...and a strong cup of coffee

2012 Moose Lotto

2012-02-06T15:16:00.000-05:00

I was the 26th person to buy a chance in the permit lottery this year/today (they went on sale less than an hour ago I would guess). The cost has gone up, $12 to $15 and there is now an option to NOT be entered, but to get a bonus point for this year instead. Last year, 50,000 people entered the 2011 lottery for a shot at the 3,862 permits that were available. I will know on Saturday June 24 if Dad and I will be headed out into the wild country to (attempt) to bag us a moose. It didnt work out the last time.

This is last year's moose that my best friend's Dad got in the Allagash.

Smuggling Deer... and possible disease

2012-02-02T11:31:00.000-05:00

For some crazy reason, I actually thought I would have a problem finding ways to keep the conversation about hunting going throughout the winter. So far, I have been lucky with all of the things happening... such as this story about a Texas breeder who smuggled in many deer, including 2 monster bucks, and risked the lives of the entire deer population in Texas.

I had to laugh at the names of these monster bucks "Barry" aka "Fat Boy" and "Hit Man" aka "Silver Storm" For one thing, who names their deer? And why not tag them and refer to them as #123 and #456. It seems to silly to me. But, its a huge 2+ billion dollar industry that could have been wiped out by greed. Any of those smuggled in deer could have carried bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease, that could have hit the wild deer population and spread. Instead, hundreds of deer had to be killed and tested to make sure they were not sick.

Is it really worth that sort of risk? A monster buck with good genes or a healthy deer population for the entire state. To me, it doesnt seem like that hard of a choice. But, clearly for some, it is. I think the best line in this entire article was "Breeders say they can sell semen from outstanding bucks for up to $35,000 a sample" Those samples had better contain some potent little swimmers!

And here is proof that you don't need to screw with the gene pool to get a monster buck. This deer was taken, in the good ole woods of Maine during hunting season in 2010. Here is the write up from the local paper.

Hunting African game... in Texas

2012-01-31T09:38:00.001-05:00

Sunday night on 60 Minutes, Lara Logan did a story on big game hunting in Texas. The tag line for the article was "Can hunting endangered animals save the species?" and it interviewed Charly Seale who "is a fourth generation rancher and the executive director of the Exotic Wildlife Association based here in the heart of the Texas hill country. It's his job to represent the interests of some 5,000 exotic ranchers across North America." As I watched this show, I was torn. I love the idea of working to raise awareness of the threat of extinction for these animals. I love the idea of being able to give the species an opportunity to thrive in a much different location than African and I love that through conservation, we can try to bring their population numbers back. But I really don't see the need in trophy hunting.

I am conflicted. The naturalist in me wants to head down to Texas (even though the Mainer in me hates heat and snakes!) and see these animals and watch how they are thriving in Texas. The hunter in me knows that in order to have a good, healthy herd of anything, you need to keep the numbers in check and keep the herd healthy. I also understand that if I owned a ranch and had a herd of Dama Gazelle, they are mine and are considered private property. I can hunt them if I want. Seale describes it well:

Seale: Hunters are the, are the main conservationists in this whole equation.

Logan: Can you call yourselves conservationists when your purpose, your intent, the thing that's driving it is to hunt the animals and to kill them?

Seale: Absolutely. That's, that's why these animals thrive it's because of that, that value that they have to the hunting community.

Logan: You know, just because people are willing to pay large amounts of money for those trophies doesn't make it right.

Seale: I can't let these animals just freely roam around my ranch. I can't do it. I won't do it.

Logan: Do you love these animals?

Seale: Absolutely.

Logan: How can you kill something you love?

Seale: I can do that for the simple reason that I know it's for the welfare of every one of those animals, you sacrifice one so that many more are born and raised from calves all the way up to the big trophy male or the big trophy females that we have.

The entire story is so interesting to me. Does hunting a species really help it from a conservation stand point or is it better to not hunt an animal and hope for the best. Are the folks who are fighting to keep these animals from being hunted, helping or hurting the effort to bring back the population from dying off? I hunt for the freezer, not the trophy but if it means saving and growing a dwindling population...isnt it worth it?

Adorable

2012-01-25T12:31:00.002-05:00

We met this little guy the year before (fall 2009). He is one of the triplets that we saw and watched play. It was my first experience just sitting and watching deer that were within 25 feet of me (I was in the Sky Condo looking down). We didnt see him this year, unless he is the monster 8 pointer or the 10 pointer (<-- I will post those pictures later). But I doubt he is cool enough to go from nubs to a monster rack in 16 months. Seriously though, he is adorable.

Dad's Buck

2012-01-23T11:24:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend, I finally cracked into the trailcam and got the photos of the deer off it, or at least copied/emailed to myself. Here is the deer that Dad was looking for. There is no solid, solid proof that it was taken this season, so a little piece of us is holding out hope.

Women Hunters, Part 1: An Ethnographic study

2012-01-22T19:03:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago (Jan 12), I posted the beginning of a sentence here as well as on my personal Facebook page. The sentence started: "Women Hunters..." The following are the responses that I got on FB. The picture is of me and my best friend Jodie who is also a hunter.

1. rock!
2. should bring me some meat...
3. Turn me on. (earned 1 like)
4. can climb my tree stand anytime !
5. Are awesome!
6. ...are probably not vegetarians (earned 1 like)
7. Get bigger animals than boys do. (earned 1 like)
8. SUCK!!!! Lmao. But I love you!!!!
9. are the same as men hunters
‎10. . . .are a better shot :-)
11. have pet squirrels.
12. aim to please
13. scare the hell out of me..because they can shoot well ;o

4 of the 13 comments are men (#2, #3, #4 and #13)
To my knowledge, only two are hunters (#1 and #4)
Two are my best friends (#1 and #7)
One is my sister (#9)
One is my pseudo brother (#13)

Things that I noticed:
~ None of the comments made by men are encouraging or positive (although #13 is far better than the others)
~ 2 out of the 4 comments made my men have sexual undertones
~ 2 of the 13 comments have the 'women are better than men' tone (#7 and #10)
~ 2 out of 13 hate hunting (#6 and #8)
~ My friends like exclamation points!!!!! =)

Questions:
~ WHY are there ANY comments that have a sexual undertone to them?? I would wager a guess that when I post the second half of this test (men hunters...), no one will make a sexual comment. But why not? Why is it ok to sexualize a woman that hunts but not a man?
~ Will as many people respond? (I will post the 'men hunters' this Thursday at 9:16am -same day of the week and time)
~ Why do my FB friends (I currently have 98 and usually keep it around 100), who know I am a hunter, still post comments like this?

And I would love to hear what you all think! I will have 2 more parts with this topic; one after I post the second half with the results and the last one to wrap it up.

Money, Money, Money, Money

2012-01-17T15:11:00.000-05:00

2.4 BILLION dollars comes into Maine thanks to folks like you and me. I contribute directly to the 200 million that is brought in every year in connection with deer hunting. In this article, Bob Humprey gives an over view of impact that our hunting and fishing industry has on the economic health of the State.

Each year, I have paid $27 to renew my hunting license. This gives me the right to shoot a buck, of any size, during the season. If I want to put in to get a doe permit, its a free process but its a lottery, so no guarantee. Then, assuming you shoot a deer, you pay $5 to tag it. They take your name, license number, where you shot the deer (town), what you used for a gun and they take your money. If you want your deer weighed, that costs more. Last year's buck, seen here, was 150 and it cost me an additional $1 to find that out. This year, Dad and I went some place different and it cost us $2 to weigh it. So, lets say its about $35 for me on a good year. I buy Dad and my father in law their licenses as Christmas presents. My dad hunts and goes fishing with my sister. That's $42 for the year. He also thinks he wants to shoot some coyots. That's only $4 but a total of $46 for just his license. I do not know the cost for out of Staters.

I have heard people complain about the cost of tagging a deer more than I have the cost of the license. Yes its a lot of money for people who don't really have it, but its worth it when you think about the impact it is having on the State.

In comparison, the $$ for Moose hunting: $7 per chance to have your name entered into the lottery. If you get picked (Dad was in 2010), then you pay $50-something ($52 maybe) to get the permit so you can then go hunt. You pay to tag it, have the meat butchered and bring it home. AND- that is JUST for in-state residents. The price of a moose permit for an out of stater is like $400-$500 dollars. Mind blowing! But, as the above article talks about, its money that is having a huge impact on Maine.

Whitetail Woods: Tasteful or not Tasteful, You be the Judge.

2012-01-14T10:04:00.000-05:00

Whitetail Woods: Tasteful or not Tasteful, You be the Judge.

Kids get sick from venison

2012-01-13T11:34:00.000-05:00

I like to be in my own little bubble when it comes to the possibility that my deer might not be perfect and instead, could have E.Coli or a number of any other gross things that I dont like (food illnesses, ticks etc). I was wondering what I could post before the weekend came and I found this article: kids getting sick from harvesting, butchering and eating their class project.

It makes me happy that I enjoy well cooked meat - no pink. I know, I run the risk of it being more like a hockey puck than a juicy piece of meat, but its a risk I am happy to take, especially when I read articles like this.

Finish the sentence:

2012-01-12T11:18:00.001-05:00

Female hunters...

I did this on my Facebook page and got some interesting response that I will post in another blog very soon. But, if you could, what is the first thing that pops into your head when someone says (or writes) "female hunters..."

THANKS

Girl Hunter - Finished

2012-01-12T09:13:00.003-05:00

If any of you want to read this book, I will gladly send you my copy. Normally, I can stomach my way through a bad book. In this case, I found myself arguing with what was being written. I hated the fact that she never did any real hunting, but instead always seemed to be on a preserve that allowed her to pick and choose what she shot. No deer to shoot, not a problem, shoot the 5 wild pigs that are nearby.

She never shoots a deer (or any other large animal) in this book She spends maybe 8 pages talking about deer, but a lot of that is while she and the guide drinking diet coke, eating and drinking in their deer stand.

The intro to this book (at least what I read on Amazon) was the only interesting part - the suspense of shooting a turkey and the excitement that comes from waiting to pull the trigger and getting your kill. That was the only good part of the book. Another SUPER annoying thing that I found was her use of "slapping the trigger". She uses a shot gun for most of the book (since she is bird hunting) and I have shot a shotgun but I can promise you that I have never slapped the trigger nor have I ever heard that expression used -- is it a term not used in the Northeast? I pull every trigger, not slap it. As a result, I cringed every time she used that expression. This photo is proof that, even the first time I shot this gun, I pulled the trigger, not slapped it!

Overall, it was a dumbed down, 'girly' version of hunting. I checked out Georgia Pellegrini's website and twitter feed. It basically confirms the gender stereotypes that women and book hunting should not be taken seriously. In the trailer for this (yes, someone wants to make this a tv show), Georgia giggles, shoots into the air, bats her eyelashes and says something about being a girl and hunting. Almost every shot is of her, modeling with her gun in poses that you would NEVER see men in if they were advertising a hunting show.

It has spurred something inside of me that will lead to more blog posts and look at how society views women, hunting and sexualizes it and in doing so, ruins the serious credibility of women hunters.

Guns and Yoga?

2012-01-08T12:52:00.000-05:00

I found this link a couple weeks ago and thought it was really interesting. The idea that shooting guns is as relaxing as yoga is one I could back. I am not a yoga expert and really not a gun expert, but I totally agree that the adrenaline rush you get from shooting is relaxing and relieves stress. I think about the endorphins that are released while hunting, the excitement and the high that comes from a successful hunt. Even when I was sitting in my seat waiting (and waiting), I could feel the rush and muscle memory of shooting the gun and I think it did bring on a sense of a 'runner's high' that would help keep me warm while I sat in 20 degree weather =)

So, while I agree with this article and the idea of shooting as something relaxing, what about all of you?

Book review: Girl Hunter

2012-01-04T11:08:00.001-05:00

I got this book for Christmas. I asked for it. I saw it mentioned on a blog that I follow and put up a notice that it would be a great Christmas gift. I got it and started reading it, hoping that it would get better with the next chapter. I really wanted it to be good. To talk about the excitement of the hunt, the anticipation... I am still waiting. I am about half way through the book and struggling to actually enjoy it.
I understand and appreciate the idea of someone getting back to how we all use to eat - hunting and gathering. I have read books about people moving from the big city to the country to farm, to hunt, to get back to nature. Ive read it. I wanted a book about the excitement of hunting and being a hunter, told by a woman. What this book is, is a book about a woman who gets asked to go on hunts in Texas, Montana, London etc but men who do this for a living. So far, all of these hunts have been birds, with the exception of a javelina and a super sketchy 'elk' hunt in which the guy had no idea where and how to hunt and thus, no elk were hunted.
I want the big game. I want to read about trying to out smart a whitetail in the woods. Trying to keep your cool while a bear walks in to bait. Trying to find, kill and drag out a moose. I honestly, don't care about bird hunting (sorry guys).
Like I said, I am a little over half way through the book. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it gets better.

More Dogs shot

2012-01-03T13:56:00.000-05:00

In my December 1 post, I talked about a string of dogs that had been shot in Maine and the hunters said they thought the dogs were really coyotes. Well, it happened again. In York over the long weekend, another dog was shot.
So, I have to ask. Is this the newest CYA maneuver that hunters think will get them off when they shoot something they were not supposed to? I can see laying some blame on the owners of the last group of dogs, since everyone in the State should know that during deer season, idiots with guns are in the woods and the best and safest way to keep your pet safe is to know where they are and put some blaze orange on them. But, what about the end of December?

Is this the new go-to when you shoot something you are not supposed to? Sorry, I was sighting in my rifle and thought I saw a coyote. I didn't realize it was a monster buck. At what point do we need to crack down on the people who are being so careless and shooting dogs?

Goals for 2012

2011-12-31T09:01:00.000-05:00

I am so grateful for all of your taking the time out in your day to read, post and follow my blog. Big thanks to Rabid Outdoorsman for helping to get me reinvested by interviewing me and helping to introducing me to all of you!

One of my goals for this blog in 2012 is to get (and publish) an interview with the Commish of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in Maine, Chandler Woodcock. I had Mr. Woodcock as my English teacher freshman year of high school and we usually run into each other every couple of years and catch up. So - I would LOVE to know what questions you think I should ask him! Im making a list but I want you to have buy in as well.

And what are your goals for 2012?

I wish you all a very happy and safe New Year!

Where do I get wool pants

2011-12-29T14:02:00.001-05:00

Ok all - I need a new pair of wool pants. The pair I have now are my dad's old ones, gray and wonderful but a little short (and as you can see, I like to play in the snow). Where should I look to get myself a new pair?? Ideally, another pair of gray pants.

Thanks!

A seat with a view

2011-12-27T12:45:00.000-05:00

Since starting my hunting career, I have built 2 tree houses (the most recent one dubbed the Sky Condo), sat in a sketchy tree seat and had Dad pimp out a tree seat, from which I shot my doe and my 10 pointer this year.

This is the first place I ever sat alone in the woods. Its off the corner of our property. I was terrified and prayed that no deer would walk by. It is someone's stand that has been there for 4+ years. Its a little wobbly, has that one bar that goes in front of you, and the ladder is about 7 inches wide. Dad would leave me here for just a couple of hours while he walked around. I would wish the time away because I had no idea what I would really do if I saw a deer, or if this thing would collapse on me. From this seat, I could see one path that is frequently traveled by deer.

This. This wonderful thing is my Sky Condo. It can fit my husband (who is not allowed to intrude on father-daughter hunting tradition, but can see our cool hang out), my dad and me comfortably. We have 2 seats, 1 heater, the antlers that we rattle and our guns hanging out with us up there. The roof has shingles on it and I am pretty sure Dad is going to canvas the entire thing to that no breezes can come through (Dad's gone soft, what can I say). From when this photo was taken until now, Dad has added some canvas to the opening on the right that helps to block the wind from the southwest. Its really warm, dry and its been fun to sit in there with Dad and hear his stories about growing up and hunting in the same area we are now. Dad and I have enjoyed sitting in the sun, rain and even a snow squall from the safety and comfort of the Condo.
From the Condo, this is our view:

To the right, along the woods, is a main highway for deer that travel from the corn fields to check the 5 apple trees. Right straight ahead is where we got the 6 pointer last year. I spotted it in the brush and couldnt get a shot because I had a tree in the way. Dad shot the deer and the next day, cut the tree down. LOVE HIM!

This is my new seat. I take a lot of pictures from it, but not of it. Sorry! But let me try to explain the sweet set up I have. The top bar that you can see has had rip ties added to it and a nail put into the tree behind me, so I can hook it when I get up and down from the seat. Then, I don't have to worry about lifting it while I climb into the seat (and if you read my blog about my fantastic hunter safety, you know I climb up and down with a loaded gun).

The end/bottom of this bar, has a piece of metal that came from a lawn chair. Dad added screws and duct taped to it and attached it to the original bar to the perfect height so that my gun, when resting on this, fits perfectly against my body and under my right arm. Basically, I can cuddle with the my gun while waiting for the deer. The seat is suspended so that I can adjust it and not feel like I am tilting. It also has a padded backrest and padded arm rests. Basically, I fit perfectly in here. Which is good, because you see what I started off with. I couldnt sit there for 5 hours and be comfortable. But in this seat, I am comfy, warm and able to shoot a 10 pointer when he walks out in from of me.

So - now, what do you hunt in? Or are you on the ground? In a blind? Many of you are from other States - I deal with cold temps and snow... what about you? and does it impact where you sit and for how long? We figured I put in 76 hours in the woods before I got my deer. I am sure glad that I have places to sit and be comfortable while I put in my time.

Is it October yet???

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T07:34:00.000-05:00

Wishing you and your family a very happy and healthy holiday!

I thank you all very much for reading my blog and joining in on the conversation. I enjoy every comment and having our fun conversations about hunting.

Enjoy the holiday and all the best

~E

Just the antlers - really??

2011-12-21T12:47:00.001-05:00

I recently discovered this wonderful blog by Willard. His post today made my stomach turn. Not because of the photos - those are amazing - but because of what the photos are of; deer killed for their antlers and tenderloins. Here is the actual blog post.

The whole idea of people killing deer for their antlers blows my mind. I have heard of Rhios and elephants being killed for their horns and tusks but a whitetail deer... killing any animal just for sport, I think it wrong. Keeping the population in check - yes. If the hunters in Willard's post didnt want the meat, why not donate it to food pantries?!?! I did a quick Google search for donating deer to pantries and came up with this nation-wide list of organized groups that help. I would like to think that there are butchers out there that would also donate their time and talent in helping out with the process.

To hunt a whitetail and have the fortune to bag one is an incredible experience. For me and my family, I hunt for the freezer and am grateful if that meat comes along with an impressive rack. But, I would have been just as excited if I shot a 4 or 6 pointer (ok, not as excited, but still pretty happy). If there was a way for these people to just drop off their kill at a butcher and get what they want, do you think they would do it? Am I being way too hopeful? With so many people who are hungry and just trying to make it, the idea of leaving 50, 60, 70+ pounds of meat on the ground to rot makes me sick. But can we do anything about it? What do you guys think??

Thanks Willard for your post (and I give you total photo credits for the photo I used here)

More Coyote stuff

2011-12-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

As a funny follow up to Steve's blog about coyots, I was going through photos for my Dad's album (every year that we get a deer, I add more pictures) and found these.

Dad found this deer last year when he was out walking around and I was in my seat. It was, as you can see, a nice 8-pointer that had been taken down by the coyots. When Dad told me about it, I asked to go see it (Im weird). The deer was in a grouping of trees. Its nose was gone, as was the lower half of the body. A beautiful deer that would have been a nice tag - taken down by coyotes.

After lunch, we took the saw back into the woods with us and cut off the antlers. One, because they are impressive - 17 inches in the inside and two, because it is a reminder that coyots are getting more brazen and less choosy about which deer they are picking. I highly doubt this deer was sick or wounded.

Just one more example of why it is so important that Maine works to get the coyote population back in check.

And yes, that is the deer's ear attached to the rack. It was frozen and Dad wasnt going to worry about it. =)

The Maine Outdoorsman: Why You Shoot Coyotes!

2011-12-16T15:36:00.000-05:00

I would like to thank Steve for helping to feed my fear of these coyotes. *shutters* the photos in his blog are of coyotes taking down a deer - an FYI to those of you out there who are squeamish.

The Maine Outdoorsman: Why You Shoot Coyotes!

Gun safety suggestions... I fail

2011-12-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

Again, thanks to Twitter, I came upon a blog post in which the author talks about a boy getting shot in Tennessee. He gives some tips for hunter safety that had me thinking. Here are the tips:

1. Never walk in heavy brush with your gun loaded.
2. Never fire unless you are sure of your target and there is no chance of someone being beyond your target.
3. Never climb into your stand with a loaded firearm or hoist up one that is loaded.
4. Always carry your firearm muzzle upward especially when hunting with a friend. Muzzle down is never a good idea even though it’s pointed away from people you may accidentally get dirt in the barrel and clog it causing a potentially deadly accident.

I only do 1 of these. Thoughts? Am I the worst hunter out there? What about you guys? what else could you add?

= )

2011-12-15T10:09:00.001-05:00

Accessible Hunting

2011-12-14T09:07:00.000-05:00

While paroozing my Twitter feed, I came across this little article posted by the Huffington Post. Here are the opening few lines: Montana wildlife regulators suspect more and more people are faking disabilities to take advantage of privileges granted to disabled hunters, so they want to remove one of those perks in hopes of curbing abuse. Permits to hunt from a vehicle, called PTHV permits, are given to Montana hunters with certain disabilities certified by a doctor, chiropractor, nurse or physician's assistant. The permit allows a disabled person who can't get around without assistance to hunt from a self-propelled or drawn vehicle. In some prime hunting areas, those permit holders are allowed to drive along roadways normally gated and closed to all other vehicles. They are also allowed to shoot cow elk without buying an additional antlerless elk license, even in some areas where licenses aren't available to the general public.

I did a quick Google search and found this pic in this article about hunting. There were tons of photos to pick from that featured folks in wheelchairs with nice looking bucks in front of them.

First, let me give you some back ground on me before I parse this article. I have been involved with Maine Handicapped Skiing and studied accessibility issues in my undergrad program. I worked with a girl, now *gulp* almost 20, who is visually impaired and does more stuff then I would dare to do - my Mini rock climbs, runs track and field, takes dance classes, volunteers at a local animal shelter, is in college studying to be a drug and alcohol councilor, she finished a triathlon last summer and, oh yea, is going to the OLYMPICS in Russia to compete in downhill skiing. Really, she is untra-abled and not disabled by any means. Mini opened my eyes to how normal folks with a disability are. There is really nothing that they can not do, with just a little accommodation.

When I started my new job in August, there was a film festival near by and someone sent me the link to one of the movies called The Harvest. Click here and then watch the trailer. If you dont tear up, you are not human.

My take: anyone who wants to hunt, should be allowed to (assuming they are qualified, have their license etc.). I know how excited I was (and still am) about my hunt this season. That is a thrill everyone should be able to experience. I did a quick search of the Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife website and didnt see anything for a disability permit - Rabid Outdoorman: Do you know of anything????

Montana's issue is that people are abusing the law and ruin it for the rest. That could be the case for able body people too though. Poachers, idiots shooting dogs... all of these things ruin or tarnish the act of hunting and the tradition of it. While I am not 100% ok with letting the folks who are hunting from their truck get special access to land and roads that other hunters don't, I think they have every right to hunt.

But - there are enough of you that read this little blog, and cover a variety of States... do you guys have anything like this? Do you have issues like Montana? Im curious now.

Mourning Mr 8-Pointer

2011-12-12T10:49:00.001-05:00

Backstory:
There is a house that sits on about 30 acres that borders our property with the Sky Condo on it. The house was abandoned and bought by a family in town that hunts. With the purchase of the house, they now border 3 sides of our hunting grounds. They are kinda obnoxious in that they have a generator that is so loud, we can hear it as soon as we step out of the truck. They come and go at all hours, which keeps the deer from moving near the camproad and they have a four-wheeler which they start up, rev up and drive down to their tree stand with. Basically, they make a crazy amount of noise and hunt for the trophy, not the meat. Basically, they are the opposite type of hunter that we are. ##

So, this past weekend, I ran into one of the family members at their shop. I asked him what the final number was and he said they got one 8-pointer. Now, up until the last weekend, Dad and I had been told that they had let a 6 and 8 pointer go by. Dad and I called BS on that, especially since I heard their shot when I was in my condo the 2nd weekend. And I know the difference between a close shot (snap, crack) and a long distance shot (boom). It was loud enough to make me jump. And I heard them come and get the four wheeler. The fact that they said they didnt get anything seemed just silly. Why lie? Be proud of the deer you shot.

When we tagged my deer, we saw that they had tagged an 8 pointer and that it was over 200. With the confirmation this weekend that it was a 210, nice 8-pointer, it ended the hope for me and Dad that the beautiful 8-pointer we had seen on the camera and the one he wanted, (knowing it was over 200lbs and thinking he would be his biggest rack over 20inches), had survived the season. Assuming it was the shot I heard, they shot it around 1:30 in the afternoon, near the snowmobile trail where Dad usually walks when he leaves me in my tree seat. It sucks. I really wish Dad could have gotten that deer. He would have appreciated it more.

But, maybe next year. Maybe it was a different buck, like the deer I shot. Mine was not a deer from the camera but still a nice 10 pointer. I will cling to some small hope that Dad's big buck is still out there. Next year will be a big year for us - 10 years since I started hunting with Dad and I am having a big birthday. So, we deserve a couple big bucks to celebrate. =)

One of each, please!

2011-12-06T08:21:00.001-05:00

One of the unnews, news articles that has been on the TV is that of a 10 year old kid from Action who got an outdoor grandslam - one of each, if you will, for deer, bear, moose and turkey. Here is the link.
Many hunters goes years or even lifetimes without reaching this accomplishment. I got drawn for a moose permit last year and we didnt get a moose. But, I also have no desire to bear hunt or really, turkey. I am happy with my whitetails.
So, what about all of you - want the grand slam? have you already accomplished it?

Hardwater - a film

2011-12-02T09:27:00.001-05:00

Friends of mine from high school put together a film about fishing in northern Maine and following one man in particular. Check out the trailer here. Or, it might be easier to go to their blog at http://hardwaterdocumentary.blogspot.com/ and check them out. Really great guys!

Shooting dogs - I mean, coyotes

2011-12-01T10:33:00.001-05:00

This hunting season, Maine saw 3 incidents where dogs where shot and hunters claimed they were coyotes. So, lets take a closer look, shall we?

All kinda look this same; in that 'I-am-from-the-dog-family' sort of way. The coloring is maybe, kinda close. More so with the shepard and the coyote. Their faces all resemble dogs and have pointy noses but you can tell the difference. The ears are clearly difference and just the posture of the animals are different. But still, three dogs this year were killed. 3!! Two were German Shepards and one was a Siberian Huskey. You can check out the stories about each shooting here, here and here.

I have never seen a coyote in the woods when I have been out hunting. Honestly, I am a little terrified of them, their group mentality and the way they sneak around. I also have a ridiculous imagination that allows me to make thing way more scary than they really are... but, anyways...

All of the hunters involved claimed that they thought the dogs were coyotes running around in the woods. All three hunters were decent enough shots to kill the animals and yet none of them were smart enough to make sure that what they were killing was a wild animal and not someone's pet. It is hunters like this that give our sport a bad name with people who don't like or under stand hunting.
I understand the excitement of having something coming through the woods, but you NEED to know what you are shooting at. As I have said before, I sit in my Sky Condo or tree seat. Dad walks. There have been 2 or 3 times that my Dad has snapped a branch that had me on alert and thinking "It's either Dad or a deer" I would never shoot in the direction of the sound though because I could have shot Dad.

The comments posted with these articles blame both sides, the hunters and the owners. I do agree that is it the responsibility of the pet owners to ensure their pets are as safe as can be during the month of November and everyone in Maine should be aware of the huge hunting culture we have here and do their part. Know what you are shooting at and know that there are idiots in the woods with guns that will shoot at anything that moves.

I am so happy that I sit in a tree!

Season 9, episode 5: BBD (big buck down) part 2

2011-11-27T10:41:00.001-05:00

With the deer down, I filled in Dad with what happened, how I didnt shoot when he was in the first shooting lane and all of the excitement that goes along with the hunt. Dad walked over to the deer before I did and counted the tines. He has never shot a 10 pointer (he has shot a lot of 8 and 9 pointers that were big deer, a few over 200lbs) so to get such a big deer was really great.

When we started to gut him, we smelled a horrible stench. This deer was very much in the rut and since they carry their sent in their lower legs, it was the strongest right near us, where we were holding his legs and gutting him. Whew! It was bad. Dad said he has never smelled a deer so stinky. And since he was heavy and we were a distance from the truck, Dad decided that he was going to get the tractor to get the deer out of the woods and back to the truck.

I led the parade out of the woods while the deer got a nice rid in the bucket. We loaded him into the truck, took him to get tagged and brought him home.

It was a great season, with wonderful weather and snow at the start and end. It was so much fun seeing the tracks around the house and in the woods; seeing the deer beds and then having my first big buck walk out in front of me and be able to take him down. Wonderful end to a great season.

Thanks for coming along during the season!

Season 9, episode 5: BBD (big buck down) part 1

2011-11-27T09:50:00.001-05:00

What a weekend! I went home in a snowstorm on Wednesday. Dad and I hunted Thursday morning and with the fresh snow, we could see that the deer were right where we were. It was a little discouraging to have that confirmed for us, because we still had not seen a buck. We walked, tracked and walked some more. A cool thing that I had never seen before were deer beds.

We saw 3 in a row and you can tell how big the deer is because they leave a print in the bed when they get up. This one was the largest and Dad is pointing to the print. We called it a day mid-morning and spent the rest of the day with family.

The next day was warm, 37 degrees. Which is warm for the end of November. Dad made the call that, because the majority of the tracts were headed to my tree seat, we headed down there first instead of sitting in the sky condo. We headed down and I was sitting and ready by 6am. I sat and waited.
It was around 8am that I saw him. He stepped out in front of me. Right in my shooting lane. Right where the second tree is. I could see his antlers up over his ears, but I could not see how big they were beyond that.

He had his head down. I shifted to try and get my gun in position (I keep it across my body, resting on the bar of my seat). As I moved, he stopped and lifted his dead and looked right at me. I froze. I think I stopped breathing too. I did not want to spook him or make him run. And, I had no idea where Dad was. He was walking around somewhere, so I couldnt bank on Dad getting the buck if I didnt. The deer put his head back down again. moved again. He stopped, then lowered his head, flicked his tail and kept walking... right into the trees. I was freaking out. How could I tell Dad that I let a good sized buck walk in front of me and I didnt take a shot. I had a bleet in my jacket and as I was reaching for it, I saw him move in the bushes (far left on photo). I put the bleet back, made sure my orange mittens were out of the way so I could see out of my scope and waited.

My heart was beating out of my chest. I got in position and set my scope on the opening where I prayed he stepped out of. It is right behind the small tree you can see in the back of my clear shooting lane. Anywhere near there and I could get him. I could see him walking in, walking in... I was breathing so hard, I think he heard me and looked. I lined the scope up, behind the shoulder and shot. He dropped. BBD. I have NEVER shot a buck and had him drop. Usually they run a little bit and fall. He went collapsed right there. His front left leg retreated back into his body and his head twitched and that was it. I sat there and called Dad. He was walking up from the bog (at the end of my first shooting lane). He had heard the shot and knew it was me. We greeted each other with a big smile and half hug.

Thankful...for the tag!

2011-11-25T20:00:00.001-05:00

This Thanksgiving, there are many things I am thankful for; my family, my friends, good job, good health... but I am thankful that I get to spend so much time with my dad in the fall as we hunt. As you can see, it paid off! I shot a 10 pointer this morning. I will give you the complete story in my next blog (and I will show you more pictures) but until then thank you to each and every one of you that reads my little blog and leaves me encouraging comments. Hope you are enjoying Thanksgiving weekend!!!

Tracking big bucks

2011-11-22T10:43:00.001-05:00

This is what is coming our way -

8-12 inches of snow. Tonight into tomorrow. I am trying to focus at work, but really, its not working. Dad and I have been doing snow dances all season to get some snow to fall so we can track this damn deer that keeps mocking us and refusing to show himself. Gimmie some snowshoes and my gun and lets go! We will be out Thurs, Fri and Sat this weekend. Hopefully the snow sticks around into the weekend and we can get some good tracking in!

Season 9: episode 4

2011-11-22T09:11:00.001-05:00

I have learned 2 things this hunting season: 1. I can now wear enough gear (awesome wool jacket) to mimic an owl. I bundle up so much that all that is exposed are my eyes and nose. I move my head and that's really it when I am in my tree seat. 2. I need to sleep the night before.Thursday night, Dad told me about the huge tracks he saw around my seat. I went to bed at 10 and tossed and turned about the big buck. At 5:30am, I was in my seat waiting for the sun to come up. I sat and I sat. 5 hours later, dad came to get me. Nothing. He did see 3 does and hoped there was a buck near by but that was not the case. We sat in the Sky Condo in the afternoon. It has been windy every day that we have been hunting. Not a crazy wind, but windy enough to keep your ears sharp for the difference between leaves blowing, squirrels running around and a deer. Or so I thought. I was in the SC, checking all of our shooting lanes. I looked straight ahead, where we have been seeing deer before the season started and where we shot our deer last year. Looking. I heard leaves to my right but assuming it was a squirrel, I didnt really pay attention. When it got loud, I turned to see a deer run by. It was maybe 100 feet from the SC and by the time I realized it was a deer, it was gone. I saw the whole deer, but I could not tell you if it was a buck or doe. For the sake of my self-esteem, lets say it was a doe. We left the woods empty handed.Saturday - nothing. We own 400 acres near my parents house and Dad had seen a lot of scrapes and rubs (finally). We walked around for 2 hours trying to jump something. Dad put me on a skidder trail and told me to walk up and over the mountain and we would meet at an intersection. I took my time and followed the trail. Dad lets bikers ride around the mountain, and I got off on their trail and not on the one I was supposed to be one. Crap. I found tree with orange tape and trees with yellow paint. Not an intersection and no trail really in sight. Im glad we carry cell phones. I had to call Dad to find out where I needed to go - he was literally 60 seconds behind me following the yellow trees. While it was a lot of fun to walk around the mountain, we need some meat.This weekend is the end of the season. Thanksgiving, Friday and Saturday. Fingers crossed I have a nice picture to post!!!

Working on our angles

2011-11-17T20:10:00.001-05:00

Dad was out scouting this week. He found a bunch of scrapes and huge tracks near my tree seat. Big. He said its probably the monster we saw on the camera this summer - 8 pointer that he hopes has 20+ inch spread. No pressure or anything. So, we worked through all of the possible angles that I could shoot this monster, depending on which shooting lane he steps into (the largest scrape is in the lane right in front of me - see previous posts for the photo - there is a blow down and its right under it). Dad needed something to use as a model. I had the perfect thing!

We worked all sorts of scenarios - if the deer does X, shoot him here. If he comes right at me, hit him in the white of his neck. If he falls down, shoot again (I lost a doe when I let her get up and walk away). The normal pressure of making sure to kill a deer is fun, but having the added pressure of this monster buck right near me... eeeekkkkkkk!!!!!!

Season 9, episode 3

2011-11-14T11:17:00.001-05:00

Note: I started writing this, saved it and realized I never posted. Sorry! Well, at least the weather has been beautiful and I can work on my fall sun/wind burn. Last weekend, we struck out again. Dad saw a coyote and a couple does but nothing big. It was a beautiful weekend and it was nice to be outside in such great weather. Dad said he will make a scrape near our stand to see if we can get some action that way.My father in law did get his deer but he didn't have it weighed. SO... I ask all of you to guess how big you think this deer may be. I guessed, they guessed and now I want your guesses.

AND - I know how much meat they got from the deer. Is there a formula to figure out the dead weight?

Something more upbeat

2011-11-10T11:10:00.002-05:00

This is my dog. She is adorable. She is a rescue puppy that we got almost 2 years ago. And this is the only picture I have of her face on, usually she moves as the flash is going off. So, blog friends, meet Leah.

The rotten apples

2011-11-09T15:29:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend in Maine, 3 hunters were shot. One man died. Also over the weekend, 2 dogs were shot and killed as they were mistaken for coyotes. In this article, John Holyoke talks about what its like for him to talk to his non-hunting friends and how bad the sport or hunting looks when so many incidents happen over such a short period of time.I must say that it makes me happy that I hunt on family property and that Dad and I know WHO is hunting in the area with us (they sit in tree stands) but it is so, so scary to think about how quick something like this could happen and how absent minded some hunters can be while carrying a loaded weapon. Yes, I throw that gun up over my shoulder and shimmy up into my tree stand without worrying, but I also have a constant voice in my head yelling at me the minute the front of my gun comes up to where it would hit Dad's calf. It is unfortunate that these serious incidents happen at all, but to have 5 of them happen in less than a week is scary and unnecessary. A man lost his life. The idea of hunting already has stigmas attached to it and when things like this happen, it doesnt help our cause.

Season 9, episode 2

2011-11-08T11:49:00.001-05:00

Nope. Not mine. Or Dad's. We struck out again this past weekend. We saw coyote and bear droppings (the bear was really cool because it was on the path to our sky condo). Dad was able to jump a few does but no bucks. No scrapes or rubs - are any of you seeing this as well? I am hoping that with a full moon on Thursday, rain all day Thursday and it getting colder here, that come Friday, I have a picture to post that is actually mine. The above deer was shot by my brother in law - 8 points and 225lbs. He got is at 8am on Saturday.

Hunt the Rut

2011-11-03T15:45:00.000-04:00

I found this cool article today about deer moving around in the rut. Do you agree? Hunt the Rut

Prep for week 2

2011-11-03T11:19:00.001-04:00

What am I missing or need to do before I head into the woods? There was an article in the local paper about traditions and how the author gets up with his buddies, has a huge breakfast and coffee before heading out into the woods. I have cream of wheat or maypo, sip enough juice to get the vitamins down. Girls and guys? What about you? What's your typical breakfast before heading out?I also dress in SO many layers. This morning I found my running pants (Lycra maybe? spandex?) and my first thought was "perfect, they will fit under my fleece long johns that I wear under my wool pants". Two layers of sock, snowmobile boots, foot warmers (like the ones you use when you go skiing). Under armor, non-cotton t-shirt, more fleece, more under armor, a down vest and my wool jacket. Layers baby! Gloves, hat and blaze orange light weight vest and I am ready to go and sit.Tomorrow, I will be in my tree seat at 5:30. The temperature will be somewhere near 20. I will wait for the day light to break and hope a deer decides to walk past me. Wish me luck!

Before and After

2011-11-02T09:57:00.000-04:00

Here are my before and after shots with the snow. I climbed back up in my tree seat to take Sunday's photos from the same view point. You can see how long my shooting lanes are with the snow on the ground. 48 hours from now, I will have been in that seat for 4.5 hours. Im cold just thinking about it.

Season 9, episode 1

2011-10-31T11:50:00.003-04:00

Ok friends, while I don't have any venison hanging up, it was a fantastic weekend! Incredibly cold but awesome.Dad and I were in the woods by 5:30, sitting in our Sky Condo (pictures coming soon). We were there for 4 hours, then moved to my tree seat and dad started walking, hoping to push them my way. I was able to thaw a little while sitting there - the sun, a little breeze... I didnt fall asleep, but I could have.

I thought I would snap a few photos of the view from my tree seat so you know what sort of great views I have. And because I took the same photos about 24 hours later and there was 4 inches of snow on the ground.

This is right in front of me. The lane to the right, is where I shot my doe 3 season ago. I dropped her right where the bright yellow leaf is pointing. She made a terrible, haunting sound. Was there for what seemed like forever (was probably 1-2 minutes), staggered to her feet and wobbled off. We never found her, even though the blood trail was almost a solid red line. I felt awful after that happened. The more people I talked to though, the more I realized that it seems to happen to almost everyone at some point in time. So, I am chocking it up to having it happen then, with a does as opposed to that 10 pointer that I want.

This is the view to my right. Dad cleaning it out last spring so I have a clear shot. I kept visualizing a deer walking through there, stopping to eat some acorns and whatnot and me getting a perfect shot. Never happened. I did see 2 partridges that crossed right in front of me. They were loud in the leaves. Also, how do you like my gun pointing out? The seat is a modified job that Dad did - he cut, duct taped and tweaked to make it perfect for me. The way it sits, it snuggles right under my arm. Ready to go at anytime. After lunch, we went back into the Sky Condo as the sun disappeared, the clouds rolled in, the temps dropped (started at 20, went up to 42 and then dropped again). We waited and waited and came home at 6:30. BUT - Sunday, we went tracking. AMAZING! I am grabbing the photos from my camera and will post in the next couple of days. Stay tuned as Sunday turned into a fun, exciting time in the woods.

We need to find the match

2011-10-28T18:19:00.001-04:00

We found these out back today. Dad now wants to find the deer that matches these prints. We had to measure the best tracks to see how big it is. Dad thinks its the big deer the neighbor has been seeing, but now Dad wants to bring it home. Wish us luck tomorrow!

Count down

2011-10-27T09:52:00.001-04:00

So, I am anxiously awaiting the first few snowflakes of the season... I love snow. I love it a lot. Last year was the first year I had hunted in the snow and it was magical. It was so quiet and the temps would change just enough that it would go from snow to a wet snow to a light rain and back. Dad and I were drenched but cold enough to keep our gloves on. We sat and sat and sat. Then walked, walked, walked. When we were getting ready to call it a morning, we saw a single track. Like kids on Christmas morning, our energy levels sky rocketed and we started to follow. It was a fresh track and we split up.

I had never tracked a deer before. It is not nearly as easy as you may think. I stayed on the track while Dad tried to cut us off by going way right. The deer meandered his way past our sky condo (if we had been sitting there, we could have shot him), past a neighbor's tree seat (if they had been there, they could have shot him) and Mr. Deer walked in my boot tracks from earlier in the morning. Dad and I met up and switched roles. Dad tracked and I stood in one spot to wait for the deer to circle back.

Dad followed the deer a few miles to a pond that sits at the end of my parent's road and a main road. The deer went into the thick brush and tress that surround the pond and being so close to houses and the road, Dad smiled and came back to get me. As we were again heading out of the woods, we saw a 2nd track made by another deer. It was many 50 yards from where I had been standing, but down over a knoll. There was no way I could have heard him, but he was out there with us, enjoying the snow.It probably doesnt sound as much fun as it was, but take my word on it - tracking a deer in the snow is fantastic! Now, as the season kicks off in 2 days and the snow is starting to fly, I am so excited to see what sort of adventures Dad and I have this year. And if it snows again, I will take real photos so I dont have to google seach pics = )

This is how we do it

2011-10-26T16:47:00.000-04:00

A very cool article about what we are doing to keep Maine clean. The river restorations have been incredible - the Penobscot and the Androscoggin have undergone amazing transformations as people are now working hard to keep. It is projects like these that make me proud to be a Mainer and it shows that we care about our State and are working to preserve it. The article is short, but cool. And its amazing that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is giving us props for the work that is being done.

Im not fat, on welfare or have a drug problem. Thanks.

2011-10-24T14:50:00.000-04:00

In an earlier post, I ranted about my massive distrust of Roxanne Quimby, her need for a(nother) National park, near Baxter State Park and her need to feel like she can dictate whats best for Mainers. In an article in Forbes earlier this month, she proved my point. Here is an except about how she views Mainers:

They’re in complete denial…. We have the most aged population in the country…. I believe we have one of the highest adult obesity rates in New England. We have… oxycontin abuse… [and] Maine’s the largest net receiver of Federal funds, even though we supposedly hate the Feds…it’s a welfare state.”

While Maine does beat out Florida as the oldest state in the nation, California is actually the largest net receiver of federal dollars. CA, the same state Quimby moved from when she came to Maine. New Hampshire is right there with us when it comes to obesity. Here is the complete article. The comments are pretty interesting too and I am not alone in my unabashed dislike and distrust for this woman.

Caribou in Maine

2011-10-23T09:28:00.000-04:00

I was/am looking to see if I can find pictures of youth day yesterday but I came across this article about bringing caribou to Maine in 1986. Check it out!

Cleaning smiles

2011-10-23T09:24:00.000-04:00

In an effort to clean my house before I go mia for the next 5 weekends, I started cleaning my office. I was of the mindset that if it was not critical to my daily life or have a significant historical impact, it was going in the trash. I had to. A lot of the stuff has been hiding in a closet for more years that I know and has been moved in those boxes probably 4 times. As I was going through stuff, I found the following that made me smile:

They are handouts from my hunter's safety course. I am not sure why I held on to them since they are out of date now. I also found a notebook with permission slips for hunting on other people's property, information on how to keep invasive species out of the waterways and how to safely keep a firearm in your home. Fun things to find!

Youth Hunt = )

2011-10-21T14:59:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow kicks off youth hunt in Maine. YEAH!!! The season is finally here. And it makes me happy that I hunt on my own property because it assures me that no one can be killing my 10 pointer before I hit the woods early next Saturday. At least, as long as my deer stays around the area he has been. Its always so exciting to see the pictures in the paper throughout next week as kids who are between 10-12 it seems, post their pictures of their deer. Last year, a friend of mine's daughter shot a nice deer and her photo was in the paper. Good work Carleigh - girls and guns. I love it.Bring on the season!!!

1 week

2011-10-20T20:10:00.001-04:00

1 week from tomorrow, I will be heading up the our hunting grounds to start the 2011 season. Yeah! There are things I need to get done before the season starts.1. Get sick. I have been mia the past couple of days because I have been really sick. CHECK2. Get wool jacket out. Its hanging up in my room. CHECK3. Get warm, non-cotton clothes out. CHECK (thank you fall camping)4. Get hand/toe warmers. CHECK5. Boots ready. All 2 pair. CHECK6. Guns sighted in. CHECK and DOUBLE CHECK7. License in hunting vest. CHECK8. Squatter out of sky condo. CHECK (so says Dad)I think that's all I need, right? Now, I sit and wait and prep and check in with Dad to see what else is on the camera. I had been hoping that opening day would be on my birthday and since there is a leap year next year, I have YEARS to wait until that happens, so Mother Nature can bring me a post gift by having that 10 pointer walk in front of my cross hairs. HA!

Blogger Fail

2011-10-17T12:15:00.001-04:00

This weekend, I went with Dad and hubby to set the trail camera and put up my tree seat. Everytime Dad brings in the camera to review what we got for photos, we have to look at the photos of the 10 pointer. Clearly I have been WAY too excited because we realized that the massive buck we thought was a 10 was really a massive 8 and that the 10 pointer comes into the camera 10 minutes later. So, out of the 5 pics were thought were the same buck, it's really 2 deer! Dad thinks the 8 must have at least a 20 inches span and he called dibs. Which means I get the 10. Im very much ok with that. We will see what shows up this week.Anyways, my fail as a blogger... We spent probably 2 hours around the area that we hunt. We checked the Sky Condo to make sure the squatter was no where to be seen and put up the tree seat. We looked for sign (hello massive deer tracks) and scrapes. I showed hubby where I shot my doe and lost my doe. And somewhere in between marching through the woods and looking at last year's scrapes, I realized I did not bring anything to take pictures with. No camera, no cell phone. Nada. Fail! I went back through my cell to see if I had the photos that I took last year while sitting in my tree seat and nothing. I was hoping they were there so I could at least post some photo that related to this past weekend. Nope. Fail!Next time I go into my hunting grounds, I think it will be on the 29th, which is opening day. A camera and cell are both mandatory on my list. Then, you can see the views from my condo/seat and (fingers crossed) how big this 8 and 10 pointer are = ) Maybe we should take bets on how big the spread on the 8 really is... I will figure out a way to get a pic if we don't drag him out on opening day.

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-17T11:27:00.000-04:00

The Outdoor Blogger turns 1 tomorrow! I recently added this little blog to their network and got a wonderful email from Rebecca welcoming me to the club. It looks like a great resource for folks to connect, network and talk about whats going on in the outdoor world.

Happy Birthday Rebecca and Joe!! here is to many more years

Maine's Sporting Heritage 1870-1970

2011-10-13T17:07:00.000-04:00

Maine's Sporting Heritage has put together a Facebook page of old photos from Maine's hunting history. It has been so cool to see the sorts of photos they are getting and posting and I think they are tied in with Inland Fisheries & Wildlife which is fantastic in Maine. If you have a Facebook page, I strongly suggest you check this out and see the great photos.

Joining the club.

2011-10-13T10:49:00.001-04:00

I have been meeting all kinds of folks thanks to my interview with Steve. And as I have had time, I have been reading other people's blogs about hunting. Yesterday, one blew my mind. I think it was because I had never tried the movie feature on my trail camera and I have yet to see photos of one deer like what Trey saw. Dad and I try to see if we have the same deer, but I have yet to see a year to year comparison that Trey has. I totally recommend checking out his blog!Also, Rick at Whitetail Woods has been awesome in helping me figure out how to get more connected. Next up is the awesome LB at Bullets and Biscuits. She is a rock star! She sent me an email with a long list of blogs along with a little blurb about each one. I can't wait to dive into her blog and check out the links she sent me.So to all of you - a big THANKS for joining me on my little blog and welcoming me/helping me as I explore the blogging world!

Getting Nostalgic

2011-10-11T17:07:00.000-04:00

It's October and its my favorite time of year. Apples, cider, colder temps, sweaters, NO bugs or snakes (although I found 3 skins in the wood pile I was bringing in yesterday *shutters*). I love fall. I love winter. I love looking at my red and black checkered wool jacket and knowing its almost time to throw it on. And I love hunting with Dad. Last year, after we tagged our buck, I followed Dad to his room. Im sure I was rambling about something. Dad got into his bedstand and took out a memopad piece of paper. It was maybe 3x5. One piece. On it, he had a record of deer he had shot. The first entry was exactly one year before I was born. There was the entry that has the 115lb spikehorn I shot with a note that said E's first deer. Dad got his first deer when he was 12 so not every deer has been categorized on this tiny slip of paper. For all I know, there is a collection of memopad paper somewhere in my parents room with the long, long list of deer. But it was really cool to see what this piece and what he had shot, how big it was, the date and what the weather was like. With 17 days til we can (hopefully) add that 10 pointer to the list... I can't help but find myself getting more and more excited for what will be written next.Do you folks keep a record of what you get?

Sneak peak of wildlife

2011-10-09T15:23:00.000-04:00

I got my Dad a trail camera maybe three years ago for Father's Day. This year, the hubby and I bought a camera for my father-in-law. We surveyed the spot where he usually is sits and looked for a good spot. In the over all scheme of things, I am a newbie hunter (9 years) but I like to think I know where to stick a camera and find some good photos. But I am at a loss. He has said that he has seen deer in the area but I did not see any sign. The land is a piece that looks like it has not been cut in 30 years or more. A small stream and some blow downs. Would you guys put it up near the stream? I would love for him to get some photos because there is nothing cooler than seeing the pics and knowing there are deer around. I will take some pics tomorrow I post so you have a better idea of what Im working with.

The Maine Outdoorsman: Women Gone Wild - Links and Resources

2011-10-07T06:25:00.000-04:00

The Maine Outdoorsman: Women Gone Wild - Links and Resources: Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) - non-profit, educational program offering hands-on workshops to adult women. http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr...

Link's from Steve's blog with some of his fav women gone wild.

Where are the women?

2011-10-06T11:47:00.000-04:00

This week, my interview with Steve at The Maine Outdoorsman went live. Steve said yesterday 200 people hit his site viewing over 500 pages. That is a lot of people reading about little ole me and hunting. Why? When I think of women who are in the general public's eye and hunt, I can think of 2 - Country singer Miranda Lambert and Sarah Palin. Why only two? Why is the female hunter such a fascinating thing? (I should probably note that I do not have cable so any and all female hunters on the hunting stations are lost to me. I'll keep it to the general public because that's what I am familiar with.) People/media were fascinated by the fact that they could get footage of Palin and her gun, shooting (and gutting) animals but I feel like the nostalgia would be lost if they had the same footage of McCain. Lambert and her hubby Blake Shelton tweet photos of their kills, and comment on what/where they are hunting. I only know this because I follow both. That's it. I can not think of any other women who are public about their hunting.

As I am writing this, a coworker made a comment about another coworker needing some vacation time and that he would be better after his drunken hunting weekoff. Maybe that's why women hunting is so interesting - we don't fit in the mold of the at-sports-camp-drinking-lots-of-beer-not-really-hunting stereotype of a hunter. At least for me, hunting is a serious thing. I am not a big drinker anyways, but the idea of drinking and hunting (even if its a hangover from the night before) terrifies me. I have a very healthy respect for my gun and I know that even though the safety is on, its not 100% safe. The idea of shooting myself (or my dad) makes me sick to my stomach (I felt bad when I hooked his finger while we were fishing when I was maybe 10) so I know I need to be on my game when I am holding my 30-06.Im proud to be a hunter and I think its really cool that I get to have the chance to hang out with my dad, be in the Maine woods and hunt in the same area my grandfather's did when they were my age. I like being a Maine girl who hunts - so where are all of the other women???

The Maine Outdoorsman: Women Gone Wild - Interview

2011-10-05T10:07:00.000-04:00

The Maine Outdoorsman: Women Gone Wild - Interview: Steve found me via Twitter and we struck up a conversation about hunting and being a female hunter. Here is my attempt to do the sport justice and represent the female side of things. Hope you all enjoy it!

Raffle - new scope!

2011-10-04T11:48:00.000-04:00

I had to buy raffle tickets from these two men. It was a hunter's breakfast raffle with money going to American Legion Post 192. I will know if I win on November 5th - a week after the start of hunting season, but whatever... I bought the tickets because I need a new scope for my gun. I didnt read their sign very well because I can also win the 30-06 to go with the new scope. New gun? yes please. But if I dont win, does anyone out there know where I could get an oval shaped scope. Im sure they have a name but I cant think of it. It helps to pull in more light. Thanks!

The Maine Outdoorsman: Women Gone Wild

2011-10-03T10:29:00.001-04:00

The Maine Outdoorsman: Women Gone Wild: Women Gone Wild

Whose Land is it?

2011-10-03T10:23:00.003-04:00

Last week Roxanne Quimby bought even more land in the maine woods. In doing so, her acreage is now upwards of 100,000 and she wants to make a chunk of it into a National Park. This whole thing is so controversial that she has started bribing groups to support her cause. Snowmobile trails run all through the land and Quimby has offered to let those trails stay there for up to 5 years if the snowmobile groups support her in moving ahead with a feasibility plan that if the first step in creating the park. The Maine Snowmobile Association opposes her plan Its as thought she is a 5 year old and doesnt want anyone playing in her sand box; but you can play in it for a short period of time, if you help her build up the sides. Then, you cant play anymore. You are kicked out. As I have said before on this blog, I am not a fan of Quimby. I can't help it. I think my upbringing and years I have already spent and will spend in the Maine woods make it impossible for me to see her as anything but a bully. This land that she is trying so hard to protect has been working land for years before Quimby set foot in the State (1975). It has been hunted on, harvested and used for recreation. Mainers are proud of what we have here. We don't want to see it being mistreated by anyone - that's why there are always concerns about Plum Creek cutting and why we are working to keep the deer, moose and coyote populations in check. We give a damn about what we have here. I can trace my family roots in Maine back to the 1700's. Maybe thats why I am so passionate about keeping what I have grown up with. Quimby's Wiki page says that when she moved to Maine ('75 - my Dad was 20), she moved into a cabin and outhouse. My mom had an outhouse at her home until she was 18. Quimby wants people to think she has all kinds of back woods knowledge and appreciation for what we have in Maine. Her experience living in the woods for a few years is what generations of people have been doing long before 1975. It may be unique for someone in who had moved from San Fran but not for the generations of Mainers who grew up with outhouses, no running water, no electricity and relied on the land to provide food and meat for the winter. As I gear up for hunting season and hear stories from friends who have shot their moose this year, I cant help but wonder whose land is it really? Quimby may own it but what will happen in 100 years? 200 years? Will that land be restricted and continue to echo the bullying behavior of Quimby. Or will it be land that will be used to hunt, trap, hike, sight see, snowmobile on and enjoy. Just like it was hundred of years ago?I hope the latter

On Notice

2011-09-22T08:55:00.002-04:00

Dear 10 Point buck on my trail camera,Today is September 22. In 1 month and 1 day, Dad and I will be dragging you out of the woods. So, please enjoy the last few weeks - frolic in the woods, munch the apples under those 5 apple trees, knock up a few ~~hoes~~ does and enjoy the Maine weather. I have plans for you beginning Oct 30 that involve a crock pot, football and a bunch of guys (and me) yelling at the TV during a game. So until then...See you in 37 days~E

There's a squatter in my Sky Condo

2011-09-19T20:32:00.000-04:00

Dad and I were putting the trail camera back out, checking the amount of apples on the trees and looking for signs of deer around the sky condo. Dad had cleared away some brush and random limbs and he cut down the tree that prevented me from shooting the deer that he shot last October. We were checking out the area and decided to get a better view - from our sky condo. There are 12 steps from the ground to the floor of the condo. I was 3 from the top when I saw what looked like poop next to me seat. Then there was another pile and another in the corner! Dad climbed up to get a look at the shooting lanes and the reminisce of our squatter. There was some wood chewed from the corner of the wall near where I sit and the roof which surprised us since its treated wood. Dad said its a porcupine (or a raccoon) but either way, it needs to go away before I climb up to my sky condo at 5am in Oct. No surprises please. Any ideas how we can keep the squatters out? Dad wants to put plexi glass up around the condo but Im boycotting. Im not letting him go soft yet - its bad enough I bought him a heater. But, ideally, we will shoot that huge buck that keeps showing up on the camera in October and be done(or have the pressure off us) for the rest of the season.

Chapter 2: Martin

2011-09-12T20:28:00.000-04:00

When I kept going to college and didnt want to grow up, I had to write a Master's thesis. I am calling it a thesis because it was over 100 pages and some of my colleagues produced papers that were shorter. For a long time I did not know what I was going to write about. I had ideas but my instructor would ask me what the significance was and what would my argument mean. I heard the words "so" and "and???" a lot. I decided to write about a _The West Wing_ episode. Yes, just one episode. I wrote 100 pages about one 60 minute show. The episode was their response to the 9-11attacks entitled "Isaac & Ishmael"Once again, I found myself studying rhetoric of the attacks and how it was changing our society. The way we framed the innocent vs guilty, spun news coverage, and created a racial profile that will haunt us for years. People want to say they are justified when they take a second look at anyone with even the slightest hint of Middle Eastern characteristics. No one says that they do the same thing with white men in their 20's and 30's. Until 9-11, Timothy McVeigh had the title of being the one behind the deadliest attack on the US. He was 27 when the attack happened and 167 people were killed and more than 684 people were hurt. So... when you see a clean cut 27 year old, do you associate him as a terrorist? I didnt think so. And you proved my Master thesis correct.The entire episode of "Isaac & Ishmael" is about the stereotypes and racial profiling that Aaron Sorkin saw coming. I did some substitute teaching for Political Rhetoric course and put together a PowerPoint of photos of what terrorists look like. The guys who have long beards, wear loose fitting clothes. Guys who look like this, right? That's what I thought.After spending two years working on my these, I had to title it. After spending such time with Martin Sheen, I figured it was only fitting that my work be named after him. After all, he is in the show for all of 5 minutes = )

Chapter 1

2011-09-11T12:16:00.000-04:00

10 years ago, in May 2001, I handed in my senior government term paper. I got stuck with a topic I did not want. A topic that I had no idea what to write about. But I spent hours researching. A recipe box filled with cards devoted to the topics, key and notes, and the bibliography. When it was all done, I was happy with the paper. It was 15 or so pages and it was the longest one I had ever written. I got an A. My thesis: "The United States is not prepared to prevent a terrorist attack"

Holy shit - right???

I had researched PamAm flight 103. The 1993 Trade Center bombing and Oklahoma City bombing. I looked at the immediate response to Ok City and how Clinton had first said it could be Middle Eastern Terrorists when it was a former Green Barret, white American. I researched Usama Bin Ladin, Hamas, Al-Queida, the FBI most wanted list. I referenced the past events as examples of how the US was not prepared and could not stop such events. I was too young to really piece together a good paper and really understand what it meant to the US. I just did my research, cited my sources, hit my page requirement and handed it in. I made the argument, got the A and left high school to start college.

September 2001, I was walking back from Psych 101 when the first plane hit. I came into my dorm, turned on the Today show and saw the coverage about an attach on the Trade Center. The only thing I could think of was "why are they covering the 93 bombings? it was more then 5 years, less than 10" I was exhausted and I left Matt Lauer and Katie Couric on the TV as I laid down.

The Twin Towers fell and I took a nap.

Sad, sad day

2011-08-31T21:21:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, a guy I went to high school with passed away after a long battle with CF. His brother, who is my age and have gone to school with since we were 3, donated a lob of his lung when we were in college. We knew Aaron had been sick recently but I dont think any one expected him to actually die. But on Saturday, he passed away. I did not know Aaron well and I know Tyler as a casual friend who I can talk football with and have a couple beer with but then go another year without talking to him.http://www.pinetreepolitics.com/2011/08/27/requiem-for-a-friend/The biggest blow came this afternoon. My close friend Melissa, who was a pseudo friend to Aaron and Tyler and considered them a second family, sent me a text saying she had lost her dad. Lissa's dad died. It had to have been a heart attack or accident of some sort because he was healthy and young (same age as my parents - mid 50's). This sort of thing does not happen right now in this point of our lives. No. And especially to someone like Lissa. She introduced me and the hubby. She is the go to friend for a pep talk, girls night, signed my marriage license and was a pseudo sister to Brent when he was in college. She is fantastic. Her parents are like mine - happily married, in love and have been together since high school. How can someone like her Dad Paul be gone? He had two grandsons that he worshiped. He had so much life ahead of him. He had to walk Lissa down the isle. How is this possible?For anyone from Skowhegan, this past week has been hard. Loosing two people from the community that everyone knew has been a massive blow to all of us...its a sad, sad week.RIP AaronRIP Paul

First sightings

2011-08-28T17:42:00.000-04:00

For father's day a couple years ago, my mom and I bought Dad a trail camera. Over the past few years we have seen a set of triplets (one is super ugly/cute with a white mask around his eyes), we have seen many doe and some spike horns and a good looking 4-pointer. It is always exciting to see what is roaming around our 'spot'. This year, we have seen flocks of turkeys and a small 4 pointer with velvet still on his antlers. But over the past couple of weeks, something amazing showed up... there were 5 pictures that seemed like he was posing for the camera. 10 points, good and healthy. Dad and I are a little too excited because this buck has to stay near by our hunting ground through Oct and be where we are on opening day (please). Ideally, we will have one hell of a deer to bring home on Oct 29th = ) We know he is out there... we just need to wait and find him. 62 days

What to do in a hurricane

2011-08-28T17:30:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I wouldnt be a good Red Crosser if I didnt first say that you should be prepared; 1 gallon of water per person per day, extra batteries, charged cell phone, food if you lose power and know how to find a shelter if you need to leave your home. End Red Cross stuff.
B and I are prepared, we have the water, food but we also live in a condo association that has crazy generators that, so far, have kept is with power. Seeing the "storm" not being an insane as they predicted we ordered Vietnamese food, took naps and have been reading books. Right now I am a big fan of being in sweatpants and reading. I did my volunteer work and got food for 6 shelters so Im all set for some down time.

I need to post one more blog post, then it back to reading

The Maine Outdoorsman: The Coyote Conundrum

2011-08-18T16:31:00.000-04:00

The Maine Outdoorsman: The Coyote Conundrum

New is cool

2011-08-04T15:58:00.000-04:00

So.. new things:

I have a dog that has decided to be super sick. Super, super sick. Not good, but new experience for me and Brent. It can end now tho!

I have a couple new books to read

oh yeah, and I have a new job, am moving back home (Portland) and all will be well in the world again = )

Back to the sick pup

Random thoughts from a hotel room

2011-07-19T15:37:00.000-04:00

Do you have that list of things that you want to get done, but you know you need to get some things done before others? Its kinda annoying because its the whole priority thing and grown up thing.
Also, I am in DC. I planned on getting here early so I could do some sightseeing. But its about 90 and 90% humidity. So while that iced chai at Starbucks is really appealing, I dont think I can handle walking those 2 blocks and coming back in a pile of sweat. Another season to love Maine!
And I need a new book to read.

Goal for the future

2011-07-14T21:54:00.000-04:00

I just saw this and it kinda pissed me off: http://bangordailynews.com/2011/07/14/uncategorized/republican-lawmaker-to-lead-sportsman%E2%80%99s-alliance-of-maine/

Maybe its the stereotype that Maine hunters and sportsman are Republicans who love their guns (maybe that's just my stereotype) but to me, you don't normally hear the words 'democrat' and 'hunting' in the same sentence. You definitely don't hear the words 'women' 'sportsman's alliance' and 'hunting' in the same sentence unless its as a special kind of hunting group just for women. Seriously - like I am any worst of a hunter because I am a girl.

So, as part of my retirement plan (groom snowmobile trails around central Maine!), I will figure out what I need to have done/on my resume in order to be qualified and then make a run. Can you imagine?? LIBERAL, FEMALE heads Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. Priceless. Now, to figure out how to make it happen.

First though. I need sleep.

Do you know your farmer?

2011-07-14T21:29:00.000-04:00

This is my farmer (click title) and this is his blog www.parkerproduce.blogspot.com
It is also how I know what I get in my food share each week from Ryan. The veggies are fresh, plentiful and amazingly yummy. I can not remember the last time I ate a bag of peas aside from this past week.
On PP's facebook page, they announced that Ryan would be on MPBN's MaineWatch with Jennifer Rooks. I made sure to watch it. Walter E. Whitcomb, Commissioner of the Maine Dept of Agriculture. In his bio, it says he has grandkids so for the purpose of this blog post, Im going to say he is about 63. Ryan has 2 kids who are young - both under 4, so I am going to say he is 30 or for argument (and math sake) lets say 33.
The topic of MaineWatch was the right to food sovereignty, which I do not know a lot about but need to (http://www.foodrenegade.com/maine-town-declares-food-sovereignty). The piece started with two farms; 1 in Segdwick and 1 in Penobscot. The farmers talked about the cost of having to be regulated and licensed with the State and how they trusted the food they were producing and trusted their communities to support them. One farm had to stop selling poultry because of the cost to meet the regulations to butcher/sell their chickens and turkeys.
So... Walt and Ryan were talking about the difference between regulating the farms to be compliant with the State vs just having farmers sell their products to their neighbors and customers. Best quotes from Ryan: "I want to be inspected by my customers" "There is no middle man between me and my customers" and "I want my customers to come to my farm, walk around, see me pick their vegetables, and see how I pack their shares." I was so happy and proud to think that THAT WAS MY FARMER!
Watching Ryan discuss the regulations, I was so excited to be a part of this farm movement (although Im really not beyond buying my farm share - yet!). But it was striking how it also seemed like a young vs old school. One of the arguments Walt made was the need for inspections, guidelines, regulations etc to ensure people don't get sick. But, if I get sick from a piece of chicken that I bought from a grocery store, who would I contact? The store? If I got sick from chicken from a farmer that I see every week when I pick up veggies, I could say face-to-face that I got sick from one of their chickens. That takes away the middle man, the question of where my food came from and it opens a dialog. And that was the take Ryan was taking. When I buy veggies from the store, I dont know where it came from, who grew it and what the soil was like. But when I get my veggies from Ryan, I not only see him every Friday when I pick up my share, but I can also call him (he has his # on his emails and cooler with the foodshares in it) or I can read his blog or Facebook him. So many more ways for me to have a personal interaction with the guy who provides food to my family.
Looking at the ages of Walt and Ryan, the difference in opinion, ideology and the idea of the customers deserving to be in communication with their farmers, I couldn't help but see a shift in the way we eat, think about food, consume food and expect to be educated about our food.
I do need to educate myself more about the idea of the right to food sovereignty but the idea of it and what I know so far, albeit little, if this is the new movement of food, then I am very excited. Bring on the peas!

Response to Sammer (click here to see origional post)

2011-07-06T10:10:00.003-04:00

Even though I am not a mom, I can not imagine being able to compose yourself, much less go out and party for 31 days while my 2 year old is missing. Casey did a hell of a job covering her tracks because no one could find even one portion of her finger print on the bag, duct tape... anything. It will be interesting to see what she does next - if she now goes on a campaign to bring her daughter's killer to justice or just tries to disappear (aside from book deals and movie rights).
If you compare her to the parents of Madeleine McCann, they are complete opposites. The McCann's are still trying to get media attention 4 years later to try and find their daughter. They were pleading with the public worldwide to try and help them. They cried, they begged, they went on camera... they looked like (and still do) distraught parents. There are no tattoos, no parties, no questionable google searches. Casey is not a mourning mother; she is a 23 year old who is now unburdened by a child.
So while there may not have been enough evidence to lock her up, common sense and logic can't help by make me (and I think so many other people) completely sick by the outcome. I just hope karma is a bitch.

Huffington and coffee

2011-07-02T07:43:00.000-04:00

I should make reading the Huffington Post a weekend tradition. I have it on my Google reader, I just never seem to be able to read the posts.

Interesting links/stories while I drink... a strong cup of coffee.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-kelley/michele-bachmann-a-woman-_b_889032.html
YES!!! Michele Bachmann is assuming that women are too ignorant to actually be concerned with the issues and is banking on the 'you have a uterus, I have a uterus' mentality. Dumbing down politics. Where is Hillary (or even Bill, hell I'll take Condi) on this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/02/hemingway-death-first-wife_n_889165.html
Oh, how I love Hemingway! 50 years since his death. So many great works, shortest story ever written, so many layers... most definitely one of my favorite authors.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anis-shivani/independent-presses_b_886574.html#s297930&title=New_York_Quarterly
Maybe I will find a new book to read = )

HAPPY 4th

Kale Chips

2011-06-28T16:25:00.001-04:00

My post today - kale chip are yummy! EVOO, salt (or garlic salt), Kale, 350, 8 minutes. Wonderful. That's all.

Book and political craziness

2011-06-27T20:15:00.000-04:00

I think everyone has a book inside them. It may not be good. I might never get on paper or typed up but everyone has one. I have 1.5. The half is rough enough to not mention but the book comes from my thesis and the fact that I am 28 years old. Why does my age matter? I was 18 when 911 happened. I was in my first month of college. I have grown up in the world of terrorism. I wrote my Master's thesis about terrorism. I remember where I was when Saddam was found/killed and Usama was found/killed. Because of that, I have always been interested in politics. College included me taking, sitting in on and then teaching Political Rhetoric (Yes, I took a Sandy class 3 times) and I remember having fantastic political conversations in our grad school offices.
It is that same interest that has stuck with me as Obama became president and the chaos that was the 2008 election. I admit, Sarah intrigued the hell out of me. Politician, mother and outdoors woman from Alaska. If she kept her mouth shut, I might still be intrigued by her. But as we get closer to the 2012 elections and the mid-terms for the GOP, I am more disgusted and saddened than excited about the fact that Obama could win a second term or the fact that there are now so many women playing large roles in the political sphere.
As a woman, I could tolerate Palin and her ignorance on SO many topics because she was amusing, I enjoyed Tina Fey playing her on SNL and she was getting attention. Even though she was wrong on so many topics, people listened to her. She was 2008's idea of the fun politician. Bump ahead a few years and enter Michele Bachmann. URGH. Come one. I would take 100 Hillary's over a Michele and Sarah. Hillary may not be the most attractive (enter the looks for women vs men in politics and credibility) but she knows her stuff. She knows politics. She knows what to say, when to say it and she is educated enough to know what she is talking about. We seem to be moving into a world of relative TV and the more ignorant, uneducated, and sensational you are, the more you should run for President.
With Michele now in the race, she has already given the media some great sound bites comparing her 'spirit' to that of a serial killer and she thinks her opinions are law.
So, what happened to being educated? What happened to better be thought a fool than open your mouth and proven it? I have no desire to run for anything political, but right now it seems like all you have to do is point to the other side, yell about how wrong they are and be close-minded enough to think what you think is the only way to think, feel, believe... URGH

And that's all for tonight. In honor of Whitey Bulger, I am watching The Departed.

Assbags and humpheads

2011-06-24T21:10:00.000-04:00

I work with a lot of volunteers and they make up some pretty interesting names for folks they don't like. Recently, we heard a volunteer complain about another volunteer by calling him a humphead. The next day, a fellow employee referred to someone as an assbag, or asshat, either way it made the rest of us smirk.
Today was one of those days where everything for everyone in my office was off. People we getting yelled at for helping out each other, and helping out other offices. People were yelled at for being in their car on the phone instead of in their office, while others were in their house. People dropped the ball on projects and expected others to step up and solve the problem for them. We had women calling in to get money for their brother/boyfriend who had a fire...2 weeks ago and called an employee rude and insensitive because after 2 weeks, you dont get the same services. We started the day in screech and ended it in screech. I had people send me text's that normally dont talk to me one on one or outside of work. A very weird, awkward day.
But, I got a new farmshare, we are heading to Portland for the weekend and the gym has been kicking my butt (and shoulders, which is a good thing). I just need to breathe and relax.

No Moose

2011-06-20T20:07:00.000-04:00

I did not get my moose permit. It was funny because I blew a couple board member's minds when I told them I would be watching the Inland Fisheries & Wildlife website for them to release the names. Apparently, I don't come off as a hunter = ) I find that wonderful and fun. So, I wont be taking a week off in October, but there are only 4 months and 9 days til opening day of deer season!

Reunion

2011-06-17T21:22:00.000-04:00

I have a high school reunion coming up. I am torn over if I want to go or not. With the world we live in, Facebook, Twitter, email and blogs, I have a lot of access to the people I want to keep in touch with (my 3 best friends and I are in touch weekly). So, do I want to pay $25/ticket, get dressed up and schmooze with people I went to high school with? Do I really care enough right now to want to go? I know one thing, I love Brent enough to not have him go with me if I do go = )
I still have a couple months, but the idea of spending an evening with a bunch of people I have not talked to in many years, is not appealing to me. What would you do?

De-stress

2011-06-10T14:07:00.000-04:00

What a terrible work week. You don't wanna know and I cant tell you. So we will move on to fun things.

Amid the severe storm/tornado warnings, I went to Home Depot and bought paint. Wonderful paint. Swiss Coffee (YES!!!) for the trim, Contemplation for the half bath downstairs and Calabash for the kitchen (Thank you Martha Stewart!). I bought brushes, tape, a paint can opener, drop cloth that was really plastic and that's it. Tomorrow, I paint the bathroom, Brent tapes the kitchen and we see where we are when that's done. In an idea world, trim, bathroom and kitchen would all get done tomorrow. But I doubt that will happen. Still, I can paint, see my progress and hopefully really like the results. The paint color did look fantastic when I saw it as paint and not as a color on a swatch of paper.

And, in just a few short hours, I get to pick up my 2nd installment of my CSA farm share. Last week I got chives, radishes (gross), spinach, eggs, clover and salad greens. I have no idea what I am getting this week, besides snap peas -YUM!!!. Brent bought chicken so I can de-stress this weekend by cooking tonight and painting tomorrow. I know, my ways to de-stress probably seem weird and redic but whatever... a strong cup of coffee can only get me so far!

Happy weekend

Ah... weekend

2011-06-05T17:54:00.000-04:00

Brent was with Morgan for most of the past week - working with the Southern Baptists in Vermont helping flood victims. I got to hang out all week and weekend with just the pup. We went to my parent's house, Leah went swimming - a few times (and was very mad when I made her get into the car) then we headed to Jodie's. I saw the tornado damage that ripped through Embden (WOW!) and borrowed a granola bar recipe. After the pup woke me up at 3:30 Friday and 4am Saturday, I was determined to keep her up long enough so that I could sleep up this am.
When I came home, I decided to try to granola bars. I measured everything out, had it ready to go and started mixing. The pup was very interested (no worries about her sleeping at that point). I put everything together, put it in the oven, turned around and found the honey still on the counter. So, instead of mixing it in, I poured it on top. I sent Jodie a text telling her what I did and got a text back with all sorts of alternatives that she used and it tasted better. But, when they came out of the oven they looked good, smelled wonderful and tasted decent. Needs tweaks but it tasted worth making the tweaks and keeping the recipe.
All of my efforts for the pup worked - she slept til 7:15, which means so did I.
I had 2 cups of coffee, watched Sunday Morning and found the best v-blog on the internet - My Drunk Kitchen. AMAZING! Youtube "My Drunk Kitchen" and sit back and relax. It made me smile, laugh and think of some of my best friends who I could see doing this with. I watched 5 out of the 6 videos. A great laugh that I needed to start off my day. And maybe thats why I went into mega mode - I made pulled pork, did all of the dishes, all the laundry, made pasta salad, took the dog was a walk (and gave her a bath when we got home because she thinks she is a pig and not a dog and rolled into the grossed mud we found), then cleaned, vacuumed and took a breathe all before 1pm.
I think I will now watch the last of the "My Drunk Kitchen" and smile = )

Enjoy the sun

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-06-02T18:06:00.000-04:00

Hey - I have a blog! ha ha ha

I spent Memorial Day on Squirrel Island with hubby, great friends, great food and the ocean!!! It was great. And with a low layer of clouds and fog, I could go outside without turning into a nice, cooked lobster color. I finished a book and could relax.
One of the things that I did to help out was paint. I painted 2 walls and the porch door. Armed with my ipod, I painted and relaxed (or breathed in too make fumes and thought I was relaxing)... either way, it worked.
Something about seeing the work you are doing and measuring how much you have accomplished lit something inside of me and I now have it in my head that I need to paint my condo. I must. I won't be happy until I do. I went to Home Depot and picked up a bunch of colors that I like, might like, will never want to put on a wall and brought them home to mix and match. In my mind, the light colors will be changed to a different color, but still light. My chocolate bathroom is going to become the color that I really want to paint my livingroom, but think it will be too dark for the space, so why not the half bath under the stairs?!?

I have been thinking about my friend John recently. Maybe because we took the dog swimming near his house. Its been 4 years since he died, but his words are still in my head and I am hoping they will guide me to some new changes; 'If you don't like the way things are, do something about it' and that is what I am trying to go.
As much as I would like life to calm down a little, I realize that I need to be making some changes so I am happy.

But until I can make that happen, I will stick to the paint and watching my progress.

Japan

2011-03-20T10:14:00.001-04:00

I've been busy helping people... so many people impacted by this. I worked with a man looking for his daughter and her mother in Japan. I had him register them with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent so that when his loved ones were found, they could be registered and hopefully be reconnected.

I've kept CNN and my RC homepages up all the time to get the latest updated... 4 days after the quake, the man emailed me that his family had been found - so wonderful! but he wanted to go there and help. One of the biggest issues after a disaster is people who want to go help, but do not have the proper training to do so.

We are telling people that they need to do through the training ahead of time so they are ready, but nothing looks/sounds better than heading to a disaster when it happens to try and help - but unfortunately with most people, they are just in the way instead of helping.

To date, there have been more than 6,400 people dead and more than 10,000 still missing. So sad!

Really people?

2011-03-09T11:29:00.003-05:00

I work for a great non-profit. One that helps people after disasters and offers assistance for sheltering, feeding, providing mental counseling and financial assistance. So for me there is nothing worse than when someone tries to cheat the system. Case in point, we helped a woman and her daughter. We put them up in a local hotel, extended their stay because she is dealing with cancer and gave her $455 on a debit card to use for clothing, school supplies...whatever she needed. The woman knew that we extended her hotel stay so that she would have enough time to find another place to live and get herself and her daughter back on their feet. It is hard? Im lucky enough not to know but Im sure its very hard.
Yesterday, I had 3 staff including myself and the volunteer who worked her case - all trying to help by finding other living arrangements. After 7 days being put up on my dime (my company's) she waited until the last minute to start asking for help. We called the city and worked out a deal with general assistance to get her a new hotel room - we told her. She declined it. Declined it!!!!! WTF
So today, two guys came into my office - one named Vaughn and started asking why we didn't do more, why it took so long for us to get back to her, why we didn't get other agencies involved... my staff person and I couldn't believe it. We extended services, we gave her financial assistance and gave her referrals and she declined what she didn't like. And these two guys show up and start accusing us of not doing enough. Where the fuck are they when I have apartment buildings of people who need help? When I have people who are developmentally delayed that need housing? Where are they when little kids lose their home?

I hate people. I hate ignorant people. I hate selfish people. I hate people who feel that they can come into my office and yell at me for going above and beyond what we do. All I can do is hope karma is a bigger bitch than me

Fun Things

2011-03-04T12:03:00.002-05:00

* Today is my sister's 26th birthday
* I got a new phone 2 days ago -- $90 if I replaced my old Blackberry or $50 for a new Blackberry Bold. I make Morgan happy, I got the Bold with a camera.
* My buddy Chandler was named head guru of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. I so want to be a part of that organization... if they have a Board, I want on!
* I bought my hunting license and moose permit for the 2011 season
* Brent bought me a new book _When the Killings Done_ I read 40 pages last night before I fell asleep
* We are heading to Jodie's this weekend - I am SO EXCITED!!!!

YEAH Friday!

Illness

2011-03-04T11:58:00.003-05:00

I've been sick for the past week or so. Not flat on your back sick, but in a "I should buy stock in Puffs" kind of way. Its not terrible and I feel tired but other people I work with across the State have missed meetings because they are out flat on their backs. I guess I will take it and be happy that I am still functioning!

Nate

2011-02-24T22:06:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was my friend Bab's birthday! We were chatting on FB and had the following exchange:

Babs: Hey, chick. Remember the horrible summer of no sleep when I was finishing my thesis, and Nate gave me his prescription to try that made my throat swell? Do you remember what it was he shared w/me????

ME:A. Nate gave u drugs??? What??? Did I know this??? B. Ur not sleeping... Im worried C. Nate gave u drugs???D. Im at a taping of the Vinal Cafe and Kristin and Eric r here... Urgh! Reminds me of panic attacks. E. Nate gave u drugs??? Xoxoxox

Babs: A. Don't you remember? He brought in one little pill all wrapped up in aluminum foil, and funnily enough said, "Don't die." B. I'm actually sleeping OK, and hardly ever take Ambien, which I don't like. New doc here prescribed Rozerem, but the mail pharmacy folks sent Lunesta. I'm pretty sure that's the Nate pill, which when I took it 1). did not make me sleep; 2). made my throat swell until almost closing; 3). was very calming, even as my throat was closing. C. YES!!!! D. What's the Vinal Cafe? Why a panic attack? E. Yes - even though it almost killed me, it's one of the many reasons I will always love Nate :-)

ME: Yes!!!! I do remember that! It was something that I had heard of... So if ur taking Ambian then its probably Lunesta. Funny!!!
Kristin in my book reminds me of panic attacks = )
Vinal Cafe is an MPR show. A board member works there and go Brent and I tickets to go.
Oh Babs- I miss you

Nate was one of my professors in school... small things like this make me smile, laugh and remember all of the great memories from grad school!

Small improvements

2011-02-22T14:41:00.003-05:00

I have been having a great online conversation with Ryan at Parker Produce and I think B and I are signing up. There are so many great options - veggies, eggs, turkey, pork, bread etc... YUM!
I think we are signing up for the veggies, eggs and turkey... that's the plan anyways.

We have been taking the dog out for walks off lease. Yesterday we jumped 3 deer (they are in Old Town/Orono where you can't hunt, so they have some genetic issues) and Leah did great. She stopped, whimpered a little and ran back to us. We took a little turn into a great choppin' and found the entire herd. Probably 40 of them. Some were jumpy, some stood there and looked at us and some didnt even acknowledge us. Again, the pup stopped, watched and came back to us. Great pup!

Today Brent took her out again and sent me a text saying they saw a coy dog. I informed him that up here, its either a coyote or fox or something else, but we don't have coy dogs like they do in southern Maine. Regardless... the pup did great off leash. She is becoming really great off leash and with vocal commands. Brent has done a great job working with her!

Farm Shares

2011-02-19T08:34:00.002-05:00

Brent and I have wanted to belong to a farm share for a few years. We started researching them when we were in Portland and when we moved to Bangor, we shifted gears and looked for something closer. I did some research on the MOFGA website and had bookmarked a couple. I had tried to contact a former professor of mine who was a part of a farm share when I was last up here, but she never got back to me and I had to move on.
On Thursday we went to the wine tasting at Bangor Wine & Cheese and met up with some people who, at one point in the conversation, talked about needing to sign up for their farm share. My ears perked up and I asked where they get their farm shares. They gave me a couple different ones that they liked and talked about getting eggplant and kale and how it forced them to be creative when they cooked but also kept the ir family from getting really bored with just zucchini and broccoli (sorry Brent).
So, this morning, I tried to remember the names of the farms they suggested. Then I went back to my bookmarks and I found a match! Parker Produce http://www.parkerproduce.org/index.html

I have emailed them to see if there are still shares available. They also have options for pork, turkey and eggs... For the vegetables, I did the math and we would be spending about $20 each week on veggies from our farm share. Normally, when I went to the farmers market in Portland, I would spend twice that and bring home the same ole stuff.
I do need to figure out if I need to sign up for the meat shares now or if I can do it later on, but I remember when we raised pigs and how cool it was to know which pig we were eating.

Here's hoping I get an email back that says there are shares available and that I can buy meat shares later on in the spring.

Yeah farmers!!!

No pressure

2011-02-18T15:56:00.002-05:00

I got this email from a board member last night - we had been going back and forth about a state wide training I want her to take. Clearly no pressure on me = )

Okay I will be home in the afternoon, unless we get the freezing rain that they are calling, then I will be home all day, I can shoot you an email tomorrow when I know
So you have an idea when to call
I am so excited but so nervous about all this
Erin you are one great leader, I am so proud to be a volunteer under your leader ship

2011

2011-02-16T16:27:00.003-05:00

Clearly, I have issues with maintaining my blog.

But its a new year, I have a new location, new job... so there must be thing to blog about right?

One of the things I need to do this year is get in shape. Right now, I am a nice round shape and I would really like to be more like an inverted diamond. That's what I can blog about!

I did change things up a bit, brighter colors... seems more fitting

Year End?

2010-12-23T14:26:00.002-05:00

Really? How is it possible that Christmas eve is tomorrow??? Seriously?!? Where have I been...

Oh yeah, that's right - I got a new job and moved. I won't got into details about how awful the move was, but we moved twice in a matter of 3 weeks and am just now finally getting settled. The knowledge that we will have to move again - whenever that will be - makes me sick to my stomach. I thought when I bought my condo in Portland, I would be there for years and years. Right now, its my weekend and business trip hang out.

The new job is crazy busy and we had 5 fires in 48 hours this week. Helped about 30 people and spent a lot of money. The coolest thing is having people walk into my office and hand me a $10, $20 or $50 bill. They say that it won't make a huge difference, but it does. That's how we raised millions with the "Text Haiti" campaign in January. Every little bit helps. Its so cool to see all of these people wanting to help an knowing that I can make that happen. Its a great organization.

So, while I try to get motivated for Christmas, I can be thankful for my friends, family and the red swingline stapler that I found!

Woods part 2

2010-10-18T11:12:00.004-04:00

We searched and searched... eventually we did find a partridge. Before I could take a picture of it, it lost its head

And it was SO YUMMY!!!

We saw 2 hornet's nests. The story is that the higher the nest, the worst the winter will be (or best, if you love snow like me). The first one we saw was maybe 2 feet off the ground. Maybe a mile from that was this one: about 10 feet off the ground

It was a fun week in the woods, but besides the partridge, we didn't bring home any meat. Deer season starts in 2 weeks, so here's hoping!

A week long walk in the woods

2010-10-18T10:54:00.003-04:00

With my dad. And two 30-06 shotguns. Here is where we were:

We walked all over Zone 17 looking for a moose. We met at least 100 hunters over the course of the week who were riding the roads waiting for the sight of the over sized cow with hair... it was like musical chairs and everyone is waiting until the music stops to be the first to shoot.

The weather was pretty good, but windy which made it hard to hear anything walking in the woods.

While we were looking, we checked out two old, old cemeteries.

Where I am...

2010-10-15T17:48:00.002-04:00

I have been walkin in the woods for the past week. I have photos and more info, but I am not home. When I am (on Sunday) I will upload the photos and write a proper post. But, I have not forgotten about you little blog of mine!

List

2010-09-14T17:34:00.000-04:00

Of things I need to blog about soon:
1. My sister's wedding
2. My pup turns 1 (sometime in Sept)
3. My need of a new wardrobe. I dont reallt need this, but as I write this there are women walking down the street and I keeping thinking "that's really cute. I want that"
4. I should get some coffee. Just a true statement.

Earl and the sick obsession with NOAA

2010-08-31T11:10:00.003-04:00

Ever since I joined the Red Cross in 2008, I have developed a part necessary, part sick obsession with weather, storms, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and anything else that might mean I will be working long days and weekends.

This weekend is my sister's wedding. Its also about the time Hurricane Earl is scheduled to be off the Maine/Mass coast. Depending on the line the hurricane takes, we could get a little rain or a category 2 or 3 storm with winds. Its the west side of the hurricane that usually gets the most rain... awesome!

Follow Up on Books

2010-08-19T14:06:00.002-04:00

Yeah - Zeitoun. Its good. I was disappointed after page 212 but it was a good read. Especially with the 5 year anniversary of Katrina coming up.

I zipped through a book called "Wildflower: An Extraordinary Life and Untimely Death in Africa" by Mark Seal (2009). I can not remember the last time I cried while reading a book. I sobbed. I'll admit it. I picked up the book because it was mentioned on The Daily Beast and seemed interesting. It was one of those books about a real person that after you read, you wish you had known them. Joan Root was an amazing woman. I wont really say anymore in case you want to read it - although if you can read the title, you have an idea of how the book turns out - but its really good.

These two books are the only ones I have really sat down and read in a while. I can usually make it through 10-15 pages before I fall asleep but with these two - I might have read them faster than Brent reads books (1 a week)