And A Strong Cup of Coffee
A blog about hunting, fishing, trapping, foraging and taking on new adventures in the woods of Maine.
And A Strong Cup of Coffee
A blog about hunting, fishing, trapping, foraging and taking on new adventures in the woods of Maine.
Most Recent Article
It’s almost turkey time
Spring in Maine brings a new energy that hunters recognize immediately. The snow begins to melt, streams swell with snowmelt, and the woods slowly wake from winter. For many hunters, one of the most anticipated signs of the season is the preparation and start of spring turkey hunting. The hunt is not just about harvesting a bird; it is a tradition rooted in patience, skill, and a deep connection to the woods and fields of Maine. The spring turkey season in Maine will begin soon; May 2nd in Maine for the Youth hunt and May 4th for the rest of us. At this time of year, toms and jakes are actively searching for hens. Their gobbling echoes across the fields and tree lines in the early morning hours. For many hunters, hearing that first gobble first thing in the morning is one of the most...
Other Recent Articles
The impact of changing my hunting habits
I have hit a point in my life where I can say that I have been hunting for longer than I haven’t. Each hunting season provides you with new experiences, new stories and opportunities to learn and be better than you were the year before. This past season, I found two ways that I have changed in my hunting habits since I started. Lesson 1: On opening day of the season, as first light broke, a slew of gun shots rang out. I think I counted 8. It was windy, the refreshing kind and not the...
Having a good taxidermist is priceless
Everything you need to know about a taxidermist comes from how they react when something goes wrong. When I got my Grand Slam in 2021, I wanted to get a half-mount for my bear. It was the first bear that I had trapped, and it had a white patch. I was very specific about how I wanted it; left paw forward to mimic the paw that had been trapped. I did the fan for my turkey feathers myself and then paid the taxidermist for a shoulder mount for my moose, and the antlers of my deer to be mounted....
Maine Guides have an identity problem
One of the most famous outdoorspeople from Maine is Cornelia Crosby. She was the first registered Maine Guide and was an expert, avid fisherman, earning her the nickname ‘Flyrod.’ She also had some of the best skills and knowledge of camping, bird identification, hiking, hunting and canoeing. Men and woman were drawn to her because of the steep knowledge and experience she had participating in these activities. It was easy for her to be guiding others through the woods and waters of Maine...
A quick Maine moose hunt recap
I posted this picture and caption on my Facebook page the Sunday after I got back from our 2025 Maine moose hunt. The post has reached more than 170,000 people and garnered 400 comments. I am currently talking with the Maine Warden Service and the Maine Professional Guides about what next steps I can take. I will name the guide and his guide service in order to make sure no other hunter has the experience that we had. A Maine moose hunt should be a celebrated event and for some, a once...
Why do coyotes polarize us?
I had a pit in my stomach when I first saw the photo. I was ok with the bobcat behind my house. I loved having the fox around. But that coyote was an unwelcomed sight. To make matters worse, it was walking past my camera every night and every morning. Sometimes even during daylight hours. What is it about coyotes that causes us to have such polarizing gut reactions? I have hunted coyotes and I have seen them in the woods while I have been deer hunting. There are few things more unnerving...
Tree stand Trespassing
Hunting property in this state can be hard to come by. I am aware of that. 94% of the land is privately owned. I have put posted signs on the land that Dad and I usually hunt on to informed trespassers that the land is actively being managed, watched and hunted on. I also have a tendency of posting trail camera photos of trespassers on my Facebook and IG pages. I have no problem making these people internet famous. In almost every situation that I have encountered, simple communication...
Why The Name?
Because everything is better with a strong cup of coffee – especially going out on a hunt.
If you’ve ever gotten up at 3am to head out in the turkey woods or sat in a tree stand deer hunting in Maine when it’s 4 degrees outside then that strong cup of coffee can be a critical piece of the hunt.
We hope you enjoy And a Strong Cup of Coffee at whatever hour you have time to read, and we hope the coffee is strong.
Meet The Author
Erin started deer hunting with her Dad when she was 20 and soon found herself spending as much time as she could in the woods and fields hunting deer, bear, and turkey.
Erin is a registered Hunters Safety Instructor with Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and has given lectures and been interviewed a number of times on the challenges and opportunities for women in the outdoors.
In addition to And A Strong Cup of Coffee, Erin is also currently a writing contributor for Northwoods Sporting Journal and a senior writer for Drury Outdoors’ DeerCast. Her work has also been featured in Downeast Magazine.
In an effort to get more women and girls outside, Erin co-founded and is the president of Women of the Maine Outdoors.
