For years, I’ve unsuccessfully hunted deer during November. And for years, I’ve been certain that as soon as I’ve left one stand or another, the deer have arrived, thumbing their collective noses at me. Unfortunately, last year I put a trail camera up, and learned that I was wrong: The only deer I captured images of had visited at night, when I wouldn’t have been hunting anyway. David Baker of Glenburn has another story to tell, though. On Friday, Baker’s trail camera captured images of two young bucks battling, with another buck standing by, perhaps ready to take on the winner. Those cameras were just 17 yards from his ground blind … and he graciously shared his story with us. Over the past month, I’ve spent plenty of time in the woods, and have (again) failed to fill my tag. Luckily, I’ve been able to live vicariously through the successes of several BDN readers who have shared their tales with us all. And as I always seem to say at this time of year, there’s always next year.
— John Holyoke
Bucks battle on trail camera: When the hunter’s away, the boys will play
“Well, as you will see in the pictures I’ve included, there turned out to be three young spike-horned deer that have started two large scrapes directly adjacent to my trail camera and only 17 yards from my hunting blind,” David Baker wrote. “This discovery also explained why the [“lone”] spike-horn I was seeing in October was sometimes bigger or darker than the previous time I had seen him.”
Giving thanks to the grandfather of Maine beekeeping on his 90th birthday
On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, 1924, a child was born who would have a lasting effect on beekeeping in the state of Maine. Fast-forward to Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, 2014, and that man, Harold Swan, is celebrating his 90th birthday
Blog log
Robin’s Outdoors: After 7 years, I tagged my first deer!
And just like that, there he was, walking up the knoll like a boss. I’d finished a set of bleats just two minutes earlier. He’d heard “her” and he was on a mission. “Holy bleep, Taylor! Look at him!”
Act Out with Aislinn: 1-minute hike: Northern Pond in Monroe
Hiking can get sort of hairy this time of year, especially after some early snow and ice storms. Watch Aislinn, Derek and Oreo navigate around downed trees and over partially frozen streams in this week’s hiking adventure in Monroe.
On the horizon
Christmas is coming, and if you’re like the BDN’s Aislinn Sarnacki, you’ll want to be sure to include your furry friends when it comes time to buy gifts. Later this week Aislinn will share some sure-fire, Maine-made gift ideas that your pets will love. Meanwhile, John will celebrate (or mourn) the end of the 2014 deer season. Squirrels? Check. Cold weather? Check. Broken ground blind? Check. Just another year in paradise.
To receive Word from the Woods, BDN Outdoors’ weekly email newsletter, visit bangordailynews.com/newsletters and select “Outdoors Newsletter.”