Tag: Fish

Posted on

Anglers excited about pike and walleye

Jeff Morrison with a decent early-season northern pike he caught in Cobden.
Valley 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! Where length limits apply, anglers should measure their catch carefully, and any fish caught must also be kept whole so it can be measured by a conservation officer. 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 a 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 all 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 too with four to five pounders being the best eating size in my opinion.

Conserving trout

When it came to brook trout, in my younger 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 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 keep enough smaller fish to bring home but doing your part for conservation will surely pay off in the end. If you had asked me 15 years ago about letting a two to three pound brook trout go, I probably would have laughed. Practising conservation of the species requires self-control but offers copious long-term reward.

Bear hunt across the river

With all the hubbub around pike and pickerel, don’t forgot 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 a hunter’s success rate. For more information on bear hunting across the river, contact Tourism Quebec: 1 877 BONJOUR (266-5687).

Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine spring issue

The spring issue of Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine is now available at over 130 outlets across eastern Ontario and Western Quebec FREE of charge. Our exciting new issue features black bear, spring trout, steelhead, turkey filming, ATV events, shed antler hunting, fly-fishing tips, an interview with ‘Uncle’ Ted Nugent and more. Pick up your copy of FHR in such towns as Barry’s Bay, Killaloe, Forresters Falls, Golden Lake and Madawaska up the Ottawa Valley, and across in the Pontiac, at Fort Colounge, Gracefield and Low. In Pembroke, look for copies available at Pembroke Esso, Suny’s, Bee Line Wreckers and more, or in Petawawa at Petawawa Guns and Petawawa Pizza. For more information on where to find an outlet near you, check out our website: http://www.fishhuntandride.ca.

Posted on

Fish, Hunt & Ride Magazine – Spring issue is here!

FHR-SPRING COVER2

All those hunters, anglers and ATV enthusiasts awaiting the arrival of the Region’s favourite new magazine with baited breath, need wait no further!

The spring issue of Fish, Hunt & Ride is finally here, fresh off the press and it’s bigger and better than ever!!

Now available at over 130 Outlets across eastern Ontario and Western Quebec FREE of charge, our exciting new edition features black bear, spring trout, steelhead, turkey filming, ATV events, shed antler hunting, fly-fishing tips, an informative Q&A interview with our columnist Ted Nugent and way more.

This week you can pick up your copy of FHR in such towns as; Barry’s Bay, Killaloe, Forrester’s Falls, Golden Lake and Madawaska up the Ottawa Valley, and across in the Pontiac at Fort Colounge, Gracefield, Low and all points in-between. I’ll also be delivering a bundle to my hometown of Arundel, QC, at the Arundel Provision’s store!

I know for a fact there are a whackload of FHR – Spring issue sitting at SAIL as it tends to be the first drop-off spot during Distribution.

For more information on where to find an Outlet near you, check out our newly revamped website; www.fishhuntandride.ca

You may also read our Spring issue online: http://www.joomag.com/magazine/fish-hunt-ride-spring-2016/0596995001462510565?short

Please stop by our Facebook Page as well and let us know what you think of the new issue: www.facebook.com/fishhuntandride

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Turkey hunters out in full force

My Pembroke column is out in today’s paper for readers up the valley, or online for everyone else:

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2016/04/20/ontario-wild-turkey-hunters-prepare-for-lift-off

Daily Observer columnist Jeff Morrison offers up his take on the great outdoors.

Daily Observer columnist Jeff Morrison offers up his take on the great outdoors.      

 

With Monday’s kick-off to the province’s wild turkey season, gobbler enthusiasts across the Ottawa Valley will be in hot pursuit of beards and spurs.

For thousands of wild turkey hunters next Monday (April 25th) marks the beginning of another coveted spring gobbler season. Thanks to successful reintroduction programs dating back 30 years ago, 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!

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.

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

Fish, Hunt & Ride Mag, spring issue coming

Hunters, anglers and all-terrain enthusiasts await the arrival of the region’s favourite new magazine with baited breath. The spring issue of Fish, Hunt & Ride is just around the corner and, trust me; it’s bigger and better than ever. Now available at over 130 outlets across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec FREE of charge, our exciting new issue features black bear, spring trout, steelhead, turkey filming, ATV events, shed antler hunting, fly-fishing tips,  an informative interview with Ted Nugent and much more. By the end of the month you can pick up your copy of FHR in such towns as Barry’s Bay, Killaloe, Forrester’s Falls, Golden Lake and Madawaska up the Ottawa Valley, and across in the Pontiac,  Fort Colounge, Gracefield, Low and all points in-between. For more information on where to find an outlet near you, check out our newly revamped website: http://www.fishhuntandride.ca.

Sportsmen Bragging Board

For truly patient sportsmen there is nothing more gratifying than a fulfilled adventure afield. Whether enjoying time in the woods or on the water with family and friends or out on your own, hunting and fishing adventures are among our most cherished memories. (Mine anyway.) One thing I’ve noticed all hunters and fishermen have in common is the excitement of sharing photographs – be they a traditional ‘grip and grin’ image of a big fish or a prized game animal, or more obscure items of interest in the ‘Great Outdoors.’ One time I snapped a photo of a mink, just as it ran across my hunting boot! I am looking for some of the best and most original photos captured a during hunting or fishing trip, for two Sportsmen Bragging Boards I’m working on: one here in the Pembroke Daily Observer and another one for FHR Mag. If you have some neat images you wish to share with thousands of like-minded individuals, please send them to me by email <[email protected]> along with a caption.

Being bear safe

When travelling in bear country this spring, be sure to keep your wits about you. When portaging up north during the trout season I always carry a can of bear spray and, although I’ve never used it, it is always at the ready! Statistics show there are a dozen or so bear attack attacks in North America each year, and some of them don’t end well. Bear spray can be purchased at local hunting and fishing stores and, keep in mind, that there may be some paperwork to fill-out. Bear spray will provide a bit of extra insurance when travelling in bear country this spring.

Posted on

Fish, Hunt & Ride Magazine, Spring issue around the corner

FHR-SPRING COVER2

Ok all you hunting, fishing and riding aficionados out there, get ready for the next exciting issue of everyone’s favourite new publication;

Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine!!

Later this month, readers will be treated to more than DOUBLE the articles, news, interviews, tips and coverage of our Launch issue earlier this winter.  Our FHR Writing Team has expanded as well to include 4 new columnists; each one an expert in the areas of ATV/All-terrain vehicles, Fishing, Firearms and Shed Antler Hunting.

Our original line-up of writers which includes ‘Uncle’ Ted Nugent, delved sooooo deeply into the Ontario & Quebec Great Outdoors this time, they barely managed to dig themselves out!

Our distribution has also expanded to include dozens of new convenient outlets around town and far off-the-beaten-path into the Upper Ottawa Valley and Outaouais Region. We’re getting FHR Mag out to more than 130 Outlets now, to the folks who can best be described as  the ‘Diehards’ or, as our Francophone friends refer to as; ‘Nemrods’!  Hoards of new hunters, fishers and riders have also taken-to FHR of late which is encouraging to say the least.

Thanks to all those who made our magazine an instant and overwhelming success – one that (if I do say so myself) is quickly becoming the best magazine the entire Region has to offer! (Its the one I like the best anyway)

I ask you, how can you go wrong with a Team of individuals who live, breathe, love and defend our hunting and fishing heritage until their dying day. And I say that without a word of a lie! (How’s that for dramatic)

So whilst waiting patiently for our Spring issue to arrive at local outlets, do yourself a favour and check-out our newly revamped website: www.fishhuntandride.ca

 To borrow a line from our pal Uncle Ted, this spring we want you all to Fish, Hunt & Ride like you mean it!!

 

Jeff Morrison

*Editor-in-Chief | Fish, Hunt & Ride Magazine

Reaching 125,000-200,000 readers each season, every issue.

 

Posted on

Outdoor & Travel Adventure Show this weekend – stop by FHR booth!


Hearing the familiar thump of the first ruffed grouse of the season, or catching a glimpse of the first wild garlic leaf poking its head up from the forest floor, are tell tale signs that a new season is afoot. Another sure sign of spring is the annual Outdoor and Travel Adventure Show, coming this weekend to Ottawa’s EY Centre!

Celebrating its fifth year, the Outdoor and Travel Adventure Show blasts-off this Saturday and Sunday at EY Centre. Organized by the team from the region’s two best magazines – Ottawa Outdoors and Fish, Hunt & Ride, the show will feature tons of outdoor services, gear and apparel, exhibitors and outdoor travel accommodations and even lodges. Come check out the Adventure Stage where you’ll hear tips from camping and canoeing experts like Kevin Callan and Becky Mason. And if that isn’t enough to entice, be sure stop-by the Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine booth where yours truly and a handful of FHR columnists will be stationed. (Just look for the camouflage clothing.) My FHR Team and I will be handing out magazines and chatting with readers about all things fishing, hunting or riding-related. I look forward also to speaking with Blake Corbin of Renfrew’s Valley Heritage Radio (98.7 FM) who will be stopping-by the booth to do an interview. For more information on this weekend’s show: http://www.AdventureOttawa.ca

Ice-fishing draws to a close

The annual March 31th ice-hut removal date seems almost pointless this year since huts have surely all have been removed by now. Or at least I hope they have! Folks in Pembroke legally have until the end of the month to haul their huts away, but remember that anyone who has not removed their ice hut is in violation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and could face charges. By all accounts, this winter fishing season will be remembered as one of the shortest on record.

FHR and Valley Vendor

First off, I’d like to give a shout-out to Clarence Shires, Leonard Kubisheski and all the other fine folks up in Round Lake! Clarence and a group of area ice-fishermen were having trouble tracking down copies of the new – Fish, Hunt & Ride Magazine, but not anymore! I am pleased to report that we have now teamed-up with the Valley Vendor for magazine distribution, which will scatter the coveted FHR mags like buckshot throughout the Ottawa Valley and Pontiac. There are even a dozen or so distribution sites in Pembroke itself including Perkins, Pembroke Esso and Suny’s Variety. Our upcoming spring issue will be more than twice the size of the fall/winter offering and should be available mid-April. If you’re into ATV’s, black bears, fly-fishing, wild turkey, trout or are interested in the frank Q&A interview I did with ‘Uncle’ Ted Nugent, be sure to check it out! For more information: http://www.fishhuntandride.ca

Great Outdoors Trivia – Final Question

Okay outdoor trivia buffs, here is the final question in this year’s Great Outdoors Trivia Contest. The first person to correctly answer all three questions will receive a prize package courtesy of Brecks fishing tackle and Tinks hunting scents. Question #3: In 1984, the Province of Ontario received 274 wild turkeys in exchange for river otters, moose, geese and partridge. Where did these turkeys come from? Was it A) Europe B) United States C) Quebec D) Manitoba or E) Asia ? Please send all three trivia answers to: [email protected]

Column Anniversary

This month marks the third glorious year for this outdoors column and I would like to thank managing editor Anthony Dixon and assistant news editor Tina Peplinskie for being perhaps the best editorial staff I’ve ever worked for. Sharing my love and appreciation for the great outdoors with readers each month is something I take seriously. Thanks also to the hunters and fishermen of the Ottawa Valley for your support over the years and hey, maybe I’ll see you around Cobden or Pembroke this summer!

Posted on

Cabela's – World's Foremost Outfitter, coming in September!

Submitted photo<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> The Outdoors Guy columnist Jeff Morrison is looking forward to the fall opening of the Cabela's store in Kanata.

The Outdoors Guy Jeff Morrison is looking forward to the fall opening of the Cabela’s store in Kanata.

 

Those ice-fishing enthusiasts who braved the bitter cold this weekend got to take-part in a special annual event.

Family Fishing Weekend is a province-wide initiative celebrating the sport of winter angling without the otherwise mandatory fishing license. About eight years ago it was decided that a festive winter fishing weekend would be adopted to mirror National Fishing Week events during the summer. And hey, just because Family Fishing Weekend is behind us doesn’t mean ice fishing is done for the year. The recent cold snap and blast of winter weather has likely ensured several more weeks of safe and solid winter angling!

Outdoor Travel & Adventure Show – March 19-20, 2016 (EY Centre, Ottawa)

If you have not already done so, be sure to mark off the weekend of March 19-20 on your calendars for the 5th Annual Outdoor Travel & Adventure Show, being held at the EY Centre. If ever there was a show worth motoring down the Ottawa Valley at high speeds for, it is this one. Organized by the team from two magazines [Ottawa Outdoors (OOM) and Fish, Hunt & Ride (FHR)] the show features tons of outdoor services, gear and apparel exhibitors and outdoor travel accommodations and lodges. Come check out the 40 foot Demo Pool, an Action Theatre featuring a wide variety of adventure videos. And on the Adventure Stage, you’ll hear tips from camping and canoeing experts like Kevin Callan and Becky Mason, as well other fishing experts and many more. And if that isn’t enough to entice you, be sure to stop by the Fish, Hunt & Ride Magazine Booth featuring yours truly and a few of my columnists. My FHR writing team and I will be handing out magazines and chatting with readers about all things fishing, hunting or riding-related. For more information: visit http://www.AdventureOttawa.ca. I hope to see you all on March 19!

Cabela’s –World’s Foremost Outfitter, making progress in Ottawa

I was excited this weekend to see noticeable progress being made with the new 275,000 sq ft Taggart development, which includes a Cabela’s ‘anchor’ store, located just across the road from the Tanger Outlets in Kanata. The mammoth new hunting, fishing and camping retail space is slated to open this September, much to the excitement of hordes of local sportsmen. The new Cabela’s is said to include a staggering $1 million worth of taxidermy, and is expected to hire 175 full-time and part-time employees, most of whom will be from Ottawa-area, according a recent press release. If you’re around during store opening this fall, Cabela’s Pro Staffer and Fish, Hunt & Ride columnist Amanda Lynn Mayhew will be on site to usher in the new facility. What an exciting fall it’s going to be for Ottawa sportsmen! For more info on Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine: http://www.fishhuntandride.ca

Great Outdoors Trivia – Question #2

Alright fellow outdoor trivia buffs, here is question number two in the 2016 Great Outdoors Trivia Contest. The first person to correctly answer all three questions will receive a prize package courtesy of Brecks fishing tackle and Tinks hunting Scents. Question #2: In the January Outdoors Guy column, I advised winters anglers NOT to venture out on the ice with Snowmobile or ATV until there was a solid layer of how much ice?? Was it A) 1 inch of ice B) 3 inches of ice C) 4 inches of ice D) 5 inches of ice or E) No ice is required. Be sure to keep track of your answers and send them to: [email protected]. The third and final question in this year’s contest will be right here in March, in its usual spot the third Thursday of the month. Y’all come back now, ya hear!

Quebec brochure now available

For anyone planning a trip to Quebec this year, the 2016 hunting and fishing brochure is now available. With a full rating system, facilities breakdown and sporting opportunities, the hunting, fishing and lodging brochure is a handy guide for non-resident sportsmen. Contact Tourism Quebec Tourism at: 1 (877) BONJOUR 

Posted on

Ice fishing safety for if/when it freezes

This weeks outdoors column in the Pembroke Daily Observer:

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/12/17/safety-first-when-ice-fishing

 

Safety first when ice-fishing

Photo courtesy of Jeff Morrison<br /> Avid winter angler Grant Bailey with a nice walleye pulled through the ice.
Avid winter angler Grant Bailey with a nice walleye pulled through the ice.

With ice fishing season presumably just around the corner, winter anglers are reminded that safety must always come first.

Winter anglers who venture out on the ice this winter, should always advise someone where they will be fishing and when they plan to return. Seasonally-appropriate clothing and equipment are also vital for safety and comfort. Some winter fisherfolk prefer to wear survival suits and carry a set of safety ice picks, while others go so far as constructing modified ‘ice cars’ with all the doors removed and the roof cut-out, in the event of an untimely plunge. Remember that ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness across most lakes and rivers; especially at the start of the winter season when near-shore ice is always thicker than ice further out.

The Pembroke Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry wishes to advise anglers that not only is ice hut registration a requirement by law, it goes a long way to preventing wayward huts later in the season. Abandoned ice huts which end up in waterways after the thaw create havoc for boaters and early season fishermen. Registration numbers on all huts should be at least 2 1/2″ inches in height for improved visibility. You do not need to register tent-style huts made of cloth or synthetic material provided the base measurement is less than seven square metres. (75.4 square feet) To register your hut in Pembroke District, please call the MNRF at 613-732-3661

Supplemental deer feeding

Winter deer feeding is not just an enjoyable winter pastime it can be of great benefit to these animals as snow depth increases and temperatures drop. I currently have a half dozen, or so, whitetails feeding at my place which is about average for this time of year. I have had as many as 16 deer feeding at one time in the boom years. Remember that if you begin distributing feed in early winter, as I have, it is imperative to continue until spring as the animal’s digestive system will adapt to the supplemented diet. Ritchie’s Feed and Seed sells a terrific pelletized deer feed I’ve been using for years with good success. I’m sure other feed stores up the Valley produce a similar blend. Another less expensive way to help out our ‘deer friends’ during winter months is through increased access to natural winter forage, by creating hard-packed trail with snowmobile, ATV or even snowshoes. With deer numbers down in many areas it wouldn’t hurt to provide a helping hand this winter.

Fish, Hunt & Ride magazine – now available!

By now, sporting enthusiasts in the Valley have caught a glimpse of my new hunting and fishing magazine – Fish, Hunt & Ride (FHR) – distributed this past week to more than 100 outlets across Eastern and Northern Ontario and Western Quebec. My writing team not only includes regular material from Pembroke native (and trapper extraordinaire) Jordan Durocher, as well as a team of other great local writers, you have surely been enjoying Ted Nugent’s first FHR column. Uncle Ted will be with the magazine each and every issue. Feel free to send comments or suggestions on this new local publication and be sure to check out our Fish, Hunt & Ride (FHR) website: http://www.fishhuntandride.ca/

Great Outdoors Trivia Contest

Every year I hold a Great Outdoors Trivia Contest, in some form or another. They are always well received and include a generous price package courtesy of Tinks Scents and Brecks/Williams fishing tackle. This year I decided to kick the contest off right here with my good friends at the Pembroke Daily Observer! Everyone knows there are more hunters, fishermen and trappers per capita living in the Ottawa Valley than almost anywhere else in the world! You will need to be sharp and stealthy for this array of trivia questions, as they will require not only a vast knowledge of the great outdoors, but a keen eye as well. Stay tuned in January for Question #1.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all and I’ll see you right here next month!

Posted on

FISH, HUNT & RIDE MAGAZINE – Fall/Winter Launch finally here!

FHR - LaunchCover JPG

Well folks, the long wait is nearly over…..

I am very proud to introduce the inaugural issue of FISH, HUNT & RIDE Magazine available in newsstands, sports stores and various assorted outlets throughout Eastern ON, Northern ON and Western QC, later this week!

I’d like to take this opportunity of thanking our faithful publisher Mr. Dave Brown, who had the brilliant foresight to expand on success he already enjoyed with Ottawa Outdoors Magazine these past 15 years. If not for Dave’s forward thinking and the idea of ‘completing the outdoor picture’ FISH, HUNT & RIDE Magazine would never have come to fruition.

I would also like to officially thank my Editorial staff – the best damn team of columnists I could have assembled under one magazine cover:  

Amanda Lynn Meyhew, Grant Hopkins, Doug Phillips, Brian Houle, Grant Bailey, Sheila Ascroft, Don Wilcox, Ed Hand, Jordan Durocher and last but certainly not least everyone’s favourite uncle, the Motor City Madman himself,  Mr. Ted Nugent!

Without this incredible team of highly-skilled and accomplished writers, hunters, guitar players, anglers, cyclists, scientists, trappers, talk show hosts, ATV’er, conservationists, journalists and Spirit Bloodbrothers, NONE of FHR would ever have been possible!

Thank you, thank you and thank you!!!!

We look forward to hearing from you (the reader) with ideas and suggestions on future issues. Check out our website: fishhuntandride.ca and look for us(& like us) on Facebook!

Yours in the Outdoors,

Jeff Morrison

Editor-in-Chief – FISH, HUNT & RIDE Magazine

 

 

Posted on

White-tailed deer in need of urgent overhaul

For hunters, fishermen and conservationists up the Valley, my Pembroke Daily Observer Outdoors Column is out today; in print and online:

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2015/11/19/white-tailed-deer-herds-in-eastern-ontario-in-need-of-urgent-overhaul

 

White-tailed deer herds in Eastern Ontario in need of urgent overhaul

White-tailed deer
(White-tailed deer family group gathers at lake-side – photo taken at Kenauk Nature in Montebello 2012)

Our region’s once burgeoning deer population appears to be in peril and, in this writer’s opinion, urgent game management is required.

As a passionate conservationist and hunter for the past 35 years, I have studied big-game management, counted pellets groups for the MNR and managed winter deer yards. I have been called a biologist, outdoor writer and a highly dedicated deer enthusiast. During the winter months, as many of you know, I operate a small backyard feeder where I monitor behavioural patterns on a small local herd, while photographing the majestic animals that venture into my back field.

What I witnessed this year firsthand and following several reports from hunt camps across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, our deer friends are evidently not in good shape!

Deer population in decline

Over the past few years things in my Quebec deer woods appeared to be on the rebound, however, numbers this fall are noticeably bleak. Predator levels continue to soar in most regions and whitetail populations are in obvious need of assistance in order to rebound correctly. As I continue to micro-manage my own deer, it is discouraging to see a herd in such a state of disarray. My family territory serves as a grim reminder of how bad things really are.

Following five days of solid hunting, which includes some proven deer drives and not a single whitetail was observed.  Folks, there is no longer room for ‘meat hunters’ under the current condition of our whitetail woods. From what I witnessed this fall it will take several years of controlled harvests, improved winter deer yard management and wise management choices from both Quebec and Ontario wildlife agencies to get back on track.  Better still, close the season down completely for a year or perhaps two, but of course governments would never go for that.

Shades of 2008

Moving through the new millennium was a turning point in Central Canada as deer herds were blossoming big time. By the fall of 2006 and 2007 whitetail numbers and annual harvests where highest they had ever been. Deer populations in eastern Ontario reached densities as high as 14 deer/km2 and Quebec saw their highest annual harvest in 2007 with an impressive 75,000 animals. Hunter success rates continued to soar and all seemed right in the deer world. Then the record-breaking snowfall of 2008 was upon us like a cloak of darkness – spelling doom and disaster for ungulate populations. Whitetail numbers in some areas plummeted by more than 1/3.

It has been a very slow rebuild since that time and now whitetail numbers appear to be faultering again back to levels seen in 2009 – 2010. We need hunters and government agencies on-board in order to properly address this issue, and for goodness sake let’s hope it isn’t too late!

Ice-fishing safety

Not only is ice hut registration a requirement by law it goes a long way in preventing wayward huts later in the season.  Abandoned huts which end-up in waterways after the thaw will create havoc for boaters and early season fishermen. To register your hut in Pembroke District, please call the ministry office at: (613) 732-3661 .

New local hunting and fishing magazine to launch this fall!

Following my announcement of the new hunting and fishing magazine – Fish, Hunt & Ride (FHR) featuring yours truly as editor-in-chief, there have been more exciting developments. When FHR is distributed early December, sportsmen up the Ottawa Valley and throughout Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec will be given a real treat.  FHR Mag not only includes a regular column by Pembroke native Jordan Durocher (and a selection of other great writers from QC & ON) but the one and only ‘Uncle’ Ted Nugent will also be a HUGE part of FHR with his own regular column. Check out our website: http://www.fishhuntandride.ca/

 

Posted on

Outdoors Guy interview with FHR Columnist Ted Nugent – Part 1

Mr. Ted Nugent, FISH, HUNT & RIDE Magazine’s latest columnist, was gracious enough to leave his tree stand briefly to participate in a frank and informative Q&A session.

It’s not every day a small-town boy has the good fortune of conversing with someone like the NUGE and I really took it to heart; coming up with questions I feel would be of interest to the hunting & rock ‘n roll communities, and of personal interest as well.

 

PART 1 of my Uncle Ted Interview:

 

Outdoors Guy:

“Ok Ted, I realize your hunting prowess has spanned the globe over several decades, but would there be one hunt in particular that stands out from the rest as the most meaningful? “

 

Ted Nugent:

“All my life’s passions run very deep and amazingly after nearly 67 years of nonstop hunting, it is impossible to pinpoint a #1 hunting experience above all others. That being said, I will say however that those many times I have been so humbly blessed to be thought of and invited to take a terminally ill child on their last hunt request in life may very well represent the greatest gift a person can receive from another. To say that it is life changing and spiritually fortifying does not come close to the powerful impact it has had on me and my family. Those moving experiences will stay with us forever.”

 

 

Outdoors Guy:

“How do you balance a music, hunting and conservation career, a home life, recreational hunting, along with the other irons you have in the fire, yet still remain balanced and (somewhat) sane? Does your hectic schedule ever get the best of you, or can you simply take things in stride?”

 

Ted Nugent:

“Being 67 years clean and sober with damn good genetics, with a sensible physical regimen and a killer smart diet of wild game provides me a very healthy, high energy condition to allow me to tackle any and all of my passions and dreams. That I have always surrounded myself with the very best people possible, as you have witnessed working with my personal assistant Linda, my team can move mountains, and we do. Every individual from management, Spirit of the Wild TV production, Sunrize Safaris, and nonstop rock-n-roll mayhem are fulltime master asskickers!”

 

 

Outdoors Guy:  

“In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine rated the Top 50 guitarists of all time and you ranked #4 on the list. Would you agree or disagree with that ranking? “

 

Ted Nugent:

“Music and guitar playing in particular are so very personal and subjective that any such list can only represent those that compile it. I happen to love my guitar playing more than any other while loving and respecting all those amazing 6 string virtuosos out there that provide us the dynamo soundtrack to our lives. The greatest musical honor I could have ever dreamed of was bestowed upon me a few years back when Michigan voted me the #1 Detroit guitarist of all times. Lord have mercy, that feels beyond wonderful.”

 

 

Outdoors Guy:

“Ted, you’ve stated many times that venison is your all-time favorite game meat. If suddenly there were no more deer what game meats would fill its place as #1 on the Nugent table? “

 

Ted Nugent:

“We love all game; deer, elk, moose, caribou, bear, pronghorn, hogs, grouse, woodcock, pheasant, quail, doves, snipe, squirrels, rabbits, ducks, geese, cranes, woodchucks and all the African and exotic game. The way we prepare our game, every meal is so damn good its crazy! I will share many of our recipes in upcoming FHR columns.”

 

 

Outdoors Guy:

“Ok, you have lots of fans up here in the Nation’s Capital, why haven’t you performed here in ages? Each summer in July the City of Ottawa hosts one of the largest musical festival in the world, would you ever consider playing at Bluesfest? And what if the Outdoors Guy promised to bring you hunting while you were here?”

 

Ted Nugent:

“I’ve rocked across Canada for nearly 50 years and have loved every gig. I only tour the summer months these days so I hope to hell to get back up there ASAP. You people deserve me!”

 

 

Outdoors Guy Thank You:

“Hey Ted, thanks so very much for your time and for the terrific and candid responses! Wishing you all the best throughout the hunting season.”

 
Ted Nugent:

“The best of luck to you & yours Jeff! Thank God everyday we are deerhunters! YOWZA! Aim small miss small, go ultra stealthy! kill the beast! cherish this special family spirit time! Ted”