December’s “Woman of the Wild”-Holly Heyser

Holly A. Heyser, hunting blogger and college lecturer

I am pretty much the last person anyone – including myself – would have expected to take up hunting. I was born in Southern California and have spent all of my adult life in urban areas. After college, I spent 19 years as a newspaper reporter and editor (Orange County Register, San Jose Mercury News, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Virginian-Pilot, Sacramento Bee) before leaving the business in 2006 to teach journalism at my alma mater, California State University, Sacramento. Reporter. Professor.

Urbanite. Not someone you think of as a gunner.

But I have always craved unusual experiences, and hunting started worming its way into my realm of possibility back when I was in my late 30s. I was living in St. Paul, Minnesota, with my boyfriend Hank Shaw, and we were both working for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. We had befriended the hunting and fishing writer there – Chris Niskanen – and what he did was really piquing Hank’s interest. One day Hank announced that he wanted to take up hunting. “That’s fine,” I said. He’s a cook, so I knew he’d eat what he’d kill, which was my threshold of acceptance for hunting.

 He was really getting into it, spending a lot of time out in the woods, and pretty soon he started asking if I’d like to join him. I didn’t, because I was busy training for marathons at that point, and I rightfully concluded that I couldn’t fit two activities that intense into my weekends. But a couple years later we moved to Sacramento, and I stopped running, and I finally said I was ready to join him. My first hunt was a pheasant hunt, but what really grabbed me was duck hunting. Half of the ducks in the Pacific Flyway spend their winter in the Sacramento Valley about an hour north of us, and the duck hunting can be amazing. I will hunt anything that I’m willing to eat – pheasants, turkeys, wild boar, deer – but there’s just something about ducks. They’re fast, the marshy terrain is challenging and the worse the weather, the better the hunting. I love a challenge. And ducks taste divine. Duck is by far my favorite meat, followed closely by wild boar.

I very quickly dedicated myself to my new pursuit. I had just started my teaching job and was overjoyed when I realized my winter break covered the last six weeks of duck season, so when Hank was working, I’d drive up to one of my favorite wildlife refuges and head out into the marsh myself, determined to teach myself how to actually hit these birds. (Three years later, I’m sorta kinda getting the hang of it.)

 A year to the day after I fired my shotgun for the first time ever, I started a blog about hunting, NorCal Cazadora (www.norcalcazadora.com). NorCal stands for Northern California, and “cazadora” is Spanish for huntress. I figured no one would care what a novice hunter had to say, but boy was I wrong. I quickly found that even the most veteran hunters enjoyed the frustration-filled tales of trying to learn how to do this hunting stuff right. Since, then, I’ve expanded a bit and have begun writing for magazines including California Waterfowl, Delta Waterfowl and Turkey Country, and I’ve done quite a few hunting stories for the Sacramento Bee, which has shown amazing openness to hunting.

I’ve also taken up photography, and do a lot of food photos for my boyfriend, who started a blog shortly after I did – Hunter Angler Gardener Cook (www.honest-food.net) – and writes for a variety of food magazines. I’ll be doing photography for his upcoming book as well.

Writing and photography has opened many doors. I’ve begun doing a lot of volunteer work for California Waterfowl, which graciously honored me with its Artemis Award this year. And I’ve made friends all over the country and world, which means if I can afford a plane ticket someplace, I could probably find someone to hunt with there. I feel incredibly blessed.

Probably the biggest blessing, though, is having been able to enter the hunting world in the first place. I was not naïve about where food came from before I started hunting – I spent some time in the country as a kid, and my family raised a lot of animals for meat. But participating in food, nature and the cycle of life at this level has been a revelation, and it has improved both what I eat and how much I appreciate it exponentially. So many things had to fall into place to get me here: meeting Hank, moving to Minnesota, befriending Chris. There are any number of different choices I could have made that would have put me on a different path. But I got lucky, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.

Hanna Pike of Prois Hunting Takes 7×6 Bull in Colorado!

Big Bull Down! Hanna Pike of Prois Hunting Takes 7×6 Bull in Colorado! By Kirstie Pike, CEO Prois Hunting Apparel for Women

Again?!? Yes, again… Hanna Pike, daughter of Prois founders Steve and Kirstie Pike, bags another trophy animal for 2009! Hanna, 17 years old, started out her 2009 season with hard-earned Mountain Goat that she took in the 13,000 foot peaks of Colorado. This week, Hanna scored her second trophy of 2009- a 7×6 bull taken in Southeastern Colorado.

Hanna, accompanied by her father and grandfather (Jim “Jim Dog” Pike) set out for the south east reaches of the state. Packing in on horseback, the threesome set up early on opening morning to glass the area. A number of sizable bulls and cows were sighted that morning. However, when Hanna spotted a nice 7×6, she knew that was the bull she wanted. After some maneuvering, she was able to set-up into position and take her shot.

The rest, they say, is history. A trophy bull is quite a prize, but the memories fabulous hunt shared with her dad and grampa are what will mean the most. Passing the torch and fueling the passion for hunting and the outdoors starts at home. It is a beautiful thing to watch our kids grow into the next generation of sportsmen/women. Oh, and by the way…Hanna isn’t done yet. She ALSO drew a Colorado Mule Deer tag for the upcoming season…stay tuned!

My First Bull Elk!

Comment by Wendy Koons on October 29, 2009 at 12:10pm

My first bull elk! Taken last Saturday (10/24/09) on the last day of a controlled/lottery hunt in literally the last few minutes of shooting light. I’ve taken a few cow elk over the past several years since moving to Idaho, but never a bull. The hunt opened on October 1st and we turned every weekend into 3 or 4 days of hard hunting. Saw tons of elk, probably 300+ head all together, but just couldn’t get it done – either we were winded by the cows or the bulls changed their minds and didn’t give me the shot I needed. Then we had a hard freeze and snow that really put the brakes on the rut and the elk pretty much stopped talking, no matter how much calling we did. I had pretty much given up on taking a bull, but on Saturday evening, about 15 or 20 minutes before dark, my boyfriend Jeff and another friend decided to give calling another try. And the bull I took let us know he was there. They called and he came charging in, screaming all the way and pushing a good number of cows and calves ahead of him. There was one smaller bull with the group, that I saw first, but couldn’t get a shot on him. I’m glad, because I’m really happy with this guy. I was afraid there wasn’t enough light when he finally came into view, but when I looked through the scope I could see him clearly and pulled the trigger. He hunched up and disappeared into some thick timber. It got dark on us, so we backed out and came in at first light the next morning. Found him about 100 yards from where I shot him. The best part though was having my boyfriend Jeff with me. He contracted the neurological form of West Nile virus in 2007 and it nearly did him in. He spent over 9 months in physical rehab, and last year this time was in a wheelchair. To have him there with me and help call in that bull after all he’d been through was nothing short of miraculous. I think he was more excited than I was. Before the hunt I told him I thought if I got one bull, I’d probably go back to hunting cows, but now that I know how exciting it is, I might have to change my mind. …

November’s “Woman of the Wild” Sarah Calhoun

Sarah Calhoun- Founder of Red Ants Pants.

Since college I’ve wanted to start hunting. I think it’s important to know where our food comes from.  Having grown up on a farm I’d had to opportunity to help butcher pigs and chickens so I had that experience, but I wanted the wild game experience as well.  When I moved to White Sulphur Springs, Montana, the hunting opportunities were endless.  I bought my first rifle in 2004, a Remington 30-06 with a Winchester bolt.  I’ve been lucky enough to harvest a mule deer every year since, but the elk have continued to elude me.  We’ll see how this season goes!

Sarah has started her own company called Red Ants Pants (work pants for women) and travels the country doing the Tour de Pants.  Here is a poem about that.

On a farm where Sarah was raised, Playing outside she spent her days. One time she fell and started to cry. She saw a hole in her pants, right at the thigh. “What a bummer,” she thought, “these should have lasted longer.” “If only these pants were a little bit stronger!” On summer breaks from college, she helped her Dad with the hay. She wore his old pants; they didn’t fit the right way. Instructing for Outward Bound, she led kids in the woods. When shopping for work pants, she found nothing good. Next she led trail crews for the SCA. With pulaskis and cross cuts her pants grew weaker each day. When her back wore out she settled in Montana, And patched up her pants with an extra bandana. She peeled logs and groomed ski trails to bring in some money. “There really are no work pants for women. This is no longer funny!” At a coffee shop one day, she read her “How to Start a Business” book. A man happened by and gave an interested look. He asked her what she was doing, so she told him her thought; “We need workwear for women. We need it a lot!” This wasn’t just any man – as it turned out. He knew exactly what she was talking about. For twenty years, production and design had been his career. For a small company called Patagonia…. She was all ears. With contacts and advice, Sarah was well on her way. And Red Ants Pants was born, that very same day.

You may be asking, why the name Red Ants Pants?

NorCalCazadora takes her first deer!

The great shock: I finally got my first deer!  by Holly Heyser

I GOT A DEER! I GOT A DEER! I GOT A DEER!

I shouted the words into the cell phone this morning, struggling to share the news with Boyfriend as the bars kept disappearing from my screen. Redial. Signal lost. Redial again. Ring ring ring.

I GOT A DEER!

He got it that time.  

I went out this morning like I do on all hunts – simultaneously fantasizing about the perfect hunt and bracing for the big goose-egg.

The latter is a good strategy for blacktail hunting in California, which has the lowest success rate of all wild game hunting in the state. But I actually had some reason to be optimistic today.

First of all, unlike last weekend’s hunt with Phillip in the Mendocino National Forest, I was on private land. It was only 50 acres, but it was 50 acres that hasn’t been hunted in who knows how long, and I had it all to myself.

Second of all, unlike last weekend when we did not see one single legal buck, I’d already seen several on this land. But let me back up for a second.

Boyfriend and I were actually supposed to be hunting wild boar here. Owners John and Peg Poswall were going out in the mornings and finding their landscaping all dug up. Peg knows Boyfriend through the food world, and she thought her hunter friend might be able to help alleviate their problem.

The only hitch was that they had never seen the pigs during the day, which we knew might be an insurmountable obstacle – you can’t hunt pigs at night. But John mentioned that they had tons of deer that we were also welcome to hunt, so I picked up a deer tag Thursday morning.

When I arrived Friday afternoon ahead of Boyfriend, John took me on a tour of the property and I found tons of pig sign and deer sign. At the end of the ride, I even saw several legal bucks (forked-horn or better) skitter across their fence. Sweet!

Boyfriend and I spent the night and when we got up the next morning, I took him to a spot where I’d found a pretty good pig trail. We perched on some boulders and waited to see what would come, but nothing did. Then I looked up the hill and noticed deer munching on cypress trees on a walkway leading to a fountain. They were about 180 yards away.

I angled up the rock for a better shooting position and one of the bucks in the group turned broadside. My heart raced. My bipod shooting stick was too low. My position was awkward and unsteady. In the early-morning light, I couldn’t see clearly what was behind the buck (I think it might’ve been a chicken coop, but there were lots of marble statues in the vicinity that had me just as worried). And on top of all that, it was 180 yards away – a little far for me. The buck moved behind a tree, and then the whole group trotted off and the opportunity was gone.

Boyfriend totally would’ve taken that shot – and made it – so I felt like a moron for holding back. But he was nice enough about it. “If it doesn’t feel right, you shouldn’t do it,” he said.

We decided to take a quiet walk around the property so I could show him other promising spots I’d seen. As we walked along a creek at the bottom of a hill, we bumped four does on the open hillside above us. Then we went to a pond where pigs had been wreaking havoc. By this time, it was getting pretty late and we began talking in normal tones instead of a whisper. We figured we’d spend the rest of the morning mushroom hunting.

“You know what we haven’t seen yet?” he asked.

“What?”

“A rabbit.”

And just then, something burst away from us on the other side of a bush.

“There’s one,” he said laughing. Then we realized it wasn’t a rabbit; it was a buck. Forked-horn, and a nice size. He’d let us get ridiculously close to him.

The buck sprinted up the hill and then came to a stop. Broadside. Right in front of the house.

Hell!

I looked back at Boyfriend, chagrined to have lost my second chance of the morning.

“Oh, even I wouldn’t have taken that shot!” he said.

We called it quits not long after that. But it was really bugging me that I knew deer were there and I hadn’t gotten a shot at them. When John and Peg made it clear I was welcome back anytime, I said, “Could I come back tomorrow?”

That was how I found myself walking down that trail again at 5:50 this morning in the near-blackness of the new moon – alone, because Boyfriend had work to do today. I hadn’t gone 20 steps down the driveway when I bumped a deer – right where we’d spooked that forkie the day before. But I couldn’t see what it was. Too dark.

I circled around to the place where we’d seen the first deer of the day on Saturday, and as I made my way to an oak tree I could back up to, I bumped another deer that I could hear, but not see.

Crap. Would this be the only time I’d see the deer here?

The answer was yes. I spent nearly two hours under that tree and watched all variety of geese and ducks and woodpeckers, and heard not one but two flocks of turkeys down the hill from me. But not a single four-legged critter came by. And with the wind swirling all over the place, it was no surprise – my scent had to be stinking up the whole area. The only excitement had been hearing rifle fire from somewhere nearby. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Damn, either you’re not a good shot, or you’re not hunting…

I decided to bail.

I walked back to the pond where we’d bumped the forkie to see if he’d make the same mistake twice, but he wasn’t there.

It was 8:40 and I hadn’t seen squat. But I decided to make one last swing – down to the creek, then back up to where I’d started – before calling it quits.

I walked down the trail toward the creek quietly, scanning the big, open hillside where we’d bumped the does the day before, wondering where they were now.

Then I saw antlers sticking up out of the dry grass. They were attached to a head that was pointed my way.

Where I saw antlers

My heart leapt into my throat and the rest of my body went the other direction, sinking slowly toward the ground, right there in the middle of the trail. I set up my shooting sticks, raised the gun and took at better look at what I’d seen – a lone forked-horn buck bedded down, broadside to me, about 80 yards away. He was looking my direction, but the wind was in my face, so he couldn’t smell me, and he clearly wasn’t spooked.

My stick was positioned too low, so I slowly reached for each of the legs and extended them a bit. Looked through the scope again. Still a forked-horn – looked like the one we’d seen the day before. Shooting stick was still too low.

One more adjustment and it was perfect. And the buck still wasn’t moving.

But boy, my gun was. My heart was thumping wildly.

Calm down, calm down, calm down, I told myself. I put the crosshairs on where I thought his vitals should be, but the grass obscured his body.

No need to take that shot, I told myself. He’d have to get up soon – his nice shady spot was starting to get sun.

Calm down, calm down, calm down.

I kept the scope on his vitals, but my eyes kept wandering to his antlers. A forkie may be no big deal in whitetail country, but this was a respectable deer. A legal target. My heart raced more.

Just look at his ribcage.

After five minutes, I finally calmed down enough that I felt I could take a shot.

If he’d just get up. He seemed to be in no hurry. He looked this way and that. No hurry.

My arms trembled from holding the gun steady for so long.

Finally, the buck heaved – rear end up first, then the front. He took a step, quartering slightly toward me. I put the crosshairs behind his elbow and the rest of what happened became a crystalline memory.

BOOM!

He staggered a few steps and dropped. Good!

He got back up. Problem?

Even without the scope I could see a bloody hole in his ribcage, glistening in the sunshine that had ended his nap. Good hit – definitely hit lungs.

He wobbled, and collapsed.

Yes! These are the shots I dream of. Not some botched shot that sends an animal into the woods to suffer until I find him, maybe dead, maybe alive. The shot that takes him down before he knows what happened. No suffering; just rapid death.

I watched the spot, then checked my watch. Boyfriend and I had gone over the what-if scenarios the night before. How long should I wait if I shoot a deer and it runs? How long if he just drops on the spot?

Ten minutes, just to be safe. It was 8:54:03.

I was trembling uncontrollably. I peeled off my gloves, jacket and hat and watched the spot to make sure he didn’t get up. For a moment, I saw the grass twitch spasmodically where the deer had fallen. Not struggle; just the nerve reactions that follow death. I’ve never killed a deer before, but I know what that looks like.

I glanced at my watch. 8:57.

Oh my God, I got a deer!

“Thank you,” I said out loud. For the deer’s sacrifice. For the dumb luck that had allowed me to spot him, and to take the time to regain my composure, and to be presented with a perfect shot.

I looked at my watch every 30 seconds, and finally it was time. I marched up the slope and searched the knee-high star thistle. There. On the ground. Eyes open and tongue out. Dead.

He looked a little smaller than I’d thought from where I shot him, but I didn’t care – he was a good looking deer.

I went back up to the house to get some things – like Boyfriend’s truck, which I could take down the trail. I saw Peg and John at the house.

“We heard seven shots!” John said.

“Only one was mine,” I said. “The last one.”

They seemed relieved. “John was saying, ‘She must not be a very good shot…’ ” Peg said.

I laughed, and told them I needed to get back to the deer to field dress it.

But first, I needed a picture. I’d brought my camera, a tripod and a remote control, so I could take a picture of myself:

The gutting was a pain. The biggest mammal I’ve ever dressed was a jack rabbit, so this was more challenging. I struggled through it and got almost everything out. That’s when I noticed the very full bladder still attached. I felt around it, trying to figure out how to liberate it without emptying it all over the meat, with the animal lying on its side on a gentle slope. I was stumped.

Blood up to my elbows, I grabbed my cell phone and dialed Boyfriend. “How do I get the &^@#! bladder out?” I yelled. His answer was not helpful. I went back to the deer, and after several attempts, hoisted him up by his hind legs to get the bladder hanging, pinched off the tube leading into it, cut the tube and tossed the bladder a safe distance away.

Whew!

And here’s where I felt really blessed to be hunting where I was: I was able to drop the tailgate of the pickup, angle it toward the hillside, and drag the deer 20 yards to the bed of the pickup. Total luxury!

I went back to the house to get the remainder of my stuff and gave thanks to my hosts. Peg looked at me – bloody and stinking – with what looked like a mix of intrigue and horror. She was totally cool with the hunting, but for all I know, this was her closest encounter with freshly-killed meat.

“All right,” I said. “I’d give you a hug, but I’m disgusting and smelly, so I’m just going to get out of here.”

On the drive home, I began texting and calling my hunting friends to share the news. I’d tucked the deer well into the bed of the pickup so nothing would stick out, but honestly, I had the urge to parade him around and show everyone: I’d just gotten a deer. By myself! My first deer ever. A blacktail! I just wanted someone in a taller vehicle than mine to look into the bed of that truck and give me the nod of approval.

I was amused by my reaction. I’ve not really cared that I hadn’t gotten a deer in my previous three years of hunting, but I was as proud and excited as if it had been a lifelong goal.

When I got home, I got what I was looking for. I found Boyfriend working in the garden, but he came to me immediately to give his stinky, bloody girlfriend a big hug. He was proud of me – I’d done it on my own.

I kept grinning through the rest of our work breaking down the deer, and wondered why I was so taken with the experience.

“I think we’re just hardwired to hunt deer,” he said. “We’ve been hunting deer since before we were ‘we.’ ”

Maybe it’s that. Maybe it’s the odds. I’d gotten my Second Chance buck on my sixth day of deer hunting ever. Statistics say it takes 33 days of hunting to get one. Phillip had told me it’d taken him four years to get a blacktail.

Maybe it’s the antlers – the thing that allows you to instantly measure your quarry. This was the first antlered animal I’d killed.

Maybe it was the fact that I’d done it myself. Sorta. While I was alone at that moment, the reality is that every action I took was influenced by what I’d learned from people like Boyfriend, Phillip and even random TV shows. But I’d made all the decisions. I’d spotted the antlers in the grass. I’d taken the good shot.

I don’t know. I probably won’t figure it out tonight. I may not figure it out ever. But for now, I’m just happy.

© Holly A. Heyser 2009

For more stories from Holly go to www.norcalcazadora.com

Predator Trail Camera

If you ask me what I could not be without this season, I would have to say I absolutely could not be without my Predator trail cams. These cameras (I have one Xtinction and one Evolution XR) get big thumbs up from me. We have been tracking our split-tine buck and his movements and these cameras have been invaluable. They are so easy to use and to program.

They take 10 AA batteries and I can change them out with rechargeable batteries that I have ready to go, right in the field. Predator says the batteries will last up to 6 wks.  I tried the nicad throw away batteries and got close to 4 weeks out of those. I am finding that I get about 4 days out of the rechargeable batteries I bought. I think a better quality rechargeables would work better.

It is a “True” IR trailcam meaning it never flashes in the faces of the deer and there is no glowing light, yet it provides quality pictures and videos every time even at night.

I love being able to view the pictures or videos on 3.5” color touch screen display out in the field with the ability to pan or zoom in to get a better look . I know right away what has been there, or not been there.

I just lock the pictures or videos I want, delete the ones I don’t want with one push of a button and upload my locked ones onto the flash drive.  I trade-out flash drives and head home. The trail cam never has to come down from where I have it placed eliminating unnecessary trips into the woods. With a two-year old, the less trips the better!

 

The only trouble I have with these cameras is it is a little hard to get the locking device opened when I want to check them. That probably means neither can the bears.  I can usually get it open but it takes some real effort on my part. My hubby on the other hand has no problem opening it. I guess I am just a wimp!

Other Features include:

• MOSSY OAK® Camo

• 4-digit security code to prevent theft

• 5 burst images in under 5 seconds

• Date/time on each image/video

• High resolution, day/night video clips (10-30 sec.)

• Activation delays from 10 sec. to 1 hr.
by 10 sec. increments

 • All glass lenses for superior clarity, not plastic like other leading competitors

 • Built in power jack for optional external 12 volt battery (sold separately)

 • Up to 4 GB per storage device. Store to either a USB

jump drive or compact flash card (sold separately)

 • 100% waterproof indestructible case. Guaranteed for life against anything mother nature can dish out!

Battle of the B.O.W. Opening Weekend

Team HuntingLife.com Date-9/12 and 9/13

Opening Weekend Opening morning and the weather was not what we had hoped for. Temps on Saturday morning were in the 60′s and 100% humidity. Terri Lee was hunting and since Kale was working Joe Sharp took over the filming.

Oma and Opa picked up Tali Friday night, (she was not happy) so we could head out early in the a.m. Tom is working so he can’t watch her. Joe and Amy had supper with us and I took my last shots with the bow from the garage rooftop. Everything is ready. All my clothes have been washed in scent killing laundry soap and placed into a tub with cedar and pine boughs, even my underwear and socks. I am going all out after that big buck.

 4:20 the alarm goes off and I am not ready to get up. 2 nights without sleep, due to excitement, had me dragging. 4:25 I am out of bed and into the shower. We are going to be chasing after a big buck that we have seen on the trail cams, but not this a.m. We are doing a trial run at the apple tree stand. The big buck has been coming in early evening and we do not want to spook him but I do want to get some jitters and bugs worked out. We see two small bucks and a doe as we thought we would.

I head over to pick up Tali and go home for some much needed rest and later a change of babysitters. Auntie Nicky picks up Tali at 4:00 p.m. Tom will get Tali back after work and meet me back at home, after hunting. Into the shower again, as it is so hot and I am so sweaty I have to become scent free again. Joe picks me up at 4:30 so we can head into the stand early. It is so still and muggy.

We take the wheeler in at 5:00 and bait the stand like we did the night before. We have been running the wheeler in every night at 5:00 for 2 weeks picking up trail cam pictures trying to pattern this buck. We are hoping to get the deer used to the wheeler noise also. Joe returns the wheeler to a remote spot while I get set up. We get settled in sweat pouring off of us.

Around 6:00 we have a visit from a pesky bear. We have only seen him in here once on the cameras and he picks tonight to show up. He does not want to leave. It is getting closer to the time we have been patterning our buck and we want him out of there. We start throwing rocks from our Grab-it bag. We put it in the stand earlier just in case something like this would happen. We never hit the bear but Joe almost took me out as his rock ricocheted and nearly hit me in the head! lol. He should have had that on camera.

Joe finally decided he was going to get down and chase the bear out. (I was going to film because I knew this was going to be good!) When he stood up to get out of the stand, the bear finally walked away. He was not happy he huffed and puffed as he sauntered off.

Nothing more came in and we headed out at dark, planning to return the following morning. When I arrived home, supper was waiting for me. I have an awesome husband!

9/13-My husband Tom is home this morning so no need for babysitter. Joe picks me up at 5:15 again. We head into the stand in the dark. Not much happening this morning. We think the bear has changed the dynamics of things. Weather is still very humid and warm. We pull the trail cam pictures and head home to review. We want to know how long it was before the big buck returned last time, after the bear raid. He had been back the following day. That was good news and we were hoping he will make an appearance tonight.

I Head back home for family time, a nap and another shower.

 5:00 p.m. Joe and I head back to the stand again. Same routine. Joe drops me off and ditches the wheeler. We get settled in. It is probably close to 80 degrees just slightly less humid than last night. The air is very still though, no breeze. Around 6:00 we have a small doe come into the bait pile. She hangs around for a short time.

 We can hear something coming in from behind us and circling around. Through the limbs I can see the deer and I get a glimpse of horn. My heart begins to race slightly. If the pattern we have seen is true, the 9 pt will come in, followed by the big buck. He finally steps out head down and I can see it is the 9 pt. He looks up directly at us. We don’t move a muscle.

The mosquitoes are biting my cheek and back of my neck but I know I cannot move. I know I am not going to take this one but if we spook this him, the big one will not show up for sure. He continues to look at us and then moves back into the woods and comes around at a new angle. At one point I thought it was the big buck coming in and my heart was jumping out of my chest. I took some long, silent deep breathes to try and compose myself. Then it felt like my heart totally stopped. I thought maybe I had had a heart attack and just hadn’t fallen over yet.

The deer kept staging for quite some time, coming in part way and then retreating. He finally departed, and it was pretty dark in the woods by now. We never spooked him and I don’t think he knew we were there. I didn’t realize until I talked to Joe that it was the 9pt all along. The big buck didn’t come in and we will not be back to hunt there for a few days. We will be checking the trail camera, though to see what he is up to and work on a plan from there. Later in the week I will be filming Kale. Stay tuned for more!

Remember to join us on www.wisconsinoutdoorsnetwork.com!

Prois Pro-edition Pants

100% polyester brushed tricot 380 Gm. This fabric has the 4 S’s- soft, sturdy, silent and snag resistant. These pants are fitted at the natural waist for a higher rise. Waistline has elastic stretch to the sides while maintaining a flattering front. Waistline also includes belting and tab buckles to provide a perfect fit. Large cargo pockets with magnetic snap closures. Additional front pockets with YKK zip closures. Straight leg. Elasticized cuffing and cordlock to cinch cuff closer to boot during the hunt. Knee pleats added for enhanced movement and comfort. The Prois Pro-Edition pants are also designed with extra room through the hips and thighs to enhance comfort and function. These are the ultimate hunting pants.
Available in:  REALTREE® AP HD® ADVANTAGE MAX-1 HD® Retail $119.00 Our price $109.99

Próis Pro, Kirstie Pike goes on a Gator Quest!

Próis Hunting Apparel owner, Kirstie Pike, writes about her GatorQuest

Air Sickness and Air Boats…what’s a girl to do?

Gator Quest…day 1! We flew into New Orleans late last night following a vomit inducing flight from Gunnison to Denver…ok, didn’t really vomit, but wished I had. As with typical travel days, we experienced near homicidal frustration with all proveyors of transportation. So- did you realize that you can be charged $30 for a 10 minute taxi ride by a non-English speaking cabbie who does not use a meter? Nether did we. As well, upon our late night check-in to a rather sketchy hotel- I got the unique opportunity of visualizing a cockroach that was literally the size of a mouse…need I mention my dismay that the hotel room smelled of Raid.

It was all absolutely worth it! We arrived in Springfield around noon, at which time we teamed up with Chad and Dana Wall of Gatortrax tv. We had the unique opportunity of touring their gator farm which is nothing short of amazing. Within a couple of hours, we found ourselves on Tickfaw River in an airboat cruising deep into the swamps. As a homegrown Colorado girl, I found myself utterly slack jawed at the beauty of the swamps. Cypress trees, Spanish moss, lilly pads and lush folliage thickly surrounded us. The airboats can go ANYWHERE, and we quickly learned that Chad was NOT kidding when he said they can cross dry land…they can! We also had an interesting experience involving a boat, a trailer and near capsizing…I’d love to divulge the facts but I was pinky-sworn to secrecy.

We hit the hunt at 6am tomorrow and we’re ready to roll! I wonder if I can find Starbucks on the way…

I have to say, when I accepted Chad and Dana Wall (of Gatortrax TV) to head down to the swamplands of Louisiana, I was more than just a little intrigued.  Being from Colorado, I had all sorts of images in my head of what the swamps and gator hunting would be like.  Of course, my primal fear of bugs came to mind.  Oh, and my fear of snakes.  Can’t forget about murkey water, leaches and aligators (which I have learned ARE the top of the food chain in the swamps).  OK, and let’s face it…who HASN’T seen the movie, ‘Deliverance’?  I came to  Louisiana equipped with all sorts of cliche’d propoganda in my head..

As we set out in the morning, I was taken by the absolute beauty of the surroundings.  The cypress trees, spanish moss, saw grass and lillies were beautiful.  As well, there is a unique slant of the sun at sunrise through the swampland that casts an unparalleled.  I had never really heard the sound of bullfrogs in the caucophony of noise that comes from everywhere.  Now, the only way I can really explain it is this…if you have ever ridden the African Queen boat ride at Disneyland and recognized the canned jungle noises along the lazy river…well, now you got it!  OK, but as Chad and Dana will attest, despite my appreciation for the beauty of the swamps, I may have still reacted like a school girl in response to the baseball size grasshoppers that seemed to have quite an affinity for the boat. 

Ahh, but what about the hunting?  All I can say is that it was a thrilling experience!  Day 2 provided us with numerous gators.  I am heartily humbled by the difficulty of the hunt in terms of hitting a very, very small killzone.  Slight deviation in any direction will result in bullet placement into the animals inpenetratable armor.  As well, only a very small fraction of the animal’s head will surface which may or may not provide a shot to the hunter.  Clearly, there is a reason why these pre-historic animals have survived for millions of years!  Chad, a 5th generation Springfieldian who has hunted these waters since he was a child, spent endless hours teaching us the patterns and habits of the aligators.  We encountered a number of gators, but after some heavy rains and a 45 minute staredown with a sizable gator, I was able to get a kill with my CVA muzzleloader! 

We ended the day with 3 gators and a cantankerous boat motor that threatened to strand us in the water.  We made it safely to the landing (as we knew we would) and beat a hasty retreat to the ladies room as we determined that under NO circumstances would we venture off to take care of business in the swamps. 

Day 2 of the GatorQuest started out just as early as day 1…We launched out to another gorgeous sunrise as we ventured out to the swamps.  I was still utterly awestricken at the beauty of the area.  I have to also admit that I was more than just a little bit excited that we didn’t have Gigantor the Grasshopper and his closest friends on the boat this day! 

Today was action packed and we spotted numerous animals.  I must admit that it took me some time to differentiate the splashes of jumping fish vs. movement of gators.  More than once I performed a spastic bout of arm waving and finger pointing at jumping fish that I was certain was a passing gator.  After two days of this, Chad and Dana just ignored my fits to save me the embarrassment. 

Jennifer got on the first animal of the day and pulled a nice gator.  He was pulled aboard and we moved on for the next gator…or jumping fish depending on who you ask.  We set about the various waterways and it was my pledge to not drink a sip of water today for fear of having to go to the bathroom.  Chock that up to another valuable lesson learned.  As the day drew to a close we pulled in some nice gators and headed out to beat the heat.  Jennifer and I discovered a long lost love in Springfield, Louisiana…Strawberry Slurpees!  Giddy with anticipation (and some pretty severe dehydration!) we indulged not once, but twice in these delectable treats!  OK…so they weren’t as good as we remembered, but hey… who couldn’t get excited about a frozen treat chock full of high-fructose corn syrup! 

Our experience was awesome as was the company of the Walls.  We look forward to another adventure with Chad and Dana…maybe in Colorado…if we can cure Dana’s fear of Mountain Lions.  If you ask me, they aren’t nearly as scary as leaches and ginormous grasshoppers!  Until then…bring on the GOAT!

Do me a favor.  Check out www.gatortraxtv.com to find out more about Chad and Dana Wall and their tv show, Gatortrax Outdoors.  All fair chase, all fun!  Oh…and did I mention they are quite entertaining as well!?

Original Post found at www.Proishunting.com

Scouting the Upper Country

With temperatures pushing the mercury into triple digits in our part of the country, it seemed a good time to head to the mountains for a cool down, but really it was an excuse to get a jump on game movement in our newly found hunting grounds (thank you Google Earth).

My brother, Todd, and I had stumbled into a large pond while elk hunting last year and noticed it was full of sign all around it – and located in an ideal spot.  We knew this was a spot where we would spend some time this year, but the plans to spend a week on a backpack hunt in the area started a few months after last year’s archery season ended. Our cousin, Cody Waldo, called me up and started to tell me about a spot he’d found on Google Earth that looked liked a prime spot for an above timberline deer hunt. He started describing it, and pretty soon I realized he was talking about the same area near the pond Todd and I had stumbled into and discussed hunting.  That started the ball rolling and this spring we decided we’d put an honest hunt into it – Cody with an out of state deer tag, and Todd and I trying our luck for deer and elk both.

Summertime, for the western bowhunter, is an ideal time to hit the mountains for scouting as the deer are on their summer patterns – the same patterns they’ll be in for the first couple weeks of archery season before they start their annual slow and steady migration out of the hills. Add in the fact that the high country is looking at conditions fit for living even in July and August, and it’s a perfect time to escape the valley’s furnace and call it ’scouting.’ I can’t pretend to know enough about elk and their patterns this time of year, but it seemed from all the elk tracks up there that elk are already in the area.

We had to race against daylight on Friday night as we had to wait on yours truly to punch out from his day job. As we hiked past the waterhole Todd and I stumbled into and continued on towards the peak new country unveiled itself at each step. The ridge leading to camp was full of knee high grass and foilage – and water was everywhere. There were several natural saddles that were nothing more than giant elk wallows waiting to happen. If I had any shame at all I’d not mention the fact that three grown men high fived over this discovery. When we topped out and laid eyes on the canyon we’d spent all summer virtually learning, it was far above and beyond our best dreams.

When we had been planning the trip, I was telling Todd over the phone I was packing my sleeping bag, but he convinced me that he was just bringing a blanket as a sleeping bag was just added weight. As we unrolled our packs at camp, Todd casually mentioned he saw the weather report for a relatively close town at the same elevation showed the temperatures dipping into the low 40s. My ears perked and I told him, “Well, looks like you and I will be freezing tonight!” Todd looked at me and chuckled, “Not me, I packed my sleeping bag after I read that!”

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep well that night because I was…well, freezing. If I can have one free feeling of malice, I can take comfort in knowing Todd didn’t sleep well, either. So it was no surprise that we got up well before dawn. We went over the ridge and set up on the edge of the drainage to wait for the first streaks of light to change the color of the sky and give us a look at the country we’d been dreaming about for several months. I was thinking there would be deer all over, so was a little dissapointed when, all told, all that we saw was a forked horn, six does, and one nice buck.  Despite elk tracks aplenty, we never saw a single elk. Cody had to remind me that with the hot weather, the deer and elk would both be limiting their movement and there’s a good chance they were moving around mostly at night. It’ll be interesting to see what the next month brings to that country.

Despite the lack of game sightings, we accomplished some essentials – such as finding water, a camping place, and the simple fact of getting to really see the country in person.  We got an idea of where we want to be at first light on opening day after finding out the sun didn’t rise exactly where we thought it would after looking at it on Google Earth.  With the flowers in full bloom, turning the scenery back to a spring setting, it was certainly a trip well worth it!

Gear

Cody: Leupold 10

Obama Takes on Hunting

Obama Regulatory Czar’s Confirmation Held Up by Hunting Rights Proponent
by: Fox News

WASHINGTON — President Obama’s nominee for “regulatory czar” has hit a new snag in his Senate confirmation process — a “hold” by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who’s says he’s not convinced that Harvard professor Cass Sunstein won’t push a radical animal rights agenda, including new restrictions on agriculture and even hunting.

Senators are permitted “holds” to prevent a vote on a nominee from coming to the floor. They are often secretive and for very specific reasons.

“Sen. Cornyn finds numerous aspects of Mr. Sunstein’s record troubling, specifically the fact that he wants to establish legal ‘rights’ for livestock, wildlife and pets, which would enable animals to file lawsuits in American courts,” the Republican’s spokesman, Kevin McLaughlin, said in a statement to FOXNews.com.

Cornyn’s hold on Sunstein comes just as Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., last week lifted his own hold on the nominee, whom Obama tapped in April to become the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Budget and Management.

Chambliss said he was dropping his hold because Sunstein had convinced him that he “would not take any steps to promote litigation on behalf of animals,” and that he believes the “Second Amendment creates an individual right to possess guns for purposes of both hunting and self defense.”

Both statements were included in a letter Sunstein sent to Chambliss on July 14.

Chambliss added in a Senate floor speech last Wednesday that “Professor Sunstein comes highly recommended by a number of folks from the conservative side of the philosophical divide in this country.”

One of Sunstein’s top jobs would be to review and provide guidance for draft federal regulations at different federal agencies. It is a wide-ranging and largely unrestrained position in the executive branch.

That’s a large part of the reason Sunstein’s positions on animal rights have become worrisome to his critics. Despite his assurances to the contrary, Sunstein has spoken stridently in favor of allowing people the right to bring suit on behalf of animals in animal cruelty cases and to restrict what he calls the more horrific practices associated with industrial breeding and processing of animals for food.

In a 2007 speech at Harvard, Sunstein also advocated restricting animal testing for cosmetics, banning hunting and encouraging the general public to eat less meat.

The Center for Consumer Freedom’s David Martosko, a Sunstein critic, said those positions make the agricultural industry — major stakeholders in the states represented by both Chambliss and Cornyn — nervous.

Martosko said there are plenty of ways to pursue a “stealth campaign” on any one of these fronts — guns or animal rights — by putting pressure on the regulatory heads of the different agencies.

“He is the gatekeeper between the president and the secretaries,” he said, noting that “as a regulatory czar, he won’t be a judge or a legislator, so he cannot make laws. … What he can do is nudge the departments in the direction of his philosophy,” which is very much in line with “hard core animal rights zealots.” [Read the rest of the article]

See the original article at GotHunts.com

Hunting Clothing for Serious, Dedicated Women Hunters

Anne Vinnola says: “Just ask any woman hunter, and she will tell you, the most difficult part of hunting? Her wardrobe. Finding well fitting, hard working, layerable, hunting pants and shirts.  Some mainstream clothing companies are slowly beginning to work women’s sizes into their lines, but mostly they are cut like a man and just sized smaller.”

As a woman, I am always trying to find resources tailored for women. I constantly battle the cold because of having a thyroid problem. I decided to do some research on ways to keep warm and here is what I found!

According the Wikapedia, layered clothing is a manner of dressing using multiple garments that are worn on top of each other. Some of the layers have different, largely non-overlapping, functions. Using more or fewer layers, or replacing one layer but not others, allows for flexible clothing to match the needs of each situation. Two thin layers can be warmer yet lighter than one thick layer, because the air trapped between layers is a good insulator

Layered clothing is particularly relevant in cold climates, where clothing must at the same time transfer moisture, provide warmth, and protect from wind and rain. In a hot and dry climate, clothes have very different functional requirements: they must block the radiation from the Sun, and allow for sufficient air circulation. Therefore, layered clothing in the sense used in this article is largely irrelevant to hot and dry climates.

Outdoor and sportswear manufacturers favor layered clothing because, among other reasons, it allows them to offer so-called “technical” or “functional” clothes which are optimized for the particular demands of a specific layer. Such clothes are often made of advanced synthetic materials.

With that being said I was on a quest for clothing that not only kept me warm but was made for a woman and had many thin layering options. Impossible you say? I thought so too until I ran into Kirstie Pike from Próis^TM Hunting Apparel.

Kirstie states “Próis^TM Hunting finally answers our “Quest” for great Women’s Hunting Clothing and Gear. Throughout our years of hunting, we at Próis^TM were amazed at the fact that there was literally nothing on the market for women who hunt.”

 

This “Quest” for Women’s Hunting Clothing soon became an obsession; they thought women’s huntwear must be something of a myth! While they attempted to avoid sounding like a frustrated feminists, they found it unreasonable that successful women hunters could not find appropriate gear for their sport.

 

Simple concept, the Próis^TM Hunting team thought; Combine technical hunting components, functional fabric and an athletic composition, and unite it with patterns that are engineered to the female form…Voila, Próis^TM Hunting Apparel!

 This new women’s hunting clothing concept takes layering to a new art form. The Próis^TM shirt is a cross between the finest athletic wear, and a comfortable favorite shirt. Polyester wicking fabric keeps moisture from your skin and allows you to stay dry and warm.  Thumbholes help the shirt to stay in your gloves and it is perfect alone for cool fall mornings of archery or layered for those cold winter rifle hunting trips. 

 

Próis^TM Hunting Pants are crafted using 100% polyester brushed tricot for warmth and durability. They are snag resistant and silent in the woods.  Each pair is fitted just below the waist for comfort and fits a woman’s form perfectly.  There is plenty of storage room in the deep cargo pockets and thoughtfully pleated knees for kneeling comfort. They are boot cut to fit over bulky hunting boots with elastic cuffs and cord lock to cinch close to your boot. Add in their vests, jackets and rain gear and you are set for all occasions.

 

Próis^TM Hunting Apparel is taking the industry by storm with their “made FOR women” hunting clothes.  Women are not interested in merely looking like hunters; we are hunters that demand the best quality hunting clothing. We fully understand that fit, warmth and durability makes a huge impact on our hunting success.  Próis^TM Hunting Apparel is serious clothing for serious, dedicated women hunters.

Team Huntress Outdoor Adventure Clinic

 

Just because a woman wants to learn outdoors skills doesn’t mean she wants to stop being a woman. That’s why Team Huntress created the Outdoor Adventure Clinic, a revolutionary three-day event that caters to women who want to learn or expand on their outdoor skills while enjoying beautiful accommodations, spa treatments and the camaraderie of like-minded women.

Following the resounding success of its inaugural Outdoor Adventure Clinic for women in June, Team Huntress has announced plans for its second clinic to be held at the beautiful Buffalo County Outfitters in Mondovi, Wisconsin, August 21 – 23, 2009.

The Outdoor Adventure Clinic offers training in archery, firearms, wildlife photography, gear, and survival skills from the expert Team Huntress staff of prominent women hunters, while a team of clinicians offers the kind of pampering women love: massages, facials, foot rubs, nature walks, and wine tasting.

Because the majority of the teaching staff is female, the environment is particularly welcoming for women who are interested in learning outdoor skills but may be intimidated by the overwhelmingly male nature of the shooting sports. Team Huntress understands that women want and need a supportive and pleasant environment for learning – no ribbing about missed shots, no competitive bravado, and no substandard accommodations that make a woman cringe.

Instructors for the Team Huntress Outdoor Adventure Clinic include: Terri Lee Pocernich, Camp Wild Girls; Kirstie Pike, Prois Hunting Apparel; Barbara Baird, Women’s Outdoor News; Stacey and “Hawk” Huston, A Focus in the Wild; Holly Hesyer, NorCalCazadora; and Jane Keller, Team Huntress.

The Team Huntress formula – instruction, female staff and pampering – proved highly effective at the inaugural Outdoor Adventure Clinic at the Pheasant Phun/OJ Bar Ranch in Hitchcock, S.D. in June.  Women who’d never fired a gun felt secure taking those first steps and found they really enjoyed what they were learning. By the end of the weekend, participants were abuzz about the shooting sports and the new friendships they’d formed.

The Team Huntress Outdoor Adventure Clinic is the ideal gift, whether it’s a woman treating herself to something she deserves or an outdoorsman who’s been looking for a way to bring his wife, daughter, or girlfriend into the lifestyle he loves.  The clinic is open to women ages 18 and over who want to learn or expand their outdoor skills.

Buffalo City Outfitters is located at Mondovi, Wisconsin, 25 miles south of Eau Claire and 1 ½ hours from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.  Airport pickup and return is provided for the clinic.

Cost of the weekend clinic is $995, which includes instruction, meals, spa treatment, gifts (clothing, skin care, and food) from sponsors, lodging, and airport transportation.  To learn more or book your spot at the clinic, contact Team Huntress founder Jane Keller, jane.keller@yahoo.com, 605-450-0931.

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See the original article at OutdoorMediaResources.com

Don’t Quit Before You Begin

With archery Antelope season fast approaching I’ve found myself in a battle to not lose ground before the hunt even starts. For months I’ve diligently practiced shooting, being rewarded with nice tight groups that should dispel all fears… but as the days tick away to kick-off, I’m finding myself facing negative feedback… and it’s not coming from an outside source… it’s coming from the gal who looks back at me in the mirror! I don’t know if any other hunters share this affliction, but it seems I have to combat these little monsters that raise their ugly heads every time the season draws near.

Confidence is absolutely vital for every successful hunt. So some of the biggest preparation goes on in my head before the hunt ever begins. I have to fight off those little monsters that spell defeat before I even step into the field. This will be the first time I’ve hunted Antelope, and the area is completely unfamiliar to me, so those little demons are having a heyday messing with my mind! The best defence  is to be armed with information… so I have been consuming all the data I can cram into this skull! I figured a good beginning was the Fish and Game biologist for the area I’d be hunting in, couple this with anyone I could talk to who lives in the area… and who has hunted Antelope. Then look at maps and GoogleEarth of the area till my eyes cross! We also hope to make a scouting trip to the area before the season begins.

The true test  comes once you are out in the field and nothing presents itself the way your information indicated it would! Then is when you either give in to those demons… or you say I’m going to pull out all stops… not be afraid to try something new and maybe even unorthodox…and NEVER say “this will never work!”… there’s nothing that kills patience and perseverance quicker than a lack of confidence!

The real beauty is, even if you don’t harvest an animal, you are in a win, win situation…  you’ve been surrounded by the pure raw beauty of the wild and collected valuable experience and memories that will give you an advantage for the next hunting adventure. When you’re out in the field, you never lose… you can only gain!

This article by: BaseCampLegends.com

Off Trail – Whitetail Hunting in Idaho

Sue Sorenson, or as I like to call her, Mom, is heading north to whitetail country as she vows to take on her fear of heights and hunt these wary bucks from a tree stand. Hunting the peak of the rut, this promises to be a good one!

Idaho Whitetail Hunt from Base Camp Legends on Vimeo.

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