Blogs by Melissa

http://www.petersenshunting.com/2011/06/15/tactics-for-predator-calling-a-bear/hunt !

One key factor to growing and keeping big bucks on your property is food plots. I like hunting over them early season, late season, and even on the edges during the rut. One big misconception is that you need big expensive equipment to get your food plots planted. Of course this is nice, but there is always a cheaper option, your own two feet. You can work with a nearby farmer to disk up your field or use an ATV to get things started. Once it comes to planting you can buy a simple hand spreader and do it by hand.

I decided to plant a clover blend on a small one-acre plot I have situated about 50-yards from the timber. This is an area where deer naturally travel from one wood lot to another, so a food plot should make for even better hunting.

Once the deer start coming to the field on a regular basis throughout the summer I will have my Cuddeback’s up and watching for any big boys that may be hitting the area. This works out well because it gives me an idea of not only what size bucks are hitting my food plots, but when and where. Prior to opening day I like to sit in a gun box or tree stand off in the distance and watch how the deer enter and exit the field. This usually gives me my best chance for taking a big buck on opening day. Just because the does and fawns filter out on one particular part of the field, doesn’t mean the bucks will come on the same path.

Last Minute Gobbler

If anyone is still turkey hunting right now you probably know all about hunting educated birds. These guys are not falling for any more clever tricks and have become very wary and difficult to hunt. Theses gobblers have been called at, spooked, and shot at so if they get a bad feeling, they immediately retreat. With that said, turkey season is still open in some states and I’m not going to sit at home just because the hunting gets tough.

Welcome to 5^th season in Illinois. Instead of this state being called the Land of Lincoln I think they need a new slogan, Land of Ticks. I won’t even get mad if they take my idea, in fact I can probably provide some great tick shots if needed!

After hunting for three days and not even seeing a bird, the last day I started second-guessing myself. I was contemplating getting out of the blind and doing a little run and bow hunting. If these turkeys couldn’t come to me, maybe I would have to bring the game to them. As I unzipped the blind I looked back onto the field one last time before getting out and saw a big gobbler coming right out of the woods onto the field! My blind door was wide open, all my front windows were down and now I was staring at a huge gobbler closing the distance to my decoys. There was no time to zip up the blind door so I grabbed my bow, resituated and waited for this big boy to come in.

I’m not sure if there is such a thing as turkey fever but if there is, I was getting close to it at this point. I felt completely unprepared but the camera was rolling and my bow was in my hands. Movement was critical at this point, because the darkness of the blind was gone. There was as much light in my blind as if I was sitting out in the open! As the gobbler came within 20-yards of my decoys something spooked him. I’m not sure if he saw movement in the blind, my cameraman changing the light on the camera, or what but he decided he had enough.

He turned and started heading back to the woods. I drew my bow and made a shot that I feared was a little far back. I immediately bolted out of the blind to find my gobbler down only 40-50 yards away with another tom already on him pecking the dead bird! Even though the shot was a little far back the turkey was quartering away enough that my rage broadhead had enough penetration to go all the way through him taking out his vitals.

This was the last day of the season and absolute proof that gobblers can come in anytime. It’s almost hard to believe I hunted for days on end, and then when I decide to unzip my blind, a gobbler decides to stroll onto the field. That’s ok though, because I still love my gobblers all the same whether they show up on the first or last day of the hunt.

Prepping for the Big Boys

A good portion of my spring has been spent turkey hunting, but when I’m chasing gobblers in Illinois the season closes at 1pm each day. What’s a girl to do after that? Of course the occasional nap has its place but this is a perfect time to get out and reset tree stands. Some people may think I’m crazy and it’s too early, but I disagree. Spring is a great time to scout your hunting ground, check and reset stands, and hopefully pickup a couple sheds along the way.

I like to get stands up early and have everything set and lanes cut before the heat of the summer takes over. There is nothing worse than carrying ladders, stands, and a saw deep into your property on a ninety-degree day, not to mention the black flies and ticks that will nearly carry you away if you wait until mid-summer. There is another added bonus for setting your stands early and that is the poison ivy and poison oak are generally still dormant this time of the year.

I’m not always out there putting up all brand new stands, but sometimes a 30-40 yard move can make all the difference. Deer change their patterns over time, and sometimes it takes a year or two to get a stand just right.

Once I pick out a spot I do my best to make it comfortable. No it’s not because I’m a wimp or a baby but I usually sit all day. The more comfortable I am, the longer I will sit and the more deer I will see, very simple. I also do my best to keep my entrance in and out quiet and always put a pull rope at every stand. The last thing I need is to be fumbling through my pack in the morning looking for a rope to pull my bow up. This way every stand has a rope tied off on a step, patiently awaiting my arrival.

Fishing With Mom

After debating what to do for Mother’s Day weekend, my decision was confirmed after looking at the forecast. Saturday was to be a beautiful blue bird sky day and 70 degrees. That may not be a big of deal for most people, but for Minnesota it’s been a long time coming!

To make the most of the weather my dad, brother and I decided to celebrate mother’s day and pamper mom by hitting the lake. Since we were kids we have hunted and fished together as a family, and it is something we all thoroughly enjoy doing. There are always lots of laughs, great stories, and the girls usually out fish the boys.

We headed out to a small lake near my parents home in central Minnesota and caught fish all afternoon. We joked around, took photos, and I even talked my brother into filming a little bit of the action. I didn’t want to make it a big production, but wanted to have a few memories to share. Although we didn’t keep count, my mom and I did pretty well on the sunfish and provided the food for the table. Dad was somehow catching more bass than sunfish and my brother caught the first fish, winning him the high stakes dollar we offer for first fish in the Bachman household. I explained that he was obviously not doing his job as a cameraman because he should have been busy with the camera, not fishing. But I still paid up after giving him a hard time.

Once we got back to my parents house we made a fish cleaning production line between my brother, my dad and I to get all the fish cleaned for dinner, giving mom a break. There are few things better to eat than fresh sunfish, so we all enjoyed a wonderful meal together. Once dinner had settled, it was out to the campfire for desert. Smores were on the menu and we enjoyed roasting (and burning) a few marshmallows before getting some perfectly golden brown.

After a day filled with laughter, good food, and great photos it only confirms that the best mother’s day gifts can come without a big price tag or wrapped in a perfect bow. We were able to spend the day together as a family doing what we love, enjoying time together in the outdoors.

Lovesick Gobbler

Not all turkey hunts are created equal, and not all turkey video is created equal. What you are about to see is a textbook video clip of how decoys are supposed to work on giant gobblers. I almost forgot to mention there is also a decoy cam for up close and personal turkey action!

After a long week of turkey hunting, it was down to the last day in Illinois. I hadn’t had much luck with birds, but I also had to stay in a few mornings to do some real work, editing. Once all my projects were wrapped up I was able to rush out to a cornfield and throw up a blind before first light. Immediately I could hear gobblers on the roost, but that was not unusual. The area was full of them; I just had bad luck getting them within bow range the last few mornings I was able to get out. What I had good luck with were the jakes. They were in plentiful supply and really raised havoc with my little hen decoy whom I named Bubbles. Each morning they would stand on her, peck her, attack my jake decoy, and then go on their way.

This morning was different; there were no jakes to start the morning off, only hens. Shortly after first light, three hens came strolling through and investigated my turkey clan. Upon their approval they continued to eat, but the tom was back in the brush eyeing up Bubbles. He scoped her out from a distance then came in with only one thing on his mind. He did a little dance in front of her and decided that would be enough to seduce her. He put one foot on her back and I could almost see him smile. He was thrilled she didn’t run away so he got right down to business.

I have become one of the most patient turkey hunters you will ever meet, because once the gobbler is in range, I believe there is no need to rush. Sure I am a hunter and I love taking down turkeys, but what I really enjoy is getting great footage. I knew I had a little GoPro camera right in front of Bubble’s face hopefully catching all the action. I was almost afraid to look at the camera in my binos for fear that the battery would die or the card would fill up simply from looking at it. It was all too perfect, and in all reality I think I was more proud of my camera setup than my decoy or blind setup.

Either way I knew we were getting beautiful footage from in the blind and after letting him mount Bubbles for a few minutes I decided he had enough fun for one day. When setting up my decoys, I always face Bubbles at a perfect angle so any gobbler that hops on her back will be either broadside or slightly quartering away giving me the perfect shot at any time. I waited for this big tom to hold still while on her back and zipped an arrow right through his chest. He went down inside twenty yards and my heart was racing, anyone who thinks turkey hunting isn’t exciting and adrenaline pumping is crazy!

I ran over to my big gobbler but checked my little camera first, and sure enough it had been running the entire time. Nothing like a feeling of sweet success when everything works out, even if you have to wait until the last day!

Rain Rain Go Away

I understand the saying April showers bring May flowers but will this rain ever end? As I’ve been traveling around the country hunting turkeys I’ve hit rain in almost every state. We’re not talking small amounts of rain, but nonstop downpours, lightning, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms. I’ve always enjoyed storms, but this spring I am definitely getting my fill. So far I’ve driven through 4 storms severe enough where I had to pull over and let the rain subside. And just last week I got caught in a tornado in Kentucky. Luckily it was only a mile off, but it really makes you think when you are in your vehicle and can see it out your passenger window.

This also brings me to another question. I have always been told that if you are driving and spot a tornado you need to get out and lie flat in a ditch. Do people really do this? It was raining sideways, branches and debris was flying everywhere and they really want me to get out of my truck and go lie down in the ditch? Maybe this would be the safest thing to do but instead I kept driving and eventually got out of the storm. I was debating stopping by someone’s house to see if they would let me in their basement, but unless I could see that tornado coming right for me, I highly doubt I would jump out of my vehicle and lie in the ditch.

Although the weather has made driving difficult the rain has really put a damper on my spot and stalk turkey adventures this spring as well. When the rain is pouring down, there is really only one place to hunt when you have a camera along. Welcome to ground blind paradise where the weather is always dry and cameras are happy. I’ve tried pushing the limits at times and taking a camera out in the rain, but it always ends the same; fried out electronics, big repair bills, and no footage.

Although some people may think sitting in a blind is boring, It’s really kind of enjoyable when you’re listening to the rain, thunder, and an occasional turkey gobble as morning hits. I can promise you one thing, it sure beats sitting in my edit suite putting video together or being in an office!

There are a lot of people out there who will stay inside at the first sight of rain or storms and I’m really the opposite. Sure, I like to stay dry whether I hunt from a ground blind, use a tree umbrella, or just layer up the raingear but it’s pretty tough to keep me inside when there is hunting to be done. I can guarantee you there are a million hunters locked up in their cubicle at any given moment that would trade spots in an instant.

So strap on your boots, pull your hood up and get out there and enjoy the moment even if there is no end of rain in sight, just be safe and try to stay dry!

Kentucky Double Bearded Gobbler

Kentucky is a place where I’ve filmed numerous people but never had the chance to hunt until now. Robbie Sowash invited Martin Teeter and I to the Rackerson Ranch to hunt turkeys in western Kentucky. Within five minutes of arriving to camp Robbie had several huge gobblers spotted from the cabin above, and when I say huge we’re talking heavy double bearded toms.

Robbie has an incredible setup where he can watch his property from the main cabin, which is located on the highest hill overlooking the bottom fields. This is nice for turkey hunting, but wonderful for deer hunting. The property is loaded with deer, tons of sign, and most importantly the lodge photos say a thousand words. The Rackerson Ranch is deer management at it’s finest, and he has some absolute giants. Anytime I see a couple 200-inch bucks on the wall you know you’ve stepped onto some great property. As much as I could spend the entire trip obsessing over deer, we were here to turkey hunt!

The first morning out it was a soggy wet day and even Robbie’s big truck couldn’t handle all the mud and water that Mother Nature delivered the night before. Within minutes of daybreak we had gobblers inside thirty-yards but we decided to pass because the camera was still reading low light. Everything is easy to pass on day one, but I can promise you after looking at the footage and seeing how big these two toms were, I might have been ok with footage! Either way, we were spoiled, plain and simple.

Most people think of turkey hunting as a morning activity, but we were putting in long days. We would bring our lunch to the blind and stay for the day. That’s right dark-to-dark turkey hunting! It can make for long days, but when you’re hunting a place with as many birds as Kentucky the days go by quickly.

I started in the outdoor industry as a cameraman and I still spend about half my time filming other people, so Martin and I decided to switch off and film each other. We both spend a lot of time filming other people, so it was nice to switch it up and both get a crack at letting a few arrows fly.

There is one thing everyone needs to know about me and that is I get pretty excited when an animal comes in whether I’m filming or hunting. In fact even when I’m filming I still get the shakes! As I watched Martin’s big gobbler come in from a few hundred yards off I could barely keep the camera steady but we ended up with beautiful video and his big tom didn’t make it two-yards after the shot! Martin’s gobbler was a really old bird so we limited the calling and just let the decoys do the work.

Throughout the spring my little hen decoys have been a big attraction, but Kentucky was different. I’ve named my decoys Bubbles & Delilah. Bubbles is positioned almost flat on the ground and takes most of the abuse, but Delilah has her fair share as an alert hen. Apparently both ladies were looking a little rough around the edges on this trip, because every gobbler was fixated on our tom. It also made a difference that we were dealing with windy, nasty conditions, which brought our tom and his real fan to life. He was constantly moving, swaying and rocking in the wind.

We setup on a big picked cornfield and positioned the decoys fifteen yards from the blind. At first light, a lone gobbler pitched down and immediately headed our way. He cruised in from several hundred yards and got pretty spooky once he hit the decoys. I’m always trying to enjoy the show as much as possible, but I was getting a little worried that this guy would bolt at any second.

As soon as he held still for a moment, I zipped an arrow right through him and he went down in the field. Again, it was a rainy nasty morning so his fan was looking a little rough, sort of like a bad hair day, but who can beat calling in a gobbler within the first fifteen minutes. The added bonus, he was a double bearded tom! I knew he looked good but that was a pleasant surprise. In fact he was my second double bearded gobbler of the spring! Lucky for me the spring isn’t even close to over and the turkey tour will continue on…

Swing and a Miss in South Carolina

Making the rounds on my turkey tour there are bound to be a few missed opportunities and apparently my time was up when I rolled into South Carolina. I had the privilege to join up with my gator hunting buddies near Monks Corner, SC.

There are turkey hunters, and then there are turkey fanatics. These guys are fanatics, no question. Their entire spring schedule revolves around turkey hunting and they plant hundreds of chufa patches to ensure amazing turkey hunting all season long, that’s right hundreds of patches.

This was the first time I’d experienced hunting over a food plot planted specifically for turkeys. The chufa plots are planted almost a full season in advance in either late spring or summer. It grows throughout the year, dies, and then it’s ready for the turkeys the following spring. It may look like a field of dead plants, but the turkeys know exactly what lies beneath. They will flock to the fields and spend hours digging up the chufa, which is a high-energy food source for turkeys that help keep the birds healthy and on your property.

After watching numerous turkeys stream in and out of the fields, two gobblers finally appeared. They didn’t see the decoys but started to dig right in on the back part of the field, behind my blind. It was the one area I hadn’t cleared a shooting lane, and sure enough as I released my arrow, it found one lone stick and dropped just below the feeding gobbler.

My heart sank as the two toms strolled away not necessarily spooked, but not willing to stick around for another shot. My time was running out and I switched fields for my afternoon hunt. I had a couple gobblers stroll by wide, just out of bow range but nothing in close. To end the evening I watched a beautiful bearded hen dig up chufa right next to my blind. She had a thick 8-inch beard, but in South Carolina only male turkeys are legal. I decided to put down my bow and get some great footage to add to the turkey tour vault.

Texas Hog Pitstop

After wrapping up a great turkey hunt I felt I owed Texas a favor. So to repay this favor I took a few days off from the gobbler action to take out a few hogs. I enjoy any hunt where there is a lot of shooting, and with hogs you will seldom be let down. Also if you are looking to hunt an animal that is good eating and nearly everyone will give you permission, hogs are the answer. I’ve been lucky enough to take a number of hogs throughout the years in a variety of different hunting situations. I tend to spot and stalk hunt during the midday and sit in ground blinds or tree stands in the evenings.

When in Texas, I usually hunt with friends who own property on the outskirts of Houston. They are avid deer hunters and have a terrible time keeping food plots going due to the out of control hog numbers. Prior to my arrival they put several trail cameras out to find where the hogs were frequently coming through. After looking through several hundred photos, the hog population looked like it was still going strong and I had just the medicine. A quiver full of pink arrows!

Hogs have terrible eyesight so I decided to try a little spot and stalk hunting before we setup my ground blind. It wasn’t long before I found a big boar, but getting within bow range can be pretty difficult. Boars are usually skittish and have an incredible nose. This big guy knew something wasn’t quite right and stayed just outside 50-yards. Each time I inched closer, he backed away. He couldn’t make out what I was but wasn’t interested in getting a closer look. Either way it was a fun stalk but I wasn’t able to close the deal so I decided to move to a ground blind and wait for evening.

Hogs usually wait until last light to show up which can make it very difficult when filming. As the sun dropped hogs began to move and it wasn’t long before they were right in my lap. An entire group swarmed the area and I picked out the largest one in the bunch. I waited until I had a quartering away shot and just as my arrow hit my Cuddeback took a photo of all the action. The hog only went about 50-yards and within 24-hours we were grilling back straps on the grill enjoying the beautiful Texas weather. Not exactly a planned part of the turkey tour but a relaxing break before heading to South Carolina to get back in the turkey action.

Run N Gun Rios-Archery Style

Back in February I remember sitting in my house, looking outside at 3-feet of snow piled up then glancing at the thermometer and seeing -18. No I don’t live in the artic but there are times I question my own sanity for living in Minnesota. This is the day I decided as soon as spring hits somewhere in the US and turkey season opens I’m getting in my truck and hitting the road.

Flash-forward to April and over 20-hours of driving later, I finally reached my destination. The hill country of Texas where the grass is green and the gobblers are in season. The first afternoon was simply a scouting mission since I had never seen the property nor hunted a Rio.

Most people assume that if you are bow hunting a turkey, especially with a camera you need to sit in a blind. I agree that would be a lot easier but I’ve never been one for taking the easy road. I like to hunt aggressive.

Day one proved to be a slow morning. There was a lot of gobbling in the distance but the birds were not moving to the property until mid-morning. So I continued to hunt, call, and walk hoping to find the first long beard that crossed onto the property.

Getting close to noon I finally got a response from a fired up bird. He was coming hard and I barely had time to setup. As a bow hunter I knew the most important thing would be finding a place where I could draw without getting busted. I would also need to draw early and hold it for a considerable amount of time.

Unfortunately this bird put on a great show, strutting back and forth but just out of bow range. There was a small drop off that was causing him to hang up. He was simply too lazy or unwilling to approach my little ladies that were so nicely spinning in the wind 30-yards below. Ultimately another jake came in and my gobbler followed him off, leaving me after nearly an hour of strutting, gobbling, and showing off.

By the last day of the hunt I had the birds pretty well figured out, they were hitting the property mid morning on a daily basis. As tempting as it was to sleep in, I still got up at o’dark thirty everyday just in case.

As the morning temps were climbing, a couple gobblers fired up a few hundred yards off. I closed the distance and got setup in minutes. After a few soft yelps, the gobblers came strutting by at 30-yards behind a wall of thick cover. Instead of approaching the decoys these two gobblers decided to swing wide. As the two toms passed behind a thick bush I drew hoping to get a shot when they appeared on the opposite side. After staying at full draw for what seemed like an eternity I finally had a clear shot.

The arrow zipped right through and the two-blade Rage left a devastating wound. As I approached the bird I saw he was a giant double bearded Rio that weighed in at 23 pounds. He boasted an 8 and a 10.5-inch beard with inch and a quarter spurs, but the best part was the way I hunted. Very few people get lucky enough to take a bird, with a bow, in a “run n gun” situation, but the hard work definitely paid off.

Alaska Spot N Stalk Black Bear

Spring is a time for early morning turkeys and late afternoon bear. I’m more the afternoon type of girl, but I do make exceptions. With bear hunting in Alaska, no exceptions are needed. You wake up at 9, eat breakfast, and then hunt for the remainder of the day…sounds like the perfect hunt on earth, and it was.

There are several ways to hunt bear, but spot and stalk is the ultimate challenge. If you want to make that even harder, add a bow and try to make each stalk with 4 people!

When I say each stalk, I fully mean you will be making NUMEROUS stalks. Things will go wrong. The wind swirls, rocks slide, and bear disappear. You will also run into something we called ’’pop weed’’ a.k.a. kelp. As the tide goes out kelp litter the shores where you will be stalking. Unfortunately when you step on them they make a loud pop. I can promise you it doesn’t make for an easy stalk.

In hopes of avoiding any popping you find yourself jumping from rock to rock trying to keep your balance. Because of the tide newly visible rocks are covered in slime making them extremely slippery. I can’t even tell you how many times I wiped out…however I learned to do it gracefully, if that’s even possible. Practice makes perfect, right?

This was an unguided hunt outside of Ketchikan on Prince of Wales Island. Also known as the black bear capital of the world. The area we were hunting is public land in the Tongass National Forest. It’s a place anyone can hunt if they do their research. You need maps, a great boat, and someone who thoroughly understands the tides and the ocean. I was hunting with a friend of mine from the Alaskan Coast Guard. So I guess you won’t find anyone much more knowledgeable than that?

Each day we headed out in a big boat and made the long journey from Ketchikan to Prince of Wales Island. Upon arrival we glassed the grass flats and kept our eyes peeled for any kind of movement. Once we spotted a bear we would pile into the small raft, decide where the best place was to hit shore, and then put on the stalk.

After several long stalks we got within rifle range of a beautiful bear feeding. There was no way I could cut the distance before he hit the trees so I let my brother step up to the plate. He made a perfect shot and we had our first bear down later named ’’fluffy’’. These bear were coming straight from their dens so their fur was in tip-top condition and their behavior was fairly predictable. The bear needed to find green grass to get their digestive tracks started after their long hibernation. This meant there would be a short window when these huge boars may show themselves each evening.

Day 2 we spotted a giant bear feeding near a creek. It would be a long stalk but we decided we were up for the challenge. We made a 500-yard stalk and closed the distance to 35 yards! The wind was perfect and the bear was near a creek so our sound was masked by the running water. We used every log and rock to our advantage and finally reached our destination. It was a huge fallen tree that provided just enough cover for us to get setup. Just as I was getting ready to draw the wind swirled and the bear was on alert. Their sense of smell is unbelievable and this guy had us busted. Within moments he was lunging for cover and I was left with an empty feeling in my stomach.

Instead of getting down I decided it happened once, it could happen again. Time was on our side and I knew this island had a lot more bear; I just needed to be patient. I decided to consider this a perfect ’’practice’’ stalk.

The weather stayed calm and allowed for perfect hunting. If the winds pick up even the slightest bit the seas can get nasty fast. This isn’t like the little lakes in MN, it is big dangerous water. If the weather is bad you have no choice but to stay inside, so I was thrilled with calm seas and blue skies. Well not quite blue…Ketchikan is located in a rain forest and you might as well just get used to the drizzly conditions. Good raingear and the right attitude is a must. The bear are used to the rain so as a hunter you better learn to enjoy it as well.

The trip was winding down and I was getting nervous. There were a lot of bear but the stalks were tough. I refused to switch to a rifle, even though that would virtually guarantee me a bear. I had one goal in mind when I came on this trip. A spot and stalk archery bear. I decided I would rather go home empty handed than switch halfway through the trip.

With several hours to go before dark we spotted a huge boar feeding across a long shore. He was headed toward us and we made our move. We hit shore, all four of us, and made to the edge of the timber. A small hill blocked our view of the open flat and our guess was the big boy was on the other side. Time to get aggressive. We got situated and when there was still no sign we hit the predator call. This was a homemade fawn in distress call that worked like magic. Within moments that boar was on top of the hill looking for his next meal.

I slowly drew while he was facing us and held my pin right on that big white V on his chest. I wanted to let go more than anything in the world. But I knew I had to make a good shot and a frontal shot was way too risky. Thankfully he turned and as he quartered away I released my arrow. Initially it looked a little far back but it hit at the perfect angle and made a clean pass through. The excitement of calling in an enormous bear within archery range was one of the best feelings of accomplishment I have ever experienced.

After an impatient 20 minutes we decided to follow the blood trail. We only went 25-yards before a huge bundle of black caught our attention. This bear was way bigger than we all expected and his fur was in mint condition. He was nearly 7 feet long, almost 450 pounds, and unquestionably a book bear!

South Carolina Gators

Trip Preparation
      Have you ever booked a trip with little or no knowledge of what you’re getting yourself into? That’s exactly what my gator trip to South Carolina felt like. I had heard about people going out and shooting big gators, but I wanted to do it with a bow. I really didn’t know how on earth to go about so I did a little research. At Cabin Fever (My local archery shop) we paged through their catalogue and found a “Gator Getter Kit” Basically it had everything one would need to stick a big gator…well except for a little bottle of liquid courage.

Gear Setup
      Once the kit arrived we stripped my Monster down and setup what looked to be an extreme carp kit. You have an arrow connected to a spool of 500lb test line, strings hanging everywhere, and a float that hangs off your stabilizer to throw in once you stick a gator. I had no sights, a new specially designed rest, and line hanging from my arrow. Immediately I could see that if you were not careful you could end up with a misfire and a tangled mess. The no sights really threw me for a loop…I hadn’t shot instinctively since I was a kid so I was hoping the transition would be smooth.

Shot Placement
      Gators are covered from head to toe with a shield of armor. You’d think there would be tons of places to stick an arrow, but your shot placement needs to be extremely precise. There is only a small portion of their skin that is soft enough for an arrow to penetrate. This is located right behind their skull where there neck meets their head. They also have a softer area on their belly/side but it can be very difficult to see this part because it is always submerged.

Tactics
      Gator hunting is done primarily at night using spot lights. You can hunt during the day with rifles but it can be very hard to recover your animal since there is no line attached like there is with a bow. The first night was really a trial run for me, I had no idea how good of a shot I would be and I didn’t know what to expect. We tried a variety of tactics throughout the trip. We tied the boat up and played CD’s that call the gators in. We tried stalking them by paddling up without the motor, we tried going up to them fast, you name it we tried it.

Judging Size
      I have become very used to judging deer, or elk, or even hogs but how in the world do you judge a gator? You can only really see their eyes and the end of their snout. SO that’s exactly what you use. They figure a good estimate is to judge the number of inches from their eye to their snout and that’s about how many feet long your gator would be. This seemed easy enough and like anything when you find a monster, there is no question. At night as we drove around we shined a bright spot light along shores, and in the water. When we spotted a gator, and we spotted a ton, their eyes glowed red. It’s really a creepy feeling when you shine a swamp and see hundreds of red eyes glowing back at you. Especially when you think that these are only a few hundred yards from nearby homes.

The Hunt
      I’m not sure in all my travels if I’ve ever met such a great bunch of guys as I had the privilege to hunt with in South Carolina. They were staying out late at night with me rounding up gators, and then getting up early for work the following mornings. They also had the perfect boats, and not just any boat but a specific gator getter boat. It had a high place to sit and watch, a platform on the front for the shooter, and a mud buddy motor that could get us through almost anything. It even came equipped with a CD player and surround sound to call the gators in. There is no way I’m even going to pretend to have stuck the first gator I shot at. It took a lot of practice and patience, but I was thrilled when I stuck my very first gator. He wasn’t a monster, but at six feet long he was a perfect starter.

      My days were spent stalking gators with my bow and occasionally shooting them with a rifle, but my ultimate goal was to stick a monster with my Mathews Monster. The last evening when time was starting to run thin I had my chance. We were lucky enough to be accompanied by a guy whose father was actually a professional gator hunter back in the day. He could call in gators with his mouth and he was a blast to be around, truly a fun person. In fact he was leaning over to show me a small gator and he fell in the water! We pulled him out but he was all smiles saying the wife’s going to be surprised that he took two baths in one day! Talk about a good sport, but he was soaking wet. He insisted we continue hunting and it’s a good thing we did.

      About an hour later we spotted a giant gator and he was territorial! This meant he would try to hold his ground, hopefully giving us the chance to get close. We cut the engines and Mendel grabbed a small little broken off canoe paddle. We slowly crept our way along and finally arrived within shooting distance. I drew and when I released all my line got tangled and it splashed the water in front of him. Lucky for me he was a mean old gator and didn’t want us invading his space, so he stayed up giving me another shot. It’s hard enough untangling line when you have time but I was trying to go as fast as possible. I knew he wouldn’t stick around forever and this guy was a giant!

      I got the bow, spool, and line re-rigged and tried to calm myself down. This was the last night, and probably one of the last opportunities I would have. I released the arrow and this time it hit right behind the head in the soft part and it was game on! The gator splashed and dove to the bottom. He didn’t pull all my rope out so there was no need to throw the float, but what a great feeling!! Little did I know the work had just begun. This gator was a monster, super heavy, and I had a 500lb test line connecting me to him.

      We pulled him up for what seemed like hours, we’d finally get him close to the boat and he’d take off. I had to let the rope go most of the time in fear of loosing a hand, but then it would start all over. All the ground you gained was gone again. Finally we must have tired him out as all three of us took turns pulling him in. He showed himself and we fired several rounds into his skull. Quickly we tied his mouth shut and we were all looking at each other in awe. Not one of us expected this big of a gator! He was enormous and as we dragged him into the landing he was actually pulling the boat as we drove. Back at the landing a group of 10 guys waited and helped us bring him to shore. This was a true group effort and I never could have done it without every single person’s help and patience. I had no idea what I was getting into at the beginning but I know one thing for sure. Gator hunting is something I would love to do every single year!

Southern Colorado Elk

Elk hunting can be one of the most rewarding or one of the most frustrating hunts in the world. On this particular hunt to southern Colorado we experienced a bit of both. The bulls were screaming day and night. We could hardly sleep at night it was so loud! Everyday we were on bulls, but being on bulls and getting bulls on film can be two very different things.

We were hunting in some extremely steep and rough terrain. Upon arrival I learned firsthand what elevation sickness was. We were hunting in 11-12,000 feet and for a flatlander from MN the air was a bit thin to say the least!! With all that aside I have never seen and heard so many elk in my life. The main reason we were able to hunt the ranch was that the elk are actually destroying the land.

Their heavily traveled trails are eroding the land and they completely destroy the young trees. They are truly a majestic animal, but they can become destructive when their populations become too dense. Mark Kayser and I had the privilege to stay in one of the most beautiful camps I’ve ever seen. The guides ran us hard during the day chasing elk but in the evenings we came back to a beautiful dinner and gorgeous rooms.

We ended up with several encounters where bulls were inside 30-yards, but something would always happen. One time a doe came running through the shooting lane, then a cow elk, then the bull came flying in behind them and came to a screeching halt. Who knows what he saw or didn’t like. That sixth sense kicked in and he spun around as fast as he appeared.

I’ve been able to hunt New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado for elk and never in my life have I seen numbers like this. They were not all monster bulls, but they were good bulls. My heart was pounding every time one of those giants came into range...and that’s what it’s all about. This was a perfect example where we went home without a kill, but it was one of the most exciting hunting trips I’ve ever been a part of.

Texas Hog Hunting

The temps have been below zero for months, and the whitetail season is over. What’s a Minnesota girl to do?? Well, I flew south and put my sights on a new target…Texas hogs. This was my first trip in search of hogs and I had no idea what I was in for!

Naturally I arrived in Houston extremely late and got a little bit lost heading to the ranch. I slept fast and within a few very short hours the alarm was buzzing. I was really hoping these hogs slept until noon; however that was not the case. I gathered my gear, an energy drink, my encore pistol and I was off to the races.

The morning didn’t start perfect…not one bit. Forty minutes later we arrived at the ranch we’d be hunting and I realized I forgot the keys to my gun case. True Story. Luckily one of the guys had a saw in his truck so the locks were dismembered rather quickly. Not an ideal start but nothing ever seems to go perfect.

I was on stand for a little over an hour and I started getting very cold. Texas may be much further south but the mornings are still cold! It didn’t take long for my mind to forget all about the cold when I heard pigs on their way in.

The first shocker was how many hogs there were! The second shock was the variety of colors and sizes! I didn’t know I would have to make so many decisions this early in the morning. I decided to forget about colors for now and went for the biggest hog in the group. I took a deep breath and squeezed off a shot at the big black hog. He dropped in his tracks and the other scattered! I was so relived to make a great shot and to do it with a handgun! My dad always jokes around that I’m a better shot at 50-yards with my bow than with my handgun…but all the practice finally paid off!

Handguns are not something you can pick up today and go use in a hunting situation tomorrow. They take a lot of time, practice, and ultimately you need the confidence in yourself. I didn’t want to go after a big game animal right off the bat with my .7mm-08 so I started with hogs and it turned out to be the perfect first hunt.

The next evening I headed out with my bow. My confidence was high and I was looking for a crazy colored hog. About an hour before dark a spotted pink and black hog came into range.

Hogs are a tough animal and can be extremely difficult to kill with a bow. If you hit them in the front shoulder you rarely find your hog, so I waited for a quartering-away shot and double lunged this spotted hog! It only went 40 yards and made for a perfect ending to my hunt. Well, it wasn’t quite over yet. It just happened to be super-bowl Sunday so we all enjoyed back straps on the grille. I couldn’t have been more proud to provide excellent food for everyone at the party.

Montana Spot N Stalk Mule Deer

Instead of flying home like most civilized human beings after a long trip away from home in Quebec, I decided to go straight to Montana. What’s there you ask? Powder River Outfitters and some giant mule deer!

Last year I was lucky enough to take my first mule deer ever, but I wanted to do it again with a bow. I also decided to step it up a notch and try it by spot n stalk hunting. This lowers your kill percentage but I figured if I were successful it would be that much sweeter. The first thing Ken my guide said to me is it usually takes at least eight stalks before one is successful, well I thought, we better get started then.

There are a couple good things about hunting mule deer in early September. #1- you have a chance at taking a buck still in velvet-something I’ve never done and #2 the bucks are in bachelor groups. That means when you find on big guy you’ll probably find his buddies in close proximity. Now this can be both good and bad. It allows you to pick out the biggest buck, but let me tell you the big guys didn’t get big by bedding off alone. They get right in the center of the group and obviously believe in the idea of safety in numbers.

Right away we spotted some great bucks, but what you need to find is a buck that you can get it. Many of them were bedded in areas that would be impossible to get to without blowing out other deer or getting busted prior to your arrival. Then as we were going to a new location we spotted a buck standing all by himself on a fence line. It seemed hard to believe that this nice buck was alone so we just waited and glassed, and it’s a good thing we did. The longer we watched the more bucks we picked out. There were at least 6 giant bucks all bedded together, but most importantly they were in a spot that I thought I could get to.

I strapped my bow on my back, grabbed my quiver, and started belly crawling. I picked out several points that I wanted to get to. The last point would bring me 20 yards from the bedded giants, but the trick would be getting there. The ground was extremely flat with one dip near their bedding area. I crawled through some tough terrain and got right to my spot. I ranged the bedded bucks and they were at eighteen-yards! Now I was getting nervous. How on earth was I suppose to get to full draw from my belly? I thought the weeds were a bit higher and I assumed I could draw from my knees. This was not the case.

I slowly got to my knees but I couldn’t get my bow drawn for the life of me. I panicked and stood up to draw and everything busted! I couldn’t believe it; I thought the hard part was done. I got to my spot, but I couldn’t close the deal.

Looking back I should have drawn in the dip and slowly walked over the hill at full draw, but everything is easier looking back. I understand it takes several stalks but this was hard to swallow. There were a couple bucks that would be pushing Boone & Crocket and now they were just a memory. Frustrated as I was, I knew I would do better next time, and most importantly I had learned a lot from that stalk. Next time they wouldn’t be so lucky.

When these bucks took off it looked like they would be running until dark. Boy was I wrong! About four hours later we were glassing a few hundred yards from where we saw them last and they all came flying out of an old barn. The entire group had only gone over the hill and bedded down in the shade. What a kick in the teeth!

3 days later, and several stalks down we came back to this same area and decided to glass the area before walking through. We spotted three bucks in a low swamp bedded by that same old barn. Two of the bucks were smaller, but one was a super high and thick mule deer. He was in a tough spot but we came up with a plan. I would use the hay bails to get close. I could keep them between the buck and me almost the entire way. This would also give me something to draw behind allowing me to step out at full draw. Sometimes plans work, sometimes they don’t…but this time everything came together. I stalked up on this big buck, got to full draw, and came out from behind the bail and made a forty-yard broadside shot. The feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. Finally after several stocks, a lot of patience, and ultimately learning from my mistakes I had taken a great Montana mule deer.

Kentucky Whitetail

With only one day back in Minnesota between trips
I had to get re-equipped FAST.

We had a crew of four going on the next trip to Kentucky so two people were flying and two were driving. I needed to wash all my hunting gear, get it scent free, and reorganize by the following morning. I arrived 7 hours late from New Mexico because of delays in Roswell. This caused my layovers to run short and I missed my flight from Dallas to Minneapolis. All of us know how expensive it is becoming to fly, and airline baggage fees keep rising. So I needed to get my gear packed, washed and ready to send with the crew that would be pulling out the next morning.

This meant waking up every two hours to change loads of laundry so everything would be clean and ready for the next trip. Fortunately, I have no problem sleeping on planes, and this trip to Kentucky was no different. Out like a light from take-off to landing. Once we landed, the air was crisp and it was off to Kentucky. The property is a huge piece of contiguous land that is extensively managed with help from the QDMA. Last year they took nearly 500 does in hopes of getting that one-to-one buck to doe ratio.

Their efforts proved to be very effective and the bucks were very competitive – we hit the rut in perfect timing and deer were on the move. From the first morning on, we watched bucks chase, bucks fight, and small bucks confused by their new hormones running through their blood. The toughest part is deciding when to squeeze the trigger. For TV purposes any mature buck 125 or better makes for a great show. But here we were passing bucks left and right that would meet this standard. Easier for the hunter than for the camera girl, I think…

The second to last evening we had a buck come through that really tested us. He was a 5x5, decent mass, and high tines. Lucky for this guy he came by just as the camera started loosing light. We decided to pass on him, but watching him walk by the blind at 30 yards was tough, really tough.

Luke and I made a deal that we would hunt hard the next day, but if this buck showed up again we were going to make him a movie star. As luck would have it, nothing bigger showed itself throughout the following morning. Now we were on our afternoon spot and the clock was ticking.

As the last hours drew near I wondered if we had made a bad decision the night before. Just as I was pondering these thoughts, deer started entering the field. It started with a young high frame buck that we saw the night before, if he showed up twice maybe our guy would too! A smaller deer ran out of the wood line with our guy right behind it. We took our time, carefully looking this buck over and making sure it was the same one. We made the decision to take him, and as soon as I gave the OK that I had sufficient pre-roll, Luke took the shot – and made a perfect shot at that.

Another last minute buck down, but another great show for next year!

Manitoba Caribou

Two Different Episodes In One Trip: It Can Be Done, Right?

You’d think going from one trip to another would be easy in the sense of packing, but it’s not. With only two days between trips I needed to unpack, pack, and quickly re-supply my camera equipment. Going from a hot Wyoming Pronghorn hunt to the cold conditions of the Far North requires very different attire.

I also needed to pack smart because most fly-in lodges have weight restrictions for their guests. With my bags stuffed to the limit, a heaping pile of clothes

stacked a mile-high on the floor in the “cut pile” I was barely under-weight but ready for departure.

This trip had two main objectives: Complete a show for North American Fisherman-TV and a show for North American Hunter-TV. North American Fisherman’s Steve Pennaz joined me on this trip as we headed to Nueltin Lake Lodge in northern Manitoba in search of the caribou migration and giant lake trout. Usually it’s hard enough to complete one full show on the road. To accomplish both in limited time, we’d need everything to line up just right.

Upon arriving at the lodge, it was apparent things weren’t going to line up just right. The caribou still had some distance to travel before the migration would hit camp. With this in mind, we shifted gears to fishing- hoping to give the caribou an extra day or two to migrate south. If we were lucky, we’d catch a ton of fish for a couple days, then have the caribou come into camp.

We weren’t lucky. After a hard-hitting effort, the fish were anything but cooperative, and still no sign of the migration. We completed the show for North American Fisherman-TV, but we never found the monster lakers.

Once again, as luck would have it, we were about a week early. The Lake Trout normally filter into the shallows to spawn, but this year they were still hanging deep. The days fishing were spent reeling in lakers and pike, and also scouting- we were constantly glassing the shores in search of caribou.

Once our focus was entirely on hunting, it’s as if the caribou simply vanished. In days past, we were at least seeing a few small resident caribou. Now that the bow was out, nothing.
On the afternoon of the last day, we finally spotted a shooter bull. He was swimming about a mile out, but was headed in our direction. We

quickly found an island along his path in hopes of intercepting him if he stopped to rest.

It would be a long shot, but at this point we were happy to take our chances. The island was very small, maybe 100 yards long and 50 yards wide. If the caribou came ashore we should surely have a shot, but at this point, no one was holding their breath.

Lesson No. 1: Caribou swim fast … very fast. I thought we had plenty of time to setup and prepare for his arrival, however I was stunned when I heard him shaking off on shore. We had only been on the island for a minute and he had already reached shore. The good news was he was on shore; the bad news was we had no idea where would this big guy appear. I tried to focus through the thick brush that separated us from the water. Without any prior warning, he stepped out into the open looking directly at us.
Busted.

To our advantage, these animals have very little contact with humans so he wasn’t overly spooked. The wind was also in our favor, and after a split second stare-down, he was off. Steve drew and took a shot as the caribou was fading into the distance. The footage was short, but very intense. The caribou appeared right over Steve’s shoulder and within seconds our hunt had completely turned around.

Lesson No. 2: Your hunt is never over until it’s over- anything can happen at anytime. This swimming caribou and Steve’s great shot saved an episode of North American Hunter-TV.

The migrations finally funneled down a few weeks later, but we never did get to experience the clicking of heels at night as the caribou migrate right through camp. In years past, hunters had the option of hunting out the front door because there was a selection of caribou literally at their feet.

Even though we didn’t see the migration, we experienced another stunning work of nature, the aurora borealis, or the northern lights. To anyone who has not had the opportunity to see this phenomenon, I urge you to step outside if your travels ever take you to the far north. The sky looks as if it’s dancing with lights, literally moving before your eyes.

New Mexico Mule Deer

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, or at least it used to be.

The past three years Halloween has been forgotten as hunting has taken priority. This fall was no exception, and I spent my Halloween in the alien capitol of the world, Roswell, New Mexico.

Once I landed and no flying saucers, U.F.O’s, or aliens were sighted I headed to the ranch, where Billy the Kid once lived. Part of hunting all across the country is I get to see and learn a lot about different cultures and areas. It is so much more than just hunting. It’s the people, the area, and the history that makes the trips. Although by looking at our daily schedule, I was reminded more time was dedicated to hunting than eating and sleeping combined.

I didn’t arrive to the ranch until almost midnight so I had to sleep FAST. We only had three days to complete this hunt so we hit it hard right from the start.

Morning came quickly, and it was time to walk and walk and walk. We made a big loop, seeing several nice bucks but nothing quite what we were looking for.

A hunt like this is a true test of your camera gear and your own determination. This hunt was the first trip for our new EX cameras, which run on a chip, so no tapes to lug around. However, within minutes I realized I had forgot one important thing; a shoulder strap for the camera. Too late now, so we walked and we walked. By the end of the day my wrists and forearms were shot, but this is a mistake I would not repeat. I quickly rigged up zip ties and the strap from binos to remedy the problem.

The third and final day we walked more than ten miles. This isn’t flat walking either; it takes concentration and body awareness. The hillsides are covered in rocks, cholla, and snakes. One wrong step could lead to a painful and extremely long walk home.

It seems everything in the desert either wants to bite, poke, or sting you. I try to film as much of the hunt as it happens so I was walking alongside Kayser with my eye in the viewfinder and WHAM…I ran straight into a big prickly Cholla. It’s nearly impossible to have your eye in the viewfinder and the other eye watching the ground.

In fact my legs are living proof – they are covered in cuts, scratches & puncture wounds! It’s almost hard to believe anything can live in these conditions but we saw tons of game. I saw my first Aoudad (or Barbary sheep for you New Mexico folks), numerous coyotes, bobcats, and an abundance of quail. And the desert sure holds some trophy mule deer.

The last hour of the last day we finally made it back to the truck. We had left the truck earlier just to look over a ridge…nine hours later we were out of water and happy to see the truck. After slugging down two waters and a quick Coke we were off to the races again. We spotted two different shooter bucks, so after assessing the situation we came up with a game plan and went after the buck that was on his feet feeding.

Our plan entailed climbing a steep rock ledge, running through a deep ravine, and then finally creeping our way over a hill to land us within shooting distance. Out of breath, I got my tripod legs spread out and clicked the camera in place. I was still on the backside of the hill, out of sight and hopefully out of mind for these deer. Kayser crawled over the hill and got settled in on the buck. I belly crawled into position then raised my sticks hoping not to grab the attention of the feeding deer.

My initial instinct was, “Man, there are more deer here than I thought, what if I am on the wrong buck?” Things look small in a camera and I my worst fear is being on the wrong buck. After a play-by-play description of the buck’s movements from Mark I was confident we were on the same deer.

Kayser squeezed off a shot and the buck tumbled. We had done it again! Last minute, yes, but we had completed another great show for North American Hunter. Mission Complete.