Paul Meeks who for many years owned the treestand company called API Outdoors, is the guest on this week's Trail to Adventure! Paul shares how he got started in the treestand industry with API being the first aluminum stand to appear on the market and by the time he sold the business it was the number one manufacturer of treestands. Gerry and Paul spend the majority of this interview talking treestand safety to help the listeners understand the importance of the topic and seriously consider their need to wear safety harnesses while doing their hunting adventures.
September 29, 2014
Gerry travels to the northeast corner of Ohio to take part in a ministry of the likes he had never seen before. The event was a multi-species fishing tournament where a small fish like a blue gill that was caught at the event could actually be the winner over a larger species fish, such as a muskie. It all worked on percentages, and the technique in judging is explained by this week's guest Roy Hendrickson. The lake the church was using was public access and was actually in both Ohio and Pennsylvania, but you will discover that this ministry outreach is designed also to share Christ and can even be done on a small farm pond that has several species of fish.
September 22, 2014
Pheasant City Lodge in Wessington, South Dakota, is the home of Kevin and Kristie Tevedal. The two share how they use this pheasant hunting facility in what is considered the top state for these game birds as a way to minister to others. Men's ministry , father/son, father/daughter ministries, women's retreats, church groups,and more all have used this facility for outreach. Both Kevin and Kristie share personal stories of events, actions, and testimonies of ministry they have seen take place at the lodge.
September 15, 2014
Renowned wildlife photographer and outdoor writer, Charlie Alsheimer, is this week's guest. Gerry drops in on Charlie at his farm in New York and the two discuss how Charlie got involved in the outdoors. Charlie also shares that it was during his tour in Vietnam, and because of his boss, an avid photographer, that he purchased photography equipment while there and got started. Interestingly enough, he cannot remember even taking one photo before this time. Charlie shares how he started wildlife photography and then began writing an article for a local paper. With time he started speaking in churches and now has seen many come to Christ at game dinner events and such.
September 8, 2014
Photographing mountains, fields, streams, seashores, and much more is the topic with this week's guest Dr. Charles Stanley. Dr. Stanley shares how he got involved in photography to include even developing all of his own photographs which are featured on just about all of the In Touch Ministry's items available to the public. He tells how awestruck he is by God's creation and by the memories surrounding the photos. Dr. Stanley also tells of his early years of fishing, hunting, and shooting, but how the absence of a father in his life to do these things with were clearly remembered in later years when he was a man. He offers to the audience that they may not think that taking a youngster fishing that has no father figure is a big deal, but he assures them that it is and how it can leave a lasting impact for eternity.
September 1, 2014
With the startling fact that one out of every three hunters who climb into a treestand in order to pursue big game will have an accident, GGO always has a program each year at this time to address the subject of safety. This program is a rendezvous with Keith Jones from Seat of the Pants Safety Harnesses, owned by the Summit Treestand Corporation. Keith shares with Gerry about not only the evolution of the treestand that goes back to just nailing boards in a tree, but also the safety harnesses and how dangerous these items and designs were in the early days. Today's treestand sand safety harness systems are policed by the Treestand Manufacturer's Association and are the top of the line, if people follow the recommended instructions that come with each product.
August 25, 2014
The founder and past president of Christian Bowhunters of America, David Roose, visits with Gerry at a Centershot event in Roscommon, Michigan. The two talk about how both archery and one's love of bow hunting can be used to exalt Jesus Christ as Creator, Lord, and Savior. Dave tells the story of how as a tent making pastor while working on a job, near his Cadillac,Michigan home, God began to give him ideas about the CBA ministry. The fact is, over the course of the day, the Lord laid out the idea for the ministry as Dave jotted down the ideas that came to him as he worked that project.
August 18, 2014
This week's program takes place in Nebraska along the historic North Platte River, where folks heading the West Coast traveled by wagon train. Gerry's guest is Russ Toby, of Toby's River Bottom Outfitters. Russ shares how he was born and raised in the Maxell, Nebraska area and now has an outfitting business for deer and turkey hunters in the area. He goes on to tell how he grew up, experiences that he has had, and his using all of this, plus his relationship with Jesus Christ, to share one-on-one with his clients. Russ also tells about his church's outdoor expo and their reaching the community through this annual event.
August 11, 2014
A trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY is the location where Gerry hooks up with dinosaur sculptor, and musician, Buddy Davis. Buddy shares about adventures that he has had hunting dinosaur bones and going afield in pursuit of wild game. He explains how his years of making a living doing taxidermy led him to begin sculpting life-size dinosaurs, many of which are viewed at the Creation Museum by those visiting. Buddy also explains what the Creation Museum is really about and how it introduces visitors to the Book of Genesis and how the Bible is the most important book in our lives as it directs us to a personal relationship with the Creator God, Jesus Christ.
July 28, 2014