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Wildlife Conservation

Wildlife Conservation

Sep 2017 1

An increase in trespassing

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Trail cameras are addicting. You buy one, get some pictures then decide that you should have another one at a certain intersection and the next thing you know, you are like us and have almost 10 out in the woods, trying to pattern your deer. That excitement of pulling those memory cards quickly vanishes when you see things that don’t belong on your property. In the past couple of months, we have had lots of activity on the trail cameras; a car driving around in the newly planted clover and a man walking through a highly traveled deer intersection. Both men had to make an effort to get where they were; this was not just an 'oops, I took a wrong turn.' We had posted signs up already and clearly that was not enough...

Jul 2017 28

Why kids don’t know their animals

By Erin M | Scat and Tracks, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 3 min read

A few weeks ago, my kiddo was handed a piece of paper from his teacher. I was standing next to him as she told him that when he and his family go for walks in the woods, we could look for some of these animal tracks. My first thought was that it was odd to see "cow" listed there since you don't typically find cows in the woods. As I skimmed down through the sheet, I was mortified. When I got home, I made an "x" next to all of the animals/tracks that do NOT live in Maine. To me, this is just laziness. There is no moose or white tailed deer listed on here. No black bear or turkey. Even if you had no idea about the outdoors and the animals who live in your home state, you still know that the four animals that I...

Feb 2017 6

Really! Stop feeding the deer

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 4 min read

It's that time of year when deer are yarded up and surviving the harsh winter weather. I've been fortunate enough to see lots of healthy looking deer while walking through the woods. In talking with friends about the deer herd in their area, they have mentioned that they want to start feeding the deer to help them make it through the winter. I quickly respond with NO! Don't feed the deer! It is fun to see deer come out of the woods and munch on grain or corn, but what a lot of people don't realize is that feeding deer these foods during the winter months could have dire consequences and could actually kill the deer that they are trying to help. Here are the primary reason why you should not feed deer during the winter: Biological...

Dec 2016 19

United, we win.

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 4 min read

United, we win. The more involved you get with something, the more frustrated you can become when priorities shift, you see behind that iron curtain and you lose sight of what’s important and made you get involved in the first place. It’s hard to get reenergized and motivated sometimes, especially when there are so many divides. I have been partly amused and partly disheartened to read articles that my fellow outdoor writers have written about how they miss the ‘good ole days’ of hunting when women were home with the kids and not out in the woods. I hate to break it to you, but women are the only way that the next generation of hunters are going to take to the woods. WE are teaching our children why it is so important to...

Jan 2016 29

If you want me to write for you

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 3 min read

I started writing here in 2009 and have steadily watched the number of folks, like yourself, who read my blog, grow. It has been fantastic to hear from you in emails, read your comments and see you liking the Facebook page. It is my responsibility to you that I have a blog that you want to come and read. Writing is based on relationships and shared experiences and connecting with one another and I take that seriously when I post. Writing is not my full-time job. It's not even my second full-time job (mom) or third on my list of priorities (I sit on a few boards and committees) but I love it and that is why I do it. I have had the privilege of writing for Downeast Magazine and I have my monthly column in the Northwoods...

Nov 2015 2

The Right to Hunt

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I recently wrote an article for The Liberty Project on the right to hunt and the legislative bill in Wisconsin that would prohibit people (anti-hunters) from harassing hunters on public land. Check out the article here and let me know what your thoughts are!

Oct 2015 19

The joys of owning land

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 4 Comments | 2 min read

How does the saying go? Good fences make good neighbors? If that's the case, what do posted signs make? Two posted signs and a property marker tied onto the tree After a few incidents last year, Dad and I spent Saturday putting up posted signs around the piece of property. It is kinda of sad to think about the changes over the past few years and how it used to not be an issue: people knew who owned what pieces of land and who hunted on them. There was a respect for owners and when they said no to hunting, it was respected. Last year, I was yelled at while sitting in my tree seat, we had people walking along the edge of our property and our neighbor had hunters that he did not know, sit in his blind and...

Sep 2015 11

No more skulls

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 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 seemed to come off quickly and my guide made sure that he kept the paws intact with pads and...

Jan 2015 8

Me and My Land

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 4 min read

The Maine legislature begins its next session soon and while there are a bunch of wildlife bills being put forward to help keep Maine's wildlife safe and healthy, each year there is one argument that is heard over and over and over again - the desire for Sunday hunting in Maine. The law has been on the books since the 1800's and there have been bills to try and get it over turned but nothing has worked. Many people think that the law is outdated, needs to be changed and is costing Maine revenue from hunters who would come here to hunt. Here are the most common arguments heard for it: 1. People who work Monday-Friday only have Saturday to hunt 2. If you own the land, why can't you hunt on it whenever you want? I sat in a meeting...

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Sep 2017 1

An increase in trespassing

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Trail cameras are addicting. You buy one, get some pictures then decide that you should have another one at a certain intersection and the next thing you know, you are like us and have almost 10 out in the woods, trying to pattern your deer. That excitement of pulling those memory cards quickly vanishes when you see things that don’t belong on your property. In the past couple of months, we have had lots of activity on the trail cameras; a car driving around in the newly planted clover and a man walking through a highly traveled deer intersection. Both men had to make an effort to get where they were; this was not just an 'oops, I took a wrong turn.' We had posted signs up already and clearly that was not enough...

Jul 2017 28

Why kids don’t know their animals

By Erin M | Scat and Tracks, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 3 min read

A few weeks ago, my kiddo was handed a piece of paper from his teacher. I was standing next to him as she told him that when he and his family go for walks in the woods, we could look for some of these animal tracks. My first thought was that it was odd to see "cow" listed there since you don't typically find cows in the woods. As I skimmed down through the sheet, I was mortified. When I got home, I made an "x" next to all of the animals/tracks that do NOT live in Maine. To me, this is just laziness. There is no moose or white tailed deer listed on here. No black bear or turkey. Even if you had no idea about the outdoors and the animals who live in your home state, you still know that the four animals that I...

Feb 2017 6

Really! Stop feeding the deer

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 4 min read

It's that time of year when deer are yarded up and surviving the harsh winter weather. I've been fortunate enough to see lots of healthy looking deer while walking through the woods. In talking with friends about the deer herd in their area, they have mentioned that they want to start feeding the deer to help them make it through the winter. I quickly respond with NO! Don't feed the deer! It is fun to see deer come out of the woods and munch on grain or corn, but what a lot of people don't realize is that feeding deer these foods during the winter months could have dire consequences and could actually kill the deer that they are trying to help. Here are the primary reason why you should not feed deer during the winter: Biological...

Dec 2016 19

United, we win.

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 4 min read

United, we win. The more involved you get with something, the more frustrated you can become when priorities shift, you see behind that iron curtain and you lose sight of what’s important and made you get involved in the first place. It’s hard to get reenergized and motivated sometimes, especially when there are so many divides. I have been partly amused and partly disheartened to read articles that my fellow outdoor writers have written about how they miss the ‘good ole days’ of hunting when women were home with the kids and not out in the woods. I hate to break it to you, but women are the only way that the next generation of hunters are going to take to the woods. WE are teaching our children why it is so important to...

Jan 2016 29

If you want me to write for you

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 3 min read

I started writing here in 2009 and have steadily watched the number of folks, like yourself, who read my blog, grow. It has been fantastic to hear from you in emails, read your comments and see you liking the Facebook page. It is my responsibility to you that I have a blog that you want to come and read. Writing is based on relationships and shared experiences and connecting with one another and I take that seriously when I post. Writing is not my full-time job. It's not even my second full-time job (mom) or third on my list of priorities (I sit on a few boards and committees) but I love it and that is why I do it. I have had the privilege of writing for Downeast Magazine and I have my monthly column in the Northwoods...

Nov 2015 2

The Right to Hunt

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I recently wrote an article for The Liberty Project on the right to hunt and the legislative bill in Wisconsin that would prohibit people (anti-hunters) from harassing hunters on public land. Check out the article here and let me know what your thoughts are!

Oct 2015 19

The joys of owning land

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 4 Comments | 2 min read

How does the saying go? Good fences make good neighbors? If that's the case, what do posted signs make? Two posted signs and a property marker tied onto the tree After a few incidents last year, Dad and I spent Saturday putting up posted signs around the piece of property. It is kinda of sad to think about the changes over the past few years and how it used to not be an issue: people knew who owned what pieces of land and who hunted on them. There was a respect for owners and when they said no to hunting, it was respected. Last year, I was yelled at while sitting in my tree seat, we had people walking along the edge of our property and our neighbor had hunters that he did not know, sit in his blind and...

Sep 2015 11

No more skulls

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 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 seemed to come off quickly and my guide made sure that he kept the paws intact with pads and...

Jan 2015 8

Me and My Land

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 4 min read

The Maine legislature begins its next session soon and while there are a bunch of wildlife bills being put forward to help keep Maine's wildlife safe and healthy, each year there is one argument that is heard over and over and over again - the desire for Sunday hunting in Maine. The law has been on the books since the 1800's and there have been bills to try and get it over turned but nothing has worked. Many people think that the law is outdated, needs to be changed and is costing Maine revenue from hunters who would come here to hunt. Here are the most common arguments heard for it: 1. People who work Monday-Friday only have Saturday to hunt 2. If you own the land, why can't you hunt on it whenever you want? I sat in a meeting...

Show Me More Articles

Enjoy these Wildlife Conservation articles

Sep 2017 1

An increase in trespassing

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Trail cameras are addicting. You buy one, get some pictures then decide that you should have another one at a certain intersection and the next thing you know, you are like us and have almost 10 out in the woods, trying to pattern your deer. That excitement of pulling those memory cards quickly vanishes when you see things that don’t belong on your property. In the past couple of months, we have had lots of activity on the trail cameras; a car driving around in the newly planted clover and a man walking through a highly traveled deer intersection. Both men had to make an effort to get where they were; this was not just an 'oops, I took a wrong turn.' We had posted signs up already and clearly that was not enough...

Jul 2017 28

Why kids don’t know their animals

By Erin M | Scat and Tracks, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 3 min read

A few weeks ago, my kiddo was handed a piece of paper from his teacher. I was standing next to him as she told him that when he and his family go for walks in the woods, we could look for some of these animal tracks. My first thought was that it was odd to see "cow" listed there since you don't typically find cows in the woods. As I skimmed down through the sheet, I was mortified. When I got home, I made an "x" next to all of the animals/tracks that do NOT live in Maine. To me, this is just laziness. There is no moose or white tailed deer listed on here. No black bear or turkey. Even if you had no idea about the outdoors and the animals who live in your home state, you still know that the four animals that I...

Feb 2017 6

Really! Stop feeding the deer

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 4 min read

It's that time of year when deer are yarded up and surviving the harsh winter weather. I've been fortunate enough to see lots of healthy looking deer while walking through the woods. In talking with friends about the deer herd in their area, they have mentioned that they want to start feeding the deer to help them make it through the winter. I quickly respond with NO! Don't feed the deer! It is fun to see deer come out of the woods and munch on grain or corn, but what a lot of people don't realize is that feeding deer these foods during the winter months could have dire consequences and could actually kill the deer that they are trying to help. Here are the primary reason why you should not feed deer during the winter: Biological...

Stop feeding deer in Maine

Dec 2016 19

United, we win.

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 4 min read

United, we win. The more involved you get with something, the more frustrated you can become when priorities shift, you see behind that iron curtain and you lose sight of what’s important and made you get involved in the first place. It’s hard to get reenergized and motivated sometimes, especially when there are so many divides. I have been partly amused and partly disheartened to read articles that my fellow outdoor writers have written about how they miss the ‘good ole days’ of hunting when women were home with the kids and not out in the woods. I hate to break it to you, but women are the only way that the next generation of hunters are going to take to the woods. WE are teaching our children why it is so important to...

Jan 2016 29

If you want me to write for you

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 3 min read

I started writing here in 2009 and have steadily watched the number of folks, like yourself, who read my blog, grow. It has been fantastic to hear from you in emails, read your comments and see you liking the Facebook page. It is my responsibility to you that I have a blog that you want to come and read. Writing is based on relationships and shared experiences and connecting with one another and I take that seriously when I post. Writing is not my full-time job. It's not even my second full-time job (mom) or third on my list of priorities (I sit on a few boards and committees) but I love it and that is why I do it. I have had the privilege of writing for Downeast Magazine and I have my monthly column in the Northwoods...

Nov 2015 2

The Right to Hunt

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I recently wrote an article for The Liberty Project on the right to hunt and the legislative bill in Wisconsin that would prohibit people (anti-hunters) from harassing hunters on public land. Check out the article here and let me know what your thoughts are!

Oct 2015 19

The joys of owning land

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 4 Comments | 2 min read

How does the saying go? Good fences make good neighbors? If that's the case, what do posted signs make? Two posted signs and a property marker tied onto the tree After a few incidents last year, Dad and I spent Saturday putting up posted signs around the piece of property. It is kinda of sad to think about the changes over the past few years and how it used to not be an issue: people knew who owned what pieces of land and who hunted on them. There was a respect for owners and when they said no to hunting, it was respected. Last year, I was yelled at while sitting in my tree seat, we had people walking along the edge of our property and our neighbor had hunters that he did not know, sit in his blind and...

Sep 2015 11

No more skulls

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 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 seemed to come off quickly and my guide made sure that he kept the paws intact with pads and...

Jan 2015 8

Me and My Land

By Erin M | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 4 min read

The Maine legislature begins its next session soon and while there are a bunch of wildlife bills being put forward to help keep Maine's wildlife safe and healthy, each year there is one argument that is heard over and over and over again - the desire for Sunday hunting in Maine. The law has been on the books since the 1800's and there have been bills to try and get it over turned but nothing has worked. Many people think that the law is outdated, needs to be changed and is costing Maine revenue from hunters who would come here to hunt. Here are the most common arguments heard for it: 1. People who work Monday-Friday only have Saturday to hunt 2. If you own the land, why can't you hunt on it whenever you want? I sat in a meeting...

Show Me More Articles