A favourite pastime of mine is photographing deer. With prime hiking territory close to home, interacting with many of the same animals week after week is a rewarding and educational experience.

As the summer months progress and antler growth continues, I will be showcasing my continued interactions with this fascinating species.

The following are a collection of images taken during the month of May. Enjoy!

I have also been fortunate to have enjoyed a great spring of shed (antler) hunting. Nine sheds (seven that were kept) have made for a great collection and display. These were found after hiking a total distance of 191 km’s over 16 hikes during the months of March, April and May.

Yours in the Outdoors,

Justin

(click on images to view in full size)

Thanks to those that entered my TUF-Line giveaway. The response was great and I will be running another contest in the not-so-distant future.

The randomly selected winners are:

First Prize – Doug Wade, Seeleys Bay – Ontario

One (1) 600 yard spool of 50lb Test (12lb Dia) Tuf-Line XP in Green.

Retail Value – $49.99

Runner-Up Prize – Robert Rice, Barrie – Ontario

Two (2) 125 yard spools of TUF-Line DuraCast;  (1) 12lb Test (6lb Dia) and (1) 15lb Test (8lb Dia) in Green.

Retail Value – $21.94

Prizes will be mailed out this week.

Good Fishing,

Justin

(click on images to view full size)

With fishing season upon us, and to acknowledge my partnership with TUF-Line, I wanted to give my loyal readers a chance to win FREE fishing line. And not any old fishing line but THE BEST on the market.

Rules

Send an email to Justin.Hoffman@rogers.com with the following information:

Subject Line – “TUF-Line Contest”

Your full name and address.

Answer to the question.

Question

How many colours is TUF-Line XP available in?

Hint – Head over to TUF-Line to find out.

Prizes

First Prize

One (1) 600 yard spool of 50lb Test (12lb Dia) Tuf-Line XP in Green.

Retail Value – $49.99

Aerospace technology has been utilized to produce our TUF-Line XP fishing line. Tension Lock Technology TUF-Line XP is produced under high tensions allowing more compaction of the fibers during the finishing process. TUF-Line XP is more compact, smaller in diameter, packs better on reels, offers better knot performance, casts farther, reduces rod tip wraps, and boasts higher abrasion resistance.

Runner-Up Prize

Two (2) 125 yard spools of TUF-Line DuraCast;  (1) 12lb Test (6lb Dia) and (1) 15lb Test (8lb Dia) in Green.

Retail Value – $21.94

TUF-Line DuraCast is the braid solution for spinning reels. Its revolutionary patent-pending construction process eliminates tip wraps, wind knots, rod guide noise and common bail trip issues associated with standard superlines, yet delivers the strength and sensitivity advantages anglers have come to rely on. TUF-Line DuraCast’s Tri-Axial, bi-compound construction ensures long wearing durability, permanent colouration, and unparalleled abrasion resistance. While DuraCast offers a quantum leap forward with regard to braid performance on spinning reels, it also performs flawlessly on casting reels, offering a complete braided line solution for bass, walleye, panfish, trout, steelhead and inshore saltwater anglers.

Fine Print

Contest begins April 19, 2012 and ends May 5, 2012 at midnight (eastern standard time.)

Contest is open to all residents of Canada and the United States.

Winners will be randomly selected.

One entry per household.

Prizes must be accepted as awarded.

Failure to follow rules or entries with incorrect answers will not be eligible for the draw.

For all of your TUF-Line needs, please check out eTackle. This Canadian-owned online tackle retailer offers exceptional value, excellent customer service, and attention to detail.

Good Luck!

Justin

P.S. Make sure to subscribe to this website in order to stay up-to-date on my latest fishing reports, posted videos, articles, and contests. Sign up information found to the right of this page.

I am quite fortunate to have a variety of wild spaces to explore so close to home, and most within the city limits of Ottawa. One favourite spot is seven minutes down the road and borders our busiest highway. The wildlife this area holds is vast, and when you wander off the beaten path a little, the rewards can be astonishing.

I headed out this past Tuesday in hopes of getting some turkey and deer images. However, it was a couple of extremely friendly – and inquisitive ruffed grouse – that truly made the day.

Not long into my hike I flushed out a bird from a distance away. A fairly common occurrence with these usually “people wary” forest inhabitants. But a second bird stayed around, and while I slowly approached, continued to go about her business. I spent the next 25 minutes less than ten feet from this curious grouse. Each time I would sit down on the ground she would rush towards me and prance back and forth – most of the time within arms reach! Of course, my camera was firing constantly, and I was rewarded with some extremely close up shots of this beautifully-detailed bird.

I continued my walk, and less than 500 yards away, encountered my second grouse that was equally friendly.

After twenty minutes of “hanging out” I bid farewell and continued on.

Through all of my years spent in the outdoors, a goal has always been to find a deer shed. For those that aren’t aware, a “shed” is another term for antler and is used to describe this discarded mass of bone that a buck loses each winter or early spring. They are not easy to locate, and if not found fairly quickly, porcupines, mice, and squirrels make easy work of them by chewing this calcium-rich treat.

And then it happened. Sitting in an open area of grass lay my very first shed! To say I was excited was an understatement!

This antler was in great shape, other than a few small nibbles on one end of a tine, and judging from its conditions (and since I had walked that area only a week earlier) I am fairly certain it had been recently dropped. Although I searched the area thoroughly, I came up unlucky finding the other.

As I made my way back to the truck, with my new treasure strapped securely to my back pack, I reflected on what an amazing experience this day in the woods had been.

The next morning I invited my Dad to join me and we headed back into the woods shortly after 9am. No sooner had we walked 50 yards when six deer bounded across the path in front of us. If that isn’t a good sign I’m not sure what is!

Although we did flush a grouse from one of the areas I had found them in the previous day, it took us some time to find our first “tame” bird quite a distance away in a new spot. Acting just like the previous two, this bird delighted us by feeding at our feet, prancing around, and posing merrily away.

This bird was much different from the last two, though. As we continued our hike….it followed us!! If we managed to get too far ahead, it would race forward to catch up. At one point, it jumped on my Dad’s foot while we walked! This continued on for 20 minutes, across open spaces of fields, thick brush, and forested areas. It is something we have never experienced – and perhaps never will again. I did to begin to worry about the little girl, as she made herself very vulnerable when away from cover, and an owl or hawk would have made quick work of her if they had spied her on the ground.

She did lag behind at one point and it was then, I’m assuming, she decided she had had enough. Funny enough, some hours later as we made our way back to where we originally found her, their she was again, greeting us and along she came for another short walk! Simply amazing!

Although we didn’t find another deer shed on this outing, we did manage to see a couple of more deer, a large flock of cedar and bohemian waxwings, and a lone porcupine sleeping in a tree. Not a bad little outing.

I decided that night to head back once more come morning. I had a feeling the matching deer shed had to be close by, and with the aid of my GPS, working a grid search of the surrounding area just might bring me some luck and the reward I was searching for.

I went to sleep that night dreaming of grouse and deer antlers – the things only a nature nut might fixate on!

The next morning was a crisp and cool one, meaning a toque and gloves were along for the hike. I walked past the usual grouse haunts but unfortunately our new friends didn’t seem to be home. As I made my way down to the area of my previous deer shed find I came across a flock of turkey and several deer.

I began my grid search and worked the land hard. With no luck I decided to expand, and on a hunch (and after doing some research the previous nigh) I headed to an area approximately 600 yards east. This spot is a forest of evergreens which would make an ideal bedding area for deer. And which is often the case, antlers are knocked off while deer are bedding down for the day. I worked the outside perimeter, the inside, then walked around the most easternly edge – a spot that bordered a small marsh. As I made my way around a tree I spotted the shed – glistening in the sun and laying just a few feet from the edge of the conifers. I raced up to it with pure excitement!!!

You can see from this following image exactly where it was found.

This shed was much larger in diametre, more stocky and aged, and had a neat drop back tine. It was also six points in comparison to the other that scored four. After getting home and comparing the two, I quickly decided that these came from two separate bucks, which means their are at least two more sheds to be found!!!

What an amazing three days spent in the woods! I hiked a total of 26.4 km’s over that time – and every step was definitely worth it.

I’ll be back out again next week – searching for more sheds, photogenic grouse, and anything else the wonderful world of nature has to offer.

Yours in the Outdoors,

Justin

(click on images to view full size)

I spent five hours and covered 10.6 km’s in the woods today. As always, plenty to see – including five deer, nine turkey, numerous ducks, and a red-tailed hawk.

My time in the fresh air and expansive land aroused some thoughts. Many of us, excluding hunters, have grown accustomed to photographs, calendars, books, and magazines showcasing nature in it’s finest – and mostly live – sense. Most don’t show the other side. The struggles that take place each and every day. The side of death.

I came across many scenes of death in the woods today. Skeletal remains, bleached by the sun, and strewn haphazardly about. Turkey feathers piled high after being ravaged by a predator. With each animal I came across I pondered how they met their fate. Were they unable to endure the cold temperature and deep snow of winter? Old age? Coyote ambush?

I counted four separate remains of deer today. Two turkey piles were also discovered. I’m sure the woods held many more. But with death comes life…and in some ways, a simple and peaceful beauty lies in it all.

Came across these three struttin’ Toms – and some on-the-fence Hens – on a morning drive yesterday. Always fascinating to watch the courtship displays and the determined interactions leading up to the mating game.

Spring is definitely in the air…

Enjoy the Outdoors,

Justin

(click on images to view in full size)

With the warm weather of today, and with an itching to find a spent antler, I headed out with camera in hand for a day of shed hunting.

Conditions varied at my favourite hiking spot. Deep snow in some spots, bare ground in others, and miniature ponds scattered amongst them for good measure. Regardless of the terrain, wearing only a t-shirt and having the sun shine on my face sure felt great.

I have certainly had a fascination over the years for finding a deer antler. But, for the many miles  I’ve walked in the woods, a shed I have yet to spot. The signs were excellent on this outing – dozens of deer trails, plenty of scrapes, and scat everywhere.  Sadly, after 5 hours and 8.6 kilometres of working the brush, I came up empty handed.

Deer Trail

Deer Scat

I was fortunate to spot this fella, although with the diminishing snow and him still clad in his winter coat, it wasn’t all that hard. For his sake, I hope it changes quickly.

Snowshoe Hare

I also spent some time photographing birds today. Many were camera-shy, but I was able to capture a few decent shots.

Cedar Waxwing

Black-capped Chickadee

Hairy Woodpecker

With the warm weather forecast, open water fishing is just around the corner!

Enjoy the Outdoors,

Justin

(click on images to view full size)

But what about the saucer-shaped ‘gills that flood the shallows during this time – eager to bite and pugnacious fighters to boot?  Often overlooked, these brilliant-coloured guys hold fast a favourite place in my heart, and promise steady and excitement-filled action, while also biding your time before bass season begins. And the bend they can put in your rod will most certainly surprise you.

Location

Spring and early summer signifies the spawning period for bluegills, and will usually begin when the water reaches a temperature of 67 degrees F.  Depending on your provincial location, the particular week or even month can be varied, but often falls in May or early June.

As the spawning urge grows strong, ‘gills will congregate in shallow water, oftentimes in large groups, sometimes numbering several hundred.  These areas are most often sunny back bays, with a firm sand to silt bottom and sparse vegetation and wood strewn about.  The water they prefer is clear, and the depth will generally range from one to four-feet deep.

Bluegill nests are easy to locate, and resemble a six to 12-inch saucer-shaped depression. These are generally lighter in colour than the surrounding bottom structure. Once fish flood the shallow for their yearly ritual, they become very aggressive and fairly easy to catch.  But intersecting the spawn can be hit and miss, as the window for action usually lasts only a couple of weeks. Once it is over, it doesn’t take long until they disperse and seek the shelter of deeper water.

Fish can be found in the shallows before the spawn actually takes place, gathering and schooling in ultimate preparation.  I’ve stumbled upon groups of huge numbers at this key time, but this was only possible by carefully checking the lake and seeking out areas that held the right ingredients. Two weeks later and the area was completely void of ‘gills.  (The largest schools I have found came during 2008 on a lake in Ottawa, during the first and second week of May.)

Sight Fishing is Key

One of the most exciting aspects to ‘gill fishing is the reliance on your vision.  Sight fishing is the name of the game for catching these fish, yet comes into play the most in terms of locating them.  Cruising along shallow bays while scanning for schools of fish, or the tell-tale nests, is the number one weapon you have at your disposal.  Bluegills will often stage at the surface or slightly below, so “spooking” them as you make your rounds in the boat can often give away their location. Once a productive area is determined, identifying the biggest fish and casting directly towards them is your best bet.

Sight fishing allows you make visual contact with the fish you intend to catch.  It will up your catch rates, and put an exciting aspect into your day.  Keep in mind that spawning largemouth (if applicable) will often be shallow at this time of year also, yet not necessarily in season (check your regulations).  Sight fishing will allow you to pinpoint your quarry and alleviate the chances of inadvertently hooking a wandering largie.

It goes without saying that a quality pair of polarized fishing glasses should always be worn – without them and you might as well be fishing blind.

Tools of the Trade

Ultralight gear is paramount for success when targeting bluegills.  Choose a rod between 5.5 and six-feet in length, with a spinning reel that sports a smooth drag.  In terms of line, four-pound test clear mono will do the trick, or a Fluorocarbon line in the same line strength.

Various lures will work well for ‘gills, but I’ve found that small jigs produce best.  Tinsel tails, tube jigs, and curly tails all work well, and micro size is key (one to two-inches max.).  I tend to choose the lightest jig I can comfortably cast to give the most natural fall through the water.

Partner up your jig with a slip float, especially when fish are low in the water column. I like to set the float so that my jig is positioned slightly higher than the eye level of the fish.   For fish cruising just below the surface, go with just the jig, as this will up your chances of getting bit. It will also lessen the chance of your float startling these high-flyers.

Bright-coloured plastics and jig heads seem to attract the most attention from bluegills, with gold, silver, white, pink, and chartreuse being excellent choices. It pays to experiment, as some days they will definitely favour one over the other. Don’t overlook natural hues when the bites become hard to come by, and a spray or two of a commercial fish scent can often turn the tables on those finicky fish.

If you really want to add an element of excitement to your day, toss mini-cranks for some explosive topwater action.  Not only is this a good choice if they begin shunning the jigs, but it can really get the heart pounding.  Always cast cranks a few feet past the fish, then bring your lure towards it.  Casting directly at fish will generally spook them.

Keep Some for the Pan

Not only are bluegills fun to catch, they fight extremely hard on light equipment.  Their flat, saucer-shaped bodies are ideal for bulldogging and making quick runs, a quality that always surprises a newbie ‘gill angler.

One of the best aspects of this sport is keeping a few for the frying pan.  Bluegills are very prolific, so bringing some home with you will do no harm.  A seven or eight-inch ‘gill can offer up some decent-sized fillets, and the sweet taste of this succulent meat will keep you coming back for more. Do respect the catch limits that are in place and keep some of the smaller guys to help ensure that the quality fishery can continue.

Take some time this season to scrounge up some hard charging ‘gills. I guarantee that these multi-coloured guys won’t disappoint.

Happy to announce that Charger Bass Boats has partnered with Go Power Sports (Portland, Ontario) for the Ottawa Boat and Sportsmen’s Show.

We will have a Charger 496 on display and will be more than happy to answer any questions – and of course – put you in your own brand new Charger boat!

Charger 496 (20 Feet 6 Inches)

Stop by the Go Power Sports booth (#1800) and meet the Charger Team, including Dave Chong, Ben Woo, Dale Minicola, Shawn Carson and myself.

See what all the fuss is about….and how a Charger is able to give you more bang for less bucks than our competitors can.

The Ottawa Boat and Sportsmen’s Show runs from February 23 to 26 and is located at 4899 Uplands Drive.

Charger Multi Species SUV 190 (19 Feet 4 Inches)

For more information:

Ottawa Boat and Sportsmen’s Show

Go Power Sports

Marine Central

Charger Boats

See you at the show!

Justin