Moose Droppings

If you’ve been hunting out of treestands any I’m sure you have heard of Gorilla Treestands out of Michigan. I’ll admit I don’t own one but I hunted out of one a number of times a few years back. I was in a hunting club and one of the guys had a 2 man ladder stand made by Gorilla and it was comfortable and safe. Now I’m a big guy and I don’t like the feeling of being up in a tree with a stand that rocks and rolls and this stand was rock solid.

Gorilla has revamped their website to make it more user friendly and help hunters find what they need so check it out. In addition you can register for a chance to win a Gorilla Expedition Hunter Treestand. They are giving one away each day for the next five days.

I got a ladder stand I need to replace for the next season I might just have to look into getting a Gorilla Ladder Stand.

Story & Photo by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

As a benefit of blogging I’ve been given a subscription to the Northwoods Sporting Journal a New England outdoor magazine. Having grown up in New England I have a lot of ties with the area and like to keep up with what is going on up there. I even on occasion chase moose or bear across the northern woods and I do enjoy the tug of a brook trout on the line.

I’m excited about the coming year and the news and stories that will come in monthly. Just a quick glance of the current magazine there is local stories like places to go clamming in NH, ice fishing reports and stories that reach to a much larger audience and not necessarily just New England folks. There is a great story on how to read a compass, using blinds to turkey hunt and one very funny story about the trouble a Maine Warden got into on the side of a road.
It seems that a trucker hit a doe with fawns killing the doe and the fawns ran off. After much searching the warden and the trucker could not find the fawns so they pulled the doe away from the road in hopes the fawns would return to the doe. The warden planned to increase patrols in that area to see if he could catch the young fawns. Latter that day he was passing by when he saw a car pulled off the road and two ladies running into the bushes. Knowing that they must have spotted the fawns he swung around and tried to catch up with them before they scared the fawns away. Well he ran into the bushes calling to them and found them answering natures call and they were not to happy. His telling of the story is much better and much funnier then my readers digest version.

Why I have never subscribed to Northwoods before I have to say it’s because I never remember. I buy Northwoods almost every time I visit the state so now I have no excuse. If you enjoy a quality outdoor magazine you should check them out and who knows maybe you’ll hear the call of the North Woods to come hunt a bear, a moose, or maybe even a trophy buck of a lifetime.

I joined My Space a while back and although there are some outdoor folks on their I got far more hits from “way out there folks” I’ve been on Camo Space officially now for a day but so far it seems to be true hunters & other outdoor types. Check it out if you like… I’ll keep you posted about my experience and if I think this is the real deal.

Anybody that has hunted with me much will tell you that I’m a nut when it comes to the cold because I don’t seem to feel it. I often hunt with a sweater, a light jacket and or a vest if the temperatures drop down into the 20’s. What many don’t know that growing up in New England my definition of what is cold and what most of my fellow North Carolinians think is cold is to vastly different things.

The one part of my body that does get easily cold is my hands as a result of a touch of frost bite from my college days when I use to do a lot of ice fishing. It’s not unusual for me even when the rest of my body is fine in 30’ weather that if my hands get cold I’m apt to call it a day so I work hard to keep them warm. Hot Hands from Heat Max has been a product I rely on often and incase you don’t know Hot Hands are those air activated warming packs that comes in a variety of sizes.
I don’t know if anyone remembers the old hand warmers that you filled with butane and they burned in your pocket. I never used them because I questioned how safe they could be plus I got to believe wildlife could smell them. I know some folks from Maine who carried baked potatoes in their coat pockets and then they had lunch with them. What do you do after you eat your hand warmer for lunch?

When I discovered Hot Hands a number of years ago I started carrying them in my pack when I hunt. They are perfectly safe and when they are done you just throw them away. For a number of years on cold days I found myself stuffing Hot Hands down inside of my gloves to help keep my hands from getting cold and starting to ache. This past summer I was given a pair of these new Hot Hands Heated Mittens to try out and I couldn’t wait.

HotHands® Heated Mittens are constructed of tightly woven fleece with 40 grams of Thinsulate™ insulation. The mitten caps have pockets to hold HotHands 2® warmers for up to ten hours of added heat.

The mittens have a warm knit glove liner that is exposed when the mitten cap is folded back. This allows hunters to quickly get ready for a shot, or do other tasks while still affording some protection from the cold. When folded back, the mitten cap is held in place by a strong magnet to keep it out of the way.

HotHands Heated Mittens sell for a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Well the hunting season has pretty much wrapped up here with rabbits going out this week. I got most of my use during the deer season with a number of mornings the temperatures in the 20’s. The Thinsulate alone makes these mittens warm and once you add the Hot Hand Packs in the special pockets you have 10 hours of heat to keep your hands comfortably warm. I used the mittens a number of times without needing to add the Hot Hands. Another nice feature of these mittens is that you can peel the mitten part back reveling that your hand is actually inside a glove so you can use your fingers to shoot that gun or unlock that gate. Once your done tuck your gloved hand back inside the mitten and the added warmth. This is an awesome feature; they even put magnets in to help hold the mittens out of the way while you use the gloves. I don’t know about you but too much hunting equipment utilizes Velcro that cannot be quietly opened while sitting in a deer stand.

One word of caution if your old fashion like me and use a compass remember the magnets will throw your compass off.

Over all this is a great product and makes cold days afield a bit more comfortable. The pair I tested was the Orange ones but I plan to pick up a pair of the camo ones to wear while chasing those late season waterfowl & predators. Check your local retailer for this product and if they don’t have it tell them to get it.

Updates and posts were a bit slow while the computer was out being worked on. The warranty and accidental break policy I bought from Best Buy seemed to pay for it’s self on this goof. Parts alone were over $400 so I know I got my moneys worth. They missed the broken USB Port somehow even though it was on the work sheet. Have to take it back to them tomorrow and show them that but I may hold off on having that repaired until the timing is better. Like latter this spring while I’m in the woods chasing a turkey and I can’t do updates anyways.

I’ll try to get some new posts up on the photography blog Moose’s Wild America. Thanks for everyone’s understanding.

Last summer while on vacation out west I walked into Cabela’s near Salt Lake City and stumbled on a deal. I found this Upland Game Hunting Coat in the markdown section of the store. I paid about ½ price for it but even if I paid full price I think it would be a deal.

Now anyone that knows me knows I’m warm nature so coats are not an item of clothing I wear much, however today walking the briars this coat was great protecting me. I normally wear an upland vest with just a sweatshirt but that often gets me hung up in them red briars especially. I’ll admit I never zipped my coat up and with the temps in the 30’s- 40’s I was plenty comfortable.

Some good things about this coat is the large pockets and the large game bag, on my game vest the pockets are not as big or deep and I often drop my bottle of water out of it. Today with this coat this was not an issue at all. A very comfortable coat protecting me from the brush only my exposed skin has scratches tonight. If you’re looking for a good upland coat this is one certainly worth checking out.

Tune in today to my radio show at 1pm to hear about my Tundra Swan hunting adventures as well about Conman’s Guide Service. Mike and Connie run the guide business on the shores of lake phelps in Washington County. This was my third tundra swan hunt with them and it was a great time. In addition to the Tundra Swan they have bear, deer, turkey, and small game as well as access to the lake that has some phenomenal fishing. I’ve personally hunted deer, swan, turkey and rabbits with them and have never been disappointed. They provide quality service as well as some very nice accommodation’s that they refer to as “cottages” but feel more like home.
So join me for this week’s show.

I haven’t done much hunting this year but a invite for a goose hunt this past Saturday sounded like the perfect way to ease myself back into hunting. Normally I’ve bought and stock up on steel shot so these last minute deals are not a big deal but I hadn’t done that yet. Friday evening I found myself wandering into the local Dicks Sporting Goods to pick up some shot. I began to panic a bit when I realized that the selection of steel shot was a bit slim and the largest shot I could find in my favorite brand was #2. Not really enough to goose hunt, BBB’s or T’s is what I usually want. Well as I’m searching around I see the new Federal Black Cloud and they have a couple of boxes of BBB’s so I grabbed them.

I’ve certainly heard the hype about these shells but not one to jump into that I had no real intention of trying them out. Daybreak found me in my layout blind in a cow pasture with my gun loaded with Black Cloud Shells. Well the geese certainly didn’t fly in like we had hoped by we did squeeze out a few. My initial thoughts about this product are that what I thought was hype is really the truth.
Federal has taken the science and technology to improve turkey loads and now using them in waterfowl loads. I certainly want to shoot some more with this product to really run it through its paces but so far it looks real good. I may have to pick up some duck loads as well to see how it works on them as well.

The view from my blind at daybreak

You can just about bet that on any trip to Maine that involves me driving through Kittery Maine you can rest assure I’m stopping at this place. Growing up in New England I have seen how Kittery Trading Post has grown and expanded over the years. KTP is a lot like a Cabela’s or a Bass Pro with some animal mounts spread throughout the store but not as elaborate as those stores.

As far as product and selection where it really counts KTP hits a homerun. Just walk through the archery section or the firearm section and they have far more product and selection then any Bass Pro or Cabela’s I’ve ever been in.

I’m like a kid in a candy shop when I get inside the store and my wife knows that she’ll have a hard time dragging me out. Years when I’m on my way up to hunt in Maine I often stop here to purchase hunting, fishing licenses as well as tags. They have knowledgeable staff and if only I lived closer lots of classes on outdoor topics. KTP is on the Maine New Hampshire border and only about an hour drive from Massachusetts so easy for lots of outdoor enthusiasts to reach.
Now my interests are mainly hunting and fishing but KTP caters to many more outdoor interest then that; Kayaks, Canoes, Camping Equipment, Casual Clothing for the entire family, Maine products, and much more.

If you are traveling through the area you need to check this place out it sometime is overshadowed by the more famous outdoor retailer LL Bean but in my book KTP beats them out.

Rick over at Tails & Trails has a story about throwing a disposable camera in your pack to take on your hunt. Getting good photos on your hunt is important and although disposable cameras will work my experience has been that there are some reasons to avoid them if you can. I opt for a point and shoot digital camera that I regularly use and are very familiar with. Now there is some risk of damaging or destroying your digital camera if you’re not careful. I recall a duck hunt where the camera slipped out of my pocket and fell and sunk to the bottom of the pond. My mistake and a costly one at that but a trip to REI with my replacement camera I found a Pelican Case that fit it perfectly.

5 Reasons I Choose a Digital Camera to Put in My Pack

1. Over time a digital camera will save you money on film and developing costs.
2. View finders in disposable cameras are often not accurately aligned.
3. You only get one opportunity to get trophy photos afield. A digital camera you can review the photos on the screen and get a pretty good idea whether you have it. I can’t be the only one that has had a hunting buddy snap some photos with a film camera to only get them back to discover my head cut off.
4. Hunt by yourself at all? How do you get a photo of yourself with your trophy with a disposable camera? The digital point and shoot has a timer to allow you to get the photo.
5. Digital Point and Shoot has a zoom feature although Rick points out Kodak has introduced a disposable zoom. The camera retails for about $12 add in the cost of developing the film and with about 10 cameras you could have a good digital point and shoot.

I guess it depends on how many photographs you take. I tend to shoot a lot but I know some guys that have a couple of deer seasons and a few turkey seasons on a disposable and still have room. Either way I think it’s important that you take photos to share with others and help you recall the hunts at a latter date. I love looking through my photos and recalling the memories of hunts gone by. Whatever you decide just make sure you capture some great photos for the stories you’ll tell.

I discovered this product about a month or so ago when I decided to try to grill some fish I caught. I saw Timber Creek Smoking Tray in the grocery store near the charcoal and the grilling supplies and I was a bit skeptical but figured what the heck lets give it a shot. Wow did this product ever deliver and I was surprised at how well it worked. That day I smoked some amber jacks but since then I have experimented on a few other things with excellent results.

My latest try was some rainbow trout and they turned out fabulous you don’t put anything else in the tray I dry seasoned the fish a bit and got the grill fired up. Then popped it on and just watched them to make sure they didn’t overcook. The smoke adds a good flavor with out overpowering or drying the meat out.

If you like stronger smoke flavors cover the tray with tin foil which is what I did. I think that also helps keep the moisture in so it doesn’t dry out. Some fresh grilled vegetables and some fresh field peas with some ham and what a meal you have.

The thing I really want to try this on is geese. I’ve had smoked goose before and that was pretty good I’m curious to see how well this product works with that. I have stocked pile a few of these for just that purpose because about the time fall rolls around a lot of stores stop carrying these types of products.

If you like smoked food and don’t have a smoker or you don’t want to drag it out give this product a try.

I was reading the Hunting Life Blog and his warning about a scam that is going around right now.

If someone comes to your front door saying they are checking for ticks due to the warm weather and asks you to take your clothes off and dance around with your arms up.

DO NOT DO IT!! THIS IS A SCAM!!

No telling how many times Kevin has fallen for this but after the third time I suspected it was a scam of some sort.

A funny story like this got me thinking about a very serious issue all of us who enjoy the outdoors share and that’s the danger from Ticks. With turkey season winding down I consider myself lucky not because I got a nice gobbler but more that so far the ticks have not gotten me. Avoiding ticks is not easy and you must be diligent to avoid getting bit. Tick bites can lead to some serious diseases like Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to name a few that can have devastating lifetime effects. NC Dept of Health Info on Ticks

The last few years I’ve gotten pretty serious about combating these bugs and attempting to prevent the from biting me in the first place. I use two types of bug spray, permethrin that I apply to my clothing and deet that I apply to exposed skin.

Permethrin can be purchased at most outdoor type stores that carry insect repellent. Permethrin is dangerous to apply directly to your skin so spray it on your hunting clothing (outside) the day before you plan to wear it and let it dry. Once you’ve treated your clothing it will be effective for two weeks even if you wash it.

Deet is the other product I use, it is the active ingredient in OFF, and this can be picked up at any store that carries insect repellent.
Now I have found a couple crawling on me but so far none have bitten me this year. When I come in from hunting I remove my hunting stuff and shower. I then check myself for ticks looking carefully around the waistline, armpits and hairline as these seem to be the most likely spot to find them. If you find one attached follow this procedure to remove them, clean the bite area and save the tick. I use old 35 mm film canisters to put the tick in and preserve it in case I develop symptoms. I never have but if I do I’ll have the tick for the doctors to have tested at the lab.

When not hunting I wear light colored clothing because the ticks stand out better if they get on you so you can kill them before they attached themselves. Tick borne disease are nothing to mess with so be proactive to avoid getting ill.