“Range is hot!” I bellowed and instructed the hunter in front of me to load and make ready. The big Dutchman settled into a solid isosceles shooting stance, nose over toes as he brought the massive revolver up. We were standing 40 yards from the target board with the rest of the hunters in campContinue reading “The Bucket List Bear”
Author Archives: John Floyd
Hunter’s Remorse
Some call it a weakness. Some deny it and some never admit it. I embrace it. I’m talking about the phenomena known as hunter’s remorse. From the youngest of hunters to the most experienced sportsman, many have experienced it. I certainly have and still do. I believe it is one of the signs of aContinue reading “Hunter’s Remorse”
Teachable Moments
It was a foggy and damp morning, and the second day of the Maine October cow moose hunt. I was in the back of my truck, standing in the bed with my binoculars around my neck and blowing cow calls across the cut to my north. My clients, a 13-year old permittee and his fatherContinue reading “Teachable Moments”
Fair Chase Bears
When most folks think of November in Maine the season that comes to mind is firearms season for deer. These four weeks are what many of us wait for all year long. Sure, spring gobbler is fun and open water fishing is a fine way to spend late spring and early summer, all the whileContinue reading “Fair Chase Bears”
Perseverance Pays Off
During the 2017 fall bear season, I had a client from Pennsylvania that had yet to shoot his first Maine black bear after several trips with different outfitters. He was an experienced hunter and knew exactly what he wanted in terms of the bear he would look to take. I set him up on aContinue reading “Perseverance Pays Off”
The Camp Name Tradition
At long last, September is finally here. With the long wait behind us and the regular schedule of hunting seasons kicking off, bear camp acts as the lead-off hitter. Bear, deer and moose camps all have similarities and differences but all share one thing in common – the time-honored tradition of camp-naming. This hunting campContinue reading “The Camp Name Tradition”
The Sneaky Boar
It was a brisk Wednesday morning with four days to go in the bear trapping season as I pulled off the gravel access road and parked my truck on the edge of a potato field. I eased out of the cab and flipped on the small LED light clipped to the bill of my cap,Continue reading “The Sneaky Boar”
Big Bait, Big Fish
As temperatures in Maine’s smallmouth bass waters climb into the 60 degree range, bass begin the spawning ritual. First, the males will begin building spawning beds. Using their caudal fins, they will sweep away larger stones and debris, building a fairly smooth gravel ‘bed’. Soon after the larger females, swollen with eggs, will move toContinue reading “Big Bait, Big Fish”
Hunting Camp Expectations
As a professional hunting guide in Maine, I often expect to find myself dealing with the seasoned hunter; an individual who has hunted for many years, perhaps made a hunt or two out west or down south, and now is coming further north to hunt for species that have eluded him elsewhere. The seasoned hunterContinue reading “Hunting Camp Expectations”
The Legendary Grand Laker
When I first started my career as a fishing guide, I was admittedly a more modern-equipped angler when I hit the lake with clients. I began with a modified vee, aluminum bass boat with raised casting decks, modern electronics, GPS and a bow mounted trolling motor. It was a bass fishing machine. As I progressed,Continue reading “The Legendary Grand Laker”