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May 2014 30

For Military Appreciation Month – House in the Woods

By | Adventures in the Woods, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | 4 min read

Visiting a cemetery days after Memorial Day was surprisingly emotional for me.  As I pushed my almost 1-year old in his stroller past the rows of stones, I was touched by the number of those sites that had American flags next to them. I thought about those who had given their lives for the freedoms that my son will enjoy.  I also started thinking about an incredible family that I met at a Sportsmans show earlier this spring.  Paul and Dee House turned their tragedy into something that I want to support and tell you about: There is some notoriety that you don't want to have.  If you Google "Lee, Maine" you will find articles about the documentary "Welcome to Lee, Maine" and see that Lee is known for being the...

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May 2014 23

A little nostalgia to make you smile

By | Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 3 min read

A little while ago, I wrote about George Smith's book, "A Life Lived Outdoors." At the time, I had not finished the book.  Now that I have I want to share more of my thoughts. If you love the outdoors and have hunting and fishing stories of your own, you will immediately connect with George and his retelling of those days in the woods.  There is an immediate smile that comes across your face as you read about camp and the sounds, smells and feel of being in a small building surrounded by the Maine North Woods.  I couldn't help but be jealous of George's ability to leave the hussle and bussle of  daily life to retreat to a place where the windows may need to be replaced but the fish bite, the moose are neighbors and...

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Apr 2014 1

Taking turkey hunting to the next level?

By | Turkey Hunting | 4 Comments | 1 min read

As I was driving to work today I had a thought; one of my biggest issues with transitioning to turkey hunting is the idea of aiming at the head and hoping enough pellets are close enough together to kill the bird.  What if I learned to bow hunt for turkey?  That would give me one arrow to aim (like one bullet) and I would have one target to hit instead of aiming in a general spot. For those of you avid turkey hunters, what is your thought on this?  I would not be able to do this until next year, but it is a tempting thought.  Will it work?

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Mar 2014 31

Here a tree stand, there a tree stand, everywhere a tree stand!

By | Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer | 1 Comment | 1 min read

While out on our snowmobile ride, we went down a stretch of powerline that was peppered with deer stands.  I envision something like the Dunkin Donuts/snowplow commercial where one deer steps out and there are at least three hunters ready to take aim. I am glad that we hunt on private land! Here are the photos.  Which one would YOU want to hunt...

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Mar 2014 23

A clothing revolution

By | Hunting Tips and Tricks | 2 Comments | 2 min read

I have blogged before about women's hunting clothes, or the lack thereof.  This year, as I prepare to take on turkey season, goose season and my beloved deer season, I am starting to really look at what I wear and what I need to stay warm and mobile.  I'm a still hunter.  I find a spot and sit. I have also been given fair warning by Dad that come November, I should assume that I will be pulling 5-6 hour stints in one spot.  Last year, with my layers (three on bottom and seven!! on top), it was tough to get my gun nestled into the crook of my shoulder and have control.  I realized that I needed better, thinner layers. Photo from Northern Solstice Alpaca's Facebook page. So I was intrigued when I spoke with Robin...

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Jan 2014 13

I am going to hunt geese!

By | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine | 5 Comments | 1 min read

Photo from Ducks.org While drinking coffee and reading the latest issue of Ducks Unlimited, I decided that I want to shoot a goose.  I know nothing about it; not what type of gun and ammo to use or how close I need to be.  I did learned that the season in Maine is the fall, which will work well for my schedule and learning curve. When I was younger, my neighbor and I would track geese in the corn fields.  We were not trying to hurt the birds, just wanted to see how close we could get.  At our best, we got within 20 feet of a flock of snow geese before they saw up coming up over the knoll. The thunderous sound of the birds taking off was startling and amazing.  I have never shot a bird, only deer.  Dad and...

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Nov 2013 5

Maine’s Deer Herd in 2013

By | Hunting in Maine, Whitetail Deer | 0 Comments | 4 min read

I recently sat down with Kyle Ravana, the state’s deer biologist, to talk about what his goals are for the deer herd, what challenges he sees ahead and he answers the question: “Would you rather have a warm winter that is easy on deer or a harsh winter that kills off a lot of deer ticks?” Maine Biologist, Kyle Ravana You took over this position in February. What are your goals for your first year on the job? I really want to get familiar with the job, the materials that we have and the current deer data. I’m diving into the management systems that we have and looking at what our strengths and weaknesses are. I have been researching how other states work with their deer herds and what works or doesn’t work for them in terms of...

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Jun 2013 24

What a dead moose can tell you

By | 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...

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