Ladies and Gentlemen start your deer camp

  Oldtoothless

(Photo of me at the camp with my pride and joy ‘Old toothless’ taken Nov, 1996)

White-tailed deer enthusiasts in Quebec and Ontario are gearing-up for the busiest and most highly anticipated week of the year. 

Better hold onto your hat as the deer rifle season is on its way and one thing you can always count at the start of deer season each year; it certainly does not go unnoticed!  

Government buildings become short-staffed, highways less congested and you might even catch a glimpse of tumbleweeds rolling down the main strip in towns like Carleton Place, Otter Lake, Peterborough, Aylmer, Stittsville, Port Hope or Almonte. 

Be aware that once bitten by the deer rifle season phenomenon, you may be hooked for life.  It is a time when hunters get very little sleep but never seem to mind, and the tales of all the big bucks that got away; are heard long after the season has ended. 

And for those of you brought through the ranks of a traditional family and friend-based hunt camp, like me, you have certainly dealt with the loss of a hunting partner. 

After many long hours in the bush bearing your soul with guys you share a common interest, you do tend to grow very close. I myself began chasing deer when I was 13 (my 30th Anniversary this year) and have always been the youngest hunter in camp. 

Many uncles and friends of the family were there during my formative years, before heading off to that great hunt camp in the sky. And other fine hunters stopped going because of various health problems. It is just part of life, I suppose, as sad as it is to think about. 

I fear for the day my own father is unable to join us, or I myself am not able to attend deer camp in the fall for whatever reason. Probably best not to think about it. 

Well, here’s to all of you avid deer hunters out there…as you prepare for perhaps the greatest bonding experience known to man. For as much as the ‘non-believers’ like to tease us, deer camp truly is the greatest place in the world at the greatest time of year!

I wish you all the best of luck and please drop-in here anytime to give us your personal deer hunting update.

Outdoorsguy

117 thoughts on “Ladies and Gentlemen start your deer camp”

  1. It goes without saying that this is the week that die hard deer hunters look forward to the most. Nevermind the actual killing of a deer or two. It’s the comraderie and brotherhood that we look forward to the most. In today’s busy, hectic lifestyle, nothing compares to getting up to the camp on the day before opening morning. I’m looking forward to it more this year than ever. For whatever reason, this summer/fall I have been burning the candle at both ends between work and family. Unfortunately, too much of the work part, and not enough of the family part. My boys are all too young to join us, and coming from a family of non hunters, I don’t really have a relative that hunts with us. Lord willing in a few more years my boys will be out there doing the dogging, while the old farts like me will get to do the shooting for once! The other guys at the camp are my second family, and nothing compares to spending a week with those jokers and listening to all the stories and lies about hunts gone by.

    Good luck to everyone venturing out this fall. Be safe, have fun, and remember, what happens at deer camp, stays at deer camp!!!!

  2. true enough SSDave, my son has passed all the courses, did his apprenticeship and now hunts on his own license with me. Got him a GPS last Christmas and this year he is in full dog mode. He’s dogged before but I usually kept a pretty close eye on him. He won’t be up at camp thill Tuesday night but then he’ll be in for the rest of the week.
    There is supposed to be 16 of us and you want to hear the BS and jokes around the dinner table. A laugh a minute. A lot of us don’t see each other during the year so it’s a really good time to catch up on the stories and friendships.
    I’ve got really good friends that I would have never known if I hadn’t joined the club and some I fish and moose hunt with. Very exciting time of year for hunters, wait I think I can hear the dogs tongueing already.

    1. That’s great that you’re able to share this with your son Iggy…and if I recall he took his first buck last fall..or the one before? That is something he will NEVER forget and for you to be there with him is extra special.

      My Dad was right there too with me….30 years ago this fall when I took my first deer(a nice 8-point)…with a single shot from my Grandfather’s old 30-30….I think Dad was amazed and even a bit surprised how well I did…considering our target practice session a few weeks earlier was not what I would call stellar.

      Then I’ll never forget how someone in the gang brought me a sip of Molson from an old stubby bottle..which I thought tasted like crap at the time but never said anything..(Oh how times change…hehe)

      And as time goes-on Iggy, you’ll add more and more memories with your young lad..and I think you realize how special it really is..so enjoy it while it lasts!

      Outdoorsguy

  3. hunting is the most improtant time of the year. moose and deer . deer is my favorite. hunting is number one with me and my kids not so much with the wife as our anaversary now falls on the moose hunt

    1. Yikes Chessy…my Anniversary falls in the middle of trout season which is bad enough..but I cant even imagine it being in middle of hunting season!

      Outdoorsguy

  4. funny how you mention your favorite
    I love to moose hunt, but I love to deer hunt
    I love walking the bush roads for grouse
    I enjoy duck hunting too
    but I don’t know if I like moose or deer the most, they are such different hunts
    the one thing with deer is I hunt with my son and that is very special

    1. I always loved moose hunting for the ‘personal challenge’…but nothing beats deer hunting with a good gang…it is the ultimate team activity where you learn to work with others in a common goal.

      Outdoorsguy

  5. iggy your right.. i could get into trouble with the school board.. my daughter is a strait A student my son however is not and he only gets to go on weekends and after school until his marks improve he stays home. his marks are however improving dramaticaly .

  6. yea that time. Busy packing all week for a two week hunt. My son will be up thurs morn. of the second week and that will bring our three generations together again for another year! my father, myself and my son. I’m extremely happy that my son gets the dear hunt. He talks about the card games, the goofy things that go on and the beatiful sunsets at his treestand as well as the hunting part. i will also be seeing friends and relatives that i dont see till this time of year.

    1. Mcdan, how old is your son? Do you think the hunt camp is intimidating at all to him?

      I know in my early teen years with all the older men around..I did feel a bit intimidated but it certainly does build character that’s for sure!!

      Outdoorsguy

  7. Jeff every year i am up north moose hunting…. the guy that owns the camp came to me 2 weeks before my wedding and ask if i would like to join there camp . i said yes.. i got married on the saturday and left for the week on sunday. now every year it falls on the week day.. some time in the future it will fall on the saturday and i may be home for it… she knows i hunted before we got hitched … the best part of it jeff is i know i have been moose hunting 16 years.. therefore i have been married for 16 years.. at least i remember when it is …. cause how can you forget moose hunting oops i mean getting married 🙂

    1. Hehe…yeah good one Chessy….hunting dates are always easy to remember!

      Outdoorsguy

  8. just goes to show how weak you too are, anyone who gets married in a hunting or fishing season is just a whipped husband with no balls LOL

  9. Josh got his first deer two years ago, a nice big doe, and last year his old man dogged out a 9 point buck to him. They made him clean both with a little advice and he helped drag both back to camp, and they were long drags, perhaps a kilometer or a little more to the boat. Never complained and had a grin starting at one ear and ending at the other.

  10. I will always remember my first deer, especially since it was last year after three years of trying. A beautiful 10 pointer taken with my grandfather-in-laws old remington 30-06, and the rack is in my garage (wife won’t let it in the house). I couldn’t stop smiling or showing the pics for weeks and even smile thinking about it now. Can’t wait to get out this year, looks like I will be in North Bay for a bow hunt in mid to late November though, so everyones stories here will be inspiration for my hunt.

    On another note, a big thanks to Jeff and everyone on here, as a relatively newer hunter I love hearing the stories and of course the opinions that everyone brings to the table. A real good group of outdoors enthusiasts.

  11. We’ve had all three of my boys hunting with the group for the last couple of years and two of my brothers sons.
    My Dad turned 80 this paste spring and has a bulging disc, but is still going to make the deer hunt. Two
    of my three brothers can make the hunt. My oldest son has a young pup he is eager to try. My youngest son shot his first deer three years ago. Opening morning. I dropped him off in a stand, went to mine, sat down, waiting for the
    chase to start when I heard the 30-30 go off, moments latter I heard his excited voice. Eight point buck. He shot two that year. One brother coming back from out west says he has not slept in a week. Its funny, you wait all year for it
    and the week goes by in a flash, the memories stay with you forever.

  12. Hey i.macdon, good to hear from you…if I recall, I featured the story of your youngest boy in my Outdoors Column at the time..nothing so special as your first one…probably because there will never be another ‘first’!

    Best of luck to you and your family this fall!!

    Outdoorsguy

  13. when are you leaving Jeff
    bet it’ll be pretty quiet around here for the next two weeks, you should post up three or four fishing stories to keep the fisherman active on here but I doubt many hunters have internet at camp

  14. your right iggy it is going to be sloooowww here… and i hope your deer hunt is better than your moose hunt.. but it looks like the weather for the 1st week of the deer hunt is going to be crappy

  15. up in the Ottawa Valley it’s actually looking pretty good although they have a hard time telling you what it’ll be like tomorrow so I can’t for the life of me figure out how they can tell you with any accuracy what it’ll be like a week from now. I mean even I can say it will be sunny with cloudy periods and a chance of rain or snow if the temp drops enough. I should have been a weatherman LOL

    Our moose hunt wasn’t crappy, no moose but truthfully we had a lot of fun, now I wouldn’t put up with that every year but once in a while is OK with me. Can’t kill every timew you go in the bush or there will be none left

  16. all year ive waited for the deer hunt unfortunately i will only be up there for 4 days this year, but some time is better than none. The older guys will surely already be run ragged by the time i get up there but im sure it wont stop my grand father from repeating the same stories year after year of buck fever.

    happy hunting and good luck

    1. Savage Joe..too bad about the shorter trip, but at least you’re getting out…make the best of what you have and take care of the old boys..often times they need it.

      Outdoorsguy

  17. good luck to you too Jeff and to the rest of you fine hunting folks out there.

    For me, my hunt won’t start until the Friday of 1st week. Next year, I plan to hit it hard for 2 weeks starting opening morning.

    I look forward to bringing my 2 boys (9 and 6) for hunt camp once again. The camaraderie is special, the memories are bonding, but most of all, what challenges can most of us undertake where the reward is so fulfilling – the chasing and (hopefully) harvesting of an animal. It’s that 1 on 1 trying-to-out-smart a deer right in THEIR backyard. We all know you need everything to right, plus a whole bunch of luck, to harvest an animal. You hope they make a mistake or you just make the most perfect moves to put it all together.

    I’m just back from a successful moose hunt (ok, so no moose were taken), but successful b/c we saw some and walked our tails off (over 7.8 kms one day alone!). My hunting legs and instincts are ready to go!!!!!

    Be safe, be smart and enjoy yourselves thoroughly – I know I will. 🙂

    1. Thanks Keebler..you know what its all about..we’ve discussed it many times..and hey, have fun with those Rinos..we’ve got a new guy in camp this year and I wish I had them!!

      Have a great time and a safe time!!

      Outdoorsguy

  18. Jeff my son is now 20, but the first time up i believe he was about 14. i think he was intimidated with some of the conversation between the older gents at times LOL but he did keep coming back when he was able.

  19. Jeff and all the other bloggers

    I wish you all the best of luck for this years hunt.

    My hunt starts on Monday morning and I am in a completely new camp. New bush, new territory, new ground blind. It was time for a change after 20 + years in the other hunt camp.

    I have a lot of great memories from the old camp including hunts with my son since he was 12 years old.

    I’m also back from a very succesfull moose hunt!

    be safe everyone and keep the deer hunting stories coming after the hunt.

    Great blog jeff….Good luck at your hunt in Quebec.

    1. Wow Alain..sounds like you’re in for a new and exciting experience..I really hope it works out for you!!

      Please check back and keep us updated on your deer season..also, I dont recall hearing about your moose hunt?!

      Good luck and I hope you find a place to hunt for even more than 20 years this time!

      Outdoorsguy

  20. lol will do Jeff. you need a Rino before you go – call it your early Christmas present 😉 lol
    they truly changed the way we hunt (but the animals still get away – sometimes 🙂

    1. Sorry Keebler..its too late now to gets Rinos this year…but honestly, I will be pushing for our gang to get them eventually….and I’ll tell you why:

      Last fall after chasing our biggest mountain, my father fell off the grid. He wouldn’t answer his two-way and when I went looking for him where I thought he’d be, there was no one there. I tried whistling but to no avail…ok, this is bad I thought..so I motored back along the ridge and did a big loop around the end of the mountain again..

      Finally I ran into him about 200 yards from where I thought he would be..but it was windy that day and he never heard my whistling…turns out he was just fine but his batteries died and he had no way to communicate with us.

      Of course, in the process of backtracking I wiped out and injured my shoulder..must have torn something actually as it still hurts now and then…anyhow, this year everyone brings an extra set of batteries with them so this doesn’t happen!

      And as you know Keebler, with the Rino I would known exactly where he was sitting..well, actually I guess even if the batteries die on a Rino..I wouldn’t have picked him up either..so, really extra batteries are a must!

      Outdoorsguy

  21. we use motorolla p1225 radios 5 wats have been useing them for years with ear buds.. ( bunch of blaze orange hunters talking into mics ) they speed the hunt up and make it easier for new people to dog as they can be talked through the bush ..

    1. Hey Chessy, those radios aren’t even legal in Canada…I’m gonna report you to the FCC!

      Kidding of coures….we’ve been using 5 watt GMRS radios for years…even though we’re ‘technically’ only allowed a max of 2 watts around here!

      Outdoorsguy

  22. Wow Jeff. That would be scary especially with, as you said, guys getting older in a camp. Safety first.
    The Rino battery usage, if anyone is wondering, is phenomenal! I can go 2 or 3 days of nonstop tracking usage with intermittent radio chatter before I really need a full battery recharge – of course, for safety reasons, we all recharge every night so it’s 100% just in case.

    Chessy, you’d love the Rinos – they would speed up your hunt even more, guaranteed. Simple reason – we don’t talk near as much as we used to b/c we used to wonder where guys were; were people in a line, how close was the dogger to the ‘stand’ spot etc..etc. Now, we simply glance at our screen and see exactly where everyone is. It’s almost telepathic….seriously. Doggers know to key their mike every so often b/c that updates your location. Or, at any point in time, you can ‘ poll ‘ anyone’s radio to find out their location. We hunt so in sync now, it’s ridiculous. Like a pack of wolves is how one guy described it and he’s right. I can tell how some of our guys will walk based on the topography of where they are and how they like to hunt. I’ve adjusted my position accordingly before and ended up bagging a few deer doing it (b/c the deer were pushed by other the guys) and i’ve returned the favour. The included maps are ok, but we found another vendor whose maps are unbelievably accurate with more detail. Having a full topo map in your hand is incredible (especially for me b/c i’ve always been interested in geography and studying maps).

    At first, we wondered if using the Rinos was electronically ‘cheating’, but it’s not. It ends up really focusing the effort on the hunt, rather than the communication steps. It’s unbelievably easy.

    What I need to do, is produce a ‘how to use a Garmin Rino’ video and post it to Youtube. Garmin would want to pay me for it b/c it would drive sales for sure. lol Safety wise and for the hunting experience, I think any hunter who walks around and/or participates in drives etc.., should use one.

    It changed the way we hunt forever. 🙂

    1. Ok Keebler, whooah..hold it..backtrack!

      Did you say “we all recharge them every night”…obviously you have electricity in your camp, but about guys
      like us who dont….I am hoping they take regular “AA” batteries as well as NIMH??

      Please say they do!

      Outdoorsguy

  23. we have a huge generator that runs when we are in camp, keeps the refrigerator running, the water pump, all the lights, the TV although it’s only on for hockey and the news. We heat our water for the shower with propane

  24. t.v, showers, water pump, hot water!?!?!?what the @&#**. if we had all that my wife would want to come too LOL

  25. lol @ Jeff: no nimhs or regular batteries – they are lithium ions attached to the back. They do last a long time, but before we had generators, we used extra car battery with a converter. Just used it for radios…no powered lights.

    @ Iggy: i think that’s polite sarcasm (I’m laughing btw)…sorry I got carried away, but these things are amazing and once you use one, you probably won’t go without it. but if you really do want more info, let me know and i’ll send you my email or we’ll chat.

    @ mcdan: i just tell my wife there are bats and she won’t go near it 🙂 lol

    1. Keebler, I think I recall you telling me that now about the Rinos..too bad really, I see that as a bit of a drawback…wonder why they wouldn’t just make them compatible with regular batteries?!

      Outdoorsguy

  26. jeff… call them we are licenced to own them … we paid for our frequency….. 🙂

    mcdan we have all that to showers satilite tv. and we even have 6 12 volt batteries so we can watch tv and play cards with out hearing the genny running ..

    1. Chessy, do all those amenities make your wife wanna go?

      See, at our camp we do it oldschool..wood and propane..no running water with an outhouse out back…and you know, Mrs Outdoors Guy hasn’t once asked to join us.

      Outdoorsguy

    2. Chessy, when you ‘pay for your frequency’ does that mean you get a dedicated channel that only your gang can use?? I see that as a plus..you wont get other people bouncing over onto your channel all the time..with our GMRS radios, though, by choosing a main channel like say 21 and a sub-channel of 15 there is very little overlap.

      Outdoorsguy

  27. yes we are the only one with that frequency. my wife packs my clothes and kicks me out the door 🙂 ( i think the boyfriend moves in that weeks ) … my wife would not go as she says any woman that complains about a husband hunting is nuts .. as who wants quality time at the time of morning we get up to go

    1. Its true Chessy, noone – besides us – really enjoys ‘quality time’ when getting up at 4 AM!!

      Outdoorsguy

  28. you camp must reek by the end of the week.
    Deer have a very good sense of smell you know
    call me some time, I’ll give you some ideas

  29. Don’t worry Iggy, my hunting clothes are Scent Loc and I use cover scent before entering the bush…why must our camp reek by the end of the week….is it from my jar of wild garlic?

    We do take sponge baths you know..if that’s what you’re worried about..and I have pictures to prove it….lol

    Outdoorsguy

    1. Hey LeGrand….sadly, Ive seen guys who shot like that!

      So, you all set to go LG..you leaving this afternoon? I bet the 148 will be bumper-to-bumper with deer hunters..it always is on the Friday before opening!

      Best of luck!

      Outdoorsguy

  30. This has been great reading all week! I’m not a hunter, yet. I will be taking all necessary courses and licenses next year though. There are a few camps that have invited me to join, so hopefully next year I can experience my first hunt. I’ve been thinking about it, reading up on it, studying for years now… it’s time.

    Good luck to all of you, and I’m looking forward to hearing the stroies after the hunt.

  31. legrand we have a guy in camp that shoots like that as well he has hunted for 30 years and has only ever shot 2 spikes . he has shot does but never a buck that he has seen antlers on the two spikes he shot did not know the were bucks till he shot them .. he has had dozens and dozens of shots at big bucks but misses. if you ask him to this day he does not know how he misses them

  32. Hey GPG…that is great news!

    I think I mentioned that we have a lad joining us this year who’s never really hunted before, so we’re quite excited about that..

    I have a feeling you’ll never look back..and obviously, after reading all our rantings over the past few months, you can tell there’s much more to hunting that the squeezing of a trigger!

    Outdoorsguy

  33. Absolutely, it’s about the thrill of the hunt, being in nature, with good friends and good… beer. lol I’m looking forward to getting in this “sport” but it really much more than a sport, it’s somewhat of a lifestyle. I will also be trying out the archery classes at the RA Centre come January. I will be doing this with my oldest son (12 years old). I’m not decided if I will be hunting with a bow or a rifle – I’ve heard good arguments from both sides so I will prepare for both and decide later. Who knows, I may do both. Maybe that would be a good idea for an article sometime – the diferences between the two, and how to get started in hunting as well. There’s plenty of information available to become better hunters, but very few in getting started. ie: bow vs. rifle; selecting a bow; selecting a rifle; essential hunting gear for different hunts, etc etc. Like I said, this blog has helped tremendously though.

  34. Going to buy my permits (QC & ON) today.

    Got to cut a tree down for a friend tomorrow, so hoping for an outing in ON (crossbow) Sunday. As for the QC deer, I obtained (after over 15 years or more of participating) one of the draws for an anterless. So I’ll let the crowds do their opener, then I’ll slip in the forest later on during the short QC season.

    Next weekend (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) its another outing for geese. This time with SLO.

    So last QC weekend might be my only chance. After that, it will be ON outings.

    1. LG, that might be a risky move to pass-up on opening weekend in QC..at one time they stated that 60-70% of QC’s annual harvest is from the first weekend alone.

      I wish you luck LG..maybe you’ll cash-in on both sides of the River! That antlerless tag for Zone 10 will help.

      Outdoorsguy

  35. Good luck to everyone this week, Jeff, maybe before you head off you can start a new post for “updates” I know I will be watching this week as I am not likely to get out this year until after rifle season. Thats okay though, the trust crossbow will still do the job.

    Best of luck everyone and come home safe.

  36. Jeff, to many Yahoo’s on the QC side (especiaally the Outaouais region, zone 10) with guns & rifles. I’d rather be safe than sorry.

    1. LG, I’m glad you specified Zone10..otherwise I may have been offended..lol

      Outdoorsguy

  37. may we be blessed with good weather, the beer cold, the stories good new and old. may our hunt be exciting, thrilling and safe. may there be venison at the end for some to take, and good memories of family and friends to last the year. good luck one and all.

    1. Very poetic mcdan…and Im sure we will be blessed with at least some of the things you mentioned..at least
      I hope so!

      Outdoorsguy

  38. A question for Keebler:

    What is the name of the topo mapping software that you use on your Rino?

  39. mcdan says:
    October 29, 2010 at 1:33 pm
    may we be blessed with good weather, the beer cold, the stories good new and old. may our hunt be exciting, thrilling and safe. may there be venison at the end for some to take, and good memories of family and friends to last the year. good luck one and all.

    I second that…well said Mcdan!

    alain

  40. To fishr:
    Topo Canada is one set and it’s pretty good, but the other set is even more detailed.
    I can’t remember the name now, but will check when I get home. It’s far superior to the TC and it didn’t come with the Rino.

  41. Thanks Keebler. I have the Topo Canada chip for Ontario but will probably buy the Trak Maps software for Quebec.

  42. right on Fishr. If the Ontario MNR doesn’t smarten up and fix the moose draw here, I might just have to buy those maps and hunt PQ 🙂 good luck!

    btw, for anyone on Macs (such as myself), Garmin has converters to take the maps from the PC world and convert them for Mac use. Works like a charm.

  43. well i bet this board will be pretty empty for the next two weeks . i saw my father and grandfather off to camp saturday morning and havent been able to sleep the lucky s.o.b’s just another week and a half of work and hopefully the new rifle i bought this year will bring me some luck .

  44. savage joe, I KNOW! I saw at least 4 hunters in the grocery stores buying their grub. Plus, the ‘1st week gang’ managed to get cell reception and sent me snaps of the SNOW on the ground. Oh, to have SNOW! We’ve been unlucky with that over the last few years. Nothing like seeing fresh tracks and making them pop out amongst the trees.

    DOH!
    i’ve been going to bed early every night in an attempt to make the days to by faster so I can leave Thursday after school 🙂 lol

  45. Well I was out yesterday for a few hours. I should have dressed warmer. Retrieved my TrailMac SD card, but had placed a 1GB card in the camera, and forgot it can only handle up to 512MB, so card error and no pictures taken. I could kick myself for that. I really wanted to see what activity was at my spot. I only have permission for the archery season, while another group has the rifle season. So patience for now.

    Looky what I stumbled across.

    see page 32 for the Outdoorsguy’s article.

    http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1pn81/BounderMagaizineOcto/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A//www.yudu.com/item/details/237540/Bounder-Magaizine–October-2010-Edition

  46. The traffic was so light today, that it took half the time to get to work for me. The whole drive I was envious of every person that is in the field, instead of at their desk like I am.

  47. Got some shootin this morning but chalked it up to a clear miss being better than a poor placed shot. And before the peanut gallery starts chiming in it wasn’t me on the trigger…..

    1. Trapper, you must tell us the rest of that story..Im glad to hear it wasnt you who missed….or at least thats what your story is.

      Outdoorsguy

  48. i feel your pain mark , i think even jeff is gone leaving his own blog behind.
    i think me you and keebler are the only ones left

  49. not true, i am still here and suffering. head out too the deer camp tonight with my daughter. i feel like a kid at christmas. can’t sleep and have that nervous twitch in my eye and trigger finger. good luck to everybody that is out. cheers.

  50. LOL, I think I can hear the crickets around here. Just hoping to get an update from someone soon. My neighbor is out today so hopefully he has something hanging when I get home, a great morning for the deer to be on the move for sure. Just hope he sticks it out for the day, I don’t think he has stayed out past 11am this year yet, I keep telling him you have to make it a full day. There are the “magic” hours but the middle of the day is just as important.

    Still waiting to confirm when I am going to get out, its killing me not knowing when. What are your plans Joe?? Have you sighted in the new rifle yet? What did rifle did you decide on? I would love to join in with a moose camp next year, great reason for a new rifle for me.

    Keebler, two sleeps left eh, I’m excited for you, can only imagine how you are feeling.

  51. LOL, I think I can hear the crickets around here. Just hoping to get an update from someone soon. My neighbor is out today so hopefully he has something hanging when I get home, a great morning for the deer to be on the move for sure. Just hope he sticks it out for the day, I don’t think he has stayed out past 11am this year yet, I keep telling him you have to make it a full day. There are the “magic” hours but the middle of the day is just as important.

    Still waiting to confirm when I am going to get out, its killing me not knowing when. What are your plans Joe?? Have you sighted in the new rifle yet? What did rifle did you decide on? I would love to join in with a moose camp next year, great reason for a new rifle for me.

    Keebler, two sleeps left eh, I’m excited for you, can only imagine how you are feeling.

  52. So Joe, you head out next week with a new tool, what did you end up getting? I hope to get a new one for Moose but I have to find a camp first.

    Keebler, 2 sleeps eh, how are you even sleeping at night?

  53. i bought a savage american classic model 114 in 30-06 its really hard to find a good left handed bolt action at a decent price, i looked for upwards of a year comparing.

  54. for what its worth i am still here .. the gang that i hunt with for shotguns have only seen one deer . they have pushed alot of bush and have come up empty .. it is looking for a bad year for them .. i leave friday for the deer camp to play with the dogs and rifles …

  55. Hmmm, I talked to my neighbor briefly at lunch and he said he saw a couple of does (no tag) and 2 bucks but neither buck would come out of the brush for a quality shot, hopefully he has better luck this afternoon. Chessy, I’ve never run dogs before, it must be a bit of challenge.

  56. I tagged out opening day at 11 am. Got a nice spike in wmu 65. Now I can go back and hunt grouse and ducks.

    Dan

  57. Good Job Dan, I am waiting patently to get out for Ducks, my buddy decided that he wanted to dedicate the land around our normal ponds this year to the deer hunt so I said sure and didn’t hunt the ponds. He has yet to see a deer there and has seen supposedly a hundred ducks/geese on the ponds at one time. Just itching to get out to the ponds for sure. Do you hunt grouse in 65 as well?

  58. mark w . running dogs is great.. there is nothing better than freezing on your watch and all of a sudden you here a hound open up, you become instantly warm. we just run beagles as big dogs are hard to keep under control .

    1. Sorry folks…been up to my neck in work since I got back from camp yesterday…my apologies for all the comments waiting to be moderated!

      Sounds like you guys have been busy, though, aren’t you suppose to be out in the bush?

      Outdoorsguy

    1. Chessy, anything on the ground yet?

      Btw..I just got word that the ‘higher ups’ are no longer allowed Bloggers to edit comments…so no more free editing jobs I’m affraid!

      Outdoorsguy

  59. Just read that there is likely going to be another Coyote Cull in North Gower, likely to start around the Christmas season.

    1. Mark W…if you dont mind me asking, where did you hear about another coyote cull?

      You can PM me if you like.

      Outdoorsguy

  60. Well i got a nice 8pt buck last wed morning at around 9.30am with the bow. Now waitin for the second week of the gun hunt. Had pictures of a real nice 12pt i was hoping to get but one of our boys at the camp got him on tues morning. I congratulated him but you know what i was really thinking.LOL

    1. Hey Paul..that’s awesome..love to see some pics of those bad boys?!

      So you congratulated your buddy and thought how nice it was for him to take such a great trophy…instead of you…ahh, thats nice….lol

      Outdoorsguy

  61. No deers for me in ON this year. Nothing seems to be in the area where I have permission. So concentrating on geese hunting. Ju8st back from a three day hunt with St. Lawrence Outffiters. Hunting in three different places in the beautiful South Nation Area of Eastern Ontario. Met great watefowlers from various US States, and Montreal.

    Know for the cooking part.

    🙂

    1. LG, sounds like you’re really into the goose hunt..sounds fun!

      No deer in QC then?

      Outdoorsguy

  62. 7 point, 6 point 5 point and a doe at our camp, unfortunatly nothing for me. It snowed heavily on Sunday before the hunt and it made it miserable to dog the bush on Monday and Tuesday, Then it snowed again on Thursaday, about 8-10 inches both times.
    It’s been a tough season for me this year, no deer, no moose, no ducks, and one grouse. 🙁
    My son keeps saying “well if you shot something everytime you went out, there wouldn’t be anything left. grgrgrgrgrgrgrgrgrgrgrgr

    1. Hey Iggy, congrats on the deer!!

      I was in the bush for the first 5 days of the QC season and had a great time..we saw more deer than last year but sadly did not get shooting…wait till you see the buck I photographed on my trail cam..never got to see him though.

      We had a nice 8-point buck come out to three different guys and no one got a shot at it…then on Tuesday a spike buck came out to me and I passed on it…only to have another hunter take it down an hour later..so much for trying to practise conservation.

      I’m off to Montebello this week for the big boys…and another kick at the can!

      Outdoorsguy

  63. thanks Jeff, I didn’t shoot then but I did help gut them and drag them out, and if you look on the bright side I did shoot a bear

  64. Hey Jeff, Good luck in Montebello, and ya, I would like to find a moose camp. It will come all in due time I am sure.

  65. Jeff, yes love the waterfowling. Lots of action. Might not be doing any QC deer hunt, although I have my permit. Not enough time. Family responsibilities. Even missing going myself to Montebello this weekend (Monday included) to fly fish in float tube with members of the Ottawa Flyfisher Society. They are going to be at the Sugarbush Chalet.

    So if you see movement on the water while you are there, that’s the group.

    Good hunt.

    1. LeBrand, there is a chance I may be hunting around Sugarbush too…if so, I’ll drop in to say hi..I know some of those guys!

      Outdoorsguy

    2. LeGrand, thanks for all the waterfowl info btw..I’ll try to get something up on that soon.

      Outdoorsguy

  66. Hey Jeff ya nice to be back , i have never seen so mutch water and swamp and beaver dams in my life, thank god for the argo to get our real good looking 8pt. out ,it was not a big one only 180lbs all cleaned up but we sure had a good time. I know where i’m goint to go for ducks and gease now,then again the gease around my place is unreal to so maybee i’ll just stay and hunt them as Phil would call them flying steaks LOL.

    1. Benthooks, I’ve never heard of anyone deer hunting in hip waders….but I wouldn’t be surprised if you did!!

      Got any pics you’d like to share??

      Outdoorsguy

  67. Hey Jeff it seems that the other guys are still hunting and they are the ones with the pics. so soon as they get out of that swamp i’ll send them your way

  68. Jeff, were you aware that for a first time deer hunter in Quebec, you can get a huge break on your license, apparently it’s offered to first time hunters at the residence price of around 50 bucks

    1. Iggy, I have never heard of that one but I do know QC has other programs to encourage hunting…special disabled permits, apprentice program, etc…

      Are you sure this applies to Non-resident deer hunters??

      If so, its one heck of a good deal and I bet I know where you’ll be next year!

      Outdoorsguy

  69. I know a guy near my cottage, hunting with the gang there, that is officially an Ontario resident, that applied and got this license. There is a lady up there that works for a government office that told him about it and helped him apply. I’ll save some extra time off next year so that I can hunt the second week with them. For that price it’s worth it

  70. Went out yesterday with the guys at the cottage, put on my blaze vest and hat and just wondered around with a couple other guys. Can’t say I was hunting cause I had no license and no gun, but if I happened to push a deer out to a hunter I’m pretty sure he would appreciate it. I even jumped a deer which is a first while dogging, although I wasn’t really dogging, just wondering around 🙂

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