we have a great time and were the fish ever hitting - 390 fish in three days to sort through! But what we learned from our outfitter was that almost all the perch we were going to catch were females getting ready to spawn. So with hearing that, I was curious as to what percent of the fish we took home were actually females. I ended up bringing home 79 perch, so as I was filleting them, I kept track of how many were females. As I opened them up, I kept finding one sack of eggs after another. At the end of my cleaning, 79 out of 79 were females. Pretty amazing!  Action Point: I thought that was fascinating, but you know how I found that out? I opened them up to see what was inside. Someday,...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: I Peter 5:8  Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (NIV) Thoughts: While I was hunting deer recently, a large black bear approached me. When he was still about 40 yds away, I leaned my muzzleloader against a tree and dug my camera out of my pack.  When about 12 ft. from me, he began to circle, getting inside of 8 ft. At that point, I realized that I had moved several steps away from my gun. If he had wanted to attack, I would have been in trouble. I tried to scare him off, but he wasn't about to leave. Throwing sticks at him, shouting, suddenly raising my arms and trying to look as large and as intimidating as possible seemed to make him more interested.  He studied me for almost five minutes. He had no fear; and I'm sure I could have moved closer--even close enough to touch him. Bear experts say that w...

 There will be a BWCA planning meeting held on Wednesday, May 20th at 7pm at Emanuel Lutheran Church.  This year there will be two trip to the BWCA; July 26 - Aug 1 and Aug 24 - 29.   If you are interesting in learning more about these trips or would like to go on one please join us for the meeting.  If you are not able to join us in person you can join through a Google Meet or contact Chris Doran 920-538-2739 for more information.   

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Psalms 51:10-13  Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. (NIV) Thoughts: I'm not a great fly tier, but I do enjoy making flies and then catching fish with something I created. The bigger the fly pattern the better for me, I can use a bigger hook and have more material to work with. I like making dragonfly nymphs. They are fairly large and very productive when it comes to fishing. What fish won't eat a dragonfly nymph? I have been successful using them on trout, bass, pan fish, and even bullheads. The life cycle of a dragonfly is very interesting. They go from aquatic to terrestrial, not unlike a lot of other insects. Once ...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission. Bible Study Verse: Colossians 4:2   Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. (NASB) Thoughts: How many things do we actually devote ourselves to? We have many interests, but we are not devoted to most of them. However, I do not know an outdoorsman who is not devoted to his/her outdoor interest - be it hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, four-wheeling, etc. Devotion to an outdoor activity is, after all, what makes one an outdoorsman in the first place. And, there is nothing wrong with being devoted, even passionately, to it, as long as it does not take precedence over more important areas of devotion . . . like prayer.  Action Point: Prayer is key in our relationship with the Lord. It accentuates our devotion to Him and His purposes. It keeps our minds alert to His leading and direction. It gives us greater awareness of His presence and His care for us. F...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Psalm 119:105  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (NASB) Thoughts: There’s something satisfying about unfolding a good topographical map. All the squiggly lines, contour marks, water crossings, and elevation changes tell a story — but only if you know how to read it. If you understand maps, you can find saddles, ridges, pinch points, and bottlenecks where deer travel. And if you combine that map with a compass, suddenly you’re not guessing — you’re navigating with confidence.  But maps only help if you take the time to study it. If you ignore the contour lines or forget to check your bearings, you’ll wander right past your waypoint. Action Point: Just like in life, God doesn’t leave us without direction — He’s given us His Word as the ultimate topographical map, full of details that reveal the safest path, the hidden dangers, and the best way forward. Still, w...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: 1 Timothy 4:12b NIV “but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”  Titus 2:7a NIV “in everything set them an example by doing good.” Thoughts: This fall I had the wonderful opportunity to take a dear friend quail hunting in Georgia. He is 73 years young, has cancer, and has never hunted anything in his entire life. He started shooting sporting clays with a shotgun, for the first time in his life, about a year ago. He has gotten very good at the game. On the hunt he was like a kid in a candy store. He was amazed at how the dogs worked at pointing and at how quickly the quail could fly. He started out slow but, after the first flush of birds, he got the hang of it and started hitting quail. He did really well and had a lot of fun. The day made for some really great memories for both of us. Action Point: While hunting, we had a great opportu...

  This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Matthew 25:13  "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (NKJV) Thoughts: In just a few weeks, late hunting season opens. I am already seeing seasoned hunters out, watching their favorite spots and probably wondering, "Is the game still there this year?" Watching is an important part of the hunt if we want to find a trophy. Jesus tells us to watch for His return--be mindful of His return and be ready! He is our Trophy!!! Action Point: Watching is not passive; it involves our interaction with the Word of God. We need to understand the times in which we live by keeping ourselves immersed in God's Word, the Bible. Use your knowledge to encourage your family and friends to also be watching for His return. Sportsmen's Tip of the Day: In hilly/mountainous states, consider sitting on a high overlook, glassing wit...