Maine Hunting Articles and Blog • Page 10 of 49 • And A Strong Cup of Coffee

No more skulls

By Erin M | Sep 11, 2015 | 0 Comments | 4 min read

I have bad luck with skulls. It started with my bear and will end with my coyote because I have learned which taxidermists (and butchers) are not worth the convenience. I shot a 457lb bear last October and went with my guide to bring it to the butcher. I had decided that I wanted the skull saved and would have the hide made into a rug. I didn’t have the room or the desire for a mount. The butcher got his knives out and began hacking away at the bear. I watched but didn’t really know what I was looking at. He hooked the bear by its hind legs, lifting it off the ground and started peeling away the hide. It...

I survived my first solo bear hunt

By Erin M | Sep 7, 2015 | 1 Comment | 6 min read

Everything was going just fine until I realized that I had the wrong gun. I had packed everything that I would need and was getting comfortable with the idea of sitting by myself in the tree blind. It was 90 degrees. The odds of a bear coming in were really not good. Plus, when Steve dropped me off and checked the cameras, there were no pictures and the bait had not been touched. I was a little more relaxed about it but I was still weirded out about having the wrong gun. Me, my awesome Kryptek Helios top and the wrong 30-06 I'm couldn't believe that it happened. I had assumed that my gun was in my gun bag and switched it with...

Here goes a second season

By Erin M | Sep 4, 2015 | 1 Comment | 1 min read

With these trail camera photos becoming a common occurrence, I am excited and still a little nervous for bear season. I have developed a very healthy respect for these animals and there is still some caution when I head into the woods to hunt one. Even if I do not get one, these photos are a clear indication that the bear population in Maine is healthy and thriving. These are not small bears and by the time we head into the woods, they will have had a few more weeks to put on weight.

Now, I am getting excited

By Erin M | Aug 31, 2015 | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I know that today marks the start of bear season, but nothing get me more excited than seeing bucks on the trail cameras, especially when they are the deer that you have been after for multiple seasons! I can not wait til opening day of rifle season. Meat is meat and I will be grateful to fill the freezer, but those two big bucks... they would be a feat! Littlest Little Little Big Biggest From the look at this picture, this is the 'smaller' of the two large bucks that we have around. Fingers crossed that this season, we can give you a close up picture!

The bait sites are getting slammed!

By Erin M | Aug 28, 2015 | 0 Comments | 1 min read

After Steve and I tweaked the bait sites and refilled the barrels and crates, we waited to see if and when the bears returned to the sites. Three days after we were there, Steve went back to check: bam! bears at both sites and no food left. Other hunters have been seeing the same thing; lots of bears (many of them good sized bears) are already hitting the bait sites hard this season. When Steve and I were up the first time, we noticed that the blackberries and raspberries were not looking good. Without a lot of fun and rain, the berries were small and still very green. The temperature has dropped a few times down to...

The bears are back

By Erin M | Aug 24, 2015 | 0 Comments | 2 min read

I shoveled bait from a 55 gallon drum into five gallon buckets and we loaded up the truck. Eight buckets of assorted types of bait, two buckets of disgusting beaver and some secret ingredients and we were off to check the bait sites for the 2015 bear hunting season! A truck full of bait ready to go Steve and Lorri had set up the two bait sites a few days before and we were eager to see if any bears had found the sites. The monsters from last year were not killed so we knew that there would be some big bears around. We hiked into Site 2 first and carried buckets and tools in. Steve led the way and we anxiously kept peaking around...

Trail cam obsession

By Erin M | Aug 21, 2015 | 1 Comment | 2 min read

I have been saving all of the 'good' trail camera pictures over the years partially because it is fun to see the animals that were around but also because it is a reference check for what the norm is for our area. We have not had a lot of bucks on the trail cameras yet but I keep telling myself that it's late August when they start showing themselves. The small buck that we have seen is no where near the size of this guy: he is one of the two large bucks that we have seen over the past couple of years. No one shot either one last season so they are still around assuming that the winter did not kill them off. We have seen...

Watching Great Horned Owls

By Erin M | Aug 17, 2015 | 0 Comments | 1 min read

When Staci and I headed to our last spot to fish, we flushed two birds from the trees. Initially, I could not tell if they were hawks, turkeys or what... it wasn't until they landed on a tree across the stream from us that we could see them! Young Great Horned Owls! We are assuming that they are this year's chicks since they look big but do not have the classic tuffs on the top of their heads. Any bird experts out there who can confirm?

More fishing adventures

By Erin M | Aug 14, 2015 | 4 Comments | 3 min read

Staciand I headed out again for our second fishing adventure! For the second time, the water levels where we wanted to go were too high so we headed to my hometown to try our lines in the river. The Kennebec River The Kennebec River It was fantastic to be fishing there since I had never done it but I quickly learned that my lures were way too heavy for the water and the grass and slim covering the rocks. I would get caught on every two or three casts while Staci was using a fly rod and was able to cast out and relax for a few minutes before casting again. We walked about a mile down the river closer to town and tried again to get a...

Wascally wabbits

By Erin M | Aug 7, 2015 | 1 Comment | 1 min read

My parents have had a snowshoe hare around the house for a few months. Typically, we see one and within a week it is gone (via interaction with a vehicle) but recently, there were two and then three. All of the adults and kids were outside playing and those hare would race across the back lawn, run along the edge of the garden and at one point, one of them ran along the edge of the house. They were cute at first but they are getting a little too comfortable around humans. Maybe they will head somewhere else this fall... or maybe their lack of caution will result in more car altercations and less human ones. ...

Walk in the woods

By Erin M | Aug 4, 2015 | 0 Comments | 1 min read

While cutting some firewood, Dad, Hubby and I scoped out some of the land that we hunt on. We were looking for tracks and maybe a sighting or two. It was a great day for wildlife; I had seen a 4 or 6 point buck in velvet along the edge of the road that morning when I went to get some coffee. It almost looks like a chair The birds must be eating well The rain wasn't too bad so we explored as threw some firewood into the truck. It was a quiet, nice day in the woods and we were able to look around and plan our routes into the woods for this fall. The road into the woodlot Tools of the trade Dad can spot an animal track while...

A little morning snack

By Erin M | Aug 1, 2015 | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I watched this female cardinal enjoying some bugs for breakfast. Even in the city, it's nice to enjoy the wildlife. Female Cardinal with bug Busted!

Stay away from my bird!

By Erin M | Jul 31, 2015 | 3 Comments | 2 min read

Here is how we got to this point. The two men did not seem to see is and Tim and I tried not to give ourselves away but we were on the edge of the field. Tim tried calling the land owner because the property was posted and he was supposed to be the only one hunting. No answer. We stood there and listened as the two men began calling and waiting for a response. They were much closer to those two birds who had just been calling back with us. One gobble and those guys would be headed into the woods. Luckily, those stubborn birds kept quiet. But the idea of hunters in the area made us question our decision to...

Third time is the charm… right?

By Erin M | Jul 27, 2015 | 0 Comments | 4 min read

As you know, Dad and I saw way more deer than turkey when we attempted to turkey hunt for the third spring season in a row. It is still a little surreal to think about because our first turkey season ended two weeks before I had O. My schedule was so busy that I had to cancel a turkey hunt with David Hodgkins of Blackfalcon Custom Calls and reworked my schedule to get a half day hunt in with Tim Cote of Cote and Son's Guide Service. I met Tim at 4am and we headed to a spot where he had been the night before. He knew that there were toms around and he knew which spots they would be in. It was a perfect set up. Come on...

Moose Crossing

By Erin M | Jul 25, 2015 | 0 Comments | 2 min read

Dad and I were making our normal trip to check the trail cameras. We pulled out of the driveway and drove 1/2 mile up the road. I was looking for the snowshoe hares since they have a tendency of playing in traffic when Dad slowed the car down, moose! Maine moose heading across the field I got my camera out as Dad brought the car to a stop. "I bet he is headed over to the mountain." The moose was headed in the direction of the land where we had seen the moose tracks the day before. Maine Moose In order to get a few more pictures, Dad pulled the car into a roadway along the edge of the field and slowly stopped. The moose...

Trail camera pictures

By Erin M | Jul 22, 2015 | 1 Comment | 1 min read

Still no bucks on the trail camera but the does and fawns are still around and looking very healthy! The coyote is still around and the deer tracks in the muddy areas are proving that there are some big deer around.

Making T3 invisible

By Erin M | Jul 20, 2015 | 0 Comments | 2 min read

The 4th of July was a sunny and warm day so Dad, Hubby and I headed into the woods at 7am to paint T3 and beat the heat. We carried down paint, ladders, rollers, another trail camera and some rags. I was excited to see what deer sign were around since this is the same spot that I shot my deer last year. We needed a weed-wacker to blaze trail! I was so happy that I was dressed the way that I was: jeans, rubber boots, sweatshirt... and enough deet to (hopefully) kill all bugs that came in contact with me. I snapped a few before shots and then grabbed a gallon of paint and climbed the ladder. My job was to paint as much of...

Trail camera mystery critter

By Erin M | Jul 17, 2015 | 2 Comments | 1 min read

When we pulled the memory card a week or so ago, we saw this picture. Nothing before and nothing after, just this one glimpse in time. I posted it on my Facebook page and got some great comments about what it could be. What are your thoughts?

They mock me

By Erin M | Jul 13, 2015 | 1 Comment | 1 min read

Ever since the season ended on June 6, we have had turkeys on every pull from the trail camera. Every time! Clearly these guys are just mocking me.

GoPro Bass catch

By Erin M | Jul 11, 2015 | 0 Comments | 1 min read

As I was reeling in the first bass that I would keep, Don started the GoPro to document the actual catch. Hmm... I may need to get one of those! Come here please. Gotcha! Bringing him into the boat YUM A big thanks to Don at Maine Outdoors for sending these along.

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