Thursday, June 7, 2018

Harvest 7 birds in 7 states in 11 days!!


Ever wonder what it would be like to accomplish successfully harvesting a turkey in every state? Well, we can't but we help many that are trying to accomplish that goal. It's not easy and when you strike out you have to go back until you get it. Challenging is an under statement.


Recently we had the opportunity to help check off 7 states for some very nice folks. We had 11 days to make this happen! With the help of local friends/guides we were able to successfully harvest a bird in 7 states in 11 days on this hosted/guided trip.



This wasn't without it's share of difficulties from missed opportunities in Connecticut on a mature tom that later resulted in harvesting a jake. Also in Rhode Island with a miss on a tom in the decoys which resulted in a jake. 








Adapting to hunting pressure and in the moment decisions that helped us gain access to properties along the way. This is truly a way to test the over achiever, either with the hunt or the hunt planning.

Some aspects of this type of planning are drive times to each of the states. lodging locations and how close they are to the hunt. Licenses and rules and regulations. Some of the states we hunted you also need written land owner permission specific to the time and place. Also, it's important to get a taste of the local flavor to fill in those non hunting times.




Tuesday, April 17, 2018

"Lions and Tiger and Bear Oh My... By Marshall Schmitt


“Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my….”
By Marshall Schmitt
  


                To my left at 9 o’clock I heard the unmistakable sound of a breaking stick. Although it could be anything, the words of my guide the day before at the hunters meeting echoed in my ears. “Remember a bear is a predator and he is in no hurry. You have to be a better predator… you have to remain motionless and not make a sound. A bear will wait until he is sure of his surroundings and that nothing is wrong before he approaches the bait.”

                Seventeen feet up and twenty three yards from the bait strategically placed to give me a quartering away shot I braced my G40 Gen4 on my knees with a two handed hold.  I could feel my heart rate rise and took a deep breath. I was ready, or so I thought.

                I caught some movement out of my left peripheral vision and slowly lowered my head instead of turning… a trick I learned from a Secret Service VIP protection class I took in my other life. By lowering my head I was able to increase the angle of my peripheral vision and was able to see a mature Boar Black Bear approach from my 7 o’clock position moving my direction and destined to go right under me. I couldn’t move as any attempt to do so on the metal ladder stand would have produced noise and I would be busted and the bear would likely never return to the site again. I remained motionless for about 12 minutes until the squirrels and birds began moving around again and I knew the bear had continued on the same path I had approached the stand on.

                Hunting with a handgun requires some thought to include consideration of what you are hunting. My choice this fall was Black Bear with a GLOCK G40 and Trijicon Modular Optic Sight (MOS). Wanting to enhance my chances of success I researched several possibilities settling on OMM Outfitters at Eagle Lake, Maine through Cabela’s Hunts. The President and Lead Guide is Nathan “Nate” Theriault. There were 8 hunters for the second week hunt in September that I was on. We stayed in comfortable rustic log cabins by Eagle Lake.

                Nate briefed us on our first night and standing beside a full mount bear that would go about 300 pounds proceeded to tell us where to shoot to get to the vitals. We would  leave each day about 2:00 pm and stay until after dark when one of the guides would come and get us. Rule Number 1: Don’t leave the stand until your guide comes. Rule Number 2: Don’t move as much as possible… the bear will hear you. Rule Number 3: Don’t take a pack with you it will just make noise and the bear will hear you. Rule Number 4: If you shoot a bear wait for your guide to come get you. Rule Number 5: Tomorrow you need to shoot your firearm so we know it is sighted in.

                The next morning I went with a guide to shoot my G40 at 25 yards. I had practiced for months prior to the hunt to ensure it was sighted in and I was competent to shoot it. I had practiced at ranges out to 50 yards but in that I was shooting a bear which has a thick hide, heavy bones, fat, and muscle mass to go through I really wanted to limit my range to about 25 yards. Three shots with a one and a half inch group with Buffalo Bore 180 grain JHPs satisfied the guide.  I selected this round because they are hotter than most rounds designed for law enforcement, personal protection or sport shooting. They are advertised at 1350 fps out of a 5” land and groove handgun barrel. I suspect they are traveling even faster out of my G40 due the legendary cold hammer forged 6.02 inch hexagonal profile barrel. The design gives a closer bullet to barrel fit so bullets tend to travel faster than in a barrel with lands and grooves. Also I was sporting an extra inch of barrel length which adds to the velocity.

                When choosing to go for bear the G40 was a natural choice. It is the rough ballistic equivalent to a 41 magnum. In testing the G40 previously Chris Edwards, of GLOCK Professional, found the inherent accuracy to be outstanding capable of a 2.54 inch group at 50 yards. My shooting with a rest confirmed I could consistently shoot 1.5 inch groups at 25 yards with the Trijicon RMR and full bore loads.

                I heard a branch break again about an hour later to my left. This time instead of lining up on the bait with my sights I slowly turned sideways and waited. Several minutes passed and then silently a bear appeared where I was looking. I quickly sized up the bear to ensure it was a mature black bear and once that was determined I waited until the bear stopped about 7 yards from the base of the tree my stand was on. With both eyes open I was able to put the red dot sight in the center on the spine with what I believed was the correct angle down to the vitals. I fired… ready to place a second shot on target the medium Beavertail Modular Back Strap holding the recoil down… it wasn’t necessary. The bear dropped straight down and it was over.

                My bear was a good mature representative of the species. Later we were able to determine the round did go through the spine and a rib, penetrated all the way down, and created a 9 mm hole into the heart which in a bear is located very low in the chest cavity. That is stopping power. I had a cooler full of meat to take home and an area Taxidermist is doing a front Shoulder mount. 

                Things to consider for a handgun hunt:

·         Know your game-for bear scent is one of the biggest issues. I used Camouflaged Scent-Lok clothes. Know where the vitals are located from a variety of angles including elevation.

·         Know your gun and your limitations. Match the caliber and bullets to get the penetration and expansion you need.

·         Practice

The Author is a retired from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and currently a Firearms Instructor for GLOCK Professional in the Northeast United States teaching Armorer and Instructor Workshop Classes. Nate’s chosen sidearm when tracking bears for his clients… a Rough Texture Frame GLOCK 22 with tritium sights and a rail mounted light.  

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Baba's Thanksgiving buck.


The deer hunting in northern Maine is unlike hunting in many other parts of the United States. The vast, thickly forested areas that cover the region can hide the majestic animals like a fog.

Baba is my adopted brother from Africa. Although we don’t see each other much these days due to life getting in the way, Thanksgiving tends to bring us back together. Hunting has never been a pastime for Baba like it is for me and it’s also my profession. However, Baba’s 2016 trip would change all that with a newly found love for the outdoors and hunting. This was truly a special trip for both of us.

Because of the diminished deer population here in Northern Maine, I haven’t spent much time hunting the illusive whitetail except for the weekend of Thanksgiving as it is a standing tradition that cannot be skipped. 2016 was no different except for this year, I took along my brother Baba.  After locating an excellent pocket of deer, Baba and I set out to place a blind in an area where does were feeding. The snow that blanketed the area helped to expose the deer sign and their travel behaviors that led to the location of the blind. His first 3 hours sitting in the blind were unproductive. 

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The next day, deer were moving heavily. On our way into our spot, we noticed a great buck track. A buck was meandering through the area in search of does. I realized I needed to get Baba into his blind quickly. On our way in, we cut the buck track again. My girlfriend was also hunting with us so I placed her in an area I thought the buck might travel through then I set off on a tracking mission. The buck began wondering through the cuts and started to circle and head back into the woods. As I was tracking and glancing in front of me with my EOTech Thermal Imager, I noticed his track heading into what seemed like the same clear-cut I had just followed him through. When I entered the cut, I knew he was close but was still unsure of which cut I was in due to the dense fog lifting off the snow. Just then, I saw the buck! He was 150 yards in the cut. With no shot, I began to circle the buck to get a better shot. Just as I was peeking up over the brush I heard a loud shot right next to me. I looked to the right and, to my surprise, saw Baba’s blind. He had shot the deer and I had watched the whole thing! Happiness and joy rushed through me. I signaled for Baba to come out. The deer had fallen from the single shot from his Forbes rifle. It was a moment that will never be forgotten by me and my brother. At 32 years old, I believe Baba is now a hunter for life. A great day to give thanks and a great day to celebrate a great tradition that brings people together. What a hunt!