Hi All,
I apologize that I have not posted my usual schedule this week. Saturday at camp, I was bitten about seven times on my right elbow, by either a spider or blackflies.
Whatever it was, I was extremely allergic to it and by Monday evening, my elbow was swollen twice its normal size and my skin had turned a deep red like a third degree burn, and the bites were oozing brown junk. I started taking Benedryl and lots of it and went to see my doctor Tuesday morning.
They gave me a shot and some steroid creme for the wounds and I spent two days in Benedryl stupor. Wow.
My friends thought that maybe a Brown Recluse spider was the culprit, but who knows. We do have them in the Eastern UP so it could have been.
Anyway, I am feeling better and will resume my regular schedule next week.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Memorial Day Weekend
We are headed to Camp Chicken for the weekend but wanted to wish everyone a safe and wonderful holiday weekend.
Remember to Honor Our Veterans this Memorial Day by remembering our men and women serving in the military and offering a prayer for their safe return home.
If you have the chance, thank a Veteran for their service and for protecting our freedom.
This is more than just a holiday weekend, but a time to pause and reflect on what we owe our Veterans for keeping us safe and free.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Cheery Tomato Productions
Something on your mind? Share it here.
Guest Bloggers Welcome.
Email your guest post to whitetailsforwomen@live.com
Back in the early Spring of 2007, my sister-in-law, Judy, emailed me and asked me to take a look at her new blog, Cheery Tomato Productions.
"What's a blog?", I emailed back.
Judy patiently explained the concept of blogging to me and after faithfully reading all of her posts, I thought to myself, "this looks like fun!".
Judy is the main reason I started my first blog and was my only "fan" for many months.
Her blog, Cheery Tomato Productions, contains "Thoughts and photos about art, life, my family...a place to share my enthusiasms."
Judy is a wonderful photographer and takes the most incredible photos of the outdoors and her family. She is also a talented artist who uses fabric, beads, and other materials to create very unusual and original art work.
Stop by for a visit sometime. I am sure that she would love to hear from you!
Guest Bloggers Welcome.
Email your guest post to whitetailsforwomen@live.com
Back in the early Spring of 2007, my sister-in-law, Judy, emailed me and asked me to take a look at her new blog, Cheery Tomato Productions.
"What's a blog?", I emailed back.
Judy patiently explained the concept of blogging to me and after faithfully reading all of her posts, I thought to myself, "this looks like fun!".
Judy is the main reason I started my first blog and was my only "fan" for many months.
Her blog, Cheery Tomato Productions, contains "Thoughts and photos about art, life, my family...a place to share my enthusiasms."
Judy is a wonderful photographer and takes the most incredible photos of the outdoors and her family. She is also a talented artist who uses fabric, beads, and other materials to create very unusual and original art work.
Stop by for a visit sometime. I am sure that she would love to hear from you!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Venison BBQ
Wildgame Wednesday
Another one of my favorite recipes is for Venison BBQ.
You’ll need a venison roast, sliced onion, seasonings, your favorite BBQ sauce and a crockpot.
I put the frozen roast, sliced onion, salt, pepper(very little, I hate pepper) in the crock pot on low, the night before and let it cook all night. (You can add your own favorite seasonings. some folks like lots more than what I use).
By morning the roast should be done and I can break apart the roast into fairly small pieces. By this time in the cooking process, it should really just fall apart.
I add a bottle (or two depending on the size of the roast) of my favorite BBQ sauce, cover the crock, refrigerate and just let the meat absorb all that great sauce.
When I come home from work for lunch, I put the crock back in the crockpot and turn it on low so it will be ready when I get home at 4:00 PM.
Serve the venison BBQ on your favorite hamburger bun with a side of cole slaw and some dill pickle spears and you have a meal made in heaven.
Another one of my favorite recipes is for Venison BBQ.
You’ll need a venison roast, sliced onion, seasonings, your favorite BBQ sauce and a crockpot.
I put the frozen roast, sliced onion, salt, pepper(very little, I hate pepper) in the crock pot on low, the night before and let it cook all night. (You can add your own favorite seasonings. some folks like lots more than what I use).
By morning the roast should be done and I can break apart the roast into fairly small pieces. By this time in the cooking process, it should really just fall apart.
I add a bottle (or two depending on the size of the roast) of my favorite BBQ sauce, cover the crock, refrigerate and just let the meat absorb all that great sauce.
When I come home from work for lunch, I put the crock back in the crockpot and turn it on low so it will be ready when I get home at 4:00 PM.
Serve the venison BBQ on your favorite hamburger bun with a side of cole slaw and some dill pickle spears and you have a meal made in heaven.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Wolf At The Door! - Part Two
Around The Campfire...
We continue our discussion of the re-introduction of the gray wolf into the outdoors. See The Wolf At The Door! - Part One
One stormy March evening, I pulled out my copy of "Whitetail County", a beautiful book with the most incredible whitetail deer photos I have ever seen. If you don't own it you should definitely get yourself a copy. But I digress.
I think I found the theory behind the re-introduction of the gray wolf into the environment.
Hidden in the preface was a very interesting paragraph that expounded on theories of Anthony B Bubenik, "an internationally recognized authority on ungulate sociobiology"*
Mr. Bubenik argued "that free-choice hunting, and the virtual elimination of major predators have seriously reduced the quality of ungulate (deer) populations...". "He also complained that most of today's harvest management systems regularly permit cropping of too many prime-age, healthy, highly fecund individuals - mortality that contrasts sharply with the predominately selective culling by natural predators of young, old, and unhealthy individuals and poor-quality animals thus survive longer and more of them breed, lowering the genetic vigor of the populations"*
In normal language, we, as hunters continually take the very best animals. Predators, like wolves, prey on the very old, very young and the weak and sick animals.
So this begs the question. If we, as hunters, take the prime, healthy animals and wolves take the old, young and the weak or sick animals, where does that leave the whitetail deer population??
It seems that this philosophy leaves hunters and wolves once again in conflict.
Do hunters see wolves as competitors for "their deer"?
It is a fact, admitted by Michigan DNR biologists that an adult wolf eats 20 deer a year!
Another question seems obvious here. What happens as wolves become more plentiful and the deer population grows smaller and smaller? Where does that leave hunters?
I welcome your comments on this serious issue. Even though this blog is aimed at women hunters, our male counterparts are always welcome to join in the discussion.
See you next week "Around The Campfire" for Part Three of The Wolf At The Door.
We continue our discussion of the re-introduction of the gray wolf into the outdoors. See The Wolf At The Door! - Part One
One stormy March evening, I pulled out my copy of "Whitetail County", a beautiful book with the most incredible whitetail deer photos I have ever seen. If you don't own it you should definitely get yourself a copy. But I digress.
I think I found the theory behind the re-introduction of the gray wolf into the environment.
Hidden in the preface was a very interesting paragraph that expounded on theories of Anthony B Bubenik, "an internationally recognized authority on ungulate sociobiology"*
Mr. Bubenik argued "that free-choice hunting, and the virtual elimination of major predators have seriously reduced the quality of ungulate (deer) populations...". "He also complained that most of today's harvest management systems regularly permit cropping of too many prime-age, healthy, highly fecund individuals - mortality that contrasts sharply with the predominately selective culling by natural predators of young, old, and unhealthy individuals and poor-quality animals thus survive longer and more of them breed, lowering the genetic vigor of the populations"*
In normal language, we, as hunters continually take the very best animals. Predators, like wolves, prey on the very old, very young and the weak and sick animals.
So this begs the question. If we, as hunters, take the prime, healthy animals and wolves take the old, young and the weak or sick animals, where does that leave the whitetail deer population??
It seems that this philosophy leaves hunters and wolves once again in conflict.
Do hunters see wolves as competitors for "their deer"?
It is a fact, admitted by Michigan DNR biologists that an adult wolf eats 20 deer a year!
Another question seems obvious here. What happens as wolves become more plentiful and the deer population grows smaller and smaller? Where does that leave hunters?
I welcome your comments on this serious issue. Even though this blog is aimed at women hunters, our male counterparts are always welcome to join in the discussion.
See you next week "Around The Campfire" for Part Three of The Wolf At The Door.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Tick Removal
Deer Tech
Spring is here and the ticks will soon be showing their ugly heads. Here is a good way to get them off you, your children, or your pets. Give it a try.
Please pass this on to anyone with children or dogs, or anyone who spends time in the great outdoors.
My Mom sent me this in an email.
"A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And it really works!!
I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's sometimes difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.
Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.
Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"
Please pass on. Everyone needs this helpful hint.
Spring is here and the ticks will soon be showing their ugly heads. Here is a good way to get them off you, your children, or your pets. Give it a try.
Please pass this on to anyone with children or dogs, or anyone who spends time in the great outdoors.
My Mom sent me this in an email.
"A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And it really works!!
I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's sometimes difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.
Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.
Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"
Please pass on. Everyone needs this helpful hint.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Outdoor Friends
Something on your mind? Share it here.
Guest Bloggers Welcome.
Email your guest post to whitetailsforwomen@live.com
Since I don't have a guest blogger this week, I'll take this time to profile another of the great women I've met through blogging. Kristine Shreve of the Outdoor Bloggers Summit and Gun Safety Innovations LLC.
Kristine is a founding member of the OBS and along with Marian Love-Phillips, One of the first two people I met from the OBS after I started my Camp Chicken Chronicles blog.
I was really excited to find out that Kristine is from Traverse City Michigan so we are practically neighbors. Kristine also invited me to join OBS and encouraged my blogging attempts. She would faithfully read my posts and leave great comments so that I knew that someone besides my family actually read what I wrote.
Kristine is currently trying to take the OBS to new heights. She has moved it to a real domain name and out of Blogger and the site looks great. With well over 100 blogs and new ones being added everyday, the OBS is on it's way to becoming a real voice for all things outdoors.
I am proud to call Kristine my friend and hope someday to actually meet her in person.
Guest Bloggers Welcome.
Email your guest post to whitetailsforwomen@live.com
Since I don't have a guest blogger this week, I'll take this time to profile another of the great women I've met through blogging. Kristine Shreve of the Outdoor Bloggers Summit and Gun Safety Innovations LLC.
Kristine is a founding member of the OBS and along with Marian Love-Phillips, One of the first two people I met from the OBS after I started my Camp Chicken Chronicles blog.
I was really excited to find out that Kristine is from Traverse City Michigan so we are practically neighbors. Kristine also invited me to join OBS and encouraged my blogging attempts. She would faithfully read my posts and leave great comments so that I knew that someone besides my family actually read what I wrote.
Kristine is currently trying to take the OBS to new heights. She has moved it to a real domain name and out of Blogger and the site looks great. With well over 100 blogs and new ones being added everyday, the OBS is on it's way to becoming a real voice for all things outdoors.
I am proud to call Kristine my friend and hope someday to actually meet her in person.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Versatile Venison Burger
Wild Game Wednesday
If I am lucky enough to harvest a whitetail deer, my friend Arlene and her son-in-law, Dan, do the basic butchering job at camp. We then bring the meat home in about 13 large chunks and one or two large bags of meat to be made into venison burger.
We cut up the large chunks into roasts, steaks and stew meat. I take the burger meat to a local butcher shop to have it ground (about 7 cents a pound).
Some people like to have their venison burger mixed with ground pork but I prefer just pure venison burger. It is much lower in fat and healthier.
You can use venison burger in any dish that calls for ground beef.
I really like to use venison burger with Zatarain's Dirty Rice and Jambalaya mixes. These spicy mixes really seem to kick the venison up a notch! (sorry Emeril)
The venison seems to go really well with the Dirty Rice mix. Simply follow the package directions substituting venison burger for ground beef and in about 30 minutes you have a great main dish that feeds about 6 to 8 people.
If I am lucky enough to harvest a whitetail deer, my friend Arlene and her son-in-law, Dan, do the basic butchering job at camp. We then bring the meat home in about 13 large chunks and one or two large bags of meat to be made into venison burger.
We cut up the large chunks into roasts, steaks and stew meat. I take the burger meat to a local butcher shop to have it ground (about 7 cents a pound).
Some people like to have their venison burger mixed with ground pork but I prefer just pure venison burger. It is much lower in fat and healthier.
You can use venison burger in any dish that calls for ground beef.
I really like to use venison burger with Zatarain's Dirty Rice and Jambalaya mixes. These spicy mixes really seem to kick the venison up a notch! (sorry Emeril)
The venison seems to go really well with the Dirty Rice mix. Simply follow the package directions substituting venison burger for ground beef and in about 30 minutes you have a great main dish that feeds about 6 to 8 people.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The Wolf At The Door! - Part One
Around The Campfire
At my camp in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, I have wolves at my door literally!
Just this past November, on the eve of firearm deer season, I had a wolf howling just on the edge of my camp clearing.
Where did he come from?
The wolf population has been growing rapidly in Michigan's U.P. in the last eight years. The Michigan DNR claims these wolves have migrated, naturally, from Wisconsin where a small population began in the 1970's.
No one here in the E.U.P. believes it!
What is discussed around campfires, kitchen tables, coffee shops, and local watering holes is something quite different. People here believe that the Michigan DNR planted wolves in the U.P. following the Federal Government's plan to restore the gray wolf into the ecosystem.
What people here don't understand is why?
One of the reasons that wolves were hunted and exterminated is that they found domestic livestock much easier prey than whitetail deer. My Gram, whose father was a pioneer homesteader in the Pickford area, said that folks hunted and killed the wolves because the wolves killed so many of the lambs and calves in the springtime.
One theory is that the anti-hunting crowd pushed for wolf re-introduction to lower whitetail deer populations enough to eliminate hunting.
Another theory is that pressure from insurance companies is pushing for it because of the large amount of claims from car-deer accidents. There are any number of other "coffee-shop" theories, some have merit and some are just really ridiculous.
Then there is the official P.R. reason from the government about restoring the historical predators like wolves, cougars and grizzly bears back into Nature and blah, blah, blah.
But, while re-reading my favorite book about whitetail deer, "Whitetail Country", I think I discovered the real reason.
Come join me at next Tuesday's "Around The Campfire" for Part Two of "The Wolf At The Door"
At my camp in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, I have wolves at my door literally!
Just this past November, on the eve of firearm deer season, I had a wolf howling just on the edge of my camp clearing.
Where did he come from?
The wolf population has been growing rapidly in Michigan's U.P. in the last eight years. The Michigan DNR claims these wolves have migrated, naturally, from Wisconsin where a small population began in the 1970's.
No one here in the E.U.P. believes it!
What is discussed around campfires, kitchen tables, coffee shops, and local watering holes is something quite different. People here believe that the Michigan DNR planted wolves in the U.P. following the Federal Government's plan to restore the gray wolf into the ecosystem.
What people here don't understand is why?
One of the reasons that wolves were hunted and exterminated is that they found domestic livestock much easier prey than whitetail deer. My Gram, whose father was a pioneer homesteader in the Pickford area, said that folks hunted and killed the wolves because the wolves killed so many of the lambs and calves in the springtime.
One theory is that the anti-hunting crowd pushed for wolf re-introduction to lower whitetail deer populations enough to eliminate hunting.
Another theory is that pressure from insurance companies is pushing for it because of the large amount of claims from car-deer accidents. There are any number of other "coffee-shop" theories, some have merit and some are just really ridiculous.
Then there is the official P.R. reason from the government about restoring the historical predators like wolves, cougars and grizzly bears back into Nature and blah, blah, blah.
But, while re-reading my favorite book about whitetail deer, "Whitetail Country", I think I discovered the real reason.
Come join me at next Tuesday's "Around The Campfire" for Part Two of "The Wolf At The Door"
Monday, May 11, 2009
Deer Hunting Tip From Realtree Outdoors
Deer Tech
While relaxing Sunday night, I decided to check out the Outdoor Channel to watch a hunting show or two.
On Bill Jordan's Realtree Outdoors, Bill offered a hunting tip. When planning on an early morning hunt, pack your backpack the night before.
Maybe I'm just really anal, but to me that seems like a "no-brainer".
I am not the most alert soul at 5:00 AM so I religiously pack my backpack the night before. Always! Because if I don't, I am sure to forget something really important. Like the morning I woke up a little late and in my rush to get to my blind, I forgot to pack my bow release. It is a little difficult to shoot a bow without the release.
I always pack the items in the exact reverse order of how I'll need them. That way, I'm not fumbling in the dark with a headlamp on it dimmest setting, trying to figure out where something is in the backpack.
But maybe all hunters aren't as anal as I am, are you? Do you carefully pack your backpack the night before an early morning hunt?
While relaxing Sunday night, I decided to check out the Outdoor Channel to watch a hunting show or two.
On Bill Jordan's Realtree Outdoors, Bill offered a hunting tip. When planning on an early morning hunt, pack your backpack the night before.
Maybe I'm just really anal, but to me that seems like a "no-brainer".
I am not the most alert soul at 5:00 AM so I religiously pack my backpack the night before. Always! Because if I don't, I am sure to forget something really important. Like the morning I woke up a little late and in my rush to get to my blind, I forgot to pack my bow release. It is a little difficult to shoot a bow without the release.
I always pack the items in the exact reverse order of how I'll need them. That way, I'm not fumbling in the dark with a headlamp on it dimmest setting, trying to figure out where something is in the backpack.
But maybe all hunters aren't as anal as I am, are you? Do you carefully pack your backpack the night before an early morning hunt?
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Outdoor Friends
Something on your mind? Share it here.
Guest Bloggers Welcome.
Email your guest post to whitetailsforwomen@live.com
Since I don't have any guest bloggers this week, I thought I would use this as a chance to highlight the blogs of some of the great women I've met through the Outdoor Bloggers Summit.
Marian's Hunting Stories, etc., etc.,etc.
Marian Love Phillips is one of my blogging heroes and a founding member of the Outdoor Bloggers Summit.
When I first began blogging at Camp Chicken Chronicles, Marian somehow found my little blog and stopped by for a visit and invited me to join the OBS.
Marian's Hunting Stories blog is all about the things we women hunters hold dear to us; our families, friends, hunting and enjoying life in the outdoors.
Marian's stories are warm and have made me laugh and cry and have inspired and moved me. I never seem to have enough hours in the day to do everything that I'd like, but I always try to catch up with Marian's posts.
So if you are ready for a good "read", grab a cup of coffee and settle in at Marian's Hunting Stories and before long you'll feel like you're visiting a good friend.
Guest Bloggers Welcome.
Email your guest post to whitetailsforwomen@live.com
Since I don't have any guest bloggers this week, I thought I would use this as a chance to highlight the blogs of some of the great women I've met through the Outdoor Bloggers Summit.
Marian's Hunting Stories, etc., etc.,etc.
Marian Love Phillips is one of my blogging heroes and a founding member of the Outdoor Bloggers Summit.
When I first began blogging at Camp Chicken Chronicles, Marian somehow found my little blog and stopped by for a visit and invited me to join the OBS.
Marian's Hunting Stories blog is all about the things we women hunters hold dear to us; our families, friends, hunting and enjoying life in the outdoors.
Marian's stories are warm and have made me laugh and cry and have inspired and moved me. I never seem to have enough hours in the day to do everything that I'd like, but I always try to catch up with Marian's posts.
So if you are ready for a good "read", grab a cup of coffee and settle in at Marian's Hunting Stories and before long you'll feel like you're visiting a good friend.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Wild Game Wednesday
Coca-Cola Venison
Another of my favorite recipes was discovered completely by accident up at camp. We had planned on grilling venison steaks on the barbecue but when I went to marinate them that morning, I discovered that I had forgotten the meat marinade. I was too lazy to drive all the way into town to buy some so I searched the cupboards to find something to improvise with.
Finally, I looked in the refrigerator and saw cans of Coca-Cola. Knowing that Coke can dissolve buildup on car battery posts, I thought it might work to break-down and tenderize the venison steaks.
I put the steaks in a large zip-lock baggie with a can of Coke and some seasonings and let it sit all day in the refrigerator, occasionally taking the bag out and shaking it to mix up the ingredients.
When dinner time came, we simply took the steaks out and grilled them. To my surprise, the steaks were deliciously tender with a kind of sweet glaze on them. The steaks were a hit and this recipe happened totally by accident.
Another of my favorite recipes was discovered completely by accident up at camp. We had planned on grilling venison steaks on the barbecue but when I went to marinate them that morning, I discovered that I had forgotten the meat marinade. I was too lazy to drive all the way into town to buy some so I searched the cupboards to find something to improvise with.
Finally, I looked in the refrigerator and saw cans of Coca-Cola. Knowing that Coke can dissolve buildup on car battery posts, I thought it might work to break-down and tenderize the venison steaks.
I put the steaks in a large zip-lock baggie with a can of Coke and some seasonings and let it sit all day in the refrigerator, occasionally taking the bag out and shaking it to mix up the ingredients.
When dinner time came, we simply took the steaks out and grilled them. To my surprise, the steaks were deliciously tender with a kind of sweet glaze on them. The steaks were a hit and this recipe happened totally by accident.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Why Start A New Blog Now??
Around The Campfire
Spring seems like a strange time of year to launch a new blog about whitetail deer hunting for women. Shouldn't I have launched it in the fall? Maybe in late August or early September?
Fact is, I think about whitetail deer hunting all year round, not just in the fall. Spring is the time of year that I really think about what I need to do at Camp Chicken to make it a better place for the deer that live on the property.
In the early spring, I like to put out mineral blocks at various spots for the deer. Deer crave salt and other minerals in the spring and the blocks I buy at our local feed store are specifically made for deer and contain key minerals that aid in milk production for nursing does and for antler growth in bucks.
It is also a good time of year to look at creating some small food plots for the deer to supplement their natural diet. I don't have a tractor or other equipment other than my 4-wheeler so anything I would plant would have to be "no-till".
Spring is also when we go to camp and check for winter damage to our hunting shacks. We check all of our roads and ATV trails and see if they need maintenance. This spring we found that a huge tree had fallen across one of our trails that we had worked so hard to clear only last September. Luckily, my friend Arlene's brother, Don, came out and cut it up for us.
This is the time of year that I can see where my Mom and Dad's old roads used to be when they would come up and cut firewood on the property. Without all of the summer foliage, it is easy to see where the road used to be. In most cases, we can reclaim the road simply by removing a few bushes and small trees. This gives us access to new sections of the property on our 4-wheelers.
I like to get out and explore the property and look for any new deer runways that have appeared on the property and to think about adding a new hunting location or two.
Early spring is just a great time to be outdoors in the U.P. The dreaded blackflies and mosquitos haven't hatched yet and it is possible to tramp around the woods without getting eaten alive.
So what spring projects are you working on to make your property a better place to hunt the elusive whitetail deer? Drop by and let us know.
See you next week Around The Campfire when we talk about the re-introduction of the gray wolf to the outdoors.
Spring seems like a strange time of year to launch a new blog about whitetail deer hunting for women. Shouldn't I have launched it in the fall? Maybe in late August or early September?
Fact is, I think about whitetail deer hunting all year round, not just in the fall. Spring is the time of year that I really think about what I need to do at Camp Chicken to make it a better place for the deer that live on the property.
In the early spring, I like to put out mineral blocks at various spots for the deer. Deer crave salt and other minerals in the spring and the blocks I buy at our local feed store are specifically made for deer and contain key minerals that aid in milk production for nursing does and for antler growth in bucks.
It is also a good time of year to look at creating some small food plots for the deer to supplement their natural diet. I don't have a tractor or other equipment other than my 4-wheeler so anything I would plant would have to be "no-till".
Spring is also when we go to camp and check for winter damage to our hunting shacks. We check all of our roads and ATV trails and see if they need maintenance. This spring we found that a huge tree had fallen across one of our trails that we had worked so hard to clear only last September. Luckily, my friend Arlene's brother, Don, came out and cut it up for us.
This is the time of year that I can see where my Mom and Dad's old roads used to be when they would come up and cut firewood on the property. Without all of the summer foliage, it is easy to see where the road used to be. In most cases, we can reclaim the road simply by removing a few bushes and small trees. This gives us access to new sections of the property on our 4-wheelers.
I like to get out and explore the property and look for any new deer runways that have appeared on the property and to think about adding a new hunting location or two.
Early spring is just a great time to be outdoors in the U.P. The dreaded blackflies and mosquitos haven't hatched yet and it is possible to tramp around the woods without getting eaten alive.
So what spring projects are you working on to make your property a better place to hunt the elusive whitetail deer? Drop by and let us know.
See you next week Around The Campfire when we talk about the re-introduction of the gray wolf to the outdoors.
Monday, May 4, 2009
High Tech Deer Hunting
Deer Tech
Today's hectic life style forces us women hunters to use our time in the field wisely and to make the most of every minute we spend in our favorite hunting grounds.
Two years ago I found a product called Expert GPS that helps me make the most of my time in the field.
Expert GPS is mapping software for Windows XP and Vista that can be used in conjunction with your hand-held GPS unit. You can add your waypoints and tracklogs from your GPS unit to the software and then superimpose them on aerial photos or topographical maps.
Expert GPS downloads aerial photos and topographical maps onto your computer hard drive and saves them. You can then take your laptop with you to deer camp, which I do, and I have a compete map of my hunting area with all my important waypoints and routes plotted on the map.
I've entered all of our hunting shack's locations, ATV trails, roads and other important landmarks into the software.
When I am out scouting or just roaming around our property I carry my Garmin GPS unit and enter waypoints to mark deer hotspots, deer runways, bedding areas, scrapes, rubs, etc. I can then go back to camp and enter those right into the software and see where that spot is on the aerial photo of our 80 acres that I have stored on the computer.
When I purchased Expert GPS it was only about $30. Now it is a little more expensive at $49.95.
You can download the free version of Expert GPS, called Easy GPS at CNET. CNET is a great website that offers free, safe, software downloads and product reviews.
Both products are from TopoGrafix.
Today's hectic life style forces us women hunters to use our time in the field wisely and to make the most of every minute we spend in our favorite hunting grounds.
Two years ago I found a product called Expert GPS that helps me make the most of my time in the field.
Expert GPS is mapping software for Windows XP and Vista that can be used in conjunction with your hand-held GPS unit. You can add your waypoints and tracklogs from your GPS unit to the software and then superimpose them on aerial photos or topographical maps.
Expert GPS downloads aerial photos and topographical maps onto your computer hard drive and saves them. You can then take your laptop with you to deer camp, which I do, and I have a compete map of my hunting area with all my important waypoints and routes plotted on the map.
I've entered all of our hunting shack's locations, ATV trails, roads and other important landmarks into the software.
When I am out scouting or just roaming around our property I carry my Garmin GPS unit and enter waypoints to mark deer hotspots, deer runways, bedding areas, scrapes, rubs, etc. I can then go back to camp and enter those right into the software and see where that spot is on the aerial photo of our 80 acres that I have stored on the computer.
When I purchased Expert GPS it was only about $30. Now it is a little more expensive at $49.95.
You can download the free version of Expert GPS, called Easy GPS at CNET. CNET is a great website that offers free, safe, software downloads and product reviews.
Both products are from TopoGrafix.
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