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JustinHoffman

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Everything posted by JustinHoffman

  1. JustinHoffman
    Hello All, Been a fun couple of weeks of whitetail buck photography. This year I was given permission to roam privately leased NCC farm land here in Ottawa. In two weeks I have found 16 different bucks - and the action is just getting started. Here is some trail camera footage from Oct. 15 - 17th. Biggest buck I have found is an 11-point, but plenty of nice wide 8's around. No hunting allowed on this land, so unless they stray far, these guys should be safe for the season. (watch in 1080p HD for best quality) Cheers, Justin
  2. JustinHoffman
    Thanks for the comments, guys - much appreciated. Was definitely a fun day on the water. Was fishing scattered vegetation in water between 3 and 5 feet deep. As for the fish at the 2:15 mark - probably should have reached for the net It was a decent fish. Nothing overly big that day but always fun when you get them - or miss them - on top. Already looking forward to next season...at least for the topwater aspect. Brian - I was determined to get that fish at 3:34, lol! Besides, I had a boat full of spectators passing by Good Fishing, Justin
  3. JustinHoffman
    Hello All, Here is a highlight reel I put together, showing some 'hits' and 'misses' from a topwater largemouth outing the other week. Can't beat glass-calm water, a LiveTarget frog, and hungry fall largies. (watch in 1080p HD for best quality) Cheers, Justin
  4. JustinHoffman
    Definitely, Pierre. This was more for the bass, walleye and panfish folk out there. And I'll take a bass any day of the week over a 'ski, lol. But that's just me. Cheers!
  5. JustinHoffman
    Haha, Mike. Well, depending on the size of your feet, it could work for....or against you...for catch comparison
  6. JustinHoffman
    Limeyangler - I use a fairly basic and free editing software that came with the computer - Windows Movie Maker. Does a fairly decent job. BillM - Good to know. Have only went so far as downloading the app. - had planned on giving it a try this weekend. Thanks for the heads up! Cheers, Justin
  7. JustinHoffman
    Good advice, MJL. Canon actually has a free app. that works as a remote right off your phone - this is only for the most recent of Canon cameras. I have yet to download it but I should, lol. In some ways, I like that idea of only taking two shots with the set up I use. I know then that the fish is only out of the water for a maximum of 25 seconds and I use those two ten-second timers as a reminder/gauge. Remotes are definitely great, as long as folks remember the length of time that the fish has been out of the water for, and don't get too trigger happy and forget.....which I can see easily happening. Cheers, Justin P.S. anything is better than the phone selfies, which undoubtedly cut off part of the fish - and generally the anglers head also, lol!
  8. JustinHoffman
    Hello All, Put together a video this week showing some tips on how to photograph yourself - and your fish - when out in the boat solo. Perfect images and little to no stress on the fish... (watch in 1080p HD for best quality) Cheers, Justin
  9. JustinHoffman
    Thanks, Brian - much appreciated.... Boat has been in the shop for the last three weeks. It has finally been released to my custody, lol. Hoping to get out over the next few days for some largie slaying
  10. JustinHoffman
    Hey Dave, Haha...yes, I am not much a fan myself, although I find their behaviours - and method of catching prey - purely fascinating. I was actually at this spot photographing butterflies. Was oblivious to these spiders until I took a closer look. If I had to guess, bugs were landing in the webs of these females every few minutes. Decided to set up my tripod and captured this footage after setting the camera up on the third web. Was funny - while crouched down and filming, I looked over my shoulder to find another large female approx. 12 inches from me, as well as a third off to my side. Was slightly creepy! haha. From what I have read about katydids, they have antennae 2 to 3 times the length of the body. Hard to tell in the video, but I don't think this critter does. Just assumed it was a regular grasshopper, as there were hundreds jumping in the scrub grass all around me. Tough to tell. Many of the other webs had wasps and bees captured in them, as quite a few of the nest were set up in flowering vegetation. Was hoping to catch one of those stinging insects getting caught in the web on film!! Cheers, Justin
  11. JustinHoffman
    Arkrisoner - Agreed. Definitely looks sped up but it is in fact not. You can also tell it isn't from the songbirds singing in the background. I watched in amazement as these girls captured grasshoppers, flies, and bees. Their reaction time is incredible, and I guess it has to be to immobilize the prey before it breaks free from the web. Cheers!
  12. JustinHoffman
    Hello All, Here is a short video I shot this week, showing a female Black and Yellow Argiope spider capturing a grasshopper. This small section of riverbank vegetation held more than 30 of these large spiders, with their webs strategically spun alongside and amongst grasses and flowers - which coughed up one insect after another. "When prey becomes caught in the web, the spider may undulate the web back and forth to further trap the insect. When the prey is secure, the spider kills it by injecting its venom and then wraps the prey in a cocoon of silk for later consumption (typically 1–4 hours later)." This was filmed in real time and has not been sped up. The quickness and agility of these insects is quite amazing! (watch in 1080p HD for best quality) Cheers, Justin
  13. JustinHoffman
    Thanks, Joey. No, it wasn't bothered by me in the least. I am the first human it has had contact with or seen, so perhaps it was more curious than anything. Mom was not too far away but didn't seem too concerned with me. When I took this video I was less than 10 feet from the chick. Incredible experience and one I feel very luck to have witnessed. May check back on the nest in the morning - I imagine all three chicks will be out now. Cheers, Justin
  14. JustinHoffman
    Cool stuff, Sinker! Yes, the only reason I even found the owls - then the nest - is when one of the adults made a single 'hoot' as I walked by, approximately 50 yards from it. Similar to you, this nest is in a broken-off tree stump, some 15 feet high. Unless you looked closely, you would never notice. Been a few days since I was last at the nest. I imagine all are out now. Will check on them in a day or two. Cheers, Justin
  15. JustinHoffman
    Thanks, Whitespinnerbait....will be checking on the nest tomorrow to see if the other chicks have left. Fingers crossed for a group shot. Cheers, Justin
  16. JustinHoffman
    Here is an image of the little one, as it perched less than 10 feet away. Cheers, Justin
  17. JustinHoffman
    Hello All, Here is some video footage I shot the morning of June 16th. It shows the 4 to 5 week old barred owl chick, having recently left the nest, regurgitating two pellets. This is the first of the three chicks to leave, and I discovered it perched on a fallen tree approx. 30 yards from the nest. I was fortunate to spend almost an hour with it - sitting only ten feet away. Pellets consist of the indigestible parts of an owl's diet and include such items as fur, feathers, bones, claws, teeth, and fish scales. On average, an owl casts one to two pellets each day, depending on its food consumption. I feel very fortunate to have witnessed this first hand, especially with such a young owl. Nature definitely holds so many surprises... (watch in 1080p HD for best quality) Cheers, Justin
  18. JustinHoffman
    Here is some migration info, lakerguy: Migration Medium-distance migrant. Common Loons migrate from northern lakes to coastal ocean waters. Loons in western Canada and Alaska migrate to the Pacific Coast, from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands down past Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Loons from the Great Lakes region migrate to the Gulf of Mexico or Florida coasts. Loons from eastern Canada migrate to the Atlantic Coast. Like many young birds, juvenile loons are really on their own after mom and dad leave at about 12 weeks. The parents head off on migration in the fall, leaving juveniles to gather into flocks on northern lakes and make their own journey south a few weeks later. Once the juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean, they stay there for the next two years. In the third year, young loons return north, although they may not breed for several more years (on average they are six years old when they start breeding.) Cheers, Justin
  19. JustinHoffman
    Thanks, limeyangler! Can't wait to see what the next few weeks hold! Cheers, Justin
  20. JustinHoffman
    Hello All, Delighted to discover that the loon parents from last year have once again returned to the same nesting site - and are sitting on two eggs. Last year was so much fun capturing them with film and video. They successfully hatched one chick that time. (watch in 1080p HD for best quality) Chicks should hatch in 2 to 3 weeks!! Cheers, Justin
  21. JustinHoffman
    Hello All, May has been a great month in terms of wildlife viewing and sightings. My barred owl family should have chicks within the week, just came back from Algonquin Park (wild brookies and bull moose), and plenty of osprey, heron, and spring bird migration sights. Here is a short video I took last week of a Great Blue Heron preening. Pretty cool to see the wing stretch and neck scratching. (watch in 1080p HD for best quality) Cheers, Justin
  22. JustinHoffman
    Hey Brian... I actually lucked in to this pair while out shed hunting one of my favourite spots. Heard a single 'hoot' while hiking, that was very close by. Ten minutes of searching and found the one owl high up in a tree. An hour or two later I noticed a second. It wasn't until the next day that I watched the female go to her nest site, which, if you didn't see her fly to, you'd have no idea it was a nest. Broken off and hollow tree stump, about 15 foot high. This is the same area I do most of my buck photography in the fall. On a few of those outings I have spooked an owl in this same spot. I now realize this is there home territory and they have probably been here for years. Next few weeks should be fun!! Cheers, Justin
  23. JustinHoffman
    Guilty as charged, Bill. It was a trained owl. Can hoot on cue, lol. Cheers, Justin
  24. JustinHoffman
    Saltydog - I assure you this video was taken two days ago in Ottawa. The 'red' colour you are seeing are the buds on the trees just beginning to open. Not certain what type of tree they are, but, 100% they are blossoming buds. As for the green colour in the background - those are pine needles, not leaves. Hope that puts your questioning to rest I certainly have nothing to gain by misinterpreting the date. Here is an image shot the same day showing the 'buds' to give you a better idea: Cheers, Justin
  25. JustinHoffman
    Thanks, guys...glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Justin
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