Coyotes use their sense of smell as the primary tool when hunting. Their vision and hearing are also remarkably developed. Bobcats are more sight and sound hunters. What these predators both have in common though are their choice of prey.
Author Archives: John Floyd
Best Boots for Winter Warmth
Along with your hands, your feet are usually the most susceptible to cold weather. If your feet aren’t warm, you will never be comfortable; no matter how many layers of the best hunting clothing you can buy are worn. And if you have had a cold weather injury such as frostbite in the past likeContinue reading “Best Boots for Winter Warmth”
The Long Haul
I made sure Jake was in position and had the moose in his sights as I continued to glass the bull. Some quick back and forth ensued. Can we get him out of that valley? We don’t want to take a chance and lose him down there. Can you make a clean shot through the cover?
The Redemption Bull
I was crestfallen; we had two nice bulls in front of us so far and nothing to show for it. After a brief pity-party, I buckled down. I had to remind myself that this is my job and my clients are depending on me, no matter the difficulties we face.
Uncle Tom’s Gun
A few days later at camp, I was chatting with Danny after breakfast. I wanted to know more about his uncle’s gun and the significance behind his choice to use it on his first ever bear hunt. I have always found the stories behind client’s firearms intriguing and Danny’s was one of the most inspiring I’ve ever been told.
Debunking Bear Hunting Myths
As a professional bear hunting guide, I answer a lot of questions about bear behavior from prospective clients as well as non-hunters who are just simply curious. Quite often, I find myself answering the same questions frequently. Most of these are based on old wives’ tales and hunting fallacies passed down from generation to generation.Continue reading “Debunking Bear Hunting Myths”
Field Dress for Success
Bear meat gets a bad rap. In my experience, this happens because hunters don’t realize how vitally important it is to get a downed bear field dressed, skinned and cooling in a timely fashion. I believe most hunters learn about field care early in their hunting career as deer hunters. And while the basic fieldContinue reading “Field Dress for Success”
A Guide’s Truck
Charley scrambled up into the passenger seat of my pickup truck and fastened her seatbelt. We had just finished breakfast and were headed out of the hotel parking lot on our way to the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show at the Augusta Civic Center. Her father Thomas skipped breakfast that morning and was already there,Continue reading “A Guide’s Truck”
The Redemption Bear
There is nothing more disheartening than when a client misses a bear. The time invested in setup, the anticipation and expectations on a bear stand with good bears coming in suddenly crashes in flames with the missed opportunity. It happens. On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, there isn’t a much more exhilarating momentContinue reading “The Redemption Bear”
Colonel Jim
The freezing rain and sleet pelted the window next to my desk in the Tucker Ridge clubhouse. It was the morning of March 9, 2022 and with the temperature hovering around 30 degrees, damp and raw. The wood stove ticked away as I sat at my desk, ironically fleshing out the details for my MayContinue reading “Colonel Jim”