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HUNT TO HARVEST

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Hunting private land is a privilege. Respect it !

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Trophies shouldn't be measured by size but by personal success

You never forget how you called your first big buck. It was November 25 th, just after the gun hunt. I sat in a corn field with my cross bow and called into the bush. With five minutes left of legal light this ten point stepped into the field and gave me a 27 yard shot.	It was December 26th . My brother and I where hunting a farm over Christmas holidays. Brian climbed the stand and I sat in the west fence line in a small ground blind. This 10 point walked by me at 18 yards with a smaller 6 point trailing along behind him	After arriving at my stand with only 45 minutes of shooting light left, I wondered if I was wasting my time, however with the land owner harvesting corn in the field and with 10 minutes left of legal light ,this 9 point walked under my stand at 16 yards.
Late season Muzzle Loader week and this 12 point came to my rattling the antlers.	This deer was an odd one for antlers for sure. His antler size would suggest he was young, however I figure he was at least 4 years old based on the wear of his teeth. A mature 8 point with dwarf antlers. He still made us lots of summer sausage.	With my doe decoy in place I used my Flextone multi sound call to bleat and grunt him into the field. Once he saw the decoy, he worked his way across the field. He offered a 35 yard shot with my Excalibur Phoenix crossbow.
I started watching this 9 point crossing a hay field in late August using a Spy Point Trail Camera. I set a stand on a rub he was making along the west edge of the field. I finally got a shot at him with my Thompson Pro Hunter Muzzle Loader in November.	Another Muzzle Loader Buck. I used the flextone to bleat him into the field. He slowly worked his way along the edge of a hay field at first light trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. I was in a make shift blind with little cover and had to be perfectly still. I finally took the shot when he turned broadside at 62 yards.	I use deer decoys during the bow season as much as I can. They can be awkward to carry and noisy to set up, however the rewards can be great.
With a new farm to bear hunt in Southern Ontario, the bait site was active a couple days after we set it up.		Spring bear hunting "Spot and Stalk" in Northern Alberta. Oil field hunting has to be the most amazing and exciting hunts to take part in if you get the chance.
This pair moved into the bait together for over a month during the 2015 fall bears season. Great condition and size	Most of the bait sites we have are active with different size bears, however there's always a big one to set the sights on.	At just over 400 lbs. this Southern Ontario bear took patience and strictly controlled human scent at the bait site. I watched him for 6 weeks before I got a shoot
We regularly had visits from bears this size during the spring bear hunting. He`s twice the size of the barrel	After 17 years without a spring bear hunt in Southern Ontario it was great to harvest this 300 lb. plus boar in late May	My fall bear hunt was another success harvesting this great boar. As a trapper in southern Ontario the regulations allow us to harvest more then one black bear on our trapping license. Tags are not required.
For a Southern Ontario spring bear this guy was huge. I called him using one of my soft sounding coyote calls. He weighed in at 472 lbs. with the guts out.	Early morning calling and success	I like getting out for that hour before dark to call. Although time on stand is limited, calling can be productive if you know your farms and get into the right places with the right wind.

Now there's an interesting colour combination of coyotes.	It's the end of the season and the pelts are ready to be shipped to Fur Harvester's for auction.	Processing is complete. However it wouldn't be right to end the season without the pictures. Wish the fur prices where better.
Although I'm out almost year round, I always like to tag along with my brother to coyote hunt. He was coyote and fox hunting long before it became popular in Ontario. He is truly a master at calling. no electronics allowed.	Ontario trapping regulations allow fisher trapping in some parts of the province. In Peterborough we have to get landowner permission for 500 acres to trap one on a quota system. Fisher numbers are low in some areas and steady in other areas of our trapping district. With quota for 30 in our area I can space my trapping out which I believe helps the population years after year. I don't over trap one area.	Cold but productive.
I always like to stay caught up on the fur processing during the trapping season. Even though I send all the other furs to auction during the season I like to save the coyotes to the end to get that "bragging" rights photo.	I always like coyote hunting with my brother. He`s is truely the master at calling coyotes. With close to 30,000 acres to coyote hunt between us, we`re always shooting at something.

Cold clear days with little wind are ideal coyote hunting conditions. Coyotes are moving all day because of the cold and with a light wind it's easier to call them from longer distances.	We aren't serious goose hunters but with a half dozen great farms to hunt in fall we still get out there and have a great time.	It's always nice to get the pelts processed and line them up for that season end picture
My theory is that real feathers on the decoy make the difference. Not much gets past the eye of a turkey which would suggest that they can see the features on a decoy.	With my background in woodworking I carved this head from a block of pine. Although I added a lot of detail, it's the basic shape and colour that makes the decoy.	My first season with the new decoy was great.
All the birds I've harvested over the years have all been great examples of the thriving wild turkey population in South/Central Ontario. It's to bad that it cost so much for one tag to hunt them.	At 23.9 lbs. I won the heaviest bird I our local Spring Turkey contest. The 100.00 first prize was a great way to pay for the "Expensive Ontario Turkey Tags".	Another great Southern Ontario Bird.
Using my homemade decoy in year two was as great success.
Another great bird using my homemade. I'm convinced that the real feather make the difference.	At just over 24 lbs, this Tom won the heaviest bird in our local Spring Turkey contest. And I won me a "big old prize" . Helps pay for the ever increasing price of the tags	With 3 days left in the spring season we set our sights on a farm where we'd been watching 3 Toms. The hunt was short. We set up just before daylight, the toms flew out into the field at first light and Josh had his bird 10 minutes later.
Over the years Dan has been a great hunting companion. Great bird Dan	Dustins first bird. We had 7 Jakes charge into our setup and all he had to do was pick one.	With true grace Brett (right) offered my son the first shot at this 19 lb beauty on opening day. Don't worry Brett, I have a "Monster" picked out for you for the 2017 spring hunt
Opening day 2016. Using our homemade decoy we tagged out opening day.	Two days after the opener I tagged this 23 lb. beauty using my homemade decoy attached to a fishing line to bring it to life.	The opener was fantastic. with 2 birds down in the first 10 minutes of legal shooting light.
Great opening day for 2017. Brett and I scored a double.	After 4 hours of calling I shot this 25.24 lb. black beauty.

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