Hunting property in this state can be hard to come by. I am aware of that. 94% of the land is privately owned. I have put posted signs on the land that Dad and I usually hunt on to informed trespassers that the land is actively being managed, watched and hunted on. I also have […] The post Tree stand Trespassing appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

It was a miserable walk into the stand in the dark. Sheets of rain and wind pelted us as soon as we stepped out of the truck. Even though Dad had filled his buck tag, he was willing to head into a stand and hunt for a doe.  We walked as quickly as we could […] The post Slopping shooting results in suffering appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

When George Smith died three years ago, I lost one of my biggest cheerleaders.  He was always trying to figure out how I could advance my outdoor writing career. He connected me with the editor at Downeast Magazine when they produced an issue all about hunting.  My article was featured on the cover, and I […] The post Welcome to Hunt & Harvest appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

In October 2023, I met Jim Shockey during his stop at Cabela’s on his book tour. We talked writing, the outdoors and hunting. He invited me to come up to Pacific Rim Outfitters on Vancouver Island and hunt spring black bears.  I couldn’t say no. When I stepped off the small plane at the Port […] The post Black bear hunting on Vancouver Island appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

As the 2024 hunting season kicks off, I can not believe that it has been a decade of hunting bears in Maine! I remember planning the initial meeting at Cabela’s and inviting every hunter I knew in the greater Portland area.  I wanted to prove that there were plenty of people who were passionate about […] The post A decade of hunting bears appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

I leave my trail cameras out all year long.  Photos of coyotes, deer, porcupines and racoons show up on my phone. But in the spring, those first trail camera photos of babies, cast off yearlings and bucks bring early season excitement to all of us.  There is a fun uncertainty of what animals will show […] The post Trail cameras bring early season excitement appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

The last thing you want to think about when you are chasing animals through the woods, is wither or not you can physically do it.  There are a lot of things that I can not control on each hunt but the one thing I can control was how healthy I am.  So, when I saw […] The post Are you Fit to Hunt? appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

When the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt met this spring in Arizona, they spoke about the need for constitutional amendments to help protect our hunting rights. They were focused on Florida and a few other states. I thought of New Jersey and their on again, off again bear hunt.  And I thought of a conversation […] The post Will constitutional amendments protect hunting? appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

I listened to the ravens, crows and turkeys fight over the morning’s gut pile. I was still giddy about my success as I climbed into the treestand, almost within sight of the Sky Condo.  Motion to my right caught my eye and I saw a deer feeding on acorns. I lifted my rifle and peered […] The post Two big bucks in one day appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more

I have hunted deer for more than half my life. Every season is different and I learn or observe new things all the time. It is how you get better and more proficient. This season, the lesson blew my mind and will stick with me for every hunting season to come. During the 2022 season, […] The post The trick to hunting: always be learning appeared first on And A Strong Cup of Coffee ..read more