Outdoor Tip of the Month
by Carroll Ware, Master Maine Guide
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{Description}| Month | Topic | Description | Date | Order |
| December | How to get what you really want for Christmas! | Christmas time is here and now us guys are faced with the question of how to get wives, kids, ect. To buy us gifts that we want, like fly rods, decoys, guns and so on…versus ties that we have and never wear, shirts that went out with Nixon and slippers with duck heads on top! Listen to me!!!!!!!! I have perfected the answer to this annual dilemma. You casually leave Bean’s or Cabela’s catalogs lying around, open to the appropriate page, with a big red circle around the desired item. If that doesn’t work, (trust me, this will get your wife’s attention every time), take a hike in the woods while your wife is gone, deliberately wearing you old, beat-up hunting jacket. Your wife walks in to the house to find you shivering nearly hypothermic and sneezing, all because your’ hunting coat is worn out. Now casually mention that this would never have happened if you had that new Bean’s hunting jacket! With all this in mind, when you open the box Christmas morning and the ugliest tie that you’ve ever seen is staring at you. Just smile and ask for help with the knot!! Merry Christmas to all! Next month…boot care |
December 6, 2011 | 7 |
| January | Boot Care | Cold weather is here and nothing makes a day LESS enjoyable than cold, wet feet. Different combinations and fabrics work for different people, but we need to care for our boots so that they can perform as intended. I am a big fan of Mink Oil as a leather conditioner and water repellant. For me, leather upper, rubber bottom boots with removable liners keep me warm and dry in sub-zero temperatures. I usually place my boots near the wood furnace to warm the leather, then I apply a generous coat of mink oil allow it to dry away form the heat. Regardless of what type of boot you prefer or what insulating material works best for you, the bottom line is this; with the technology and choices of materials in footwear available today, on one should have cold, we feet! The best advice that I can give is to SPEND THE MONEY FOR A GOOD PAIR OF FOOTWEAR! Even a couple hundred dollars for a pair of boots seems insignificant when your feet are warm and dry. I wear the best footwear that I can get and have never regretted a dime of the money it took to get them. Next month…Jigging for Togue |
January 8, 2012 | 8 |
| February | Jigging for Togue | Ice fishing season is in full swing and that means jigging for togue for many fishermen. Jigging for togue, cusk or anything else can be slow fishing, but can also produce fast action and big fish. Most jiggers feel that their bait should ideally be just a few inches form the bottom on the down stroke. Strikes often will come as you start your up stroke. My personal favorite lure for togue has always been the Leadfish, with treble hooks, where legal (sharpen hose hooks!). I prefer the flat finish versus the chrome of gold. I consistently had better action when I added a chunk of cut sucker to the lure. I like a nice, oily sucker, remove the head and then cut my chunks of bait on an angle, lengthwise down the body, 1”-2” wide. Slicing on and angle seems to make the bait “flutter” more as it drops. When the fish hits, set the hook and once you get his head up, keep him coming! If you’re releasing the fish, don’t take him out of the water. Next month…Planning your annual trip! |
February 1, 2012 | 9 |
| June | Personal Floatation Devices | Personal Flotation Devices or PDF’s, come in four configurations. Type One’s have reflective patches and offer the highest buoyancy rating, followed by Type Two’s, with a slightly lower buoyancy rating. Type Three’s are the fishing vest-type and the most common in use. Type Four’s are seat cushions or throw rings and are designed to be thrown with a line attached. Maine law dictates that children ten years and under wear a PFD at all times when on the water. Floatation devices must be readily available, appropriately sized and in good condition. When boating alone, or in very cold water, PFD’s should always be worn. Tests done at the Maine Game Warden Schools have shown that it is almost impossible to put on a floatation device while in the water. When floatation devices get old, ragged and waterlogged, they must be discarded and new ones purchased. PFD’s are orange for a reason. They can be used as a signaling device when stranded on the water. The overwhelming majority of people who accidentally drown in boating accidents were not wearing the floatation devices when they went into the water. Don’t be a statistic. Wear that PFD! Next month… Which canoe should I buy? |
June 2, 2011 | 1 |
| July | Choosing a Canoe | A purchase of a canoe requires much thought. First, it should float! More seriously, the purchase should be based on usage. Do you intend to use this just in ponds and lakes (flat water) and if so, will you be carrying the canoe any distance? Eighty-pound canoes don’t portage well! If the canoe is to be used on flat water, then one with a keel for better tracking in the water should be the choice. If you’ll be using it largely on rivers, then a canoe without a keel for better response to corrective paddle strokes is best. Also, a river canoe should have more rocker (hull curvature from bow to stern), leaving less of the hull in the water for better maneuverability. Hull materials vary, but aluminum (lakes) and Royalex (rivers) are two common materials. Non-aluminum canoes are better for rivers, as aluminum doesn’t slide over rocks well. Royalex or one of the space-age materials is very resistant to punctures and dents can usually be pushed ot with your foot. This months tip… Size paddles correctly. The top of the grip should come about to your chin. Next month ….Hiking Tips |
July 3, 2011 | 2 |
| August | Hiking Tips | Summer is here and that means great hiking weather. Whether you hike casually or are a serious trekker, here are some guidelines to follow. Begin your hiking with reasonable distances. Start with shorter hikes over reasonable terrain and increase distance and difficulty of terrain as you become better conditioned. Footwear and foot care are the two most important issues. Hiking with blisters will spoil anyone’s day! Fist, buy a pair of good hiking boots and break them in by just wearing them. Boots should provide ankle support & traction, be waterproof (Gore-Tex is a wonderful product!) have a removable inner sole (have a spare to change each day) and above all else, fit comfortably. Socks should be of a type that wicks moisture away and is of appropriate weight for temperatures. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! You cannot drink to much water! Many backpacks have hydration systems that carry water internally, but drink you must. Hydrate and feed you body to provide energy. Plan rest and meal stops and always leave an itinerary at home in case of emergency. Plan for emergencies and have fun! A hiking tip…use a water bottle with a99.9% filter versus treating water by boiling! Next month…moose hunting! |
August 15, 2011 | 3 |
| September | Moose Hunting Tactics | Moose hunting! Moose are heading into the rut and the fist season is here. If you have an either-sex tag, here are some tips to help you bag that trophy. Pre-season scouting: Scout diligently in the weeks prior to the hunt. Remember that moose are water animals and marshes and ponds are great areas to watch, but the bulls will be where the cows are! Bull moose are a lot like us guys when we were eighteen! Look for wallows where cows have left their scent, young softwoods and hardwood saplings with the bark peeled. Calling: the best advice about calling is that less is usually better. Too much calling will make you bull wary and nervous. Bull grunts should be a deep, short bully grunt, while the cow grunt is a long, seductive moan! Coffee cans, the traditional burch bark calls, will work. I have called moose with nothing more than my hands cupped over my mouth. It’s quality versus quantity with calling. Use a dry, dead branch and rake it up and down a dead tree, simulating a bull raking a tree with his antlers. Don’t forget snatch blocks and hundreds of feet of rope. The fun’s all over when they drop! Next month… Fishing in October? |
September, 15, 2011 | 4 |
| October | Fall Fishing | Fall fishing! Beautiful foliage, trout and salmon moving towards the spawning areas and no black flies! While I usually fish attractor patterns with sinking lines, insects may be hatching, so keep that floating line handy. Remember…before you handle that fish to release him, wet your hands and try and keep the fish in the water. Handling a fish with dry hands removes the protective mucus that covers their body. Bring the fish to hand as quickly as possible and if the hook is deep in his mouth, snip the tippet. The fly will rust out in a surprisingly short time. A fish released today is a fish that someone can catch again tomorrow. Upland hunters should carry fist-aid kits for minor injuries. You should also carry a good fist aid kit for your working retriever of upland dog. The dogs tend to injure themselves on stubs, sticks and glass or tin cans in old woods dumps. While there are excellent “commercial” canine first-aid kits available. Carrying peroxide, disinfectant crème, gauze tape and bandages at a minimum will let you address injuries until you can get your dog to the vet. Next month… Porcupine Quill removal |
October 3, 2011 | 5 |
| November | Porcupine Quill Removal | Those of us who have upland dogs, retrievers, rabbit hounds or working dogs of any type know that a constant threat to the dogs here in Maine are porcupines. Quills can be serious and sometimes fatal, and whether you’re a dog or a person, removal can be difficult. Trust me, use this method, it works and works well. Immobilize the dog first and don’t let anyone but his owner near him; even then, be careful. The dog is NOT enjoying this and may bite! Make a solution of: 1 cup vinegar and 2 teaspoons baking soda, stirring well. Trim the ends of the quills and pat the solution liberally on the quills. Wait 10 minutes and repeat. Wait another 10 minutes and the quills should be soft and pull out with little resistance. Quills are lime and calcium, and the solution acts as a catalyst and softens the quills. The exception is quills in the dog’s eyes or throat. In this case, get the dog to your vet immediately. Remove using this solution should leave no after effects and the dog should be ready to hunt. Next month…Get what you really want for Christmas! |
November 4, 2011 | 6 |