The End: Tips for first time deer trackers.

Hunting season has come to an end and instead of tag soup I could make a hefty stew with all my Michigan and Maine tags unpunched. I learned a ton this year and have lofty goals and an almost stupid confidence for next year. I only got out with the muzzleloader once in the two days I had off last week. I regretted that when I finally dragged myself into the woods. The snowy woods is always amazing. Its like hunting in a totally different world.

I almost missed this beautiful day.

Thompson Center Omega.

You don't get evenings like this from the couch.

Almost too cold to get out of bed...almost.

Cloudy blue skies over badlands.

I saw deer tracks all over the place. I tried tracking for the first time. I have some tips for beginner trackers that can hopefully get a leg up the first time they try it by learning from my mistakes. First, make sure you have room to track. I tracked one buck track for 2 hours only to run into posted signs. I guess this is why tracking usually takes place much farther North of here. Next, if you can not decipher how old a track is; go out right after a fresh snow. Then the tracks are unmistakably new. I went all out on the track I decided to follow. I went over a creek and up countless mini-mountains. The snow was only 6" deep but very packy. I would say my stalking was a 6.5-7 on my 1-10 scale of silent and deadly to death metal concert. I did not see any deer but I saw lots of tracks that make me hopeful for next year and lots of coyote and snowshoe tracks that may need my attention when the snow melts a little.

Buck tracks crossing a creek.

Chasing a doe.

He ran me through the thick stuff!

 I used the first of my 2 days off to hang out with Rusty and took him to a local park to get some energy out. He deserves his kind of fun as much as I do mine.

I love sharing sunsets with this guy!

I brought one of his toys for him to find.

Saco River.



Park graffiti on a cracked wall. Symbolic? I guess.

This is why I run him so hard. I get 2 seconds of him resting.

 

We've been getting a ridiculous amount of snow the last couple of days. I have about 3 feet in my front yard right now. I don't think I will be getting in the woods anytime soon.

In the meantime, I shot a Hoyt CRX 32 yesterday. The draw was set at 28.5" and 73# and I prefer 29" and 70# but I took only 2 shots and robinhooded. So I am pretty sure I will be moving on to a Hoyt. Hopefully I can keep the Alien X and come up with the funds for a Hoyt.

Big Buck Vids

Here is the video of two big bucks (one of which I posted a pic of last post) my fiancee and I came across while scouting.

Smoke Pole Time!

I'm still in search of my buck and I have decided to get out and do some muzzleloader hunting. I picked up some powder and caps and found some Hornady SST bullets I had laying around. Thursday and Friday I have off of work but the temps on those days aren't looking like they will get over 20 degrees. Hopefully the deer will be moving and the ground isn't too frozen to still hunt.

I picked up a used knife for about $6 last week that I think is pretty cool looking. I don't think its worth anything (even using) but its fancy to look at.

 

 

GEAR REVIEW

 

I have decided to through in a gear review every once in a while so tonight I will review my favorite boots. I have a pair of Danner 7" Blades in Mossy Oak Brush. I have used these boots for about 3 years now. I have hunted in them in 100+ degree weather and 10 degree weather. I feel stealthy with them on as they are pretty quiet for stalking and comfortable. I can not imagine a better pair of boots.

 

 

Tips For Wilderness Hikes With Your Dog

This time of year is tough on outdoorsmen with jobs.  There is very limited daylight for outdoor activities. Most days I only see daylight on my lunch break. It can be very depressing but it is a great time to start planning next year's activities. I had a day off yesterday so I took Rusty out for a walk in my hunting area. It is muzzleloader season for deer now so not many people are in the woods. I have my muzzleloader here in Maine with me but I did not bring any of my provisions. I was going to chalk the season up for a loss but walking with Rusty in the silent woods around dusk with a gentle mist falling gave me the fever again. I might go out and get some equipment just to hunt 2 more times this year. Things are looking good for next year anyway as there were a ton of big turkey tracks all around my spot.


Can't wait for April to put a few birds down!

We found an old container of 8 track tapes in the middle of the woods that was kind of amusing.

When I have Rusty in the woods with me there are certain precautions I take and methods I use to keep us both safe and have fun at the same time. I have made a list of recommendations.

Tips for Wilderness Dog Hikes

1. Leash or no leash?
I used to let Rusty run free on our hikes when I lived in Michigan. There was little I had to worry about other than him running off after something or other loose dogs. Here in Maine there are cliffs and other animals, including wild animals I have to worry about. My tip for anyone who wants to have their dog on the leash is to get a retractable leash and attach it to the front of your pack. I have found I can play the dog much like a fish on a line while we walk and I have both my hands free. I have found this method very comfortable and it seems like Rusty knows where I want to go most of the time so we walk quietly and effortlessly most of the time. He can read my movements through the leash and very rarely deviates from the path I have chosen. I even let him decide where we go sometimes. This might be against most dog training tutorials but I feel like letting him decide at a fork in the trail makes him feel more like a partner and builds trust.

This is how I hook the leash to my pack.

2. Food and Water. Depending on how long of a hike you are on the dog will need water and might need food. I typically throw a bottle of water for the dog in my pack and I have a small packable dish that is nearly weightless I can clip to the back of my pack. I bring some treats as well on long hikes.

3. Bugs. The ticks out here have been bad this year. Make sure you leave time either before you get in the car to leave or when you get home to check your dog over. The sooner the better as I usually find a lot on Rusty and I want them off of him before he enters my house or car.

4. Exhaustion. Rusty seems to be an endless ball of energy but I know he hides his exhaustion with excitement by the way he crashes when we get in the car. Typically this isn't a problem as most dogs have more stamina than their owners but when off the leash the dog might be doing twice the hiking as you as he weaves about. Make sure to take rests.

5. Wild Animals. News flash: Your dog cannot out run a bear, wolf, coyote, or cougar. I know dogs are fast in your backyard but hungry animals can track down and eat your dog very easily. I like to have a plan in mind for the event of meeting up with a predator that is in attack mode. Whatever your plan may be, run through it in your mind in different areas of your hike. What if a cougar came out from around this boulder or what if a bear came darting out of those pines? Would you let your dog off the leash? It can be a morbid thought at times but being prepared just might save you and your dog.

I love hiking with Rusty and I think its his favorite thing to do too.

Back to the old drawing board.

I sat on this fallen tree for a while on a oak ridge.

So gun season has come and gone. I went out on Thanksgiving and ended up getting lost as my GPS showed me in random spots on the screen. It was pretty frustrating as I had to give up on hunting and focus on getting out of the woods while bumping deer. I heard at least 2 that I got close to but never saw as I was more worried about getting out before dark. I ended up having to use a compass and wade through a knee deep bog that was too thick to see through in 16 degree weather. I was wearing my Danner boots that I like to use for still hunting because they are pretty quiet but they are only water resistant. My pant legs became frozen tubes of hardened fabric around my legs for the last hour I was out there. I did find a few decent spots I may want to hunt next year though. If I want to hunt anymore it will have to be with a bow until December 15th and only in a very limited area in Southern Maine that I have not gained access to yet.

This lone pine tree was in the middle of a swamp I hiked through. It was the only tree of this thickness and stuck out from the rest.

I found this in the swamp as well. I am not sure if it is a deer rub or made by a bear. There was no bare spot on the tree that looked like a typical deer rub.

It might be hard to see but on the way to work one day I got behind this truck that had a monster on the tailgate. So big in fact that it couldn't fit through the toll station. I have to learn how to snow track deer and find a place to do it.

My wife's parents came in for Thanksgiving and we put up our Christmas tree and lights on the house this week.

Screwing around.

Hot Chocolate!

Rusty helped.

My gorgeous wife all bundled up.

End result.

I made a goals list a while back and I am going to continue to add to it and alter it as developments happen. I keep learning of new activities that are adding to new goals. 2014 should be a very eventful and crazy year of new experiences for me.

New Goals For 2014:

1. Kill a great Maine buck - I am learning so much every day on tactics and places to go. I think I should be able to put down a monster next year by using some Midwest ideas that most people don't take advantage of over here. The hardest part will be not to take the first spike that walks by.
2. Hunt at least one other state (Not Michigan) - I am thinking New Hampshire will be the easiest since it is close and has hunting on Sunday. Massachusetts is another possibility. I have always thought of Pennsylvania as a sleeper state for good deer hunting as well. 
3. Turkey hunt for the 1st time and take at least one Tom - There are turkeys everywhere. I just need to learn the tactics.
4. Bear Hunt - It is what it is. It is the ultimate hunt to me. I cannot wait to start scouting and getting some cameras in the woods starting in the spring I hope I can get my brother to come out and try it with me.
5. Start fly-fishing again - There are some great opportunities here and in the surrounding states in fresh and salt water. I enjoyed the fishing and tying my own flies back in high school and I think I will catch the bug if I get back into it.
6. Squid fishing - I just recently learned about fishing for squid. I can't wait to try it.
7. Salt water Big Game fishing - I don't know the game yet but I really want to try to get into a big cod or tuna.
8. Striper and Mackerel fishing - I want to see what all the fuss is about.
9. Get Rusty bird hunting - A lot of the guys I have met bird hunt like crazy. I think it will take a little work but Rusty and I could have a lot of fun and be pretty successful on some partridge and grouse.

 I am sure this list of goals will be much longer by the time winter starts to end. If I can knock off 3 out of 9 I would consider 2014 a success.