I first noticed it sometime in early spring of 2020. As I turned off Route 6 onto the Bottle Lake Rd in Springfield, my Grand Laker canoe on the hitch and headed to Lower Sysladobsis Lake, I saw a few fresh real estate signs in newly cleared timber lots. Further along, even more. This certainlyContinue reading “Posted: The Pandemic Effect”
Category Archives: NWSJ Features
Baiting Bobcats
This month is truly primetime for Maine predator hunters. Foxes, coyote and bobcats are all very active this time of year as the mating season is in full swing – the ‘predator rut’ if you will. Foxes are usually the first to start the mating season in January and continue through March. Coyotes follow, gettingContinue reading “Baiting Bobcats”
Rainy Day Rifles
If you are a big game hunter and more so, a northern Maine big game hunter, you have been afield in some pretty nasty weather. I’m referring to those days when the forecast calls for gusty winds and rain, or perhaps the new climate buzzword known as the wintry mix. You know the days I’mContinue reading “Rainy Day Rifles”
The Legend of Sneaky Pete
It was a cold and crisp November morning, late in the firearms season when I mounted my stand. The ladder steps were frosted over and the metal slick as I ascended the fifteen feet to my perch. A hard frost had come in overnight and as I looked up through the tree canopy, the starsContinue reading “The Legend of Sneaky Pete”
Tips for Bear Hunters
Black bear season in Maine is right around the corner. If the pattern holds true this year, we may be in for a tough start to the bear over bait season. Last year, the shortage of natural food sources resulted in some of the hottest bait season action we have seen in years. This yearContinue reading “Tips for Bear Hunters”
Lever Guns for Deer
The biggest drawback in the past when hunting with a lever gun has been ammunition. Most guns used a tubular magazine which meant having to load only round or flat nosed bullets like the .30-30 Win and .45-70 Govt. That meant decreased ballistic performance and decreased velocity.
Best Laid Plans
I had the gobbler pegged. After many days of scouting leading up to the 2019 spring wild turkey season opener, I knew where he was roosting. I had followed the long beard and his harem as they moved around the ridge for weeks. They were consistently making the rounds through the same patches of woodsContinue reading “Best Laid Plans”
The Promise
I had just slid my coffee thermos back into my pack when I heard the branch crack to my front and left. It sounded like a cannon shot in stillness of the crisp, cool morning. The sound came from the old skidder trail just south of me and I recalled the pile of slash andContinue reading “The Promise”
The Greatest Gift
I don’t know about you, but for me, December is a time filled with reflection. Life slows down perceptibly for me as the big game seasons come to a close and open water fishing opportunities dwindle to a trickle. Soon, coyote hunting and ice fishing will be the dominant outdoor pursuits. While I do lookContinue reading “The Greatest Gift”
Granddad’s Gun
I heard the shot from camp. When I heard the client’s .35 Remington boom down the ridge I smiled and waited for confirmation. The text message came in 30 seconds later; a bear was down and he was a big one. I told the excited hunter to take a breath, unload his gun and waitContinue reading “Granddad’s Gun”