If you asked me what my favorite thing to do is, besides fishing, I would have to say spending time in the outdoors learning how to hunt with my family. Being in the woods during the fall and winter seasons can be breathtaking and it is my escape, my peaceful place. I am very passionate about it and I wanted to share some of my stories with you.
What Started It All:
For years I would listen to my Dad’s hunting stories every Sunday night when he got home from deer camp and since I was old enough to use a television remote I would spend most of my evenings watching hunting shows. Bill Jordan’s Realtree Outdoors was my favorite, I wouldn’t miss an episode. Hunting was always interesting to me, and about five years ago my curiosity got the best of me and I asked my Dad if he would teach me how to hunt. He was pretty excited, so that afternoon I signed up for my hunter’s safety and firearms course and the rest is history.
2010
Since we already spend so much time in Northwest Ontario, we decided to try hunting during their rifle season. My Dad spent hours scouting and setting up trail cameras, he wanted to try and put me in an area where I would be able to see wildlife during the day and have a good first experience. He never pressured me into hunting, but I could tell by the effort he put in to the preparation that he really hoped I would like it. From the moment we figured out how to change the SD card in the camera and view the pictures I think we were both hooked on using trail cams. It is amazing what you can capture on film and the quality the photos are amazing. We use the Bushnell Trophy Cam 8M Pixel with black LED lights.
After a few weeks of checking our camera’s, I locked eyes on a picture of a young 10-point buck and I immediately named him ‘Crabclaw’. There was something special about this deer, I can’t explain it. His antlers were a deep chocolate brown and he was one of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen. Because I wasn’t comfortable hunting alone I never got to hunt for him that year. The other camera we set up had a big 8-point on it so we decided to try for him instead. When we first looked at the pictures and I saw my Dad’s eyes light up with excitement I knew this was his turn. Crabclaw would get a free pass this year.
2011
In the spring we scouted more potential hunting areas. Crabclaw survived the winter and grew much bigger. I finally felt comfortable enough to hunt on my own during the day so my Dad would walk me into the blind and come back and get me before dark so I wouldn’t get lost. It gave me peace of mind knowing he was coming back. Being in the woods alone is something that I am still not 100% comfortable with yet but each year with more experience it becomes less intimidating. Around the second week in the season we checked the camera at a new blind we just set up and there was a 13-point mature buck on it! I guess Crabclaw would get yet another free pass. Over the next two days I sat patiently waiting, but he never came. The following weekend was warm and sunny and just as I was reaching for my tea, a doe ran into my sight, and she wasn’t alone. I looked to the left and I could see the tip of a bucks antlers, he was standing behind the trees completely still. I could tell it was him, the big buck from the pictures, but I didn’t have a clear shooting lane. For 30 minutes he stood still and for 30 minutes I was nervously trying to keep myself together, repeating everything my Dad taught me over and over in my head. Then it happened, he took two steps forward and stopped broadside and I was ready. Waiting for a clear shot is so important when hunting big game, the last thing you want to do is wound an animal. If you aren’t 100% sure you can make the shot, then you should never pull the trigger. Harvesting an animal of that size is a pretty humbling experience and I was happy to be able to bring home food and provide for my family.
2012
On opening day I decided to only spend a few hours in the blind, and then I was planning to meet up with my Dad to do some afternoon fishing. About an hour into my hunt, I hear a deer slowly making its way towards me. Of course at the time I don’t have anything ready, half of a sandwich is hanging out of my mouth, just poured a fresh cup of coffee and I am making all kinds of noise. I haven’t checked the camera recently so I have no idea what deer it could be. It’s opening day, one hour in, how could a deer be coming already…and it’s not just any deer…it’s Crabclaw! It happened so fast I only sat in the blind for an hour and here he comes. He grew significantly, and as much as I did not want my season to end before it really began, I knew this was the opportunity that I have been waiting for. This deer was the first mature buck I ever had on camera, and he was and is still very special to me.
Each year we hunt for Whitetail in Ontario and Manitoba, and this season my boyfriend Logan, Dad and I are going to hunt together. There is nothing better than spending a peaceful day in the outdoors and coming home to have a nice dinner with the family and share stories about the day. In a world that is so driven by technology, it is nice to be able to get away, turn the phones off and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer. To me, the best part of hunting is the journey and the adventure it brings. The terrain we hunt is tough yet beautiful, it can be mentally and physically tiring, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything and I am so grateful to my Dad for teaching me what he has learned. I highly recommend you spend time in the outdoors, whether it is fishing, hunting or hiking, you won’t regret it.