Outdoors Guy Blog

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Summer fun in the Great Outdoors

Submitted photo<br /><br /> The Outdoors Guy Jeff Morrison with a small but spunky mackerel caught while deep-sea fishing in Rye, New Hampshire.

Regardless of what adventure you embark upon this summer your time spent fishing, hunting, riding or RV’ing in the great outdoors is the ultimate reward.

In my opinion summer is meant to be enjoyed leisurely, with my family and friends in an outdoor setting. Camping, cottaging, and of course fishing, are a few of the things I enjoy. One day, I could be casting for northern pike and bass with my Mrs. Outdoors Guy at the trailer in Cobden or putting up trail cameras, and the next I might be scouting the deer woods or doing work on the hunt camp. Holiday season is all about getting back to basics and enjoying things that really matter.

One of my highlights each summer is our family trip to the New Hampshire seacoast. Even though the Live Free or Die State boasts a modest 22-kilometre coastline, what a stretch it is to behold. We stay in Rye beach and travel south beyond the Massachusetts border in less than 10 minutes, while being able to head north the Kittery, Maine in about 15 minutes. Our day of fishing with my pal Capt. Brad Cook of the Atlantic Queen is the pinnacle. Touring the Isle of Shoals in Brad’s 24-metre Supercruiser catching mackerel hand over fist, while watching harbour seals dodge the lobster pots, is totally entertaining. If you’ve never visited New England, do yourself a favour and book a day aboard the Atlantic Queen II. Rye is home to such celebs as Liv Tyler, daughter of rocker Steven Tyler, and Tyler McLaughlin of Wicked Tuna fame, along with the best tasting soft-shelled lobster you’ve ever eaten. For more info on fishing with the Atlantic Queen II: http://www.atlanticqueenfishing.com/

Ford F-150 King Ranch

The 2017 Ford F-150 King Ranch I road-tested earlier this month, made an already great adventure up the Valley better and certainly more rugged. The new F-150 King Ranch trim comes equipped with country-style western leather accents and lots of upgrades and boasts a 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 engine with six-speed automatic transmission. Such features as Pro Trailer Backup Assist, Blind Spot Information System (BSIS) and cross-traffic alert make the new F-150 more sophisticated than its predecessors, yet the overall ‘Ford truck appeal’ remains good and strong. I did enjoy the standard ‘Reverse sensing system’ which came in handy for parking in tight spots or manoeuvring around rocks and tree branches on backwoods roads; almost like Big Brother was watching from all corners. The new King Ranch trim is custom-made for towing with standard electric brake controller and large split towing mirrors installed. Though I did not haul anything on this outing, as an RV’er I can appreciate the well-appointed towing features. Thanks to Melissa Wood of National Public Relations and Ford Canada for the opportunity of trying out this truly great truck. For more on the 2017 Ford F-150 King Ranch: http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/2017/models/king-ranch/

Bear awareness this summer

Each summer cottagers, campers and municipalities are urged to do their part to avoid nuisance bears. Black bears are attracted to any food source, and in areas where berries and other natural forage is not available, bear’s will eat whatever they can get including pet food, compost and even garbage. They will also return to food sources they remember from last year so be mindful when spending time in bear country. Bear encounters are very rare, but they do occur so be sure to keep your wits about you this summer.

If you have a nuisance animal around your property, report it immediately to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in Pembroke at 613-732-3661.

Next time!

Be sure to check out the next Outdoors Column as we discuss the upcoming hunting season just around the corner, folks!

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Bass fishing season arrives in the Ottawa Valley

Submitted photo</p><br /><br /> <p>Ed Puddephatt, owner of Paddletale's in Winchester, with a hefty bass caught during the Renegade Bass Classic on Seeley's Bay.

Submitted photo Ed Puddephatt, owner of Paddletale’s in Winchester, with a hefty bass caught during the Renegade Bass Classic on Seeley’s Bay.


Bass might be the last fishing season to open each year but with a huge following it remains one of the most popular sport fish in Canada.

The bass season in the Ottawa Valley – Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 15 – gets underway this Saturday, the fourth Saturday in June, two weeks later than most other fish species. From a conservation perspective, the later season allows smallmouth and largemouth bass time to spawn and for young bass to mature. Other fish species like walleye and trout play no role in guarding of the eggs so their seasons always open earlier in the spring. Anyone who fishes the Ottawa River, or Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 12 as its known, may start bass fishing this Friday. If anyone’s looking for me this weekend, I’ll be in Cobden hoping to hook a biggie!

Take note that Canada’s premiere bass fishing series; Renegade Bass, also launches its 2017 season this weekend with the first qualifier event on Newboro Lake. For info on Renegade Bass visit http://www.renegadebass.com/

Ontario Family Fishing Week

The goal of Ontario Family Fishing week is introducing new anglers to the special activity we call sport-fishing. Between July 1 and 9 anglers are encouraged to plan a fishing day at your nearest stream, pond, river or lake and be sure to bring along ‘the fam’! As a way of reminding folks the recreational value of our freshwater fishery, the Ontario government waves the fishing licence requirement for this period each summer. Anglers without a licence must still abide by the limits set out in the Conservation permit and all other regulations remain enforced; including size limits and protected sanctuaries. Watch for kid’s events planned for Arnprior and Douglas. For more information: http://www.ontariofamilyfishing.com/events/

Deer tag draw

Valley deer enthusiasts are watching the calendar closely as the antlerless deer tag validation draw closes on June 30. There are three application methods available although your chances at a tag remain the same, whether you apply by telephone, Internet or at a Service Ontario outlet. To apply over the phone dial 1-800-288-1155, but remember that if you have already purchased your regular deer licence, you’ll not be permitted to enter the draw this way, and must apply either online or visit a Service Ontario outlet. For more information: http://www.ontario.ca/travel-and-recreation/apply-big-game-draw

Big money event

The Lefaivre Lions Club is holding its annual bass tournament on the Ottawa River this Saturday, June 24 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. With thousands in cash and prizes up for grabs, the town’s Open Bass Tournament has garnered the attention of anglers from across the region and beyond. The Lions Club hosted its first Annual Open Bass Tournament back in 1993, and here we are more than two decades later and the event is bigger than ever. Registration is $200 per boat (teams of two) plus $20 for the big fish prize. For more information: http://www.en.lefaivrelions.com/General-information.page

Big bears are us!

A big congratulation goes out to three members of the Fish, Hunt & Ride Team on their recent Ontario black bear hunts! While stalking his quarry, Brian Houle took an impressive 300 pound bruin at a scant 15 yards. While filming an episode of Canada Hunts in Alberta, Amanda Lynn Mayhew harvested a once-in-a-lifetime black bear from 17 yards. The entire hunt will be televised as part of the 2018 season of Canada Hunts on WildTV. Another FHR team member “Uncle Ted” Nugent also took a trophy black bear last week during his annual Ontario bear hunt at Rick Dickson’s camp near Wawa, Ont. Congrats to Amanda Lynn, Brian and Ted on their successful spring bear hunts.  For more info on Amanda Lynn’s new TV show: https://www.facebook.com/Canadahunts/?fref=mentions

Check out more on Uncle Ted’s at TedNugent.com and on his popular Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/tednugent/posts/ 

You can read Brian Houle’s Spring column in the latest issue of Fish, Hunt & Ride: https://view.joomag.com/fish-hunt-ride-spring-2017/0510083001496149656?short

Ontario’s spring bear hunt was reinstated last year on a trial basis, after an almost 20-year cancellation.

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Alaskan teen killed in predatory black bear attack

SUN Media has just reported that a 16 -year-old runner in Anchorage has been fatally mauled by a black bear. Though the report indicates black bear attack(as apposed grizzly attacks) are sort of like being struck by lighting, black bears have historically been responsible for more fatal attacks that grizzlies.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Patrick Cooper’s family…

 

SUN Media Report:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Patrick Cooper had already turned around after reaching the halfway point in a popular mountain race in Alaska when he somehow veered off the trail and became lost. That’s when the 16-year-old Anchorage boy encountered the black bear that would take his life in a rare predatory attack.

Cooper began running, and at one point he reportedly placed a frantic call to his brother, saying he was being chased by a bear Sunday in the Robert Spurr Memorial Hill Climb race south of Anchorage. The brother notified race director Brad Precosky, who alerted race crews to begin searching for Cooper, known as Jack.

It took a couple hours for responders to locate the teen, whose body was found about a mile up the path, at about 1,500 vertical feet (457 vertical meters). The bear was found at the site, guarding the body, Precosky said.

A Chugach State Park ranger shot the 250-pound (113-kilogram) bear in the face, but the animal ran away.

Alaska State Troopers said the boy’s remains were airlifted from the scene on Sunday.

State park staffers were scouring the area Monday looking for the bear, state Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh said. Sunday’s attack was believed to have been a rare predatory move, not a defensive action such as when a female bear will protect her cubs, he said.

“It’s very unusual,” Marsh said of the mauling. “It’s sort of like someone being struck by lightning.”

Later Monday, a second fatal mauling at the hands of a black bear was reported nearly 300 miles northeast of Anchorage. Officials with an underground gold mine reported a contract employee hired to take geological samples was killed and another injured in a black bear attack.

No names have been released. Alaska State Troopers and federal mine officials are investigating the mauling at Pogo Mine.

Matt Wedeking, division operations manager with Alaska State Parks, said the predatory behaviour of the bear in the attack on the teen was not normal. Asked if there were cubs around this black bear, he said, “We don’t know. There could have been. But right now I don’t have any information about the bear.”

The last fatal mauling in the state occurred near Delta Junction in Alaska’s interior in 2013, when a man was killed by a male black bear, Marsh said. The last fatal bear attack in the greater Anchorage area was in 1995, when two people were killed in the Turnagain Arm area by a brown bear protecting a moose carcass, he said.

Last week, a juvenile and two young adults sustained minor injuries when a female brown bear with two cubs attacked them. Authorities shot at that bear, but it ran off.

Athletes who run wilderness races in Alaska know bear encounters are always an inherent possibility. Much of the vast state is bear country, after all, and even the competitions themselves can come with warnings, or liability waivers for participants to sign.

But competitors often train alone in such areas and are fully aware of the dangers. Races actually can be said to cut down on the risk of a bear encounter because so many people are there, making noise and making their presence known, Precosky said. “There’s no safer time to be on a mountain than on a race,” he said.

Competitors note that races involve large noisy crowds, which can spook the animals away from the action. Still, there’s no guarantee of 100 per cent safety, as a weekend mountain race proved with the fatal mauling of a 16-year-old boy.

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Pike and walleye season has arrived

Avid angler from Arnprior, Chad Riopelle, with a pair of nice early season walleyes!

Chad Riopelle, of Arnprior, with a pair of nice early season walleyes

 

Anglers in search of northern pike and walleye have been out in full force with both species now fair game in Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 15.

Be sure to check the rules and regulations before hitting the water this weekend. If you should accidentally catch another species for which the season is still closed, it must be immediately (and safely) returned to the water. FMZ 15 is very large zone covering much of Northeastern Ontario; extending eastward to the Ottawa River, south to Arnprior, north to Deux Rivieres and west across all of Algonquin Park to Parry Sound. Best of luck in your northern pike and walleye endeavours, I am hoping to land a few myself this weekend in Cobden. Early season northern pike offer great table fare with four to five pound specimens being the best eating size, in my opinion.

Blind Anglers International Tournament

The 27th annual Blind Angler’s International Tournament. (B.A.I.T) is coming to Westmeath this weekend. The region is a fitting spot for such an event in a most beautiful part of the province. Legally blind men and women along with professional anglers will converge at Nangor Resort for a fun-filled weekend of angling. This year’s event kicks off with a dinner at the Westmeath Community Centre and runs from May 26 to 28. The opportunity to learn a new skill or to re-kindle an old passion, serves as a mechanism of rehabilitation for participants in this well-respected event. For more information, http://www.a4lions.ca/bait-tournament. Lion George Burton is this year’s event chairman. Check out beautiful Nangor resort: http://nangorresort.com/?cfid=14694&cftoken=94689391

Conserving trout

In my early days it was always felt that ‘a fish caught was a fish kept’, but it doesn’t need to be that way anymore. To safely release a fragile brook trout requires patience and a soft touch at canoe or boat-side. Barbless hooks and a good set of long-nosed pliers are a must. To witness a beautiful brook trout swimming away after a nice battle is an incredible feeling. Sure, you can catch enough smaller fish to bring home but doing your part for conservation will surely payoff in the end. My family trout trip earlier this month up to valley to Temiscaming, Que. was a hoot. We caught loads of big trout and released 80 per cent of our catch while still enjoying some tasty meals. Practising conservation of the species requires self-control but offers copious long-term reward.

Bear hunt across the river

With all the excitement around pike and pickerel, don’t forget about the spring bear hunt across the river which also got under way this past weekend. Hunters need bear in mind that in certain sectors of the Outaouais the season closes on June 15, two weeks earlier than for rest of the province which allows bear hunting until June 30. With the month of June fast approaching, the once cautious animals will have become accustomed to feeding regularly at bait sites, and with the onset of mating season adult males travel extensively in search of a mate. Both of these factors will have a positive effect on hunter’s success rate. For more information on the bear hunting across the river and the many lodging opportunities, contact the Federation of Quebec Outfitters: https://www.pourvoiries.com/en/

Fish, Hunt & Ride – spring issue

Thanks to FHR team member and Pembroke native Jordan Durocher and his dad, several upper valley and Pontiac stores and shops are currently being stocked with Fish, Hunt & Ride Magazine’s spring issue. This issue is all about black bears, gobblers, walleye, trapping, trout fishing and cooking, Uncle Ted Nugent, an exclusive interview with rising Canadian country starlet Meghan Patrick. All this and tons more hunting, fishing and riding action is included. For more information on Fish, Hunt & Ride: http://www.fishhuntandride.ca/

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Ontario wild turkey season, coming right up!

Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine columnist Brian Houle with a nice springtime gobbler.

Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine columnist Brian Houle with a nice springtime gobbler.

With next Monday’s kick-off to the province’s wild turkey season, hunters from across the region are gearing-up for another exciting spring. April 25 has become the new standardized date for launch of the coveted annual spring gobbler season. Thanks to reintroduction programs dating back more than three decades, wild turkey populations across the province have exceeded expectations. Yes, the glorious gobbler has evolved into one of the most prolific (and tastiest) game species around, so you had better get used to them. Hunters need be aware that it is illegal to pursue turkeys within 400 meters of bait that has been deposited, unless the location has been bait-free for at one week. Bait is described as corn, wheat, oats or any other feed that may attract wild turkey or any imitation of such feed. Crops stacked in accordance with normal farming practices and grain scattered as a result of normal farming operations, are not considered bait. New this year, turkey hunters are permitted to use shot size #7 along with the standard #4, #5 and #6 size shotgun shot. For more information on Ontario spring turkey hunting along with other changes to the spring season: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-hunting-regulations-summary

Scribe heading for trout In three short weeks, I depart on my annual trout fishing adventure with my dad and brother-in-laws, so my mind is currently filled with visions of north wood’s serenity and behemoth brookies. It doesn’t really matter how far you travel so long as you bask in Mother Nature’s springtime spectacle. Playing cards and horseshoes, walking the woods, portaging the canoe and scouting backwoods trails are all part of the experience. For all the avid trout anglers out there, here’s to tight lines, bent rods and monster ‘specs’ as far as the eye can see. Remember to catch your limit but also limit your catch. Fish, Hunt and Ride spring issue on the way! Hunters, anglers and off-road enthusiasts await the arrival of everyone’s favourite magazine with baited breath. The spring issue of Fish, Hunt and Ride is just around the corner and, trust me, it’s bigger and better than ever. Now available at over 200 outlets across eastern Ontario and west Quebec, our exciting spring issue features black bear, spring trout, turkey, ATV events, shed antler hunting, Ottawa fly-fishers, Uncle Ted, an informative interview with Canadian country starlet Meghan Patrick and much more.  Thanks to everyone who showed-up for the FHR Sportsmen’s Show early this month.  It was a huge success and we’re already looking ahead to our next show! For more information on where to find FHR near you, check us out online at http://www.fishhuntandride.ca

Be bear safe While fishing, hunting or camping in bear country this spring, be sure to keep your wits about you. During the trout season I always carry a can of bear spray and though I’ve never used it, it is there at the ready. Statistics show that there are a dozen or so bear attack in North America each year, some of which end in a fatality. Bear spray can be  purchased at local hunting and fishing stores and will provide a bit of extra insurance when travelling in bear country.

Sportsmen Bragging Board Have you gone on a recent hunting or fishing trip and taken some great images? I am looking for some of the most original photos, captured in the great outdoors, for a Readers’ Photo Section here in the Pembroke Daily Observer and for FHR mag as well.If you have some neat pics you would like to share with thousands of like-minded individuals, send them by email to: [email protected]. Be sure to send along a caption as well.

 

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Fish, Hunt & Ride Sportsmen’s Show – THIS weekend at EY Centre!!

Spring has finally arrived and this year’s most exciting show is near and dear to me heart and will have hunters, fishermen and ATVers heading to Ottawa in droves!

It’s hard to believe this time last spring I had just introduced readers to a new local publication – Fish, Hunt & Ride, and now this year our magazine has its very own sportsmen’s show. Talk about cool! Sharing space at Ottawa’s EY Centre with the Outdoor Travel & Adventure Show next weekend (April 1-2) I am proud to present the 1st annual Fish, Hunt and Ride Sportsmen’s Show. Organized by the team from this region’s two best magazines – Ottawa Outdoors and Fish, Hunt & Ride, our show features tons of outdoor services, gear and apparel, exhibitors, hunting/fishing lodges and more ATVs than you can shake a stick at. Come check out the Adventure Stage for informative seminars by sporting experts and FHR team members Amanda Lynn Mayhew, Ashley Rae, Jamie Pistilli and Lawrence Gunther. Even muskie Guru John Anderson will be on-hand.

And if that lineup isn’t enough to entice come visit the Fish, Hunt & Ride booth where yours truly and a handful of FHR columnists will be stationed, my FHR team and I will be handing-out mags and chatting with readers about all things fishing, hunting or riding-related. We look forward to speaking with dozens of avid local sportsmen and women who will (hopefully) stop-by to say howdy. For more information on next weekend’s Fish, Hunt and Ride Sportsmen’s Show. http://www.fishhuntandride.ca/

I look forward to seeing you all! !

Toyota Tundra fun

Toyota’s 2017 Tundra TRD Pro pickup truck I road-tested recently, made for an enjoyable week of touring the town. The new Tundra, with its 5,500 pounds of “twisted steel and sex appeal” came equipped with ample 381 hp, 5.7 liter V8 engine. The TRD Pro trim is a slick looking truck, indeed a modern ‘cement’ matte grey colour. Having read other reviews from professionals who gave this truck overall high marks but noted that it was due for a facelift, I take these rumblings with a grain of salt. Having reviewed the 2013 Tundra and several other full-size pickups from other auto makers in past few years, I had others to compare to. For me, the new TRD Pro was solid, comfortable and roomier than the one tested three years ago. As many Toyota aficionados and even the auto-maker themselves would likely argue, why change something when it’s working? This truck is as smooth and supple a ride as any I’ve seen in a pickup and with smooth Bilstein towing shocks all around and TRD coil-overs on the front, varying terrain felt as smooth as butter. The Tundra garners highest marks for reliability and resale value, both huge in my books. Fuel consumption was not stellar as I averaged between 18-19 L/100 KM, which runs a tad thirstier than some competitors. Long-term maintenance/repair costs on these trucks, combined with high residual value make them a sound investment. Thanks to Tina Allison of Toyota Canada for the opportunity of road-testing this great truck. For more info on the 2017 Toyota Tundra: https://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/vehicles/tundra/overview
Column Anniversary

This month marks the four year anniversary of this Outdoors Guy column with your Pembroke Daily Observer, and I wish to thank managing editor Anthony Dixon and news editor Tina Peplinskie. Thanks also to the avid sportsmen, and women of the Ottawa Valley for your support over the years. As many are aware, hunting and fishing newspaper columns have all but gone by way of the dodo bird, so it’s great to keep this one going!
Ice hut removal

Pembroke District’s March 31 mandatory ice-hut removal is coming-up next week and ice-anglers are reminded that huts which end-up in waterways after ice-out are in violation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, though I suspect the majority of huts are gone by this point. Winter angling remains open on most lakes and rivers although ice conditions would be sketchy and unsafe by this point.

 

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Maple syrup season is upon us!

Image result for maple syrup sugar shack

Tapping and maple syrup season is here, based on weather at least!

I heard from my pal “imacdon” who was already tapping last weekend, and I’ll be heading out to my garage shortly to gather the spouts and pails for our own little operation.

My daughter Grace and I produced a whopping 1 litre of syrup last spring from just two trees. Not a ton but still fun.

Ahhhh, there is nothing quite like maple syrup production, and I have spent more years than I can recall with my Dad working the sugar bush at the Arundel Natural Science School. Times I will never forget..not easy work, mind you, but extremely rewarding and tasty.

What a blast it was – laying lines, repairing breaks, tapping, watching the evaporator, taking-off the syrup and running the old creaky canner. The entire operation is a blast right down to the moment when that batch of syrup is ready to harvest…man, it tastes awesome when its warm, doesn’t it?

There is a true science involved in any maple syrup operation; from understanding maple sap’s sugar content at various times of the season, knowing the colour, taste and density of different syrup grades, to understanding basic things such as building (and maintaining) the perfect fire to keep your evaporator going strong. Its not as easy as its sounds.

Then there’s moment when the ‘webbing starts’ at precisely 7 degrees above boiling point of water, and your pure maple syrup is ripe for the picking (or pouring I should say)

Old school syrup producers have never used 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 predict..now that is science in itself.

The final product, well, it is 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 over 90% of the WORLD’S supply of maple syrup(majority produced in QC and eastern ON) – a statistic we should be extremely proud of. 

Maple syrup production is a big part of our heritage just like hunting, fishing or the fur industry. 

So, get out there and enjoy some pure Canadian goodness!! The forecast looks good for sap to run over the next few days and lets hope favorable temperatures remain long enough for another great season! (Last spring btw was one of the best syrup seasons in recent memory)

Now, out to my garage I go to gather some equipment..and then wake my daughter up!

Outdoorsguy

 

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Winter Fishing is here, be careful on the ice!

A group of happy ice fisherman after a productive day of winter trout fishing in the Dacre area.

(A group of happy ice fisherman after a productive day of winter trout fishing in the Dacre area)

 

With the region’s ice-fishing season now under way winter anglers are being reminded that safety should always come first.

Winter anglers venturing out on the hard top this month must always tell someone where they will be fishing and when they plan to return. Appropriate clothing and equipment are also vital to safety and comfort. Some ice-fishermen may prefer survival suits and should carry a set of ice picks, while others go to the extent of using modified ice vehicles with the doors removed, in case of an untimely plunge. Ok, so tearing the doors off your car may sound extreme but the point is taken. Please remember the rule that ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness, especially now at the start of the winter season where near-shore ice is undoubtedly thicker than ice further out.

Best of luck this winter and for goodness sake, be careful out there!

Dogs and deer

A reminder to dog owners who allow their animals to run feral in the deer woods during wintertime, their actions may be devastating for whitetail populations at a fragile time of year. Conservation Officers deal with dogs on the loose each winter and, in case you did not know, are authorized to destroy any dogs observed chasing or injuring deer in areas where herds gather for the winter. Penalties for allowing your animal to be at large during the closed season for deer, range anywhere from $155 up to $25,000. With the high density of coyotes in our region it is also in your dog’s best interest to have Rover under wraps during the winter months.

Coyote conundrum continues

If feral dogs weren’t enough, this week I lost another member of my dwindling resident whitetail herd, to coyotes. The deer stopped coming to my feeder more than a month ago, and a neighbour emailed me this weekend to say he found remains of a recent kill no more than 300 yards from the house. Of the six whitetails that frequented my ‘back 40’ in recent months, only one was a fawn and according to a description of the remains found,  it appear to be a juvenile that was killed. Public opinion keeps yapping in my ear that coyotes are simply ‘doing what comes naturally’ and that is just the way things are.

Anyone who subscribes to wildlife management understands that conservation includes predator control and in the case of the eastern coyote, and what is referred to now as a ‘North American urban coyote epidemic,’ there is cause for concern. In my case living within City of Ottawa limits, a ‘no discharge zone’ means I must watch theses marauding ‘yotes run rampant across my property with my hands tied. Now with Ontario’s recent protection of the hybrid Algonquin Coywolf, the wily eastern coyote sadly falls under the same umbrella and is protected further.

I truly hope the ‘coyote-huggers’ among us are satisfied when our local deer populations are decimated beyond repair. The thought of this turns my stomach.

Fishing guide service

Fellow Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine team member and renowned angler Jamie Pistilli has recently launched a new fishing service called Rising Sun Fishing Charters. It is a full service guide business that offers family and seniors trips, as well as youth trips, team building, business meetings, fly-fishing for anything that swims in the Ottawa/Gatineau region, and beyond. He specializes in giant carp, musky, longnose gar, bass, trout and northern pike. Jamie has many satisfied clients to his credit including US Ambassador Bruce Heyman. For more info on Rising Sun Fishing Charters: www.facebook.com/risingsunfishingcharters

Ice-fishing rundown

In my next Outdoors Guy column I will run down some of the top ice fishing destination our region has to offer. Do you have a favourite winter fishing hotspot? Drop me a line at: [email protected]

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Enormous backyard buck alive and well!!

This awesome looking 14-point monster buck has spent the past 5 1/2 years roaming around my place and I have photographed him many times. He is actually the only buck I never got around to naming, so I’ll just call him ‘No Name.’

I am happy to report that No Name is alive and doing well!

This deer is quite distinctive with a separate non-typical point coming off his main beam on the right side, along with some nice kicker points! He’s had this non-typical crown for the past two years. It is the same buck who rubbed a tree 10 feet from my garage in Nov, 2015 and again this year in late November. He can barely fit his enormous rack inside my deer feeder!

Enjoy the wonder and beauty of this magnificent beast!

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