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Conservation

Conservation

Apr 2026 14

It’s almost turkey time

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Turkey Hunting, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Spring in Maine brings a new energy that hunters recognize immediately. The snow begins to melt, streams swell with snowmelt, and the woods slowly wake from winter. For many hunters, one of the most anticipated signs of the season is the preparation and start of spring turkey hunting. The hunt is not just about harvesting a bird; it is a tradition rooted in patience, skill, and a deep connection to the woods and fields of Maine. The spring turkey season in Maine will begin soon; May 2nd in Maine for the Youth hunt and May 4th for the rest of us. At this time of year, toms and jakes are actively searching for hens. Their gobbling echoes across the fields and tree lines in the early morning hours. For many hunters, hearing that first...

Feb 2026 1

The impact of changing my hunting habits

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 2 Comments | 3 min read

I have hit a point in my life where I can say that I have been hunting for longer than I haven’t. Each hunting season provides you with new experiences, new stories and opportunities to learn and be better than you were the year before. This past season, I found two ways that I have changed in my hunting habits since I started. Lesson 1: On opening day of the season, as first light broke, a slew of gun shots rang out. I think I counted 8. It was windy, the refreshing kind and not the chill-you-to-the-bone kind. I was grateful to be in the Sky Condo again. I scanned the woods but my eye caught movement off to my left. A deer was running at my stand. I froze as I watched it start to slow down as it closed the 100 yard gap. It was a...

Aug 2025 12

Why do coyotes polarize us?

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Coyote Hunting, Hunting in Maine, Landowner relations, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

I had a pit in my stomach when I first saw the photo. I was ok with the bobcat behind my house. I loved having the fox around. But that coyote was an unwelcomed sight. To make matters worse, it was walking past my camera every night and every morning. Sometimes even during daylight hours. What is it about coyotes that causes us to have such polarizing gut reactions? I have hunted coyotes and I have seen them in the woods while I have been deer hunting. There are few things more unnerving than walking into your stand in the dark and hearing a coyote howl close by. The coyote on my trail camera was just too close to my house and looked too comfortable coming and going. I am not the only one who feels like this. The fur bearer management...

Feb 2025 3

Tree stand Trespassing

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Landowner relations, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Hunting property in this state can be hard to come by. I am aware of that. 94% of the land is privately owned. I have put posted signs on the land that Dad and I usually hunt on to informed trespassers that the land is actively being managed, watched and hunted on. I also have a tendency of posting trail camera photos of trespassers on my Facebook and IG pages. I have no problem making these people internet famous. In almost every situation that I have encountered, simple communication would have taken care of any property line confusion or permission being (or not being) granted. The number of hunters is declining every year. We need to get creative in how we encourage more people to join our ranks. But, sometimes things happen that...

Aug 2024 30

Welcome to Hunt & Harvest

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 6 Comments | 2 min read

When George Smith died three years ago, I lost one of my biggest cheerleaders. He was always trying to figure out how I could advance my outdoor writing career. He connected me with the editor at Downeast Magazine when they produced an issue all about hunting. My article was featured on the cover, and I was the center article. George published his book, "Maine Sporting Camps," one year before he was diagnosed. He asked me to write a chapter so that I could say that I was a published author. He was forever promoting me and encouraging me. When George died, the voice of the Maine's outdoors became quieter. Until now. It is with some emotion and excitement that I announce the launch of Hunt & Harvest. My monthly column will appear...

Jul 2024 2

Trail cameras bring early season excitement

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I leave my trail cameras out all year long. Photos of coyotes, deer, porcupines and racoons show up on my phone. But in the spring, those first trail camera photos of babies, cast off yearlings and bucks bring early season excitement to all of us. There is a fun uncertainty of what animals will show up in the photos. You don't have to be a hunter to enjoy getting a sneak peak into the woods around us. I think we can all enjoy the start of new life and new adventures.

Jun 2024 13

Are you Fit to Hunt?

By Erin M | Bear Hunting, Conservation, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

The last thing you want to think about when you are chasing animals through the woods, is if you can physically do it. There are a lot of things that I can not control on each hunt but the one thing I can control was how healthy I am. So, when I saw my name had been called for my moose permit in 2021, I called my friend Jeremy and started training. Jeremy owns and runs Fit to Hunt, an online training organization that works with people to meet their fitness goals. He has created a few training programs for me depending on what I was hunting. My moose hunt focused on increasing my upper body strength so that I could hold my 7.5lb rifle steady without needing to rest it on a truck or steady stick. On the Wednesday of my hunt, things...

Jun 2024 5

Will constitutional amendments protect hunting?

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

When the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt met this spring in Arizona, they spoke about the need for constitutional amendments to help protect our hunting rights. They were focused on Florida and a few other states. I thought of New Jersey and their on again, off again bear hunt. And I thought of a conversation that I was a part of following Maine’s win in the 2014 election to save our bear hunting methods. We wondered if a constitutional amendment would make sense to ensure we didn’t have to continually fight ballot initiatives. The answer we were told was no. A no because it would be too expensive and it wouldn’t actually protect anything. A constitutional right to hunting and fishing means just that; we can participate in...

Aug 2023 22

What you want to know but are afraid to ask your guide

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 8 min read

When I was drawn for my moose permit, I hired a guide to help. My friend John Floyd is a Registered Maine Guide and the owner of Tucker Ridge Outdoors in Webster Plantation, Maine. After talking about what I wish I had known and what he wished his clients knew, we decided to publishour conversation. Here we discuss thoughts, questions and concerns about hiring a guide. EM: A moose hunt can be an expensive hunt. There are a lot of things that can factor into the week you spend in the woods. I didn’t realize how much the entire hunt would be. Do you think a lot of hunters understand the costs? JF: Winning a Maine moose permit for most is a once in a lifetime experience, most hunters do not understand the costs and situations that arise...

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Apr 2026 14

It’s almost turkey time

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Turkey Hunting, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Spring in Maine brings a new energy that hunters recognize immediately. The snow begins to melt, streams swell with snowmelt, and the woods slowly wake from winter. For many hunters, one of the most anticipated signs of the season is the preparation and start of spring turkey hunting. The hunt is not just about harvesting a bird; it is a tradition rooted in patience, skill, and a deep connection to the woods and fields of Maine. The spring turkey season in Maine will begin soon; May 2nd in Maine for the Youth hunt and May 4th for the rest of us. At this time of year, toms and jakes are actively searching for hens. Their gobbling echoes across the fields and tree lines in the early morning hours. For many hunters, hearing that first...

Feb 2026 1

The impact of changing my hunting habits

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 2 Comments | 3 min read

I have hit a point in my life where I can say that I have been hunting for longer than I haven’t. Each hunting season provides you with new experiences, new stories and opportunities to learn and be better than you were the year before. This past season, I found two ways that I have changed in my hunting habits since I started. Lesson 1: On opening day of the season, as first light broke, a slew of gun shots rang out. I think I counted 8. It was windy, the refreshing kind and not the chill-you-to-the-bone kind. I was grateful to be in the Sky Condo again. I scanned the woods but my eye caught movement off to my left. A deer was running at my stand. I froze as I watched it start to slow down as it closed the 100 yard gap. It was a...

Aug 2025 12

Why do coyotes polarize us?

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Coyote Hunting, Hunting in Maine, Landowner relations, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

I had a pit in my stomach when I first saw the photo. I was ok with the bobcat behind my house. I loved having the fox around. But that coyote was an unwelcomed sight. To make matters worse, it was walking past my camera every night and every morning. Sometimes even during daylight hours. What is it about coyotes that causes us to have such polarizing gut reactions? I have hunted coyotes and I have seen them in the woods while I have been deer hunting. There are few things more unnerving than walking into your stand in the dark and hearing a coyote howl close by. The coyote on my trail camera was just too close to my house and looked too comfortable coming and going. I am not the only one who feels like this. The fur bearer management...

Feb 2025 3

Tree stand Trespassing

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Landowner relations, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Hunting property in this state can be hard to come by. I am aware of that. 94% of the land is privately owned. I have put posted signs on the land that Dad and I usually hunt on to informed trespassers that the land is actively being managed, watched and hunted on. I also have a tendency of posting trail camera photos of trespassers on my Facebook and IG pages. I have no problem making these people internet famous. In almost every situation that I have encountered, simple communication would have taken care of any property line confusion or permission being (or not being) granted. The number of hunters is declining every year. We need to get creative in how we encourage more people to join our ranks. But, sometimes things happen that...

Aug 2024 30

Welcome to Hunt & Harvest

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 6 Comments | 2 min read

When George Smith died three years ago, I lost one of my biggest cheerleaders. He was always trying to figure out how I could advance my outdoor writing career. He connected me with the editor at Downeast Magazine when they produced an issue all about hunting. My article was featured on the cover, and I was the center article. George published his book, "Maine Sporting Camps," one year before he was diagnosed. He asked me to write a chapter so that I could say that I was a published author. He was forever promoting me and encouraging me. When George died, the voice of the Maine's outdoors became quieter. Until now. It is with some emotion and excitement that I announce the launch of Hunt & Harvest. My monthly column will appear...

Jul 2024 2

Trail cameras bring early season excitement

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I leave my trail cameras out all year long. Photos of coyotes, deer, porcupines and racoons show up on my phone. But in the spring, those first trail camera photos of babies, cast off yearlings and bucks bring early season excitement to all of us. There is a fun uncertainty of what animals will show up in the photos. You don't have to be a hunter to enjoy getting a sneak peak into the woods around us. I think we can all enjoy the start of new life and new adventures.

Jun 2024 13

Are you Fit to Hunt?

By Erin M | Bear Hunting, Conservation, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

The last thing you want to think about when you are chasing animals through the woods, is if you can physically do it. There are a lot of things that I can not control on each hunt but the one thing I can control was how healthy I am. So, when I saw my name had been called for my moose permit in 2021, I called my friend Jeremy and started training. Jeremy owns and runs Fit to Hunt, an online training organization that works with people to meet their fitness goals. He has created a few training programs for me depending on what I was hunting. My moose hunt focused on increasing my upper body strength so that I could hold my 7.5lb rifle steady without needing to rest it on a truck or steady stick. On the Wednesday of my hunt, things...

Jun 2024 5

Will constitutional amendments protect hunting?

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

When the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt met this spring in Arizona, they spoke about the need for constitutional amendments to help protect our hunting rights. They were focused on Florida and a few other states. I thought of New Jersey and their on again, off again bear hunt. And I thought of a conversation that I was a part of following Maine’s win in the 2014 election to save our bear hunting methods. We wondered if a constitutional amendment would make sense to ensure we didn’t have to continually fight ballot initiatives. The answer we were told was no. A no because it would be too expensive and it wouldn’t actually protect anything. A constitutional right to hunting and fishing means just that; we can participate in...

Aug 2023 22

What you want to know but are afraid to ask your guide

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 8 min read

When I was drawn for my moose permit, I hired a guide to help. My friend John Floyd is a Registered Maine Guide and the owner of Tucker Ridge Outdoors in Webster Plantation, Maine. After talking about what I wish I had known and what he wished his clients knew, we decided to publishour conversation. Here we discuss thoughts, questions and concerns about hiring a guide. EM: A moose hunt can be an expensive hunt. There are a lot of things that can factor into the week you spend in the woods. I didn’t realize how much the entire hunt would be. Do you think a lot of hunters understand the costs? JF: Winning a Maine moose permit for most is a once in a lifetime experience, most hunters do not understand the costs and situations that arise...

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Enjoy these Conservation articles

Apr 2026 14

It’s almost turkey time

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Turkey Hunting, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Spring in Maine brings a new energy that hunters recognize immediately. The snow begins to melt, streams swell with snowmelt, and the woods slowly wake from winter. For many hunters, one of the most anticipated signs of the season is the preparation and start of spring turkey hunting. The hunt is not just about harvesting a bird; it is a tradition rooted in patience, skill, and a deep connection to the woods and fields of Maine. The spring turkey season in Maine will begin soon; May 2nd in Maine for the Youth hunt and May 4th for the rest of us. At this time of year, toms and jakes are actively searching for hens. Their gobbling echoes across the fields and tree lines in the early morning hours. For many hunters, hearing that first...

Feb 2026 1

The impact of changing my hunting habits

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 2 Comments | 3 min read

I have hit a point in my life where I can say that I have been hunting for longer than I haven’t. Each hunting season provides you with new experiences, new stories and opportunities to learn and be better than you were the year before. This past season, I found two ways that I have changed in my hunting habits since I started. Lesson 1: On opening day of the season, as first light broke, a slew of gun shots rang out. I think I counted 8. It was windy, the refreshing kind and not the chill-you-to-the-bone kind. I was grateful to be in the Sky Condo again. I scanned the woods but my eye caught movement off to my left. A deer was running at my stand. I froze as I watched it start to slow down as it closed the 100 yard gap. It was a...

Aug 2025 12

Why do coyotes polarize us?

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Coyote Hunting, Hunting in Maine, Landowner relations, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

I had a pit in my stomach when I first saw the photo. I was ok with the bobcat behind my house. I loved having the fox around. But that coyote was an unwelcomed sight. To make matters worse, it was walking past my camera every night and every morning. Sometimes even during daylight hours. What is it about coyotes that causes us to have such polarizing gut reactions? I have hunted coyotes and I have seen them in the woods while I have been deer hunting. There are few things more unnerving than walking into your stand in the dark and hearing a coyote howl close by. The coyote on my trail camera was just too close to my house and looked too comfortable coming and going. I am not the only one who feels like this. The fur bearer management...

Feb 2025 3

Tree stand Trespassing

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Landowner relations, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Hunting property in this state can be hard to come by. I am aware of that. 94% of the land is privately owned. I have put posted signs on the land that Dad and I usually hunt on to informed trespassers that the land is actively being managed, watched and hunted on. I also have a tendency of posting trail camera photos of trespassers on my Facebook and IG pages. I have no problem making these people internet famous. In almost every situation that I have encountered, simple communication would have taken care of any property line confusion or permission being (or not being) granted. The number of hunters is declining every year. We need to get creative in how we encourage more people to join our ranks. But, sometimes things happen that...

Aug 2024 30

Welcome to Hunt & Harvest

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 6 Comments | 2 min read

When George Smith died three years ago, I lost one of my biggest cheerleaders. He was always trying to figure out how I could advance my outdoor writing career. He connected me with the editor at Downeast Magazine when they produced an issue all about hunting. My article was featured on the cover, and I was the center article. George published his book, "Maine Sporting Camps," one year before he was diagnosed. He asked me to write a chapter so that I could say that I was a published author. He was forever promoting me and encouraging me. When George died, the voice of the Maine's outdoors became quieter. Until now. It is with some emotion and excitement that I announce the launch of Hunt & Harvest. My monthly column will appear...

Jul 2024 2

Trail cameras bring early season excitement

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I leave my trail cameras out all year long. Photos of coyotes, deer, porcupines and racoons show up on my phone. But in the spring, those first trail camera photos of babies, cast off yearlings and bucks bring early season excitement to all of us. There is a fun uncertainty of what animals will show up in the photos. You don't have to be a hunter to enjoy getting a sneak peak into the woods around us. I think we can all enjoy the start of new life and new adventures.

Jun 2024 13

Are you Fit to Hunt?

By Erin M | Bear Hunting, Conservation, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

The last thing you want to think about when you are chasing animals through the woods, is if you can physically do it. There are a lot of things that I can not control on each hunt but the one thing I can control was how healthy I am. So, when I saw my name had been called for my moose permit in 2021, I called my friend Jeremy and started training. Jeremy owns and runs Fit to Hunt, an online training organization that works with people to meet their fitness goals. He has created a few training programs for me depending on what I was hunting. My moose hunt focused on increasing my upper body strength so that I could hold my 7.5lb rifle steady without needing to rest it on a truck or steady stick. On the Wednesday of my hunt, things...

Jun 2024 5

Will constitutional amendments protect hunting?

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

When the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt met this spring in Arizona, they spoke about the need for constitutional amendments to help protect our hunting rights. They were focused on Florida and a few other states. I thought of New Jersey and their on again, off again bear hunt. And I thought of a conversation that I was a part of following Maine’s win in the 2014 election to save our bear hunting methods. We wondered if a constitutional amendment would make sense to ensure we didn’t have to continually fight ballot initiatives. The answer we were told was no. A no because it would be too expensive and it wouldn’t actually protect anything. A constitutional right to hunting and fishing means just that; we can participate in...

Aug 2023 22

What you want to know but are afraid to ask your guide

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 8 min read

When I was drawn for my moose permit, I hired a guide to help. My friend John Floyd is a Registered Maine Guide and the owner of Tucker Ridge Outdoors in Webster Plantation, Maine. After talking about what I wish I had known and what he wished his clients knew, we decided to publishour conversation. Here we discuss thoughts, questions and concerns about hiring a guide. EM: A moose hunt can be an expensive hunt. There are a lot of things that can factor into the week you spend in the woods. I didn’t realize how much the entire hunt would be. Do you think a lot of hunters understand the costs? JF: Winning a Maine moose permit for most is a once in a lifetime experience, most hunters do not understand the costs and situations that arise...

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