Preparation. This begins months before the first attendee arrives at SummerBlast 2011! Credit must be given to the leaders here at Talk Hunting, they work long hours to get everything in line and ready for us all. Robert Householder (Hunt Master) and Mike Snider (WVWhitetail) commute from their homes to prepare trails for the hayride / ATV ride and to prepare the archery course for the tournaments. Hours were spent mapping out the trails and courses. Many more hours were spent with all the Administrators and members who volunteered to assist with the planning on the phone (and over the internet) setting schedules and planning events for members and their guests to enjoy. Most of the folks who helped plan the three and a half official days of SummerBlast 2011 arrived the weekend before to finish up on all the preparation and meet with each other in person for final preparations.

This year TalkHunting wanted to help “Benefit 4 Kids” (B4K). After contacting them we were told about Caleb and his wish to hunt caribou. To raise money Robert Householder Challenged the members to an archery shoot. The takers paid $50.00 each to try and out shoot him. All the proceeds were put toward Caleb's hunting trip. Small donations were also asked for entry into the corn hole tournament and the wild game cook-off.

Then there was the auction… This was the first time Talk Hunting explored this fund raising venue. This fund raiser was conceived about 9 weeks prior to the SummerBlast 2011 and the Administrators, Pro Staff, Moderators, and members set out to obtain donated items to auction. TalkHunting sponsors make several donations. The items obtained for the auction were varied and unique which meant there was something there for everyone. Robert made his debut as the auctioneer with his wife, Annette, handling all of the paperwork. AND, in these days of distrust from everyone about everything, TalkHunting willingly offered an invoice system with basically just a handshake.

The staff here at TalkHunting put this event on for the enjoyment of its members and to help raise money for a terminally ill young man (and his family) to go on the hunt of his dreams. They do this without pay because they love helping and promoting this Magazine and its forum. All of the money collected from the events and the auction at SummerBlast 2011 (around $4000) is going to Benefit 4 Kids for Caleb. Talk Hunting and its Administrators, Pro Staff and Moderators are not paid for any of their time in helping offer the SummerBlast 2011 event to its members and their guests.

READ ON and see how everything turned out and who was there. I have not placed any pictures with this article so that the pictures with the event articles can speak for themselves. AND, I want to let all of you know that meetings were held during this year’s SummerBlast 2011 to start preparing for SummerBlast 2012!

By Luanne Bragg

TalkHunting Pro Staffer, Luanne "Beaglepup" Bragg, started hunting (going hunting) with her Grandfather in the fall of 1965.  He loved to squirrel hunt and would carry her into the woods and sit her on a rock and let her hold his prizes.  He took Luanne on her first Pheasant and Rabbit hunts when she was 7.  Shortly after that he had a massive stroke and was never able to return to the woods again.  When Luanne was 9 her Father, who was about to retire from the Marine Corps after 20 years active duty, and Uncle decided that since she could shoot she could remove the ground hogs and crows from the farm fields.  Luanne spent the next few years watching all the wildlife and removing varmints from the farm.  She took herself deer hunting for the first time when she was 15 and took her first deer at 17.  There was a long time between Luanne's first deer and her next deer due to college and work and general life.  She did a lot of small game hunting with her ex-husband starting in 1985 and killed her next deer in 1988.  She has not missed a deer or turkey season since.  When not hunting she is fishing or working in her garden (when not WORKING...).

Luanne has raised, trained and field trialed Beagles in the UKC and ARHA formats for 20 years and has produced several Field and Show Champions and Grand Field and Show Champions.  There is usually at least one litter of puppies born on her place every year.

She holds a Real Estate License in Virginia and owns a Dog Boarding Kennel.  Luanne belongs to the National Association of Realtors, Central Virginia Beaglers Association, NRA, NWTF and Buckmasters.  She was born in East Liverpool, Ohio,  and started showing Appaloosa horses in 1969 and was the Pennsylvania Appaloosa Queen in 1980 and runner up to the National Queen Title the same year. When she gets the chance she still enjoys a long trail ride.  She graduated from Kent State University in Kent Ohio in 1982 with a degree in Applied Science. Luanne relocated from Ohio to Virginia in 1984.