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Jun 2013 24

What a dead moose can tell you

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 6 min read

Three years ago, Dad and I headed into the woods to get a moose. I took a week off from work and we were rocked and ready. Zone 17. In hindsight, I can see why Rick wanted to trade permits for that zone. Throughout the week, we saw one dead moose and a spot where one was gutted. That was it. It was the second time Dad had been drawn and the first time he didn't come home with some meat. At the start of the 2012 moose season, it was projected that 75,000 moose were roaming the woods. In my interview with Commissioner Woodcock, he spoke about the changes that were taking place this season that would allow more people to get their permit who had not. This past fall, my brother in law (BIL) who is a biologist for the State of Maine was...

Jun 2013 16

Celebrating Outdoor Dads for Father’s Day

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 1 Comment | 4 min read

Dads play an important role in getting the next generation of hunters interested and out in the woods. It takes almost as much skill to get the kids out there as it does to make that shot and harvest an animal. There is the concern over getting cold, keeping their attention and talking about what it means to kill (and then eat) an animal. In honor of Father's Day and all of the great outdoor Dads, I thought that it would be perfect to hear how Bryan includes his sons with his hunting and the excitement they had this past deer season when the boys were with Bryan as he shot his first buck. I have interviewed Bryan before about hunting, fishing and getting his kids involved from an early age but his dedication and his...

Jun 2013 10

Hunter’s patience pays off with increase in permits

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 4 min read

A few weeks ago, I sat down with the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Chandler Woodcock to talk about the increase in moose and doe permits across the State and what it means for sportswomen (and men) this upcoming hunting season. Q: The number of moose permits has been released for 2013 and they have increased since last year (from 3,725 to 4155). What's changed? A: Our biologist, Lee Kantar has been working tirelessly to get an accurate moose count. He has gone up in a helicopter and used some new technology to get accurate numbers of moose around Maine. The majority of the increases will be seen north of Bangor and we looked at each WMD individually to make sure we are carefully monitoring the...

May 2013 27

Then and Now

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 2 min read

As I write this, I am almost 38 weeks pregnant. I finished up my first season (more like sample) of turkey hunting with Dad and have found some things are vastly different than then were 22 weeks ago when I was deer hunting. For starters, Dad and I are novices when it comes to figuring out how turkeys operate. Give me a rainy weekend and I can tell you the times of day that the deer will be moving and when they will bed down. With these turkeys, that rule doesn't seem to apply; they are out in a complete downpour. When I make noise by rattling antlers or using a bleet, I know if I am trying to imitate another buck or a doe. I have no idea what sort of bird I sound like when I use my box call. In the...

May 2013 20

Day 2 of turkey hunting

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Well, we know we are in a good area and that our calls work. We got into the woods by the Sky Condo a little earlier than we did on the first day. The weather predicted rain so we wanted to get in as much time as possible. We got to our ground blind, set up the decoys and settled in to start calling. This morning though, we didn’t have to start anything. We heard a gobble within five minutes of sitting down. I got my box call out and called back. He answered almost immediately. We had a great conversation for a steady 30 minutes with him often double or triple gobbling. Then the gobbles became more spaced apart but did not stop. Dad decided that be would circle down to the power...

May 2013 13

First day of turkey hunting

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 3 min read

It is hard to hunt anything when there are rain drops falling off the trees. It is probably the worst during deer season when everything sounds like the snapping of a branch. But, this was my first day of turkey hunting and having never been before, I had no idea what I should be listening for besides a gobble. Our turkey decoys Dad and I had two decoys set up about 15 yards away from us. I had a slate call, a box call and my camo on. It was starting to get light out when we reached the blind; that time of morning when you can not tell if you really are seeing something move or if it is just your eyes. It was probably a little later than we should have been in the woods, but we are new and learning. About...

May 2013 8

Spot a fawn? Leave it alone!

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Spring is a great time to have a baby (I think). You get the summer off to enjoy the new baby, it’s getting warmer and the farmer’s markets come back. But, I am not the only one who is planning to deliver in the next few weeks; many of Maine’s white-tailed does will be joining me in adding to the population. Does will typically give birth in fields and along the tree line where they are comfortable and not in too much stress. As we get out and about more to enjoy the changing seasons, it is vital that we stay away from does that may seem like they are in trouble (they could be pacing or have their tail up) because they are getting ready to fawn and do not need the added stress. The bulk of the fawning will...

Apr 2013 28

The joys of being a female hunter

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 3 min read

Someday, in my dreams, there will be a store full of outdoor clothing. Deer hunting, turkey hunting, fishing… a store full of every possible article of clothing that you could possibly need. Blaze orange, camo, base layers and outter layers… it will all be there. And the best thing about the whole thing – it will be all women’s clothing and NOT pink! I bought my first pieces of camo this spring in preparation of turkey season. Nothing crazy, just a head/neck cover and a long-sleeve shirt. I had to try and figure out what men’s size I would need that would do the trick and be usable next year (while covering the baby bump this season). I think I did it, but if there were women’s sizes, I could have...

Apr 2013 18

A dinner of meat – for a good cause.

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 1 Comment | 4 min read

Last week, Hubby and I traveled to Unity to the 7th Annual Sportsmen's Conference and Game Dinner and met up with Robin and her family. The dinner raises money for local non-profits and serves game that is usually donated by local hunters, game wardens who take animals that have been poached and the members of the Unity College community. We had everything from elk and bear to togue and beaver. And if you were lucky enough to get tickets to this yearly sold out event, then you were able to enjoy a 5 course meal in addition to the yummy appetizers. I was open to trying anything that would be served - within reason (I won't eat the heart of anything, even when I am not pregnant) and I am happy to report that there...

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Jun 2013 24

What a dead moose can tell you

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 6 min read

Three years ago, Dad and I headed into the woods to get a moose. I took a week off from work and we were rocked and ready. Zone 17. In hindsight, I can see why Rick wanted to trade permits for that zone. Throughout the week, we saw one dead moose and a spot where one was gutted. That was it. It was the second time Dad had been drawn and the first time he didn't come home with some meat. At the start of the 2012 moose season, it was projected that 75,000 moose were roaming the woods. In my interview with Commissioner Woodcock, he spoke about the changes that were taking place this season that would allow more people to get their permit who had not. This past fall, my brother in law (BIL) who is a biologist for the State of Maine was...

Jun 2013 16

Celebrating Outdoor Dads for Father’s Day

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 1 Comment | 4 min read

Dads play an important role in getting the next generation of hunters interested and out in the woods. It takes almost as much skill to get the kids out there as it does to make that shot and harvest an animal. There is the concern over getting cold, keeping their attention and talking about what it means to kill (and then eat) an animal. In honor of Father's Day and all of the great outdoor Dads, I thought that it would be perfect to hear how Bryan includes his sons with his hunting and the excitement they had this past deer season when the boys were with Bryan as he shot his first buck. I have interviewed Bryan before about hunting, fishing and getting his kids involved from an early age but his dedication and his...

Jun 2013 10

Hunter’s patience pays off with increase in permits

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 4 min read

A few weeks ago, I sat down with the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Chandler Woodcock to talk about the increase in moose and doe permits across the State and what it means for sportswomen (and men) this upcoming hunting season. Q: The number of moose permits has been released for 2013 and they have increased since last year (from 3,725 to 4155). What's changed? A: Our biologist, Lee Kantar has been working tirelessly to get an accurate moose count. He has gone up in a helicopter and used some new technology to get accurate numbers of moose around Maine. The majority of the increases will be seen north of Bangor and we looked at each WMD individually to make sure we are carefully monitoring the...

May 2013 27

Then and Now

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 2 min read

As I write this, I am almost 38 weeks pregnant. I finished up my first season (more like sample) of turkey hunting with Dad and have found some things are vastly different than then were 22 weeks ago when I was deer hunting. For starters, Dad and I are novices when it comes to figuring out how turkeys operate. Give me a rainy weekend and I can tell you the times of day that the deer will be moving and when they will bed down. With these turkeys, that rule doesn't seem to apply; they are out in a complete downpour. When I make noise by rattling antlers or using a bleet, I know if I am trying to imitate another buck or a doe. I have no idea what sort of bird I sound like when I use my box call. In the...

May 2013 20

Day 2 of turkey hunting

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Well, we know we are in a good area and that our calls work. We got into the woods by the Sky Condo a little earlier than we did on the first day. The weather predicted rain so we wanted to get in as much time as possible. We got to our ground blind, set up the decoys and settled in to start calling. This morning though, we didn’t have to start anything. We heard a gobble within five minutes of sitting down. I got my box call out and called back. He answered almost immediately. We had a great conversation for a steady 30 minutes with him often double or triple gobbling. Then the gobbles became more spaced apart but did not stop. Dad decided that be would circle down to the power...

May 2013 13

First day of turkey hunting

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 3 min read

It is hard to hunt anything when there are rain drops falling off the trees. It is probably the worst during deer season when everything sounds like the snapping of a branch. But, this was my first day of turkey hunting and having never been before, I had no idea what I should be listening for besides a gobble. Our turkey decoys Dad and I had two decoys set up about 15 yards away from us. I had a slate call, a box call and my camo on. It was starting to get light out when we reached the blind; that time of morning when you can not tell if you really are seeing something move or if it is just your eyes. It was probably a little later than we should have been in the woods, but we are new and learning. About...

May 2013 8

Spot a fawn? Leave it alone!

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Spring is a great time to have a baby (I think). You get the summer off to enjoy the new baby, it’s getting warmer and the farmer’s markets come back. But, I am not the only one who is planning to deliver in the next few weeks; many of Maine’s white-tailed does will be joining me in adding to the population. Does will typically give birth in fields and along the tree line where they are comfortable and not in too much stress. As we get out and about more to enjoy the changing seasons, it is vital that we stay away from does that may seem like they are in trouble (they could be pacing or have their tail up) because they are getting ready to fawn and do not need the added stress. The bulk of the fawning will...

Apr 2013 28

The joys of being a female hunter

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 3 min read

Someday, in my dreams, there will be a store full of outdoor clothing. Deer hunting, turkey hunting, fishing… a store full of every possible article of clothing that you could possibly need. Blaze orange, camo, base layers and outter layers… it will all be there. And the best thing about the whole thing – it will be all women’s clothing and NOT pink! I bought my first pieces of camo this spring in preparation of turkey season. Nothing crazy, just a head/neck cover and a long-sleeve shirt. I had to try and figure out what men’s size I would need that would do the trick and be usable next year (while covering the baby bump this season). I think I did it, but if there were women’s sizes, I could have...

Apr 2013 18

A dinner of meat – for a good cause.

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 1 Comment | 4 min read

Last week, Hubby and I traveled to Unity to the 7th Annual Sportsmen's Conference and Game Dinner and met up with Robin and her family. The dinner raises money for local non-profits and serves game that is usually donated by local hunters, game wardens who take animals that have been poached and the members of the Unity College community. We had everything from elk and bear to togue and beaver. And if you were lucky enough to get tickets to this yearly sold out event, then you were able to enjoy a 5 course meal in addition to the yummy appetizers. I was open to trying anything that would be served - within reason (I won't eat the heart of anything, even when I am not pregnant) and I am happy to report that there...

Show Me More Articles

Enjoy these Uncategorized articles

Jun 2013 24

What a dead moose can tell you

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 6 min read

Three years ago, Dad and I headed into the woods to get a moose. I took a week off from work and we were rocked and ready. Zone 17. In hindsight, I can see why Rick wanted to trade permits for that zone. Throughout the week, we saw one dead moose and a spot where one was gutted. That was it. It was the second time Dad had been drawn and the first time he didn't come home with some meat. At the start of the 2012 moose season, it was projected that 75,000 moose were roaming the woods. In my interview with Commissioner Woodcock, he spoke about the changes that were taking place this season that would allow more people to get their permit who had not. This past fall, my brother in law (BIL) who is a biologist for the State of Maine was...

Jun 2013 16

Celebrating Outdoor Dads for Father’s Day

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 1 Comment | 4 min read

Dads play an important role in getting the next generation of hunters interested and out in the woods. It takes almost as much skill to get the kids out there as it does to make that shot and harvest an animal. There is the concern over getting cold, keeping their attention and talking about what it means to kill (and then eat) an animal. In honor of Father's Day and all of the great outdoor Dads, I thought that it would be perfect to hear how Bryan includes his sons with his hunting and the excitement they had this past deer season when the boys were with Bryan as he shot his first buck. I have interviewed Bryan before about hunting, fishing and getting his kids involved from an early age but his dedication and his...

Jun 2013 10

Hunter’s patience pays off with increase in permits

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 4 min read

A few weeks ago, I sat down with the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Chandler Woodcock to talk about the increase in moose and doe permits across the State and what it means for sportswomen (and men) this upcoming hunting season. Q: The number of moose permits has been released for 2013 and they have increased since last year (from 3,725 to 4155). What's changed? A: Our biologist, Lee Kantar has been working tirelessly to get an accurate moose count. He has gone up in a helicopter and used some new technology to get accurate numbers of moose around Maine. The majority of the increases will be seen north of Bangor and we looked at each WMD individually to make sure we are carefully monitoring the...

May 2013 27

Then and Now

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 2 min read

As I write this, I am almost 38 weeks pregnant. I finished up my first season (more like sample) of turkey hunting with Dad and have found some things are vastly different than then were 22 weeks ago when I was deer hunting. For starters, Dad and I are novices when it comes to figuring out how turkeys operate. Give me a rainy weekend and I can tell you the times of day that the deer will be moving and when they will bed down. With these turkeys, that rule doesn't seem to apply; they are out in a complete downpour. When I make noise by rattling antlers or using a bleet, I know if I am trying to imitate another buck or a doe. I have no idea what sort of bird I sound like when I use my box call. In the...

May 2013 20

Day 2 of turkey hunting

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Well, we know we are in a good area and that our calls work. We got into the woods by the Sky Condo a little earlier than we did on the first day. The weather predicted rain so we wanted to get in as much time as possible. We got to our ground blind, set up the decoys and settled in to start calling. This morning though, we didn’t have to start anything. We heard a gobble within five minutes of sitting down. I got my box call out and called back. He answered almost immediately. We had a great conversation for a steady 30 minutes with him often double or triple gobbling. Then the gobbles became more spaced apart but did not stop. Dad decided that be would circle down to the power...

May 2013 13

First day of turkey hunting

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 3 min read

It is hard to hunt anything when there are rain drops falling off the trees. It is probably the worst during deer season when everything sounds like the snapping of a branch. But, this was my first day of turkey hunting and having never been before, I had no idea what I should be listening for besides a gobble. Our turkey decoys Dad and I had two decoys set up about 15 yards away from us. I had a slate call, a box call and my camo on. It was starting to get light out when we reached the blind; that time of morning when you can not tell if you really are seeing something move or if it is just your eyes. It was probably a little later than we should have been in the woods, but we are new and learning. About...

May 2013 8

Spot a fawn? Leave it alone!

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Spring is a great time to have a baby (I think). You get the summer off to enjoy the new baby, it’s getting warmer and the farmer’s markets come back. But, I am not the only one who is planning to deliver in the next few weeks; many of Maine’s white-tailed does will be joining me in adding to the population. Does will typically give birth in fields and along the tree line where they are comfortable and not in too much stress. As we get out and about more to enjoy the changing seasons, it is vital that we stay away from does that may seem like they are in trouble (they could be pacing or have their tail up) because they are getting ready to fawn and do not need the added stress. The bulk of the fawning will...

Apr 2013 28

The joys of being a female hunter

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 4 Comments | 3 min read

Someday, in my dreams, there will be a store full of outdoor clothing. Deer hunting, turkey hunting, fishing… a store full of every possible article of clothing that you could possibly need. Blaze orange, camo, base layers and outter layers… it will all be there. And the best thing about the whole thing – it will be all women’s clothing and NOT pink! I bought my first pieces of camo this spring in preparation of turkey season. Nothing crazy, just a head/neck cover and a long-sleeve shirt. I had to try and figure out what men’s size I would need that would do the trick and be usable next year (while covering the baby bump this season). I think I did it, but if there were women’s sizes, I could have...

Apr 2013 18

A dinner of meat – for a good cause.

By Erin M | Uncategorized | 1 Comment | 4 min read

Last week, Hubby and I traveled to Unity to the 7th Annual Sportsmen's Conference and Game Dinner and met up with Robin and her family. The dinner raises money for local non-profits and serves game that is usually donated by local hunters, game wardens who take animals that have been poached and the members of the Unity College community. We had everything from elk and bear to togue and beaver. And if you were lucky enough to get tickets to this yearly sold out event, then you were able to enjoy a 5 course meal in addition to the yummy appetizers. I was open to trying anything that would be served - within reason (I won't eat the heart of anything, even when I am not pregnant) and I am happy to report that there...

Show Me More Articles