JustinHoffman

Thanks, Joey! Heading back later this week to spend two days with the little fellas. Can't wait. Also just treated myself to a Canon "L" series lens this morning. Itching to try it out on some wildlife...

Cheers,

Justin

Hello All,

Made a return trip to Algonquin Park this past week, to photograph the abundant moose but also to check on my red fox pair from the winter. Both species didn't disappoint.

Came across 15 moose in the two days, but the best experience was locating a red fox den - and the six kits it contained. This was a rare find and I feel blessed to have experienced it. Here are a few sample shots. If you would like to read the story behind this discovery - as well as see additional images - feel free to check out my site.

Website:

http://justinhoffmanoutdoors.com/2013/05/20/a-special-moment-spent-with-foxes/

Thanks for looking...

Justin

Hey Pierre - If my memory serves me correctly, the line was 100lb test. Dacron I think. Unsure of the leader, but I believe it was 50 feet long.

They used a few tactics when I was out (I was actually in the boat two days.) Still fishing with balloons or plastic pop bottles with bait a few feet down. If a fish was spotted on sonar (such as this fish was) they lowered a bait down to that depth. They also used a "kite" that would fly in the air, and would position the bait just inches below the surface - quite a distance from the boat.

Chumming is constant throughout the day. Mackeral is caught live on the way out to the fishing grounds with rods.

Here are a few images of the set ups used:

Good Fishing,

Justin

Exactly, ch312. Many times I may hike less than 1/2 km in an hour or more. Concealment, moving when the animal is not looking, understanding behaviour and traits, etc., all come into play. Slowing down is the biggest one. So is being extra quiet.

Great shots, Joey...certainly was pretty here in Ottawa, also, with all of the white stuff!

Cheers,

Justin

Thanks Joey and Fishindevil...

I am pretty fortunate that I live close to a great variety of wildlife. Saying that, I do spend a lot of time in the outdoors

Might head to Algonquin Park next week for a few days. Always something cool to shoot with the camera there!

Good Shooting,

Justin

Hello Folks,

I am pleased to announce that I will now be offering select wildlife images for print purchase. For those that love nature and the outdoors, these ready-to-frame prints will make a wonderful addition to your home or cottage.

All images will be printed off-site on Kodak Professional Supra Endura VC Digital Lustre Paper. Prints will be protected in poly bags and shipped in cardboard-backed envelopes to protect your purchase.

All prints are 8 x 10 -inches in size.

Currently, thirteen prints are available for purchase - and that number will grow with each passing month. Photographic Greeting Cards will also be available starting next week.

Here are a few samples of photographic prints:

For pricing details, and to see the full lineup, please visit my website:

www.JustinHoffmanOutdoors.com

Also, as a special promotion to OFC members, a free 5 x 7" photographic print greeting card will be included with each order of two or more 8 x 10" prints. Please mention OFC and your member name when placing order.

Thanks,

Justin

Hey Guys,

Like I mentioned in my post regarding shed hunting, most of my hiking/filming/shed hunting is done in a 50,000 acre tract of land named the Green Belt here in Ottawa. This spot is literally a 10 minute drive from my home.

Many of these deer are use to seeing humans, as this tract of land is set out as hiking/biking/skiing spots. So, compared to deer you would just come across in the "wild" - ie. areas with no human interaction, they are more tolerant to the presence of people. Saying that, I bushwhack far off the path when out with the camera, routinely covering 10 to 15km's each time, far away from where most people venture.

It also comes down to a few other things. Being extremely quiet, stalking the animals, knowing deer behaviour and signs, and having a bit of luck. If you think that was close, during the rut - when the bucks have nothing on their mind other than mating - I get within 50 feet (and sometimes less than 15 feet!) of bit 8 and 10 point bucks. This is fairly routine for me. There is no hunting allowed on the green belt, so I am sure that also makes a difference.

Here is an image of a decent buck that was hot on the trail of a doe. He hardly looked at me during the 2 hours I spent with him. He even bedded down twice only 20 feet away - we both just sat in the grass and looked at one another. Pretty cool to say the least.

Here is another one. I have over 1000 buck images from just this past fall.

Funny, on Facebook many of my friends have begun calling me the 'deer whisperer.' Maybe I have a knack. Who knows...lol.

Cheers,

Justin

I have a Humminbird 798 ci HD Side and Down Imaging unit at the back of the boat. LOVE IT! Like Ben mentioned, the side imaging is invaluable once you learn to read it and adjust the settings. I actually use the Down Imaging more than the regular sonar - the detail is incredible.

Good Fishing,

Justin

Hello All,

While doing some deer photography this past December, I was fortunate to get within 15 feet of two young whitetails bedded down in the afternoon - and chewing their cud. It wasn't until after I reviewed the footage, that I realized you can actually watch first-hand how the process works - up close.

See why they do it and how in this very short video...

Cheers, Justin

Hey Pierre - Definitely a tuna. Was seen multiple times. It was as close to the boat as the leader a number of times, but then just took off. As the captain put it, because of the wind and drift of the boat, it was more the elements that the angler was fighting, and not the fish. He stated that the fish was using all of these to its advantage - and ultimately succeeded.

They estimated it at 1,000+ lbs.

Cheers,

Justin

Good point, mcdougy. To be honest, that scenario never crosses my mind, as all of my shed hunting up here in Ottawa is done on the NCC appointed "green belt" - a 50,000 acre natural space tract of land comprised of hiking trails and made for the public to enjoy. So for myself, going anywhere else other than almost 225 square kilometres of free roaming space isn't necessary.

I would like to think most people would obey private property, but with anything, I'm sure there will be some bad apples. Keep in mind, also, that every community and town has tracts of land that is open for public access that can be wonderful spots to find sheds - conservation areas are just one.

I will take your comments into consideration for any future videos I produce. I will say, the politically correct thing to do would be to list warnings and cautions for all videos posted, whether it be shed hunting, hunting, fishing, biking, etc. If I was to post a deer hunting video, should I also caution viewers to not trespass on private landowners property? Playing the devils advocate a bit, but I would like to think logic and common sense should prevail for people watching a how-to video on a great hobby that is enjoyed in the outdoors.

As an aside - all of the footage you viewed in those two videos shows the public greenbelt land here in Ottawa. Yes, for the outdoor lover, we have it pretty good in this city.

Cheers,

Justin

Here are my two favourite finds from my collection. The shed on the left I found this past spring. It was sitting in an open field between two treelines after the snow had all melted. It was my second shed I had found at that point.

The antler on the right I discovered this past January, under a small clump of low trees that the buck had been using to bed down under. It was antler number sixteen in the collection.

Some neat drop and gnarly tines on both....

Cheers,

Justin

Hello All,

Along with my wildlife photography, I spend a large percentage of time in the outdoors - exploring and video taping my adventures. One thing I jumped head-first into last spring was the hobby of shed hunting.

For those that don't know, this involves searching for the antlers that whitetail deer drop each winter. In just over a year I have found 19 sheds - and have covered more than 400 km's hiking. Not only is this a great activity to do solo or with the family, but it is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise at the same time.

Knowing where to look for antlers is the hardest part for new shed hunters. So, I recently put this video together showcasing my top spots to increase your chances of finding some.

Ottawa has had a lot of snow this season so far, making it somewhat difficult to explore any open fields. Saying that, I have found nine fresh sheds since the week of Christmas, with all but one being found under thick cedar trees. Here is a short video highlighting my last shed hunt adventure. Judging from the snow that is falling outside my window, it might be some time before I get out again.

Good luck...and looking forward to hearing about all the great finds.

Cheers,

Justin

Thanks, Roy...will give that a try next time.

HTHM - Same guy fought it for the entire three hours. I think it is an unwritten rule with tuna fishing that when you take the rod, you are in it for the long haul. Also, this situation was quite different. The average fight is in the neighbourhood of 30 minutes long. The insane current, waves, etc., was what caused this to drag on (no pun intended) for 3 hours. They actually have quite strict rules regarding tuna fishing. You cannot fight a fish longer than one hour. At the one hour mark, the line must be cut. Since this was going to be a harvested fish, they can fight it for as long as needed. Unfortunate that it ended the way it did.

I felt so bad for this guy. We've all had that unmistakable sight and sound of fishing line breaking. Compound that by 100 after battling for three hours. No one really said much to the guy when it happened - he took a few minutes to himself, took a well deserved drink, but did laugh and say, "that's fishing." Funny, the most pain he felt was in his butt/legs. He didn't sit down for at least an hour or two afterwards. And this was a fair-sized guy.

For those interested in watching the Land and Sea episode that CBC filmed on that outing and a couple of others, here is a link to the show. I'm the guy in the camo suit - although if you blink a couple of times, you'll miss me, lol!

http://www.cbc.ca/landandsea/2013/01/tuna-fishery.html

Cheers,

Justin

Hey Roy - Can you let me know what you did, please?? I tried everything last night for embedding it, but failed...

Thanks!

Cheers,

Justin

Hello All,

Was fortunate and excited to get an invite to tag along on a charter for Giant Blue Fin Tuna this past September while vacationing in Nova Scotia. Two words describe my experience - extreme and adventure.

Was definitely a thrill to be along for the ride (although as you can see from the start of the video, the ride was a slight bit choppy on the way out to the fishing grounds!)

Was also cool to have a CBC producer and camera man out on the boat, filming the action for an episode of Land and Sea.

This charter was a bit different than most, as on this day, the boat was out to catch and keep one of two fish they are allowed to each season. (The norm is one fish - the captain won the lottery to keep a second.)

Here is a short video I filmed out in the boat showcasing the action.

Good Fishing,

Justin

P.S. sorry, no idea how to embed the video directly into this post.

Thanks Roy and Brian...

Been having fun as of late with the camera. But I am getting the itch for fishing once again...

Cheers,

Justin

Hello All,

It has been some time since I last made a post. I chose to take a small step back from fishing, and concentrate on some new projects, including building up my stock portfolio in terms of wildlife images. I have enjoyed some great shoots, including bull moose in Nova Scotia, whitetail bucks in Ottawa, and red foxes in Algonquin Park.

Here is a small sample for those that enjoy photography - particularly nature.

Shed hunting was also off to a great start, with my first finds happening the week of Christmas. I am now up to 9 fresh antlers, but the snow as of late has made the open-field searching next to impossible.

For those that enjoy nature photography, shed hunting, outdoor adventures and fishing, feel free to check out my website for the latest updates: http://www.JustinHoffmanOutdoors.com

Happy Shooting,

Justin

Very cool!!! Love the colours and detail. Any idea what type of insect?

Cheers,

Justin

Wonderful work, Pamela...thanks for sharing with us.

I still have my snowy owl print hanging proudly on my wall

Been shooting a tonne of wildlife images as of late. Feel free to "steal" any from my site for another painting.

www.JustinHoffmanOutdoors.com

Cheers,

Justin

Hey Danbob,

If you are interested in doing more wildlife/bird shots, consider getting something a little longer than 300mm. That is what I started off with (and it did work when dealing with wildlife that I could get fairly closer to) but I decided to upgrade last week to a Sigma 150-500mm. Mine is a Canon mount, but Nikon is also available.

The quality is awesome..and with the optical stabilizer, it can be used for hand-held shots. Check out my post a few below this - "Bought a New Lens - a Few Bird Images" - to see how the first day or two went with the new lens.

A 50mm is definitely a great (and inexpensive) option if you plan on doing a lot of portrait-style shots.

Good luck,

Justin

Hello All,

Decided to treat myself to a new camera lens this past week, a Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG with Optical Stabilizer. This thing is BIG, but, is equally at home being hand-held or used with a monopod or tripod. With a trip next week to Northern Quebec to shoot moose and bear, as well as a three week excursion to the East Coast this fall, a lens with more power and better quality was on the "to buy" list. To say I am extremely pleased with this purchase is an understatement!

Here are some shots from the past few days. Decided to turn my attention to our feathered friends:

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Hairy Woodpecker

Osprey

Caught this guy in a private moment, haha!!

And of course, a shot of "Buckwheat"....

Enjoy the Outdoors,

Justin

Here is the latest shot of the big buck of the bunch, which I have nicknamed "Buckwheat." His antler growth seems to get more impressive daily. This was taken Wednesday (May 23).

Happy Outdoors-ing...

Justin

3rd Saturday in June, Lew..