Maine Hunting Articles and Blog • Page 18 of 49 • And A Strong Cup of Coffee

Fitting into the family

By Erin M | Mar 23, 2013 | 1 Comment | 1 min read

Somewhere, there is a photo of Dad and I in our matching red and black plaid wool jackets at Christmas. They look like this but red: Although last year, Dad did not wear his wool pants as much, we usually look like twins when we head off into the woods. It's our hunting uniform. So, when I was shopping for baby clothes hangers and I saw a red and black plaid fleece pull over, I had to buy it. Had to. Sure, it is for a 24 month old and I have about 26 months until the baby will fit into it, but it was a small hunting uniform that I needed to buy. To all of you parents out there... what else should I buy? =)

Wanted: An Organization that supports me!

By Erin M | Mar 8, 2013 | 9 Comments | 4 min read

As a 30 year-old woman, it is hard to figure out where I belong in the overall hunting world so that I am taken seriously. Women, and my demographic specifically, are the fastest growing demographic in the hunting world right now. I have been hunting for 10 years and write a few different outdoor blogs about my experiences and in order to keep up with what is happening across the state, I belong to organizations that promote hunting and the outdoors. One of those organizations is the Sportman's Alliance of Maine (SAM). I have been a member for about a year now. Their mission states that: The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine is Maine’s largest...

The Maine Moose Lotto

By Erin M | Feb 26, 2013 | 4 Comments | 3 min read

This year, Dad and I decided that we would sit out of the moose lotto. It made sense. In 2010, when Dad was picked, we spent a solid 8 hours a day riding the roads in his truck looking for moose, walking around in the woods calling for moose and seeing a lot of hunters and only 1 dead cow. Since we know the time commitment that we are looking at if we get picked, and with me nursing a 4 month old come October, we decided to not apply for a permit. But, with the new Maine Moose Lotto revamped from what it was in 2011, Dad and I could still get points for applying and ensure our names were not entered to be drawn for permits. For each year...

Youth Hunting where you are

By Erin M | Feb 15, 2013 | 2 Comments | 1 min read

I have written (and rewritten) a blog about 2 proposed bills being sent to the 126th Maine Legislature about proposed changes in our current youth deer hunt. Here is the original blog with the bills, LD79 and LD101 explained. Currently, in Maine, youth hunters are between 10-15 and become adult hunters at 16. They are allowed to begin their season a week before Maine residence, who can start the last Saturday in October and must be with an adult. According to the Executive Director of the Sportman's Alliance of Maine, there are 16,000 youth deer hunters and their success rate is about 10%. The real issue that is being debated is, with the...

Sharing the news with the family

By Erin M | Feb 8, 2013 | 4 Comments | 1 min read

On Christmas Eve, we told my parents. To say Dad was shocked is an understatement. This is the last entry for what it was like to be pregnant during hunting season. It is pretty surreal to think about the next hunting season and the fact that come November (or opening day), I will have a 5 month old. WOW!!!

Just because I have a gun, does not mean I am the bad guy.

By Erin M | Feb 5, 2013 | 4 Comments | 4 min read

I wrote this post for my blog with a local newspaper. I was hoping it would generate some conversation, but instead of talking about guns, the comments were more about Liberals vs everyone else. One guy actually commented that "Liberals will never understand." But... I am a liberal. I am a little too liberal some days and with some issues. Without trying to, he proved my point that there will never be considerate, thoughtful conversation about guns because we so quickly jump to conclusions. Here is the post, and if you click on the title, it will take you to the blog page over at Thoughts From a Tree Stand. Just because I have a gun, does...

Week 4 recap of hunting season…

By Erin M | Feb 4, 2013 | 0 Comments | 1 min read

... at this point, no one knows I am pregnant and the season is pretty much over. Click here for the post.

Boy! oh Boy!

By Erin M | Jan 27, 2013 | 3 Comments | 2 min read

It is official; we are having a boy! I have always been the one in the family to say that I was going to have a boy, years before now. My cousin and sister both have girls so he will be the first boy in our family. Hubby and I could not be happier! But, there is a part of me that wonders how this is going to go. The idea of potty training and puberty scare me, but the weird thing is that my son will probably have no idea what it is like to not be taken seriously as a hunter. The struggles that myself and other women have gone through to "prove" that we deserve to be in the woods along side men will be something my son will not have to deal...

Week 3

By Erin M | Jan 22, 2013 | 2 Comments | 1 min read

Things are getting interesting for me, as I document week three of being in the woods with Dad. Click here to read more.

After a positive 2012, IFW looks for an even better 2013

By Erin M | Jan 14, 2013 | 1 Comment | 5 min read

Last week I sat down with Commissioner Woodcock to talk about the highlights of the 2012 hunting seasons and where he saw the Department going in 2013: Last year, the moose hunting system was reworked. Do you think it helped with the numbers this year? YES! 34% of the top tier were picked this year. Of course, we add people to that top tier every year but we are predicting that in the next five years, everyone in that top group who has been waiting for more than 30 years to get drawn, will in fact get drawn. We even had a few people, probably 1% get picked on their first try this year. Overall, we are very happy with the results this year...

Chattin with the Commissioner

By Erin M | Jan 4, 2013 | 3 Comments | 1 min read

Over the past year or so, I have interviewed Mr. Woodcock about a variety of different things concerning the deer population, funding and land conservation. With this year's deer numbers coming in above average, I figured it was time for another check in. I have some questions but are there any that you want answered? Some questions on the list so far: * what does the increase in deer harvested mean for the overall population * were the majority of deer taken in the central/southern Maine areas? was there an increase in the northern/eastern parts of Maine? * how is the predator fund/campaign going so far this year? Links to past interviews:...

What to buy the hunter on your Christmas list

By Erin M | Dec 14, 2012 | 7 Comments | 2 min read

Apparently, I am hard to buy for. I don't think I am but I have been told that I am by multiple people. So, here is my helpful personal list of what to buy a hunter for Christmas or Hanukkah or Festivis. 1. Books. My suggestions this year are: Meat Eater by Steven Rinella. I asked Santa for it and I am pretty sure its wrapped and waiting under my tree. I have not read it, but I did read American Buffalo and it was fantastic! Suddenly the Cider Didn't Taste so Good by John Ford. John is a former Game Warden who tells wonderful Maine stories of the adventures, animals and people he encounters. Light hearted and a quick read. Tales from Misery...

Easy peasy

By Erin M | Dec 5, 2012 | 2 Comments | 2 min read

I am getting spoiled. Actually Dad and I both are. I am afraid to write this for what it might mean for next year, but I will; Dad and I have not had to follow a blood trail in a long time. Three years ago, Dad dropped this guy (below) on opening day.Last year, I dropped this one: and this year, I dropped him right at the base of the Sky Condo: We are getting spoiled but really, I have a great teacher who has taught me where to shoot a deer for the quickest, least painful death. And it has worked out well. This year, we spotted the buck coming to eat grass early in the day. He walked out from the upper right corner of this photo and headed...

Coming up…

By Erin M | Nov 30, 2012 | 3 Comments | 1 min read

I miss hunting season already! Is that weird? This is the first Friday I have been at work since mid October. And while it is freezing out right now, Dad and I do have a heater for the Sky Condo. The good thing is, once we get snow, we will start tracking the deer around the SC to see where they are yarding up for the winter and see if we can get some pics on the cameras of our targets for next year. Coming up in the blog world: * My post about shooting this year's deer * A GREAT interview with Bryan White about getting his first ever buck this season * (Hopefully) an interview with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's Commissioner Mr. Woodcock...

End of season 10

By Erin M | Nov 24, 2012 | 2 Comments | 1 min read

We called it a season yesterday at noon. It was an overall warm season this year, I was bummed not to have snow to hunt in. The season flew by and I can not believe that it is already over! Here is a quick recap of what we saw: A group of 20 turkeys around all season A group of 2 does and 2 fawns around the Sky Condo 3 single does in the woods 5 partridge 3 coyotes (shutter) 3 ticks (shutter and start scratching) and 1 buck

My new enemy

By Erin M | Nov 19, 2012 | 2 Comments | 3 min read

In my new tree seat, I have seen a ton of wildlife! Does, partridge and turkeys are the norm. All have been super fun to watch. We are still waiting for Dad to get that big buck that he wants! As I was sitting in the seat on Saturday morning around 10:30am, I hear a shot. Its close because it makes me jump. From where I know Dad was going, it could be him!! I pull out my cell phone waiting for the call to confirm. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes go by. All I can think then is that Dad jumped a deer towards another ground blind that must have had someone in it. As I sit there, I see a movement coming from my right. It looks like a fluffy...

What it means to lose a deer

By Erin M | Nov 7, 2012 | 3 Comments | 3 min read

It was horrible. I remember the noise she made when she dropped. How she spun on the ground trying to get back up. I can remember pretty much everything about that 2pm sunny, Saturday afternoon in November. I remember her finally getting back up and thinking she would just go a few more feet, fall and die. That is why I didn’t take that second shot. When Dad came to get me from the tree stand and we started following the blood trail, it was almost a straight line. There was so much of it. We followed it and followed it and then, nothing. No blood. No tracks. It was like she disappeared into the ether. We searched until it was dark. Then Dad...

Matching Deer!

By Erin M | Nov 5, 2012 | 3 Comments | 1 min read

I shot my 4th deer on Friday morning (story coming this week!) It was a nice 4pt 112lb buck. The next morning, my husband shot his very first deer! It was a nice 4pt 110lb buck! And as terrible as the shots were, we both shot our deer with one shot, in the heart. Any hunter will tell you than if you hit the heart as square on as I did, it really is a bad, low shot and not one you should aim for on a regular basis. I was about 4 inches low. But, it took me one shot and he dropped. It takes a little bit of the pressure off since there is now meat in the freezer for the winter, but now it's Dad's turn. And he wants a big buck! My deer is on...

Same deer? or Same gene pool?

By Erin M | Nov 1, 2012 | 1 Comment | 1 min read

He was a part of triplets that we watched a few years ago. I joked that he was so ugly, I was going to shoot him when I had my big birthday. Yesterday, Dad pulled the camera chip and the picture below was on it. Has he come back??? Could a deer born in (probably) 2009 have such small antlers in 2012? If it is not the same deer, it has to be the same gene pool - look at those eyes!

Have some respect or ruin it for the rest

By Erin M | Oct 28, 2012 | 4 Comments | 3 min read

A hunting license does not authorize you to enter private property without permission. Last week, my friend Robin and I got into a conversation about hunting on private vs public lands (and about hunting on Sundays, but that’s a different blog) and the lack of public land around to hunt on. IFW says 94% of land in Maine is privately owned which makes hunting hard if you do not own land to hunt on. I am fortunate. The three pieces of land that we hunt on make up about 430 acres and are owned by my parents and grandparents. We have allowed people to hunt on the land as long as they asked and did not use four-wheelers. I hunt in a small town...

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