“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”
Tag Archives: Northwoods Sporting Journal
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”
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”
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 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”
Coyote Country
This past deer season was the best I can remember in years with plenty of 200 pound bucks showing up on social media and in photos tacked up by the liar’s bench in many of the small town general store tagging stations. In my local area, big bucks were hanging from game poles all acrossContinue reading “Coyote Country”