My 10-pointer shot on Nov 25th 2011. The closer we get to November, the more I am concerned about what life will be like for my beloved White-tailed deer. In 2007-2008, we had a harsh winter with a lot of snow followed by massive flooding in the northern part of the State. Since that time, the overall deer herd has been struggling to get back to the numbers we once knew. Guides and older hunters talk about the days when you would see deer all the time and Maine was known for its 'Big Buck hunting.' While, I will always love to tell the story of shooting my 10-point buck, if we really want to rebuild our deer population and be a coveted place for deer hunters to come, we need to start looking at what impacts the deer...
After snowstorms in March and rain, Saturday was one of the nicest days we have had in a long time. We eagerly got outside and went for a walk. Baby fell asleep in the jogger, wrapped in a blanket with the sun on him and the wind in his face... it made me jealous. The dog got to take a splash in the run off - which she was ecstatic about and promptly dove in face first to the cold, cold water. And on our way back, I saw this feather wound around the branch of a bush on the side of the road. I didnt know what it was until I posted it on Twitter and Jeff said it was a turkey feather. A great sign because turkey season starts in two...
A few weeks ago, my great-uncle Donald sent me this book because he had been reading my articles in the Northwoods Sporting Journal and thought I would enjoy this find. While this is not super old, it is older than me and it was great to read through the book and "learn" how to hunt, fish, hike, camp etc. The great thing about being an outdoors-woman right now, is the openness and excitement that I have found with other writers and outdoor-men in my life. In order for us to evolve and become more interested in getting outdoors, it takes someone who is willing to teach us. I hope that when Uncle Donald sent this to me, he saw that too. It is a way to pass on a deep hunting heritage to other family members and create...
As I was driving to work today I had a thought; one of my biggest issues with transitioning to turkey hunting is the idea of aiming at the head and hoping enough pellets are close enough together to kill the bird. What if I learned to bow hunt for turkey? That would give me one arrow to aim (like one bullet) and I would have one target to hit instead of aiming in a general spot. For those of you avid turkey hunters, what is your thought on this? I would not be able to do this until next year, but it is a tempting thought. Will it work?
While out on our snowmobile ride, we went down a stretch of powerline that was peppered with deer stands. I envision something like the Dunkin Donuts/snowplow commercial where one deer steps out and there are at least three hunters ready to take aim. I am glad that we hunt on private land! Here are the photos. Which one would YOU want to hunt...
Getting ready to ride A couple weekends ago, Dad, Hubby and I went snowmobiling. It was warm, sunny and the snow was pretty soft. While winter has no desire to leave Maine, this was probably the last ride of the year due to our weekends being booked. Dad's goal for all trips, anywhere and any time of year is to see deer. I regularly get reports about how many he is seeing and where. So we headed out with the goal of getting some fresh air and seeing deer. "If I don't move, they won't see me" And without fail, Dad found us a deer. You probably can't see it very well in that cluster of trees, but you can make out the round body and an ear. It was probably the closest that I have been to a deer while...
I have blogged before about women's hunting clothes, or the lack thereof. This year, as I prepare to take on turkey season, goose season and my beloved deer season, I am starting to really look at what I wear and what I need to stay warm and mobile. I'm a still hunter. I find a spot and sit. I have also been given fair warning by Dad that come November, I should assume that I will be pulling 5-6 hour stints in one spot. Last year, with my layers (three on bottom and seven!! on top), it was tough to get my gun nestled into the crook of my shoulder and have control. I realized that I needed better, thinner layers. Photo from Northern Solstice Alpaca's Facebook page. So I was intrigued when I spoke with Robin...
If you have ever wondered what life in the Maine outdoors is like, you need to read my friend George Smith's book "A Life Lived Outdoors". It is a compilation of stories and articles that he has written over the years, so you don't need to rush through the book to get to the end of the story. This a wonderful book that allows you to read a story and set the book down and think about what you have read. I am currently dreaming about what my future camp should be like and what it will smell and feel like to step outside early on a summer morning with a cup of coffee. I am only a few stories in, but I have found myself smiling and laughing and yearning to get outside. I am keeping this book close so that I can sneak in a...
There is something awesome about attending Sportsman's shows. You get to be surrounded by people who care about the outdoors as much as you do. I had the opportunity to talk with some great people doing amazing things here in Maine when it comes to the outdoors. A few of those companies, I plan to write future blogs about. It is a guaranteed to put you in a great mood when you surround yourself with awesome people. I can't wait to share with you some of these folks and their stories.
