Category: Hunting

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Spring Turkey is here, trout & walleye close behind!

The annual spring turkey season is finally here, on both sides of the river, and gobbler enthusiasts are out in search of elusive beards and spurs.

The glorious gobbler has evolved into one of our most prolific game species, and spring turkey season is an activity enjoyed by thousands in Ontario, Quebec and beyond. Turkey enthusiasts wanting to partake in this popular spring hunt need be aware of the rules before heading afield in search of their quarry and regulations vary, depending on your province.

Ontario regs

In Ontario, it is illegal to pursue turkey within 400 meters of bait unless the location has been bait-free for one week. Bait is generally considered to be corn, wheat, oats, or other feed which may attract gobblers, or even an imitation of such feed. Crops and grain stacked in accordance with normal farming practices are not considered bait. Ontario hunters may purchase a maximum of two spring ‘bearded’ turkey tags, so long as they are not harvested on the same day. Wild Turkey season in Ontario opens April 25th and hunting is restricted to half an hour before sunrise until 7 p.m. For more information on Ontario’s spring turkey hunt: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-hunting-regulations-summary/wild-turkey#section-0

Quebec regs

Quebec’s spring wild turkey season kicks-off April 29th for most zones across the river and runs until May 23rd. Only bearded birds (Toms and Jakes) may be taken during the spring season. Quebec residents require a turkey-training certificate offered by the Federation of Angler’s and Hunters to pursue wild gobblers. Baiting of wild turkey within 100 meters of where you plan to hunt is illegal in this province. You are permitted to harvest two bearded gobblers during the spring season, and, unlike Ontario, they may be taken on the same day. A wild turkey training certificate as well as a turkey-hunting license is required and remember the use of an orange vest is also regulated. For more information on pursuing turkey in Quebec: https://www.quebec.ca/en/tourism-and-recreation/sporting-and-outdoor-activities/sport-hunting/game/wild-turkey

Walleye coming

Perhaps this country’s most popular game fish and easily one of the best eating, the wonderful walleye is usually the second season to open. Anglers who pursue marble eyes will be out in full force come the second Saturday in May. To keep walleye for consumption, they must measure 40 – 50 cm’s, with a possession limit of four fish on your regular license, and two fish with conservation license. For more information, consult regulations for Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 15 for Renfrew County excluding the Ottawa River: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-15

For the Ottawa River see: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-12

Conserving spring trout

Back in angling’s early days the adage, ‘a fish caught was a fish kept’ usually applied, but things have changed, especially for trout. With trout season a week away in most of our region, and across the river, learning how to catch and release trout is crucial. Safely releasing fragile ‘brookies’ requires patience and a soft touch. Barbless hooks and long-nosed pliers are a must and never use nylon landing nets. To watch a beautiful brook trout, swim off after a nice battle is an incredible feeling. You can always keep smaller fish to bring home but doing your part for conservation pays-off in the end, if you are willing to invest the time. If you had asked me 20 years ago about letting a 2–3-pound trout go free, I might have laughed. Conservation of the species requires self-control but offers copious long-term reward.

Tight lines folks and I will see you on the water.

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Hunting with Trail Cameras

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Wildlife surveillance cameras, or trail cams as they are commonly called, have evolved into perhaps the most crucial hunting tool on the market today. Hunters, wildlife photographers, and scientists now utilize these gadgets as a way of observing wildlife surreptitiously in its natural setting. Trail cams have become the ‘eyes and ears’ of the modern day hunter.

As a self-proclaimed trail cam aficionado, I have learned many tricks over the years with regards to wildlife surveillance equipment. Having teamed up with Bushnell Canada more than a decade ago, I’ve also had the good fortune of field-testing dozens of trail camera products along the way, and boy how things have changed!

The modern day Bushnell Trophy Cam is a sophisticated scouting tool and after having amassed more than 1 million images, stored on a dedicated hard drive occupying nearly 1 Terabyte of hard disk space, I finally have it down to a science. I use a dozen or more trail cameras, throughout the year, set-up at various locations to mirror the whitetails’ movement.

img src=”https://www.theoutdoorsguy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/TC2.jpg” alt=”TC2″ width=”1024″ height=”768″ class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-59061″/>

History & evolution of wildlife surveillance cams

Remote game camera technology has been around longer than most realize. Would you believe the first trail camera images were captured more than 100 years ago? Renowned photographer George Shiras is credited as the first to capture wildlife images on a remote camera system back in the 1880s (check them out here). Since then, trail cams have continued to evolve based on supply and demand. During what I call the ‘first wave’ of the trail cam boom during the late 1980’s, old-style 35 mm cameras were equipped with ‘hard wire’ trip lines, as a way of capturing wildlife images remotely. It was crude but it worked.

Digital technology paved the way for the modern cameras we see today. Gone are the bulky systems requiring large “D” batteries or even solar panels to maintain a charge. The modern cam’s are small, lighting fast and use passive infrared to capture images & video. Battery life has been extended to a year or more, and HD picture quality images and video capability is commonplace; combined with Infrared night vision allowing for quality image capturing 24/7.

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Setup strategies & Locations

How can we put this modern surveillance technology to practical use for hunting deer?

When looking for good camera locations on new territory, for example, keep an eye out for natural bottlenecks in the forest, or the edge-area where a field meets a stand of trees. Watch for natural travel corridors where deer travel between bedding and feeding areas. Placing a trail camera over bait is also common as it allows curious animals time to be captured on file while enjoying a snack.

The ideal set-up height I’ve found is 4-5’ feet in a tree measuring 10-14” in diameter. The camera straps are typically adjustable to smaller or larger trees. I like to place a small stick crossway at the back of the camera, at the top which forces the lens downwards at a better shooting angle. I also try to conceal the strap with bark whenever possible and make sure no strap length is waving in the wind.

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Once your trail cam is set-up, you should always take a few test shots to ensure the proper shooting angle and photo coverage is set correctly. A properly set up trail camera proves to be a much better scouting tool.

Trail cam equipment

Regardless of which model you purchase, a wide assortment of SD memory cards will be required. Those smaller SD cards with less memory (2-4 GB) are perfect for monitoring trails and for use in ‘camera mode’ only. When setting-up over bait, larger 16-32 GB memory cards are suggested. Higher resolution image settings and HD vid segments demand much more memory and will require a larger card. Some higher-end models are advertised as ‘invisible’ with LED infrared shades to mask the ‘glow’ of nighttime images. White-tailed deer, in my experience, are not overly spooked by infrared glow but predators such as coyotes and wolves definitely are!

When using trail cams in bear country or on public lands, I suggest the use of a protective metal box with a chain or cable attachments. Black bears are inherently curious and, trust me, they love nothing more than clawing and biting on the fresh plastic of your camera casing. A locked chain or cable also acts as deterrent on public lands to keep people from stealing your cameras. Going to check your trail camera and finding it gone can be heart-breaking.

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Reviewing Images

For anyone who trail cams regularly, playing back the images is the moment of truth and excitement. You will know instantly if your camera location was a good one. When saving an image file on your PC, be sure to include location name and date of viewing. For example: . Over time your image library will become a virtual deer scouting archive.

To show how specific deer patterns can be from day to day and year to year. One particular whitetail buck I’ve captured on trail cam for the past 5 years, has exhibited identical travel patterns & behavior. Three years in a row on the same exact day, at the same time, within 30 minutes, this particular deer travelled the exact same trail.

Over the years I have captured images of everything under the sun from mink, fisher, flying squirrels, coyotes, wolves, red fox, raccoons, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, American woodcock and scads of other neat creatures. These modern gadgets are more than mere scouting tools, they provide hours of fun and entertainment and a glimpse into wildlife behavior seldom seen.

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Hunt Camp season is upon us!

I’m heading back up to the hunt camp for the deer season, anyone else going?

This week, I had a nice chat on CHEZ 106 FM with my pals Doc, Woody & Randall, all about hunt camp and what it means to hunters (& guests) They asked me about the most luxurious hunt camp I’d ever visited and, truth be told, I’ve never really been to a super fancy one.

Rustic is just fine with me!

One person’s hunt camp could be as basic as a  4-man tent, while for someone else it might be a summer cottage transformed into a makeshift hunt camp when autumn arrives.

Others might be members of a private hunt club or an organized lodge, while some might even choose to go with an outfitter, rent a chalet or a small cabin. You could convert a fishing or trapping camp into a hunt camp in the fall and you know what, it doesn’t really matter. 

Regardless of what four-walls make-up your hunt camp, tis the season to celebrate the sport we all know and love in your private little domain.  Sharing the experience with friends and hunting companions only serve to enrich the experience. 

The hunt camp experience is something only a true hunter has ever known and will ever really understand. Sorry to all animal rights people, environmentalists and other ‘non-hunters’ out there, you simply cannot relate and this post will mean absolutely nothing to you. 

Yup, it is a time of year when many other things in our busy lives will take a backseat to this special place.  We will dream about it at night and long for that glorious day when we first arrive.

After nearly 40 years of this tradition, I realize the hunt camp experience is over in the blink of an eye..so enjoy your time to the fullest and for goodness sake, let it all soak in. You just never know when it could be your last!

This year is a transitional one for us with several new members joining for the first time, and my dad no longer hunting. It will certainly be different but we hope to create a new tradition, to carry-on the old…

Hey, anyone else ready for hunting season…I know I am!

Outdoorsguy

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Spring turkey hunters ready for liftoff!

Erin Braun of Danner Footwear with her first wild turkey

 

With the start of Ontario’s wild turkey season looming, gobbler enthusiasts across the Ottawa Valley will be in hot pursuit of beards and spurs!

For thousands of wild turkey hunters, April 25th marks the beginning of another coveted spring gobbler season. Thanks to successful reintroduction programs dating back 30 years, wild turkey populations across the province have reached sustainable levels. As we have witnessed over the past few years, there are more bird sightings than ever in the valley and around eastern Ontario, and the hunt is improving each spring. The glorious gobbler has evolved into one of the most prolific and tastiest games species around, so you had better get used to them.

For Ontario residents, remember that it is illegal to pursue turkeys within 400 meters of any place where bait has been deposited unless the place has been bait-free for at least one week. Bait is described as corn, wheat, oats or any other feed that may attract wild turkey or any imitation of such feed. Standing crops, crops stacked in accordance with normal farming practices and grain scattered as a result of normal farming operations are not considered bait. Following the rules is part of the game and it would be a shame to ruin a great hunt by pushing your luck.

Folks in Quebec should read the provincial regs for seasons and bag limits in your area…

Good luck to all the gobbler gurus’ out there and feel free to drop me a line with news from your area.

Outdoors Guy

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2017 Hunters Bragging Board

OK folks, its that time of year when men are men and bears, moose and deer are extremely nervous.

If you’ve enjoyed a successful big-game hunt this fall, I invite you to share your story and photos right here at the Outdoors Guy Blog.

As someone once said, its time to show ’em if you got ’em..and also feel free to send-in last year’s prowess if you’d like. I will post your stories right here!

Jeffbuck1

Fatherson2

MrOctober

Please keep in mind that all photos submitted  should be in a small file format. Usually less than 1/2 GB is fine.

Outdoorsguy

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Moose season almost here, anyone going?

With the annual moose season just around the corner, guys like our pal “Doug” (shown in the above photo) are chomping at the bit to get back to nature for the annual pursuit of the beloved swamp donkey known as Bullwinkle.

For enthusiasts who still hunt moose in Ontario, it will be interesting to see how this fall turns-out given recent changes set forth by the MNRF, following the announcement that moose in the north are in rough shape.

Even the QC side has seen its share of decline in some areas, from what I’ve heard.

All this to say that the status of the herd and moose numbers will not deter those who enjoy it…

In recent years, our deer gang have taken-up hunting moose with crossbow during the brief ‘bull only’ season which runs for little over 1 week in the Quebec Laurentians, around our deer camp. Although I haven’t taken-up crossbow hunting yet, I join the gang to put up some trail cams and try out a few calls.

With limited tags and numbers dwindling up north, guys from the Blog like “Tim” are contemplating a moose hunt closer to home where numbers seem to be more prevalent.

For those who still make the effort to hunt moose each fall, the reward may be nothing more than the sights and sounds of the great outdoors in the early fall, while for the other chosen few it may be successful moose-wise. Either way you look at it, pursuing moose is a special and longstanding tradition (sadly) enjoyed by less and less people these days.

For those about to moose hunt – we salute you. Please drop me a line with your moose hunting plans for this year?

 

Outdoorsguy

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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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Another exciting deer season!

My annual deer hunt at Kenauk Nature is always the highlight of my year, and this fall was no exception. The famous Montebello, Quebec territory, with its rugged terrain and majestic old growth stands of oak, brings me back year after year.

This particular deer season, as I gazed in amazement at a big mature whitetail buck loping roughshod through the hardwoods in front of me, my entire hunting season culminated in this one brief encounter. The scene was almost surreal as we watched the dark beast break from the comfort of his three does. But this wasn’t the only deer we saw during the deer season. Whitetail numbers, from what we observed, were definitely on the increase in this magnificent land, and back at our family hunt camp too where we spent the first part of the rifle season.

Population on the rebound

The first week of the deer hunt was spent as I have these past 36 years, climbing the peaks around our family camp near Mont Tremblant. I’m happy to report the whitetail population has rebounded swimmingly over the previous fall. We observed several does with twin fawns and the overall deer activity was up from last year. We were encouraged by the amount of deer sign in the way of images on my six trail cameras, as well as tracks in the woods. We chose to pass-up on a yearling buck as we have done in the past, and secretly crossed our fingers that other hunters might do the same. Word on the street is that deer numbers are up in eastern Ontario as well which great news for hunters and conservationists alike

Big buck on the move

As the biggest-bodied buck I’d seen in over 20 years trampled the Kenauk underbrush like matchsticks, my hunting partner Jim and I watched in disbelief.  There was no way in heck we were going to stop this beast and as the reality of the situation sunk-in; we were left scratching our heads. Chalk it up to one more eventful outing in the deer woods. We will be anxious to get back up there next fall with hopes of challenging this old monarch once again. Thanks to Bill Nowell and Celyne Fortin of Kenauk Nature for facilitating another great trip to a ‘little slice of heaven’. To enjoy wilderness at its best and top notch accommodations check out: http://kenauk.com/  For more information on deer hunting across the river, contact Tourism Quebec: 1-877-266-5687

Fish, Hunt & Ride Fall issue

The autumn issue of Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine is now available online; featuring scads of hunting, fishing and riding stories, news, tips and tricks. Fall is about hunting and we really take it to heart in this edition. Fish, Hunt & Ride would also like to welcome a new member of our team; Ashley Rae of SheLovesToFish.com fame. Ashley is a gal who lives and breathes the great outdoors and is as passionate an angler as I’ve ever seen! Be sure to read Ashley’s first column along with great material from our team of experts and specialists. Oh and hey, Ol’ Toothless is celebrating 20 years; read our fall issue for more details: www.fishhuntandride.ca.

Safety first

This time of year with some hunting still on the go, enthusiasts are reminded to be vigilant and take the necessary safety precautions. Remember that hunter orange of a minimum 400 square inches is required and, for Ontario residents, a hunter orange cap as well. Be sure to keep your firearms and ammunition locked away when not in use, and never shoot unless absolutely sure of your target and beyond. It is illegal to shoot from a vehicle or carry a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle, and remember that any hunter who harvests a deer must immediately attach the game seal. A safe hunt is a happy hunt and a careless accident can turn a wonderful day in the woods into tragedy.

Next time

Check out next month’s column for highlights from this year’s deer hunt as well as your Valley ice-fishing primer! Drop me a line anytime with your hunting and fishing news, or stories: [email protected].

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Experience a whitetail hunt this Fall


With moose season drawing to a close, whitetail hunters everywhere are gearing-up for the pursuit of North America’s most sought after big-game animal.

The white-tailed deer rifle season is a special and sentimental time I have enjoyed immensely for the past 36 years. From that first deer season back in 1980 when my dad brought me along to hunt with the men, I was hooked instantly. Of course I lucked out when a big eight-point buck ran right out to me on that first morning. It was an exciting time for a young green-horn hunter and I believe most hunters, young and old, still share this child-like enthusiasm for the deer season. My upcoming hunt at Kenauk Nature is something I now look forward to year after year. The famous Montebello, Que., deer woods is a true hunter’s paradise with its rolling hills, rugged terrain and the most majestic old growth stands of red oak I’ve ever seen. Climbing the peaks each autumn with my hunt gang in pursuit of a whitetail buck is always exciting, and this year is no exception. I have been fortunate to take some truly magnificent whitetail bucks at Kenauk over the years but, as most deer hunters know, it’s not all about the harvest.

Getting out in the crisp, cool fall air with the boys planning out each hunt with a fine-tooth comb is what we live for. Coming together as a team; strategizing and pouring over topographic maps and GPS co-ordinates with hopes of positioning ourselves for a chance at a deer. Many years our best planning does not translate into a sagging game pole and that’s fine with me. The experience is what it’s all about and what an experience it is! For more info on Kenauk Nature: http://kenauk.com/

Fish, Hunt & Ride Fall issue If you have not yet found an issue of everyone’s favourite magazine – Fish, Hunt & Ride, I suggest you find one at our nearly 300 location. The FHR summer edition celebrated Ontario’s reinstatement of the black spring bear hunt with adventures penned by several columnists’ including ‘Uncle’ Ted Nugent. Our fall issue will be bigger and better than ever with scads of hunting, fishing and riding stories, news, tips and tricks.

Fall is ALL about hunting and we really take it to heart in our next edition. Fish, Hunt & Ride would like to welcome a new member of our team: Ashley Rae of SheLovesToFish.com fame. Ashley is a gal who lives and breathes the great outdoors and is as passionate an angler as I’ve ever seen. Be sure to read Ashley’s first column along with great material from other members of our team of experts and specialists. Oh and hey, Old Toothless is celebrating 20 years, read our fall issue for more details. If you have an upcoming hunting, fishing, or ATV event in your area you’d like to mention or advertise, drop us a line. In the meantime check out our website: www.fishhuntandride.ca.

Safety always comes first! Statistics show that firearms-related accidents are rare during the hunting season, however there are other health and safety concerns to be aware of. Perhaps our greatest hazard, apart from falling asleep in the tree stand, would be muscle strain and body fatigue.

For many hunters, deer season can be one of most strenuous activities of the year. After trekking five miles or more up and down the mountains, aches and pains are part of the package and injury a possibility. Simple stretching exercises in the morning can help get the old body loosened up and ready for an enjoyable day in the woods. For those who do a lot of walking like we do, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Waking up at camp in the middle of the night with excruciating leg pain from muscle spasms can be avoided if you don’t let yourself get dehydrated. Trust me on this one. Good luck, happy hunting and be safe out there this fall!