: About Me

Hi, and welcome to my Helium page. My name is Mark Brazel but everyone calls me "Braz", a nickname I inherited from my late father. I'm married, nineteen years to my beautiful wife. I have four kids and one grandchild. I work in the law enforcement profession with nearly fifteen years in this field.

I am a 1996 graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign / Urbana, Police Training Institute. I have certifications in the following: Burglary, Robbery Investigations, Homicide and Cold Case Investigations, Drug Interdiction, Narcotics Investigations, Evidence Law Analysis, Search and Seizure, Fingerprinting and Footwear Impressions, Bloodstain and Bullet Pattern Analysis, Breath Alcohol Analyisis, Use of Deadly Force, Firearms, Interview and Interrogations, Methamphetamine Awareness, D.A.R.E. Instructor, Clandestine Lab Awareness, Hazardaous Materials, former EMT certification and CPR instructor, and many, many others. I have received awards for my efforts from the Illinois State Police, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Illinois Meg Directors and Task Force Commanders Association.

While in law enforcement, I have worked in various positions including the Drug Task Force, D.A.R.E. Instructor, patrol, and five ears of full time investigations. I hope that my experince and training will help provide some well needed information to Helium readers.

I am avid in fundraising efforts and charity events having founded an organization which successfully raised funds to bring a branch of Big Brothers Big Sisters to my county. I am currently working on my new fundraising project, an "Outdoor Expo," which will feature vendor booths, gear, information, trophy displays, and fun activities for the kids, all to benefit BBBS and cancer research.

I write a regular newspaper column titled "Outdoors With Braz." Please check it out. This article is primarily focused on sharing the outdoors and what it has to offer, with some occasional humor and an inspirational story or memory. I have also had some small columns published in a few outdoor related magazines and have made numerous radio appearances, however nothing on a large scale.

Law enforcement pays the bills but I have a passion to write and that is why I am here. I hope I can share my experience and provide some well needed information to the site. Thanks again and I hope to hear from you.

.....Braz

My passion is ...

NASCAR, writing, fishing, hunting

I know too much about ...

NASCAR....way too much

My childhood ambition ...

To become a US Senator, (yes, really, I was somewhat of a nerd)

My favorite memory ...

I have many, mostly hunting trips with my late father and father in law

Why I write ...

Gets things off my mind, and it's great therapy!

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Lifehouse, - "From Where You Are", "Blow" with Johnny Depp

My first job ...

Laborer for street department

My inspiration ...

Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Carter, Dale Earnhardt,

Sports & Recreation > Hunting Deer hunting basics: The best times to hunt for deer

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The best time to hunt deer is without a doubt during the rutting or mating season. Big bucks throw caution to the wind during the rut allowing their impulsive need to breed to take over. This falls well into the hands of deer hunters. Having hunted whitetail deer for over twenty-five years, I can say with great confidence that I have seen and taken more deer during the rut than at any other time of the year. Most states schedule deer seasons to coincide with the rut, knowing deer are more active thus making it a prime time to thin the herd. So what exactly is the rut? The rut can be broken...

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