Outdoors Guy Blog – Page 23 – The Outdoors Guy

November 14, 2012

Hunting season from heaven – life of a deer magnet

Well, I can honestly say this year I was the lucky one – a deer magnet if you will.

You know that hunter who’s always in the right place at the right time? The one they call ‘the deer magnet’?

I have no real explanation as to why some guys have all the luck some years while others struggle just to catch a glimpse of Cervid. Some seasons, it seems, I am that lucky hunter while other years I have been on the losing end.

This year was my year!

From the very first day of this deer season I had a gut feeling I was in store for something marvelous. First chase of opening day and a dandy 4-point yearling strolled out to me at the end of a lake I was watching. He got to within 10 feet of where I was sitting and never even knew I was in town. I knew this little buck well from photos I had seen on my trail cam, and I had no intention of raising my rifle on him; especially first thing on opening morning.

I sat there quietly and enjoyed the sight of this young lad as he disappeared up the hill behind me…man, these are the moments I live for.

The following day, we hunted the top of one of our favourite 2000 ft. mountains and I watched in amazement as yet another 4 point buck bounded his way to within 50 feet me. It was a different forkhorn this time. This guy was bigger and sported a slightly larger rack, yet I let him pass hoping other hunters might do the same if they saw him.

Call it what you want, but choosing to pass on first year bucks is something I do in the best interest of our (recovering) deer herd. I have hopes that by letting these yearlings walk they will, one day, grow up to produce a damn fine progeny; seeding the deer woods with quality genetics. We have gone home empty-handy several years as a result…but so be it.

Ok, so they say some guys have all the luck. By the end of the first week of deer season I had seen, by far, the most deer of anyone and two bucks to boot, while the remaining four members of my gang saw scant few deer and no antlers at all.

It’s just luck I tell myself, as we prepare for our annual luxury trip to Fairmont Kenauk in Montebello, and surely it will run out eventually.

First day of the hunt at Kenauk and my deer numbers are going sky-high. On one chase alone I had 8 deer come out to me including two more bucks; one a spike and the other another forkhorn. Man, I’ve now had 4 bucks make an appearance at close range and I still haven’t raised the rifle.

The boys were getting a little ticked at this point. I chased, I sat, I stalked and it didn’t matter, the deer were all around me it seemed like I was the Pied Piper or something; leading the mice out of the town. Was it something I was wearing?

To be honest it was a bit weird…and somewhat of a burden to carry.

The final day of our season arrived and I promised my 81-year old father that HE would sit in the hotspot where the 8 deer had been all over me the day before. I explained that I would take the post he had and put him in my special ‘hotspot’, with hopes of sharing the wealth…

The chase was on!

I could hear the chasers(doggers, as some call them) on the radio commenting on the fresh buck sign from the day before. I watched the knoll in front of me with another more watchful eye over in my father’s direction with finger’s crossed.

Today has to be HIS day, I thought.

Surely if the big buck which had been making all the rubs and scrapes were around, he would appear and practically run my father over in his hotspot. My poor Dad had seen but 1 whitetail all season long and he deserves this chance at a nice buck.

But alas, as irony and my fate as deer magnet won out, I heard the rustling of leaves on the knoll above me and the glimpse of antler caught my attention.

OMG, here sneaking down the ridge, was one of the biggest set of ivory white antlers I’d ever laid eyes on!

“How could this be?” I thought to myself. “This isn’t the hotspot, the oldman is supposed to see this deer over there!!” A small but persistent wave of guilt come over me.

Finally, instinct took over as I picked out a semi-clear window in the brush I figured this majestic beast would step into. And as my continuous knack for doing everything right won out, the deer stopped into the very spot I had chosen; as if on cue.

Within seconds it was all over and the most beautiful 10-pointer I had ever seen was down and as I walked up to this magnificent beast I knew this had to my destiny this year, and I just couldn’t fight fate. As much as I tried to share my good fortune as deer magnet with others, it simply did not work.

This deer was a very special animal indeed and not your run-of-the-mill whitetail. He sported an almost perfectly symmetrical 5X5 crown with long sweeping main beams and even showed signs of piebald pigmentation along his lower legs and hooves. Two hooves were half white and half brown. It almost looked like the old fellow was wearing white slippers!

Yes, some guys have all the luck and this year was my time. The way things go, next fall lady luck may shine out of someone else’s arse. Man I hope so, I’m not sure I handle the pressure any more. It’s like the weight of the world and extremely tiring to be so popular…

How can one member of a hunt party see 5 bucks during the season, and the rest of the guys see none? I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure…

Anyhow, enjoy these images of one magnificent whitetail buck that wouldn’t have been possible without the other guys in my gang – Rathwell Morrison, Ken Campbell & Jim Bindon.

Next fall, it could just as easily be someone else who plays deer magnet, but just in case, I told the boys I would be leaving my rifle at home….

Outdoorsguy(AKA Deer Magnet)

P.S. A special thanks to Bill Nowell & Celyne Fortin of Fairmont Kenauk and Denyse Murphy of Tourism Quebec.

(The look of an exhausted but very proud deer magnet)

November 9, 2012

The Farmer's Deer – by Maple

Thanks to our pal ‘Maple’ for sending in this awesome story of his experience during the shotgun season. Man, some guys have all the luck!!

The Farmer’s Deer – by Maple

Last Monday was the start of shotgun season in our neck of the woods. As I was too comfy to get up before dawn, I only got to the farm about 9AM and started stripping bark off cedar logs for a wood-client of the farmer.

The temps had dropped to -8 C overnight, up to zero during the day, and sunny. I worked at that ’till 2:30 then drove back to the wood’s edge before walking to my stand. Wouldn’t ya know it, now that turkey season is over, they’re all over the place.

While we were trimming trees, the farmer had mentioned that he’d bought a new chest freezer and was expecting delivery next week. He quipped that it’d be filled with venison soon. Now, I didn’t know if he was joking or not, but I took it as a suggestion. He doesn’t hunt much at all and his wife doesn’t care for venison. She added that he’d be eating a lot of raw venison if that were the case ’cause she wasn’t going to cook it for him. Go figure. Guess she’s a beef and potatoes girl.

Monday as I was walking in I saw three deer in a group with no guaranteed shot (I’m a lousy free-hand shooter), so I let them scamper into the trees hoping they would return later.
No such luck as that was all I saw for the day.

Tuesday morning I was back working with the farmer, bucking up and splitting wood; sugar maple, yellow birch and black cherry. I hate splitting yellow birch. We managed about 4 cords. Come 2:30 we quit and suited up in hunter orange. His was pretty faded. I headed into the back stand again while he went to a slight ridge he said he had not hunted on since he was a teenager. I was still, cool, and I took it all in.

(Note the laneway from the right)

About 4:10, I closed my eyes for a few minutes. Don’t know how often I did that, but the last time I eased one eye open a slit, there was a deer!

No telling quite what, but he was slinking up the side of the lane to the right with spruce and such between he and I. Every once in a while I caught the glint of bone on his head. He was a good one! Whatever scent he was following was most certainly that of gas and bar oil from my boots while walking in.

He took forever!! I had the time to take my pounding pulse (110) and calm my breathing somewhat. What was he doing!!?? What was he smelling? Why didn’t he walk? I could have taken a 50 yard facing shot through twigs, but waited. I knew he had to turn even if he was going to leave…as long as I didn’t spook him. I didn’t want that!

Finally, he decided on something with his cervid mind, and plodded to the right to skirt some low spruce. I was ready. At the shot I saw his side ripple and he stumbled. He circled back into the bush and I saw him falter 40 yards away, carrying some serious headgear with him.

I called the farmer and he came over to put his tag on the deer. He said the deer weren’t this big when he was a teenager. Heck, my deer weren’t this big ever! Field dressed at 218.

I hope his freezer arrives on time.

November 1, 2012

Outdoors Guy deer calls Podcast – Doc & Woody Show

Here are the audio clips from this morning’s appearance on the CHEZ 106 FM – Doc & Woody Show.

Thanks again to the boys for having me on..and kudos for allowing me to keep hunting a topic of conversation here in our conservative Nation’s Capital.

Miss November says; “Click here big fella”:

Deer Call 1

Mr. October says; “Click here little mamma”:

Deer call 2

October 29, 2012

Yearling buck returns after 8 month absence

Anyone who follows the Outdoors Guy Blog will recall my story from last winter entitled; Misfit Duo an unlikely winter team – the story of an orphaned fawn who teamed up with a lame buck.

Beginning September 2011, I started seeing an orphaned fawn button buck (I called Peanut) hanging around behind my place. He was a spunky little bugger but I had concerns that he wouldn’t make the winter on his own.

Before too long, though, a 3 year old buck we called Andrew showed-up in the back property with a badly broken leg. The two deer made the biggest misfit team I had ever seen, but somehow it worked.

It was a symbiotic relationship you might say…

The two deer watched out for each other and as winter progressed Andrew’s leg injury healed very slowly; until the coyotes started running him all over the place.

Eventually, by the end of February, poor Andrew was done running and could no longer get-up. A neighbor and I found him lying in the snow barely able to move so I made the decision to have him put down. Since I live in a ‘no discharge zone’, the Ottawa Police Service were called to do the job.

Andrew’s little buddy Peanut remained there on his own until, fortunately, he teamed-up with another big healthy 4-year old buck on the property.

That was early March and I hadn’t seen Peanut again since.

Over the past month or so I started putting deer feed out again but only hoards of raccoons and one loan doe have stopped-by for a nibble…

This past weekend I decided to test-out a new Tinks product Terry Rohm sent me…it is the Tinks Power Scrape – Combo pack, which contains a scrape dripper, string and a supply of ‘synthetic’ buck lure which is totally legal in Ontario for hunting . (Even though I do not hunt deer around my place and could have legally used natural scent if I wished) Power Scrape is meant to capitalize on the buck’s natural sense of curiosity during early season.

So anyway, Saturday morning I get the new Power Scrape all ready to go near my deer feeder. I tied it to the lower branch of a tree approximately 10 feet to the left of my feeder and about 18” of the ground. I cleared the leaves away on the ground underneath and squirted a few extra drops to get it going…

Sunday morning I was curious to see if anything showed-up for a visit and I instantly noticed fresh deer tracks around the Power Scrape and deer feeder.

The tracks weren’t huge and I suspected the doe was back to snack on some of my deer pellets, but I pulled the SD card from my Bushnell Trophy cam overlooking the site, and brought it inside to check-out the images.

Here’s what I found!

After nearly 8-months, Peanut the fawn finally returned for a visit, except this time he’s a much larger yearling buck and sported a darn nice first year set of antlers.

An 8-pointer no less!!

After going through the photos, I could tell right away it was Peanut and was glad to see he was doing well. Evidently this deer is one tough little bugger, who has overcome the odds with the makings of one dominate buck indeed.

So, was it just a coincidence that this deer showed-up at my place (with his nose down btw) the very night I put out the Tinks Power Scrape, after being absent for nearly 8-months?

Seems a little too coincidental if you ask me.

Well, whatever the case..welcome back little buddy!

Outdoorsguy

October 15, 2012

Big game hunters Bragging Board

OK folks, it is that time of year again…I can smell it in the air! Its that time when men are men and bears, moose and deer are extremely nervous!

If you have enjoyed a successful big-game hunt this fall, I invite you to share your story and photos right here at the Outdoors Guy Blog.

As someone once said, its time to show ’em if you got ’em..and also send in last year’s prowess if you’d like!

Please keep in mind that all photos submitted should be in a small file format. Usually less than 1/2 GB is fine.

Outdoorsguy

Here’s a photo of the great looking 8-point buck Maple took last Thursday with his bow:

Check out the fisher video courtesy of Iggy & Bob:

fishervid

October 10, 2012

Ottawa most wildlife unfriendly City in Canada?

According to the Animal Alliance of Canada, our Nation’s Capital is one cruel place indeed – when it comes to beavers anyway.

In a media release, the animal rights group pleads with Mayor Jim Watson that the City can no longer keep “crushing, strangling, gassing, poisoning and shooting wildlife.”

If you click on the link, you’re led into the group’s website and what I would refer to as the ‘back story’ on this issue – a letter from Donna DuBreuil of the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre regarding a family of beavers in Stittsville.

In Ms. DuBreuil’s letter entitled; Ottawa’s Shame…a Death Sentence for the Stittsville Beavers, she recounts the story of a mother beaver and her kits removed from Paul Lindsay Park and relocated to a new area.

In the letter, Ms DuBreuil notes that a relocation of this nature would likely mean death to one beaver family…(I mean Lily and her kits, sorry)

Ottawa, the most wildlife unfriendly City in Canada?

Is it me or has the Animal Alliance of Canada totally lost their mind??

I know it may sound like cruel and unusual punishment but in the real world the only logical & ethical way to manage a beaver population is through trapping, which is exactly what should have happened in this situation. (But I do understand that trapping is not always a viable option within City limits.)

We Conservationists are not being heartless or mean, and it may come as a shock to many but there are actually more beaver in North America today than when Pioneers first arrived at this country! Reason being: their population is no longer trapped to manageable levels.

But calling Ottawa a ‘Wildlife Unfriendly City’ after they went through the effort of relocating a family of beavers instead of trapping them, is the most preposterous thing I have ever heard!

By the way, I have some raccoons at my place that need relocating…

Outdoorsguy

October 9, 2012

My favourite hunting companion

(imacdon and his old pal Duke with a nice spread of mallards)

Hunting means different things to different people. For some it is about tradition and camaraderie, while for others it’s about spending time with that one special hunting companion.

For imacdon, his hunting companion Duke has always been his favourite, and the fact that he walks on four legs instead of two makes no difference.

My Favourite Hunting Companion – by imacdon

The best hunting partnership I’ve ever had is drawing to a close. He’s never let me down, never come up with an excuse why he could not go hunting, was always the first in the truck or the boat, was always eager to share a lunch. He was never the first to quit.

Last weekend’s hunt was like the previous 11 seasons. I had loaded up the boat the night before with decoys and gear. Even though I had to help my elderly partner into the boat, neither of us seemed to noticed.

I paddled the fourteen footer about a quarter mile away into a swampy bay and started throwing decoys. Pulled the boat up on shore. As was customary, my partner would not move in the boat until I was out and the boat pulled up. I offered my partner a hand out of the boat but he waved me off.

He did not need any help.

We selected our spots, me setting up in some tall grass and him setting up a few feet in front. We did not have long to wait, a pair of mallards flew in over the decoys, I got lucky with a double. My Partner, not to be out done, jumped in the water to retrieve the closest bird. Once in hand he departed for the second.

I had to give him a few hand signals to get him in the area of the second bird. Three more birds came in as singles with the same outcome. It was a great morning.

My partner and I picked-up and decided to call it a day, this time he let me help him in the boat.

October 4, 2012

Munro family meet Rideau River lunker!!

(Photo of Don Munro Sr & Jr with their big Rideau River trophy)

Thanks to Don Munro for sending in the big fish story and photos.

By the way, if you look closely at the photos, upon first glance they appear to be that of a muskie, however, I am 99% sure this fish is a Tiger Muskie – a pretty darn rare hybrid of the Northern Pike and Muskie!

You usually don’t see them this big either!!

Without having the fish in my hands and being able to count the number of ‘sub-mandibular’ pores under its jaw, we may never know for sure, but the distinct bar markings and shape of the fins are typical of a Tiger Muskie.

Any way you look at it, though, it’s still a magnificent fish!

Here is the story of how this beast came to be, as told by Don Munro Jr:

My 89yr dad has been waiting all his life to actually hook into one of these……..He use to tell me stories of his dad and uncles hooking into Muskies on the Rideau around James Island in Manotick “So big they wouldn’t fit in the wheelbarrow”

Anyhow, last Friday the 28th of Sept we decided to give it a shot – My Son Adam, Dad and myself – And we finally hooked into one….I figure he was 30+ lbs and 4ft long…I am only guestimating as I didn’t want to injure him weighing him etc….

We got him into the boat and took a few flicks then got him back into the water for another day…So he’s back out there waiting for you…

The guys at work are now at me to “Let’s go fishing”

October 1, 2012

Mayo Clinic – tips for safe hunting season

A 22-year-old man is dead following a hunting accident in the Osgoode-area.

A 911 call came in at about 7 p.m. last night and apparently the man shot himself accidently. My condolence to the family at this extremely difficult time.

Although hunting is generally considered a safe sport compared to many, accidents do occurs and hunters are reminded to be diligent whenever a firearm is in use.

Our hunt gang prides itself on safety. We are always cautious and aware when handling a rifle a hunting situation. No shell can be chambered in presence of any other hunter and gun cases are always used in accordance with the law.

I also understand how easily an accident can happen. One time 20 years ago, our hunting partner had just taken his first buck and I was first to arrive on the scene. At the time, he was so filled with adrenaline hadn’t realized that his rifle was still loaded and cocked, and he was waving it all around.

I took his firearm from him right away, unloaded it and placed it safely at a dry spot on the ground. Nothing bad happened that day, but even a split second indiscretion can be deadly.

Good luck out there this fall and please make sure to have a safe and productive hunting season.

Again, my sincere condolences to the family involved in this terrible hunting accident in Osgoode.

I just received this Press Release from the Mayo Clinic and thought I’d share it.

There are some good tips in there!

Keeping Hunters Out of the Hospital: Mayo Expert Offers Tips for a Safe Hunting Season

Errant gunshots are an obvious health risk during fall hunting season, but a range of other dangers also can send hunters to the hospital or worse: heart attacks, injured backs and broken bones are among the most common medical emergencies. Emergency medicine physician Eric Grube, D.O.,of the Mayo Clinic Health System (http://mayoclinichealthsystem.org/) in La Crosse offers several tips for a safe hunting season.

“I am a hunter and always need to remind myself to lead by example when I’m in the woods,” Dr. Grube says. “Hunting can be a fun sport for all to enjoy. But we need to make sure that fun isn’t spoiled by some unfortunate accident.”

Hunters should make sure they are properly educated about their surroundings. They also should be diligent with safety precautions, wear clothing suitable for hunting and for the weather, stay level headed, and always alert other hunters to their presence, he says.

Other tips from Dr. Grube:

*Watch for heart attack warning signs. One study of middle-aged male deer hunters found that the activities inherent to hunting — walking over rough terrain, shooting an animal and dragging its carcass, for example — sent their heart rates up significantly. Although opinion varies, many doctors caution that exercising at more than 85 percent of a person’s maximum heart rate increases the risk of heart attack. Hunters unaccustomed to the strenuous hikes involved should take several breaks to rest, Dr. Grube says.

*Falls tend to be the most common cause of injuries, and often happen when a hunter is up a tree and startled by animals there. Pay attention to your surroundings at all times.

*Always check equipment and stands and use safety belts to prevent falls. Permanent tree stands are more likely to deteriorate and should be avoided. The average fall from a tree stand is about 15 feet. Injuries suffered from those heights can cause broken bones, paralysis, or even death.

*Avoid alcohol. Hunters are more susceptible to injuries, including frostbite and hypothermia, if they’ve been drinking.

*Let family members know where you’ll be hunting and take two-way radios or loud whistles along in case help is needed. A surprisingly large number of hunting accidents occur between family members and friends who have

gone out together, but do not remember or know where their party has gone, Dr. Grube says.

*Learn some basic first aid before heading to the woods, including how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or hands-only CPR, which consists of chest compressions, should a hunting partner have a heart attack.

Dr. Grube notes four basic rules of firearm safety from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (http://dnr.wi.gov/) known as TAB-K: Treat every firearm as if it is loaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction, be certain of your target and what’s beyond it, and keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

For example, if a hunter stumbles with a firearm in one hand and nothing in the other, whatever that person does with the free hand will automatically happen with the hand holding the gun, the agency notes. So if a finger is inside the trigger guard, that hand will likely close around the pistol grip of the gun and on the trigger causing an unwanted discharge.

September 28, 2012

Podcast – Moose Hunting on CHEZ 106 with Doc and Woody!

Check out the audio from my segment this week on CHEZ 106 FM World Class Rock’s – Doc & Woody Radio Show.

A special thanks to Doc, Woody, Randall & Eric for having me on again to celebrate the moose season…and for continuing a wonderful 10-year tradition.

Happy moose hunting to all…btw, no actual moose were injured during the taping of this show!

Bullwinkle says click here: CHEZ106Moose2012.mp3

Outdoorsguy