The Simplicity Of Maine Hunting In Todays Hunting World

Today is November 21st the day before Thanksgiving and this deer season is shaping up to be another great one for my family. As of today my father, uncle, 2 cousins and I have already tagged deer with plans and trips scheduled for some of us to hopefully get a few more. A very exciting fall for sure. As I sit here typing this I look outside my window to a fresh 5 inches of snow, the Maine hunter's dream. This season has really sparked me to reflect greatly on the traditions of hunting in this region and just how different it really is from so many places out there. Last night I was watching one of the outdoor channels here at the house and I found myself borderline disappointed by what I witnessed in one of the hunting shows. I watched as a crew flew to a certain game ranch, looked through thousands of trail camera pictures at a series of deer that were all named. They then went out hunting the next day to watch several deer over a corn pile come in before shooting a specific buck, while ensuring all involved mentioned that they never would have got a deer without this specific scope, rifle, scent blocker, clothing, the list goes on and on and on. In fact, you would've thought based on this show and those in it that if you were driving anything other than the brand new Chevy Silverado that killing a deer anywhere in the country was impossible. I get it, sponsors front money and expect marketing and endorsements in return, but the commercialization of these hunts just seems to take so much away from it for me. Please be aware, in no way am I bashing these hunters or their farms. They are legally hunting and that is great and I say all the more power to them. I don't frown upon a hunter taking a deer by whatever means are legally allowed in that area however these shows seem to give me so much appreciation for what we have here in Maine. The sense of adventure and the idea of getting to camp being just as exciting as actually being there is an element that most Maine hunters understand and that few professional shows are able to encompass. If you've never deer hunted Maine I can assure you, its a lot different than anything you see on TV, especially the further north you go. What you find the further north in Maine you go is a simpler form of hunting, where we wear wool instead of gore-tex, prefer following a deer track on snow to sitting in a stand if conditions allow and where guns that the outdoor television never has present such as the Remington 7600, Marlin 336 or Browning BAR dominate the gun racks in camp. You'll also find free range access to land, something non-residents are always amazed by. Imagine taking a buck track on snow, following it for 10+ miles and never worrying about which property line you are on. It's not that way everywhere, but in the North Maine Woods that is the reality. You will also find deer can seem at times "rare", usually the greatest challenge or frustration to some, but the right person sees the reward in such a challenge. If you are one of the fortunate hunters to encounter a big buck, don't be surprised if it ends up being the largest you'll ever get. Maybe not from an antler perspective, but certainly from a body size stand point. Here in Maine in many circles it seems that body weight is more important than inches of antler and if you are proud of a deer you shot because it measures 153" don't be surprised if the first statement out of a north woods hunter is, "that's awesome! How much did it weigh"? I have good friends from college who live in other states and they always love to joke about how a Mainer would prefer to shoot a 200lb 6 pointer over anything else out there. If I'm honest, for many, a fair amount of truth is present in that statement. When I watch our commercialized hunting on television I can't help but long for some sort of a sense of real adventure. Deep in the woods, in outfitter tents or small camps handed down through the family for decades instead of 5 start resorts, where deer are shot with grandpas rifle rather than "the new X-rifle from X-company in a new caliber that will change everything" and where experience gained through time in the woods is much more important than how many gadgets and how much money you can spend on tools. It is funny that as I turn 30 I'm realizing I've been deer hunting in Maine for 20 years, and I've been blessed to shoot a deer more years than I haven't. The greatest change I've seen is how I've stopped worrying about all the things that the outdoor channel says I need to worry about. Yes scent matters, but playing the wind will always work better than $1,000 worth of scent spray or special clothes endorsed by the media. The 30-06 and 7mm REM MAG are still capable of killing a deer no matter how heavily marketed the 6.5 creedmore or Nosler calibers are. Again, I am not writing this piece to bash the progression of the hunting industry. I have a couple trail cameras myself and I know that the new caliber rifles of today are excellent firearms. My point is simply highlighting that we as hunters don't gain major advantages from how much money we spend at a sporting goods store. The prime example being that as I think of this fall and years past I wonder, are my friends and family members really that good? So good that they don't need thousands of dollars worth of equipment hyped as "essential" or "critical" by celebrity hunters to get deer in one of the hardest to hunt states in the USA? Or is it something different? Maybe its just that commercialization has made things appear to be more complicated than they really are. Maybe focusing on hunting and learning deer behavior and studying the area you are in is way more important than how many times you dripped your estrous scent or looked at your app on your phone telling you the "best time to hunt". Maybe we all need to focus on the basics? I'm proud to be a Maine hunter in an area where we keep things simple and I encourage everyone to experience it and take on the challenge of deer hunting in Maine if you never have. It really is a special place. The people are great, the woods and deer are big and the challenge of getting one is incredibly rewarding. Don't be surprised though, that if you fall in love with it, you feel slightly out of place hunting anywhere else. I want to end with wishing everyone who reads this a Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you have had and continue to have a safe and successful hunting season and if you get the chance the rest of the year, introduce someone to hunting. You'll give them the greatest gift they'll ever receive. As always my friends, shoot straight and shoot often.

Camp Crags Crew

 

Every year in late October/Early November there is a tradition which runs back decades that I've have the distinct honor and pleasure to become a part of; The Camp Crags Crew heads to camp. Every year a group of men are in at this northwoods camp for 1-2 weeks, partaking in the annual hunting trip. I became a part of this yearly ritual when I met my wife and began becoming close with her family and as a result "the hunters" pulled me in and asked me to join in their special yearly trip four years ago and I haven't missed a year since I started going.

Now I have to admit when I first went on this trip I was expecting to see gritty hardcore hunters who sleep over night in their tree stands and harvest monster bucks every year; but that was not the case. Instead I met some of the nicest, funniest and most relaxed "hunters" who have ever ventured into the Maine Woods. While I haven't learned many lessons on hunting and how to chase down a big buck from this crew who goes to camp every year; what they have done is remind what hunting is really all about and for that I'm not only grateful, I'm lucky.

I've been blessed with many yearly harvests and have taken a couple trophies along the way. As a younger hunter often times it is easy to get swept up in the desire to actually kill something on your trip. The problem with that is if you are focusing only on getting that big deer or moose you really do lose out on all the other lessons you can learn through hunting. An agenda for a hunting trip which focuses only on killing something really loses sight of what hunting camp is all about and is quite frankly the exact opposite of the agenda at Camp Crags. Honestly, The Camp Crags Crew from the outside looking in seems to have the following priorities/agenda:

1.) Eat
2.) Sleep In
3.) Eat
4.) Maybe go for a 45 minute walk in the woods around noon time
5.) Return to camp to Eat

While a lot of that is true, because we do eat a lot and man do we eat like kings, we also have something much more important than a 200lb deer. We have something that can only be described as a brotherhood. While some of us do have actual blood family ties we are also tied together by something you can't explain, however you can feel it; the soul of Camp Crags. Hunters have laughed, drank, told stories, and celebrated success in the walls of that building for nearly a century and you can feel the absolute joyous nature to this amazing place we call "Camp Crags". The reason this tradition continues is because of the crew who choose to spend their vacation time season after season venturing to this distant north-land camp every year to seek the companionship which only those who are a part of it can fully understand. These men truly encompass what it is all about to be at camp and to be a hunter, and that is to have fun. You don't have to harvest a deer of any kind when you go to camp, in fact some of our crew never have but it doesn't mean their time at camp is any less productive or any less essential to making our yearly trip a success. Sitting down for dinner and laughing so hard you literally hurt, or feeling the joyous happiness we all feel on the first night there as we crack open a bottle and celebrate being together with beloved friends who we haven't seen in a year is really what hunting camp is all about, no harvest is required.

My reason for this blog post is because I fear due to the Hunting on Television and Social Media we seem to show hunter success through harvesting game as the only measure for a successful trip and as a result I feel we are losing sight of who we really are and it is hurting the sport of hunting. Now I'm not here to rip on anyone for being excited when harvesting an animal, after all that is why we are hunters but there really is so much more to it than bragging rights. Fred Bear, one of the greatest and most successful archers in history said it best when he said, "If you consider an unsuccessful hunt to be a waste of time, then the true meaning of the chase eludes you all together". As hunters we are stewards of the land, who's priority should be to cherish and love what mother nature has provided us and also seek to embrace those people we care about and further bring them into the outdoors as well. If you are fortunate enough to harvest a great animal then I send you a million congratulations, but if you don't end up lucky enough to bring something home and are very upset and depressed as a result it may be time to reflect on what your priorities are in the woods. Life is far too short to stress about missing a shot or bumping a deer before you are ready to shoot. Are you challenging yourself? Are you having fun? Would you rather be on your hunting trip than any place else? If you answer yes to those three questions my friends then you already are having a successful and beautiful hunting trip, even without bagging a trophy.

As the off season drags on and we all make our pre-season preparations and dream about that big buck I think we should all take a moment and reflect on what makes us smile when we think about hunting camp. Those few seconds when you actually kill a deer are minuscule when compared to the late evenings on the porch, the feasts around the table, or the stories told outside over an open fire from years ago with your closest family and friends by your side. I have to say that while the Camp Crags Crew as a whole may not put the most meat on the pole every year what we do have is something that unfortunately a lot of other camps are missing. I've personally been very fortunate in my hunting career thus far with many successful hunts, certificates and shoulder patches; but none of that gives me the joy I feel every year as I pick up Uncle Tom and drive north to Camp Crags in anticipation of a long trip with the great men that make up the Camp Crags Crew. I'm a very proud member of this group of hunters and I'm counting down the days until once again we are back at camp together on our yearly hunting trip. This crew may have one of the lowest kill percentages in the Maine woods, but its true "success rate" in my opinion is no question 100% every single year. 

My hope for all you hunters out there is that you take a moment and realize the people at your camp are what make it so beautiful, the racks on the wall? Those are simply the icing on the cake; a cake that in and of itself is already perfect.

As always my friends, shoot straight and shoot often.

A Good But Scary Year For Maine Hunting

Well I'm happy to report that the great state of Maine once again beat back the Humane Society of the United States and protected our rights as hunters here in Maine. The bear referendum, seeking to ban the baiting, hounding and trapping of bears went to a public vote and lost roughly 54-46%, essentially exactly the same results as the referendum this same group pushed back in 2004. I personally want to thank all my fellow Mainers for voting NO on question 1 this year, I appreciate your support more than you will ever know. I am tempted to relax, sit back and enjoy the victory however the time for that is definitely not here. This group has already vowed to seek additional efforts in the 2016 presidential election when voter turn out is expected to be much higher. The time has finally come for us as Maine Sportsmen and Sportswomen to be proactive in preserving our rights. Here is the list of things I think we should all put into our daily routine going forward to ensure we not only gain additional support from others in our state but also improve our image amongst all people.

1.) Always conduct ourselves in a respectful, cool and collected manner, even when faced with those who are passionately opposed to what we do. Taking the moral high road, not stooping to the level of emotional reactions will always benefit our image within the general public.

2.) Do small things to help build land owner relations. Maine is primarily privately owned property and arguably the most threatening thing to our hunting heritage is the posting of land and loss of access. If you have a landowner who allows you to hunt their property be sure to thank them! Send them a Christmas card, offer a couple prime steaks if you are fortunate enough to harvest a deer off their land, if you know they drink, buy them a bottle of their favorite whiskey, etc. I know having a great place to hunt to me is worth way more than a 55$ bottle of whiskey! Make them know we appreciate the privilege of using their land.

3.) Turn in those who are ruining our image. This is very controversial, but if you know people who are poaching, trespassing, tearing up land, ruining snowmobile trails, etc. you need to speak up. These actions are broadcasted more than ever due to social media and the instantaneous transfer of information in our world today. The time has come to speak up and hold our peers accountable.

4.) ALWAYS FOLLOW LAWS AND REGULATIONS SET BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES & WILDLIFE. READ YOUR RULE BOOK EVERY YEAR, IGNORANCE TO LAW CHANGES IS NOT AN EXCUSE.

5.) Join the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. This is our lobbying organization and if you enjoy recreating in the outdoors in Maine you have to join this group. Its more important now than ever.

6.) Consider writing personal letters to your local elected government officials and explain your support for a constitutional amendment to the Maine state constitution that would permanently protect the rights of our citizens to hunt and fish. This arguably is the greatest chance we have at ensuring our heritage will live on forever. If we can get this passed the public referendum procedure to ban hunting practices will no longer be an opportunity that out of state anti-hunting organizations can abuse.

7.) Get people involved! This can be tough, especially for those of us who only have a couple days to hunt per year. But we need to get more people involved and understanding what we do. Get the whole family involved! Youth and women need to be a growing population amongst our hunting groups and we all need to offer to take people into the outdoors! If you ever hear someone say they would like to go make that your priority. Increasing the number of people purchasing hunting licenses in Maine, working to build landowner relationships and enjoying our way of life will ensure that hunting and fishing in the great state of Maine is here for eternity.

Certainly there are many other ways to help protect our rights but these simple steps are something we can all work on. I hope you all take these into consideration and reflect on the opportunities you have in your life to help promote, improve and grow our hunting heritage/community. Thank you for reading and as always:

Shoot straight, and shoot often.

Man's Best Friend

One big thing about being a hunter is having dogs. I'm proud to say that I'm truly a dog lover. This past year my wife and I actually rescued two amazing dogs from a group "Paws of Dale Hollow". If you're looking to pick up a new best friend for your family I strongly encourage you to check them out and consider rescuing. I've always been the type of person who preferred buying from a breeder, and still would buy one from a breeder, but I have to admit the adoption process has truly been amazing. As an avid outdoorsman I decided I needed some kind of hound dog, running and howling in the back yard was definitely something missing from our home. We ended up with our two pups; Moxie who is a Plott Hound Mix and Dawn, who is a Treeing Walker Coon Hound. They both certainly needed some time to adjust but have settled in very nicely. I strongly suggest all people actually think and do a strong self assessment before purchasing a dog because you don't want to end up in a negative situation. The worst thing you can do is get a dog and then give it up because you can't handle it or your life situation is preventing you from being as engaged with the dog as you need to be. Remember, a dog may only be a part of your life but to your dog you are their entire life. Yes I agree, puppies are cute and cuddly but they also bark, go to the bathroom, need food and exercise. Dogs are expensive as well, vaccines, vet visits, heartgaurd and frontline are all things you must do for your dog and they can cost a lot of money. Also, consider the kind of dog you are looking at before getting one. If you are like me and you love hound dogs because you are a sucker for those long floppy ears you may need to consider another breed because if you live in a small apartment next to a lot of people you should not buy a "talkative" breed of dog. Moxie and Dawn are perfect examples of how amazingly loud a hound dog bay can be and I can guarantee you'll be having lots of complaints with a dog like them, unless your neighbors with deaf people. It is an amazing thing to give a great dog a home but also please know you will need to be patient. If you are rescuing a dog you have no idea what kind of abuse or negative situation the dog may be coming from. If your dog is shy, skiddish and not the loving pet you imagined having please give them time. I'm sure if you were abused you wouldn't be interested in snuggling up super close to a person either. With patience, love, food and a soft spoken voice even the most abused and terrified dog can grow to love and trust people again. Dogs are amazingly strong and resilient creatures, so please give them time and never give up on them.

Now, with those points I made I hope you can all some day take up the honor of having one of man's best friends living in your house. I firmly believe that a house without a dog is a house that is missing something. Love a dog today and you'll be better for it, and when looking for your next dog I ask that you at least give adopting a thought; I know its been one of the greatest things I've ever done.

As always my friends, Shoot straight and shoot often.

Another Dream Came True.

Well the past few weeks have absolutely amazing. Over the past two weeks I threw a surprise wedding with my best friend in the world. Almost all of our family and friends were extremely excited for us and the ones who weren't I think need to take a look at what marriage is actually all about and realize that our ceremony was a representation about what we need to get back to. Small and full of love, happiness and joy. Our wedding was not done to impress any one which unfortunately seems to be the way with marriage today. When you get married, should you ever choose to, do what makes you and your spouse happy and forget what any one may say about it. This is your day, do it your way and forget about any outside noise because those who complain about your wedding are selfish and care more about what they can get out of your wedding instead of simply just being happy for you. Jeanne and I got married with some of our family and closest friends. The weather, the food, the drinks, the ceremony and the love in the air made it without question the perfect wedding and even though it may sound boastful or like bragging I believe our wedding should be an example about what is important at a ceremony and what marriage really is all about.

The second dream of mine that has come true is that on August 13th at 11:37am I officially became a licensed and registered Maine Guide. You all may see the post I put up roughly a month ago explaining that i was chasing this dream of mine. Well, it happened! This guide patch literally is the "trophy" I am the most proud of (besides my wife). Big bucks, big moose, all the grouse in the world and sports trophies or awards from years past all add up to nothing compared to the immense pride and honor I feel about this patch. This will allow me to develop a guiding company focusing on getting people interested in the outdoors and will enable me to make a living while doing it (hopefully haha). This patch also brings with it substantial responsibility which I do not take lightly at all. As a registered Maine Guide upholding the laws and traditions of the sportsman lifestyle are center core values that I myself and many guides before me all contain. 

As usual I want to end this quick life update post with the invitation that I always give. Please, if you want to do something in the outdoors contact me at any time and we will make a plan. Whether you want to go shooting in a gravel pit, look at trees, take foliage pictures, go camping or hunting; I want to provide you with a safe and information packed adventure that will get you excited about life in the outdoors. Thank you for reading this post as I am very excited about my most recent life events.

Take care and always remember; shoot straight and shoot often.

God bless. 

Maine Guide Some Day???

Summer is here and the heat sure is rolling up in Maine this week. My office seems to refuse to dip below 85 degrees which makes for an extremely long day at the office that's for sure. Lately I've been looking into many avenues to start my dream of becoming a professional Maine Guide and outfitter in the state of Maine. I belong in the woods or in a stream, outside and not in a sit down desk job. Obviously this transition is not something one does over nights, it's a process and something that should be thought out well before venturing into. While thinking about the idea of being a Maine Guide I have come to realize that I will not only be held to the highest of standards for ethics in the hunting community but will be expected to ensure that others do the same. This is something I greatly look forward to and am excited to have such an honor and privilege some day. The first major step in my journey will start this Thursday when I start "Maine Guide School". Maine Guide School was in face a gift that my wonderful fiance purchased for me for our anniversary. I must admit, I really lucked out in finding a life partner that is not only supportive of me chasing my dreams, but will sacrifice things herself to help me achieve them. She is my backbone and the biggest blessing in my life without question. This four day Maine Guide School class is designed to help prepare it's students for the intense examination process that must be passed in order to become a licensed and professional Maine Guide. Having recently completed a first aid and CPR course I am also up to date on my skills for medical emergencies which I will hopefully never need, but none the less are extremely important. Once I am finished with Maine Guide School I plan on sending in my application to sign up for the exam ASAP and dream of the day that I pass the exam and will be a licensed Maine Guide.
I've grown up amongst some of the best hunters in the state of Maine. My father, uncles and grandfather's have all had a tradition or harvesting monster whitetail bucks all over this great state with many field dressing well over 200 lbs. The Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, an excellent group, gives out patches for specific hunting accomplishments in harvesting animals. These patches are then often times sewn onto a hunters jacket to proudly represent a prior successful accomplishment. The "Biggest Bucks in Maine Club" patch is given out to any one who harvests a deer that field dresses over 200 lbs. I was fortunate to get my first patch at the age of 14 years old and to this day I wear my wool jacket with that patch sewn on it with so much pride. But the patch that in my opinion is the ultimate accomplishment and representation of true woodsman-ship, sportsmanship and respect for natural resources is the patch that reads "Registered Maine Guide". My Uncle John has been a guide for years, harvesting dozens of monster bucks, bears, moose and other animals through out his impressive hunting career. You can easily say that not only hunting but also guiding is in my blood, it comes from my heart and it is something that ever fiber of my being is excited to start doing. My Uncle's most amazing accomplishments, in my opinion, have been running a successful camp for years as an outfitter taking people out into the great woods and ensuring their safety. Bringing people into the woods and teaching about the lay of the land and the wonderful resources available is something that I would not only enjoy, but would fuel my soul and really give me a true satisfaction of life. I look forward to the day of taking people into the woods tracking down that monster buck on snow, calling in a 50'' bull moose, spotting and stalking a large black bear, telling a youngster were to place a fly in a stream while fishing as well as telling stories, sharing food and drink along with making lifelong friendships at camp. 
I hope one day to possibly take YOU on an adventure out into the great woods of Maine! 

Take care and remember, shoot straight and shoot often. 

It's not about killing

It seems today that so many people don't understand the truth about hunting. So many progressive animal activist groups out there today try to portray today's hunter as an assassin salivating at the thought of bringing pain and death to all animals in the world and killing every creature that moves. I must say, this couldn't be further from the truth. I saw around 25 deer last hunting season, guess how many I shot..........0. Hunting season brings with it so much more than the legal opportunity to harvest meat for the freezer. It brings with it the changes of the season, the chance to teach a young child about the outdoors, about the respect that all firearms should be treated with, about the unique freedoms we have in this country that we should never take for granted. There is a saying I have heard that discusses hunting and I think it sums the entire thing up in a perfect way, "It's not what you hunt or where you hunt, but who you hunt with, that matters". It's about family, friends and the great outdoors ladies and gentlemen, that's it. Bringing home a big buck or your daily limit of partridge is excellent and I look forward to it every year but I can tell you without question I have just as much fun at hunting camp on the trips I come home empty handed. Being in the woods is good for any person to reflect on their life and get away from the constant noise caused by work, bills and the unfortunately busy lives that we have all created for ourselves. Being at camp staying up late telling stories and laughing with my family and friends is not only fun but it is actually good for me. It replenishes me and it brings my soul back to a state which I wish it could be at 24/7. If you are a person who doesn't like hunting, or who hates firearms I think you should take one small step, be open minded and visit a friend who goes on a hunting trip for a day. Swing in after a days hunt for a drink, a little food and for some story telling because that is the best part about hunting camp. I along with any of my hunting family would be glad to take you out in the woods for a day, whether you want to go hunting, fishing, for a hike, or just take a drive down a dirt road to possibly get a picture of a moose eating in a swamp. We love the outdoors, but most of all we love people and think that there is no greater gift than to get someone interested in the outdoors lifestyle. If you want to take a trip outside some time and want someone to come along with you PLEASE don't hesitate to call, text, email, facebook or whatever because I assure you, I will be there to give you whatever advice or outdoor lessons I possibly can. 

Until next time, shoot straight and shoot often.