The WildFisherWoman

To be contiued.... 2012

2011-10-14T14:48:00.004-04:00

I havent been on here much the past few months. My time consists of finishing my MS degree..... and hunting and fishing in between. Most of my pc time is spend on editing my paper with less time to narrate on other activities. I will post a post hunting season report come January 2012. By then I will have met all my deadlines and be done with that MS! Good luck everyone!

Practice! Practice! Practice!

2011-07-27T14:35:00.007-04:00

Bowhunting time is right around the corner! 2 months away. Seems SO FAR away!

I got real excited about it about 10 days ago or so.

When we saw this buck while just driving down the road.

Then.. it wasnt long after that this appeared in the front yard.

I figure if I practice on something that resembles something I "MIGHT" see that it would greatly increase the chance for success. That buck would most likely resemble this guy after another 2 months of growing. Until then let all arrows fly straight!

Nay Nay Snort Stomp

2011-07-13T15:02:00.000-04:00

I love hunting and fishing and all, but I really love my horses as well. I know I never post much about them. So I will say a little bit about them now.

I have 3 horses.

Stony - Dapple grey paint Tennessee Walker gelding - 9 or 10 years old. Rides Western. Special needs horse. Hyper, neurotic, VERY dramatic, nervous, flamboyant, likes to hang with the ladies, gets pushed around by the ladies, cant be without his ladies..... Hey baby...

Princess Mare Lady Chaye Nay Nay - 9 year old chestnut Morgan mare. Rides English or Western and Drives. All I can say is.. WENCH!!!! Totally all about herself. If there were a mirror in the barn she would be in front of it. She is queen of the pasture. Period. She is small. Like a large pony. I am huge on her...

Then there is Artemis... my big 4 year old black Canadian Horse mare. All I can say is intelligent, laid back, kind. Probably the smartest horse I have ever been around and I have been around a lot in my life. I just lover her to pieces.

I got her a year ago. She knew a whole lot of nothing. I just liked brushing her and taking strange pictures of her.

But its only because she is so pretty...

Except in the winter. She turns into this woolly mammoth sort of beast. This horse grows more hair than any animal I ever saw! Must be because she is Canadian? I mean half this horse turns into hair.

Now, one year later, I ride her around walk and trot.. and soon she will be pulling a cart.

In the meanwhile...

Stony has been FOR SALE.... For a VERY long time.....

30th Annual LCI Fishing Derby 2011

2011-06-22T10:19:00.018-04:00

Once again it has come and gone. The 30th Annual LCI Fathers Day Derby. A three day event where this year.. the grand prize is a mystery species and weight 300K drawing! What a fantastic extended weekend for fishing. The weather was stellar and you really couldnt ask for better (well.. maybe a little less wind here and there). Me and fishing buddy WoodyVT (See 31st Annual Lake Champlain Islands Derby. Hes the guy with the 11lber! Fished the 3 day event this year

Started out the very long weekend at 3am spitting and sputtering down the river in my ol basstracker with thunderstorms heading in. Was headed out for some swamp stalkin of trash fish (ie bowfin). After making it back in the dark, swapped boats out to the new WFW only to make it back by 5am to be held up by downpouring thunderstrorm. (It was a spark plug issue with the Tracker as I figured out later in the day in the daylight). BUT! After a pisser of a start.. we got on the water at 630am.. and things started coming into place...

Caught piles of dink smallies. Senko worms (bright green) and white spinners in 12-15 feet of water was hot for us all weekend long.

got some some larger but still not 4lb smallies.....

Some active annoyance pikes were hitting us up quite a bit white fishing for bass.

A few above average bowfin... Flood waters made them difficult to find. Couldnt find the big mamas to save our lives. ::)

Switched it up from Trash fishing for a bit and trolled the inland sea for a bit. Just cant seem to shake the catching of garbage since I seem to catch it while trolling as well.... At first.. I thought it was a pair of undies or something!!! Not much was happening there... for us anyways....

One evening.. it seemed as if we were the only boat on the lake.

BUT! My highlight of the weekend was a new personal achievement. I caught my first ever Sheepshead (semi-intentionally). Perhaps my new found passion. These fish fight like a Tuna! Gaining me a Master Angler entry at 13.35lbs and 30 inches and 15th in the Sheepshead top 30

After it was all said and done, what better way to recover than fishing some more!!!!!!! but this time, with my most favorite fishing partner.. my hubby to be. He is an awesome fisherman. My favorite to fish with. Here is a post 'When' from Fish H8 Me of a humorous fishing adventure he had with VTs own Razzle Dazzle (of Fish H8 Me)! Anyways.. We changed up scenery and headed down to the heavily LCI slammed Conserve Bay for some much needed R&R. Was a stellar day and dead sea to say the least as far as boaters go... semi so as fishing go..

We had plenty of releases with no body home. Small salmon and a tiny laker. But the browns were active and lost a football at the boat after it snapped my line and put another on board. Orange and copper were working well... and im not sure what Ben had on his line... 20 feet or less they were hitting.

Great weekend for doing some all around fishing diversity. Boating was WAYYYYYY Down.... I was amazed at how few people were out on the lake. I thought conditions were awesome. Debris was way down. Made it through unscathed and the only species that didnt make it aboard was a stinky ol catfish!

Oh.. I almost forgot.. Never underestimate the wrath of a pissed of crawdad! This feisty guy earned his freedom.

Click HERE for Derby Results Wonder who is going to get that 300K! Guess will have to wait until the awards ceremony to find out!

Memorial Day Fish On

2011-06-03T14:07:00.010-04:00

Well, I really cant count the first outing with the new boat as the first official 'fishing' trip. It was more of the ol' see how she runs trip. Work out the kinky kinks sort of deal. Took out the new boat for its first 'official' fully equipped try at fishing over the long weekend.

My love took Sunday off to join in on the festivities and to assist me in trying to run some of my 'new' equipment. Ventured out to Lake Champlain's "inland sea" to pursue salmon and other misc coldwater species, of which I am a fair novice on the experience level of catching yet have gone enough times to be confident at giving it the good ol college try.

The water is still at a lovely 103 feet, well over flood stage. There's very few launches open. Recreation was at an all time low this holiday weekend for sure.

Have to be careful where you drive some places.

Other places you just plain ol' "You cant get there from here!"

The debris in the water is insane. Huge trees complete with leaves and root systems, 10 footer logs and you name it. Its out there and many are invisible!

Anyways! Isn't that a beautiful sight.

We had a great day on Sunday. Caught some nice salmon, a fat smelt and a sweet walleye surprise!

Monday was my first solo trip out on the newbie!!!!!!!

It must have been beginners luck for me??? Maybe....

Fat salmon and a beautiful brown and a big ol smelt..

Its going to be a good summer for sure.......

New Boat's Grand Debut!

2011-05-24T14:32:00.012-04:00

Lake Champlain is still flooding away. Ive been killing time turkey hunting... and lots and lots and lots of yard work... and working on my degree... still... (I know. its been like 5 years.. they should just give me a PhD...).... waiting to take the new boat out. Plus I had to wait to get the decals on the boat. Bad luck I hear to launch it without a name. Can you guess what I named it?

I couldn't stand it any longer and took it Sunday pm for a christening rendez-vous with my devastatingly handsome love of my life. Christen with fish.. Geeze! Where are you minds!!!!

Drumroll please...... After being blown all over the inland sea we sought refuge in Keeler Bay. Drumroll please!!!!!! and the first fish.... To make it aboard the WildFisherWoman!!!!!!
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A dinky little pickerel........

At least it wasn't the big ol Skunk!!!!!!!!!

Turkey Troubles & Tumbles

2011-05-16T08:33:00.029-04:00

Time for trying for turkeys! Turkeys around my area got hit hard by the snowbundant winter. There were tons of birds around last fall!

But that was then. The gobbles were few and far between this spring in my neck of the woods.

As always, I set up this old, discolored, ratty ground blind. This year I only used it once until it flooded in the monsoon May its been thus far.

This blind has seen its day let me tell you. Its ripped... torn.... got flattened by a tree... housed many uninvited wild animals... and big hairy scary spiders. Ive never been a ground blind fan. Every year it seems to get put out to be used once. Something bad always happens in it. Misses.. busts... Then it gets abandoned and I forget about it. I think its cursed. Its a lonely ol' blind. I think I will retire it this year. Or just burn it!

Ive seen a ton of deer this spring. They always seemed to come in to investigate my decoys (no matter where I set them up on the property). Glad they survived the winter.

Loved the fact that I had excessive choices of blow down pines to hide in. They really do make the best blinds.

After sitting in my ground blind opening day I abandoned it and ventured into the woods and nestled down here in that down after hearing gobbles from the ridge above. This was the perfect setup! I snuck in one side of ridge, he was on the other. I set up one hen decoy. I called and called. He answered. Closer and closer he came. Silence. Crunch crunch. Fan. Crunch crunch gobble fan crunch. He was right above my head. 10 feet above on to of the ledge. Staring down at that lone hen decoy. I didn't dare move. I pondered jumping up and running up and blasting away. That wouldn't be a smart move. I waited. He got bored. Realized the hen wasn't coming and he left. Damn that lone hen decoy! Screwed me yet again!!!

Another day I had a tom coming in when a hen came in too. She walked right on by my decoys and up to the tom. Away they both went. In the opposite direction. Grrrr....

Then I kicked two 'lost' guys off the ridge I was hunting. Sorry boys. Girls only.

Got one of those Epic hat cameras. All I seem to be able to film is down. It beeps.. REALLY LOUD!!! too. I cant quite seem to figure it all out. I hope I do before deer season at least!

I lost yet another comfy cushion to some sort of rodent of the woods. You would think after I lost my climber seat that I would have learned my lesson? Thats what I get for forgetting the cushion!

My productivity had declined at the office from waking up at 4am to get 2 hours of hunting in before work. 2pm naps seem awfully inviting these days.

I chose this spot to set up in one am.

I chose not to use decoys that morning. After a few hours I couldn't believe my eyes but a jake comes out to investigate me. He kept on coming on in until I blasted him at 40 yards. He jumped 10 feet in the air, flopped around the death flap (I thought) until he jumped up, ran 5 feet then flew away!!! ???!&&^5**(??! Are you kidding me? I stopped turkey hunting with a bow because they run away with arrows stuck in them or you miss and just plain old ruin your broadeads and gear. I stopped using a 20 gauge for the same reason. They just fly or run away after getting peppered with weak shot.I get a brand new Benelli Nova 12 gauge from my future hubby for my birthday and WTF!! The same thing happens!!!! I guess I should have shot him again when he hit the ground the first time.

I had to go to my folks later that day. Had a nice few hour drive to NY to think over and over again the events of the morning "what happened????!!!" Forecast calls for rain, rain and more rain. Last minute decision was to throw the hunting gear into the truck and minaswell try to get my moneys worth out of my NY license.

As I listened to the tap tap tap of the rain on the window at 430am I was not in any hurry to run into the woods under the stealth of complete darkness. I had no idea where or if any toms were even in the area. I headed out blindly into woods. There must have been 50 deer in the field I crossed. Big does so pregnant I thought that fawns were going to fall out of them as they waddle bounded into the woods at the sight of me. I heard gobbles coming from the ridge I was planning on hunting. Perfect I thought to myself. I brought out the decoys. Reluctantly. A hen and a jake and set them up 25 yards away. After settling in I began to call. I got answers. Took a little while and I thought that he wasn't going to come on in. I wailed on my call heavier than I usually would. The gobbles came closer... and closer... there he comes followed by 2 jakes. "Come on boys!! Im going to show you how its done.. then you can have my left overs" was the scenario that seemed to be on folding. They all ran over to that hen decoy and while the jakes stared at him strutting his stuff in front of the hen, they all got a big surprise. The jakes flew off in different directions, the tom was flapping on the ground. All I could hear in my head was "shoot him again!! SHOOT HIM AGAIN!!!!" So I did. This one was NOT getting away.

And he didnt. 21lbs 9in beard 1in spurs. Was a textbook turkey hunt dead center of the season. In the Rain.

I really wished I had that epic camera figured out now!

Farewell Old Friend

2011-04-26T15:17:00.007-04:00

You have taught me so much old friend in our many years together. I dont know how I could ever repay you. The times we have shared will not be forgotten. You have seen me through difficult times. Seen many people come and go. Not all people appreciated or understood you like I did. I must admit. Sometimes you were just plain ol scary! The tournaments. Near death experiences. Stranded situations. Lost fish. Victories. Sometimes you gave up on me. Others you pushed through until the bitter end... smoking.. out of gas... but I always fixed you and nursed you back to health. Your insurance plan was always better than mine. I have always been nice to you. Most of the time. Remember the time we forgot to put your plug in? The time you quit in a thunderstorm and we were so scared only to learn that the lanyard switch was off? The time we lost our buddy overboard because you weren't meant to be in 5 foot waves and high winds on the broad lake? Ran aground at the river mouth in mid August going top speed out the mouth (ok maybe that was my fault) but you survived! I always trusted you would never tell my secret fishing holes. You always got to see me catch the big ones when no one else was around. You have provided me a seat to cry on as well as rest my ass upon and a platform to lay my.... Oh... umm.. nevermind. You were my first. It was so good. Its not that I do not love you any longer. Sigh. I just have to tell the truth. Your just not big enough for me!

So long Asstracker the Basstracker Tournament TX17 with a 40HP Mariner

Hello!!!!! Sylvan Expedition with a 90HP Mercury!

Formerly known as Bassbuddy II (THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Setting sail soon, "The WildFisherWoman"

With A Bowfin?

2011-03-29T13:02:00.011-04:00

Ice fishing is over for me. I don't want it to be so, but I sadly placed my items in the barn to collect dustbunnies and cobwebs for another 8 or so months.

I had 2 goals for ice fishing this season. Those were to catch both a pike and a perch that was of VT Master Angler Program quality. I figured if I got 2 species out of the way, then the rest of the season I can focus on collecting 3 more worthy specimens for the program. Much to my dismay, I failed in my personal ice fishing goals (dang it!), although I did catch a mess of worthy fishes that were set free to be caught again (or most likely to be caught and taken). Its really no big deal but its always fun to have an added incentive when out fishing. A recreational goal if you will. We all need a goal.. right? A direction? Other than because its being done because fishing is F-U-N! You can read about the program at http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/masterangler_list.cfm Its a great program! Gets a good look at the quality catches from around the state!

Or check out the VT Fish & Wildlife Digest

Refer to the Master Angler Section page 112

continued on page 113

Where some happy anglers have their pictures with their trophy catches... including myself with one of my Bowfins from last year.

A Bowfin? Really! Go ahead and laugh. Those that pointed it out to me have! Bowfin Rock! Amia calva Considered trash fish they are primtive. They along with gar and sturgeons were alive with the dinosaurs. Bowfins are the only species in the Amiidae family that still survive. Fight you better than a pike. Mean as can be with teeth to back up their bark they are a whole lot of fun. I have spent the past 2 years advocating these unique dwellers of the murky shallow waters. I just think they are plain cool. I will be posting more about them in May-June when the spawning season comes up.

What other fish changes colors from dirty gray/brown to turquoise/yellow for you!

Pretty Cool eh?

For more information on the Bowfin, visit the Bowfin Anglers group at http://www.bowfinanglers.com/index.html

Just a word from the wise. Just don't try to eat them. Whatever you do! DO NOT! Eat them.

Ice Fishing Is Not Over Quite Yet!

2011-03-15T13:29:00.019-04:00

This season is coming to an abrupt end. The weather has been the most difficult giving us feet upon feet of snow with rain and high winds. The fishing had been less than stellar this year. Even now.... the bite is supposed to be fierce with the northerns moving into the shallows, but it has been slow to say the least.

This year has been sub par. Caught a bunch of nice fish and very few of the hogs.

Here is what I call a "nice pike" (between 5-10lbs)

A fat bass

Some decent perch

Retired my Vintage Jiffy Auger

It was a sad day. Well only for a minute until I fired up my new auger I got for an engagement gift from my future hub and drilled a mess of holes with it! Now I cant ever leave him for anything less than his 10inch he gave me. Auger that is. Did I say engaged? Yeah, that happened around Valentines Day.

Please note that I am wearing IDI Gear Camo Arctic Armor. The so called floating suit! Let me tell you. It is a must have. Its a savior during late season hunting. Warm and toasty and just super comfortable and quiet in the woods. Best investment I ever made for cold weather gear. Nothing beats it!

Please also note that these are also the best investment ever!

Here is my dreamy ice fishing man

Fished a derby and would have gotten second place with a perch if I had weighed it in. Bittersweet on that one. It was sunny and warm with no wind! A whole crew of us were out fishing. Who would want to leave at noon to weigh in a mediocre fish?

Besides, if I left I wouldn't have been able to see our buddy catch this 14lber on his only day ice fishing this year! Way to go man!!!!!

Saw a lot of pretty sunrises

And sunsets

And its not over quite yet!!! Inner tube and arctic armor baby. Just have to get one more bertha pike though the ice! Its a sickness. Pike fishing is. Really.... I can feel the depression of ice out starting. Tissues please.

31st Annual Lake Champlain Islands Derby

2011-02-14T12:43:00.015-05:00

It is over. For another year. I am so sad. I look forward to this derby all year long!

I will use forum names here in this post. Keeps it internet savy. Find us at http://vermontoutdoors.proboards.com/index.cgi and/or http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?board=161.0.

This year the entries were down due to the adverse ice conditions. 8-10inches slush plus a foot or two of drifting snow on top of 10 plus or minus inches of ice. Snowshoes were a must. Kept a lot of ice fisherman away. Only some that is.

At the Hillbilly Hotel owned by the infamous Northern Nightmare (The 2008 Islands Derby Pike Winner), the dedicated hardcore crew of, at one point, 6 diehard ice fishermen (and a lady) sat it out through two days of snowshoe horror enduring high winds, blowing snow, snow squalls and slush, each running 15 tip-ups. Let me re-emphasize - SLUSH! For what? To catch the winning Northern Pike(this picture was NOT taken over this weekend. Yes that is a turkey deep fryer.. and I dont think I have fully recovered from all the food that was consumed the day this pic was taken).

On Saturday after catching a ton of dink pike and I swear... I was fishing at the pickerel nursery.... I landed this 10.22lb northern.

Then WoodyVT picked up this stellar 11.10lber later in the afternoon.

On Sunday just as I was done setting up I enjoyed a gorgeous morning. It was blissful. No wind, the stars were out. A little tease or calm before the wind and blowing snow started.

CampFindIt2 joined us on Sunday and in the midst of the drifting snow landed this 11.50lber ultimately taking 3rd place!

It was a great derby for us all. Good food, good fun, good people, GOOD FISH!. To the folks that endured it at some point or another (Northern Nightmare, Waknstack,Kodiak (aka The Perch Penetrator), WoodyVT and CampFindIt2, and me - WildFisherWoman)... good job everyone. Especially to Dockside Outdoors http://docksideoutdoors.com/. Meeting ALL your outdoor needs! The slogan continues "Dockside Bait is what They Ate!".

Here are the official results.

Everyone who endured this weekend was a winner. The ones that won truly deserved it this year! Until next year! FLAAAAAAAAAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ice Fishing Is My PASSION - Northern Pikes Are My Best Friends

2011-01-22T17:40:00.023-05:00

This is where I want to be. Let it be -20 or 50 degrees I dream of this. Some call us ice fishing enthusiasts crazy or perhaps even not the sharpest tools in the shed to be venturing on the hard water, but its an addiction, calling us back time and time again.

I'm a little behind in my posts, but I have been out on the ice since before Christmas waiting for the northern pike bite to begin. I haven't caught much yet this year. Well let me rephrase. I haven't caught anything of substantial size yet this year (meaning double digits). Lake Champlain has some great pike fishing. Not the big MONSTER pikes, but respectable ones at best and they are what we have. The big gals are just swimming along looking for a good meal hopefully suspended on MY tip-ups (and not the other guys). Everyone has their techniques and styles for ice fishing - Rigging method, jigging method, species of preference to pursue, tip-up preference. For myself, after alot of trial and error, I found a style that works for me and have stuck with it (regardless of the opinions of others) since I started ice fishing 10 years ago. Why change it now?

Sometimes Walleye take the bait

Or Perch

Sometimes the Random Bass tip-up attack! I got to tell you. If I caught Bass when they were in season and during the summer tournaments like the ones that come up through the ice off those tip-ups! Whheeww!!! Weeee!! Look out Bassmasters!

But nothing turns me on more than a big ol' pike

Its nice to get a pic here and there as a reminder when your completely frozen of why your actually out there. Since I started fishing by myself in the past few years, there have been many times that I wished I had a camera or a camera man at that. On another note, I will share my gear and some tips in another post in the future (I got a vintage... I mean vintage Jiffy.. complete with the suicide handle). Wait til you see this!Every year I tell myself "this year I am going to buy a new auger" but the ol Jiffy JUST WONT DIE!!! (Insert just jinxed myself here). Anyways, the tournaments are beginning and the much anticipated 2011 Islands Derby is the second week of February. You cant touch a trophy for a pike that isnt double digits. Word is some upper teens and 20lbers have already been brought through the ice this year. Guess I have a lot of pre-fishing to do before then!

Great Expectations & Success In Hunting

2011-01-01T07:00:00.013-05:00

Another hunting season gone by. Sure feels good to use scented dryer sheets again!!

I admit. Im a bad blogger. I really need to do this more. I cant make excuses (other than I am trying to fishing my MS degree.. is that an excuse?) I have been hunting? (yes, when I was supposed to be working on my MS degree). Now I am blogging. (Is that an excuse not to be working on my MS degree?).. ok you get the hint.

I need to summarize my 2010 deer season. Honestly. The good with the bad because you know what? Im not ashamed! I have to admit. This season was particularly frustrating for me. Maybe it was the big buck fever... maybe it was spending too much time alone in the woods... maybe it was setting the bar and standard and expectations too high for myself at a level that's unreachable... maybe its greed... maybe its because the year started out humiliating to begin with. ???

It all started before the season even began. I told myself and had that feeling "this is going to be my year". Truly undefined that statement was but clearly I had the feeling "my year for success". It all started the 3rd day of the season. With the 'doe' that flew in from behind me... very spooked mind you... and stopped 20 yards away from me. I let the arrow fly. A shot I never should have taken in a state where spike horns are protected and at a deer that was so skittish to begin with (bad girl.. bad!!!). It jumped the string and that arrow went straight into that deer's ass. 24 hours of tracking and a phone call from the warden later I got 'him' back. That was only after he ran down to the local town reservoir.. did the death stagger in front of some woman and her kid.. and died face first and became a floater.. arrow sticking out from its ass like an tv antennae... into the public drinking supply. Yeah. Great. These are the kinds of things that give bowhunter's a bad name. Here I am, the one responsible for probably traumatizing some woman and her poor kid! I swear to this day though. I never saw an antler on that thing, but when your excited, which apparently I was, like the good old saying.. love is blind. Can we say I made a bad choice? Obviously!

Here he is! A '5' pointed freak-o buck. I was really going for the TX Heart Shot. Really! (No not really!!!!!!)

Look! Here he is on my stealth cam!

Here is the irony. I emailed this pic to a bunch of buddies and joked "What is this? Would you shoot it? Is it a legal buck? Is it a spike? Is it a 5? Is it a 7? Is it a 3?"?" Still not quite sure what it is....... but its a deer. That im not ashamed of. In my freezer. With a good story!

Then I shot and lost a doe. Lost her because I pursued her too quickly.

After that I was traumatized about bowhunting in VT for fear of 'not seeing' antlers on another deer... or shooting at another and losing it or almost losing it.. with another one of my arrows sticking out of it. I swear. I couldn't see them. Maybe I need glasses? OMG Are those does? I think I see 'a small spike' As does and skippers passed me by..... but I still.... dragged myself out of bed day in and day out succumbing to the sickness and lure of the tranquility of the wild northern forest.

So I headed to NY mid Oct. Passed up a bunch of small bucks (remorse.. REMORSE!!!!) because I was headed to Western NY the first week of Nov where BIG bucks live on a weeks worth of hunting vacation. (See previous post for details on that trip and see videos below of the lil passer by bucks) but came home empty handed.

Then it was seeing nothing but 'the ridge runner spike' that lives in 'the ledges' who has taunted and excited me way too many times thus far... that I saw the entire time during VT rifle season (and a lot during bow) on one too many occasions (can't shoot that one!)

Then there was another doe I gut shot and lost ultimately to the coyotes last day of archery in NY.

Then its watching bucks get shot left and right in NY during rifle season on all the other property's surrounding where I was. Then...left for 2 days to come back to learn that the buck I saw the entire past weekend with my bow that I almost had a shot at opening day of rifle was shot out of the stand and place where I hunt by some guy (probably wearing blue jeans).. that 'never shot a deer or saw a deer before'. Did I mention no one was supposed to be hunting up there?? Can we say PISSED! Did I also mention that the deer got shot 30 minutes after he sat down? I have sat up there for days!!!!! In that stand...

The day after I learned of the deer that was shot out of that falling down wooden treestand that I hunt out of and asked that no one else use (and dont know why someone would want to use)...... I sat there... in that 'sloppy seconds' treestand wondering why I am even doing this. Feeling like a pretty irresponsible and overall bad huntress from all the time invested thus far and mistakes that were made. Frustration all came out. The deer I have seen. Passed on. The losses. The close encounters. Ive spent hours.. days.. weeks.. months.. hunting. Ive traveled between states. Sometimes hunted all day, some days both morning and evening with breaks in between.. sometimes one or the other.. sometimes for an hour.. almost every single day since October 3rd. For what? I really thought this was going to be "my year".

Wait.... "My year" for what? I was trying way too hard. Why was I possibly so upset? I had a deer. There are people out there that dont have a deer. What am I really out here for? There is this battle inside me that was raging.. somewhere along the trails I have wandered I seemed to have lost my sense of reason. It was time to put the animal within back into its cage to let rationality come out. What defines success? Trophies are in the eyes of the beholders. Am I here to put food on my table? for bragging rights? for the experience? for the tranquility and oneness with nature? What did I really expect out of my hunting season this year?

So I remember back on some of the vistas and some of the places I wandered to...

The Oaks....

The Pines....

The Woodlot....

The Ledges... (where freak-o came from)

Then the experiences that I had...

Two bucks sparring with each other mid Oct

The same two bucks that I passed up with my bow (remorse.. remorse!!!!)

The Orchards Edge...

A doe I called in on the last day of VT rifle season (bucks only)...

Silence of the snow...

Amazing sunrises...

Ive watched bucks make scrapes, rub on trees, chase does, bust me in the stand, wind me, sneak away when I was sneaking in and many just doing what they do and live to to it again. Things people may never see in their lifetime of hunting. Plus the other tons of other cool things that happen when your out there.. like running into coyotes in the dark, having a squirrel leap onto you from the next tree and having goshawks dive bomb you, and owls squeal next to you in the dark as you settle into your stand and having them stare you in the eye 5 yards away and hearing 'things' crash through the woods in the darkness when you head out in the am (thats the best.. hmmmm.. wonder what that was ?? ).

Then, as always for some strange reason, when you least expect it your luck changes.

One day in early December I ran home from work during VT late bow. Threw on hunting clothes over blue jeans and sweatshirt stained from my Bath & Body Works Twilight Woods scent body soap and spray from the night before and ran out into the woods at 3:45pm. An hour before shooting hours end. I climbed up in my stand quietly.. cursed that I forgot to grab gloves on a frigid 15 degree evening when at 4:15 four does came in to eat apples under the trees. Paranoia overwhelmed me. As I inspected each and everyone for antlers I think I even made spikes appear through my binoculars (even though they were 40 yards away). I felt confident they were all lacking of any pencils on top of their heads and as they left I released on the one that I had an open shot at in range.

Here she is. 120lber.

So then I hunted in NY late archery/ml. Hauling my bow and a TC Hawkin 50 cal open sight muzzleloader in case I saw the big one in range. Watched herds of deer move through this particular area off in the distance. Watch some a$%&* shoot a doe on our posted property from the treestand n the next property. If there is one thing I love the most... is watching the folks that have NO IDEA that you are there. Let me tell you, was he surprised to see me as he was dragging it out... So anyways, I took my climber to that place later in the day where I saw the deer pass through. As I sat there that pm and next morning I watched deer walk right under my other ladder stand! Are you kidding me? So that pm I retreated back into my ladderstand on the knoll and in the last hours of the last day a lone deer walks out 70 yards away. I said.. well.... have to unload this muzzleloader! So I aimed and when the smoke cleared ... I got my first deer with a muzzleoader... and the irony of it is.. like all the rest of the bucks I ever shot for the first time. It was a dinky spike horn. I swear... I didnt see the antlers!!!!! It was 70 yards away with an open sight! I am proud either way. Primitive weapons make success so sweet.

So what have I learned this year?
1. Its not about the kill but the experience..
2. No matter how much scent killer you buy.. how much time you spend de-scenting yourself.. (This just baffles me!!!!!! Always has.. always will..) you still stink.. no matter what you do.. and will sometimes kill deer wearing your favorite perfume.. (still cant believe it)....
3. Look... look.. look.. and make darn sure of what your target is... look again.. I cant emphasize this one enough.... even when you know its a deer.
4. Practice with your bow. A lot. Even during the season to make sure it still shoots ok. Especially if you knock it around. I cant emphasize this one enough either!!! Even especially more so if you drop it from your climber 20 feet above the ground. (guilty... guilty.. GUILTY!)
5. The line of "well that's hunting" as advice when your upset that someone else shoots the deer you after from under you doesn't cut it.
6. If you shoot a deer with a bow. Many times IT WILL DIE! (Even if you hit it in the ass). Patience and persistence can produce payoffs.
7. Be fortunate that you have deer because there are many out there that will have to eat their tags.
8. Cant eat the antlers! If you want big bucks you need to go where there are big bucks.
9. Losing deer sucks. Period. Doesn't make you a bad hunter or an unethical one. Its a fact of bowhunting and hunting in general. I know there are many people that boo hoo and poo poo on someone losing a deer but.... It happens... and sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you will not find them.
10. Its luck. Luck and being in the right place at the right time. Even when you stink like perfume. I just cant get over how much luck it is. Its frustrating watching people who just havent worked for it get it. It haunts me in my sleep!
11. If you see a deer and you dont shoot it... someone else.. will! I mean it this time when I say I will not pass up deer next year.
12. Squirrels will eventually eat your treestand seat. Yup. They finally got my climber cushion. Came back to green foam.. everywhere...

At the beginning of hunting season 2010 I had great expectations but never expected to have it end with so much success for reasons I never would have expected.I have had the most successful seasons of my life. My trophies may not have antlers or big racks to display for everyone to see but are reflected in the knowledge that was gained through my own personal experiences that never would have happened if I wasnt in those right places at the right times. Someday I will get that big buck, but I think I will put that on the back burner. He will come when I am not expecting him. By big, I mean BIG. I have pretty high expectations as to what I consider big an its not going to come from where I hunt in VT or NY!

I just want to congratulate everyone else on their successful seasons (if they were successful in some form or another) and congratulate my hunter man who added 2 more deer from VT into the mix and who had to put up with me and was humored by my stories and experiences this season. Now its time for ice fishing and a date with that chicken stealing bobcat!

Rifle Season Here I Come!

2010-11-12T11:58:00.008-05:00

Well... That will teach me to pass up all the teenage bucks during archery for the big one!!! I have never taken a "sizable racked" buck during archery. I do so want to so badly. I had opportunities this season I have waited over a decade for.... come and go... just like the visions I hoped for and dreamed about.. over and over and over. My archery season spread across two states went a little like this....

I see the small buck down there quite near..
I see that the small buck is now not so near..
I see the bigger buck walk over there kinda near..
I see the bigger buck leave over there really not so near..
I see the bigger buck go here and there and not so near..
I see the smaller buck down there quite actually quite near..
I wish I would see the bigger buck come in that near..
No bigger buck come near I begin to fear..
Now the little bucks wont even come near...
There goes early archery season for another damn year..

Seen many awesome bucks on the trip to Cayuga County in Western NY. Spent a good week there. I intentionally did not fill my tag at my folks house in NY specifically because I was going to big buck country. Had 250 acres to hunt all myself. Untrodden land with little pressure. I plopped myself in the middle and scouted around. Blew a huge buck from an area thick with rubs and scrapes in the process. Set up climber and hunted there. Sure enough the next morning he comes right out 30 yards away. Senses something amiss. Walks 20 yards behind me and winds me. Off he went. Rack clanging off the brush and he avoids the area like the plague. He did not come the next day. I vacated area and hunted other side of property to see what was over there for a few days. Not much. Few little bucks chasing does. Later in the week I went back to big buck house but moved stand 50 yards over closer to scrapes. Where did that buck go when he came back? You guessed it. RIGHT UNDER WHERE I HAD MY STAND IN THE FIRST PLACE. Then I had a button buck I was full draw on which I was going to shoot out of frustration but I decided that he was the future and let him walk on by. Then it poured rain and blew wind the last day and a half.. which was good.. because it washed my tears of sadness and frustration away. At least I got to go to Bass Pro Shops for the first time in my life though in Auburn NY!!!!!!!!

So here its back to VT! For rifle opener tomorrow. Then NY rifle opener at the folks house next weekend. If I am lucky I may even get one more day of early archery in. For now, I will be after this guy I got on stealth cam.

Early VT Bowhunting Almost Over. NY Here I Come!

2010-10-22T21:14:00.008-04:00

I have been lost in the woods the past few weeks having the time of my life during VT archery season. Surprised I didnt blow away with all the wind we have been having! Have I got a great story to share!!! I did get a rather "small racked" deer.

Two days left for VT season and hoping for a last minute doe then its off to NY to Cayuga County/Finger Lakes Region to pursue the big boys. Will share all the ups and downs of my 2010 bow season plus the story and experience that has forever changed me as a hunter upon return in mid November! Good luck everyone that is still in hot pursuit of their deer!!!

Oh and I must add.... I hope I don't see this guy in the next 2 days.. I already used my archery buck tag.. I dont want to spend anymore time crying in my treestand. Im hoping I see him during rifle season when I can shoot a buck again.... Also, ignore the time and date. Thats good old stealth cam for you. Set it when you leave and come back to who knows when with black out or white out images here and there......

Bowhunting Time 2010!

2010-10-01T08:11:00.001-04:00

Bowhunting in VT starts tomorrow. Deer and turkey. Ive been killing time the past months goose hunting. Actually, was more like goose wanting. Wasn't very thrilling hunting this year for resident season.

Even though the kills were down it was still a great time and the vistas of fall in northern VT were breathtaking.

Plus, I wouldn't trade the quality outdoor time spent with my love for any smelly ol goose any day!

I cant even sleep in so excited for tomorrow and I think I just peed my pants a little. Ive been checking cameras and seeking signs of deer activity.

Spent the past few weeks setting up treestands and ground blinds and making sure my climber still works. Isnt that a beautiful sight!

Good luck to all who are venturing out and those that are already out all I have to say is.. LUCKY!!!!!!!!!

30-21=9

2010-09-13T12:40:00.008-04:00

I havent been mauled by a catamount yet... or eaten alive by a wolf... Ive been way to busy protecting my flock of chickens from Ol' Bob here (and shooting my bow and putting up treestands and sneaking around the woods in anticipation for the bow hunting festivities in 3 weeks). Lucky for him he took some high voltage to his face with the gauntlet of electric fence I put up around my hens scaring him off for what I hope is to be good. This lil guy stalks me and watches me and has learned my daily routines. Has no fear of human nor German Shorthaired Pointer. One day I was making breakfast and looked out the window and there he was.. sitting in front of my barn door.. like a dog... waiting for me to come let out his lunch.

30-21=9 hens stolen from me in the past 3 months. 9... The irony.. 9 for 9 lives? I'm no mathematician here but let me do some more realistic math.... (9+0)=9-9=0.. I like 0 lives much much better.

You Are Never Alone In 'Your' Woods... Posted Or Not... If You Like It Or Not...

2010-08-12T08:27:00.041-04:00

Stealth Cam season (for me anyways) has finally arrived. Its agonizing placing cams out then waiting a week or so to go check them. I cant even sleep the night before check day!! What is on the cam today??? O boy!!! Bear? Bobcat? Coyote? The Illusive VT Catamount?? Rack-A-Saurus Buck? It could be anything!!!!

I run back into the woods. My hearts pounding and i'm soaked with sweat from the balmy August climate of the northern forest. Out of breath, hands shaking I open the camera that says I have 18 new images and manage to slip my memory card into my camera. I think to myself... "I know it.. that big buck is on here that I have been seeing from afar since turkey season". Oh!!!!!! oh!!! oh!!! I'm so excited!!!! Come on camera! Turn on!!!!! Oh!!! oh!! ah!! arrrgghh... hmmmppphhh ?????? !!!!!!!! What the *&%#^*&!!!!!!!

I JUST got done re-posting this entire parcel after the turkey hunting incident (see back in May postings for details). Now... this particular camera is set bout 100 yards into the woods from the house. These people are well and I mean well in deep on private property from the back boundary line. You can stand at the end of this trail and look right into the bottom horse fields behind the barn and facing up towards the house and right near my garden... where I hang out... IN MY UNDERWEAR!!!!! because I think I am alone.... on this private posted piece of property. Disgruntled.. I move the camera because I know its cover has been blown. Mr blue pants dude there inspected it. Had his finger over it in one pic. Blue pants standing in front of it in another. Even opened it (Secret tip.. I place a little piece of paper in the bottom of the camera inside. If it is gone when I go check it means it has been tampered with). So.... I moved it to another trail.

One week later.. Oh!!!!!! oh!!! oh!!! I'm so excited!!!! Come on camera! Turn on!!!!! Oh!!! oh!! ah!! arrrgghh... hmmmppphhh ?????? !!!!!!!! What the *&%#^*&!!!!!!!

At least the dude that looked inside the camera got the hint. So I put up this sign in the middle of the trails as soon as you cross the boundary line of the property.

Then I felt kinda bad. These are people just out enjoying the day. Walking their dogs. I'm a dog owner. I'm all for walks in the woods with your pet. Then I got mad. They ARE on posted property I remind myself.

Let the truth be told. I do not own my own property plus I'm not a native VT'r. Living on a massive farm in a friend's second home has owned me the title of "property manager" when they are not around. Which is "most" of the time on 100 or so of private POSTED property 'that they want posted'. You have to respect ones wishes and do what your told and post it and run people off it if you like it or not.

The whole 'posted property' thing is always the center of a vicious debate between landowners and the general hunting public (most who do not own their own property... like me). The VT way of thinking has always been to keep private land open. Finding places to hunt in a land where the cost of living is one of the nations highest and where a lot of the land is owned by wealthy out of staters who post their property can be a daunting task. Many VTers who do post their land and hunt do so from bad experiences with other disrespectful hunters and people not asking permission regardless if its posted or not and x y z and the other thing. Public lands are choked with hunters, many places are at max capacity that the land owner will allow and many places are just plain old off limits leaving a lot of really pissed off hunters. Posted signs don't necessarily mean keep off. Lots of times a simple phone call or house visit may be all it takes to get a chance at hunting that piece. Sometimes not. Its a vicious cycle. People see 'POSTED' and tempers begin to flare regardless of the reasons why.

I don't know where I stand on the property posting scheme. Let me reflect for a moment here...

Reasons Why I Would Post:
1. I grew up on posted property where it was permission only to hunt. Maybe its my upbringing.
2. Safety - I want to know who is in those woods and where.
3. Hunting Success - You know your land you hunt. Keep people out of certain areas the game will be less opt to vacate the area plus you can make your fellow hunters happy by not having each other mess up each others hunts.
4. The sheer expense of owning that piece of property. It is bought and paid taxes and all by its rightful owner not Joe Schmo reaping the benefits for free.

Reasons Why I Wouldn't Post:
1. I enjoy hunting other people's property.
2. Traditional tracking forms of hunting take you across many boundaries. Posting really breaks that up (especially if the poster is an anti-hunter)
3. I'm sure there's other reasons.. I cant think of them at the moment.

Then there are the selfish reasons. All animals are selfish. Survival instincts lead all animals to claim dominance over the basic requirements of life. Food.. Piece of Ass.. & Shelter***... Shelter/Territory/Home Range... their hard acquired land... Then there's the big buck... that big antlered sexy testosterone laden buck!

I also think that...
1. If you post your land then you should hunt only your land if your going to not let others hunt on yours.
2. Many people post their land because the 'bad apples' spoiled the bunch. The same bad apples that don't give a *&$% if its posted or not (yeah those people.. the ones you really need to watch out for.. the stand and cam thieves) therefore keeping off the 'good people'.
3. It comes down to respect. It is disrespectful to wander on private property and think "well.. its ok.. im not near the house.. no one can see me..".. Its an invasion of personal privacy. To me the woods are my home. The scenery is my tv, the tree is my couch. I dont think they would like it if I walked through their home while they were watching the evening news.. in their underwear.. on their couch.. while I was just passing through to the other side.... Hell! I would get shot doing something like that!

So I really don't know how to feel. Living on a piece of posted property where I work hard on and where I felt special that I had the sheer run of the place selfishly to myself. So again.. I feel badly.

But then I think of last year... when I got this guy the first week of bowhunting in October lurking in the orchard I hunt that is on the edge of the pastures (hes looking at the house in this picture).
Where later (like 20 yards) up that same trail you can look through the trees into the bathroom window of the house and I begin to feel like my privacy is violated. Even though I don't own the land, the land and house is my home. Then... yet again... I reflect on what I do on this so called 'private' posted property that the owner spent his lifelong hard earned money on, make a mental note to go purchase blinds for the bathroom window, put clothes on next time im out in the garden and wonder how much I offended those people that were just out for a walk in the woods but putting up that sign. Here on 'your' posted property you are never alone and your not managing your land for just the wildlife's enjoyment but for those of your own kind as well... if you like it.. or not...

Gar Harrr Harrrr with a few Bowfin and Bass

2010-07-12T11:54:00.012-04:00

I have been in one of those moods lately. You know.. like PMS that wont go away... Why? Boredom. Boredom is my nemesis... Im not ashamed to admit it. I need constant entertainment. Challenges.. stimulations.. focuses... So where do I run?? To the lake... To find some sort of adventure.. To try something a little out of the ordinary... So... I decided to channel my negative energy into Gar fishing... Yes, Lake Champlain DOES have Gar... and man.. did I enjoy myself (except I burnt my bum).

I had one mission yesterday... That was to cure some serious boredom and give myself a challenge (and catch a suntan). So I set out for Gar and I wasn't coming back until I achieved my goal. After long hours of patience and stalking... learning and burning.. trial and a lot of errors... and a lot of odd looks from boater bys wondering what the sunburnt half naked fishing chick was trolling around the swamps was up to.... I succeed in my mission and picked up about 15 or so gar. Had on one that was definitely a 4 footer but lost it at the boat. (like many others!!) Was hot for sure and 7 hours in the mid day sun was about all I could handle. My fishing buddy for the afternoon was a little male bowfin who followed me around for over an hour. As much as I love the fins I let him be. Let him do what bowfins do in peace. I just admired his behaviors and enjoyed watching him.. learning him... Man.. Life is simple when your a bowfin let me tell you!!!! I think in my next life I want to be one of them....

Gar are a neat fish... grouping together in sandy shallows in the mid summer heat.. spooky.. mildly fussy.. smart... challenging to stalk and hunt..... Believe it or not by their looks they look to be related to the pike but in actuality are most closely related to the bowfin. Like bowfin they are primitive.. survivors from the Mesozoic Era.... a period from about 250 million years ago to about 67 million years ago.... the Age of Dinosaurs when they had come and gone.. Many dont fish for gar for they are a challenge and usually arent hooked with conventional tackle. I caught them on a few different methods.. I wished I had my fly rod. I know some fly fish for them. I may just have to dig out my rod. My innovative mind in turning and im rigging up some things that I just know will be my hot producers for next time. Mission accomplished. This may be my new favorite thing to do while soaking up the sun...

Now.. I was out the day before this as well. Hung out with the bowfins and bass. Why I wore jeans was beyond me because it was HUMID! The heatwave broke from the 90-100 degree humid days we had all week. The bite was fierce this evening. No wind.. no nothing.. Tranquility and a glassy bay at dusk combined with heat of the summer = prime time for bass top water. Dont you just love the sound of a fish hitting the top waters? I know I sure do and I sure did and I probably will forever....

29th Annual LCI Fathers Day Fishing Derby June 19th-23rd 2010

2010-06-25T07:00:00.001-04:00

Well the time has come and gone.. again... for the 19th annual LCI Father's Day fishing derby sponsored by Lake Champlain International. People come from all over to fish this all species derby. Big money... big prizes... big buy in... Every year its the same thing. People all want to catch the big record breaker for a chance at over 20K and new boats.. Three days of fishing.. regardless of the weather... little sleep.. bologna and cheese on white bread straight up sandwiches.... mmm... Managed to get a team of 4 people then had one person bail last minute leaving my other buddy with no partner to fish with and me unable to take 3 on my boat and having to eat the team buy in fee. One is better than none since one cant fish alone since you need a registered witness aboard at all times. This year the focus of the 2 person team "Big Rack Bigger Rod" was bass and bowfin and bass and bowfin there was!

On Saturday the sun was blazing the heat was on and the wind was whipping. Waves a good healthy 3 foot with some more or lesses in there. Weather called for thunderstorms in the pm. We sat there at 4am at the launch watching the waves break on shore. Just knew it was going to be a wild morning. Set out to a special smallie spot and managed to bring in a bunch. Went to second spot and the chop made it difficult to fish without worrying about slamming into the structure and wrecking my hull. Anchoring didn't help and with the trolling motor on full power the wind just kept you right in place so trolling was out of the question. Made our way back and fished the edge of a bay for bass. Ended up pulling a bunch of smallies from under structures. Docks and moored boats were hotspots. Managed to hook into a 3lb largemouth. Not nearly big enough to even weigh but there are incentive for weighing it in like for the port prize (whoever weighs in closest to a certain weight at each weigh in location) and for the angler of the year (cumulative point standings for biggest fish weighed in each day). Weighed it in and got lucky to have the LCI photographer take some great pics I would love to get my hands on. Later that evening the wind was still gusting and never died down. Sought refuge in the river for a bit but was very unproductive. Hauled across the rolling bay to the western shore to try for more bass there. It was hit or miss for sure. Weather was rolling in and the bite shut right off. Never paid attention the the dark ominous clouds building behind us until last minute. With less than an hour left of daylight we retreated in barely getting wet. With no bite the incentive to stay out was non existent.

Sunday morning started out breezy and wet. Calling for more thunderstorms. Launched the river and headed over the the smallie spots again. The bite was still slow this morning. Weather kept rolling in. Worked the outer bay again with little success. Nothing much was biting. Headed to the river after wind started to gust. Poured rain on us. The fishing in the river is terrible this time of year. Gets fished out and pressured. Never had any luck in there. The river seemed to be the only place I could find refuge from the wind. So we fished it anyways and still... no luck there... After more showers and storms passed through the weather finally broke. The wind was calm and we were able to get into the bowfin waters. The bowfin bite was ON FIRE. They were everywhere welcoming the calm in the shallows. Managed to hook into a mess of them. They provide ample entertainment for sure. We couldn't even let our bait hang over the boat without them snagging it and taking off with it. Even had one investigate my trolling motor. Managed to hook into what my scale said was a 10.5lb female. Only weighed in 9 something lbs on the official scale. Her length wasnt there but she was fat. Weighed her in then went to fish for smallies off one of the points. Its nights like this that sometimes you dont care if the fish bite or not. The sunset was the most spectacular one I have seen in a while. Vibrant golden lined clouds. Even the clouds had a unique appearance to them enhancing the overall panorama. The lake was glass and we were the only ones leaving a wake headed in for the night.

Monday morning was gorgeous. Fishing was great in the bowfin spot first things until the sun illuminated the shores til they retreated to bed. Managed to get a heafty 7lber to weigh in. The gar are in the shallows now for spawning. Partner managed to have one grab his bait but the gar dropped it. Thats typical for gar. They grab the bait and swim with it for a while before munching it. They say string on the hook works well also so it will catch in their tiny teeth. I saw a gar in this spot last year that I swear was 6 feet long. No fish story. For real. I have never caught a gar nor shot one while bowfishing. I may make a special gar trip out next week. After the bowfin bedtime we headed to fish" the fill". Had no luck at all. Headed to a different bay and hit up the shorelines and man made structures and slayed a mess of largies. The sun got hot and the bite turned off. Went and weighed in a very angry miss fin from this morning. Every once and a while you would hear her jumping and pounding the top of the livewell. When I went to take her out of the well she jumped right out and onto the deck of the boat. She almost made it overboard but I jumped on her and wrestled her back in. She manged to bite me as well but luckily I was able to pull away so she just grazed the meat on my hand. They are nasty and Im certain harboring lots of bacteria from the waters they live in in their jaws.

Derby highlight this year was a 16lb lake trout caught by some charter guys. The big cash winner. Managed to rack up 900 some odd points for the angler of the year not even close to what was needed but im grateful I had nice fish to weigh in all 3 days. Lots of nice fish were caught this year but they weren't quite big enough. Wasn't my worst LCI but it wasnt my best. Grateful that I had the opportunity to fish in it once again. 10th place bowfin was only 11 lbs this year. Last year we weighed in an 11lber that would have placed this year! For next year the strategy is solid. Bring it on!

LCI 2009 Memories "Team Rack N Rods"

Lake Willoughby - NEK VT

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Set in VT's rural Northeast Kingdom the glacial Lake Willoughby is home of VT's state record 35lb Lake Trout. It is also home to monster rainbows, browns and salmon. Mostly undeveloped, this scenic lake over 300 feet deep has some of the best fishing both hard and soft water for these cold water fish species. We ventured to this lake in search of our own trophy and to enjoy some quiet quality time on a Tuesday. Numerous 20 plus lakers have been caught here. We had the entire lake to ourselves with the exception of a a sailboat or two. Although we never caught our trophy it was a nice day to enjoy the vista, each other and ourselves on one of VT's most scenic lakes.

My dog is OBSESSED with waiting for the big one.

"My treasures do not chink or glitter, they gleam in the sun and neigh in the night"

2010-06-13T22:00:00.010-04:00

On an all to regular basis I tend to get lost in some sort of bizarre daydream. It usually comes and takes me away on some big bold beautiful mythical black horse with a long flowing mane and tail through an untrodden wilderness past towering misty waterfalls and through lush old growth forests illuminated by golden rays of sunshine... (dare I insert past bounding big racked bucks and glittering ponds with jumping 10lb large mouth bass??).. Well.. that's where I was the other evening when I happened by chance to pick up a book in my library that I haven't touched in years called "Of Women and Horses" by Gawani Pony Boy. Its a beautiful book of a compilation of essays on the magical bond that exists between women and horses. It is no doubt a mystery. Centuries old. A question with no truly definable answer only speculations of what the bond's meaning is. Its a sickness.... a chronic illness.... that all too many women and girls and some men and boys fall victim to. What are the symptoms? Usually it begins when your young. You become fascinated with them. You may want one for Christmas even though you have never seen or touched a real one. You will spend hours grooming and braiding your barbie horse or my little pony manes and tails.. and have so many Breyer horses you don't know what to do with them all.. or have posters of them in your bedroom... or images of them on your tshirts... or see them in your dreams... or watch the Black Stallion over and over and over again.. or point them out in fields every time you drive by them... or make drawings of them whenever you can. Wild.. free.. untamed.. bold.. living in the moment... carefree... beautiful... strong.... they are horses... holding the qualities many of us secretly aspire to behold... Some are healed from this illness at a young age... but for some.. like myself... the illness is incurable.

Now... This is supposed to be a blog about hunting and fishing adventures. Why I am writing about my passion for horses?? Like I said. Its an illness.. Makes us crazy... Maybe somewhere in my wild dreams I will combine my passions of hunting with my horses... ??? From a young age I always had horses. Dad was a horse veterinarian.. Raised Standardbreds on the farm.. Always had a horse around somewhere. Started showing at a very young age and went all over the eastern part of the US. Have had many many horses and had the opportunity to ride varying proven and future world champions even more each varying in disposition and composition. Ive had my favorites and not so favorites. Each animal has a different personality. Some you get along with and others not so well. Like interacting with humans. We like some and not others become drawn to some and not even turn your head to another. Two horses have captured my heart up to this point in time. One was "The Kid" (the brown horse way up above). We had that 'special' kind of relationship and understanding... for me it was the growing up bond between a 'girl' and her horse. He was wild and free but more importantly misunderstood (like many teenagers are). He taught me how to accept ones faults and to be patient. Trusted me and only let me ride him. Being a pre-teen to teen was a difficult task. It was here where I could escape the drama of school life and boys and evil girl clicks and all that jazz. He carried me away from reality for a little while on wild gallops through hay fields. The second was 'Superman' (above and right). He was another wild thing. Liked to buck. Especially in the show ring. Powerful.. showoff... bold... temperamental... He taught me a lot about humility and got me off my high horse (no pun intended there)..... not by bucking me off.. by by teaching me if you reach the highest place it is no disgrace to stop at the second or even third... Are we still talking about the horses here? Many will say that the company we choose in the form of a horse and the ones we are drawn to the most are those who are expressions of ourselves.....

I recently had to "recycle" a horse. When I told people the general reaction was "Oh my god! Im so sorry.. Are you ok?" Don't get me wrong it was traumatic.. as death is.. to lose a beautiful beast. Had him 2 months but he touched my heart in his good willing nature. He was honest and true and always a happy genuine guy. Qualities that are hard to find in many. but my reply to the question is "Sure".. Them.. "but... your horse died".. Me "Yeah.. he was just a horse". Insert dirty look here. To a woman, finding the right horse is like finding the right man. Not just any old horse will do. There are a ton of them out there and you just have to try them on for size. Or do you?

Oftentimes in life you seek answers to the reasons why you do certain things or why things happen the way that they do. Sometimes things just happen and you don't know why at the time but realize later on that they always did for a reason. I had no intentions of getting another horse when I just lost one and had two other beautiful animals in my barn to feed and enjoy. So there I sat Monday at work.. daydreaming of a black flowing mane and waterfalls.. there I was reading the book of women and horses Monday night... there I was the next town over with the love of my life looking at some random "children's" pony on a stormy Tuesday evening.... and then there she was... like she had stepped out of my dream... She was the most beautiful beast I had ever seen. Mane flowing and black as can be... beautiful long arching neck.. big.. bold.. methodical... wild.... untamed. There I stood running my fingers through her thick long black mane and for the first time in a long time I smiled. A real smile... something that has been sleeping inside of me for years awoke. Like I had found my missing piece.. That certain something I have been missing. When you know... you know.... I had my dream.. there.. in my hand.... and I grabbed it.

So I call her Artemis... After the Greek Goddess... Artemis of the wildland... mistress of animals.. the goddess of the hunt and wilderness... In mythology she was always depicted as a huntress carrying her bow and arrows. What her role is in my life is something to be determined... what she has to teach me has something to do with my journey as the woman I have become im certain. She is truly special to me and not only captured my heart but has stolen my soul. I guess dreams do come true. She comes and takes me away... that big beautiful mythical black horse with her long flowing mane and tail... through an untrodden wilderness past towering misty waterfalls and through lush old growth forests illuminated by golden rays of sunshine... and beyond.... What is it? That mysterious bond between women and their horses?

The Value of Time Well Invested

2010-06-06T11:00:00.006-04:00

Maturing on a farm has yielded some incredible memories and valuable learning lessons. I still cannot believe my folks used to let me loose at a very young age to play in the back hundreds of acres. I think back now and say.. Man! I could have drowned in that pond!!! What the woods and the land (well... and horses.. to a young girl) have to teach a child are a set of values that are disappearing as quickly as our cherished natural resources. Many children of today are deprived and spoiled. I watch my friends one by one get married and have families with many unfortunately getting divorces or having other unfortunate issues. Many of their children sit in front of a tv or play video games.. the virtual babysitters... and waste their minds not finding enriching activities outside that teach more valuable lessons than killing the next bad guy that jumps out from behind the building. True family time is cut short either by busy parents' work schedules, personal obligations to one's own sanity or plain old failure to set some "quality" time aside leaving nothing but lost and forgotten opportunities....

Im no shrink by any means but being a hunter and horse woman im an analyzer. Its important to spend meaningful time with children during ages that are so critical for proper development (to me thats between the ages of 4 and 10 since thats the range you tend to "remember") For example, one of those cherished memories growing 'younger.. ' is of fishing. I have been fishing for as long as I can remember. One of the most influential people that encouraged my fishing behaviors was my uncle Walt. Funny how you remember certain things. Like getting your mouth washed out with soap for cussin' (traumatic then). I think thats why I hate Ivory.... Although we have never been a close family in the sense of family gatherings etc.. Its really always just been the immediate family. So seeing him was very few and far between but I will always remember his taking me fishing. Most notably.. On my 6th birthday we were at the back bass pond. It was a windy windy day and I cast out and got caught on a twig or something in the water. I yanked and I yanked and that lure came right straight back and hit me in the face and I dont know how I did it but I lodged that fishook clear thrugh my nose! Now.. Its hazy what happened after that but im certain it is because I was having a typical meltdown many kids have at that age. Either way I do remember being at the doctors getting a tetanus shot and a fishhook removed. Happy Birthday! Through the haze I also remember us cleaning bass in the barn sink at some other point in time.... More importantly though what was the lesson learned here... I can give a few. 1. If you pull on a twig fish hard enough it MAY come loose and fly back and bite you, 2. If a fishook is lodged in your flesh... do not yank it forward attempting to dislodge it from your flesh like it were caught on a twig fish... but most importantly... 3. Fishing with my uncle Walt was fun.

Which brings me to the point of this story. Went to visit the family in NY a few weeks ago. I don't get home much except for hunting season now and sporadic times in between. Nevertheless spend quality time with my family since I tend to be selfishly spending quality time with myself and the forest creatures and my PSE Bow Madness. So when my brother said "we're going fishing at the pond you should come.." Dont you think I didn't jump on that opportunity to spend quality time with my 6 and 8 year old nieces and big brother. Numerous largemouths were caught by everyone. We rocked the pumpkin colored soft plastic lizards (well one rocked a bright pink worm just because it was pink... girls will be girls.. whatever makes them happy although it wasn't a hot producer). There were smiles and frustrations and some mild fear of the larger flip flopping bass. Everyone was happy because everyone caught fish! These girls love fishing. They have four-wheelers snowmobiles animals... land to play on... ponds to fish... the only thing missing is a pony. They may not realize it now.. but later on down the road they will look back and have these memories thanks to the a little bit of time well invested.

Smallies.....

2010-06-04T23:00:00.004-04:00

Smallmouth bite was ON FIRE tonite.. My soft plastics got annihilated.... silver-white color was the hot producer.... Yanked them from 10-20 yards off rocky shores in about 4-7 ft water... Found a weed patch and got bit clear off by a huge pike... Made me sad.. Havent caught a pike since icefishing!!! I switched my line to 30lb Spiderwire Invisibraid the other day... Not sure how I like it..... Toothy fish bite right through it. Has happened on more than one ocassion so...... May go back to flourocarbon...... BUT!!!! It sure is strong line!!!!! Wish the breeze woulda died down a bit more so I could go for bowfin.. Had my bow and spotlight and everything but it was just choppy enough to make visibility poor. Heard something perclunk overboard at one point... I am still unsure of what that item may have been....

Bowfins Down!

2010-05-30T21:30:00.010-04:00

I decided that over the holiday weekend I wasnt going to do any form of work and do nothing but fish (and ride horses)... Chased the fins and large and smallmouth bass........ Landed about 10 fins Sun (missed like 5 with the bow and lost a MONSTER and a mess of others!) Males have their beautiful turquoise fins right now.... Spawning splashing was few and far between... Got a few bass on the side. Saw THE BIGGEST largemouth I ever saw... I threw everything but the kitchen sink at him... At one point it stared at a dead baitfish I tossed at it... after about 15 minutes of me jiggling it... picked it up n spit it back out and stared at it some more.. then got bored and swam away... Then the wind kicked up and I couldnt see anymore...

While trolling around Sat using a disk on my way out to one of my favorite bowfin spots I got no bites. Marked fish all over suspended at depths of close to the surface to 60 feet... many over bait... Reeled in my line and much to my dismay caught myself a fish stick. Was nice to see some smelt left in this lake. Ended up breaking my push pole.... Saw a few fins... but... it was tough to see. I did catch a mess of bass thou The wind blew me out of my bowfin spot. Just plain couldnt see. I did sight fish a mess of bass though. Bowfishing isnt productive when you cannot see through the chop on the surface. Decided to troll on my way back. Wind really picked up a started to toss me and my little flat bottm Basstracker around the inland sea. Im reeling in th disk and I got blow around and wouldnt you know it.. Got that damn line wrapped around my brand newly sealed prop. Curses... Hahaha!

Went out Monday with my man and got a few more bowfin and slaughtered the smallies. Fires in Canada were making everything hazy and smoky. Still managed to get a nice sunburn. The bass were biting all day. Jigging and using soft plastics was the was to go... Watched this mink for a bit fishing. We started catching rock bass and tried to throw him one. He finally got one and went back into the ledges.... Great weekend....

Re-Acquainted with my Best Friend

2010-05-18T23:00:00.001-04:00

After completely missing salmon and walleye season and early smallmouth bass slaying due to my boat having major repairs..... I finally got it back. A lot less richer I absorbed the euphoria of the freedom I have been denied. The evening was perfect.. warm.. slight breeze.. brilliant sunset.. Just me and my dog and my Basstracker burning off out fuel across the bay. I wanted to check for bowfin in the shallows for bowfishing. Sure enough I found them and a few bass. I hooked into a monster bowfin who took me for a ride for a bit until he snapped off. I wasnt really expecting to do much serious fishing this evening. Was more of a voyage to put a smile on my face more than anything. Slightly discouraged I didnt land the clear double digiter I was satified with finally having my boat back so I can fish again. Bring it ON!

More Turkey Hunting Scenes

2010-05-16T21:00:00.002-04:00

Was startled at 6:00 am when I heard a doe blowing behind me in the woods... Not sure if it was my scent she picked up on or if it was the decoy. As she is blowing up a storm I realized she sent her boyfriend out (my buck ive been watching) to investigate my decoy. Of course.. I dont have my camera... I have my cell phone camera... So I took this picture when he came to check out my decoy. The picture doesnt do him justice. He already has forks coming out. He looks like he will be a nice buck this fall.. He actually walked right up to the decoy and smelled it.. Stomped at it then ran like hell. The entire time... the doe I realized there were two... blew like crazy... Didnt see anything for turkeys.. Im not much of a turket hunter anyways.. but its still fun to get out and scout for deer season while your at it!!!!

Turkey Hunting May 8th-10th

2010-05-11T08:00:00.003-04:00

Saturday May 8th
Weather Conditions - Rain and wind 50 degrees
Hunting Time: 4:30am - 9:30am

4:30am.... Wet and damp along the edge of the lower pasture... All is quiet.. No gobbles..... anywhere....
5:30 am... Light drizzle... I call a little and wait.. See a whole lot of nothing...
6:30am... 3 hens come in.. clucking the entire way around.. They go over and check out hen and jake decoy. One of the hens come over to my blind and walks outside the perimeter clucking and purring. I could see her shadow in a crack in the bottom as she passed by me. All I wanted to do was go BOO!!! out the window but I was hoping a tom or something would be following them. After a while of picking the hens move off. Ive see hens everytime I have been in here so at least that's a good sign.
8:00am.. Was really hoping a tom would be after those hens.. but nothing yet.
9:00am.. Relocated into the woods onto the ridge and sat in the ledges. Called a little. Neither heard nor seen anything.
10:30am... I'm wet. Cabela's promised this rain gear was waterproof. At least that's what the ad said.. and I fell for it.... So I left the woods to go to Gander Mountain.

4:30pm..... Scouting back field for Sunday's Hunt via Mare Princess Lady Chaye Nay Nay
Windy as can be and getting colder. We ride through the damp woods to scout back pasture for hunting the next morning. As we cross the field something catches my eye astray of a few random berry bushes in the midst of a sea of green. I come across a stick... Not a large stick.. mere twig... A twig of randomness upright in the field. Instincts in my mind told me something was amiss. Mare Chaye and I stand there in the blustery wind crossing the field as I scan the perimeter.. I get an errie feeling I am being watched... Sure thing.. I see a STEALTH CAM!!!!! on a tree bout 50 yards across the green. We go to the camera... I open it.. No name.. no nothing.... I ride through the interior of the woods edge. Find the blind. Find some other evidence I wasn't thrilled to see. I'm a bit disgruntled at this point. I went to take it off and remembered words of my old wise neighbor who looks out for me about the folks who are lurking in these woods. I realize I am not alone. Pretty miffed... I leave it there not wanting trouble. Go home and write a note. I put it in there with my number... told them to "call me about the hunting situation".. Took red flagging tape.. Marked camera tree, sticks in field.. blind.. and dumped the carcass where they have been sitting their ass. I should go hunt the field but it looks like a crime scene. This leads to a bit of a moral dilemma. You need permission to erect a treestand if its on someone elses land... treestands have to have names on them... Stealth cams should be treated the same way. Its an invasion of personal privacy really.. I mean really... ASK PERMISSION.. I mean I don't care... really... but I have a sequence of random dudes on my stealth cams from last season.... trespassing.... on posted property... some of which are a little too close to the house for my own 'private' comfort. I really just want to know who is where....... or maybe I can turn it into a game of hunting the hunter... ??

Sunday May 9th
Weather Conditions - Windy 35 degrees and snowing.. ALOT
Hunting Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm

4:00am.... Stumbled outside to find a blowing mess of white stuff. Middle of May and its snowing and cold. Again! My bed won me over this morning. I went right back to it.
9:00am.... After sipping coffee for a few hours and checking the weather the radar showed the snow was going to stop. So hoping to catch the turkeys in the fields drying off after it quits.. I went out in the blizzard...
10:00am... Pretty quiet out there.. Glad to be in a blind. Cold though. Should have put on the arctic armor and busted out the buddy heater for this morning. Strange weather this year. 80 degrees.. then like a foot of snow.. then back to 80 degrees again.
11:30am.. NOTHING! Didnt use decoys or anything this am. just lightly called although it was so windy the sound was probably carried away in the opposite direction than where I wanted it to go. Needless to say.. the snow didn't stop! The weatherman lied.. Again...
12:00pm...They say turkeys don't mind it out when the weather is what we consider nasty.... They just resume doing what turkeys do.... I was doubting that.. seeing NOTHING.. hearing NOTHING... I'm walking back and come around the hedgerow when something stops me in my tracks... Its a HEN!!!! 30 yards from me.. in the middle of the field in 30mph winds and sideways blowing snow!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't BELIEVE it! Was really hoping it was a jake or something... but that shows you right there.. Guess they don't mind the weather after all..

Monday May 10th
Weather Conditions - Partly Sunny 40 degrees
Hunting Time: 4:30am - 7:30am

4:30am... It is cold.. I'm walking down to sit along the edge of the lower field really wishing it was bow season for deer. It felt just like a late October morning. I grabbed a bunch of brush and stuff and covered myself in the island in the center of the field. I think next year I will put a make shift blind here. It gives a better perspective of the area around. Where I set up the blind this year has poor visibility.
5:30am... I see my buck walk the hedgerow on the swamp side of the pasture headed to the thickets beyond. Two does come out shortly after.. sadly.. not looking very pregnant..
6:30am.. The sun comes up and starts to warm the field. I really scaled back my calling to be very limited with it. I call a little more.. and here comes that hen again.
7:30am... I think all birds have been killed or become smart. Doesn't help the situation that I taught those 2 resident toms whats up opening day. I have seen nothing but hens since the first week. I should just go hunt that back field anyways and sit in that guys blind he so nicely built.

Side note... May 30th... Stealth Cam Gone...

Lamoille River

2010-05-06T15:17:00.001-04:00

6:30pm - 9:30pm: Lamoille River - Sunny... mid 60s.... Breezy... Me and my man and his Tracker Grizz. and another boat with 3 of his friends. Not much to say in the least. Few small bass and perch. Other boat got one keeper walleye. Was a dead river. Again... in the evening. Others say same that were fishing that evening... Next time fishing all night.

May 1st-3rd 2010: Opening Weekend... Turkey & Walleye Season....

2010-05-03T07:47:00.000-04:00

Sat... May 1st... Opening Day Spring Turkey Season.
Weather conditions... clear skies.. 45 - 60 degrees... still some snow on the ground from snowstorm 2 days ago... Very wet out...
Hunting time.. 4:00am - 7:30am

4:00am... Stumble down to ground blind.... The night before I watched 2 Toms and a hen walk by there to go roost in the woods.... As I'm walking down in the darkness the woods are alive with gobbles... I must have heard at least 8 different toms in all directions.. I am hopeful for this am....
4:30 am.... Gobbles everywhere in the woods... Two of which... close near my blind.. likely 50 yards or so....
5:11am.. Legal shooting hours... I call.. Gobblers respond... I call... hear fly down.... Gobbles galore...
5:20am... Hen comes out... Checks decoy 30 yards away from me... I turn and look at her since she came from behind me and caught me off guard... She looks at me... Busts me.. Goes back into woods...
5:21am.. 2 toms come out.. Walk up to decoy.. Puffed up... Nice!!!!!
5:22am.... I shoot.. 20 yards.. Remington Express 20 gauge....
5:23am... I realized.... I MISSED!!!! I FRIGGIN MISSED!!!!
5:23 1/2 am... Toms run back and gobble profusely in confusion... Still having NO idea I am there....
5:24am.. I shoot 2 more times at them at 30 yards along hedgerow.. Realized I still missed them and probably should definitely not have done the desperation shots......
5:30am... Toms and hen enter the field to my left.. 50 - 60 yards or so.. Gobbling profusely...
5:45am.. hen moves away... I call more... Toms come back... They went into woods behind me..
6:00am... Toms sit in woods behind me 50 yards from decoy and gobble their fool heads off... NO WAY WERE THEY COMING BACK TO THAT DECOY.... !

Strategic plan for tomorrow am... Gather another decoy.. set up in field to my left...... Use 12 gauge or my bow!

Lesson learned for the day... It can be real discouraging investing so much time watching... setting up... scouting.... gearing up... and anticipating for a successful hunt.. Then.. right when its down to the wire... Something goes wrong... Figures... Either way you just have to chalk it up to experience..... and go to plan B.

Gobbling Toms Clip

Sunday May 2nd...
Weather conditions.. 55-75 degrees and overcast.... Snow is gone.. Damp out from showers overnight.. Cleared up mid morning..
Hunting time... 4:30am - 11:00am

4:30am... Changed up decoy location and set it to my left in other field.....
5:10am... Havent heard one gobble yet..
5:15am... Its been legal shooting time and just heard first gobbles.. Seem to be about 100 plus yards away heading in my direction...
5:20am... I see a rather large deer across the field. I have this this deer hanging around since middle of winter. I suspected it was a buck from his size and behavior. I check it out with binoculars. Sure enough.. my suspicions were correct. He had the beginnings of antler growth. He should make a nice buck for the fall if he hangs around. I will need to put up stealth cam in my new location soon for a bit and see whats back there now. Would love to watch him all summer and have photo sequence of his growth to dinner fare.
5:30am: Hen came in and checked out decoy.. clucking the whole way by.. She was on a mission! running away from the 2 gobbling Toms behind her... Im sitting in a foot of water in my blind... that claimed my hat... coffee mug lid.... gloves and eventually my cell phone....
5:35am.. Toms stop.. Look at the decoy.. Avoided it and my blind like it was the plague...
6:00am....They all went up to the barn and scratched around the crap pile for a bit.. gobbling the entire time because my chickens were all upset! Every once in a while you would hear my chickens squawk then the toms gobble... Was humored by far..
6:15am... Took the opportunity while the toms were occupied on the other side of the barn to move blind to better and dryer spot to where they moved through the past 2 days.....
6:45am... Moved decoy and set it in lawn area down by pond... Then hid behind the log pile... I called and called.. hoping to get their attention so they would come back.. sure enough.. that decoy and my sqakwing got their attention.. At this point I am thoroughly enjoying myself... What a great morning!
7:00am.... They came running down! I got so excited! I was like "no way this is going to work".. Then they stopped... puffed up.... about 70 yards from me.. Hung around there for a few minutes.. then came walking in...
7:10am.. I realized the toms were headed straight for me along the hedgerow. I had a trail right in front of me slightly to my right... I'm totally NOT concealed except for full camo and the log pile... I lay back and rest the Browning 12 guage on my knee ready to blast them when the come down the trail...
7:11am... Toms decide to go into the woods like 20 yards in front of me to walk the ridge... but I had thick thick thick brush in front of me.. No shot... I could have tried but figured I would blow it for the rest of the season if I tried...... Dang!
7:15am - 8:15am... Gobblers sat on the ridge 30 yards from me gobbling away trying to get that decoy to come to them... I was sitting in the worst position... holding it so I wouldn't blow my cover.... something kept moving under my right thigh.. Thought it was muscle spasms from the way I was leaning on it... then I shuffled around and peeked under there and realized I was sitting on a HUGE toad!!!! (see picture - Can you see him??? hehehe).
8:30am... Toms finally decide its not worth it any longer and move off over the ridge.
8:45am... I stiffly stand up to relocate myself. Hiked the trail through the woods to the back field. Lots of turkey sign along the path. Scratchings all over.
9:30am.. Blackflies decide that I make a tasty meal. They swarm all over me. I try my best to ignore them. I place decoy in field below and situate myself behind crevice in the ledges and call.
10:00am... Nothing....
10:30am... Nothing...
11:am... Sun came around from behind the ridge shining a beam square onto me.. Began sweating profusely.. I admire the way the sun was shining through the budding trees onto the wet mossy ledges... Was a reminder to me why I enjoy the passing of time in the woods... Bugs everywhere.. Still Nothing.... Retreat for the day...

2:00pm... I see Toms enjoying leisurely turkey activities down by pond...

4:00pm... I see hen enjoying dinner with my chickens down by the barn....

Plan for tomorrow... Use new location.. Use 2 decoys... Jake and hen....

Sunday pm May3rd
5:30pm - 10:00pm: Lamoille River - Sunny... Warm.... Light North wind... Day 2 Walleye Season. Me and my man and his Tracker Grizz. Was a dead river. Nothing.. nadda... zilch.... River was hammered over the weekend. Nothing bit anything. Think washed every lure in tackle box. Not even a bass.. Pretty sure saw bear run up bank of the river in the distance. There was only 2 other boats on the river we cam across. All said fishing was slow. If wasnt so tired from 4am mornings and late pms. would have stayed out till midnight for some night fishing. Came across some guy that said his kid hooked into a 20plus ln channel cat down river. Cool.. cool...

Monday May 3rd..
Weather conditions.. Humid 70 degrees or so... Windy and overcast..
Hunting Time: 4:30am - 7:00am

4:30am.. After hitting snooze button 3 times I stumble down to my blind in new location and set up a jake and hen decoy in the area I saw the 2 toms hanging around the past 2 mornings...
4:45am.. Silence..
5:10am.. I call....Silence.. I call... silence...
5:30am... I call... Silence...
5:45am.... Silence...
5:50am.. I hear a yelp behind me... I respond softly... I wait...Hen came in clucking and yelping.... I think I heard her purr to.. not sure... No gobbles... anywhere.....
6:00am.. Getting windier... No gobbles anywhere... Was sitting quiet.. Hoping the toms would come in too...
7:00am... Nothing. Toms must have gone behind me or not in area. I think not in area from the dead silence and the noise they were doing the day before. Will give area a rest for the next few days.... Retreat to go to work.

No one in particular... just me... myself... and I....

2010-04-26T12:43:00.000-04:00

For many of you that truly know me.. know that I have an undying passion for the outdoors namely those activities of hunting and fishing... (well.. and horses of course...). In the past few years my experience and success rates have grown helping me to become the true "outdoors woman" that has consumed me. I'm a born a raised farmgirl tomboy from upstate NY.. Relocated to beautiful VT (yep.. i'm a flatlander!!! as the VT natives would call such a folk). My hunting and fishing adventures today are from years of primarily being self taught, lots trial and error (I mean lots) and a few special people along the way. I come from a family where hunting was a main priority in life during those time of the year. Hunting particularly was something I had a lot of exposure to but never nurtured until my later teens. Fishing has been a part of me since I can remember.

I have recently decided to take my passion and share it with others mostly with women and girls. Simple.. The fact is... there needs to be more women and girls out there enjoying outdoor activities, namely that of hunting and fishing... Lets face it. Its a male dominated sport and women need to feel like they can be successful and take pride in their pursuit of wild game... as an individual.. I heard a saying once. Cant remember from who or where. but it was along the lines of "if the mother hunts, the whole family hunts". I think I may actually believe that one. So! I decided to get certified as a State of VT Bowhunter Education Instructor as well as a Lets Go Fishing Program Instructor. Eventually I would like to use this power to start local groups etc (like start a woman's ice fishing group and eventually bowfishing group... yep.. the two things up in these parts that DEFINITELY lack a feminine side..). Thats not the main reason though... Really its to give back.. To others who are not as fortunate to have someone to show them the way.. with hopes of bringing something new to perhaps a few along the way.. The youth of today namely.. who have not been bestowed a set of values were are losing in this society. Or those lacking in a direction... or those that have a last wish... We are losing our instinctual animal survival skills.. we must bring then back. "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day.. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime" ~ Confucius

In my years aimlessly wandering around this earth I have discovered that the best way to learn is through experience. I am setting up this blog for that sole purpose.. To share my experiences on my adventures here there and anywhere.... to whoever wants to view them.. but mainly for myself.... as journal... the one thing I wish I had growing up... My mother always told me "you should write that down"... Well now I'm taking her advice.. 30 years later.......