Projects and reflections

looking back at 2025 and forward to 2026

Projects and reflections

It’s the time of year when I get to reflect on what’s happened in the past 365 days since I last forced myself to write a similar list. This one I made a little differently and naturally tagged a bunch of my previous articles for my recap. I won’t have articles to tag for my plans (yet).

So here’s what I was able to get done in 2025.

Went fishing:

I fished a bunch, learned some new techniques, took the kids, and made a new charter contact.

Built some knives:

I built a few knives that i’m proud of. They required care and thought that left an impression on those who received them.

Went hunting:

I didn’t hunt much, but I made it count and took my first deer. What’s the saying, “the first one is the hardest”

Made a bow:

Shaping a simple piece of hardware store lumber into a bow rekindled my enjoyment of bow building. It also provided an icebreaker to become better friends with my neighbor and fellow hunter, so it is well worth the cost of the materials.

Found another pup:

I got a wild hair and started looking for a new animal companion for my family. After Archer, it’s been a road of reflection and hesitancy about getting a new pet. My kids needed someone to confide in and something to keep them focused with chores. We found a rescue Labradoodle who came from an abusive situation. This semi-hypoallergenic dog with the huge brown eyes won me over instantly. Even if I wasn’t the person she trusted the most. It’s been a few weeks, and she’s everyone’s angel. Winnie still spooks around new people and gets nervous when I bring a leash, but I couldn’t picture my house without her.

What I plan to do in 2026

Hunt more:

With time off, a success under my belt, and some new hunting buddies, I’m confident that I can make it to the woods with at least a chance of getting deer, ducks, turkey, and bear. I’m going to put in for a hunch of tags and submit them as a group hunt, so my new buddies and I can hunt together on public land. I will also have some private land to try a bit of hunting on the farm. Also, I’ll be attending a turkey camp with “Opportunity Outdoors,” a local organization focused on getting newer hunters into the woods.

Fish more:

Much the same as hunting, I plan on fishing more. I have freshwater options for bass, catfish, crappie, trout, and even musky within an hour of my house. I’d also like to take a spring trip to the coast and target Spanish mackerel off the Outer Banks. Besides, I still need to get better at throwing a baitcaster.

Write more:

I’ve been struggling to write; it’s just been a slog this past year, and this year has so many new opportunities and experiences, I can’t help but believe that I will have more time to write. On the flip side, I think I need to read more. My goal for reading is to engage more actively with all of you. Commenting, liking, and sharing daily will make me a better writer and make this community of gardeners, hunters, poets, and survivalists that I have surrounded myself with all the better.

Make more bows:

I am so back into archery. For this, I need to fix up my garage to make woodworking easier, benefiting everyone, not just me. I was able to gift myself several staves of Pacific Yew from the West Coast, and I am beyond excited about them. Yew has been considered the premier bow wood for literal ages. It was such a valued commodity for equipping bowmen in medieval England that tariffs were imposed on goods coming across the channel that each vessel had to bring logs of Yew proportional to their cargo’s weight. So I will be slowly working on those two bows, along with, I imagine, a handful of other board, and laminate-style bows. With luck, I will take at least one of them hunting this upcoming deer season.

Eat more wild game:

The best part of successful hunting is eating it. My deer is back from the processor, and I am beyond excited to try and feed my family something I got myself. In that regard, I will gladly take recommendations on cookbooks and recipes since I have a house full of... hesitant eaters.

Happy new year Substack. I can’t wait to live this one with all of you.