Success In Michigan!

As Halloween approached, the blood in my veins began warming up. Halloween is my favourite time of year. The weather is cooler, my house is full of snacks for my boys (and me), and the whitetail deer are almost in full rut. There is only one way to describe going to Michigan on our annual Pappas Boys bowhunt during this time of year...simply awesome! As usual our great friend Jim Nugent rolled out the red carpet for us, making our stay one to remember. The first morning I had two does come under my stand after I lowered my bow down....still not sure why they didn't spook. Very quickly they did though, as my buddy Jimmy approached to pick me up. Murphy's law. That night I had three does out in front of my stand, about 33 yards away. Light was fading fast, and as a result I rushed the shot missing high...twice! My brother had much better luck. He had four bucks and six does around him. He patiently waited for the biggest of the four bucks to present a shot. At 34 yards he made the shot count, perfectly placing his arrow behind the rib cage and exiting out the front shoulder, the nice buck only went 60 yards! My dad was the center of attention the next morning as he made a perfect shot on a doe at 15 yards. She dropped in her tracks. What a great trip, once again, with family and friends...it couldn't have been better!!

Wet, Wet, Wet

Thats how my first Ontario bowhunt went. It started with poor stand placement by me. I opted for a tree that was climbable for my self-climber, failing to consider the shootability of the tree. After climbing up, it was evident that I failed to consider my available shooting lanes, and visability as I was almost useless from this stand location. Saturday I plan be in a much more open area, with high visability. The next four hours was spent keeping dry as it rained for over two hours. I did not see a deer, or hear a deer until we walked out as we spooked two deer getting back to my truck after dark. I plan on going again this weekend with my brother. I'll touch base Monday with the report on how it went. Wish me luck.

Louisiana - Great Hunt

Although my tag is still in my pocket, I had an absolute blast at my good friend Glen's camp this past weekend. Glen put me on a stand that was frequented daily by several pope and young bucks. On the first night I had four eight points come in, along with a four point and four does. One of the eight points we estimated to be in the mid 130's, which would be my biggest buck. The problem was that the trail cam from that stand had several bigger bucks coming in on a regular basis, so I waited it out and passed up the 130 class buck. That night ended with tag soup for dinner. My good friend Shane took a great 13 point buck (144 3/8) with his BowcamTreecam capturing the shot on video. The next morning I had a doe and two fawns at my bait pile for an hour. I got some great footage of them and enjoyed watching them play around. That night I took the same stand as the night before, and had two eight points come in. They didn't read the script and never went to the bait pile. Shane's friend Johnny took a nice eight point which scored 126 6/8. I had a great time, with great people, and we got some great footage of nice bucks. All in all, an awesome trip!!

Ten months ago...

Ten months ago I finished up the bowhunting season with a headache. That headache, which was caused by me not finding a buck that I made a good shot on (my hunting partner found it two weeks later 10 yards from we stopped looking), has lasted until yesterday. It ended when my friend Glen Redd called and said "two days until you get here you know". I replied, "actually it's 47 hours, 18 minutes!" Before a bowhunt I always get fired up. But this year is different. My quest to arrow a buck worthy of some real estate on the fireplace mantle has never been higher. My preparation this year has been endless. From airing out my gear, to avoiding using deodorant, I have been focused on reducing my scent and have been shooting alot of arrows in hopes to get that chance to arrow a big boy. I've got a new scentlok suit this year, I switched to rubber boots to minimize scent, I am switching back to mechanical broadheads, and will most certainly be utilizing my most important piece of bowhunting equipment, my bowcamtreecam. Creating very clear highlight clips from my bowhunting adventures is my passion. Having the ability to take clear video is critical for me. Friday morning I plan to do just that. I will surely be back here Monday to let ya'll know how I made out!

Two more deer in the bag

BowcamTreecam prostaffers Pat Squire and Mike Low got their fall off on the right foot, each taking a whitetail with their bows. Pat took a doe and Mike took a buck on their annual trip to Alberta. They were very close to taking a bull elk aswell, with the elk having the last laugh. Their hunting pal took a nice 5 x 5 bull. Their pictures will be in the photo gallery shortly.

Bear Down

Aaron Gavey bear'd down and took a bear down, using his BowcamTreecam mount in his tree. When I spoke to him he said that the bear didn't go very far, and the lumenock made the shot that much better on video. Aaron is an experienced bear bowhunter, and has shot many with his stick and string. His shot will be posted on the site under his profile very soon. Great job Aaron!

It's Game On now!!

OK, its official, I am dialed in on bowhunting. I thought I might be able to contain myself a bit longer, but the bowhunting gods have officially taken me over! Just when I thought I would be able to relax for few more weeks, just mellow out, kick back, free of anxiety, my good friend and fellow Prostaffer Shane Redd has to go ahead and email me 3 pictures of huge racked bucks, knowing that I am coming down to hunt with him in 2.5 weeks. Great job Shane, now I won't be able to sleep until I get home.

Couldn't Beat the Weather

Extremely high winds and lots of rain prevented me from wetting the line this past weekend. In 14 years of fishing the same bay, I have never seen winds like this past weekend. Coupled with the rain, the weather was less than ideal for a mornings troll. I did get alot more pictures on my trail cam though, but there was less deer activity than normal with the poor weather. It looks like its back to hunting season, thats too bad, ha ha ha. The rod goes in the closet and the bow comes out and the game is on!! I will start scouting soon and be ready for the opener.

It's almost time - but not quite yet

Yes summer is coming to a close, but not quite yet. This coming weekend marks the final weekend for most cottagers and will likely be my last weekend fishing...so I'm on a mission. The goal...a 10 pound laker. The date...this Saturday. I've had to really finess the laketrout in this summer, with many not surviving the quick rise to the surface, with one coming in stone dead. So I have been reeling much slower and keeping the trout in the water inside the net while taking the hook out. If I reel too fast, the pressure change coming up from 70 feet down is too much of a change to overcome as they rise very fast. The blue and silver W50 Williams Wabbler will be wet and ready. As the fall approaches more and more emails come in for info on BowcamTreecam. We have one duck on scheduled for September 28th and 29th, and our annual bowhunt in Michigan is scheduled in on October 28th - 31st. Of course there will be several day hunts throughout the month of October....but first the lakers better look out!

Summer of the Laketrout!!

The summer is starting to cool down, but the fishing has been hot! I have caught a bunch of laketrout this summer, all on the same lure, a silver and blue three inch williams wobbler. I have been averaging a fish and hour. I even caught two smallmouth on this same set up with the wobbler, on a Dipsy Diver, with a flurocarbon leader, 175 feet of line, in 80 feet of water. I have found that the laketrout die very quickly, so I have had to finess them in, taking my time reeling them up, and minimizing the time they are out of the water, in order to let them go. The bass are much more durable. I find that using Dipsy Divers are much less involved than a down rigger, and quicker to set up and put away.

On the bowhunting front, I am preparing for another action packed year. I have been successful in obtaining two additional bow tags, so I am hoping to be up in a tree more often than on the ground this fall. Hopefully the deer co-operate!

Its all about the fishing right now!

It is fair to say that I love to bowhunt. However I also share my bowhunting infatuation with my love to fish. Like bowhunting I dig both heels in and dive into fishing during the dog days of summer. Right now my brain strain happens to be on fishing for laketrout. I have been fishing alot with my oldest son Tyson at the cottage for laketrout. We have been doing well, averaging a laker an hour. Last weekend my son Tyson and I, along with my best firend Shadd Smith caught a smallmouth bass in 200 feet of water at a depth of at least 65 feet, on a blue and silver williams wabbler spoon with a Dipsy Diver. Who would have thought? Thats a first for me. I have been letting out 175 feet of line, with a flurocarbon leader. I find that fishing allows me to get my focus off of bowhunting for a couple months, although I have been shooting a couple times. I plan on getting out smallmouth fishing aswell, and hopefully land a 6 pounder! That has been my unfullfilled goal for long time. If I do land a 6 pounder...I will scream, so plug your ears!!

Africa details

Yes it is a fact, BowcamTreecam prostaffer Corey Friesen did successfully harvest a Nyala Bull and Warthog with his bow, and a Red Haretbeest with his rifle on his Safari in South Africa. The first two were taken with a bow, and the Hartebeest was taken with a rifle. All kills were taken on video and are posted on the bowcamtreecam.com site in Corey's profile. After watching the video clips, it was clear that Cory used great patience and perfect shooting to take all three animals. If it was my first trip to Africa, I would have likely taken shots at smaller animals, but Corey passed on these inferior animals in order to get a chance on bigger trophies. In both circumstances his patience paid off big time. This was Corey's second trip to Africa, so I am sure he was a bit more relaxed than on his first trip. There was an Impala at his water hole in one clip, and was broadside at close range drinking. Shooting at it would certainly have landed him a nice animal, but may also have scared off any Kudu or Nyala in the nearby area, a situation Corey patiently avoided, only to have a monster Nyala Bull present a shot. That is the difference between a veteran bowhunter and a rookie. Studying his prey well before his trip, learning about their habits, and their horn size, paid dividends for Corey. His goal was to take a Kudu. He didn't have the opportunity, which gives him a reason to return. From what I know of Corey, this trip will surely unfold, likely sooner than later!

BowcamTreecam successful in Africa

I just received a report from Prostaffer Corey Friesen that he took a large Nyala bull and a huge warthog with his bow and a red hartebeest with his rifle, on his trip to South Africa. Both bowkills were done on film. I havn't got the details yet, but when I do I will post them right away. Stay tuned...

Three Strikes and your OUT!

Well I showed up, gun in hand, bowcamtreecam in hand, nice and early, and I got fooled again. I did learn a lesson though. The turkeys did not make a peep. Completely quiet. So quiet that I assumed they weren't around. Was I wrong? My dad was set up along the edge of the field, and he had two hens come out to the east of him. He then had a gobbler walk out to his west, not making a sound once, and not responding to his calls or my calls. He was not interested in responding, period. What I learned was that, weather permitting, the first two weeks of the season are likely more productive than the last two weeks, as the Tom's response to calling diminishes as the season goes on. Looking back, this is consistent with past years aswell. Result...note to oneself...put the time into the first two weeks of the season, don't wait around thinking "I have more time to get out". The spot I picked out was great turkey habitat, a perfect spot to set up for next year, with wide open woods, short mossy grass, perfect for seeing a long ways inside the bush. It really is a great turkey spot, but I do have to admit defeat. Yes, I lost the war. But next year...I WILL come out on top!!

Final Try

Well - Saturday is the big day. The gloves are off, the cage is set up, and its a battle! It's me versus them, winner take all. I plan on heading out with my dad. My idea is to be fully camo'd and sit by a tree in the middle of the bush this time. The past few times I have hunted this bush I set up at the edge, beside a field, in a ground blind, the same spot that I killed a nice Tom four years ago with my muzzeloader. The turkeys came through the woods each time, but held up well before the field. So this time, I plan to go in and get em. My bow is staying at home, the 12 gauge is going to be dusted off. I will use my crossbow adaptor to mount my BowcamTreecam to my gun. If it has a beard, its going down. For the past two years I have seen bearded hens. I shot one last year with my bow on camera, and this year I passed up one, so its time to burn some powder. I'll keep you posted.

Turkeys 2, BowcamTreecam 0

Well, I went out on Saturday, and had a 2 1/2 hour dogfight with a pissed off Gobbler. We must have exchanged 300 Gobbles. He would come closer (50 yards) and then move farther away (150 yards). This routine went from 6am to 8:30am. My calling was getting a reaction from him every time, but something was keeping him distant. He didn't want to close the distance. Just as I was about to leave, I decided to go for a walk, fully aware that I would very likely spook this Tom. And thats exactly what I did. I got within 40 yards, and he shut up and left the building! That is the second Tom this year that has left me hungry. It was a great battle though, certainly worth waking up at 4am for! I am going to try and get out again next week. I'll keep you posted. I also want to wish BowcamTreecam Prostaffer Corey Friesen an enjoyable and safe bowhunt in South Africa, as he leaves this Thursday!! There will be many stories I'm sure. Good luck Corey.

Gobble Gobble

I am getting fired up, only three days to go until I try and have apple pie with my turkey! I plan on heading out this Saturday morning with my BowcamTreecam in hand to get some new footage for BowcamTreecam.com. I was able to get out a week and a half ago, and got some great footage of a bearded hen with white wings. She came in to 45 yards but I passed on the shot as my brother Tony was about 100 yards away with his bow, and I was hoping she would go towards him, but she didn't get the email! This Saturday I won't be so picky. Whats even more exciting to me is the upcoming African Bowhunt that Corey Freisen is going on. Corey is a BowcamTreecam Prostaffer and is headed to South Africa on a 10 day bowhunt. He leaves in a week. I will be back soon to give you the turkey update and details on Corey's African adventure!

Gear Review coming soon!

At BowcamTreecam we receive alot of questions about the gear we use for our 20 Prostaffers. This demand has lead us to create a new page on the site entitled "Gear Review". This page will highlite the gear that BowcamTreecam Prostaffers wear during their quest for horns! The page is currently being worked on and should be up and running within a couple weeks. As turkey season approaches, the gobbler gear will be looked at in detail. Stay Tuned!!

New Friend

BowcamTreecam is proud to announce that we have a new friend in the Bowhunting business. Bowhuntersplanet.com and BowcamTreecam.com have teamed up for some joint marketing. Bowhuntersplanet.com is run by four guys from Michigan. They are located very close to where I hunt each fall. The fella that I have dealt with Dave Thomas is a great guy with lots of enthusiasm and an experienced bowhunter. I hope to continue growing a working realtionship with Bowhuntersplanet.

Hogs 1, BowcamTreecam Prostaff 0

Well we went, we hunted hard, we had a blast, but we struck out. The hogs won, fair and square. Where does that leave us...I'll tell you. This experience was a learning curve, one that has left us more than eager to learn about new gear and techniques to get some revenge on those wild hogs. They were alomst exclusivly nocturnal, with only a few hogs out during daylight hours. We did have some night time gear, but not a real solid action plan to put it to good use. Next year...look out. We'll have both the right gear, and the right plan. The ranch we went to was fine, nothing fancy, with nice people who own it. I think the high level of activity on this day lease hunting ranch has the animals feeding only at night. Next year we will likely hunt a new ranch, and plan to hunt all night and sleep during the day. One lesson I learned was not to set up 100 yards from a feeder. Unlike deer, the hogs didn't seem to walk the trails, they came from anywhere. So setting up 100 yards from a feeder in hopes to catch them walking by towards the feeder was not effective. We should have set up 15 yards from the feeder in a well camoflaged brushed in blind. You live and learn. All this trip did was get me addicted to hog hunting, big time. This is now an annual event, and next year can't come soon enough!

Hogs 1, BowcamTreecam Prostaff 0

Well...we're back...and we're hungry, but happy. All things considered I'd go back again in a second to bowhunt for hogs in south Texas. The people at the ranch we went to were very hospitable and welcoming. The facilities were basic, but the weather nor the pigs wanted to co-operate. Cloudy, misty, breezy, for most of our stay, left us tired, but we were still just thankful and happy to get away for a few days. We ate like rock stars, and spent some quality time with a great group of guys, each who did their fair share of work for each other to make the trip fun for all. We did see some hogs, and got some great footage of two of them. Prostaffer Steve P made good on a 43 yard shot, drew blood, but unfortunately we could not find the hog after searching thoroughly. The hogs were primarily nocturnal as the ranch is hunted often, and the game is very accustom to seeing hunters daily. Don and George (dad) cooked us some great meals. We got to meet and spend some pure redneck moments with our latest edition of the BowcamTreecam Prostaff, Byron Sartor. Byron is a wealth of bowhunting information and our Southern sales rep, and a great man. The footage of the boars that we did get will be posted on the BowcamTreecam website soon. We had the mounts in Treecam position, so the footage was nice and steady, without vibration. I can hardly wait until next year for our second BowcamTreecam hog hunt. Turkey season is just around the corner, so expect to hear from me in a few weeks!

Hog Bowhunt with BowcamTreecam

I am very excited to go on a bowhunt for hogs this spring. My plan is to get some great footage with BowcamTreecam. The advantage in a hunt like this is that I can choose where I want my bow mounted. Having that option is perfect on a trip where you're not sure what the 'lay of the land is'. Either mounting location will offer me the opportunity to use the scent tube to attract hogs and mask my own scent

Save Now

. I will keep you posted on this trip as my plans develop. Perry