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healthy deer herd
healthy deer herd

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Spot a fawn? Leave it alone!

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...

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Youth Hunting where you are

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 Maine deer herd in such rough shape, is it worth risking the health and growth of the herd to give...

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Week 3

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

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

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 and looking forward to a successful hunt next season. Do you see any other changes being...

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Easy peasy

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 down almost to where the camera is and then started to walk back and eat on the clump of brown...

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Coming up…

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 about the past hunting season, where the numbers are and if he is happy with the progress of the...

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End of season 10

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

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What it means to lose a deer

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 searched again on Sunday trying to find my doe. She was lost. For any hunter, losing a deer is...

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Matching Deer!

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 the left. P.S - for the first time EVER!!! I had 3 ticks on me this weekend. Never have I had those...

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