Author: theoutdoorsguy

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Sugar bush better late than never

sugarshack

I was speaking with my father last night who lives in the Quebec Laurentians – the heart of sugar bush country – and it looks like syrup producers are poised and ready for take-off this week!

My Dad and good friend John tapped about 800 trees yesterday and have another 200, or so, to do today before they finish up.

From what I can tell, the season is at least 2 weeks later than last year, but hey, better late than never right?

Ah, there is nothing like the maple syrup time of year, if you ask me, and I have spent more years than I can recall working in the sugar bush. Times I will never forget..

What a blast it used to be – running lines, repairing breaks, tapping, watching the evaporater, taking the syrup off and even canning. The whole operation is a joy right down to the moment when that first batch of maple syrup comes off…man it tastes great when its warm!

There is a certain amount of science involved in a maple syrup operation; from understanding the sugar content in sap at various times of the year, knowing the colour and taste of grade ‘A’ syrup, to ‘old-school’ skills like knowing how to build and maintain the perfect fire for your evaporator.

Then it is moment(many hours later) when the ‘webbing starts’ at precisely 7 degrees above the boiling point of water, and your pure maple syrup is ripe for the picking!

Old school syrup producers have never used these modern gauges and I’m sure never worried about it either. They can read more in the webbing off their ladle than a thousand sophisticated gauges could ever read..now that is pure science.

sapcan

The final product, well, it is simply a thing of beauty and there is really nothing in the world that compares to the taste of fresh maple syrup, or taffy on snow.

Canada produces 90% of the world’s supply of maple syrup(mostly from QC) – a statistic we should be very proud of.  It is a big part of our heritage like hunting, fishing or the fur industry.

SyrupCan

Outdoorsguy

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Dan Grant trophy muzzleloader buck

Danbuck1

Here is one fine trophy whitetail muzzleloader hunt, as told by hunter Dan Grant: 

I have been an avid hunter since the age of 16.  My parents let me take one day off from school and that day I shot my first buck, an eight point 202 lb beauty by 1978 standards.

 

Fast forward 32 yrs later…being self employed it doesn’t leave me with much time to hunt during deer season. I managed to take 1 day off during the regular rifle season and shot a nice little 5 point opening morning 10 minutes into the hunt. As muzzle season approached, the plan was to hunt the final Saturday back at our hunt camp. I arrived Friday night looking forward to the next day’s hunt and was the first to find the feathers in bed that night, as it had been a long and busy week at work.

 

The next morning, those who got up out of bed headed out to their respective stands and watches. I decided I would poke my way around the perimeter of our area and see what, if any, tracks could be found in the fresh snow. The wind was in my favour and I approached the back fence line. Fifty feet from the corner I heard the crashing through the bush inside the fence row. Busted! I thought, but I pulled out my grunt call anyway, blew 4 times, made my way to the turn on the trail, crouched down and waited. The deer had stopped, turned and began to make its way out of the bush onto the trail 25-yards in front of me. My first sighting of this buck was of his head and rack stretching out of the brush, and turning to look at me. In a cloud of smoke the deer disappeared, crashing again through the brush to my left as I quickly reloaded and ran back down the trail in case he tried to cross behind me.

 

Did I miss this deer? I wondered

 

The silence was deafening, my heart pounding, as I went back to where he had crossed.  No tracks in the snow on the trail, no blood at all then I saw the snow off of some branches and a track where he had landed inside the bush. One drop of blood on the snow was all I could find, so decided to look a little further. 

 

I didn’t have to go far, 100 feet from that spot lay my first deer ever taken with a muzzle loader, and what a deer it was!

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There is a sign on the wall in our camp which reads “Tailspin Hunt Camp: where the legend grows”…I can vouch for that now! (Dan Grant – March , 2011)

 

Thanks so much to Dan for sharing his story.

 

 

Footnote: Dan Grant’s impressive muzzleloader buck was scored recently for the Boone & Crockett Club, to the tune of 169 6/8” B&C. As one can imagine with a buck measuring so close to the benchmark 170”, the numbers were calculated and recalculated several times.

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Cormorant coming soon to a waterway near you

 cormorants

If you have never heard of the double-crested cormorant, you had better start Googling! 

For those of us in Eastern Ontario, you will not need to travel far to find one of these birds during the summertime. For residents of southern and south-western Ontario, the cormorant has virtual taken over the landscape! They are like a roving swarm of locusts which have descended on the Great Lakes and any other lake or river in their path.

And boy can they devour fish like their going out of style!

According to the OFAH: 

“Cormorant numbers are 250-times historic population records. Each cormorant eats a minimum of one-pound of fish per day; in other words, it takes about three yellow perch to feed the cormorants’ voracious daily appetite.” 

And what are the effects of these mangy birds on a provincial scale? 

“In Ontario, the net effect is over 42 million pounds of fish consumed by cormorants each year. Worse than what cormorants take is what they leave behind – that is, only the skeletons of mature shoreline trees. Cormorant droppings are so toxic they have destroyed thousands of miles of precious shoreline habitat.” 

So, after receiving the below photographs from no less than 12 people over the past two weeks, I figured it was about time I post them here at the Outdoors Guy.

The images are as plain as the nose on your face and speak a thousand words as to the devastation these homely black birds are causing:

Please be warned the images you are about to see are graphic in nature (and just imagine how the fish feel) These pics originate from the US, however, the effect on Canadian fish remains the same:

corm1

These fish-eating machines make short work of anything in their path. Even a good-sized walleye is no match for the cormorant’s powerful bite:
corm2

The damage caused by double-crested cormorant predation is equivalent to black death for our fish populations and something needs to be done.

Sure, the zebra mussels filtered out the zooplankton and cleared up our waters, but these marauding birds are quickly cleaning-out every baitfish and finned-creature they can fit in their greedy grasp.

Corm3

What can be done, you ask?

Well, you could sign the petition to support Bill 156 for starters. This is a private members Bill to remove cormorant protection and hopefully get the wheels in motion to control these pesky fish-eaters once and for all. 

Click on the OFAH link below to sign the petition:

http://www.ofah.org/cormorants/bill156.cfm

Outdoorsguy

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Cross Border Turkeys

POETurkey1

These inquisitive wild turkeys created quite a stir this week at the Canada Border Services Port of Entry (POE) in Cascade.

The Cascade POE is located in Southern British Columbia, and of course the images immediately bring a couple of questions to mind:

1)    What are these gobblers looking at inside the POE office?

2)   Are these actually American turkeys already checked through customs, or are they Canadian gobblers wanting to do some ‘cross-border’ shopping?

Thanks to Serge for sending-in the photos and for providing the theory that the big Tom is in full strut, not because there’s a pretty CBSA employee inside, but because he sees his reflection in the window.

POEturkey2

Outdoorsguy

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Outdoors Guy takes a big Provincial step

youth

(Photo depicts how I feel right now)

Ok folks, this may sound hard to believe for those who don’t know me that well, BUT, brace yourself for this…and promise not to laugh. 

I do NOT currently have an Ontario Hunting Card..there, I said it!! 

Yes, after living in Ontario for nearly 15-years, I thought it was high time I take the Ontario Hunter’s exam to finally get my very own, very first Ontario Hunting Card. 

I’m a big boy now – soon to be hunting in a very big province! 

In my 30+ years of hunting on the Quebec-side, I honestly never saw the need to pursue game over here; nor did I really have the sparetime. 

Until now… 

Let’s just say the coyote situation has prompted me to get my arse in gear; as it were. Who knows, I might even get back into trapping too. At least I’ve already taken the ON trapping course and managed to hold onto the certificate. 

Believe it or not, I actually did take the Ontario Hunter’s Safety Course back in 1988, while I was attending Carleton University. I never did end-up taking the exam or getting my card, though, don’t ask me why. 

Unfortunately the MNR told me yesterday they have long since lost any record of that course from the 80’s, but fortunately with my Quebec hunting card I am allowed to challenge the Ontario Hunter’s Exam, but only once.

Yippee!!! (Wait a sec, I’m not there yet)

If I pass, I can upgrade my current Outdoors Card to my very own IMA HUNTER Card. (Except with 187/Brown on it) If I fail, well, lets just say I will be acting rather sheepish for awhile..never to speak of this again. (and may even be forced to delete this post) 

huntercard

When I finally decided I wanted to take this Ontario hunting thing by the horns,  I got in contact with my old friend Wenda Cochran. She will be fixing me up with the Exam to be held on March 27th in Carp. 

I have it marked on my calendar with an asterisk!! 

You see, I took the Firearms Exam (PAL) with Wenda several years ago and it was as smooth as butter. She and her husband Peter do a marvellous job, so keep them in mind. Wenda is in charge of the Hunter Safety course, the Canadian Firearms Course & Exams, Possession & Acquisition, Minor’s Permit and Hunting License. 

To contact Wenda Cochran: 

http://lanark.realontario.ca/browse-sectors/education/13957.html 

Who knows, this whole Ontario hunting thing may turn into a great long-term relationship in a province which certainly has a lot to offer, from all the stories I’ve heard(& written) over the years.

Feel free to comment(those who aren’t too shocked or disgusted)

Outdoorsguy

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Ottawa Sportsmen's Show more than just boats

SportsmanShow

As the Ottawa, Boat & Sportsmen’s Show hits Landsdowne Park next Thursday; outdoor enthusiasts are being reminded that it’s not all about the acres of water craft. 

For the 24, 000 outdoors enthusiasts who stop-by, the annual Sportsmen’s Show is more about the passion and love for the great outdoors, than it is the 40-foot yachts. 

Each year, hoards of people tramp through Lansdowne to gaze at the boats, kick a few tires and perhaps inquire about the available financing options – and there is nothing wrong with that, you know, whatever floats your boat as they say.

But for other visitors, the Show is more about the little things near and dear the average sportsmen’s heart. It’s about getting tips with professionals like JP Ostiguy, Blake Rankie, Paul Shibata, Dave Chong or Grant McAllister, trying your luck at the Minto casting pond, or filling your bag with as many brochures as you can stuff-in. 

With over 200 exhibitors on-site, the Sportsmen’s Show gives me a chance to see old friends like Big Jim McLaughlin or Jamie Pastilli of the new Big City Fishing television show. It’s an opportunity to walk the floor; visiting with folks you may see but once a year, and exchange hunting and fishing stories.

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(Big Jim McLaughlin)

It is the people and the exhibitors, you see, that make the Sportsmen’s Show a real success – a diverse and dedicated bunch of outdoor nuts just like myself, which is the true appeal of such a show.

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(Jamie Pastilli of Big City Fishing)

Hey, if you think about it, the Sportsmen’s Show is really just a huge support group for hunters and fishermen.

A place where you will find folks like master knife maker Murray St. Amour – enjoy nothing more than sharing their craft with visitors to his booth. His knives are his pride and joy; all custom handcrafted from the steel to the leather casement, and he is tickled if visitors stop-by to check out some of his and other master knife makers’ work. Murray‘s passion helped fuel the Canadian Knifemakers Guild, of which, he was founder.

murrayknives

Visit the world’s first Blind Fishing Boat developed by legally-blind inventor, Lawrence Euteneier; his boat incorporates mainstream and assistive technologies that allow him to navigate his12-foot fishing boat across lakes on his own! Come meet Lawrence and his dog Maestro to discover the man with a passion for fishing which led to innovating boating. (I have featured Lawrence many times in my SUN Outdoors Column)

lawrence

(Lawrence Euteneier)

Hey, and if you’re interested in wild turkey hunting, the OFAH will be on-site to provide information on the Ontario turkey seminar. The Ministry of Natural Resources will also be there; gladly answering any hunting and fishing regulation questions you may have. 

The Show also offers ‘one stop shopping’ for the latest gear and information on where to go and what to do to make this your best year ever in the Great Outdoors. 

The heart of soul of the Sportsmen’s Show, in my opinion, is the passion of its visitors and exhibitors, and to be completely honest, I could care less if I saw another boat but that’s just me.

crowd

The Ottawa, Boat & Sportsmen’s Show runs from Thursday February 24 at 11:00 AM to Sunday at 5:00 PM.

Perhaps I will see you there!

Outdoorsguy

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Wife saves husband from Tiger Happy Valentines Day

Tigerfight

(Unrelated Tiger)

A woman in Malaysia gave her husband the best Valentine’s gift ever, by saving him from the jaws of a hungry tiger!

According to QMI Agency:

Tambun Gediu, 60, from an Orang Asli settlement in Kg Sungai Tiang, told the New Straits Times he was hunting squirrels in the Belum forest on Saturday when he came across the big kitty.

He tried to escape by climbing a tree, but the tiger dragged him back down.

“I was terrified and I used all my strength to punch the animal in the face, but it would not budge,” he told the newspaper. “I had to wrestle with it to keep its jaws away from me, and it would have clawed me to death if my wife had not arrived.”

His wife, Han Besau, 55, heard the commotion and came running. She beat the tiger’s head with her large wooden ladle until it ran away.

Tambun suffered wounds to his knees, neck and head. He is in hospital, in stable condition.

Now if you ask me, thats true love and the best Valentine’s gift a guy could ask for..so, what are doing for your loved one today on Valentine’s Day?

Outdoorsguy

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Alcohol and Ice-fishing

ON

It would appear that the Ontario Provincial Police are sending out mixed signals with regards to alcohol and ice-fishing.

As Kelly Roche of the Ottawa SUN reported:

“Last Thursday, Eastern Region OPP issued a statement saying it’s illegal to drink alcohol inside or outside a hut.

This was just two weeks after Sault Ste. Marie OPP said in a press release it’s OK to drink inside the huts — just not outside.

The Sun called OPP’s corporate communications department to find out who’s right.

While the force stopped short of saying they goofed, they did concede mixed messages were out there.

“We were aware that there was some contradictory information,” said Insp. Dave Ross.

Turns out both statements were clear as dishwater.

“Under the Liquor License Act, if you’re consuming liquor in an ice hut you could be charged,” Ross said, adding you’re exempt if you’re in a hut with legitimate cooking and sleeping facilities.

“The officer has to make a judgment call,” said Ross.

He said the majority of huts don’t have stoves or beds and people can rent ice bungalows with bunkbeds.

That has some ice fishers puzzled.”

 

icefishingATV

Ok folks, anyone who has ever spent time on the ice with a rod in hand knows, full well, that a beverage or two may be consumed along the way. Unlike open water fishing, having a drink or two while out on the ice just seems to come with the territory. 

As one angler pointed out, “It’s no different than going to the bar” I suppose, as long as that person doesn’t get behind the wheel afterwards. 

But this latest ruling may have many folks second-guessing that decision to throw-in a 6-pack of beer along with the minnow pail and ice auger.

Outdoorsguy

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CANADIAN Wild Game Cookbook casting call

Jimcooking 

(Photo: Jim Bindon of Arundel, Quebec and Steve Enright of Orleans pull a ‘MacGyver’ over the campstove with some deer steaks, after the outdoor cooking fire suddenly died out)

OK Folks, as I delve into my Canadian Wild Game Cookbook (published by Lone Pine Publishing) – the last of three 40,000 word books I have been working on since September, some may have wondered why I’ve been abnormally quiet.

Well, I hereby ‘officially’ invite all fellow hunters and conservationists at the Outdoors Guy Blog to be apart of my cookbook experience.

I am quite sure that most of you have enjoyed many wild-game cooking and meals over the years, with lots of great memories to go along with them…and this is where you guys come in. 

The Canadian Wild Fish Cookbook (hitting bookstores this spring btw) includes lots of great fish and fishing tidbits and information, advice from top Canadian chefs and funny fishing stories. 

The Canadian Outdoor Cookbook (also hitting bookstores later this spring) includes a lot of my own outdoor camping and cooking experience, plus excerpts from adventures over my years of travelling each and every Canadian province. 

My goal for the Canadian Wild Game Cookbook (To be released this Fall) is to (hopefully) include stories and experiences of fellow hunters from all around..to get a cross-section of what hunting and enjoying wild game means to all of us…i.e. hunt camp tales of cooking glory(or woe) funny stories of grilling a deer steak or simmering a moose stew during the season with the gang, things of that nature.

It is completely up to you with no pressure at all, so if you’d like to be apart of this major North American book release, I would love to include you in this project.

Simply email your short stories to [email protected] with the caption ‘Wild Game’, and I will take it from there!

Best regards,

Jeff Morrison – The Outdoors Guy