Squirrel hunting is easiest in late fall

Indiana squirrel season is open and lasts through January 31, 2020. Hunters can take five squirrels per day and can own up to 10. Squirrels can be taken with a shotgun, rifle, or bow. A small game permit is required to hunt squirrels.

Indiana’s forests and woodlands are open now and squirrels are easier to spot than during the leafy time of year. There are plenty of other hunters in the forest to share time and space with, so it may be best to see if anyone else is hunting in the area you plan to hunt, if you’re on private land, before heading out after the bushytails. On public land, the best thing to do is keep an eye out for other hunters and then try to make the most of the situation.

There are many ways to hunt squirrels in the fall. Walking on cleared trails and forest paths allows you to easily cut through the brush. Walking around a bit and then sitting quietly waiting is the classic method of hunting squirrels.

My favorite way to hunt squirrels is to hunt by floating down a calm stream from the comfort of a canoe. Paddling quietly around a lake or down a river through public lands with a .22 rifle close at hand, a hunter can easily slip within shooting distance of the squirrels. Find a squirrel in the branches, shoot it, retrieve your prey and paddle down the river until you find another.

You can easily hover to hunt squirrels alone, but it works even better with a partner. Position the shooter at the bow of the boat, so the rower in the back can hold the boat steady in the right spot for the shooter. When you reach an area that looks like great squirrel habitat, beach your canoe and take a hike. By accessing public land from the river, you likely have it all to yourself.

You can also make a squirrel camp on a gravel bar. I know more than one lumberjack who lives off the fresh fried squirrel served by the river.

If you’re new to squirrel hunting, don’t worry. Cleaning and cooking squirrels is very easy. First, make a cut under the base of the tail. Then break the tailbone and skin the back about an inch. Then cut down along the top of each hind leg. This gives you a nice flap. Pass it over and lift the squirrel off its hind legs. This will remove the fur from the front of the squirrel. Now just take the flap and pass it over the hind legs. With the skin of your squirrel, cut the meat you plan to eat, bread it, place it in the pan and voila.

Squirrels are active from dawn to dusk looking for food, such as nuts, berries, and seeds. Hunters who move slowly tend to do well. It is up to a hunter to place a spell on a spot and wait for a squirrel’s movement to reveal its location. Once you find and shoot a squirrel, don’t give up on the spot. It is very likely that you will remove two or more squirrels from the place.

There are two species of squirrels in Indiana, fox squirrels and eastern gray squirrels. Fox squirrels are also commonly known as “red squirrels”. They are larger than gray squirrels and often inhabit border areas. Gray squirrels are commonly found in larger tracts of forest, but it is common to find red and gray living together.

See you on the way…

Tennessee Free Hunting Day Saturday, Squirrel Season Begins

August 26, 2021
By:

Tennessee residents can hunt without a license on Saturday, August 28, which coincides with the opening day of squirrel season.

Free Hunting Day is an event the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency hosts annually in hopes of increasing interest in hunting. Squirrel hunting is one of Tennessee’s oldest and favorite traditions. The day serves as an excellent opportunity for people to experience the enjoyment of sport.

The TWRA encourages regular hunters to introduce friends and family (young and old) to the sport of the outdoors. It’s also a great opportunity for people who haven’t tried hunting in a long time to get back into the sport.

On Free Hunt Day, in-state hunters are exempt from WMA hunting license and permit requirements. Many of the WMAs are open to hunters seeking public access on August 28. Hunters are asked to check information for specific WMAs in the 2021-22 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide. Athletes are reminded to ask permission to hunt on private land.

TWRA offers a reminder that hunter education requirements are not waived on Free Hunting Day. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1969 must have successfully completed a hunter education course. An apprentice license is required for those born on or after January 1, 1969 if the hunter education course has not been completed. This license exempts the hunter from the compulsory hunter education law for one year from the date of purchase, but can only be purchased for up to three consecutive years during the hunter’s lifetime. Those under 10 years of age do not need a Hunter Education certificate, but must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age who must remain in a position to take immediate control of the hunting device.

Hunters can take up to 10 squirrels per day from the opening day of the squirrel season through February 28, 2022. Each hunting day begins one-half hour before sunrise and ends one-half hour after sunset.
In addition to squirrels, those species that have a season throughout the year will also be open. Year-round species include armadillos, beavers, coyotes, marmots, and striped skunks.
For more information on hunting in Tennessee, visit the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org or contact the TWRA regional office nearest you.

Mary Anderson – Storm Lake Times Pilot

Mary M. Anderson, 99, of Storm Lake died June 17, 2022 in Pella.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 25, at 10 a.m. at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake.

Mary M. Anderson was born on October 22, 1922, in Des Moines, the daughter of Elvin and Anne Kachel.

Growing up, Mary liked to go squirrel and rabbit hunting with her father. In her middle and high school years, she worked at her parents’ restaurant, Kachel Kitchen. She loved to ride a bike and skate. In high school, she competed on the swim team and became a diving champion. She would often find Mary sharing her gift of ice skating by performing for the city of Des Moines. She graduated from Des Moines North High School.

Mary married Noel Merrill Anderson on June 21, 1941. Their marriage was soon interrupted by Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II. Noel enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was assigned to basic training in Glendale, Arizona. Mary accompanied him and stayed in the accommodation provided for airmen’s wives. Noel then advanced to flight training in Marfa, Texas and Mary moved in with him, staying at the Indian Lodge at Davis Mountain State Park near Alpine. After advanced flight training, Noel was sent abroad to the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, to fly C-47 transport planes. Mary then moved to California to be with her sister Bertie and her aunt BA to work in a factory on the line that made materials for the war effort.

After the war, Noel was offered a position as a pilot with Braniff Airways, but turned down the offer to spend more time with Mary.

Noel found employment with a company in Iowa working as a sales director. After several years, Noel decided to leave the company and go his own way. They made the risky venture, against all odds, to start Merrill Manufacturing based on his inventions in their one-car garage in Des Moines. In 1957, Noel, Mary, and their two sons, Merrill and Stephen, moved the small business to Storm Lake.

Mary thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment and was active in many community activities and groups at Storm Lake. She was the perfect hostess and a fabulous cook with everything ornate, elegant and pretty. Even in the late 90’s, Mary could tell you how to make a delicious meal or tender roast by heart.

Noel and Mary enjoyed ballroom dancing and were filmed dancing at the Cobblestone Ballroom in Storm Lake for a commercial that aired on television. After building her new home on the South Shore, you could find Mary ice skating on the lake in her cute little skirt and her sweater.

Mary was always beautifully dressed as if she had just stepped out of a hat box as her life’s dream was to be a fashion designer. When Noel was abroad, he would send her money so she could save up for a fur coat, but instead he bought a sewing machine. She became a very accomplished seamstress, even creating a huge fabric backdrop called “Wave of Innovation” for a national Merrill trade show in the 1980s.

Mary and Noel traveled abroad to many different countries after their retirement. They served as US ambassadors to Australia as a team representing the US They spent winters in Sun City West, Ariz. and they spent many days on the golf course.

After Noel’s death in 2005, she continued to live in the same retirement community as her sister Claudia and was active in Bible studies and serving others.

In March 2022, she moved to Pella to be closer to family and was blessed with months of joy, spring beauty, and being able to see family regularly before she passed away on June 17 at Comfort House in Pella.

She will be remembered for her upbeat personality, perseverance, and sincere love for all who came in contact with her.

To treasure his memory are his children: Merrill (Dedra) Anderson of Denver, Colo.; and Steve (Jacqueline) Anderson of Storm Lake; seven grandchildren: Nathan (Karli) Anderson, Nick (Karen) Anderson, Whitney (Eric) Turner, Mitchell Anderson, Matt (Sarah) Anderson, Joel Anderson, and Holly (Dr. Michael) Walsh; 13 great-grandchildren; and Sister Claudia (Jimmy) Smith of Phoenix, Arizona.

Mary is preceded in death by her late husband Noel Anderson; and her sister Bertie (Del) Rundquist.

Athol Daily News – MassWildlife Proposals Offer Greater Opportunity and Consistency

Published: 6/24/2022 12:54:37 pm

Modified: 06/24/2022 12:54:19 pm

The Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife Board met Wednesday at the field headquarters in Westboro. The Board also held a public hearing on proposed regulatory amendments to 321 CMR (Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations) 3.00 Hunting: specifically, the regulations relating to the hunting of pheasant, quail, and small game.

The proposed regulations:

Create a late pheasant and quail season so hunters can go after any birds not previously caught in storage through December 31.

Extend hunting hours in stored WMAs. Hunting hours would remain from sunrise to sunset while hunting pheasant, but would be expanded for other species. For example, archery deer hunters can now hunt from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset in pheasant-filled WMAs.

Standardize pheasant and quail hunting hours from sunrise to sunset throughout the state.

Remove WMA hunting implement restrictions and standardize implements (shotgun and archery) for pheasant and quail. For example, bear and coyote hunters would now be allowed to use any legal hunting implement, including rifles, in WMAs filled with pheasants. Hunters would now only be able to use shotguns and archery equipment while hunting pheasants throughout the state.

Simplify and extend the hare, cottontail, and gray squirrel seasons. Hunting seasons for jack rabbits, cottontails and gray squirrels would be extended through the end of February in a single state season for each species.

Eliminate black-tailed jackrabbit season. MassWildlife staff believe the species is extirpated and has been absent from Massachusetts for decades.

The Board received approximately 80 comments on the proposals and will continue to accept comments through July 6. There was overwhelming support for changes that provide additional opportunities for athletes and clarify regulations. The changes will be on the agenda for consideration at the July Board meeting.

The annual Deer Review was on the agenda and Deer Project Leader Martin Feehan presented the staff’s proposed allocation for Antlerless Deer Permits (ADP) for all Deer Management Zones for the upcoming season. The 2021 deer harvest showed a reduction in the total deer harvest in Massachusetts. Feehan noted that this was a consistent trend across states in the Northeast and that hunter participation declined after the significant increase in 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also noted that Massachusetts worked with the USDA on SARS CoV 2 testing in the state. A total of 86 of the 558 samples tested positive. There is no evidence that the virus has any impact on deer or humans. Deer COVID testing did not show any cases of COVID being transmitted from wild deer to humans.

Massachusetts continues to successfully keep the chronic debilitating disease out of state and regulations limit the entry of deer from other states. It is illegal to import venison parts from states or provinces where the chronic wasting disease has been detected (a map of those states is available on the MassWildlife website). It is legal to import boneless meat, clean skullcaps, headless hides, or fixed taxidermy mounts. This prohibition includes all members of the Cervidae family, including but not limited to white-tailed deer, mule deer, red deer, moose, caribou, or elk.

The allocation of antlerless animals was increased in almost all areas of the state as the Massachusetts population goal of 12 to 18 deer per square mile is in effect in most of the 14 areas of the state. Locally, Zone 5 was increased by 150 permits to a total of 1,950 and Zone 6 was increased by 30 to 400. Deer Project leader Feehan, who joined MassWildlife about a year ago, noted that the increase of allocations would be monitored for three years, and a number of data points would be reviewed at that time. Both zones are currently on target.

If you want to hunt antlerless deer this fall, you need an antlerless deer permit. If you apply for a permit before the July 16 deadline, you must check back after August 1 to find out if you have been granted the ability to purchase the permit. Hunters can apply online using MassFishHunt on a computer or smartphone. You need a valid hunting or sporting license to apply for an antlerless deer permit. There is no fee to apply; $10 fee is charged only if you are granted a permit during the instant grant period.

The instant grant period begins on August 1 at 8 am and ends on December 31. Your chances of getting a permit are the same no matter when you check your permit status. You can check the status of your permit through MassFishHunt.

Prior to the Board meeting, a ceremony was held to recognize Massachusetts Ducks Unlimited for their generous contribution of a catch net launcher that would be used to make waterfowl collection for data analysis much more efficient. efficient. The Western Mass Duck Hunters Association, an organization this writer has been a member of for decades, and the Nashua River DU Chapter, which was founded by my lifelong friend Mike Donnelly during my tenure as Regional Director of Ducks Unlimited, provided a significant portion of the financing for the launcher. Grassroots Ducks Unlimited volunteers were recognized by several of those who spoke for being known for “walking the walk AND talking the talk” as they have always selflessly stepped forward to do things that benefit vast resources and not just to the ducks.

Mike Roche can be reached at [email protected].

GUNS Magazine Five Common Zeroing Mistakes

Mistake #3: Assuming what you read is true

Not everyone lives where they can shoot at 400-yard targets. So they consult the ballistic charts to find a suitable remnant beyond 200. A logical choice. But if the mainstream news reports haven’t disabused you of confidence yet, the charts should. For as long as mice have had tails, factory-loaded 180-grain bullets have come out of .30-06 rifles at 2700 fps. My Oehler, however, has clocked them from just under 2600 to 2835 fps (standard loads, not super-duper, 22″ barrels). The difference in a 400 yard drop is almost 5″, given the same bullet shape. If the faster charge sends out a sleeker bullet, the disparity may be much greater. A round nose bullet at 2600 fps plummets 38″; a boat tail Spitzer at 2,800 drops 23″.

Another increasingly common variable is the height of your sight above the bore line. Back when 2-1/2x Lyman Alaskans sat so low on Tilden mounts they nearly kissed the receiver, line of sight was held close to the bullet’s course until gravity dissolved the bond. Soup can target bells and Picatinny rails now raise sight lines, increasing their angle relative to the line of sight. For any given first crossover, the zero range then moves further away.

To confirm a zero, you need to shoot groups on paper at the indicated distance with the load that you will use on the hunt. Same for seeing where the bullet lands beyond zero range.

Free Squirrel Hunting Webinar is Thursday | Sports

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers will offer a free online webinar on squirrel hunting on Thursday, January 6, from 7-8 p.m.

Topics include species habits, habitats, scouting, essential gear, effective shot placement, hunting strategies, cleanliness, cooking techniques, and dish ideas. The class will conclude with an interactive question and answer session.

“The webinar is open to all skill levels,” said R3 fighter specialist Walter “Deet” James. “However, it is especially designed for people who have never hunted and do not have access to a hunting mentor.”

Participants will receive a Zoom link in a confirmation email after registering. The class will be recorded and available to registered participants at a later date.

Gray, red, and fox squirrels can be hunted throughout the state. Harvest seasons, as well as bag, possession, and season limits, are available online and in the 2021-2022 Compendium of North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Regulations.

Minnesota, Wisconsin fall hunting seasons set for 2022 – Duluth News Tribune

Summer has finally arrived after a cold spring, but it won’t be long until many northerners are thinking about fall hunting seasons.

With some seasons just nine weeks away, the News Tribune is releasing its annual list of the most 2022 Minnesota and Wisconsin hunting seasons for planning purposes. We’ve also included a couple from the Dakotas.

So go grab some clay pigeons and aim loads and practice. Fall will be here before you know it.

Minnesota 2022 hunting seasons

August 1 — Deadline to purchase a bear permit.

August 12: Bear baiting begins.

September 1-November 29 — Mourning Dove.

September 1-October 31 – Raven.

September 1-October 16 — Bear.

September 3-7: Ducks, teal only, statewide (tentative).

September 8 — Application deadline for special hunting permit and antlerless deer permit.

September 3-18: Early Canada Goose (tentative).

September 10 and 11 — Juvenile waterfowl hunt.

Sept. 17-Jan. 1 – ruffed grouse.

hunter with woodcock
Woodcock hunting season begins on September 24 in Minnesota and Wisconsin this year.

Steve Kuchera / Archive 2020 / Duluth News Tribune

September 17-Dec. 31 — Deer, archery.

September 17-October 24 – Sandhill Crane, Northwest area only.

September 17-November 30 — Sharp-tailed Grouse, Northwest Zone only.

September 17-February 28 — Squirrel and rabbit, including snowshoe hares.

September 24-November 8 — Woodcock.

September 24-November 23 — Ducks, north zone.

September 24-Dec. 26 — Geese, north zone.

September 24-October 3 — Ducks, central zone.

September 24-October 3 — Patos, southern zone.

October 1 to 30: Turkey.

Oct. 8-Nov. 27 — Ducks, central zone, second season.

Oct. 15-Dec. 25 — Ducks, south zone, second season.

Oct. 15-Jan. 1 — Pheasant, statewide.

October 20-23 — School holidays in Minnesota.

Oct. 20-23: Gun Deer, youth only (ages 10-17), statewide.

October 15 to March 15: fox and raccoon.

November 5-20: Deer, firearms, areas numbered 100.

November 5-13: Deer, Firearms, Areas numbered 200 and 300.

Nov. 27-29: Deer, Firearms, 300 Numbered Permit Areas, Second Season.

Nov 26-Dec 11 — Deer, muzzleloaders, statewide.

For more information, consult a free hunting/trapping regulations brochure available where licenses are sold or visit www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/seasons.html and click on the species of interest.

wisconsin deer hunting
A lucky hunter trails a deer near Brule, Wisconsin. Most of the 2022 fall hunting seasons have already been set.

Steve Kuchera / Archive 2019 / Duluth News Tribune

Wisconsin Hunting Seasons 2022

September 1-November 29 — Mourning Dove.

September 1-9: Early season teal only.

September 1-15: Early goose, statewide.

September 7-October 11 — Bear (dates vary by bait and dog usage and by area).

September 16-Dec. 16 — Goose, north zone.

September 17-18 – Statewide Juvenile Waterfowl Hunt.

Sept. 17-Jan. 8 — Deer, archery and crossbow.

Sept. 17-Jan. 8 – Ruffed Grouse, Northern Zone (northern two-thirds of the state).

September 17-Dec. 31 — Turkey, zones 1-5.

September 17-November 18 — Turkey, zones 6-7.

September 17-November 20 – Raven.

September 17-February 28 — Rabbits, North Zone (no seasonal restrictions or limits on hares).

September 17-February 28 — Squirrel.

September 24-November 7 — Woodcock.

September 24-November 22 — Ducks, north zone.

Oct. 8-9: Youth-Only Gun Deer Statewide.

Oct. 15-Jan. 8 — Pheasant, throughout the state.

October 15-February 15 — Fox and coyote.

labrador retriever with pheasant
The fall hunting seasons are just around the corner and the dates for most seasons have already been set.

John Myers / Archive 2018 / Duluth News Tribune

Nov. 19-27: Deer, Guns, Statewide.

Nov 28-Dec 7 — Deer, muzzleloader, statewide.

December 8-11: Deer, antlerless only, statewide.

December 10: Deadline to apply for spring 2022 turkey and bear permits.

For more information, consult a state hunting/trapping regulation brochure available for free where licenses are sold or visit dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/dates.html and click on the species of interest.

Oct. 1-Dec. 4 — Nonresident Ducks and Geese (tentative) for nonresidents (eastern geese zone ends Dec. 18).

Oct. 8-Jan. 1 — Pheasant (provisional).

Oct. 15-Jan. 31 – Pheasant.

Barrel length, choke and chambers for hunting shotguns

Barrel length, choke, and chambers for hunting shotguns are three topics that any aspiring small game hunter should know about. These three things will change significantly depending on the game you are looking for. Barrel length, choke, and camera settings will change a lot between chases.

barrels
An obvious defining term, barrel length refers to the length of the barrel of the shotgun. In general, a longer barrel allows projectiles to harness more energy from the powder explosion and fall in a truer flight path.

20″-24″ Barrels – These short barrels are best left for turkey hunters, who take careful aim at stationary birds. They are usually too short to shoot with wings, as accuracy suffers. However, many rabbit and grouse hunters who spend their time in extremely thick cover will tout the benefit of a short barrel that doesn’t get caught in brush.

26″-28″ Barrels – These are standard barrel lengths that can be used for all shotgun applications from wing to slug hunting. While a 26” barrel is lighter and more maneuverable, a 28” barrel will be more accurate for long range shots and should be considered perhaps the best overall barrel length. Note that choke selection can mitigate the inherent differences between 26” and 28” barrels. That is, a 26″ barrel with a full choke will fire a tighter grouping than a 28″ barrel with an improved cylinder choke. See below for detailed choke information.

30″-32″ Barrels: These longer barrels certainly have their devotees, who use them for all shotgun applications. However, they are most favored by waterfowl hunters who take a lot of long range shots at waterfowl.

chokes
A shotgun’s choke is a tapered restriction at the muzzle end of the barrel. This results in a wider or narrower shot pattern, or “spreading” of shot, as the shot travels down. A tightly constrained choke produces a tighter pattern; that is, it concentrates the shot into an overall smaller diameter impact zone than you would get with a wider choke at equal distances. There are five common chokes used by hunters, they are as follows.

  • Improved cylinder: very versatile choke, used for upland birds, small fur-bearing animals and waterfowl. (Safe for slugs).
  • Modified: A general purpose choke, used for upland birds, small fur game, and for shooting waterfowl at short to medium range. (Safe for slugs).
  • Modified Improved: Mid-range shot of waterfowl and mountain birds. (Not safe for slugs).
  • Full: The most common highly compressed choke. It is used for long range upland and waterfowl shooting. It’s also good for turkeys. (Not safe for slugs).
  • Extra Full: A highly compressed coke used for specific applications in turkey and long range waterfowl hunting. (Not safe for slugs).

The type of choke you should use depends on the type of hunting you are doing. The tightly restricted “extra full” choke that allows you to put an overwhelmingly lethal dose of buckshot into a turkey’s tiny head at sixty yards would be a huge handicap when shooting for fast-moving cottontail rabbits in the tight confines of a heather patch. Not only would he miss most of his shots, at ten yards, his pattern is no bigger than a baseball. A direct hit at this distance would destroy most of the animal’s meat.

If you are looking for a truly versatile shotgun, it is wise to select a shotgun with bolt-on chokes. This makes it easy to change from one choke to the next, something that can easily be done in the field. And you can buy additional chokes for a fraction of what it costs to buy a new gun. Screw-on chokes are not universal; you must match the chokes to the specific ones designed to fit your gun.

However, many older shotguns have fixed or adjustable chokes. A fixed choke is just that, it cannot be adjusted or unscrewed. Double barrel and side-by-side shotguns with fixed chokes often have a different size choke for each barrel, for example a modified choke and a full choke, to improve their versatility. Adjustable choke shotguns can be adjusted by tightening or loosening a fitting at the end of the barrel. While this style of choke was popular in decades past, it has fallen out of favor with hunters for a number of good reasons and is fast becoming a thing of the past.

A good way to understand shotgun chokes is to consider the average percentage of lead shot from a shell that each choke will throw in a 30” circle at 40 yards.

  • Extra Fill: +/- 75%
  • Full: +/- 70%
  • Modified: +/- 60%
  • Improved Cylinder: +/- 50%

cameras
There are three common chamber lengths for shotguns: 2 3/4″, 3″, and 3 1/2″. Most modern shotguns are designed to accept both 2 ¾” and 3”, and many accept 3 ½” as well. As a general rule of thumb, 2 ¾” carcasses are perfectly adequate for all applications down to goose and turkey. And while you can also use 2 ¾” cartridges for goose and turkey, most hunters prefer to switch to a 3” cartridge for these larger birds to get a little more oomph out of their shotgun. As for the 3 ½” shells, you just have to decide how much abuse your shoulder can take. They give you some extra buckshot and maybe a bit more range, sure, but whether or not the advantages outweigh the extra cost, recoil, and jam risk is debatable.

Alone Season 9 Episode 5 Recap: “The Land Giveth”

the history channel Only season nine episode five, “The Land Giveth”, finds that most of the survivors are quite successful at hunting and fishing. Episode five begins with eight people remaining after Jacques left the show on the 15th and Igor retired on the 20th. Not all of the remaining contestants finished their permanent shelters after 21 days in the wild, and by the end of episode five we have you’re down one more survivor.

Day 21: Benji’s pile of guts drew a bear as confirmed by his tracking camera. However, he has decided that this is not the right time to shoot a bear, as it is not yet cold enough to freeze the carcass. Although a bear will ultimately be a necessity, he is not capable of caring for meat at the moment. Benji is giving himself another two weeks before he even thinks about hunting a bear.

He finishes his new shelter before the end of the day and is very pleased with the result. You have room to stand up and it will be easier to keep warm inside than in your old structure.

Day 24: Benji sharpens his tools and cleans them. He uses his ax every day and wants to keep it in good shape. “If he’s not starting his day sharpening an axe, he’s missing out, folks,” says Benji.

Benji goes to work on a fleshing beam, a surface used for scraping animal hides. He wants to get as much meat out of the beaver’s skin as possible. He plans to extract the fat and preserve it.

Fleshing is very labor intensive and with primitive tools it is even more difficult. Benji can scrape up a lot of meat and plans to season it and cook it that afternoon. (The tail serves as a source). Once he has cooked the leftovers, he has a half tray of “amazing calories”. He places it in the burning bowl he built on the 13th and sets it aside for later.

Even though he has a lot of beaver meat, he can’t resist shooting a grouse. He misses twice but luckily he knows where his arrows fell. She shoots the grouse in a tree one more time, she stayed for some reason, despite the arrows flying at him, and the third time is the charm.

Benji thanks the bird and says, “May your spirit be free.”

He confesses that he never thought he would collect so much food with his bow. The earth has embraced him and he is eating well.

The grouse provides protein, phosphorus, and vitamin B12, and Benji cooks it that night along with some beaver fat. He loves the taste and describes the fat as exploding in his mouth.

Day 26: Benji wakes up with a stomach ache and needs to retune his body to Quigong, a Chinese healing practice. After performing Quigong, he searches for yarrow, an herb that helps with stomach ailments. He meets some by the benches and thinks that he is feeling bad about having eaten too much the night before.

Benji believes that he is a strong contender due to his versatile abilities. However, he worries that he will be out of the game for a while if he keeps getting a stomach ache.

Benji wakes up from a short nap on the river bank and his stomach is still sick. He burps and walks around a bit, and he thinks that maybe he ate something that went wrong or was contaminated.

Benji makes it to bed with a fever, chills, and stomach cramps. He too is nauseous but can’t vomit, and when he thinks of meat/fat his stomach turns. Still, he is hopeful that this will go away and he will feel better tomorrow.

Day 27: It’s 2 am and Benji definitely isn’t feeling any better. He comes out of his shelter and finally throws up as he curses. Benji thinks he has “beaver fever,” a nickname for giardia.

2:30 am and wakes up again, sore and exhausted.

3 am and your stomach is queasy. She describes the situation and it is not pleasant. (I’ll spare you the details.)

It’s 6 am and he hasn’t slept at all. She is not feeling better and can barely move. “That’s the end of the road for me,” says Benji.

He’s at the point where he’s worried he won’t survive if he doesn’t leave the desert of Labrador. Still, he got to experience the changing of the seasons before he retired. He is happy to have come to the series and to have learned a lot from being a part of it. Only.

Solo Season 9 Jessie
Jessie, ‘Alone’ season 9 competitor (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Jessie, age 49, Pagosa Springs, CO

Day 22: Jessie goes hunting for grouse after hearing one near her lodge. She misses with her first arrow and doesn’t get a chance to make another shot. Her shelter is running great, but it’s a lot of work and she admits that she’s really hungry (and that she’s tired of the squirrels).

Jessie calls her place hodgepodge lodge as it is made up of multiple styles of lodge.

She strongly believes in listening to nature and divine timing. She refuses to set arbitrary time expectations on herself.

Solo Season 9 Adam
Adam, ‘Alone’ season 9 competitor (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Adam, 36, Fayetteville, AR

Day 22: Adam describes his last squirrel kill as a perfect shot (it pierced his eye). He is satisfied with his hunting and fishing now and thinks that every day is a gift. He shoots another squirrel, this time in the back of the head. He hears a third squirrel screaming, but he doesn’t look for it because he’s already had a pretty good dinner and it’s only morning.

His structure is one of the best of the season and he sits inside, looks out the window and pretends to serve customers. The menu includes crispy squirrel, leftover grouse and berries.

Day 25: Adam didn’t sleep well the night before and his tummy feels horrible. He eats some blueberries in hopes of calming down and worries that he has contracted a parasite. Adam hopes it’s not that and instead it’s just a screwed up system due to the weird diet he follows.

Adam chooses to spend the day at his shelter, resting.

Adam thinks he has everything he could want at home. The money would help his family tremendously (his mother needs new teeth), but he has a happy life overall. He plans to build a safe and comfortable house with the prize money. Adam chokes up talking about how grateful he is for his life and the people in it.

It’s 10 p.m. when he accepts the fact that he has an intestinal parasite. She thinks he has giardia and it makes her nauseous and in pain. She wonders how long she can live with him and if she can treat him. Adam is hopeful that he’ll get better on his own, but it looks like he’s getting worse.

Day 26: Adam rested long enough to have the energy to harvest birch bark for tea. He thinks that will help with his intestinal problems and manages to harvest the inner bark of the tree. He is supposed to stimulate and calm the stomach. He doesn’t know the correct dosage, but he is hopeful that it will work.

That night he drinks his birch bark tea and waits for it to affect him. A short time later, her stomach is much better and she is not worried about having to tap.

Solo Season 9 John
Juan, ‘Alone’ season 9 competitor (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Juan Pablo, 30 years old, Pinawa, CAN

Day 22: Juan decided not to boil the water anymore because it takes too much time and energy. Also, he reduces the amount of wood he has to collect. He has done this for 10 years and hopes to stay healthy, well aware of the potential to digest parasites.

He has been eating berries and does not think his prospects are good for hunting grouse or hare because he has not seen any droppings. His options: fishing…and…fishing.

Juan Pablo is going to spend energy building a dock since it will apparently be his main source of food. A seal swims by but is protected and you are not allowed to hunt it.

Dock complete, Juan sits down to fish.

Day 24: Juan hopes that the dock will make a difference. He is definitely a better place to cast, but his first fish of the day slips away. Luckily he pulls out a decent sized brook trout and that seems to turn his luck around. His second fish is also medium in size, as are the third and fourth. At the end of the day, he has caught six fish.

“I think I’m getting used to fly fishing,” says Juan.

This is more of a real life survival situation than a competition for Juan, and he has no plans to tap. Tapping would never be an option in real life.

Juan cooks three of his fish and decides to save the other three.

Solo Season 9 Karie
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Karie (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Karie Lee, Water 57, Sandpoint, ID

Day 23: Karie wakes up to tea, warm sun, and thinks about finishing her shelter. However, she needs food first and has lost 20 pounds since day one. She heads out to hunt, hears a squirrel and shoots. Although she initially believes she got it, she is unable to locate the body.

The rain comes and Karie sings “Waniska”, a Native American Cree song, inside her unfinished shelter. The songs she sings keep her in a place of gratitude as she learns and listens to the land.

A large trout escapes but does not give up. A short time later, he pulls out a 13” brook trout that will provide him with 800 calories. He cooks it and eats the eyeballs, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.

While food is obviously important, it’s more about peace of mind for Karie Lee.

Solo Season 9 Tom
Tom, ‘Alone’ season 9 competitor (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)

Tom, age 34, Earlysville, VA

Day 23: Tom is busy cheating, including a lucky bone drop. It’s a tricky trap to make and explains how to set one up carefully.

A flashback shows that Tom began work on his permanent shelter on the 17th. He describes his outdoor home as a combination of a log cabin, a mine shaft, and a giant basket. (Tom is making it up as he goes.)

On day 20, he has it in pretty good shape and builds a workable fireplace and stove out of rocks, clay, and mud. “A home is comfort no matter where you are,” says Tom, impressed with his work. He throws down the tarp as a roof to stay dry and sets out to find food.

Day 23: Tom hasn’t had any luck with his line of traps, but he insists that he has to check his traps every day, even if they aren’t around. There is a responsibility to do it every day and it is inhuman not to do it.

His first two traps didn’t trigger, but he scores big with his spring trap which got a decent sized snowshoe rabbit. (Rabbits average 875 calories.) Tom is ecstatic and has to remind himself to calm down. He was only a foot off the ground and something might have taken him if she hadn’t bothered to check his traps every day.

Tom is a little worried that he’s been dead since last night, but he hopes the meat is okay since it’s been cold. He will cook it much longer to make sure he doesn’t get sick. The rain begins as Tom prepares the carcass, describing the rabbit’s feet as small but sinewy. Tendons are a good source of collagen and help keep joints healthy.

Confess parts of Only they are much easier than he thought and the parts are much more difficult than he supposed they would be. However, he feels good physically and is not alone in nature.

Tom has to be whistled when he takes his first bite of rabbit. It’s delicious.