barefoot buck girl

Barefoot Buck | How Aly From Alabama Found Her Love Of The Outdoors

The story of the “barefoot buck” was the kind memory that I would have never imagined experiencing in the outdoors.

I used to not even LIKE the outdoors…

(Not) Growing up in the outdoors

For people who know me, they know how unconventional my outdoor story is. Growing up, my parents did not raise me hunting or fishing, and being involved in the outdoors wasn’t something I knew much about. In fact, all my life I was classified as my family’s “girly girl.”

Aly from Alabama holding monster largemouth bass and wearing N1 Outdoors fishing shirt

I did not grow up hunting and fishing. In fact, I was a “girly-girl.”

I was a ballerina, then a cheerleader,  and on the dance team in middle-school. Oh, and I absolutely loved fixing my hair and dabbling in makeup.

Luckily for my poor dad, who has a wife and FOUR daughters, I played basketball, (mainly because, against my mom’s wishes, he convinced me to at the age of eight. Fortunately, I truly loved it and stuck with it every year until I graduated.

I had never hunted a turkey or harvested a deer.

Being called “girly” all my life, and not being introduced to the outdoors, definitely forced me to label myself as “unworthy” of ever trying to fish or hunt.

So, I never did.

Aly from Alabama holding largemouth bass and wearing N1 Outdoors fishing shirt

My view of those that hunted and fished was skewed by others I considered unethical and egotistical.

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I had several friends growing up that hunted, but most of them were pretty unethical and egotistical.

There were many disheartening moments I had witnessed because of them, and unfortunately, it left me with a bitter taste in my mouth toward the outdoor industry.

I started to hate seeing photos of successful hunts and fishing catches. I unfollowed people on social media that expressed their love for hunting. And, I even blocked hunting pages so Instagram’s algorithms would get the point.

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The turning point

aly from alabama holding flathead catfish

I had hated fishing and hunting (and noodling) for all those years simply because… I didn’t understand it.

Luckily for me, I met someone who was patient enough to challenge my reasoning for hating outdoor sports and the so-called conservationists.

And, after I realized that I did not have any solid answers for him, I figured out that the reason I did not “like” hunting was because I did not understand it… not even a little bit.

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As time went on, Cody finally convinced me to at least try it. So, I did… and I have been hooked ever since!

And just when I thought hunting could not get any better than what I had experienced over the previous year-and-a-half, I got to experience an incredible N1 moment… the Barefoot Buck.

Grow BIG bucks… Learn how to make your own deer mineral!
Cody Hall holding largemouth bass and wearing N1 Outdoors t-shirt

Thankfully, I met someone who changed my mind about the outdoors.… and I married him!

Hunting patience

I had sat in this same spot for two weeks straight. I watched and passed over 100 deer in the thirteen days that I hunted this area.

The majority of them were does, but I did have the opportunity to watch several small bucks chase during my hunts. I was starting to get discouraged. So, I mentioned to Cody that I may need to try a new spot if things didn’t start picking up.

Instead of encouraging me to try a different spot, Cody decided to come with me to the same spot, once again.

Big buck and barefoot stealth

We sat there, as usual, and watched several does graze and play, and then the occasional spike or young buck that would run them off. But shortly after we got settled, Cody said, “oh my gosh, big buck! Big buck, Alyssa!” He says this same phrase, A LOT.

The story of the Colt Russell Buck HERE

He loves to get me excited only to tell me that he was “just kidding.” So, naturally, I didn’t believe him.

But when I was rolling my eyes at him, I spotted what he had already seen… a beautiful eight point that we had watched in this field the previous year. In fact, it was the same buck that Cody has missed in the previous year (just saying ?).

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Anyway, the buck was well over 300 yards away. But that wasn’t going to discourage us from doing our best to get a shot on him.

We quickly grabbed our guns, ditched out spot, and made our way to the wood line so that we could walk through the trees until we were close enough for an ethical shot.

Cody insisted that we take our shoes off to be quiet, and I was too in shock to argue with him, so we made the 240-yard trek barefooted.

THESE are the best trophy buck states!
aly from Alabama holding deer skull

There are so many moments in the outdoors that are unforgettable… and the best are those you can experience with friends and family!

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Put your gun on my shoulder

Once we got within 60 yards, Cody decided that we didn’t need to test our luck, so we didn’t go any further.

As both of us were trembling all over and praying to the Lord (not even exaggerating), Cody allowed me to prop my gun on his shoulder so I didn’t have to free-hand my shot. I swear, it didn’t make it any easier.

How can you tell the difference between different types of animal skulls? Read THIS!

The adrenaline was rushing through my body and I couldn’t quit shaking to save my life. It took me over ten minutes to shoot the deer, and because of the anxiety during the moment, it felt like it was taking a stinking hour for me to get steady and make the shot.

Finally, the buck forced me to pull the trigger. He looked up at a snorting doe that was down wind from us, and was just about to take off running when I got the guts to pull the trigger.

The Barefoot Buck Goes Down

He ran, which was super hard to watch because that left me wondering if my shot was accurate and fatal. But instead of worrying, I hit my knees and cried.

I was so thankful, so excited, so anxious, and so completely overwhelmed. But mostly, I realized how rare and unforgettable this moment was and how lucky I was to experience it with my best friend.

We both sat there smiling, shaking, and laughing as we replayed the whole thing over and over.

Winning deer hunting tips here!

After we let some time pass, Cody decided it was okay for us to go look for some blood… which we never recovered.

After frantically searching the area for just a single drop of blood or a strand of hair, and coming up with NOTHING, we decided to just move on to where we last saw him in the wood line.

Once we got there, there was no need to search any further… he was right there.

I can honestly say that moment was one of the best moments I have ever experienced; excitement, adrenaline, fear, and thankfulness… all N1.

Want to learn about turkey anatomy? Check THIS out!
Pockets… Always Carry A Case Knife N1 | How a pocket knife led to a trophy
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fishing lessons with dad

Fishing Lessons Of Life | 5 Things I Learned From Fishing With Dad

By the time I was old enough to say the word “fish,” my Dad was taking me fishing with him (yes, that’s us in the picture above).

And, those trips with Dad turned out to be much more than fishing lessons.

Fishing lessons = life lessons

Fishing was always something I considered fun. I loved the challenge of casting in just the right spot. I loved the feel of that first tug on the line. And, of course, who doesn’t love reeling in fish?

As I’ve gotten older, those memories of going fishing as a kid with my Dad have become even more special. That time with Dad doing a fun activity has impacted me in profound ways.

You see, he was teaching me about fish, different fish species, how to catch and clean them, and how to tie fishing knots. But, I ended up learning principles that have become foundational in how I try to live my life, conduct business and relate with my own family.

two people fishing at dusk on shoreline

Memories of fishing with Dad have become even more special as the years have gone by. Those times have impacted me in profound ways.

Lesson #1: Good things don’t always come to those who wait

It’s no secret that fishing is a great way of learning patience. As a kid, if that bobber didn’t go under soon after I casted, I wanted to throw to another spot! Dad would tell me to be patient and just wait.

Of course, many times, my patience paid off and the fish would bite. But, I learned something else that was maybe even more important than patience.

Sometimes, it didn’t matter that we had a great fishing spot (no, I’m not telling you where). It didn’t matter what bait we were using. And it didn’t matter how long I waited. The fish just weren’t going to bite.

There’s more than just a fishing lesson here.

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person holding a spinning reel

When you know things don’t go your way, will you do the right thing anyway?

Sometimes you can give your best effort. You can do all the right things. You can even be extremely patient… and still not get the result you wanted.

That’s called life.

The question is, when you know you won’t get the result you were hoping for, will you do the right things anyway?

It’s a difficult question to answer and it’s even tougher to do. I’m thankful that there were times when the fish didn’t bite, so I could learn that lesson.

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Lesson #2: You don’t drift back where you started

I loved going to the spot my Dad and I used to fish (no, I’m still not telling you where). There were just so many places along that creek bank to catch fish.

As I got older and graduated from the red and white round bobber (I still love it though), I would cast my lure to what looked like the perfect spot. Sometimes I’d catch fish, and of course, sometimes I wouldn’t.

But, there just always seemed like a better place ahead to try.

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man fly fishing in the river

Fishing with Dad has taught me to be intentional about making sure I don’t drift too far from where I should be.

So, I walked a few steps and casted. Then I walked a few more and casted. Before long, I’d look back and realize that I had wandered far from where I first started. I was lost in the moment and couldn’t believe how far I’d gone.

I have learned that life provides you with many opportunities to “drift” in a similar way. Something catches your attention and you chase it. After all, it seems like such a great opportunity.

Now, let me say here that I’m all about dreaming big and giving things your all. But, sometimes we are prone to chasing dreams at all costs. We sacrifice precious time with family and friends for the sake things that leave us empty in the end.

I’m learning that I don’t want to be that guy.

Best ice fishing location in the U.S. here!

I’ve learned you have to be intentional about making sure you don’t drift too far from where you should be. You have to surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth about yourself, good or bad.

And, you have to be willing to heed wise advice, even when it’s what you don’t want to hear. In doing so, you can prevent yourself from drifting too far from where you should be and save yourself a lot of heartache and from hurting those you love.

Going fishing with Dad is still helping me learn these lessons many years later.

Uni-Knot step-by-step instructions [hangman’s knot]

Lesson #3: When you catch a big one… celebrate!

Catching fish is fun, no matter what size the fish. But, I’d be lying if I said catching a big fish isn’t just a little more fun! It’s amazing how just about anyone can muster up a big smile after they reel in a heavyweight. It makes the fun just a little more fun to celebrate.

Life gives us many reasons to be sad or upset. After all, bad things happen to good people. But, good things also happen to good people. So, just like when you catch a big fish, be sure to celebrate the good times in life!

man looking into mouth of largemouth bass

Good times, like good fish, should be celebrated.

If you want to catch bass, you need to fish THESE lakes!

Lessson #4: Always be prepared

Call me a neat freak or obsessive compulsive, but I hate a messy tackle box. The fishing supplies have to be organized.

The night before I knew we were going fishing, I would always be certain that all my fish hooks, fishing lures and supplies were neatly tucked away in their designated compartment. (Of course, after a day of fishing, they were right back to being unorganized!)

But, as orderly as I wanted things, I learned there’s one thing a neat tackle box can’t help you with… and that’s not having enough of the lure you need for that fishing trip.

Sometimes on a particular day, the fish just like what they like and nothing else. Hopefully, they like what you have in your tackle box. And, hopefully you have enough of it!

Don’t get me wrong, this is not about neat people being better than messy people. But, I’ve learned that doing your due diligence ahead of time is better than being unprepared.

Check out these kayak fishing for beginners tips!

This applies to just about anything. Of course, you can’t predict the future, and sometimes unexpected things can happen no matter how much you prepare.

But, just like with fishing, be as prepared as you can possibly be in all situations. Something BIG just might happen!

Lesson #5: Control what you can control

When I was first learning to fish with Dad, I started with live bait and a fishing bobber. I would watch the bobber intently, hoping to see just the slightest movement or ripple in the water.

But, I am a competitor at heart, and sometimes I would sneak a peek over at my Dad’s bobber. It seemed that every time I did that, I would look back and mine would be nowhere to be found, with a fish on the line! (I guess if the fish aren’t biting, this is a viable strategy. But, I digress).

fishing float bobber in the water

I have learned to focus on things that I can control, and not on those I can’t.

It’s easy for us to get distracted sometimes. We worry about what others are doing. We worry what they think of us. And, we try to fix others and make them who we think they should be.

The problem is that when we do that, we put our focus on things we can’t control.

As I get older, I am learning that I can do very little to change other people. I can’t become exactly like someone else. God made one of me (and one of you).

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And, while it’s great to have role models and aspire to be strong in areas that others are, we must understand that we are uniquely made. We are custom designed. There will never be another one exactly like us.

So, don’t excuse your weaknesses. Work on them. But, also work to become better at your strengths. You will make much more progress on you than you ever will by trying to change others. And, who knows, you might inspire someone else to be a better them!

man paddling fishing kayak at dusk

The life lessons learned fishing with Dad, I want to share with others.

Don’t let the lessons end

With all the life lessons I’ve learned from fishing lessons with my Dad, it would be a shame to keep them all to myself. I am inspired to use teachable moments like these in the outdoors to impact the lives of my kids as well. I hope you do the same.

So, whether you hunt, fish, or just love being in the outdoors, there are so many great lessons to be learned in the simplicity and wonder of the outdoors.

Oh, and Dad… thanks for taking me fishing.

A Huge Buck [And Other Unforgettable Bucks]
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Deer Sounds and a Big South Carolina Whitetail

There are a lot of deer sounds and noises I like to hear in the woods. But, there’s one I usually don’t like to hear, especially when I’m walking to my hunting stand. More on that below…

This is the story of some deer sounds that led to a dandy South Carolina archery buck…

It’s unforgettable moments like this one that spurred us on to start the N1 Outdoors brand…

In this article, you’ll hear the following deer vocalizations:

Note: If you are interested in learning what sounds a deer makes, you can listen to the above deer sounds throughout the article as well as at the bottom of the page.

A New Deer Hunting Property

The 2010 deer season in South Carolina held some great memories for me.

I had been granted permission to hunt some new property that was only 3 miles from my house!

The catch?

It was bow only property. No guns allowed.

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The South Carolina archery only season was already over and we were getting some consistent colder weather.

But, the truth is, I really wasn’t disappointed to be hunting with my bow during gun season, because deer hunting just makes me want to say “Bowhunt Oh Yeah!” In fact, I hadn’t even hunted with my rifle since 2009.

Deer, sound the alarm!

It was a chilly, November 18 morning, and the rut was in full swing. I had seen a fair amount of rutting activity, but had not seen any bucks that got me very excited. But, when you love to bowhunt, it’s a great time to be in the woods.

I had parked my truck and was making the walk to my stand on the downwind side of where I would be hunting.

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My stand location was in a head of hardwoods that contained several white oaks. I’ve always loved hunting locations that contain white oaks, especially in early fall, as the acorns are falling. But although the deer love them, by now, there weren’t any left for them to enjoy.

Nonetheless, it was a good location on the edge of a fairly large clear cut that the deer would typically transition through on their way to the other side of the property.

There was a gate opening that I needed to walk through to enter the woods where my stand location was.

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The Deer “blow” or “snort” Sound

I had gotten about three steps through the gate, when the head of woods I was about to enter exploded with the sounds of deer blowing. It was still too dark to see, but it sounded like a small army of whitetail had just left the building. I stopped and listened, as the sounds of their escape got farther and farther away.

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT A DEER BLOW / SNORT SOUNDS LIKE… Deer will blow (or snort) to alert other deer of danger. Deer often blow as a result of seeing or smelling something perceived as dangerous. Sometimes deer will blow and stomp to try and get a predator (or person) that they believe is in the area to move and thus reveal their location. (This is not to be confused with a “snort wheeze” sound that a buck makes). It’s important to be as scent-free as possible and pay attention to wind direction when hunting, so you can avoid a blow/snort that ruins your hunt! MORE DEER SOUNDS FURTHER DOWN PAGE!

I was pretty disappointed to say the least.

I had taken such great care in paying attention to wind direction when walking to my stand. Yet, here I was, not even in my stand yet, and the deer already knew where I was.

It was like the deer were leaving the area in slow motion.

I was already wondering what I could have done differently.

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Regroup

Well, there I was (and they knew it). I had that sick feeling that might have made one want to just go back to the truck. But, this was the rut, and I love to hunt whether the deer blow me up or not!

I found my way to my tree and got in my stand, pulled up my bow, and got settled. By now, it was first light but the sun was not yet up.

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The whitetail doe grunt

After sitting for 10 minutes or so, I thought it might be a good idea to give my grunt call a soft doe grunt. My thinking was, “maybe if they hear this, they’ll think things have settled down and are safe again.”

So, I blew on my grunt call softly, making a “social grunt” noise.

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT A DOE GRUNT SOUNDS LIKE… Does use this sound as a “social grunt” as a way of communicating with each other. It can be a useful call when hunting to attract does closer to your stand or hunting location. MORE DEER SOUNDS FURTHER DOWN PAGE!

A fast appearance

It had probably been only 10 seconds after grunting, that I could see a deer appear about 100 yards away, on the field edge. Even at that distance, I could see his horns and I was interested!

No sooner than he appeared, he began running toward the head of woods I was in. He got to a well traveled path at the edge of the hardwoods and slowed down, turned, and began walking toward me.

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By now my heart is racing pretty good, because I can see this deer is a shooter, and I have gone from heartbroken to hopeful in a matter of minutes.

This is where I have to say that the buck walking toward me had one of the better set of antlers I had seen in my area of South Carolina.

In recent years, SCDNR bag limits had been high. Many believe that these high limits, coupled with poor deer management, had resulted in fewer mature bucks in South Carolina.

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All I knew was, the age and size of the deer walking toward me was not commonplace in my area.

I had my bow in my hand, but didn’t feel I was going to be able to stand up without messing something up. My archery stance on this deer was going to be… sitting down. I sat and watched him inch closer.

Prior to getting in the tree stand, I had put some estrous scent on a tree limb about 20 yards away. He walked right past it. But, the worst part was that in about 3 more steps, I knew he would be downwind of me, and be gone!

Come on daylight!

I couldn’t believe I was about to watch the biggest South Carolina buck I had encountered leave my life. But, unfortunately, it was all but over.

Just as I thought this hunt was coming to an end (for the second time in minutes), he stopped, turned around, and walked back to the tree limb where I had put the estrous scent.

Learn how to nock tune your hunting arrows HERE!

I knew this was my chance. So, I quietly went to full draw. I thought, “ok, aim small, miss small.” But, there was just one, really big, problem. I looked through my peep and saw, well nothing. It was still too dark in that head of woods to clearly see the buck.

If this buck would stay for a few minutes, there would be enough light through the trees to see his vitals clearly. But, I knew with chasing does on his mind, he probably wasn’t staying much longer. And, I knew that in that particular location, the wind had a tendency to swirl from time to time.

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The prayer, the draw, the release

I can’t remember everything that was racing through my mind at that point, but I know I probably prayed a few fast words. It’s amazing how fast I can get to a prayerful state of mind when a big buck is nearby (amazing and shameful!)

As I was still at full draw, I moved my eye outside of my peep, so that I could see the buck through my site pins.

Then, I slowly looked back through the peep and could see the target… barely.

I released my arrow and he gave the ‘ole donkey kick. He bolted down the draw and out of sight. I sat for two hours, wondering how this whole story was going to end.

So far that morning, I had heard deer blow and deer run… now, all I wanted to hear was, “wow, that’s a nice buck there in the back of your truck!”

During those two hours, I scanned the ground endlessly, hoping to see a bloody arrow. I saw nothing. Of course, then the doubts set in… “did I make a good shot? How far did he go? Will I ever find him?” It was agonizing.

Finally, I decided to get down and go look. I walked out 20 yards to where I had shot him and I saw my arrow lying on the ground, the arrow shaft and my broadhead half-covered by the forest floor.

My arrow had been Just Pass’N Through!

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I picked it up and immediately got some encouragement… bright pink, frothy blood on my fletches. Things were looking up!

I followed along the faint blood trail. It wasn’t significant, but it was enough to keep me moving to the next spots of blood.

After 150 yards or so, I reached a small creek that ran through the property. I was till intently focused on the ground near my feet, checking for any small clue I could find. The blood trail had stopped.

I looked up and about 30 yards away, in the creek, was the buck. I held both hands high and thanked the Lord for answering my desperate (yet somewhat shallow) prayer.

The shot turned out to be a double-lung pass through. (We love pass throughs so much, we even made a shirt about them!)

deer sounds dead deer pic

The morning started with deer blowing up the woods… but it ended with a solid buck down.

The drag

I was by myself with no one to help me drag this deer out. I could either drag him about 200 yards uphill, or try to drag him through the muddy, swampy mess of a creek. So, I chose option 2.

I was able to use the shallow creek as assistance and slide the buck through the area for the long 300 yard trek back to the truck.

A short drive and a few pictures later, I had officially sealed the deal on one of my most memorable N1 Moments.

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Deer sounds: The key to this N1 Moment

Looking back, I’m glad for the deer noises I heard that day… the deer blowing, the deer running, and finally, the deer sliding through the creek bed on it’s way to my freezer and my wall.

LISTEN BELOW FOR MORE DOE AND BUCK NOISES…

Buck Grunt Sound

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT A BUCK GRUNT SOUNDS LIKE. Much like a doe grunt, the buck grunt is a noise a buck makes to communicate socially with other bucks in the herd. It can be a useful call for a hunter to get a buck’s attention as an attempt to lure him closer into shooting range.

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Doe Bleat Sound

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT A DOE BLEAT SOUNDS LIKE. Does use bleats to communicate with each other, especially in the presence of their fawns. Fawns will also bleat when in danger, which will often attract adult deer to come looking for the fawn in distress. The bleat is a good deer noise to have in your calling arsenal when hunting, as it can draw does toward your stand location, which can also lure bucks in search of does, especially during the rut.

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Estrus Doe Bleat Sound

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT AN ESTRUS DOE BLEAT SOUNDS LIKE. Does will give estrus bleats to indicate to bucks in the area that they are ready to breed. This is a good deer sound to use when calling during the rut.

Buck Trailing Grunt Sound (Tending Grunt)

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT A TRAILING BUCK GRUNT SOUNDS LIKE. Bucks will use this call when following an estrus doe. This grunt is in short bursts and sometimes is in cadence with each step the buck takes.

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Buck Bawl Sound

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT A BUCK BAWL SOUNDS LIKE. Bucks get lonely too! Bucks will make this sound to signal other deer for company.

Enraged Buck Sound

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR WHAT A BUCK RAGE GRUNT SOUNDS LIKE. Bucks will make this noise when a doe they want to breed will not cooperate.

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Sparring Bucks Sound

PRESS PLAY ABOVE TO HEAR THE SOUND OF BUCKS SPARRING AND GRUNTING. Bucks will clash antlers to establish dominance for breeding rights.

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Barefoot Buck | How Aly From Alabama Found Her Love Of The Outdoors
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Barefoot Buck | How Aly From Alabama Found Her Love Of The Outdoors

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Giles Canter of N1 outdoors with archery buck
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