The Chocolate Fallow Deer Hunt

By Curtis Schramm

On October 7, 2003 I had the pleasure of taking a bow hunter for his first time hunting for exotics. After talking with him a few minutes and finding out what he was looking for and testing his bow, we started our hunt. He had arrived a bit late so it was 10:15 am when we finally got started. Luckily there was a good fog around and we proceeded into the woods. Normally I would take a hunter around on the ranch first to show him the lay of the land and hopefully see some of the exotics on the ranch. But, with the weather conditions and time not on our side, I decided we should do some stalking. The fog on the ground made the grass and leaves wet and would allow us to go through the woods with ease and little sound to spook any wary animals.

We started out on a nice stalk up a hill, into a thick mesquite and onto a dirt trail leading to a pond where I believed we had a good chance of getting onto the game. I knew that the Fallows and Blackbucks would soon be heading toward water before bedding down for the day. At this time of year in Texas, the mornings are in the mid 60’s and the days get up to the high 80’s and it’s very humid. It was predicted to get up to 85 degrees on Tuesday afternoon and for the Fallows that were in rut, it would mean they would be bedding down pretty soon. My plan was to catch them on the way to get water before going to bed down for the day.

We got to where I wanted to be in about 45 minutes and stopped on the edge of open woodland. Just as we were starting the stalk, the hunter with me spots 5 white Dall sheep. He paused for a few minutes to let them pass as he admired one of the larger ones. Two of them were rather large with some awesome bases; 9” at least and full curl and ½ to the horns themselves. These rams could be anywhere from 28” to 32” from what I was estimating. After they passed, we proceeded to the pond. I directed the hunter to the side of the pond bank that he should approach. Knowing the lay of the ranch and how the trails went, I set him up so that if there was something there drinking water, he would see it before it spotted him.

There was nothing there, so we got into a thicket just near another trail that led to the water. The fog had started to lift and we could see for about 200 yards or so. I started to glance around and spotted a Red Deer; 6×7. The Red Deer were off limits on this hunt, but I wanted him to see this magnificent animal up close and personal. Not often does this happen or does someone get a chance to get this close. I am not talking about 30, 20, or 15 yards. I am talking about 8 feet!

 

As the Red Deer was walking up, 50 yards away we spotted an 18 point Fallow stepping out of the thicket just to our left and to the right of the Red Deer. The two species don’t mess with one another so the Red Deer stepped up the pace and continued walking on up the trail; the Fallow not far behind. A few seconds later, the Red Deer was coming real close and he looked awesome; beautiful long tines and a nice crown. He still lacked the mass of a mature Red Deer but he would get that in time.

He walked on by and continued to the water hole. The Fallow was not far behind him right on the trail. The hunter got ready to draw his arrow as the chocolate brown Fallow walked straight out of the brush. Unfortunately, the deer didn’t stop walking and kept a good pace while on the trail. He looked over in our direction and then slowly turned and walked further away.

The hunter said he never had a good ethical shot at him and didn’t want to take a shot while it was moving. I gave the hunter some encouragement and I was happy that he knew his limitations and what he was looking for. The Fallow was a nice one but it was also the first one we had seen in just less than 3 hours into the hunt. We were trophy hunting and there were much bigger exotics to be seen and he would have more opportunities.

We continued on through the woods as the fog lifted further. We decided to take another route I knew that would get us into the creek bed where the Axis deer would stay. Acorns had begun to fall and the Axis were eating all that they could and seldom left the creek bed. This abundant food source was part of what kept them at the creek.

 

Not seeing anything but 2 yearling bucks, a 24”-26” buck, and a few does, we decided to go stalk and set up near a funnel area on the ranch that I knew the Axis take during the mid-day to get from food to water. In the process, we saw something moving in the brush ahead of us. It was a spotted Fallow with 6” webbing and 19 points. This was much nicer than the first Fallow and a spread of what looked to be 30”.

The Fallow bedded down right beside a tree. The way it was laying, its entire vital area was covered. So from the direction we were coming, there was no shot. We sat down to evaluate the situation. It would be a difficult stalk but the hunter wanted to try. The Fallow was too big to pass up and not at least give it a try.

I told the hunter to go alone and I watched him from the brush. The wind was in our favor and he tried to get around to the right and get close enough through a steep washout leading into the creek bed. The plan was to come up on the other side of the creek where hopefully he could get a good shot at the vitals. I watched as he made it to within 15 yards then all of a sudden…SNORT!…..SNAP!…CRASH! One of the Mouflons was sleeping in the brush on our right and must have just woken up to our scent. He had walked right past him and the wind must have carried our scent right to his nose.

The sudden sounds excited me and the hunter just as much as it did the Fallow. They were up and gone before we could do anything. Unfortunately, the angle and thick brush did not give enough time or clearance for an ethical shot and the hunter made a wise choice again. I wished that I had had more hunters like him in the past. It’s far better to take a good shot at an animal than have to worry about something going wrong and only wounding it.

We took a break for a bit and then headed out that evening to a stand on the creek bed where the Axis’ love to hang out. Being that they are originally a jungle animal, they always seem to love and thrive best on very thick brush, creek beds and river bottoms. I set him up on a nice 10’ tripod over a large yaupon bush and two mesquite trees with branches surrounding him. It made an excellent backdrop with still lots of cover and shooting lanes. I made sure he was good to go and showed him the trails that I thought the Axis’ would use and told him I would be back at 7:45 pm to pick him up.

It was around that time when I returned. I didn’t want to risk spooking game if he had some under his stand, so I stopped the John Deer Gator about ¼ mile from the stand and proceeded quietly on foot. When I got to within 50 yards of his stand it was completely dark. I was very quiet and had not seen anything. I felt that to be a sign he had gotten something. As I approached within 30 yards of his stand, I could tell that there was nothing at his stand and could see him standing beside the tripod. I whistled and he yelled, “Hey!” I flashed my light and walked on in to where he was. There was a huge smile on his face. He proceeded to tell me about how 5 Axis’ and 3 Texas Dalls approached his stand not more than 25 minutes after I had left him. The Axis’ tend to be the boss animals on the ranch and can be very aggressive to other animals in their domain. They apparently didn’t want to go around the Dalls which were coming up the path the Axis wanted to go down. He told me about how a large one stepped out to the side and he had tried to get a draw on him but another shot didn’t reveal itself for the animal he wanted. He said he could have taken two other ones or at least one of the Dalls but the big Axis is what he had wanted.

The next morning we started out and he told me after thinking about it last night, he really would like a shot at a larger Fallow. So, we set up in a different spot on an existing stand popular for the Fallows, Mouflons, and Blackbucks. After much of the set up was done, I left the hunter to his hunt. Two hours went by and I got a call on my cell from the hunter to come get him and hurry, he had just gotten a Fallow.

I arrived about 15 minutes later to find a bloody arrow with a 100 grain Muzzy tip stuck in the ground. The shot was taken 14 yards from the stand. There was blood scattered out like a shot gun blast or something. Unbelievable! The grass where the arrow lay was all red with blood. I just knew there would be a good blood trail. That was a good sign. It was a complete pass through and everything looked like a good clean hit. I checked the arrow and I didn’t get a foul odor like you do for a gut shot. It was all very dark blood. I was thinking perhaps it was a liver shot. I asked him where he last saw the Fallow and took note of the surroundings. I always started my tracking slowly and from the point where the animal got hit and moved out from there. What was curious about this was we could not find another drop of blood anywhere except where the animal had been hit; absolutely none! There was nothing but the blood from where the actual shot was taken. The hunter and I knew he had a clean shot but didn’t know why there was no blood.

After about 10 minutes, I asked again where he had last seen the deer and we went to look for more blood there. We were just on the outside of another thicket. There were leaves everywhere and still no blood. The dew on the grass made it easy to track foot prints and trails and I was looking for where the animal went into the brush. I found a few tracks going in but still no blood.

 

The hunter followed behind me as we crept into the thick brush. It had now been about 45 minutes since the Fallow was shot and I figured it was bedded down inside the thicket. When we got inside we slowly made our way through and into another opening. Still, there was no blood anywhere; just tracks. We went through another opening and turned right like we were going to go to the stand and there it was! He was bundled up just on the edge of the thicket. It was 70 yards straight line to the stand and he had gotten him in the liver.

He was a Chocolate Fallow deer with an absolutely gorgeous hide. We counted 18 points on him and 3”webbing. It had been a great hunt and we had seen lots of animals. I was pleased that we had made a good hunt and found the Fallow with little trouble. The hunter and I were very excited and I congratulated him as we got the animal out of the thicket. We took a few photos and basked in our accomplishments. It was a hunt that I had enjoyed and would remember for a long time and I knew the hunter would as well.

By Curtis Schramm

Camouflage, Now I See You, Now I Don’t

The proper use of camouflage
© 2004 Gary L. Benton

 

Camouflage is much talked about and used, but rarely understood. Part of our misunderstanding of camouflage is the result of watching too many action type movies. In the movies our hero generally has a specially designed camouflage uniform, as well as a very detailed and uniquely designed face pattern. While all of that adds to the excitement of the movie, it is hardly suggested for most hunters or military members. So, what is camouflage, why is it used, and how can you use it properly?Camouflage is the art of blending into your natural surroundings, thus giving you the ability to remain unnoticed. Sounds easy, but it is not that simple to maintain good camouflage. Your first consideration is determining what you want to remain concealed from. If it is an animal, determine first if it is colorblind. It is easier to camouflage from an animal that is colorblind and you can actually use international orange, red, and other bright colors without any lose of concealment. This may be an important safety factor if you wish to use camouflage patterns, and yet remain seen by other hunters. But, what if you are camouflaging against animals or humans that are not colorblind?

Your concern at that point is making sure your camouflage matches your surroundings and you remain unnoticed. It would, for instance, not be to your advantage to use desert camo in a woodlands environment (unless your game is colorblind). Also, if you attach plants or bushes to yourself for camo, make sure they match the area you may be in. Nothing would grab the eye more than the wrong color, or type of plant, in the wrong place, unless it would be when that wrong object is moving. Your goal with camouflage is to blend in and become one with your surroundings. This is done effectively by breaking up the human form.

Additionally, take a look around you as you move with your camouflage (situational awareness the military calls it). If you have bushes attached to you and you are moving over a field, you will be noticed. Additionally, any plant life you use as part of your concealment should fit the area. By that I mean, if the area has only pine trees and you are wearing oak or long grasses as part of your camouflage, you will stand out. Many military members will stop when they enter a new area and apply fresh camo to match the area. Keep in mind also, your greenery will die after a short period and start to droop. You may have to cut and attach fresh camouflage at that point. You want to look natural, not like you have been ill.

One area that many people, including the military overlook is the proper use of camouflage paint, or makeup. We often smear a few streaks of paint on our face and call it done. This mistake is common, but isn’t effective use of camouflage. No, I am suggesting you spent hours putting on your “makeup”, rather I am saying it should be applied properly. Poorly applied camo may draw attention to you and actually hurt your concealment efforts.

As you apply the camouflage makeup, make sure the high features of your face (nose, forehead, cheeks and chin) are covered well. It is usually a good idea to apply a light layer of baby oil or a lotion to your skin prior to applying the camouflage makeup. This tip will make it much easier to remove the camo when you need to take it off. Also, you can use a blotch or line-pattern design of camouflage as you put it on. I prefer to cover high points of my face in black or dark brown. Additionally, if may be a good idea to cover your eyelids as well. I have seen a perfectly concealed individual with his eyes closed located easily at night through the use of a high-powered light. His eyelids actually shined when the light hit them. Don’t forget to cover your ears, both front and back, as well as your neck.

Another area we frequently forget to camouflage is our hands and fingers. Your skin color will stand out on your hands, if the rest of you is well camouflaged. Take the time to cover your hands well, including the skin between your fingers (the webbed area). If you are wearing a short-sleeved shirt, do not forget to cover the arms as well. Have another hunter or member of your team check you closely for exposed skin once you have applied your camo.

Keep in mind that camouflage does not make you invisible. It just makes you harder to see. In other words, it breaks up the natural form of the human body. If you must move while wearing camo, make your movements very slowly and do not skyline (be seen against a sky background) yourself. Usually, it is a good idea to stay to low lying areas and to move in the shadows. This type of movement will make you much harder to see. If you are hunting game, move only when the animal is feeding (and has its head down) or when it is looking away from you. Be prepared to freeze at any second. If you freeze, at times even when in clear view, you may not be spotted. Movement is what attracts the most attention when you are attempting to remain unseen. Move only when you must and then slowly.

Other considerations with camouflage, is making sure you have nothing exposed that can flash sunlight or shine at night. Remember that eyeglasses, necklaces, bracelets, and watches can shine and give your position away. Even at night, a light shined on you may result in a shine from one of these items.

When you must move and remain unseen, as I said earlier, use shadows, but remember the sun is constantly moving so the shadows will be changing as well. Be aware of your natural surrounding and use rock formations, trees, and brush to assist in your concealment efforts. Move as little as possible, or as I stated earlier, move slowly when you do move. Remember to break up the “V” of all crotch areas, between the legs and your arms. Make any observations you may have to do in the prone position. Once again, remember, if you are seen, freeze. Most of the time you will not be seen.

One last area of camouflage we often forget is scent. Humans, as well as most game, will smell us way before they ever see us. Make sure you do not use perfumed soaps, shampoos, shaving creams or shaving lotions (and we are a smell good society). Also, gum, candy, or the use of tobacco may give your position away. One aspect of scents we rarely think of is smoke (both from cigarettes and campfires). I once knew a hunter that would purposefully stand in the smoke of a campfire prior to going hunting. He claimed it masked his odor. He also claimed it was an old trick he had learned from a Native American. Well, he was correct in with this view, it would cover his odor, but he failed to realize any critter in the woods would smell the smoke way before it ever saw him. And, animals, just like humans, associate the scent of smoke with man. Use caution when around smoke from your campfire or when around smokers to avoid absorbing the smell. Oh, by the way, I never knew that man to ever bag any large game.

In the military they taught us the acronym BLISS when considering camouflage. BLISS stands for, Blend, (keep a) Low silhouette, (keep a) Irregular shape, (stay) Small, and keep to Secluded areas. Essentially, BLISS along with good camouflage makeup, situational awareness, and scent control, will do the job of assisting you in your concealment efforts.

Camouflage, now I see you, now I don’t, is simple to use but few of us use it properly. By remembering what I have suggested in this short article you too can blend into the background. Camouflage is BLISS.

Take care and stay safe in the woods.

By Gary L. Benton

2001 Moose Hunt

Jon Prime is a bowhunter from Kittery Point Maine. Jon was fortunate enough to draw a moose permit in zone twelve, and he was looking for a guide. Jon wanted a fair chase hunt for a bull moose. He had no desire to road hunt from a vehicle.

I was contacted by Jon to discuss what I could offer as a guide to meet Jon’s goals. At first I told him that he could probably do the hunt without a guide, but he knew he didn’t have the time or knowledge of the area to insure success. That was what the guide was for.

I told Jon that I would do my best to meet his goals and would scout and find likely areas to hunt. The first thing I did was contact the regional biologist to get as much inf. as possible on habitat and rut habits for moose. Next I spoke with the foresters at Mead paper to get locations of hardwood cuts that fit the five to ten year old age profile. Next came the fun part! The leg work. I find it to be one of the best parts of the job. The first and closest area to Jon’s second home turned out to have the most bull sign I would find anywhere, but it’s best to have as many options as possible.

The weather during the third week of September, the peak of

the rut, WAS HOT! I could call and get bulls to answer but not come in. Either they were with cows and wouldn’t leave them or the warm weather was working against me. Twice I had bulls up wind and could smell them.

Jon had sent me an article from Bowhunter Magazine that was written by an Ontario bowhunter on moose calling. The article listed the writer’s home town so I called him up and he gave me several tips. More than anything, he reassured me that I was doing OK with my calling.

On opening morning, Oct. 8th, I picked up Jon and his son in law, Jed Weiss, at 5:30 A.M. There was a light steady rain as we headed up toward the headwaters of the local river. We worked up the logging road and, as we climbed, the rain changed to snow and the wind started to blow hard. We parked my van and started our mile and a half walk to the first area I had chosen. We found fresh Moose tracks in the snow all along the road. Finally, at the end of the old road, I set us up and started calling. Three or four long high-pitched nasal cow calls followed by several bull “burps” then I raked a mountain maple to tatters. I called for 30 minutes. The whole time the wind was blowing a gale. I was not optimistic. We moved a couple hundred yards and I called for ten minutes at an old log yard, again no response. I decided to have Jon and Jed walk along in front of me as I called.

We had gone only 50 yards when Jon stopped dead and motioned that he saw a bull in front of us.I was in back and because of a bend in the road saw only a small bit of antler. In view. I gave two “bull burps” and on came the moose towards us! Jon didn’t want to shoot with his bow because the bull was face on and didn’t offer anything but a brisket shot. At thirty yards Jon decided to let Jed shoot the bull. I stepped to the left to see as Jed brought his 7 MM Mag. BLR to shoulder, and for the first time saw a huge fifty inch bull moose standing looking at us. The rifle roared and the bull did a 180 turn. I yelled to Jed to keep shooting. He shot twice more but the first one had done the job and the thousand pound bull hit the ground!

The hunt was over at eight o’clock after only forty-five minutes of calling. It was one of the most exciting and rewarding hunts in which I have ever participated. I will remember this hunt as long as I live. GOD, I LOVE MY JOB!

Jon Prime
Kittery Point, ME
1-207-439-3798

Tom Clairmont
Plymouth meeting PA
1-610-405-5022

York Coyote Hunt

By Mike Horning

On Friday morning March 3, 2006, I headed into the woods in York, Maine with a group of friends and two hounds looking for coyotes. Alan, the owner of both hounds brought along his best two, which were of the same litter, one male and one female. Also there was Alan’s brother Gary and friends Randy, John, and Scott who all grew up within a couple miles of each other. Two years prior to this hunt, both Alan and Scott trapped over 80 coyotes up at Alan’s camp in Greenville. Normally they can trap between 50 and 60. But this particular morning is was a cold, clear, and windy, which made it difficult to hear the hounds at times. Alan had each hound outfitted with radio collars and so he needed to beep them often in order to determine which direction to go. Early on, a coyote came out of nowhere and went right by Alan. Alan fired but with no luck. Ten minutes later the same coyote passed between Randy and Scott. Scott fired once and Randy emptied on it - the coyote lives another day.

Later on in the day, they had passed by a pond and were standing on one side when the hounds struck again. This time Alan turned out the less experienced hound as they are both great at cold trailing when they jump a coyote.

 

Randy called me on the radio to tell me where the coyotes had crossed several times. When I got there, the hounds were just out of my hearing range. I headed in the direction I believed they were headed. After about ten minutes, I could hear the hounds coming toward me.

I positioned myself up on top of a ledge where I could watch a gully, thinking this may be where the coyote would come through. Within seconds I could see the coyote coming toward me. It approached within 30 yards of where I was standing. I took quick aim and dumped him in his tracks. The coyote began to spin around so I gave him two more shots.

I was hunting with a 12-gauge Browning shotgun, using 3 inch, 00 buckshot.

What I found to be one of the more enjoyable moments of the hunt was standing over my coyote watching 3 very excited hounds wagging their tails in satisfaction.

This was another great day in the Maine woods. As it turned out, this was the 6th coyote killed in front of the 12-month old hounds so far this winter.

Game Warden’s Dilemma

by Margaret Perham

This is a story related to me by one of my brothers the way I remember it. A little background might help to appreciate the tale. We were brought up in an unorganized township known as Mason Plantation, — kids during the depression and World War II. Being a family of 11 (nine boys, two girls) we were sometimes hard pressed for food. Wild game was abundant in the area, so we often relied on this source to supplement our food supply. Game wardens were seen often in our area and it was suspected that they just once wanted to pin some law infraction on one of the boys. One day, early in the evening, as my brother was coming down the hill from our house, he passed the game warden on the way up the hill. A few minutes later he noticed the warden’s jeep behind him so he speeded up a bit and took a side road. Sure enough, the warden did the same. My brother took a badly rutted road so there was no way for the warden to pull up beside him. With the warden following closely, my brother sped along this road until he came to the main road where upon the warden pulled up beside him and motioned for him to stop. My brother stopped and got out to talk to the warden, “You’re probably wondering why I stopped you,” said the warden. “Well, yes. Guess I am,” said my brother. The warden proceeded to look the car all over, in the back seat and in the trunk. Finding nothing he said, “Well, you know that spilled paint kind of looks like blood!”

My brother loves to tell this story, because he knew all along the reason the game warden wanted to stop him. He couldn’t resist having a little fun at the warden’s expense. He had spilled some red paint earlier on the back of his car. This had fooled the warden into thinking that he had finally gotten the goods on one of the boys!

It’s Time For A Change!

MadJack
Master Maine Guide
207-268-FISH
www.mainelysmallmouth.com

Some years back, Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife occasionally had a surplus of funds. Not every year, but once in a while it would happen. Then someone came up with the idea that the surplus could go to the general fund. We voted and it passed; only to have the State start dipping into IF&W’s pocket on a regular basis, as seems to be the ‘norm’ in Augusta. So we voted to go back the way it was before.

 

Since that time IF&W has had a hard time making ends meet, year after year. While I am not privy to the actual data, I do try to keep track of things in Augusta via the local papers, TV news and outdoor papers such as this one. Here are just a few things that could be done to help some of the department’s financial and other problems.

Search & Rescue should be financed through the general fund and the primary effort should be on the State Police. After all, they have a much larger budget and are paid much better than Wardens.

 

More and more, folks who need to be found or rescued contribute nothing at all to IF&W, i.e. fishing and hunting licenses, boat registrations, etc.

 

Yet their lack of outdoor skills, survival and knowledge of map & compass use (how to get out on your own) cost us paying sportsmen a bundle every year!
The Warden Service should be included with the S&R teams, and paid through the general fund/State Police.

Fish stocking programs should be privatized or cut out completely. If this state wants to have good trout & salmon populations it should stop inland smelt fishing, (at least for a few years and then put stricter limits on the daily catch.) After all, smelts are what salmon and trout like to eat.

Then we need to stop completely, the exportation of our smelt to out-of-state! For around $300 per year, non-residents can export unlimited numbers of ‘trout food(smelt). How much do we spend on restocking/replenishing these smelt as opposed to our gain in revenue with these permits? The studies have already been done and prove that private entities can produce more fish for less money, with little or no waste!
Reducing bag limits on trout or salmon to one per day statewide and increasing the length limit would help considerably. This notion of “I caught it, I’m eating it even if it is only 4inches long” has to go!

Bass in this State have been thriving for more than a hundred years with little or no management. More recently, IF&W has put into effect management strategies to enhance the bass fishing experience and with great results.
Something similar must be done to eliminate the need for stocked trout and salmon therefore saving millions of dollars annually.

Another item that desperately needs attention is the changing of the guards. What I mean by this is we need to amend the constitution of Maine so that with each political change in Augusta, (new Governor=new appointees=new policies) our management goals remain the same.

It’s time we take politics out of the game management equation. Maybe we could have a non-political “Board of Fish & Game”, made up from people knowledgeable in game management, biology and best management practices, determine what is best for our fish and wildlife. Not by legislators & political appointees who know little about fish & wildlife and their needs.

Also, the title “Inland Fish & Wildlife” says nothing about ATV, snowmobiles and other such nonsense. They are “Motor Vehicles” in every sense of the word. IF&W should have no part in registration of them or in the enforcement of their use. This should come under “Law Enforcement” as the name suggests, meaning State, County and local policing. Let’s get our Warden Service back to what they signed up for. Fish and Wildlife!

These are but a few things which could save the Department time, money and wasted energy.

I’m not saying I could do better than anyone in Augusta now. I’m sure I wouldn’t.

I am merely suggesting that as outdoor folks we need to make some changes or at least attempt changing what we can for the better. It is only food for thought.

SIDEBAR:
The views of the author in no way reflects the views of the publisher, editor or other writers for this paper. He is a second generation (working) Master Maine Guide and a life-long outdoorsman. He has written for local, national and international outdoor publications.

 

Seasoning an Oven

By Glea and Dennis Reno

Untreated cast iron rusts, especially around water. To prevent metal from oxidizing in the presence of moisture, cast iron requires a process called “seasoning”. Seasoning is simply the procedure of baking oil into the oven’s pores, and on top of the iron pores. This baked on coating will darken and eventually turn black with age. Darkening is the sign of a well kept oven, and of it’s use. This coating forms a barrier between moisture in the air and the surface of the metal. It also provides a non-stick coating on the inside of the oven that is easy to clean.

Here are some tips when it comes time to season your oven.

Scrub lid and oven in hot water with a mild soap to take off the coating the manufacture puts on the oven before shipping. Use a stiff brush, 3M scrub pad, or plastic scrubbing pad to scrub the waxy coating off of your new Dutch oven, and rinse in clear, hot water. Dry your oven by putting it in the kitchen oven at 150 to 200 degrees for 15 or 20 minutes.

While it is warm, coat the inner and outer surfaces with a thin layer of cooking oil. Use a good grade of olive or vegetable oil. Peanut oil is a choice of many, and tallow or lard can also be used, but they tend to break down over time and become rancid if the oven is not used often enough.

Place the oven and lid in a conventional oven, or a gas BBQ grill, with the pot upside down and the lid on the Dutch oven legs. Heat oven at 450 to 500 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the oil turns very dark, nearly black. This process bakes a grease coating into the pot and virtually gives it a no scrub surface.

Remove the oven and apply another light coat of oil, and. bake at 450 to 500 degrees for another 30 minutes. By using high temperatures, the oil will bake harder and darker, leaving your oven shinier. You should oil and bake at least once, I like to go through this process two, or even three times to get a beautiful dark color, and rock hard finish.

Turn off the heat and let the Dutch oven sit until cool. If the surface is sticky, bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes. When seasoning your oven it will create a smell that may be unpleasant. For this reason some like to season their ovens in a BBQ outside, however I have done all mine indoors with the doors and windows open.

The first thing you cook in your oven after seasoning should be things like roasts, potatoes or chicken. Stay away from tomatoes and tomato products with high acid content, or a lot of sugar such as cobblers. Acids and sugars can break down the protective covering before it seasons or hardens properly.

A well seasoned oven produces a unique flavor unequaled by any other cooking utensil. This is the Magic of Dutch Oven cooking.

Biography of the Author:

Glea and Dennis Reno are the owners of www.dutchovenmagic.com. They are based at Billings, Montana and have taught Youth Groups, Scout Troops, Church Organisation and friends what they have learned about Dutch Oven Cooking over years. They also do cooking demonstration at various retail outlets. They can be contacted at help@dutchovenmagic.com.

Ruttin Season

Intro:
Hunting camps in northern Maine must be physically like others across the country. Our hunting camps in Aroostook County may be unique to the characters housed within.

Dear editor,
While checking sites to submit my writing on Ruttin’ Season to, I found many views of hunting camps. I noted one that is holding a contest for stewardship. It delineated perhaps ideal camps with its rules of conscious ecological use of land, types of camps, and facilities. I truly believe hunting camps may have all those effects, but the real “camp” is the atmosphere created by the characters that are seasonally housed within.

I have spent much time tucked away in corners of friends’ camps in northern Maine. I cherish the men that I have been privileged to meet. What characters they are, indeed, and each with their own set of stories, memories, and witticisms. One particular camp stands out above others and is referred to as “The Skittacook Tea Room”. In honor of those characters I wrote this poem describing the time of year that men are called to the hunt. After creating the somewhat rowdy first page I realized I had left out the true spirit of nights in camp with those men. I have read these pages aloud at seasonal gatherings, at wakes for those friends, and in the kitchens of the men I write about. Each is pleased, amused and touched to hear their camp life recorded in line.

I am in hopes that this can be shared with many readers who will see the characters of their grandfathers, fathers, uncles and friends from their hunting camps as well. I seek no monetary gain, just the pleasure of sharing what is dear to me.

 

Thank you.
Sincerely,
L.T.Wilson

Ruttin’ Season

Alas, ‘tis time for mortal men
To bellar and drink, we fear.
The air is sharp hauled in their lungs
And all their piss runs clear.
They shout and sing, and belch their drinks,
Stumble round in frozen ruts.
Call down the moon, push all about,
And scratch their hairy butts.
Now, if you’re sane, you will not go
Where men in ruttin’ season gather.
For only fools and desperate whores
Would venture near that slather.
‘Tis not the sound that tears you up,
Nor fear of limb, or virtue,
But rather ‘tis the smell at dawn
That sure as hell will hurt you.
So stay away or join right in.
Just know there is no reason.
Your very life is in your hands
With men in ruttin’ season.

(pt 2)
Yet a closer look reveals the hour
When they gather close to share
All the stories old and tales so bold
Of callin’ moose and huntin’ bear.
Cocktails flow and fresh meat sizzles
As a well-known story grows.
The smoke curls low and wafts about,
All hope for a trackin’ snow.
Cards snap out as dealt around
An eager hand of poker,
While others stand and listen well
To another real life “joker”.
He does a step and struts about.
You’re guaranteed a show.
Though he’s told this one a dozen times
Not one gets up to go.
He bends real low and gives that call.
The whole damn camp is wondrin’
If maybe this time “Gagnon” will have
A hundred moose come runnin’!
The stories of war told by the old
And tales of hunters gone,
With rolling laughter and tear filled eyes,
They talk until the dawn.
Now I have sat amongst these men
And real friendship is the reason,
These men gladly leave it all behind
To bond in ruttin’ season.
So, if you’ve love of man an’ beast,
And can tell a tale or two,
Come tip your cup and linger near,
For this is the best you’ll do.
Leave the women home,
Kiss the children dear,
And say how you hate to leave ‘em,
Then run like hell to the huntin’ camps,
And savor ruttin’ season!

My First “Big Buck”

By Richard Julian

 

Maine Firearms Deer Season 2004
11/15/04

 

The morning started out where we had six of us wanting to hunt together, but due to Maine’s laws on party size we decided to split up into two groups of three. Being the first day out for most of us, we were really just trying to locate some good spots to hunt. My dad, brother and our friend Randy decided to check out a block of woods near “4-corners”. My friend Aime, Kris and I decided to still hunt through a section of woods we call “the Blue Line”. The Blue Line had been cut a while back and it has grown up into a thick forest of Beeches on the east side of the ridge and turning to a nice cedar swamp on the west side. The Beech trees were so thick I was sweated up in no time at all and very discouraged: any deer would hear me a mile away. Kris called on the radio to say he had jumped a big doe and that it was headed my way; of course I never saw or heard that deer.

 

We came out and regrouped on a logging trail. Kris had a dentist’s appointment at noon so he planned on heading out of the woods by 10 at the latest. We decided that with such little time, we would all take stands in a patch of woods we call “Greenhorn Corner”, north of where we had just still-hunted through and most likely the place the doe had gone. When it was time for Kris to leave, he’d pick his way through the cover with the hopes of jumping the deer or at least getting the doe to move past us. Aime and I took stands about 300 yards apart along a brook that ran along the north and east corners of the block of woods.

I had an excellent place to sit. The brook ran along a deep gulley where I was. I was about 30 yards off the brook sitting on a fallen tree; across the brook the hill rose steeply and I had a good view of the entire hillside. To my right, the brook curved and the bankings were still steep; I could shoot in every direction except directly downstream and I’d have a good safe backstop. I hate to sit, preferring to still-hunt but I was in a great spot and I knew I’d only have to wait an hour or so before Kris was going to leave and at that point we’d check a new spot out. Aime and I both had antler-less deer permits, but I really wanted a buck. I put Aime in a spot where the year before we had jumped a big buck leaving this corner of woods; Randy ended up getting him while hunting with my brother. I knew Aime wanted meat and I figured that doe was the only deer in this little corner of woods and I really didn’t want to be tempted to fill my tag on a doe this early in the hunt.

The brook bubbled along lulling me into a calm state. A little more than an hour had past so I was starting to think I’d better move soon or I’d fall asleep! I looked across the brook as I caught some movement. It was Kris heading out to the road. He was quite a ways away but he saw me as well and nodded to me. I figured I’d wait another twenty minutes or so before calling Aime on the radio to move to another location.
Kris had just faded from my view when I heard a crash on top of the ridge directly across the brook from me. It was a deer running just below the ridge parallel to the brook heading in the direction that Kris had just come from! A doe! Wait, another deer behind it; a buck! A big buck! I picked up my rifle and immediately began tracking the deer trying to get a shot. (Holy cow he’s moving! Where did all those trees come from?) I had thought that I had some pretty clear shooting, but that buck was moving so fast all I could see in the scope was a brown blur and trees. Suddenly, the doe cut down towards the brook; she flashed through an opening in the trees… (That buck is going to follow her, get on the opening and fire when he goes through) I pulled ahead to the opening and luckily the buck followed; he flashed through and I fired, BOOM! (He’s still going, did I miss?)

The buck slowed for a second when he hit the brook; I got on him again. BOOM!

The buck jumped the brook and started climbing up the bank like nothing had happened. BOOM!

I ran up the bank and caught him in the scope again as he reached the crest of the hill. BOOM!

He turned and ran broadside to me about 30 yards away; BOOM! That was it; I was empty!

At this point I was more shook up than ever. I put the spare clip into my rifle and looked for blood. I found a few drops, but that was it. The deer crossed a logging road and by the time I hit it Kris had backtracked and caught up to me.
“Did you get her?” he asked.
“Him” I corrected,” It’s a big buck”.
“No kidding, you got blood?”
“Right where you’re standing” I said.
Kris looked down, “All right, you got this deer!”
I wasn’t convinced. I couldn’t believe he didn’t drop. I felt that several of my shots felt good, why didn’t he drop?

Kris walked over to me and we talked for a few minutes so I’d calm down. We found where he crossed the road and headed into a small block of woods. At this point we saw Aime down the road. The woods where the deer went were between two woods roads. We decided to have Kris go down one, Aime on the other and I’d follow the blood. I just went up over the banking when I looked down on the other side and there he was! I called the guys on the radio to let them know he was down. I walked down and stopped about twenty feet from him and let out a whoop! Kris got to the deer first; it was as if I just couldn’t bring myself to touch him yet, like it might all be a dream. Kris started counting points and I couldn’t believe it when he got to “14”!

We got a hold of my Dad, and Rudy on the radio and they showed up a few minutes later with our friend Randy who had a camera in his truck. We took a bunch of photos right there in the woods. Being close to the road made for a simple drag. Looking at the buck laying there I knew he was a good one, but I really didn’t believe he’d go 200 lbs., the “magic” number to gain entry in the Biggest Bucks of Maine club; he just looked short to me.

We got him down to Kris’s house and hoisted him out of the truck and I took the heart, liver, and lungs out. Satisfied that he was cleaned out thoroughly, we loaded him back up and headed to town. When I got the paperwork filled out we had him officially weighed and he pulled the pin to 201! My first entry in the Big Bucks of Maine Club!

What about all the shooting I did? Well, all I can say is my Dad always told me to keep putting the lead to them until they dropped; you never know if what you think was a good shot was actually deflected by something. I had hit him 3 out of the 5 shots, one was right behind the front shoulder through the ribs, but he took those shots as if nothing had happened. All the shots I took were safe; I had good backstops and I was (believe it or not) taking aim, picking a spot; I wasn’t just spraying shots at the deer. In any event, the shots I hit him with were enough. It was a very exciting day and I didn’t get any sleep that night; just too full of adrenalin I guess.

A Moment Worth Remembering

By Rick Montgomery

My oldest son had always liked walking in the woods with me. He liked to go with me when I set up a blind or tree stand. He was only 8 years old and I just couldn’t wait till he turned 10 so we could get him that Jr. Maine hunting license and have him head to the woods for a hunt.

After years of telling him about the woods and showing him things to look for it was time. I bought a New England Firearms .223 caliber rifle and put one of my finest scopes on it. He practiced a few times and much to my surprise he was a definite natural with a firearm. I taught him rights and wrongs before we headed into the woods that year.

I had taken him out on the youth day hunt in 2002 and we didn’t have much luck. He was pretty disappointed thinking when he went in the woods he would come out with a deer. I told him it usually takes time to see deer in the woods and you have to be real patient. Well, the next weekend came. It was real windy, so we decided to go to a spot where I had been watching some nice deer sign. We sat together on the ground near some bushes overlooking a nice area near some oaks. After only about 30 minutes I looked to my right and here comes this 6 pointer walking only 20-25 yards away like we wasn’t even there. His head never left the ground. I reached over and hit my sons arm and said don’t move and pointed to the deer. My sons face lit up like a Christmas tree.

I waited until the deer walked in front of us about 75 yards away and I made a grunt noise with my mouth and the deer stopped and looked right at us. I said, “There you go.” He brought the gun up and just as I thought the deer would bolt, the bang of the gun made me jump and the deer leaned forward and ran for all he was worth!

We walked down and looked for blood. Sure enough, there was blood. I was so excited for him. We started to trail the deer and only about 25 yards away he lay in a heap with a hole straight through both lungs. I had tears in my eyes and couldn’t believe it. It was a great moment for me and my son who was now a true hunter.

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