Grow the Hunt

A Fish Tale

-By Rich Miller

In a week I went from the Jack Pines and cool air of Northern Canada to the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. I was invited to do some offshore fishing for a few days by a friend of mine. He told me that the past month had been a really good time to be on the water. He said he had been catching sailfish, dolphin, kingfish, and black fin tuna.

We were up at 5:00 am Friday morning and were all ready for a big day on the water. The weather report we wasn’t the best for fishing but we only had three days so we had to play the hand we were dealt. About the time we came through the jetties and hit the ocean we realized that the 4 to 6 foot seas had turned closer to 8’s. It was pretty rough, but the bad part was the wind constantly blowing water all over us. By the time we started fishing everyone’s minds were off of the rough water and looking forward to getting a fish hooked up.

We had the baits in the water for about twenty minutes when the rod on the port side sounded like it was screaming. One of my buddies grabbed that rod and that is when one of the rods on the starboard side lit up and I grabbed it. After a couple minutes of trying to keep the lines out of each others way while fighting the fish we landed two nice dolphins. After those fish were in the boat and the rods were back in the water it got quiet for a while. With not much going on everyone started talking and goofing around, but when one of the rods got a hit we got back to business pretty quick.

That is exactly what happened when one of the kite rods went off. There was a big kingfish on and one of the guys had his hands full while the other three of us were getting rods out of the way. While I was on the front of the boat trying to stay out of the way, I looked around and there was a monster sailfish that hit one of the kite rods we had left out. I grabbed the rod and it was on, the sailfish started dancing across the water. It was pretty hectic with two big fish hooked up at the same time. After I got the sailfish on it wasn’t long until the king had broken the line and gotten off of the other rod. The guys got the rest of the rods out of the water and let me have the boat to myself to fight this trophy fish.

Now, I went Costa Rica several years ago and caught a lot of sailfish but I am here to tell you that Pacific sails don’t have anything on those in the Atlantic. I went round and round the boat with that sucker for over forty minutes, and with the rough water it was all I could do to stand up at times. I got him up to the boat several different times and thought I had him whipped then he would get his head down and take off again. Finally I got him close to the boat and my buddy Rich was able to get hold of him. We pulled him aboard for a quick picture before releasing him to fight another day. After landing that fish we decided to head back in because it seemed like it was getting rougher by the minute. It was a shame though, because we had only been there two hours and had landed two dolphins, a sailfish, and lost a big kingfish.

Over the nest two days the weather didn’t get any better but we did fish a couple of hours each day and manage to land a couple of more dolphins. That night those dolphins made a great meal and they made us forget about how rough the seas were that day. I don’t get to do very much fishing offshore but when I do it is a blast. You just never know what is going to be on the end of the line or how big it is going to be when that reel starts screaming.

New Beginnings

Scott Bestul from Field and Stream’s Whitetail365 recently posted about spotting a fawn last week while he was in Wisconsin turkey hunting. Bestul seems to think that the baby deer couldn’t have been more than a few days old. He was able to snap a quick photo of it to share with us on his Blog.

Have any of you Grow the Hunt readers started seeing any fawns yet? If you have any photos be sure to upload them to the Moultrie Photo Gallery.

Turkey Hunting in Kansas

-By Brandon Wikman

Kansas has once again proved to be one of the best turkey hunting locations in America. Last week I was able to call a giant strutter into range during the beginning of our trip and ended up wrapping my Kansas license around his leg. This enabled me to purchase another tag and put more meat in the freezer.

David Schotte, the owner of Blue River Whitetails and I planned an all out turkey blitz. We had spotted an absolute monster of a tom. The bird looked like a 30-pound bowling ball and sported a beard that could’ve easily made two paintbrushes! It was the biggest bird I’ve ever seen in my life and one of the largest Schotte had ever laid eyes on.

The only problem hunting the goliath-sized bird was that he roosted with a flock of other birds. He’d always escort a handful of hens during fly-up and fly-down. He also bossed around four other mature gobblers. It was as if he was crowned king of the flock. We had to take in account that the gobbler pulled some serious baggage around. More turkeys means more eyes, greater odds of being picked-off, and a slim chance of calling the bird in. Our plan was quite simple. We’d pop a blind along the woods facing the field within shooting distance of where they all hit the ground from fly-down. It would require a lot of luck defeating the flock of fifteen. They had to fly down near the blind so I’d be able to toss up my shotgun through the window and fire. We also had to be super stealthy so the birds wouldn’t hear us in the morning opening up the blind or walking into the setup.

The morning of my hunt to kill the largest turkey in Kansas couldn’t have come any sooner. I swear I woke up with fire in my eyes and an overwhelming sense of anticipation. We arrived at Schotte’s extra early. It was critical that we arrived extra early so the sky was completely black and the birds were sound asleep. Schotte, my field producer, and I tiptoed through the corn stubble field as quiet as we could. Subtle step-by-step crunches marked our arrival en route to the landing pad of all the birds. All three of us silently opened the blind and walked it toward the woods-edge. The field producer and I huddled into the blind while Schotte sunk into the thick vegetation behind us.

The sky slowly transitioned from coal black to light blue. The stars soon vanished, horizon ignited with red, and the birds woke. The morning silence shattered with gobbles storming from limbs. Every bird was roosted within eighty-yards of the blind. I whispered to the video camera as the morning show unraveled. During my brief recap a hen pitched into the field no more than twenty-yards from the blind. I grabbed my shotgun and lifted it to the open window. Another hen landed and it was only time until the giant tumbled his way down to the ground. Both hens started acting nervous. They tossed up their head and began an alarm putt. My jaw nearly hit the ground and all of my hope shredded as a coyote walked toward the birds. It was game over within a moment. Every bird flew the opposite way into another field. As the sounds of the last gobbler flew from atop the tree, Schotte hustled me to the backfield. The stalk was on.

We jumped a creek and followed a deer trail up a bank, which led to where he thought the birds might cross. I positioned myself behind a thick briar bush in the shade. My eyes focused down the end of my barrel. The sound of a gobble reassured that me not only we were setup in the perfect place, but the timing couldn’t have been any better. A glowing fantail arose from the steep bank. The sun glimmered on the beautiful bird as he walked our way down the trail. I took a glimpse at his beard and realized it wasn’t the mega-beard, but that was fine with me. A few yelps from Schotte’s slate call deflated the bird out of strut. He picked his head up and I blasted a shot. The bird hit the ground and so did I! The amazing turn of events shook me up. I went from a serious low to an all time high within minutes.

We were able to use the terrain to our advantage thanks to Schotte’s keen understanding of the landscape. The hunt was truly unforgettable. The monster tom gets to live another year and only grow bigger! I look forward to coming back next year and setting my sights on the colossal bird that got away.

Hunting With Blue River Whitetails

-By Brandon Wikman

There aren’t many hunting locations around the country that consistently produce giant whitetail and tubby gobblers year after year. Spots like that are few and far between. I’ve had the great opportunity to hunt at a place that has not only proved successful for me the last four years, but currently maintains a 100% turkey slaying record. The birds are plentiful, landscape’s spectacular, and the privlidge to hunt side-by-side with a turkey guru is incredible. Let me introduce you my good friend David Schotte, owner of Blue River Whitetails in Hanover, Kansas.

Last week my cousin and I road-tripped nearly 10-hours en route to north central Kansas. Our mission was to lay down some serious turkey footage and bust a couple of mature gobblers. Traveling that distance for turkey is my testament of how exceptional the hunting really is. Sweeping emerald green hills, vast meadows, and winding creeks that dissect pastures and hardwood forests sculpt North-Central Kansas. It’s a monster buck paradise and turkey haven.

Hunters who are pursuing the grand slam for turkey can tag-out on three-fourths of the feat within a single trip. Kansas is home to both Rio and Eastern bird species. A simple jog north lands you in spectacular Merriam country. During this trip I focused my efforts into hopefully tagging both species. A telltale sign to identify a Rio is looking at his fantail. Male Rio’s sport a golden-tan colored band across their fantail, while an Eastern flashes a strip of brown. Both birds share similar characteristics and make worthy opponents in the field as I soon found out during my first morning’s hunt.

My cousin, who ran the camera for me hid behind a tree, while David and I nestled into some nearby shrubbery. We were all concealed very well. By mid-May the foliage is thick, grass is high, and bushes are full of leaves. This time of the year is ideal for sinking into the natural environment unnoticed. The darkness of morning soon illuminated like emerging headlights on a backcountry road. The glint of sunlight sparked the army of gobblers roosted nearby. The crew of rednecks cracked silence in the crisp morning air and made their presence known across the vast countryside.

Clattering wings, popping limbs, and a symphony of staccato cackles and yelps proved that gobblers weren’t the only gender roosted. Three hens graciously pitched down into the field. The hens were soon to be escorted by a handful of toms. A handful of gobblers tumbled into the tilled-field and instantly inflated into full strut. The males followed the hens in a line like a 4th of July parade. Each tom made an attempt to show-off and declared dominance. It was as if the hens could care less. The only positive scenario Dave and I had to work with was that the males easily outnumbered the females and if we’d be able to call in the hens, the strutters would follow.

Dave and I began chirping sweet tones across the field hoping to attract attention from the hens. The tom’s gobbled, but wouldn’t budge. The hens tossed their head into the air and slowly made their way our way. Their curiosity and interest helped us exponentially. I readied my shotgun and slunk lower toward the ground. Dave chattered a few more times with the box call and we completely silenced ourselves.

The large flock of feathers waddled into range. I punched the safety-off and waited for the okay to shoot. My cousin adjusted his video camera, while I zeroed-in on the flashy beat red head to deliver a lethal kill. I got the whispering go-ahead and squeezed a 3-½ inch shot shell full of bb’s into the vitals.

My fourth year of late-season turkey hunting with my dear friend David Schotte proved successful once again. The long trip to Kansas is always highly anticipated by my cousin and I. We are lucky to save the best hunt for the last turkey-hunting trip of the year. I will be here a few more days and hopefully have another positive report next week!

Caring for Your Tree Stand

Mike Hanback brought up a good point about tree stand safety in his May 18th blog post. Many hunters leave their stands out all year long. Hanback points out that not only is this an open invitation for stands to get stolen, it also can be a safety hazard. The elements take their toll on tree stands. The combination of sun and moisture can weaken straps and ropes leading to premature failure.

It is a good idea to pull your stands and store them in an area that is out of the sun and rain. Before you hang them again in the fall check them and replace any rusted bolts or straps that might be questionable.

Not only can storing your stands and a little preventative maintenance prolong the life of your hunting gear, it might also save you from a future malfunction resulting in injury.

Northern Alberta Bear Hunt

-By Rich Miller

After taking a big bear on the first afternoon of hunting the pressure was off, and I was able to be a little picky and wait on a bigger or color phase bear. After the celebration and stories that followed my first night’s success it didn’t seem like we had very much rest before it was time to head out to the stand for another afternoon’s hunt.

There were already bears on the bait when we got to my stand site the second day. There was both some good and bad news about the bears being there. The good news was it was a huge cinnamon colored bear; the bad news, it was a sow with three cubs by her side and she was off limits. It didn’t take her long to get her cubs and exit the scene, which was fine by me, because I didn’t want to deal with the angry mother.

As soon as I was in the stand and the guide was leaving it wasn’t but just a few minutes and there was another big boar that came into the bait site and he was there for the rest of the afternoon. He was a really nice bear but I didn’t want to be without a tag for the next four days so I held off and watched him.

For the next couple of evenings I saw bears on every stand and a couple afternoons I had several different bears at the bait at the same time. One of them in particular I saw two days in a row and called him patches. He had two big brown patches on his shoulders and had a white V on his chest. This bear should have been in the circus because he tried every way in the world to reach the bait tied up on a pole for two evenings. Once he even fell off of it but caught himself before he hit the ground. It was great to experience all of these bears acting like little kids while I was only 10 to 15 yards away from them.

Prior to the trip we had Code Blue send up some of the Bear Magnet, and the new PST Sow Urine products to the Outfitter. I will give you bears hunters a piece of advice, if you haven’t tried any of Code Blue’s bear attractant you really need too. The first evening I carried some of the Bear Magnet liquid to the tree with me but when I got in my stand I remembered I had forgot to put it out. I decided to just take the top off of it and just tossed it about 15 yards away and let it just run out on the ground. The first bear that came in that night found it and tried to eat the bottle all the while licking the ground where it had poured out. The whole time that bear was in the area it kept coming back to the Bear Magnet. The big bear that I ended up shooting was headed straight to it but I just didn’t give him time to get there. After that night I would squirt some of the Bear Magnet on the bait barrel and a couple trees every time I went to my stand. I also would spray the PST Sow Urine periodically during my hunts and I saw bears on every one of my hunts for the six nights that I was there.

One of the best times of the whole hunt was on the next to last evening when I was on stand with Jim Strelec. He had already taken one bear so we were going to try to get him another one and get it on video. We saw about every different animal in the woods of Northern Alberta but we didn’t see a bear until he had climbed down the tree. I was still in the stand and was lowering everything down to him when the big boar that I had seen on the second night came into the bait and was only ten yards from him at ground level. I hurried down the tree and got the camera but we didn’t have enough light to film. Jim's nerves had gotten the best of him and he was really getting excited. The bear was on the bait right there in front of us at only 10 yards but he would not turn and offer Jim a good broadside shot. He finally got up to leave and Jim got him centered in the crosshairs and his Knight muzzleloader belched a huge puff of white smoke. He couldn’t see what the bear did but from my angle I saw that he only went about 30-yards. To say that Jim was exited would be an understatement. After we gave the bear a few minutes we had no problem finding him. It ended up being a very long night by the time we got the bear and all of the gear out of there, but seeing the look on Jim’s face when he got that bear made it worth it.

I did end up getting another nice bear on the last night and so did my buddy Don who ran the camera for me on the first night. There were seven bears taken out of seven hunters during the week. Three of the guys didn’t get a bear but it wasn’t because they didn’t have the opportunity. They had hunted up there before and they were being really picky. The outfitter that we hunted with was Bruno Martel and this guy’s camp is really five-star as far as a wilderness bear hunt goes. There is nothing that I would have changed about this hunt other than maybe Miss. Audrey limiting hunters to one helping during meals because I ate way too much while I was there.

Finding a Field Producer

-By Brandon Wikman

The quest to find a good cameraman is like trying to find a matching set of shed antlers in the middle of a marsh. It requires an immense amount of one-on-one training, hands-on personal experience, and a thorough understanding of what needs to be filmed during the duration of a televised hunt.

When filming for a national television show, there’s more involved than the point-and-shoot method. Often times, there are strict scripts to shoot from, certain audio-bytes to capture, special formats to film in, and about a hundred other key aspects that are a must for quality footage. This past week, I stumbled upon that matching set of shed antlers and found somebody who has the potential to roam with the elite field producers of the outdoor industry.

The cameraman who always works with me had an out-of-state video shoot. I was forced to frantically search for someone to fill my cameraman’s shoes. I knew of several people who were willing to toss a camera on their shoulder and hit record, but that’s not what I wanted. I opted to ask a special friend of mine who watches outdoor TV programming as much as I do. He’s a stickler and professional critic when it comes to pointing out scenes within a show that don’t match, look fishy, and are completely staged. Dick Gunther, owner of Dick’s Whitetail Taxidermy in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin was the man for the job. I’ve been acquainted with Gunther for a few years now and have been fortunate enough to know him and his family quite well. He’s one of the keenest individuals I have ever known. His fine taxidermy work defines his personality and character. Like many great artists, Gunther carries with him a creative mind, meticulous skills for crafting, and he is always looking to improve. These are the key attributes found in a quality field producer.

Before our hunt, I jammed him with an extremely brief review of the basic filming guidelines. Gunther learned the fundamentals of shooting video, the mechanics of a camera, and the general concept of outdoor videoing. As the opening day of turkey season arrived, it was up to Gunther to prove himself behind the camera.

As the break of dawn’s sunlight torched the green pastures, we sat in wonder hoping our luck would prove worthy. Our setup was ideal for a teamwork effort to cast a lovesick gobbler into a movie star role. Gunther sat behind me hunkered into a grassy spot against a large oak to break up his outline. I sat close ahead, feet propped on my footrest, shotgun in hand, and anticipations high. It is always important to sit near your cameraman for two reasons. A cameraman will lose angles and the hunter’s point-of-view as the distance increases. It is essential that the camera is always recording over the shoulder of a hunter to give viewers that lifelike sense. As you move further away from each other, communication decreases. The most important aspect of filming hunts is communicating the scenario, situation at hand, and the actual kill shot. Everyone must be on the same page or else it becomes a producer’s worst nightmare.

The morning silence was broke when I busted a few crackling yelps toward the roosted birds. It was only seconds before we heard a response from an interested gobbler. Gunther flipped on the camera and started filming the scenario as the game of seduction unraveled. As he filmed, I pulled down my mask and whispered a basic checklist of mechanics for him to check; audio, adjusting the iris, turning on manual focus, fine-tuning the white balance and checking the gain were just some of the requirements.

The gobbler was in sight before I could finish with my verbal checklist. He pompously showboated across the entire pasture en route to my decoy. Beautiful colors splashed off his feathery body and the sun’s luminescence lit his tail fan with a glow. The strutter stood at a mere 20 yards. As any good cameraman would say at this point in time, Gunther told me he was focused on the bird and to make the kill. An explosion of bb’s roared from the end of my shotgun and splattered into the bird’s vitals, it was a knockout! Gunther was just as excited as I was. We savored the moment with high-fives and “man-hugs.”

We shot the cut-a-ways, recovered the bird, and wrapped up a successful video shoot. I left the field proud and eager to see the dynamic footage from a rookie’s first hunting experience behind a camera. Our teamwork effort proved triumphant as I later viewed the footage. I owe a big thanks to Gunther for his ability to capture a spectacular turkey hunt, but more importantly a greater memory for us to share for years to come.

Northern Alberta Bear Hunt

-By Rich Miller

When I was little boy growing up in South Carolina I cut my teeth hunting squirrels, dove, and eventually deer and turkey. Back then we didn’t have hunting shows on television 24 hours a day; all we had was a couple of fishing shows that came on Sunday afternoon. I remember thumbing through Outdoor Life and Field and Stream magazines looking at the photos and reading the articles. For me, reading the articles and imagining the writers on these great big game hunts, was like being there. As a kid obsessed with whitetails these elk, bear, and moose hunts were something that I could only dream of.

About a year and a half ago I was invited on a bear hunt in Canada by a good friend of mine. He rents a camp out in Northern Alberta for the opening week of bear season every year. There were seven of us that were going on this hunt for six days. To say I was excited to be going on this hunt was an understatement. Joining me on this hunt was good friend and Special Promotion Coordinator for Pradco Outdoor Brands, Jim Strelec. All of us had been looking forward to this hunt for over a year so when we all met up in Fort McMurray, Alberta on Friday afternoon we all had a very restless night in anticipation of the next day.

We arrived at camp around noon on Saturday and it was just what I imagined. It was in the middle of nowhere surrounded by Aspen trees and Jack Pines. As soon as we arrived we were all busy getting unpacked and trying to settle in before Miss Audry had lunch ready. Jim and I shared a very roomy 16 x 20-canvas tent with a wood floor in it for the next six nights.

After lunch and all of our licenses were handed out we all started getting ready for the evening hunt. After a long and very thrilling ATV ride through several different swamps I arrived at my stand location and there was already a bear on the bait. By the time my cameraman and I got settled in our stands it was 3:30. About forty five minutes after getting into our stands we spotted a bear coming into our bait site. For a rookie bear hunter like myself judging a bear is pretty tough. The golden rule for a first time bear hunter is never shoot the first bear you see because it will be the biggest bear you have ever seen. Adhering to this rule I just sat back and watched this bear and tried to enjoy the show. This bear looked to be about a hundred and fifty pounds and while he wasn’t big enough to shoot he sure provided a lot of entertainment. He climbed up several trees trying to get to a bait that was tied up and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get a mouth full of it. After exhausting himself on the bait and never getting hold of it he decided the barrel of oats would be easier. This little sucker rolled a fifty five gallon drum around for over an hour trying to get all the oats he could out of one small hole in the end of the barrel. Once he had a lot of the oats on the ground he just laid down in them and ate for what seemed like an hour. Occasionally he would lift his head and look around to make sure nothing had sneaked up on him and then he would continue eating. Sometime around eight o’clock we heard a limb snap and the small bear jumped to his feet and just stared in that direction. Then there was another snap and it seemed to be more to the right of the first one. Then I caught some movement and saw what looked like a black Volkswagen moving through the woods. That is when the smaller bear decided it was time to exit stage left, and when he did the big bear took off after him. When these two bears took off through the woods it sounded like they were tearing the woods apart. It wasn’t but a minute until the big bruin was circling us making his way back in. It was at that point that I got a really good look at him and I wasn’t worried about judging bears anymore I was too busy reaching for my bow. He walked straight in to the bait sight and ended up directly underneath my stand. I will tell you it had my nerves torn up having this huge bruin several feet below my stand looking up at me. Then he just turned around and started heading toward the bait. At that point my buddy running the camera told me he had him whenever I was ready. With the bear having his back to me it allowed me to draw my bow and get my pin settled on him for the shot. I didn’t have my bow drawn very long when the bear quartered away to the left and that is when my arrow found its mark behind the bears left shoulder. After the shot I kept waiting on him to fall but he ran out of sight and then we heard a big crash and then it was quiet. Throughout this whole hunt I was cool and calm. After the shot I turned to the camera and gave a short recap of the hunt and toward the end of it is when it hit me. That is when I really got tore up, my hands were shaking and my knees were getting weak. Don was laughing at me and I was laughing at myself but I still couldn’t get rid of the shakes I had. I guess the combination of excitement of the hunt and the realization that I had just taken my first bear hit me and it was a real rush.

After I got myself calmed down we picked up the trail and about a hundred and fifty yards later my 6.5 foot 300 lb. Black Bear was laying there. Even though we had one heck of a drag out of one of the thickest swamps you have ever seen I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. That hunt will go into my list of top five hunts for me. I never thought that I would be doing much bear hunting because I spend all of my time and money chasing whitetails and turkeys, but thanks to Frank Allen’s generous invitation I was fortunate enough to experience this awesome hunt.

Is this Deer Sick?

This photo was recently uploaded to our photo gallery by Jimmy in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Jimmy asked our opinion if we thought this deer was sick or just changing from its winter coat to summer coat. Leave us a comment on the photo letting him know what you guys think.

Turkeys on Trail Cams

-By Art Helin

“Trail cameras for scouting turkeys? Are you crazy?” asks one of the gentlemen in the crowd. I respond with a “maybe”, but this is one of the most overlooked and useful tools you have for turkey hunting. These high-tech gadgets are great. The most effective way to use cameras for turkeys is to put them up and leave them alone for a week or two before the season starts. Why constantly go in and out of your prime hunting area pressuring birds and educating them?

I place the cameras in three areas. The first is in the birds’ known strut zones – typically oak flats or small field edges where you find turkey scratch. The second is on food sources - clover, cut corn, alfalfa fields, etc. Third is on water sources (shallow backed- up creek areas, ponds and secluded mini ponds); mine happen to be on small man-made water holes or mini ponds. I place the cameras in these locations so I can time when to hunt these particular birds and areas. Many people hunt certain areas too early or too late in the day; by finding and timing these birds you will be in the right place at the right time. It is easier to call a bird to an area he wants to be in rather than somewhere he doesn’t.

I set my Moultrie I40 cameras on 2-shot mode so I can see what birds, and possibly how many, are there. This helps to figure out after you shoot a bird and have tags left, if there are likely to be birds still in the area. Check the cameras to get a pretty good idea of what they are doing at what time of the day. I like to move cameras about every week or so during the season because more pressure from you or the neighbors may change their patterns.

Most people have limited time to hunt and scout so why not put your cameras in the field and take some pressure off the birds, figure out their daily patterns, hunt them at the right time, and become a more successful turkey hunter? The bonus is most bucks will also be sprouting at this time so you can also get a good look at what’s to come this fall! Good luck and shoot straight.