A raw wind sweeps steam from my boiling honey pot over the bog. I train my eyes in that direction, seldom glancing elsewhere. If a bear should follow that unseen trail to my corner of the woods, I want to be ready. I might not last much longer, however, as gale force winds have nearly chilled me to the bone.
Continue reading “Bears Dish Out Humiliating Loss on Home Turf”Hunting
Three Magical Days: Part II- First Turkey Hunt
Turkey hunting tends to get us up early. Normally, it feels like a death march from bed to the kitchen. But not the other day. I practically sprang from bed, not having slept very soundly all night.
Continue reading “Three Magical Days: Part II- First Turkey Hunt”Moments to Remember
It was Sunday, the second day of deer camp. My daughter and I sat quietly in the stand for the second morning in a row, eyes and ears straining for signs of life.
Continue reading “Moments to Remember”Turkey Reigns King at Blackhawk Lake
I’ve been here since it was darn near dark. Literally tiptoed into place, if you can believe it. Heard every bird chirp and swish of leaves. Adrenaline has been on a steady drip for hours now.
I haven’t been so tense for so long in my life.
Continue reading “Turkey Reigns King at Blackhawk Lake”The Year of Untouchable Bucks
Hanging some antlers on the wall is a dream that sparkles in every deer hunter’s eye. Unsurprisingly, big bucks dominate deer hunting marketing and media. I will admit I’m not immune to the images and hype.
But at this time in my life, my main priorities each deer season are observing tradition, pursuing new experiences, and doing all I can to secure meat for my family. My 2020 deer hunt embodied those three as much or more than any other, spread across two weeks and three distinct settings. Continue reading “The Year of Untouchable Bucks”
Do Something New: Minnesota State Park Deer Hunt
It all started about two years ago. My deer season had almost passed without a single deer sighting. I’d spent two rainy days in a deer stand on private property, then one especially frigid day hoofing it on state forest land. If it weren’t for the good fortune of my brother and dad, we’d have been short on meat for the year.
Continue reading “Do Something New: Minnesota State Park Deer Hunt”Trip Report: North Dakota Grouse Odyssey
Thursday
I hit the road a little after 6:00 a.m. Fargo was my first real stop, for a PLOTS Guide and hunting license. Then it was a matter of winding through the countryside on the smaller roads, surveying some public parcels with the PLOTS Guide pages showing me the way.
Continue reading “Trip Report: North Dakota Grouse Odyssey”
Product Review: Irish Setter VaprTrek Boot
It all started in 2014. A great pair of leather boots had given up the ghost and I needed something new. Another pair of leather boots seemed a good idea, but with all the walking I do in the bird hunting season, I didn’t want anything too heavy. One boot caught my attention, marketed as light in weight and tough as nails. I’d never owned anything in kangaroo leather before, so who was I to doubt their claims?
Well, I should have. Astonishingly, I wore those boots out in just one October. The leather in the toes completely disintegrated, and the waterproof layer underneath could clearly be seen. I regret to this day I didn’t take pictures, but I was livid as I packed up the box. I wanted them out of my sight. Ever since then, I’ve been in search of a boot that could stand up to the way I hunt. Continue reading “Product Review: Irish Setter VaprTrek Boot”
Do Something New: Quarter and Pack Out a Deer
I’ve long dreamed of hunting in the mountains, spending days climbing, glassing, and stalking. This kind of trip has always seemed quite accessible to me, except for one aspect: getting the meat out of the woods. It would be impractical to expect to drag a deer back to the truck. Foolish, really, and out of the question with an elk. So that would mean quartering and packing the animal out. This is nothing to the hunter on horseback, or even one who is accustomed to doing it. Continue reading “Do Something New: Quarter and Pack Out a Deer”
Video Log
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Lake Sturgeon Fishing, 9/18/20
Foraging Berries & Cherries- July 15th, 2020
Northwoods Snorkeling, July 4th, 2020
Minnesota Springtime Catfishin’, June 3, 2020
The Lake Trout of Gillis- May 20-22, 2020
Mission: BWCA Brook Trout, May 18-20, 2020
Floating Rice Creek- NAGC Video Log
Snowy Day Ramp Harvest- NAGC Video Log
The Search For My Honey Hole In The Woods- Covid-19 Isolation Week- NAGC Video Log
Coronavirus Isolation Week- Maple Tapping, March 24, 2020, NAGC Video Log
The Ice Jam Cometh- St Peter, Minnesota- 3/7/20
Trout Fishing, Smelt Catching- February 28, 2020- NAGC Video Log
The Women Ice Angler Project, February 1, 2020- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
Ice Fishing Devils Lake at Woodland Resort, Jan. 29, 2020- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
Perch & Walleyes on Devils Lake January 28, 2020- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
Mille Lacs Tullibees and Walleye, January 24, 2020- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
My First St. Paul Ice Fishing Show- Dec. 6, 2019- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
Al's Goldfish Ice Fishing Test- Dec. 5, 2019- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
Minnesota Pheasant Hunt in Wet Snow- Nov. 29, 2019- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
Cutting a Christmas Tree in Chippewa National Forest, Nov 26, 2019- Never A Goose Chase Video Log
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My Public Lands: 2018
After the Public Lands Day rally at the state capitol rotunda last year, it seemed like a good idea to keep track of my public land usage until the next rally rolled around. I normally visit a lot of state and federal public lands throughout the year, but never kept a record, and so never really knew the extent of my own personal use. My mission to document my outings proved not only enlightening, but also spurred me on to go new places and try new things.
The following is a visual representation of my visits- as well as my varied activities- on Minnesota’s public lands since last April. You may notice that not every single day or visit is represented by a photograph. For instance, some photographs represent an activity carried out on several different parcels, at noted. Likewise, some outings occurred on many different days, such as foraging in Chippewa National Forest and George Washington State Forest throughout the summer and fall. I only wish I had remembered to bring my rally sign with me every time; regrettably, there are some gaps in coverage.
Our public lands, as you can see, are important to me throughout the year for camping, fishing, hunting, foraging, educating my children, and much more. If you are so inclined, please consider joining the Public Lands Day rally at the Minnesota state capitol February 7th, at 3:00. Thanks, and get outside.
Sucker fishing and camping, Cloquet Valley S.F. and CC Andrews S.F., April 2018 Continue reading “My Public Lands: 2018”
Compliance
The Deer Hunt
It was the third day of deer season. My dad, my brother, and I were done hunting and were standing around by the new blind I’d been sitting in. I glanced westward and noticed somebody in blaze orange walking straight toward us across a neighboring soybean field. Having no idea who it was and what they might want, we went to meet him at the property line. When we got close enough to each other, I could see he was wearing a badge that identified him as a state conservation officer. He introduced himself as Jeremy, we shook hands, and I invited him across the fence so we could talk properly. He asked us about the hunt and checked our licenses. Continue reading “Compliance”
Do Something New: Spot & Stalk Duck Hunting
It all started on an October morning, almost a year ago: I was cruising up highway 65 with my dog for an overnight grouse hunting outing in the McGregor/McGrath area. I’d had too much coffee and, well, had to go.
How bad? I knew I wouldn’t make it to my destination, only about 5 miles distant. So I stopped at the first opportunity, a small area to pull off the highway next to a drainage ditch. As I hurried down the berm next to the ditch, a pair of wood ducks made my heart stop when they flushed from under the bank next to me. This of course hastened the inevitable. Luckily, I didn’t end up needing a change of clothes. But the combination of surprise, discovery, and frantic zipper work cemented that moment in my memory and sparked an idea. Continue reading “Do Something New: Spot & Stalk Duck Hunting”