and a strong cup of coffee

It is official; we are having a boy! I have always been the one in the family to say that I was going to have a boy, years before now. My cousin and sister both have girls so he will be the first boy in our family. Hubby and I could not be happier! But, there is a part of me that wonders how this is going to go. The idea of potty training and puberty scare me, but the weird thing is that my son will probably have no idea what it is like to not be taken seriously as a hunter. The struggles that myself and other women have gone through to "prove" that we deserve to be in the woods along side men will be something my son will not have to deal with...it will just be assumed; born into a hunting family, seen as a hunter. In August, I wrote about Steven Rinella's reaction to having a daughter and his concern about getting her into the outdoors with the same enthusiasm that he had when he knew he was going to have a son. Am I experiencing the reverse? Am I over think...

Things are getting interesting for me, as I document week three of being in the woods with Dad. Click here to read more.

Last week I sat down with Commissioner Woodcock to talk about the highlights of the 2012 hunting seasons and where he saw the Department going in 2013: Last year, the moose hunting system was reworked . Do you think it helped with the numbers this year? YES! 34% of the top tier were picked this year. Of course, we add people to that top tier every year but we are predicting that in the next five years, everyone in that top group who has been waiting for more than 30 years to get drawn, will in fact get drawn. We even had a few people, probably 1% get picked on their first try this year. Overall, we are very happy with the results this year and looking forward to a successful hunt next season. Do you see any other changes being implemented this upcoming season? The Legislature makes those changes, not the Department. We are always looking at our resources and we may end up tinkering with the number of permits in different areas because of the success of last year’s hunt. ...

Over the past year or so, I have interviewed Mr. Woodcock about a variety of different things concerning the deer population, funding and land conservation. With this year's deer numbers coming in above average, I figured it was time for another check in. I have some questions but are there any that you want answered? Some questions on the list so far: * what does the increase in deer harvested mean for the overall population * were the majority of deer taken in the central/southern Maine areas? was there an increase in the northern/eastern parts of Maine? * how is the predator fund/campaign going so far this year? Links to past interviews: http://www.andastrongcupofcoffee.com/2012/03/me-and-commish-part-1.html?m=1 http://www.andastrongcupofcoffee.com/2012/03/me-and-commish-part-2.html?m=1 http://www.andastrongcupofcoffee.com/2012/03/me-and-commish-part-3.html?m=1 http://www.andastrongcupofcoffee.com/2012/07/with-more-money-comes-more.html?m=1

I am decent at deer hunting and I am learning how to ice fish. This Christmas, my sister and brother in law got me a couple turkey calls since inane said that I want to learn. There is a round scrape thing, a mouth piece and wooden box thing (like my terminology and details?). After I opened my gift, ironically there were about 20 turkeys on the back lawn. I stepped out on to the back porch and tried the round scrape. I thought I did ok but when the turkeys heard it, they took off! Not just like walked off, but started running into the woods and up the mountain. They couldn't get away from me fast enough. So, I need to work a lot of my calling techniques or put Dad in one location and have the turkeys run towards him. But what do you all recommend? What or how should I start to learn these new hunting toys?

I got an Ipad!!! My wonderful hubby saved since August and couldnt wait to give it to me, so I got an early Christmas gift last night. YEAH!! Welcome to the 21st century right? So now, my question to all of you is; do you blog from yours (if you have one) and do you find the touch screen works ok or that you wish you had a keyboard? It takes video and photos, which I am hoping will be better than some of the ones I have taken and posted in the past. So, what should I know about this? I dont see myself taking it into the woods with me but maybe fishing...

Apparently, I am hard to buy for. I don't think I am but I have been told that I am by multiple people. So, here is my helpful personal list of what to buy a hunter for Christmas or Hanukkah or Festivis. 1. Books . My suggestions this year are: Meat Eater by Steven Rinella. I asked Santa for it and I am pretty sure its wrapped and waiting under my tree. I have not read it, but I did read American Buffalo and it was fantastic! Suddenly the Cider Didn't Taste so Good by John Ford. John is a former Game Warden who tells wonderful Maine stories of the adventures, animals and people he encounters. Light hearted and a quick read. Tales from Misery Ridge by Paul Fornier. Paul was a Maine Guide and worked for Inland Fisheries before he retired. He tells great stories of the people and places he traveled to around Maine. 2. Clothes . Anything but cotton. If you can find women's wool pants, without the weird stitching around the knees that will make me scrat...