and a strong cup of coffee

When I was 25, I flew into Albuquerque, rented a car and drove for two weeks. I sketched out my route and made sure to hit as many National Parks as possible. I went to Grand Canyon National Park, Zion, the Canyonlands, and Arches (I was there a few months before the big arch fell !). It was breath taking! I would hike and just stop in awe of what an amazing resource we have in our National Parks. Standing in these places and seeing the grandeur of the Parks made me so grateful to live in a country that preserves and protects places like this. I live in Maine and have Acadia National Park in my backyard. I worked on Mount Desert Island for 4 summers and would see thousands of tourists spend time in the Park. So many people use, enjoy and spend time in our National Parks, but, I would say few look beyond the views to what makes Acadia and the rest of the National Parks, what they are: their ecosystems. When you go home after a great trip, there are photos and memories but the ...

Just out in the Bangor Daily - LePage signs bills to rebuild deer herd Kevin Bennett | BDN White-tailed deer bound across a field in Orono in October 2010. By GLENN ADAMS, The Associated Press Posted May 23, 2012, at 12:08 p.m. Print this E-mail this Facebook this Tweet this AUGUSTA, Maine — With hopes of rebuilding a deer herd that’s shrunk in parts of Maine to worrisome levels, Gov. Paul LePage has signed new legislation that implements multipronged strategies laid out in a bill that passed last year. The new laws, signed Monday by LePage, are aimed principally at two areas: restoring all-important deer yards that help the animals survive Maine’s winters and controlling coyotes where they are the biggest threat to deer. Wildlife officials say one of the best ways of protecting deer yards is through cooperative working agreements with large timberland owners to leave those areas intact. The legislation adds $100,000 to the fish and game department’s pr...

I found a blog post via Twitter from the US Sportsman's Alliance and US Sportsman's Alliance Foundation about the possibility of getting fired for hunting in other States and the legality of the whole ridiculous situation. The gist of the story is this: The Commish in California went to Idaho and shot a legal Mountain Lion. In California, that's illegal. When he got back, activism groups called for his resignation. As a result, there is all sorts of legislation being proposed that would prevent this kind of potential prosecution from happening. I know many of you out there hunt in different State. Do you hunt any wildlife in these States that is illegal to hunt in your home State? AND - let's go back to the first time in the blog " The answer is yes, of course. Especially if you were supposed to be at work, your work was not completed prior to your hunting trip, or if you lacked time off to actually miss work. " How do you handle hunting and your ...

 How could I not re-blog this?  I write a blog that has the word "coffee" in the title?!?!? The Maine Outdoorsman: Maine Guide Coffee : In the annuals of recorded time, there exist a few rare and memorable icons that define a place, an individual or even a profession. For t...

Throughout my life thus far, I have been the kid who looks at the sun and gets a severe sun burn. I walks outside in the spring and comes back in looking like I have chicken pox. I can bathe in deet (or any other "repellant") and easily get 20 bug bites. I look like an idiot when I am outside in the summertime; at a friend's house, out by the fire, I am in jeans, sneakers, wool socks, long-sleeve shirt, sweatshirt, hat and covered in bug dope. And I will have 15 bug bites all over me the next day. I have heard it all: "You're just so sweet" (I'm not), "They like your blood type" (My blood is just as good as anyone else's!) and a bevy of suggestions on the type of bug spray to use. Nothing works. It is May 14th and I have already had 6 black fly/mosquito bites and... a TICK BITE! Over the past few years, the number of deer ticks in Maine has risen and spread. I never use to be worried about ticks when I was little and playing in th...

Last week, I posted the first part of my interview with Bryan White. Here is the rest of our interview. Enjoy! What do you think can be done to promote the outdoors to more people? To get kids interested in hunting and fishing? More government funded organizations with celebrity spokespersons that are actually involved. I feel that more celebrities need to be proud of continuing their heritage and make their love for the outdoors better known. Children and adults look up to these public figures and they can play a huge role in mainstreaming the outdoor lifestyle. What would you tell someone who wants to get into these sports? I’d tell them I’m excited for them and that they’re about to step into a world of awesome adventure…And hook them up with links, gear, and schedule a trip to start letting them get their feet wet. Experiencing what it is like to reel in your first fish or call in your first turkey, is amazing. You really can't describe it and people need to get o...

The ability to connect with others about hunting is constantly amazing me. It has led me to new friends, new experiences and it has given me the opportunity to talk with people I would have never had the chance to. I have been lucky enough to ask questions and learn about how others hunt, fish and interact with the outdoors. After my interview with the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, I was looking for other people to talk to about their experiences in the outdoors and started going through who I followed on Twitter. I wanted to find someone who was passionate about the outdoors and would be really cool to interview. I sent a message to Grammy-winning country music artist and songwriter, Bryan White. I explained that I wrote a small hunting blog and could I interview him about fishing. Within a few minutes, I got my response: “Yes”. I have been a fan of Bryan’s since the mid 90’s and had the opportunity to meet him when he played in my hometown. I was beyo...