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Front Cover: Tim Vance•Species: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou•Score: 301 6/8•Location: Baralzon Lake, Manitoba, CAN•Date: 8/28/2023
Back Cover: Dan Evenson•Species: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou•Score: 307 0/8•Location: Baker Lake, Nunavut, CAN•Date: 09/03/2022
Glenn Hisey•Species: Bison•Score: 102 4/8•Location: Pink MTN, British Columbia, CAN•Date: 10/02/2000
The Official Journal of Pope and Young
• Executive Director
• President’s Column
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• Conservation Matters
• Big Game Records
• Measuring and Scoring Antlers: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou Reprinted from our P&Y B&C Joint Measurer’s Manual.
• Big Game Species Profile: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou
• Real World Record: Central Canada Barren Ground Caribou
• Noska’s Notes: A Twofer on CBGC By Frank Noska
• Recent 34th Recording Period Entries
• Super Slam: Try a Trail Camera By Chuck Adams
• Adventure Bowhunter: Bulgaria’s Magical Mountain By Tom Miranda
• Membership Column
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• Youth Membership: Top Reasons to Take a Bowhunter Education Course By Marilyn Bentz
• HOW I WENT FROM HIGH HEELS & PEARLS… to Camo!! By Deb Gay, AKA Deb Hamel, Children’s Author
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The Adventurous BowWoman
By Deb Gay, AKA Deb Hamel, Children’s Author
HOW I WENT FROM HIGH HEELS & PEARLS…to Camo!!
Learning the Rules of the Forest
I left the comforts of my designer dressing room to go to the North Country Camp in New Hampshire for the weekend. I am going to learn how to be a hunting partner! This shall be interesting, I prefer shopping, heels, pearls and fabulous perfume!
Apparently, I failed the first weekend out. I got 5 “F’s” because:
1. I screamed really loud when I stepped in wildlife poop while wearing high heel Croc sandals in the wooded acreage. Then loudly asked what kind of poop it was. My husband looked and said, “It’s from a coyote.” I hadn’t thought about coyotes! Are they there still and going to attack me?
2. I had wandered off into a different field than my husband because there was a beautiful butterfly I decided to follow. Wait! I was just with him a minute ago. Where is he? Where am I? This area of woods didn’t look like the last one, and I was confused. I was lost. Even though he was right there. Somewhere. I wanted to yell, but he said “no, being loud.” And then he appeared, “Hey, there ya are my little archer!”. He looked at me and just shook his head. I was in tears, looking like Tammy
Faye with mascara running down my face, scared of the woods.
3. I did not scootch in and duck while riding in a 6-wheeler through winding trails to check all tree stands and game cameras. I got snapped by tree branches. When those branches whipped me, tiny little pine needles were all over me. One of my good gold hoop earrings fell out, my Coach sunglasses got a scratch, and I spilled Coke a few times. Wait—THIS is probably where the stupid tick I found on my neck came from!
4. I wore my Calvin Klein Euphoria perfume, a cute blingy tank top, and Capri’s. We had just begun dating after not seeing each other for 38 years. I WAS going to learn about archery and how to use my bow and arrow, no matter what! I was going to see what was up with this bowhunting and the different poops and to look through the woods for animals while looking down for tracks and something on the tree called a rub.
WHAT THE HECK IS A RUB? He’s lucky I adore him and want to learn all this, or I would be back up at camp watching House Hunters on HGTV.
I prefer shopping, heels, pearls and fabulous perfume!
One of my good gold hoop earrings fell out!
I am not sure what I think about bowhunting. Treestands, HUGE bears walking below.
There we were, way up in a tree. I put on some lipstick, crossed my legs, and looked adorable
You are a bowhunter now, and I am glad you were here to share this with me!
The Playboy Mansion
I now have my own gorgeous turquoise blue Eva Shockey bow
My enthusiasm over learning and now becoming an archer have led me to write ten children’s books.
The Adventurous BowWoman
5. I talked too much and said ‘gross’ a lot. I asked if bears really sleep all winter. I was apoplectic when he said Mom bears shun their babies at two and turn them loose.
These adventures in nature were to acclimate this impervious, surface-loving, uptown girl to the great outdoors. I’m looking forward to next week when I learn how to climb a treestand, sit still, be quiet, and not fall out. I’m also looking forward to camo paint on my face! I’m going to do a seventies Burt Reynolds black mustache!
First time ever, sitting in a tree stand – a mama and a cub appear below us…. Deb’s Meltdown
I am not sure what I think about bowhunting. Treestands, HUGE bears walking below. I know I enjoy being with Doug, but up in the treestand off the ground?
I love shooting at targets, feeling the muscles strain to pull that arrow back, and hearing the sound of THWAP when the arrow leaves my bow.
After spending time in the woods, I now enjoy nature. I enjoy hearing noises and finding out what makes them, whereas when I started ten days ago, if I heard any noise, I just knew it was something out there that would kill me. I have also found that capturing moments and images on my Nikon is really great!
This was another practice run—not New Hampshire bear hunting season, but close! There we were, way up in a tree. I put on some lipstick, crossed my legs, and looked adorable. Doug sat on the other side of the tree behind me. He whispered, “Don’t move; a mama and a cub are coming to your left! They’re coming down the trail we walk in on.”
I am thinking, “Oh, good. They are coming in on the trail we walk in on. It is close to getting dark, and we will be walking out that trail in half an hour. This is just great! I hate this. I’m starting to question him as well!”
I could not look at them because he said not to move. I started hearing noises. She could smell me. He was right!
At one point, mama stood up – on her hind legs! I saw that! She was not happy. I wasn’t either. I started thanking God for my life and prayed my kids would not forget about me
once Mama ripped me apart!
Once they left, I saw at least seven other bears below me during our sit. Doug whispered, “Sow,” “Two-year-old,” and “Boar.” “Yeah,” I whispered, “I’m bored too!” Whoops, that wasn’t what he said.
These bears are kind of cool. I am amazed; they are very cat-like. They walk cautiously, stopping to sniff the air. They are very patient and will just look around if they hear a noise and stay still. I was not expecting how silent
At one point, mama stood up – on her hind legs!
I am a great shot at targets.
they were. That made me more scared: How many more of these beasts are out there sniffing me, waiting for me to climb down? Great, now I have to pee!
The cub and mama bear returned! The cub was so cute, acting like a nut-job, and it looked just like it was in cartoons, trying to prove it was one of the big boys. It growled, and then it ran up a tree a little bit. I kinda slipped and said, “Awwwwweeeeeeee….”. Yeah, out loud.
Meanwhile, mama bear was right there with her nose in the air, giving me the side eye. They were within 10-15 yards of us. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, but it was also the scariest thing I had ever seen.
Mama bear stepped on a log. When she did, the other end of it went up in the air a little bit and made a loud noise, slamming down. She jumped up, snapped her jaws, and growled. The cub bolted. They ran and walked away.
DOWN THE PATH WE WILL BE WALKING OUT OF THE FOREST ON IN ONLY SEVEN MINUTES!
That did it. I whispered to him, “THIS IS STUPID, this is nuts, I can’t do this, it’s dark in the woods, I’m going to die, you’re nuts!” As tears rolled down, I apologized, but I am brand new at this; the darkness and an angry mama lurking made me lose my mind for a bit.
Once I let Calgon take me away that evening back at the camp, I reflected on how spectacular God’s creations are. And yes, I will be going back out this weekend.
The allure of archery is almost unparalleled. There is so much to learn, such precision, silence, sounds, steadiness, and the elation of the shot when shooting targets and bowhunting. Being there, playing a cat-andmouse game, trying to spot them from afar first before they see you, being so close you
hear them breathe.
I told him I felt bad he didn’t harvest a bear. Doug responded, “Deb, we won. It’s a matter of who spots who first. Sure, they know we are there; their sense of smell is a ton stronger than humans, but they did not know where we were, and we were right above them! You did great staying still and being quiet; you are a bowhunter now, and I am glad you were here to share this with me!” That is a huge compliment from a lifelong avid sportsman.
Second Time practicing sitting in a Treestand
Driving in the six-wheeler through the forest trails, I stated, “Doug, I shouldn’t have worn yoga pants. I have little needles from trees stuck in my butt and legs, and it hurts.”
I thought we were going to drive right up
The Adventurous BowWoman
like valet to the treestand; nope, we cannot have bears smell gas or hear us. Okay, well, wrong shoes again! He points up to the tree in front of us. I exclaim, “Cool, four seats, goes all around! I can still hold your hand, but won’t you whack me in the head when you pull the arrow back, right, or should I duck?”
“No, Deb, just sit still, be as quiet as possible,” he said, looking straight ahead, knowing I was teetering and toppling behind him in my adorable black Croc-heeled sandals. Now be careful, watch where you walk. There are roots and holes and.....” I interrupted with the HIGHEST, LOUDEST-PITCHED SOPRANO BLOOD CURDLING SCREAM. (Who knew you could get such a great echo in the middle of a forest!)
He whips around, clutching his heart. I stood there, wide-eyed, tears brimming, pointing, “But Dougah, it’s a toad. He’s HUGE. He hopped on my foot!”
Looking totally defeated, but in a very patient way, he said, “Yup, it is a toad. It IS a really big toad; I’ll give you that. I think you’ve
scared every bear, deer, and moose out of the woods for this season.”
Enjoying all the outdoor beauty & calmness that God created.
Another practice session out in the woods. I see now why he likes it out here and why he has all those bowhunting magazines all over. I love the winding trails and paths now. I love looking up to see branches intertwined with a canopy of gorgeous leaves in every color of green imaginable, as well as foliage season.
I have learned what it is like to just be outside, be still, no phone, no radio, just the sound of your footprints on branches and the ground … and the sound of birds. Blue Jays, red squirrels, chickadees, chipmunks, and crows are all doing their part to alert other animals of danger.
It is a whole different way of being for me. I like noise, and silence is often almost deafening, but this is totally different. I loved watching, learning, and sharing Doug’s bowhunting world. There is something about
spending time with your partner away from distractions and gaining an appreciation of their knowledge.
Earlier, while still at camp, I walked to the rear deck, where there was a deer in the backyard. It was nibbling apples off the ground that dropped from one of our trees. Its legs were tall and thin. I was stunned by how delicate and graceful it was. I cannot believe their legs don’t get broken more often; they are like toothpicks. I had never seen a deer so close, never watched one.
I have also learned what Doug means when he says to be quiet; deer are spooked easily. When I saw the deer, I whispered to Doug to come look, but he didn’t hear me. I turned around, saying his name louder. By the time he came into the room to look, that deer in the backyard heard me in the house, looked up, and started to run. I said, “It’s a small doe!” He said, “It’s the buck we saw on the cameras! Good job spotting it, though. Next time, be quiet so they don’t hear you.”
Fred Bear once said, “The best camouflage pattern is called, ‘Sit down and be quiet!” I need this on a T-shirt, so I remember to do it more.
I do enjoy learning about these nuances of archery. Holding the bow still, looking through the sight, learning what it is like to pull it back, enjoying the rays of sunshine streaming through the trees, warming my face. This is a sport that anyone can enjoy. My enthusiasm over learning and now becoming an archer have led me to write ten children’s books, five of those are in my “DADDY’S HUNTING SERIES”, I also have a “DADDY’S FISHING SERIES” and a new “DADDY’S FARMING SERIES.”
Later, in the archery shop looking for a harness for me, I whispered my measurements to Doug, thinking I had to give him my size up top, if you know what I mean. He laughed. I didn’t know why he laughed until we got to the display, and the guy said, “This one goes from 100 to 120; this one goes to
215.” I am thinking, “Wow, that’s quite a range in prices!”. Come to find out, it is your weight. I had to give my weight! Typically, I shave off between 5 and 10 lb. when I tell someone my weight, but I was honest here because the harness is there to hold your weight. I could have killed them both! Of course, it was the only time it was quiet in the store, and I was yelling my weight.
So yes, I now appreciate wildlife, nature, and the outdoors. Don’t be too shocked, though. I still love my Gucci, Chanel, electricity, lipstick, and ’70 Mustang Mach 1’s… As well as all things great shoes, gorgeous dresses, and, of course, a great manicure!!!
The First Day of New Hampshire Black Bear Hunting
This was the big day! Day one of New Hampshire Black Bear season. There we were, sitting in a tree ... and no, not k-i-s-s-i-n-g.
My experiences out in the woods have been the inspiration for five of my children’s books.
The Adventurous BowWoman
HOWEVER, about fifteen acres away at the neighbors someone was k-i-s-s-i-n-g! An outdoor wedding, replete with a loud festive crowd and loud classical music. Thank you my Jesus, the noise took the focus off my whispering and my fidgeting and wiggling.
As I promptly learned, the timing could not have been worse for an avid hunter. Doug’s excited face for the first day turned a bit upset, and there was a slight eye roll.
Up in the treestand for what seemed like hours, but probably was just 20 minutes, I heard something. “Hey,” I whispered to Doug. “Is that Sweet Child of Mine that band is playing at the wedding?” Indeed, it was! Classical version. I mused that the bride’s dad was walking her down the aisle to that song. I was correct; we soon heard the minister. Oh, we heard it all. You have no idea how happy I was; I could move, whisper, and put my lipstick
on the whole time because the wedding was already ruining the hunt.
There were no bears, deer, or raccoons; however, there was a wild howling pack of coyotes. Beautiful. I had not thought about that!
AND THEN there was this damn red squirrel squawking and almost mocking me! Every noise, every turn of a leaf, I just knew it was something coming to kill me. Then I hear a frantic chirping like a monkey in heat ...the damn red squirrel!! It was four trees away, the same height as me, and its tail was flipping.
“Hey,” Doug whispered. “That’s a red squirrel. You will want to listen to nature; it will tell you when something is happening. Watch where it’s pointed; it sees something and is alerting us…it’s in attack mode!”
I mumbled to myself, “I know it’s a red squirrel. I cannot help but hear its primal scream. It pointed at me and started seven trees out, but it kept jumping a tree closer. It wants to attack ME!”
“Half hour down, 2.5 hours to go before dusk!” Crap! Dusk?
Darkness? Do we have to walk out to the field in the dusk? Uh oh. I am thinking that I am the only thing going to get killed tonight. Doug whispered. “You’re doing great! Three things against us — the neighbor just logged a lot of the forest, which is a deterrent, the wedding noise, and there is still a lot of natural food out there. But you are doing great! Are you cold?” Whispering through a slight trembling and cold body, I said, “Just my hands… and nose, and top of my thighs, and feet”. Ahh, he gave me some of those hand warmer packets you squeeze to make them hot. It was weird sitting so high up. I should not have sat cross-legged; my leg fell asleep. At least I had on new hunting boots! They were camo with a little bit of pink on the inside top. I need to remember to move the harness strap from the femoral artery, as it cut off circulation on my thunder thighs. Having my lipstick was a definite bonus.
Two takeaways from my first day of real hunting: well, he was hunting; I was just out there watching: 1) I climbed a tree and walked over slippery
The Adventurous BowWoman
logs and uneven surfaces, even with a disability from two strokes—awesome! I tried it, and I did it! Love and determination are powerful healers!
2) Classical music isn’t too bad if it’s a song. When they played “This Thing Called Love,” one line fit perfectly as I sat high up in a treestand with black bears underneath me. “YOU GOTTA BE COOL, RELAX.”
Three years later – I LOVE ARCHERY, the woods, nature, wildlife!
We just finished our third season. The treestand for bear hunting is still up, but Doug has since built a tall, enclosed wooden structure with windows and ladders. I have named it “The Playboy Mansion.”
I now have my own gorgeous turquoise blue Eva Shockey bow, and I am a great shot at targets. I am not hunting yet! I have my Florida hunting and bow license and my New Hampshire bow license for deer and bear.
This would have been my first bear season, but Doug said I was not ready yet.
Life is good in camo land. Oh yes, I still wear pearls and high heels…but I also just bought two flannel shirts and three other shirts at Cabela’s! I actually LOVE that store, too.
What a sport archery is - and what a
POPE & Y OUNG
surprise that I tried this, stuck with it, and now love it. My experiences out in the woods have been the inspiration for five of my children’s books. The main character is a 7/8-year-old little girl who loves her Daddy and talking about his hunting day, about getting a bow and arrow for a birthday present, about moose, bears, racoons, finding sheds, foliage, food plots, going to an outfitter and cool things at camp!
“DADDY’S HUNTING SERIES” includes the following five books: DADDY BOUGHT ME A BOW & SOME ARROWS, DADDY’S HUNTING STORY,
There’s Still time to enter.
FIELD JUDGING CHAMPIONSHIP
Qualifying rounds will be held at the Pope & Young Convention on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.
FIELD JUDGING CHAMPIONSHIP
Qualifiers will compete for the National Championship on Friday afternoon. The winner will be announced at the Saturday Big Game Awards & Gala.
Cost is $20 per entrant.
All participants will score 5 different species from the observation deck.
The Adventurous BowWoman
and FALL AT CAMP. It also includes the newly released DEBBER FINDS A DEER ANTLER (about shed hunting) and THE DAY WE SAW THE MOOSE. All can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and bookstores throughout the world!! CONCLUSION (as of July 2024): I am now FIVE YEARS into this bow-hunting archery adventure. Not only has my knowledge of the sport grown, but so has my participation in events at our camp or at other venues. My husband and I hosted a hunt for a young man
Endorsements from the back covers of Deb’s books:
“These delightful stories of a little girl named Deb and her Dad introduce hunting in a gentle and informative way. Through the eyes of an inquisitive girl, the stories explain how to safely use a bow and arrow and what a day hunting is like. The books help pass down the tradition of hunting to the next generation. Even if you don’t hunt, you will delight in hearing why Daddy doesn’t pack chips in his lunch when he’s hunting and wonder at the detail of how to use a bow and arrow.”
with
a debilitating illness as we were HUNT OF A LIFETIME Sponsors, opening our home and our grounds to him and his mom. He harvested a bear his first day out!!
I have met Archery greats and Olympic Medal Archery champs, and a great friendship was formed with the late Ellie Scott, Frank Scott’s wife and close friend of Fred Bear. Ellie LOVED my DADDY BOUGHT ME A BOW AND SOME ARROWS book. I purchased through an auction a bracelet of small pewter-silver awards that were all Fred Bear’s and were made into a charm bracelet. I wear it often.
I have been fortunate to attend an Archery Hall of Fame Induction and become friends with some of the country’s best archers. I am enamored by archery and the archers I meet—all of whom have great stories—that is why I wanted to write these books. My stories are all based on real-life experiences yet told through the wide-eyed wonder of a little girl adoring her Daddy. Each of the children’s books I have written landed on Amazon’s Top 100 New Releases in their categories!
I have done a book signing sitting next to M.R. James and become friends with Richard Tone, T.J. Conrads, Chuck Gordon, Diane Miller, and so many others. Olympic Gold Medalist John Williams endorsed my book DADDY BOUGHT ME A BOW AND SOME ARROWS, as well as Hoyt Archery and Drury Outdoors.
I feel it is important and necessary to Preserve, Promote, and Protect archery,
—
“These books will help pass on the tradition of hunting to the next generation. Hunting is a deep-rooted foundation based in American history. Celebrating that through these children’s books isn’t just heart-warming, it is essential.”
— HOYT ARCHERY
“Love how you take the perspective from Debber. Females play a very important role in the growth of our hunting heritage, and helping young girls feel more involved in the outdoors is a win-win!”
— DRURY OUTDOORS
bowhunting, and all that wildlife and nature encompass to youngsters and future generations. It was great to see that my reasoning and allure were similar to a piece of Pope & Young Club’s Mission Statement, which says, “…introduce new participants to the spiritual awakening only bowhunting can provide.”
I am enamored by archery... that is why I wanted to write these books.
EDUCATOR NEWS FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH & GAME
I have done a book signing sitting next to M.R. James!
