Tom Keer

2 months ago | fieldandstream.com | Tom Keer |Travis Hall |Sage Marshall

While swimming in a remote Western Massachusetts pond, a 73-year old man was attacked—and nearly killed—by a presumably rabid beaver. For over half a century, Mark “Pres” Pieraccini has ridden his bicycle to a secluded pond. He swims to an inshore island, meditates, and heads back to shore. On September 6, his return trip was anything but calm. According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Pieraccini said, “(The beaver) started on my leg. I never saw him. I thought it was some weird mutant lake trout.

Nov 13, 2024 | fieldandstream.com | Dave Hurteau |Scott Bestul |Phil Bourjaily |Tom Keer

Ruffed grouse hunting grew up in 19th century New England, so naturally it can be a bit of a prude. So genteel in certain circles, so neatly wrapped in tradition and style, it must seem to some hunters—especially new ones—the domain of fuddy-duddies and dandies. Don’t believe it. (I, for one, am too ill-bred and badly dressed to be either.) The truth is, getting into grouse hunting is easy and anything but exclusive. All you really need is a reliable shotgun and a pair of reliable legs.

Oct 31, 2024 | fieldandstream.com | Scott Bestul |Dave Hurteau |Tom Keer |Colin Kearns

It’s the end of October as I write this, midday, and I just spotted a deer while driving home from a quick trip to town. Smack in the middle of a wide-open cut cornfield, with the sun high in the sky, was a 150-class tank of a buck trotting through the stubble, nose to the ground, following the scent, I assume, of an early-estrus doe. It’s not even November yet, but the rut is here. And all of a sudden, I can’t wait to get into a tree stand. The very beginning of the rut is the best.

Oct 24, 2024 | fieldandstream.com | Tom Keer |Scott Bestul |Colin Kearns |Steven Hill

I love gun dogs, which means I wouldn’t walk a pheasant or quail field or sit in a blind without one. Dogs make every hunt. On some days they cast perfectly and handle every bird with ease. On others they plow through thick vegetation and crank out one blind retrieve after another. Those epic hunts make up for the times when they come unhinged and we cuss with the eloquence of a dockworker. But Momma didn’t raise no quitter, so we get them back on track.

Jul 22, 2024 | gundogmag.com | Tom Keer

Is it better to create a specialist by introducing your bird dog to only one bird species, or a rounded dog by introducing multiple species?